Jealous of the Clouds

by Rick R. Reed

Ted Cornish thought he’d found the man of his dreams in Joshua Kade—charming, intelligent, and handsome—until disturbing rumors surface about Josh’s past. A decade earlier, Josh’s former boyfriend, Reggie Baker, was found stabbed to death in an alley in Chicago’s Boystown. Though Josh was never convicted, whispers of his involvement persisted.

True-crime podcaster Bailey Anderson is reopening the case, and the more he uncovers, the more he’s convinced Josh is the killer. Bailey reaches out to Ted for insight, and as Ted reflects on his relationship, he begins to see cracks in Josh’s perfect facade—jealousy, possessiveness, and violent outbursts that no longer match his sweet words.

As Ted spends more time with Bailey, the evidence against Josh mounts. But Bailey is more than just a podcaster—he’s Reggie’s brother, driven by grief and a relentless desire for justice.

When Ted finally confronts the terrifying possibility that Josh is guilty, Josh reacts with a violent threat that sends Ted into hiding. Torn between fear, love, and loyalty, Ted must choose between exposing the truth or confronting the man he thought he loved—before it’s too late.

Jealous of the Clouds is a heart-pounding psychological thriller about love, obsession, and the dangerous pursuit of justice.

Genres: Mystery Thriller, M M Romance

217 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 25, 2025

About the author

Real Men. True Love.

Rick R. Reed is an award-winning and bestselling author of more than sixty works of published fiction, spanning genres such as horror, psychological suspense and love stories. He is a Lambda Literary Award finalist and a multiple Rainbow Award winner.

Entertainment Weekly has described his work as “heartrending and sensitive.” Lambda Literary has called him: “A writer that doesn’t disappoint…”

Find him at www.rickrreedreality.blogspot.com. Rick lives in Palm Springs, CA, with his two rescue dogs, Kodi and Joaquin.

Reviews

[Brooke · Rating 2 out of 5]

⭐️ 2 stars ⭐️

Did I really love this man? Did I really know him?

Ugh, I’m disappointed. What started off as a thrilling suspense/mystery with a queer main character, devolved real fast into a messy twisty unrealistic…mess.

“I know you’d never harm another soul.” And even as I said the words, I already was thinking how the story didn’t add up.

Jealous Of The Clouds mostly follows Ted and his search for the truth about his boyfriend’s past. The beginning was really intriguing, with the mystery surrounding Reggie’s death and Josh’s involvement, Bailey’s true crime podcast investigating, Ted slowly finding cracks in Josh’s façade.
It’s a story about jealousy, possessiveness, obsession. A story about love taking a dark turn.

The biggest problem of this book is the length. You can’t really fit a premise like that and be able to really build the tension AND the side romance you’re trying to squeeze in — in a little over 200 pages.
It was anxiety-inducing, and not because of the suspense of the plot, but because I just knew they weren’t going to tie all loose ends. I have so many questions.

Now, the multiple POVs could’ve been a fun way to drive the plot and add depth, but again, there wasn’t enough time. Jumping from one person to the next made the reading experience… well, jumpy, and confusing.

Ok, this one might be on me, but I kind of thought this was a romantic suspense. That was clearly not the case. There’s a vague romance in the background between Bailey and Ted, but it honestly added nothing to the story. They felt like friends at best, but suddenly among the chaos they’re ’in love’.

My other issue was the writing.
The constant weather updates (I’m talking every location change), the multi-POVs, the twists that weren’t all that surprising and a writing that was so all tell no show it was comical.
At one point, a character starts literally talking to herself — “I never imagined this is what my life would become,” she says to no one in particular. There’s really no one to listen, not anymore. So she might as well talk to some imaginary person, spilling out her disappointments and despair.

At another point, one character is rushing to save the others — “I was pulling my coat on, struggling to do simple things like get my damn arm in the right hole. And then I was delayed because I couldn’t find my keys. At last—there they were, on the nightstand, where I’d set them last night when getting ready for bed.”
A whole chapter of her just driving there, all uselessly descriptive like this.

And finally, the ending. It made no sense. It was rushed, ‘cause of course it was, if you wasted time telling me she can’t find parking instead of building tension or creating a believable plot or actually showing on page the important parts.
The twists made the ending so convoluted, I still don’t know who actually killed Reggie. There were so many misdirections and lies, I don’t really know what the truth was. And I don’t care to know at this point.
I’m just over it.

There’s light at the end of this tunnel. I glanced over at Ted and thought how he was the light. There could be a future with this man, once the trauma of our current situation was over. We just have to live through it.

I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.

CWs (spoilers):
- Brief mention of child death (not explained)
- Mention of domestic abuse
- Mention of addiction/alcohol abuse (not MCs)
- Mentions of COVID
- Stalking
- Jealousy
- Death/murder
- Suicide (off page)

[Cindi · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars, rounded up.

Rick R. Reed is one of my all-time favorite authors. It doesn't matter if he's writing romance, horror, or thrillers like this one, I'm never disappointed.

That definitely applies to Jealous of the Clouds.

This is a thriller, and the reader is kept in the dark about certain things until almost the very end. I will say that I had part of that figured out early into the book. That’s not a bad thing because I wasn’t sure how everything would play out.

I liked Ted well enough, and I really loved Karl. Josh was your classic, stalkerish bad guy, yet not. You’ll have to read the book to know what I mean.

Things happen super fast, but the ending, in my opinion, was perfect. I think it ended exactly as it should have.

This is a romance, but it’s not. Or should I say that the romance doesn’t take center. Had it, the story wouldn’t have worked as well.

At some point, the reader is allowed inside the heads of all the characters, including Reggie himself. I loved that.

Another great read by Rick R. Reed.

Full review can be found at -

[Kirsten · Rating 2 out of 5]

Confused; confusing.
So many plot holes and twists;
so much dull telling.

This is my second Rick R. Reed, and if I'd remembered I'd read him before I probably wouldn't have picked this one up. The premise sounds like an exciting cat and mouse game, but its execution was weak. From the very first time Josh tells Ted about his murdered boyfriend, the story changes (and the cat hisses at him), so we know he's up to no good. And Karl? such a weird red herring/love story/coincidence (and now that I think about it, the MC in the other Reed I read also ended up with a dark horse who helped solve the mystery).

I honestly don't have anything good to say--it was melodramatic and cliched and full of unmotivated plot twists. Childhood trauma makes adults do bad things, I guess? Ted is a real catch?

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

He is going to have to make some tough decisions when secrets of his boyfriend past arise. Their former boyfriend was found dead in an alleyway and he will link up with another who believes they are guilty of murder. A deep dark mystery

[Russell Sanders · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rick R. Reed is a prolific, accomplished, and celebrated author. His newest novel Jealous of the Clouds is a winner. The first half of the book is a routine crime story featuring, really, only three characters. We, the readers, think this will go along smoothly, and I, for one, thought I had it all figured out. Then Reed puts on the pressure. He introduces two new characters. He begins to do chapters that alternate viewpoints from each of the characters. He even throws in a couple of flashback chapters. Tension mounts. And a taut thriller develops. He leads us on a journey to an unexpected conclusion. This is good writing and excellent storytelling. I have no complaints, only praise, for this book. If I had to say anything negative, and this in no way detracts from the impact of the book, the proofreader this relatively new publisher hired needs a better eye. There are numerous places where small words just seemed to have disappeared. and we seasoned readers have to add them in our minds for a sentence to make sense. This is not the fault of the author. It is the fault of a lax proofreader, and that diminishes the product somewhat. Again, not the novel itself, but its physical presentation. Don’t let this deter you. Read this book…hours of pleasure and involvement.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review for Jealous of the Clouds by Rick R Reed

I was lucky enough to find books by Rick R. Reed years ago when I started reading MM stories. I fell in love with his style of writing, along with his wonderful stories. This one is hard; it has dark moments for sure. Ted thinks he has met the man of his dreams, Josh. As time goes on, he starts to hear things about a past relationship that Josh had that didn't end well at all. Add in Bailey Anderson, who is a true-crime podcaster. Who doesn't love true-crime podcasts? I know I love them. I wanted so much for Ted. I loved the way Rick R. Reed writes the story that intertwines history into current times. I feel lucky to have been given the chance to read a wonderful book by a fantastic author. I always look to see what is new or older books I haven't had the chance to read.

Nicole Harvey

[Tom Scruggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tense!

I just sat down and read Jealous of the Clouds on this single day. I enjoyed it very much, as I do all of Rick R. Reed’s books but this one was one of his mysteries and it certainly had a lot of tense moments. I wonder if I’ll be able to sleep tonight. Perhaps not the book to read just after having a panic attack. LOL

[Frida · Rating 3 out of 5]

Puuuh 3 ⭐️ but hear me out

Jealous of the Clouds by Rick R. Reid starts with the kind of premise that gets under your skin. A dead ex-boyfriend, a true-crime podcast, and a lover chasing ghosts through the static of obsession. It’s a story built on silence, on the space between what’s said and what’s buried. Ted’s search for the truth about his boyfriend’s past, and the mystery surrounding Reggie Baker’s (the boyfriend's ex) death — feels like staring into fog and hoping the shape that emerges won’t destroy you.

For a 200-page thriller, this is a courageous attempt. The atmosphere is there: ominous, pulsing with dread, and the setup promises a dark, tangled exploration of love, guilt, and the dangerous pursuit of justice. But somewhere along the way, the tension starts to slip through the cracks. Reid’s writing, while undeniably skilful, lingers too long on pop-cultural minutiae and mundane details that do little to serve the story. In a book this short, every word needs to pull its weight; here, too many don’t. The result is a strange dissonance! A storytelling that wants to cut deep but keeps getting caught on surface-level noise.

One main reason for this, were the multiple points of view, which felt like an ambitious but misplaced choice. Instead of amplifying the sense of mystery, they fragment it, giving too little time for any single voice to root itself in the reader’s mind. What could have been an eerie, psychological descent into obsession becomes, at times, a scatter of half-developed threads. I wish we could have gone with Podcast, Ted, and maybe one more.

And to be clear: this is not a romance. It starts with a romantic coupling, butt we are told, not shown, what the dynamic is. It then continues with a romantic entanglement, again more telling than showing, very insta-love focused. Cause there's no room to develop anything that goes beyond. And, again, this is a bummer because this was potential left untapped! Jealous of the Clouds is about what happens when love becomes another kind of evidence, another piece of the case file you can’t stop reopening, a motive waiting to be cross-examined.

It’s a compelling concept that deserved more space to breathe. The bones of a great story are here, but the execution leaves it just shy of thrilling.

[Ashley Carrillo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd give this book a 3.75 but rounded it up to 4. I liked the book and flew through it pretty fast because it was easy to read and I wanted to know what happened but I felt like it lacked a bit of the thrill that a thriller should have. It starts with Ted being happy in a new relationship he feels good about after many failed attempts. Things are going good but when Josh, the man he's been seeing, tell him that he was a person of interest in the murder of his former boyfriend Reggie. He says he didn't do it but with this idea in his head Ted is starting to get doubts and ideas in his head but he brushes them off because the man he thinks he's falling for wouldn't do such a thing. But then he gets a call from Bailey who is doing a podcast on the murder of Reggie and is reaching out to talk to Ted since he's now dating Josh. The more Ted learns about the case the more uneasy he feels and he starts to see patterns in Josh that he doesn't like. Things like jealousy and isolation. Wanting it to always be just them and being clingy. Now Ted has to question if he should stay in this relationship or if everything is just a big coincidence or did Josh do what he's being suspected of. Like I said I liked the book but feel it could have been more flushed out and some more added context like more background or flashbacks about Josh's life or his relationship with Reggie would be nice and the way they described Josh as evil and a monster when I personally didn't get enough of being shown that to really believe it which is why I feel like more was needed to get a bigger picture and make it make more sense the dangers Ted was facing. This book had a bit of romance but wasn't the core of it but I would have loved to see more of that development and how they got there. There was also skme good world building with an actual Chicago vibe. This was my first book by this author but I think I'll definitely check out more of their work.

[Debby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Theodore “Ted” Cornish can’t believe his luck when he found the man of his dreams. Joshua Kade is handsome, charming, and everything else good. Then Ted learns that Josh was a person of interest in the murder of his boyfriend that happened in an alley of Chicago’s Boystown ten years ago. The murder was labeled as a hate crime, and now a podcaster, Bailey Anderson, is determined to get the case some coverage. Bailey has good reasons for this as the man murdered, Reggie Baker, was his brother. Bailey contacts Ted for an interview and as he lays out his investigation, Ted has his doubts. Josh responds to this with violence and threats causing Ted to go into hiding.

Bailey is actually Karl Baker. His podcast is used as a method of laying out all the knowledge and evidence Karl has uncovered from Josh’s past to information on his prior boyfriends. The podcast becomes spooky and chilling. It really does not look good and when Josh cannot handle the doubts and questions, he becomes a less-than-ideal boyfriend. Ted truly wants to believe that Josh is innocent but his actions and the podcasts make him leery. Karl and Ted meet up to talk and become closer. When the truth comes out, they have each other to turn to as well as a friend.

This story started out slow and then picked up in intensity. Towards the end you could not put it down. Each page brought something new and scary. The ending was filled with twists and turns. One thing is certain – parents can really mess up their kids. Looking for something spooky and unexpected? This book is for you.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Harrison Hicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

An unusual thriller, "Jealous of the Clouds" confirmed for me Reed's status as a master of setting mood in his stories, whether they be romance, horror or thriller. In this case, the story is a thriller as Ted Cornish's world is turned upside down when he learns that the man he has been dating for just over six weeks, the man he's falling for, Joshua Kade, is suspected of a murder ten years ago.

Taking its inspiration from true crime podcasts by hanging the narrative on one fictional podcast in particular, Reed manages to bring horror home, so to speak, as Ted finds clues about his boyfriend on the podcast run by Bailey Anderson and in so doing realizes that he is in danger. Ted reaches out for help and sets in motion a series of events that lead to a number of entertaining plot twists, including one or two I didn't see coming.

To say much more would spoil the plot but I will reiterate that Reed was able to set the stage for a suspenseful tale here. As Ted realizes more and more the situation he's found himself in, the tension ratchets up gradually more and more until it's hard to tell whether or not Ted can manage to escape.

I'm not sure I bought one plot situation toward the end involving Ted and Bailey and their interactions as it didn't necessarily make sense to me considering the situation, but nonetheless I found the book to quite entertaining. Thrillers aren't normally my cup of tea, but someone with Reed's ability writes one such as this it's not easy to ignore it.

[AshPenny37 · Rating 5 out of 5]

First things first, this is not really a romance novel in my opinion - it's a thriller with characters in MM relationships. And, boy, is it a good one.

Ted and Josh's fairly new relationship seems idyllic to both of them…until it doesn't. Josh reveals that he was a person of interest in the murder of his former lover and Ted’s natural mistrust rears its head. Things are murky because, despite all the external sheen of the relationship, there are signs that could potentially lead to an abusive situation. Then along comes podcaster Bailey Anderson to add even more fuel to the fire and another twist to the tale.

I love this author's writing style. He creates wonderfully flawed characters - here they show unstable traits, whether due to childhood trauma or feelings of low self-worth, etc. Their instabilities feed off each other to create all of that taut psychological tension. It's a masterclass in showcasing the inherent dangers of jealousy, assumptions and obsession: especially when all three are from different sources but become inexorably linked. That there's something positive to come out of the tragedy and fear the characters experience brings a necessary balance to the book. All in all another thoroughly good read from this author.

An e-copy was provided by GRR. This is my honest opinion.

[Sandra Paiva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jealous of the Clouds by Rick R. Reed

This was my first book by this author, and as a big true crime podcast fan, I was immediately drawn to the premise. The mix of a suspenseful thriller and a murder mystery tied to a true crime podcast was intense and completely addictive.

What really stood out to me was how well the author portrayed the start of a toxic relationship — how obsession, jealousy, and control can slowly take over under the illusion of love. The tension builds gradually, and through the true crime podcast, we see how mistrust and fear start to shape Ted’s perspective. I liked how he recognized that something wasn’t right and tried to pull away before things spiraled completely out of control.
Another interesting aspect was the POV of several different characters, which gave the story more depth and made it even more engaging to follow.

It’s a gripping and emotional read with dark vibes, psychological tension, and a true crime twist. If you enjoy stories that mix romance, obsession, and suspense, this one’s definitely worth picking up!

Thank you to the author and Gay Romance Reviews for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!

[Traci S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you for the book, here is my honest opinion:
I don’t read a lot of romantic suspense novels, but this author is especially skilled at filling his stories with a foreboding suspense which I appreciate. I also love how he brings Chicago to life, the descriptions so vivid and accurate, it sets a grounding sense of place. I enjoyed this one, the beginning was especially effective at pulling me into the story. I liked how you get just pieces of the story, the author deftly keeps things murky about exactly what happened to Reggie. You can really empathize with Ted, as the excitement and promise over a new relationship starts to unravel, as he begins to look closer at boyfriend Josh. No spoilers, but this was a fun read with hidden agendas, lots of suspicious potential suspects, relationships ending and beginning, and maybe a bit of justice. It’s compelling and well written, this author is a favorite of mine in this genre.

[Malia Winger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first book by this author that I have read, and it will not be the last! Ted thinks he has found his Prince Charming only to discover that he has a dark past. A past that is coming back to haunt him. His lover, Josh, was a person of interest when his boyfriend was brutally murdered. There was never enough evidence for him to be names a suspect, but he has lived under a cloud ever since. Unfortunately for Josh, his deceased lovers' brother. Karl has launched a successful podcast that is bringing new attention to the cold case. Now Ted is stuck in a situation where he is not sure who he can trust and who is telling the truth. This story kept me glued to the pages and best of all I was never able to guess the ending. I can guarantee the last third of the story will have you on pins and needles!

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Suspenseful cautionary tale😰

A good story, fast moving and with plenty of antsy suspense and an atmosphere of dread set in Chicago. Some of the twists at the end I had anticipated, but not all. Poor Ted's dilemma of a very controlling boyfriend who has a questionable past that creeps out definitely had me speeding through the pages to find out whether the relationship ruins Ted. By the end, though, I also found myself having some sympathy for boyfriend Josh who's just looking for a lasting love, after all.

Recommended if you're looking for something with suspense that is not really focused on romance or steam.

I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

[Ida Umphers · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the weather gets cooler and the holidays approach I always start looking for mystery and crime stories to read. I could not have started off with a better one that this from Rick R. Reed. Ted thinks he's found the right guy for him in Josh, until Josh's past comes back to haunt them both. A podcaster (brother of a murder victim) starts digging back into the murder and puts the spotlight back on Josh. Ted gets acquainted with Bailey, the podcaster, and begins to wonder about Josh. Reed did an excellent job for part of the book keeping me wondering who Ted should trust and when he finally knew, the tension and danger ratcheted up to incredible levels. A wonderful psychological crime thriller.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Jealous of the Clouds by Rick R. Reed is a gripping psychological thriller that blends romance with chilling suspense. Ted thinks he’s found the perfect partner in Josh—until whispers of a brutal murder and a relentless true-crime podcaster unravel everything. Reed masterfully explores love, obsession, and trust in a story that keeps you guessing until the last page. Dark, tense, and emotionally charged—this is a must-read for fans of romantic suspense

“When love turns deadly, trust becomes the ultimate gamble.”

[Logan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a dark psychological thriller. it centers mostly around Ted as he finds out terrifying truths about his boyfriend Josh. This book has you guessing and mulling over wether he did or did not do it. The story also shows the gray between love and passiveness, truths and lies and the good and bad that come from true crime podcasts. It also proves that even during the darkest moments real love can be found.

[Saskia Veldhuis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mystery with quite a lot of suspense, although strangely, I'm still not quite sure who killed the brother even though this was a prominent part of the story. There was a lot packed into a shorter book, sometimes a bit too much. A few interesting plot twists and dangerous situations kept the tension high throughout. There wasn't really any romance involved here, but there was good potential.

[Amanda Reeves · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jealous of the Clouds is the first book I've read this author, but I will be looking for more from them. To me this is more like a thriller than a romance book, but I still loved this. I loved the characters and the story.

[Jolanda van Osch · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a new author for me, but I enjoyed the story and writing style. I love good thrillers and mysteries, and this was one of them.

[Adoraboy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this read!!!

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A THRILLING RIDE!!

I was kept on my toes with this read. The writing is superb, and this author created an incredibly interesting story. Great characters!

[Karen Rich · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book , full of suspense and I love the investigating to prove Josh's innocence, twists and turns.

[Guilherme William · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good premise that got squished and too convoluted by the end

[Ana Silva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting story. It’s been a while since I read a thriller. Would have loved more details of their intimate moments though.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not always realistic, but very tense and suspenseful, this book had me wondering what would happen next. The romance at the end seemed both inevitable and tacked on.

[Ellie Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an absorbing dark thriller with romantic undertones as Ted thinks he's found the perfect man, only to find himself in a terrifying situation. Without giving away any spoilers, this is wonderful romantic suspense, full of tension and plot twists until the very end.
The characters and context were so well realised that I was caught up in their potential peril and had to keep reading! Great writing as always from this author.