Isaac: After one quarrel too many with our wealthy father, my eighteen-year-old brother, Ezra Fitz-Henry, does exactly that. He flies away, leaving me behind to play the part of the perfect and dutiful son. When our cold, heartless father dies a decade later, Ezra strolls back into my life—as difficult and secretive as he is beautiful. I’m not prepared. You’re not supposed to want the one you can’t have.
Ezra: I only go back for the money. I have a three-point plan: take what’s mine, use it to escape my lousy flat, and never have anything to do with the Fitz-Henrys ever again. But that’s before I see Isaac, with his solemn frowns and disapproving lips—the best of things and the worst of things. My friend. My enemy. My sinful fantasy.
My younger brother.
Maybe is a standalone M/M romance featuring a relationship between adopted brothers. Trigger warnings for grief following parental death, a history of mental health issues and substance misuse, a brief description of a cot death.
Fearne Hill resides far from the madding crowds in the county of Dorset, deep in the British countryside. She likes it that way. Her novel, Oyster, is a 2025 Lambda Literary Award winner. Two Tribes is a 2023 Lambda Literary Award finalist.. Her popular Rossingley series was nominated in nine separate categories of the 2021 Goodreads M/M Romance awards and received an Honourable Mention in the 2021 Rainbow Awards.
3.5 ⭐️ Excellent medical representation. Very accurate portrayal of Dr life and working in an Emergency Department. 5 stars for that! The relationship I didn’t love quite as much but overall it was still pretty good.
I feel like I missed the relationship progression from estranged brothers to falling in love, the actual romance felt a bit lacking to me, both in chemistry and connection at that crucial point. They haven’t seen each other for 10 years, since they were 14 and 18yrs and they have a rough start back into each others lives which suddenly became love in a way that I didn’t really believe in.
I enjoyed the scenes with Jonty’s illness and how the house circumstances brought them together. Nice writing. Alaric, Carly and Luke were all great additions. I found Isaac relatable and genuine but I didn’t fully buy Ezra’s character and how he did a 180 and actually fell in love with Isaac.
I know this is a brother bromance (adopted) but I got seriously over the amount of times brother or baby bro was mentioned. A total of 154 times!! The constant reminders were just too on the nose for me to enjoy that aspect of their relationship authentically.
Tricky to rate, going with a 3.5 rounded up.
Thanks to the author and GRR for the arc, book 2 releasing soon
After a good night’s sleep on how to rate this book, I decided to go with 4,5 stars, rounded up because this is Fearne Hill and with this newest addition to her oeuvre she has made it clear why she is one of those authors I will come back to again and again.
This is very much a Fearne Hill book. If you are familiar with her writing, you’d know that she handles heavy topics very well and gentle, always with a light touch and with very lovely British humour. I was a bit surprised when I found out she wrote a forbidden romance between 2 brothers, but then I learned they were not blood related, which took away most of the taboo factor. Ezra and Isaac shared a childhood under the same roof, Isaac being the first born child of his father’s new family with his second wife, with whom he had an affair while still being married to Ezra’s mum. The father, a very wealthy and well know heart surgeon, had adopted Ezra when he first married, and after the unfortunate death of Ezra’s mother, he took him in to live with his new family. The man was a terrible father, living for his career and fame and fortune, with a tendency to cruelty towards Ezra, which made Ezra decide to leave at 18 and never look back.
At the father’s funeral, Isaac and Ezra meet again after 10 years. They have a lot to overcome from their past, but there has always been a brotherly love and bond between them. That it appears to become much more that that, is another hurdle for them to take.
I loved this cast of characters. Hated the father, the mother as well at first, but she got her redemption towards the end and it didn’t feel forced. I loved Ezra to bits, he was such a great character! I loved his son Jonty too and their close bond. It was great to witness Isaac grow in this story. At the end, he’s definitely a different guy from the one we meet at the beginning of the book. The slow burn feels right, Ezra and Isaac had a lot to overcome and, specially Isaac needed time to accept he loved Ezra as a lover and not just as a brother. In between the lines there’s a complaint towards the NHS, perfectly woven into the story, as Isaac is working as a doctor in a London hospital. About the workload and the limited awareness of the mental health situation for the people on the floor. About the continuing shifts on the roster so that people work too many shifts in a row. It’s a problem in many countries, I suppose, too few people for too many people in need of help.
I really love to see how this series will continue and I will curiously await the second book! This book is a great start, one I will highly recommend.
I don’t know why I was expecting something light this time around from an author who is my favourite go to when I want something that always digs deep below the surface. I was pleasantly and ecstatically disappointed. This story so sublime. Slowly peeling away these wondrous layers of the past, the developed coping mechanisms, the ennui and quiet devastation to reveal bright sparks of humour and joy and this beautiful slow burn of unbrotherly love.
What these men go through in their formative years is truly appalling and a trauma they both struggle to overcome and while on the surface it feels like Isaac has more to pull from it’s the resilience and sheer stubbornness of Ezra that he leans on. Ezra’s circumstances feel bleak but he has a son who is a shining light and Isaac feels bleak on the inside until he reconnects with Ezra.
Their relationship development doesn’t follow a norm at all and yet it’s quite perfect for the mega Hurdle of being adopted brothers they are trying to overcome. Sometimes I couldn’t understand where Ezra’s single mindedness came from but I could see Isaac’s struggle.
I think being asthmatic Jonty’s story and childlike resilience touched me the most
This is a very different book than I’ve read from Fearne hill but no less engaging and impact full- highly recommend
When I first saw the blurb, I somehow tricked myself into thinking that Fearne Hill had finally discovered wincest. Alas! It was not to be. (And yes, it says "adopted brothers" right there at the end. Wishful thinking be a dangerous drug.)
My point is that I went into this thinking it was gonna be all taboo and wincesty, so imagine my surprise when we are plunged straight into an authentic accounting of the inhumanely dysfunctional way the NHS treats its employees. Which! I am not mad about! Once I set aside my hopes and dreams re-calibrated my mind to what I was actually reading, I was able to enjoy this thoughtful, low angst, slow-burn story about two men reconciling and learning how to live with the legacy of their cobbled-together, then broken-up family, and the father whose suffocating presence dictated so much of their lives.
Indeed, had we stayed in junior doctor Isaac's POV the whole time, I would have enjoyed it more: his exhausted, stressed, burnt out, cynical-but-clinging-to-goodness voice is by far the standout, even if his major dilemma -- whether to slog on with his destined career path as a cardiac surgeon, or plump for a less prestigious emergency medicine post -- is a bit thin, at least for readers who are not themselves invested in the status markers of the medical profession. (Dude can still save lives. Color me impressed.) Unfortunately, I didn't jibe with Ezra's voice as well. It was too mate-y for my tastes; and while Isaac had a solid decade-plus of unrequited pining on his side, Ezra's leap from "younger brother who was nice to me but whose very existence I resent on principle" to "walking heart-eyes emoji" felt very insta. I did, however, appreciate the excellent supporting cast -- Carly and Alaric, in particular; Jonty was a surprise, but perfectly fine in the "there are limits to how well these characters can be written"-sense -- and the fact that Isaac's bio-mom/ Ezra's step-mom, though difficult and selfish, did not cross the line into cartoonish villainy.
I'm always happy when Fearne Hill is writing doctors; and while I would have liked less discordance between Isaac's real-feeling narration and Ezra's overdone bloke-iness, this was a solid start to a new series.
I got an ARC from GRR in exchange for an honest review.
once Ezra turned eighteen, he left Isaac's life not be seen again until their parental units passed. Ezra learns it's okay to let others in and not run whenever things get difficult. Issac with Ezras helps learn the art of the word 'no', and it's okay not to be perfect. these men learn together to lean on the other in difficult times and cherish the good times. Their love and support are beautiful thing once they allow the other in. This story had a different feel than what I usually read from Fearne, and it was a beautiful thing to see how diverse of an author they are. When a slow burn is done, correct for me, it's one to cherish always. For those worried, the men are in no way blood related, and their time apart made them so different that it was an art to see their bond grown slowly but surely.
I’m voluntarily reviewing from an advanced copy that I received. My review is solely based on my thoughts and opinions.
I generally enjoy this author so was delighted to get an ARC. The premise of this book drew me in - I’m a sucker for angst. However this didn’t quite live up to the standard of the authors other books. The “brother” aspect was laid on just a little too thick for my liking . It took away from the story , in what felt like, an attempt to fit into the “brothers / incest” trope . First half was more enjoyable but this was a little bit of a miss for me.
Another fav read from one of my favourite MM-contemporary authors. Hill’s style is easy to spot: raw, sarcastic, laugh-out-loud funny and unapologetically British. The banter between characters is top-notch, laced with the dark humour I love.
About the romance: I want to be clear: this book is marketed as romance, yet it stretches far beyond. Hill tackles rejection, parental death, disappointment, fear of choice and poverty with equal weight. If you’re looking for a story where the love arc hogs the spotlight, you won’t find it here. Instead, you’ll get a narrative that refuses to leave you indifferent, even if some romantic parts could have used a bit more page-time.
I know the step-brother trope is everywhere and I was wary of yet “one more”. Surprisingly, it feels fresh here. Often the trope is just backstory or a childhood link, but Hill weaves it into present-day scenes and ongoing conflict. If the real-world implications of step-siblings loving each other unsettle you, this might not be for you. Hill never softens the taboo: Ezra and Isaac know it’s messy, talk it through, cry about it, want it anyway.
Beneath the snappy banter and light-hearted banter, there are moments that cut deep. I’ll never forgive that smug old bastard, but oh well, I did live long enough to hate Janice a little less. And yes, the financial resolution is wish-fulfilment, yet I read for the HEA, so it didn’t bother me one bit.
Rating: 4 Steam: 2 PoV: dual, 1st person Genre: contemporary romance, MM Tropes / tags: adopted brothers, hurt / comfort, single dad
Maybe was a beautiful and complex story!
I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this one, but it didn’t take long for Isaac to capture my attention. It was easy to feel for him, he had a lot to deal with and his emotions were very present in the story. I loved his sense of humour, and his cynical, self-deprecating thoughts and comments made me giggle several times.
It was interesting to see Isaac and Ezra reconnect and get to know each other again after spending a decade apart. There was quite a bit of history from their childhood that they needed to overcome and discuss before anything could happen between them. It was a story that was uncovered piece by piece, with complicated histories and families, and while it sometimes got messy and heavy, it was overall handled with a gentle and somewhat light-hearted touch.
Ezra had some lingering resentment towards Isaac’s family, which made sense, and he could be a little bit too stubborn at times. I loved seeing him with his son Jonty, it was obvious that Jonty meant the world to him and they were so cute together. The characters were all very well written, and both Isaac and Ezra had a lot of depth and layers.
Maybe was a moving and tender story with banter, raw emotions, pining and well written characters. It was a somewhat unconventional romance, with a lot of bumps along the way, but Isaac and Ezra got their HEA in the end. Isaac especially had some great character development, and I loved seeing him find his own way in life and starting to thrive. It was a strong start to the Mis-shapes series, and it’s definitely a series I’ll keep my eyes on!
- I received an advanced copy of this book, and these are my honest thoughts and opinions.
Fearne Hill kicks off her new Mis-shapes contemporary romance series with Maybe, a gorgeous slow-burn romance between step/adopted brothers that explores the complexities of grief, the weight of living with unhealthy expectations and learning to let go of those expectations to find happiness and forge your own path in life.
Overworked junior doctor Isaac Fitz-Henry has taken a rare day off from the frenetically busy Emergency Department he currently works in in order to attend the reading of his late father’s will. (For American readers, ‘junior’ doctors in the NHS are fully qualified with several years of experience under their belts, so ‘junior’ is something of a misnomer.) Professor Sir Henry Fitz-Henry KBE BM BCh FRCS (Eng) was one of the world’s most renowned cardiac surgeons, a high-profile figure famous for his many charitable endeavours, both in the UK and internationally, whose acts of benevolence won him great acclaim. Those acts, however, hid a calculating man whose charitable impulses were usually prompted by the opportunity for self-aggrandisement, and who was also a total shit in his personal life; Isaac was nine or ten when he found out that his illustrious father had been living a double-life and had a second family, or rather that he, Isaac, was part of that second family, the first consisting of a wife and adopted son, Ezra. The sudden discovery of the years-long deception led to the death of Ezra’s mother in an accident, after which the devastated, grieving and furious teen moved in with the rest of the Fitz-Henrys.
Although Isaac quickly developed a case of hero-worship for Ezra – who is four years his senior – and the two of them bonded over a shared antipathy towards their father, Ezra never really fit in. Still hurt, angry and grieving over his mum, he’d lash out and behave obnoxiously, his stepmother his usual target because his father was rarely around. When Sir Henry was around, Ezra bore the brunt of his ready disapproval and the pair butted heads all the time, until Ezra walked out when he was eighteen following a massive row. Isaac hasn’t seen or heard from Ezra in the decade since, although he thinks of him often and wonders where he is and how he’s doing, but has no idea how to go about tracking him down.
Isaac knows Ezra has been invited to the will reading and half-expects him not to show. But he does – all lanky grace, black eyeliner, sharp cheekbones and sarcasm, and Isaac is uncomfortably reminded of his long-ago crush – and that it has never gone away. Then the will is read, and Ezra’s name is not mentioned until a short note at the end stating he is not to receive anything from the estate. Isaac is indignant and furious on his brother’s behalf and insists there must be some mistake, but there isn’t – Sir Henry cut his eldest son from his life and left him nothing at his death. Isaac insists he’s going to arrange to give Ezra his proper share of the family money, but Ezra doesn’t want it. With a snarky parthian shot, he walks out of Isaac’s life for the second time. Isaac really hopes it isn’t for good.
Isaac and Ezra are superbly drawn characters who have both struggled to overcome the awful experiences of their childhoods. They’re polar opposites in many ways, but those experiences have created a connection that has never really broken, no matter how much Ezra has tried to distance himself from it. He doesn’t want anything to do with the family who rejected him; he certainly doesn’t want Isaac’s money or his pity or anything else from him, and isn’t shy about making that clear, taking his anger and frustration out on Isaac and generally behaving like a complete knob to him to start with. Ezra is proud and he’s hurting; his father’s beyond-the-grave snub has brought back unpleasant memories of all the times Sir Henry made Ezra believe he was wrong and hard to love - but with those painful memories come memories of Isaac, the intense, nerdy kid who’d made everything seem easier and brighter. And Ezra realises that there is something he wants from the Fitz-Henrys after all - to have Isaac back in his life.
Isaac spends most of his life being completely knackered, but he loves helping people despite all the petty frustrations he faces every day. His career path has been mapped out for as long as he can remember; become a doctor, pass the surgical exams, take up a cardiac fellowship post to expand his research, get published, get a formal training post in Sir Henry’s old department… it’s a long road and far from an easy one, but becoming a cardiac surgeon is what he’s always known he’s supposed to do. Having spent so long going along with other people’s expectations that he’s going to follow in his father’s footsteps makes it hard for Isaac to admit that perhaps cardiac surgery isn’t what he really wants to do and he’s lost sight of the fact that he gets to choose what he does with his life.
Despite the overwork, the stress and the high expectations, it would seem, at first glance, that Isaac has his life more under control than Ezra; he’s got a good job, he has a family who loves him (even though he doesn’t see them often) a very nice place to live and is now, thanks to Sir Henry, quite wealthy, whereas Ezra had no-one to lean on when he walked out and is clearly struggling to make ends meet. Yet Ezra is thriving. He’s so strong and so unapologetically himself, and where Isaac is exhausted and running on fumes most of the time, Ezra has struck out on his own and made a life and a new family for himself, handles the crap life throws at him mostly without complaint, and above all, he has his nine-year-old son, Jonty, who is the apple of his eye and the light of his life.
The romantic relationship between Ezra and Isaac is a nicely done slow-burn filled with lots of longing and affection and warmth and good humour. Ezra is less fazed about their familial connection – they don’t share blood or DNA after all – than Isaac is to start with, although Isaac’s reservations about embarking on a relationship come more as a result of inexperience and worrying he’ll fuck things up and lose Ezra all over again. The depth of their love for each other and the strength of their emotional bond comes through strongly – it’s clear that these two are a perfect fit despite being so different, and that they each bring something the other badly needs to the relationship. Ezra helps Isaac to realise that his wants and needs are important, too, that he’s his own person and not just an extension of their father, and Isaac helps Ezra banish those deep-seated childhood fears that told him he wasn’t worth loving and wasn’t good enough, and that accepting help doesn’t make him weak or mean he’s unable to cope.
The author’s background as a medical professional in the NHS enables her to paint a very realistic portrait of the workings of a busy emergency department, and she doesn’t shy away from exploring the way years of chronic underfunding have taken a real toll on the staff, who somehow, and against all the odds, keep things going and for the most part, do an amazing job in very difficult circumstances. It’s not preachy or tub-thumbing – it’s important to an understanding of Isaac’s character to know what he deals with every day, and why his dedication and willingness to help out isn’t always a good thing.
The story has plenty of the down-to-earth humour I so enjoy about Ms. Hill’s work, and the secondary characters are superbly drawn - Isaac’s friend and colleague Alaric is a stand-out (I hope he’s getting a book of his own!), and Jonty is very much a regular nine-year-old rather than a clichéd plot-moppet.
Maybe is nuanced, heartfelt and emotionally satisfying, a lovely romance about two people coming to terms with the past and working their way towards happiness, and I loved it. It’s a great start to this new series, and I’m eagerly awaiting the next instalment.
Note: The story deals with grief following the death of a parent, and there are mentions of mental health issues, past substance abuse and a brief description of a cot death.
I enjoyed this book a lot. I don’t think I’ve read anything by this author, but it was a great introduction to her.
Ezra’s story was raw and unfiltered. He watched as his life fell apart around him at just 13 and continued to get worse until he walked away at 18. Isaac’s love for his brother goes outside the lines of a normal brotherly relationship, and despite loving Ezra since he was 14, he still struggles to overcome his internalised homophobia and the fact that this relationship wouldn’t follow the plan that’s been designed for him.
The author takes us on a journey with the two of them, letting us in while they overcome their issues together. She touches upon social issues and writes about the complexities of grief, emotional abuse, and unhealthy expectations in a way that really has you rooting for the two of them to take back their own lives.
My only niggle was that even after they decided to pursue a relationship together, they still referred to each other as brothers even in front of the kids, which would surely be confusing. They’ve explained they’re not blood related and that they love each other, so why not change the way they define their relationship? It seemed a bit odd, but that’s probably just me.
Overall, a realistic take on brothers navigating a relationship and fighting against the struggles of life to get there. I really enjoyed it.
…………………………………………………………. I received an ARC from GRR, and this is my honest review.
Fearne Hill is such a solid author, and this book was a fantastic surprise for me. Be warned that it is heavy and there are many serious topics and situations throughout the book. However, seeing what they went through over the course of the book made it even more powerful for me. It is a slow burn (what I prefer), but that makes it feel more real. I am excited for the next book in the series!
Isaac father dies. His older brother, Ezra, who has been gone for 10 years arrives for the reading of the will.
‘Ezra Fitz-Henry. Sir Henry’s adopted son from his first marriage. My stepbrother. And my first and only love.’
Ezra is left nothing much to the outrage of Isaac.
Isaac is a doctor working towards being a cardiac surgeon, like his father.
Ezra turns up drunk, insulting his stepmother and trashing his dad’s memorial service.
Very messy childhood. Dear old Dad had two families and when Ezra’s mum found out she died. So Isaac’s mum moved in with her kids.
Three months later, Isaac’s on a date when he hears Ezra busking. The date leaves, Ezra’s set ends and Issac follows Ezra.
Ezra has a 9 year old son, Jonty! Did not see that coming. Ezra is gay but had drunken sex with a girl, Carly, who is his best friend.
They live pretty poverty stricken life , Ezra’s dad / stepdad knew but didn’t care.
Definitely not feeling sad their shithead of a dad died.
Isaac goes back to the cafe to chat with Ezra. Ezra sends him photos of Jonty. Isaac calls Ezra. Isaac is back at the cafe.
So they are communicating. This is going to be a slow burn romance I feel.
Wow. I feel so sad about Ezra’s mum and the way she died. Oh My God.
This book feels emotionally devastating and we aren’t at any romance yet 😭
“We’re not blood relatives. His dad was with my mum. I was adopted by his dad. His mum is someone else. Long story.” Neil digested that, or pretended to, squinting up at the clear evening sky. “That’s good, seeing as you want to jump his bones.”
Ezra kisses Isaac and they get lost in the moment…until Isaac is like what the fuck bro!
“What do you mean? Christ, Isaac, it was a quick goodbye snog after a few beers, that’s all.” “That’s all?” he shouted. “That’s all? You’re my brother, fuckwit!” “Only on a piece of paper, somewhere. Who gives a fuck?”
( It took half the book to get to a kiss ) Ezra tells Carly Isaac is his soul mate.
Isaac is spiralling after that kiss. He tells Ezra he liked the kiss but he doesn’t want to lose him again.
Ezra pays a visit to his stepmother to try and make nice.
Jonty has to go to hospital due to a pretty severe asthma attack. Jonty lets Isaac know Ezra has being writing a song about him called ‘Maybe’. Ah that’s where the title comes from.
Ezra and Jonty visit Ezra’s stepmother again.
‘If I wanted to have a happy Isaac in my life, then I was going to have to get over my dislike of Janice and try and support her.‘
Isaac gets his way and has Ezra and Jonty staying with him in his fancy rich apartment.
They finally have sex ( at 80% of the book) but do they really need to keep reminding me they are lovers , boyfriends and brothers.
Jonty questions if brothers can kiss on the lips like they do, he’s pretty grossed out but Ezra explains they aren’t biologically brothers so it’s ok.
Ezra and Isaac exchange I love you’s.
Ezra and Jonty move out. Isaac’s mum is going into rehab for her drinking. Isaac decided not to go into being a Cardiac Surgeon.
Janice , the stepmother, sets up a trust for Jonty with a considerable amount of money.
“I’m doing this, Ez,” I stated. “Big brothers need help sometimes too, you know? As do boyfriends. And you’ve got a boyfriend who’s going to be with you forever. Which means that what’s mine is yours, Ez.”
They house hunt.
The end with some epilogues.
Soo a messy, slow burn read with a lot of focus on secondary characters. Didn’t really make me feel all warm and romantic.
Learn to fly. Fly away. Only mentioned 8 times but felt like more.
Lovers and brothers mentioned 3 times but I swear it was more too.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
The first part felt pretty bleak so it took me a while to get invested. Isaac is an overworked, exhausted doctor, putting in 60 hours a week in the Emergency Department while spending most of his "free" time studying for exams to help him follow in his father's footsteps and become a cardiac surgeon. His father's sudden death (from a heart attack, no less) puts in motion a lot of changes, especially when it brings his older adopted brother back into Isaac's orbit. The family relationships all around are a mess, but Isaac always adored Ezra and was broken-hearted when Ezra took off after a big row with his father and stayed away with no contact for 10 years. The reading of the will brings Ezra back, but his exclusion from any money has Ezra disappearing again.
Of course their paths cross again, and we get the long sordid family story told in bits and pieces through the prose. Ezra and Isaac still have a bond, although at first both deny it, and they can't stay apart.
The characterizations are excellent and the story is beautifully written. It's bleak at times and both Ezra's and Isaac's stubbornness over different issues is frustrating, if understandable. The "forbidden" part of their relationship (legally brothers) shows up but in the end isn't really as difficult to get around as their stubborness.
This was good but emotional slow burn type of story. There may be the brothers aspect but there is much more to Ezra and Isaac's story than that. I enjoyed reading it.
I like Fearne Hill. Truly. Every book I’ve read by her showcases her prose and storytelling skill. She’s thoughtful, polished, and clearly talented. That remains true here. The writing itself isn’t the issue.
The issue is that I went in expecting one book… and got a very different one.
At the start of the book, I thought I was settling in for a hot, taboo, incest-adjacent romance. She had me at hello. Instead, what we actually have are adopted brothers who haven’t seen each other in ten years. Which isn’t quite the same but it can still be taboo and hot. But the romantic progression felt very slow to me. They didn’t even kiss until around the 50% mark, and the relationship didn’t fully turn physical until closer to 80%.
I’m not inherently anti–slow burn. Sometimes a slow burn works beautifully when the tension is simmering and delicious and unbearable in the best way. I just didn’t personally feel that kind of build here. For me, the emotional and sexual tension never quite reached the level that makes delayed gratification worth it.
There was also a single-dad element—Ezra has a nine-year-old daughter—which caught me off guard. If I’d known “single dad” was part of the package, I probably wouldn’t have volunteered to review it. That’s more of a personal taste issue than a flaw in the book, but it did impact my overall enjoyment. Kids in romances are just little cock blocks who try to ham it up and steal attention.
Ironically, what this book mostly did was make me think about taboo incest romances in general. Anthropologically speaking, incest taboos are generally built around reproduction and the risk of birth defects. But in queer relationships, that biological concern isn’t part of the equation. It’s still socially uncomfortable, sure, but also kinda who cares? Just some food for thought.
Overall, this is well written and thoughtfully constructed, it just wasn’t the hot, taboo-forward read I was hoping for. If you enjoy slower-burn, emotionally layered stories with family complexity and a parental subplot, this may land better for you than it did for me.
4.5 stars Very beautiful start of a new series by Fearne Hill. Since the first pages, I loved Ezra and I was overwhelmed by how he suffered in his life (his mother's death was horrible), how everyone who was supposed to love him, left him, how awfully his adoptive father and his stepmother treated him and how alone he must have felt for a long time. On the contrary, I couldn't connect with Isaac at first: he was too nice, too submissive, incapable of making a decision for himself. I have to admit, he frustrated me quite a bit. But then, having Ezra back in his life, finally helped him breathe: it was like the overbearing presence of his father was fading little by little and he could finally see a different future for himself.
I really appreciated the slow burn, I believe it suited their relationship very well: I loved how Ezra adored and doted on Isaac without needing or pushing for physical release. The sex scenes were very romantic and emotional: I loved how both of them were overwhelmed by their feelings (they had done very little and yet Ezra considered those moments as making love, gahhh!)
What prevented me from giving five full stars: I needed more of Isaac and Jonty's bond. That little guy was awesome and I would have liked to see more of him and Isaac spending time together.
I really really despised Janice: I get that she was also a victim of her narcissistic husband but she put the blame solely on him for their affair and never acknowledged or apologised for all the pain she caused to Ezra and Isaac just tiptoed around her his whole life.
I liked the side characters and I hope the author will give Luke his own happy ending because that boy surely deserves it.
Very recommended.
I received an ARC of this book from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review.
This wasn’t for me. It was about really nothing for 2/3 of the book. I kept checking how far in the book I was because nothing was happening and I felt like I’d read the majority of the book.
Ezra was annoying, his pride was too much and was literally putting his son’s health at risk. Jonty was sick and Ezra was just okay with bringing him back to his moldy apartment, multiple times there were references to actual mushrooms growing on the walls. Absolutely ridiculous.
Issac was just boring. He was a doctor who seemingly hated working, not helping people but didn’t enjoy being at work. There was way too much really descriptive medical stuff, page after page of medical terminology about people we don’t see again.
Their relationship doesn’t progress until like 80%, they finally have sex and it reads very medical like, not sexy at all. Using “tummy” in the midst of describing being fingered is crazy.
All the brother stuff was also a step too far, a lot of specific talk about “brother, boyfriend”, it was like the author wanted to write incest but wasn’t totally sure. Once they’d had sex the “brother” moniker should’ve ended.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
The hardships these two go through in their formative years really puts it's mark on them. Ezra's stubbornness have helped him in many ways and at times I just wanted to tell him that it's ok to take the help offered. Isaac is just going through the motions, doesn't really connect with the world around him until he meets Ezra again.
Thank you Fearne Hill for the arc. This review is honest and voluntary!
I like the author's books but I'm half way through and I'm putting it down. I may or may not come back. I don't like Ezra. None of the characters grab me, to be honest. I can very occasionally enjoy romance books with children in them, but not often.
ETA 21/09/25 I did come back and finished Maybe. I ended up liking Ezra more and Isaac remained solid throughout.
There's nothing wrong with the writing. Hill has a nice turn of phrase.
I still remained unimpressed with a child in the book, nothing against Jonty, I rarely gel with children in romance reading.
The use of 'brother-uncle-lover' or 'my brother' for spice fell flat. If you like raunchy reading there are more graphic or taboo books out there like the Twin Ties series - don't buy the books, Lynn Kelling hasn't been paid for them. Or Secrets and Lies by Nicky James.
Overall, this ended up being middle of the road reading. It was a contemporary gay romance with two pleasant characters that I liked but didn't come close to loving. Usually this author tugs at my heart but this one missed... although it did help between some dark romantasy audiobooks.
OMG, this is so beautifully written, emotional, compelling, and as stunning as it is heartbreaking. Fearne totally drew me into the messed up and often painful world of Isaac and Ezra. Their relationship is a slow burn that feels both forbidden and inevitable, built on years of shared history, and longing on Isaac's side. They are so different but, at the same time, so similar. They both have 'daddy issues,' and insecurities galore.
The dual POV is perfect, giving you an insight into both brothers' minds. You feel Isaac's resentment and a decade of suppressed emotion, and you also feel Ezra's desperation and love for Jonty, his son. Jonty is at the centre of his actions, only wanting a better life for his son. The tension between the brothers is palpable, and every interaction, from their heated arguments to their tentative moments of connection, is charged.
Fearne doesn't shy away from the heavy topics mentioned in the trigger warnings, but she handles them sensitively and with a subtle touch. She explores the troubled family dynamics, grief, and the issues that plague both Isaac and Ezra. Her writing is so authentic that it's easy to get drawn into the story and root for their happiness
'Maybe' is a poignant and deeply moving story about forgiveness, healing, and finding love in the most unexpected of places. I love that Fearne's writing is so character driven, which I do enjoy in a story. It was lovely to watch both MCs develop and become stronger and wiser, as the book progresses. It's such a beautiful romance, with lots of emotional depth and a gorgeous HEA.
I received an ARC of this story, which in no way influenced my opinion.
I received an ARC from the author. The review below has also been published soon on Rainbow Book Reviews.
If one could trust appearances, Isaac Fitz-Henry has it all. He’s a fairly good-looking young doctor, living in a huge flat in a ritzy part of London, and his family is loaded. He wants to specialize in cardiology, a goal he’s actively pursuing in the rare hours he’s not working shifts in the emergency department of a hospital. That’s when his father, renowned heart surgeon Sir Henry Fitz-Henry, dies all of a sudden. And someone whom he hasn’t seen for years shows up at the reading of the will: his “brother” Ezra, four years older than he, who was the most important man during his teenage years. Isaac might even have had a crush on him, but shush! That’s a secret not to be said out loud. For the record, they’re not blood-related, anyway—Sir Henry’s first wife had brought Ezra into her mariage, and her husband had dutifully adopted the boy. After her death in an accident, Sir Henry had married his former PA and long-time mistress, Isaac’s mother. No wonder young Ezra had always been a moody, difficult boy, and unsurprisingly, his step-father and he had fallen out ten years earlier.
After this first chance meeting of the two estranged “brothers” in the solicitor’s office, Ezra promptly disappears again. But destiny is a fickle thing. Which means Isaac stumbles upon him a few weeks later, and the younger man decides he won’t let him go so easily. The road to a new-found relationship is long and bumpy, but little by little, they get to know each other again and learn what each one has been up to all those years. Little by little, it becomes obvious, too, that brotherly love isn’t what really draws them to each other. The problem is, Isaac has no time. And he still feels swooning over a “sibling,” even one who doesn’t share a drop of blood with him, is wrong, oh so wrong…
To be honest, I’m not into taboo romances. Second confession: I didn’t know this would be one because I never glanced at its blurb. “Maybe” was gracefully provided by the author as part of a two-book package—the first in the “Mis-shapen” series, with the second to be published at the end of February. As I was given the choice, and although the two novels are stand-alones, I requested both (duh! for any avid reader, I think that’s a no-brainer). It wasn’t until I started reading it that I realised what I had signed up for. My first reaction was to feel ill at ease because, of course, the author waited a couple of chapters before explaining the true family links (or rather, the absence of any biological link) between the two main characters. Their mutual attraction was pretty obvious by then, too, so when I found out what was what and who was who, I started questioning why I had reacted so strongly at the beginning.
But let’s leave that aside for a second. I enjoyed the book and the characters. I even applauded the happy ending (no surprise there—Lambda-Award-winner Fearne Hill is known to always provide satisfying happy endings, and I for one won’t complain). If I had to choose, I’d say Isaac was my favourite. He was sweet, considerate, capable of loads of empathy, bruised and lost, yet strong and decisive when it mattered. Ezra turned out a bit harder to like at first, but Fearne Hill wouldn’t be Fearne Hill if she didn’t manage to slip in some actions and reactions and flashbacks that made me change my mind after a few chapters. The plot with its ups and downs and twists as well as the decision to tell the story from both protagonists’ viewpoints enabled me to embrace their characters and understand them better. That was what made the romance so sweet, too. The two men make each other complete, help each other deal with life, show each other they are worthy of love.
The secondary characters were a hoot. I loved Alaric, Isaac’s extrovert and fanciful colleague, and Isaac’s twin siblings (real, blood-related siblings). I suffered with his other colleague, heavily depressed Luke. I winced whenever meeting his unhappy one-time-date, nerdy Gerald. I was glad Isaac’s alcoholic mom was given the necessary not-so-gentle push from an unexpected person to address her drinking problem. All in all, I thoroughly loved the story and finally came to terms with my uneasiness regarding the trope of two brothers (who aren’t really brothers) falling in love with each other. That each one was so perfect for the other one might have helped, as did the author’s solid, effective writing style, her to-the-point character painting, her ability to transport me to London (I love it when a book makes me forget where I am and offers me the cheapest means possible to travel to other places), and her choices where the plot was concerned.
Now I can’t wait to open book number 2 of the series to find out what Fearne Hill has in store for her readers…
Isaac Fitz-Henry is the golden boy of the family. In his father’s eyes, Isaac is destined to become a top cardiologist surgeon just like him. Professor Sir Henry Fitz-Henry, has Isaac’s future already planned, one that he can’t deviate from. With the sudden passing of Sir Fitz-Henry, Isaac will have more pressure placed upon him.
The Fitz-Henry family consists of mother, Lady Janice, and younger, twins Saffron and Edward with Isaac being the older at this point. There is another brother, Ezra, by adoption only, who is four years older than Isaac. Ezra was never loved by his biological father who deserted him and his mother before he was born. As a young boy he watched the tragedy that lead to his mother’s death. The only one in the Fitz-Henry family he connected with was Isaac. They both had special feelings for each other, but never expressed them. At eighteen Ezra had his reasons to rebel and mistakes were made. When he sought out help from Sir Fitz-Henry he was kicked out. But Ezra made the best of his life and flew away without any help from Fitz-Henry.
With the sudden death of Sir Fitz-Henry comes a will reading. Even not having contact with Ezra for ten years, he is contacted to attend the reading and that’s of great importance to Isaac. Isaac has mixed feelings about Ezra. He can’t understand how Erza could walk out on him and never contact him. He was confused in his feelings about Ezra, his hero and more. When the will is gone over by the solicitor and for Ezra there was nothing, he walks away from Isaac again.
As Isaac constantly thinks of Ezra, their paths cross again. Can they both get passed the issues of the past and find what they both need?
Fearne Hill has impressed with several of her books and “Maybe” is now one of them. She writes such a heart-rending story of a somewhat dysfunctional family ruled by an egotistical father.
I loved the contrast between Ezra and Isaac. Ezra lived a different life than Isaac. He is certainly more worldly than Isaac. Nothing was handed to him and he made mistakes. Along the way he learned from them. His only big issue is that he’s very stubborn and is determined to make his own way, without being a burden to anyone. The stubbornness at times is a way for him to prove he didn’t need the late Sir Fitz-Henry’s help in anyway. Ezra keeps his world together and tries to better it for one special little boy Jounty.
Isaac is to the breaking point. He doesn’t even have time for a decent hook-up. He’s working multiple late shifts at the different wards at the hospital, and studying for the Cardiac exam in order to please his late father and his colleagues and wishes. He believes he can’t change his course, no matter how much the thought creeps in his head. There’s always the guilt of how the Fitz-Henry’s ruined Isaac’s life. He will also have to face secrets that his parents kept from him. There are two special characters that give their support. Alaric a good friend to Isaac. He works at the hospital with him and they always have time to share their thoughts. Carly and her entire family are a tremendous support to Ezra and Jounty.
I double highly recommend, “Maybe” by Fearne Hill. There’s a variety of feelings that twist the heart strings. There’s tragedy, drama, surprises, facing sexuality awareness, love of friends and family, an enthusiastic and sweet little boy, a love that lasted forever, and those times of snarky and light banter.
As for me, this is one of the best stories that I’ve read so far and I can’t wait to see what Fearne Hill will delight readers with next.
It was a nice read that I enjoyed. I liked Ezra and Issac, and although I'm not a fan of kids in romance, Jonty wasn't overpowering or annoying.
There were some things about it I couldn't reconcile or didn't quite like. Firstly, in Ezra's initial appearance at the reading of the will, he puts his lips right against Issac's ear to say something. Which to me felt mildly sexual--the breath on the ear, but as you read you find out Ezra's attraction to Issac is a new thing as opposed to Issac who's had feelings for his "brother" for years.
It just felt off. Ezra mentions in inner-monologue having a sexual dream about Issac after they see each other again, but it's not presented as the two MCs having had these taboo feelings for ages. Which was what I was expecting. If Ezra suddenly developed feelings it wasn't shown well and if they were always buried there, that wasn't shown well either.
My second quibble was there wasn't enough of the two MCs together. Yes, there were scenes of them and dialogue, but there was too much summarizing (Idk wth is up with M/M authors summarizing parts that could provide the most emotional depth lately, but it's irritating) where it could have been active and could have been moving, but apparently, words are better spent in another setting away from the other MC. I don't get it.
In the end, it made the reading experience shallower. Which is disappointing because it had a terrific foundation and two awesome MCs.
A small quibble: Ezra's tattoo. It's an eagle on his left hip that Issac remembers. At one point during inner monologue Ezra thinks of how there's a cigarette burn on it now. And we never find out the story behind why. It also makes no sense that Issac wouldn't notice this when they finally are intimate. A talk about that could have made a great emotional scene, but okay.
I don't go into FH's books expecting tons of on page sex, and I'm fine with that, but if you're going to give one actual sex scene, could it at least have more depth to it? It was sweet and cute and funny but felt, Idk, surface level. Especially with Issac being insecure and feeling like he's not good at being gay. A second scene from his POV might have shown that he got past that.
The shallowness was my main issue with this book. A lot felt surface level and I felt like it didn't properly balance the MCs personal issues and their relationship. It's almost like the driver was Issac's career struggles and Ezra's stubbornness and justifiable hurt (actually there wasn't a ton about that), while the relationship was the passenger. And there were such beautiful little sparkles and gems in here, but they never really went anywhere when they could have. We didn't even get Issac's reaction to the song Ezra wrote once he played it.
Maybe this is a "me thing," but I feel this way a lot lately reading M/M. Things so often feel shallow. Like authors are afraid to really dive into complex emotion. I miss when books like this made me cry, laugh out loud, or tugged me in so deep I had "reading hangover" for a week.
I'd rec it, but I wouldn't reread it. Though I will read the next book.
When I read the blurb, I was really excited and thought this book would be great. But the truth is, I probably went into it with expectations that were too high.
I struggled a lot with the book up until around the 40% mark. It was very hard for me to make progress, it didn’t really hold my attention, and I found it boring. When things finally started to pick up, I still had this feeling that this wouldn’t be a book I’d want to reread multiple times.
And please don’t get me wrong — I did like the characters, especially Ezra.
What he went through, what he endured from his father from such a young age, and everything he’s had to face from the age of nineteen until now completely broke my heart. He did not have an easy life. Still, he did everything he could to make Jonty’s life better — better than his own childhood ever was.
Jonty was an absolute sweetheart in this book. I adored him.
Isaac was more of a neutral character for me. I didn’t dislike him, but he never became as dear to my heart as Ezra did. Considering who raised him, that wasn’t particularly surprising.
We also got to see how much Isaac overworked himself as a healthcare worker, and how unfairly and inhumanely the NHS treats its employees — Isaac very much included.
What didn’t work for me at all, though, was this: Isaac repeatedly said that he’d been obsessed with Ezra since childhood, even that he’d been in love with him, yet he was the one who needed more time to adjust, to come to terms with, or however you want to phrase it, the fact that they were no longer “just brothers.” I’m sorry, but that didn’t work for me. If I’m in love with someone, I don’t need time to get used to it — especially if I haven’t seen them as a sibling at all for the past ten years.
Anyway, maybe that’s just on me.
Then there’s Isaac’s father, who thankfully had already died at the beginning of the book, but whose influence was still strongly felt throughout the story. We see how controlling he was over his children’s lives, how horribly he treated Ezra and Ezra’s mother, and how much he pushed (together with his wife, Janice) for Isaac to study and become a famous heart surgeon like himself.
Janice… I found her extremely unlikeable from the very first moment. However, by the end of the book she went through a significant amount of growth, which I did appreciate in terms of her character arc.
I would have loved to see more of the twins. I absolutely adored them — they gave me full chaos gremlin energy, and I’m always a fan of characters like that in books.
Alaric, Gerald, and Carly were, for me, rather forgettable and not particularly likeable characters, so they didn’t really add anything extra to the story.
I’m sorry that I can’t give the kind of review I initially hoped I would, because the story definitely had potential. I usually love stepbrothers or adoptive brothers tropes. Unfortunately, this one didn’t work for me. And since this was my first book by this author, it unfortunately took away much of my motivation to try their other books.
I would like to thank GRR for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
Learn to fly. Fly away.
Fearne Hill's narrative was unrelenting, heart-gripping magic. 3% in and I was already squirming with emotions and the kind of tension that builds like a thunderstorm. You could feel it. The energizing air. My skin was buzzing.
I knew instantly that Maybe was going to make my chest feel like squeezed pulp…I was not wrong. I made it to the end with shaky breath and glassy eyes and I loved every second of the ache!
I'm very much a fan of feeling all the feelings,
so it was unsurprising that about a quarter of the way through
Ezra,
and his r e a s o n for being estranged,
took me tf out.
Everything Ezra was already pretty raw and achy, but that got turned up about a thousand percent when it was made obvious w h y he was the embodiment of ferocious determination laced with so much fear of losing that which he loved the most. I was in my throat from the urgency of it all.
Fearne had me in a chokehold from start to finish, and straight up, I loved that this book wasn't about sex.
And when Tracy Chapman entered the scene (iykyk) I burst into tears because lyrics are power, and I knew then that THIS BOOK was going to be yet another Fearne Hill favourite to add to my collection!
Isaac was a breathtaking mess as well and I loved him just as hard. There was so much pressure in his POV that I found myself pressing my mind like a bruise, lighting up the fact that this babe was around mid-twenties and his life was a horror-cocktail of emergency rotation, exams, his legacy name, and his f-ed up family dynamics with NO RESPITE.
Until Ezra, of course.
This story was equal parts exorcism and healing work, and I did not want it to end. Ever. But their gorgeous HEA was perfect and completely worth it, and the little note after the epilogue said that Book 2 should be about next Spring, so all my feelings are the solid, deep-hearted good ones. What more can I ask for?
Fearne Hill is top tier brilliance and has been a gift since discovering her masterclass work! I cannot wait for everything still to come in the Mis-shapes series because Maybe was a stunner and I'm crazy in love with everything this was!
A new Fearne Hill book means I’m clearing time to devour it without interruptions. Maybe is the story of Isaac Fitz-Henry and his older, adopted brother Ezra. Orphaned, adopted, and raised with his fathers secret second family, Ezra never stood a chance with his perfectionist father and suspicious step-mother. However brilliant a surgeon/esteemed philanthropist the Honorable Henry Fitz-Henry was, he was an absolute horror to his family. A youthful indiscretion has 18-year old Ezra banished from the family home; Isaac is left to struggle with his father’s unattainable expectations. Henry’s death should have been a chance for these men to reconnect. But the old bastard couldn’t resist the opportunity to twist the knife and deliver one final humiliation from the grave… I love the way Fearne writes. It’s warm, witty, and filled with so much emotion. You feel like you’re sharing cozy confidences with a friend. Or been gifted with a precious secret when her MCs unburden their pain in hushed whispers. Good lord Ezra was prickly. Life hasn’t been easy, and he was struggling as a single dad to 10-year old Jonty. And Isaac could never resist his charismatic adopted brother… This is a slow burn as the brothers admit their feelings and gently explore the journey from brothers to boyfriends. Despite Ezra wanting to rabbit when Isaac offers help, the two share a lovely connection built on love, respect, and understanding. When Isaac tells Ezra he’s not sure he wants to be a surgeon, you sense it’s the first time he’s said the words out loud. And the things Isaac has to endure as a young ER doctor are so heartbreaking. That sweet, sweet man. I also loved how Ezra patiently let Isaac set the pace of their physical relationship. Plus Jonty is just an amazing child. Their unconventional, chaotic, extended family with Jonty’s mother is what blended families should be. Isaac’s mother has a wonderful redemptive arc, and Ezra and Jonty play their part in pulling her out of her grief. Ezra and Isaac’s HEA is everything and well worth the wait. Loved it! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book deals with couples family issues such as the death of a parent, parental expectations and and betrayal by an adoptive parent. Dr. Henry Fitz-Henry was a brilliant cardiac surgeon but a horrible husband and father. He married his first wife who already had a son, Ezra, which he adopted and then cheated on her with Janice, a woman who worked as his personal assistant and had a secret family with her of 3 children, Issac, and twins, Ed and Saffy. His first wife died when hit by a bus after discovering his infidelity when Ezra was 13 years old. Ezra was understandably quite angry and hurt after his mother's death. Henry married his mistress and Ezra ended up living with them. He ended up befriending Isaac who was 4 years younger than him. Ezra was kicked out of the home after an argument with his father when he was 18 years old and seems to disappear. Ten years later, Dr. Henry Fitz-Henry has ironically unexpectedly died of a heart attack. His natural son, Issac, is in the middle of an ED residency and is expected to become a cardiac surgeon like his father but is it what he really wants. Ezra is asked to come to the reading of the will only to find that he has been excluded and that his adoptive father's seconds wife, Isaac, and the twins have inherited everything. Isaac feels horrible and wants to give some of the money to Ezra. The two men reconnect and Isaac finds out that Ezra has a 9 year old son, Jonty, who has asthma and is the reason for Ezra being kicked out of the family. Ezra is a wonderful father and the reader can see how much he loves Jonty. Isaac and Ezra start to have romantic feelings for each other but Isaac has to stop fearing societal disapproval and live for himself instead of doing what is expected of him and Ezra has to learn to accept help and have at least a civil relationship with Isaac's mother, Janice, for their relationship to have a chance. This is another novel full complex emotions and situations. I really enjoyed it and look forwards to the next book in the series.
Issac and Ezra have been estranged for 10 years. Issac has not seen him since Ezra was 18. Now back in eachothers lives after the passing of Ezra's adopted father.
This is so well written. So beautifully done. Their reconnection felt so natural. The bond they once shared as youths reemerging.
Ezra has a son, Jonty, Issac finding out he's an uncle is so sweet.
Ezra and Issac care for eachother, clearly, but their shared father staunchly ruined any chance of a real relationship, brotherly or not.
“I drank him in. My brother, my soulmate. A man I knew I’d never stopped loving and, with the exception of my own son, would love more than I would ever love anyone else. And he was miserable.”
Seeing each other as adults now, without the dad in the way they can reunite as the men they are now. Learning about who they are now was emotional. I cried at times.
“You’re mine, and I’m yours, Isaac.”
They have been through a lot. More so ezra. And sweet Jonty.
This was incredible. So well done. The banter, the humour. They way they laughed at who they were to each other. I teared up so many times.
“he laughed and ducked and pushed me away, the fucker, until we were wrestling and kissing and loving and fooling around like lovers and brothers.”
Their relationship felt so natural. Even their first time read as a real encounter not fluffed up for views. I loved this book.
“I’d still choose you, Ez. Every time.”
Incredible story. So sweet and real. Hilarious brit humour and banter.
“And for the person who shines the light that is the right one for me. For the only love I’ll ever know. This one’s for you, babe. My very own Wonderwall. This song’s called Maybe.”