Hell Creek Boys

Endless Sky #1

by Atreus Rosewood

Two stepbrothers. One cruel will. A year they might not survive.

Jesse I left Hell Creek with a split lip and a never look back. Death dragged me home. My stepfather’s will is a trap. Live on the ranch for a year, or lose it all. The catch? I have to do it with Cole. My stepbrother. The golden boy who stayed. The enemy I’ve hated since we were kids. We trade insults by day. But the nights are cold, the ranch is lonely, and the anger is starting to feel a lot like hunger.

Cole I stayed. I bled for this land. I held it together with baling twine and grit. Jesse ran. Now he’s back, wearing his city armor and looking at me with eyes that haven't changed. I should hate him. I do hate him. But when a freak snowstorm traps us in a freezing tent for the night, the anger turns into something else. Something heavy. Something dangerous. He’s the one thing I can’t have. And the only thing I need.

Welcome to Hell Creek. Where the winters are brutal, the secrets are deep, and the love is strictly forbidden.

Hell Creek Boys 🔥 Taboo Stepbrother Romance 🤠 Enemies to Lovers ❄️ Forced Proximity (One Year Clause) ⚡ Grumpy x Grumpy 🤕 Hurt/Comfort

Genres: Enemies To Lovers, M M Romance, Westerns, Forced Proximity

266 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 24, 2025

About the author

Atreus Rosewood is a gay romance author living in Michigan with his two boyfriends, two cats, a spoiled dog, and all the beaches he could ask for. He writes constantly to the detriment of all else and that's just the way he likes it. If you happen to find him wandering a beach and mumbling to himself, iced coffee is how you’ll lure him back to civilization.

Atreus writes under three separate Pen Names:

--Blake R. Wolfe -- Gay Paranormal Romance

--Atreus Rosewood -- Gay Contemporary Romance

--Eoghan R. Cunningham -- LGBTQ+ Fantasy

Reviews

[Whitney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cole + Jesse 🖤
Estranged stepbrothers | Pining disguised as animosity | Forced proximity | Always been you

Stepbrothers separated for 15 years, forced together for 1 year by their fathers will.

There's a scene, in the mountains, during a cattle run and a blizzard, in a tent, with ranch hands nearby. Their first time. Desperate and primal. It was definitely... memorable.

....


"All these years I thought he was out in the world dating women, thought he was the normal one. And now I felt sick to my stomach thinking another man had touched him. A man that wasn’t… me."

“I’ve never... it’s only ever been...” “Been what?” I pressed, my heart pounding so loudly I was sure he could hear it. “You,” he whispered, the word hanging between us like a confession. “Only ever you.”

“Please,” I begged, not even sure what I was asking for. “Jesse… oh fuck… please…” “You like begging, don’t you?” Jesse asked, his voice husky with power. “The big, strong rancher, all tied up and desperate.”

“You’re beautiful,” I murmured against his skin. “Always have been.” Jesse’s breath caught. “Cole...” I looked up to see his eyes glistening in the moonlight. “I mean it,” I added. “Really. You’re the most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen.”

“There it is,” he said, his voice strained with the effort of holding back. “That’s your prostate, cowboy.”


....



⚠️ potential spoilers below in detailed tropes, content and warning lists






Tropes/content:
Cowboys/Ranchers
Stepbrothers
Pining disguised as animosity
One has lived in the city for the last 15 years
MCs in their 30s
Feelings that have been buried for 15 years
Forced proximity for 1 year
First times
Gay awakening (maybe more like finally admitting it and accepting it. He basically always knew)
Catches him in the shower jerking off
One tent caught in a snow storm during a cattle drive
Sharing body heat
Zipping sleeping bags together
Its always been you
Tell me to stop (said by "straight" guy their first time)
Pierced 🍆
Uncut
Spooning sex
Possessive hand necklace
Desperate raw primal sex
Spit for lube
Bareback
Spies on him jerking
Calls him cowboy (sometimes as a taunt, sometimes sexy)
Bent over daddys desk
Light degredation for one scene
Breeding
Emotional discussion while holding each other in the shower, breaking down walls
First time seeing him cry
Blindfold
Light bondage
Begging
Cole buys Jesse a cowboy hat
Letters from dad telling them he knew more about them than he led on when they were younger and approves of any relationship they may have.
Vers roles but Jesse prefers to bottom
Epilogue 2 months later - Cole proposes
Bonus scene

Definitely a missed opportunity for docking. Boo
And seeing Cole get his ass eaten. Double boo


Warnings:
Death (all 4 parents are dead, book starts with the last dead parent's funeral)
Grief
No lube or prep at various times
Some violence and hurtful words between MCs
Internalized homophobia
Slurs
Hatred and interference from others in town (both against Jesse for leaving and for them both being gay and together)

[Axalia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jesse (31) et Cole (34) avec un Culomètre à 🥵

Jesse est forcé de retourner au ranch familial de Hell Creek pour un an, condition du testament de son beau-père, au risque de tout perdre. Il doit cohabiter avec Cole, son demi-frère qu'il déteste. Malgré leur animosité, l'isolement et les nuits froides transforment leur colère en une attirance inattendue. Cole, qui a toujours travaillé la terre, déteste le retour de Jesse mais se retrouve attiré par lui lors d'une tempête de neige, réalisant qu'il est ce qu'il désire le plus.

› Trop contente de retrouver l'auteur dans une nouvelle saga de cowboys un peu plus torturés 😌
› Deux demi-frères, restés sur des non-dits et de la haine il y a 15 ans et se retrouvent à devoir gérer le ranch familial pendant un an sans risquer de tout perdre
› Une haine qui cache quelque chose, des sentiments inavoués.
› On ne sait pas ce qu'il s'est passé au début, mais peu à peu on comprend que ça va être quelque chose que les deux hommes vont devoir surmontés.
› Autant Jesse est out sur son homosexualité, autant Cole est bien au fond du placard.
› Récit rythmé par ces sentiments tabous entre hommes élevés comme des frères
› Évidemment, du très bon smut, et en prime avec une scène dans une tente sous la neige aaawn
› Cole aura tenu longtemps à ignorer ses sentiments

Comme d'habitude, l'auteur sait très bien ce qu'il fait et comment le faire. Au moins, je suis sûre que je ne serai pas déçue à la fin de ma lecture ! À quand la suite ?

[Theodore · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF @ 23%

Was disappointed to read Cold just wax poetic about his conflicted feelings about his dad's ranch in his first chapter. It's so boring reading someone just tell us readers their problems when it could've been better conveyed through story. Like there could've been a scene before his dad died where we see him looking at a travel magazine while shopping for farm stuff and suppressing the desire to buy it. That way we readers could've figured out that Cole had desires outside of the ranch without needing to explicitly lay it out.

The entire story seemed so in favor of Jesse at the start. I felt like I was crazy when Evelyn told Cole to forgive Jesse for how he left as if Cole was somehow wrong for being offended and hurt at being left alone for fifteen years. The dad's will also giving Jesse equal consideration despite literally being away for a decade and a half was wild.

Evelyn just telling us that the anger Cole held inside was problematic was yet another instance of the story telling us something that would've been better off we'd seen it on page. Why not give us a day in the life of Cole before his dad died, showing us how angry he was under the surface through his interactions with other people?

I did not get it when Cole started to work with Jesse like he just disliked him rather than hating him. There was such strong hatred in the earlier chapters that just randomly got downgraded to annoyance/dislike after Cole found out that Jesse was gay. I felt like I missed a scene or something that showed Cole warning up to his stepbrother.

The will itself was ridiculous. I could already barely suspend disbelief that a dead person's will had enough authority to essentially force Jesse into literally leaving his life in Seattle with only a three day notice, but I completely lost it when the lawyer stipulated that Cole and Jesse needed to also get on good terms. So the will had the legal power to both enforce two independent adults' physical locations (forcing them to stay on the ranch) AND emotional attachments (because Cole and Jesse needed to show "genuine cooperation") to fulfill its requirements.

I had to DNF when the story timeskips a full MONTH after they signed the contract and then Jesse trauma dumps onto Cole magically giving him context and repairing their relationship. I already had issues with the author just telling us things that should've been shown, but Jesse's first few days back interacting with Cole should 100% definitely been shown instead of timelapsed. Like wtf? Then the whole "I left because you and dad were shitty to me" was so dumb. 1. If Cole truly was angry at Jesse, he shouldn't have taken Jesse's words at face value and called him a liar/been more antagonistic. What was that Evelyn said about him being angry? He sure didn't seem like it to me considering how quickly his anger disappeared. AND 2. Apparently, Jesse's stepdad basically didn't fucking talk to him for two years after his mom died. Tell me again why Jesse was apparently not mad at his stepdad for basically abandoning him at his time of need? Why was this just coming out now when apparently it was such a big issue for him then?

I just couldn't continue with the lack of any real anger in the characters. The story's entire premise is based on a betrayal of trust on multiple fronts:
- Cole felt betrayed by Jesse when he left and stayed out of contact for 15 years
- Cole felt betrayed by his family for how they were basically inviting Jesse back as the prodigal son
- Jesse felt betrayed by both Cole and his stepdad for how they failed him as a gay teenager

Serious shit that the characters are rightfully angry for at the start and yet, none of those betrayals ever actually last longer than 2-3 chapters before the characters just start acting cordial and polite to one another. Why even make the story have them act mad when Cole just starts becoming protective of Jesse on page 62? Where was the active reconciliation? The groveling? Both MCs were responsible for causing each other pain, why did they not need to address that before their relationship improved? I'm rating this 1.5 stars (rounded up, but just barely)

[Kurohagi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this book!
I like the slightly darker side of this new universe. The relationship between Jesse and Cole is full of resentment and misunderstanding. Their relationship, as well as Jesse's relationship with Jack (Cole's father and Jesse's stepfather), suffered greatly from the death of Jesse's mother. As if she were the glue that held their blended family together, once she was gone, the three men were unable to maintain balance. Jesse ran away. He was just a teenager.
Fifteen years later, a second death brings them together. This time, it is Jack's death that forces them to confront each other and face feelings and emotions that they were too young at the time to grasp, accept, and understand.
One tragic event separates them, another brings them back together. The evolution of their relationship, from animosity that is more like resentment and miscommunication to a return to friendship and love, is very well done. Cole's progress in particular, as he faces the gaze of others, confronts his own judgments, and accepts the truth hidden in his heart, is especially well written. We experience with them Cole's two steps forward and one step back before he finally realizes that he cannot live without Jesse.
A beautiful story, difficult moments, two stubborn men fighting each other and themselves to move forward and evolve. But also lots of tender moments and beautiful, particularly spicy scenes.
I recommend this book 100% and eagerly await the next volume!

-----

J'ai dévoré ce livre !
J'aime le côté un peu plus sombre de ce nouvel univers. La relation entre Jesse est Cole est pleine de rancoeurs et d'incompréhensions. Leur relation ainsi que celle de Jesse avec Jack (père de Cole et beau-père de Jesse) a extrêmement souffert du décès de la mère de Jesse. Comme si elle était le liant dans leur famille recomposé, elle partie les trois hommes n'ont pas su maintenir l'équilibre. Jesse a fuit. Il n'était qu'un adolescent.
Quinze ans plus tard, c'est un second décès qui les réunis, cette fois c'est celui de Jack qui va leur imposer de se confronter l'un à l'autre, de faire face à des sentiments, des émotions qu'ils étaient à l'époque trop jeunes pour appréhender, accepter et comprendre.
Un évènement tragique va les séparer, un second les réunir. L'évolution de leur relation, de l'animosité qui s'apparente plus à de la rancoeur et une mauvaise communicaiton vers le retour de l'amitié et l'amour, est très bien amené. Et la progression de Cole en particulier qui doit faire face au regard des autres, faire face à ses propres jugements et accepter la vérité qui se cache dans son coeur est particulièrement bien écrite, on vit avec eux les pas en avant pour deux en arrière de Cole avant qu'il ne se rende à l'évidence, il ne peut pas vivre sans Jesse.
Une belle histoire, des moments difficiles, deux hommes têtus qui se battent l'un contre l'autre et contre eux-mêmes pour avancer et évoluer. Mais également beaucoup de moments tendres et de belles scènes particulièrement épicées.
Je recommande à 100% se livre et j'attends avec impatience le prochain tome !

[Jeanette Waters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whether he's writing under the Atreus Rosewood or Blake R.Wolfe nom de plume, this author has a way with stubborn men be they shifters or tall, smexy, Stetsoned cowboys.
The relationship between Jesse Harris ("Haven't gone by Nelson in a long time." p 10) and his estranged family, stepdad Jack and stepbrother Cole, didn't survive the death of his mom, Jack's second wife. He ran away after a horrible argument, and 15 years later comes home for Jack's funeral. In a last attempt to reunite his family, Jack structures his will to force the two to live and work together for a year.
I got major Prodigal Son vibes from this one. Cole struggled for 15 years to keep the ranch together. And he resented that Jesse was going to get half. If they didn't screw things up. Jesse's guilt makes him agree to the will's terms because he couldn't let Cole lose his heritage.
There's angst. And then there's the Nelson boys angst. Cole is just one big pile of anger, resentment and guilt for lusting after Jesse. Jesse, on the other hand, always knew he was gay. And had always been attracted to Cole.
From page one, from the rain sodden funeral, author Rosewood grabbed my attention. Through all the drama, ranchwork, fighting, I couldn't put this down. The spice was blistering hot. There were definitely some big emotions here. Great descriptions of Montana, excellent worldbuild. Good secondaries. Both men needed some healing. The finding family was done beautifully.
The author does bring up farm to table sustainability and the plight of today's ranchers. Cutting out the middleman, where the major profits from beef production go. So, interesting and timely as well.
I really enjoy the author's shifter universes. But I really loved his cowboys.
I received an advanced copy of this ebook and this is my review.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
WOW!
There is so much unresolved tension between Jesse and Cole, from their secret teenage attraction to Jesse leaving for fifteen years, their trust issues and doubts about one another and whether they can fulfill the requirements of the will and keep the ranch, and to their current sexual attraction. The angst is high, but it is balanced with sweet, genuine moments, two really different, but likeable in their own way men, and the steamy sexy times.
Jesse and Cole compliment each other, but it takes a while for them to get around to accepting and trusting one another enough to allow a deeper connection to develop. Although Jesse is more willing and it takes Cole longer to get there, they do manage to get past fears and doubts and outside forces trying to ruin things for them.
This book is well written and fast paced. Jesse and Cole are wonderful MC's, each with their own issues to work through while fighting to work together and manage the extra feelings they have towards one another. There is an interesting twist at the end that I wasn't expecting, one that initially caused even more emotional upheaval before a resolution was found from a truly unexpected source. There are some intriguing secondary characters - some I love, and some that are just nasty - that add depth to the overall story.
I absolutely love Jesse and Cole, their ranch, and this new series. I'm looking forward to seeing where the next book takes me and I would definitely recommend this book.

I received an ARC, this is my honest opinion.

[Steve Pardue · Rating 4 out of 5]

After years of animosity, Jesse returns home for their father’s funeral, only to discover that he must face his greatest rival—his stepbrother Cole. Having loathed each other for 15 years, they are anything but cordial. However, as they gather to read the will, they realize that circumstances compel them to work together to save the family ranch.

The tension between them is palpable, with unresolved issues bubbling just beneath the surface. Through confronting the family legacy they share, Jesse and Cole begin to peel back the layers of anger that have defined their relationship. They discover that what they had mistaken for hatred may be deep-seated feelings long ignored. Navigating the complexities of their shared past, they grapple with both the pain and the possibility of a fresh start.

As the story unfolds, Jesse and Cole's journey from enemies to lovers is punctuated by unexpected twists that keep readers engaged. The heat of their unresolved tension ignites into something more as they face challenges that require cooperation and trust. Their experiences force them to confront both family obligations and their own desires. By yielding to their true feelings, they find a path to healing and ultimately, a satisfying, happy-ever-after.

[Kitten · Rating 5 out of 5]

i couldn’t out it down

I loved this book so much. I’ve never read anything by this author before, but I definitely will be reading more of their work. It was a perfect balance of smart and angst and comfort and hurt. I absolutely love the characters. I’m not usually into a hurt/comfort read but boy did this. Change my mind. I reached my reading goal of 125 book at the beginning of November and I’ve been in a reading slump ever since. DNFing looks pretty much as soon as I start them. This was the first one I was able to finally read when it came out on the 24th… the only disappointing thing is that I read it all in 1 day.

[Simera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cole and Jesse are step-brothers that haven't seen each other in 15 years. Jesse is back in Hell Creek for the funeral of his step-father and little does he and Cole know that their lives are about to get a whole lot more complicated
There is a lot of unresolved feelings, family drama, resentment and the reading of a will that changes everything.
Both have been in love with they other since childhood but never did anything about it and once they have to live together for a year those feelings come back full force.
Lots of drama, its complicated moments and a HEA.

[Penny Ferguson · Rating 2 out of 5]

While the premise is entertaining, the book ultimately lacks real depth or a meaningful story. It feels less like a thoughtfully developed novel and more like an excuse to sell smut without requiring much engagement from the reader. It promises something akin to Brokeback Mountain, but without the emotional weight or character growth that made that story resonate. That’s what makes it so disappointing—there were countless opportunities to build rich, compelling characters, yet none of them were fully realized.

[Reading With April · Rating 5 out of 5]

No idea how I came across this book/author, but MM stepbrothers enemies to lovers is my favorite thing so said screw my TBR and dove in and so happy that I did.

I absolutely loved Cole and Jesse's story and their hard fought for HEA.

I enjoyed the angst, the tension, the chemistry, and of course the spice 🥵

I loved how it wasn't just straight to lovers without any work put in after they first hooked up.

Mack however (side character) can get f*cked by a 🌵 ugh it's been awhile since I disliked a side character that much 🤬

Spice 🌶 🌶 🌶 🌶

[Krystle Surmeier · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good

This was a great book! The spice was just right. Loved the characters! The storyline was on point. I literally could not put the book down. It gave me all the feels. It was so good!

[Gail Chandler · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is gewd! Jesse and Cole, spent some years together as step-siblings when Jesse’s mum married Cole’s father.

Review pending

Nice little plot twist near the end, which is fabulous for this small town.

[Bibliophile · Rating 2 out of 5]

A good read ✨