Bait and Switch

by L.M. Southwick

A steamy romance about childhood best friends, small-town secrets, and discovering love in unexpected places.

In the picture-perfect tourist town of Springmount, childhood best friends Mac and Nate have spent their lives dodging responsibility, fueling gossip, and refusing to grow up. But the arrival of a charming outsider with too-sharp eyes and a talent for reading what people don’t say suddenly has the unshakable duo off balance, caught in a storm of old grudges, new temptations, and questions neither of them are ready to answer.

145 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 31, 2025

About the author

L. M. Southwick is a lover of stories in any form: books, movies, games, comics, and occasionally the back of cereal boxes when nothing else is at hand. She holds a degree in nursing, which she uses to fund her genuine passion, escapism. She lives in the foothills of Appalachia with her husband, two sons, and four cats.

"Imagination is the only weapon in the war against reality." - The Cheshire Cat

Reviews

[T.M. Kirk · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story you read when you need short and spicy. You’ve got MM, MF, and of course, MMF. This has all the contemporary small town vibes, but it isn’t cozy, per se. It’s a little deep and a little n@ughty. Okay, maybe a lot n@ughty. Can you say daddy dom and his two lost sheep who spent their lives sleeping with other people to avoid their own feelings? Throw in a little twist at the end and a side helping of “it takes someone else to help you see your own worth,” and you’ve got a fun novella!