Second Nature

Trailhead #2

by Landry Brennan

Welcome back to Trailhead, where shirtless bartenders banter with ex-lovers and longtime friends, and the bar's weekly trivia night makes two men question everything.

Darren Wheeler is a gorgeous, arrogant, unapologetically slutty bartender, with a heart far bigger than he’ll admit to anyone, and the wit to match. Jake Callahan has been a Trailhead regular for the past eight years, and he's stoic, successful, and the smartest in almost any room. Darren’s written off the marriage he sabotaged, and he’s happy hooking up with strangers wherever he can find them. Jake buried the love of his life long ago, and he’s content to entertain himself with all the meaningful indulgences he can afford, from his Harleys to his home.

With nearly two decades and vastly different histories between them, it's a shared love of Trailhead’s trivia night that makes them realize how much they have in common. Each week has given them a chance to get to know each other better, and when an unexpected accident leads to a confession that brings one of them to his knees, the spark between them is undeniable. They're already on their way to becoming better friends, so as long as they’re also attracted to each other, why stop at a few flirty conversations? Neither of them is looking for a relationship, but what if there are no strings attached? After all the love they've left behind, they definitely won’t fall for each other…right?

***This explicit MM romance is a continuation of the Trailhead series. While each book features a different romantic relationship, reading them in order is the best way to enjoy the ongoing plot and character development.

449 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 16, 2025

Reviews

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

sexy, messy, fun, emotional. 10 out of 10

[zahlibeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I helped edit Second Nature, but the reason that I'm still editing for her three books in is because I just love how Landry writes. In theory, you could sum this book up as friends with benefits with an age gap and a side of daddy issues. And that's not wrong! But it fails to capture the heart and nuance.

I think my favourite thing is the way that the characters are truly at the core of it all. She brings these guys to life and lets them drive the story, rather than trying to fit characters around an existing plot idea. The supporting characters shine just as much - Darren's ex-husband is the delightful Beau from book one (Take It Outside), and that shared history makes for a scene half-way through that I absolutely cannot spoil but I'm still screaming about.

I fell in love with Darren in the background of book one, and watching him fall in love with Jake was such an utter delight. Let's be real, I fell right with him. These two completely deserve each other and I adore the way they get THEIR ending, no cookie-cutter default.

I laughed with (and at!) them, I marvelled at the trivia, I may have shed a tear or two at the tender moments, I definitely yelled at them, and I vibrated out of my skin at That Scene at the end. I thoroughly recommend!

[Sarah☀️ Somerville]

DNF @ 52% - I love Landry Brennan and I was so excited for this book. Honestly, I hope I can come back to it sometime and enjoy it more. But I'm halfway through and I'm just not feeling it. I don't buy the relationship. I didn't buy the catalyst that changed everything. I don't actually see any chemistry. Their interactions are repetitive and that would be fine if it were interesting but it isn't. There isn't enough going on outside the relationship to carry the book.

I would have loved different books about Darren and Jake with different people (or maybe together if it had been done differently? I don't know) and I can't wait for Riley's story, but this particular book is not for me.

[Brittany Allyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The yearning is off the charts in this one. Everything that was already excellent in Take It Outside is somehow even better here as we get to know the Trailhead cast even better. Darren and Jake are phenomenal together even if, much like Adrian and Beau, I wanted to knock their heads together a few times. I particularly love the way Darren and Beau’s relationship was handled here, showcasing that though they’ve both found new loves it doesn’t erase the old. That’s something really special you don’t see too often in romance, and I really appreciated it.

[Candace Doyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again Landry has me marking my Trailhead book with places where I laughed, where I cried, and where I simply stopped to re-read a section that was beautifully written (and there were many of them). I love that she includes in Second Nature all the characters I met in Take It Outside. I’m looking forward to more of these stories.

[Audie Godfrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading the first book I was super excited for the next story coming from Trailhead. I love how Darren not only kept a friendship with his ex after he found a new love, but Darren also looked to him for advice for moving forward. Jake was definitely not who I was expecting Darren to fall for and they delicate way that Landry built that relationship was so spot on to how it could be handled in real life. They really do complement each other in a way that we can all relate to in one way or another and cannot wait for Riley's book!