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Thorns
190 pages, Paperback
Published September 25, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 28, 2026
You might like this book if you enjoy:
-Gay, sci-fi romance
-Messy, dysfunctional romance
-Characters with lots of baggage
-Themes of ageing, loneliness, and unhealthy fixations
-Waffle House brawls
The summary for Thorns describes the romance as "sinking deeper into beautiful mutually assured destruction", which is the line that made me press the "add to cart" button. After reading, I can confirm, it's an apt description for how the romance in this book goes down, making it a great change of pace from my usual gay romance reads.
Thorns starts with Roy, a bear who runs freight across the solar system. As a cost-saving measure from his company, he's completely alone for most of his 2-month long route, which makes him severely isolated and depressed. During one of his stops, Roy meets Sam, a manipulative rabbit who spends his nights searching for young guys to coerce into sleeping with him. After saving Sam from a gay bashing at a waffle house and spending a night together, Roy becomes unhealthily attached to Sam, and the two begin seeing each other every 2 months when Roy returns on his route. But his visits aren't exactly idyllic as, despite feeling inexplicably drawn together, both men have their own demons that seem bent on clashing every time they meet.
As you can probably imagine, this is a very character-driven story, and both main characters are absolute messes in desperate need of therapy. Sam is manipulative, scummy, and standoffish while Roy is naive, obsessive, and prone to dangerous bouts of anger. Yet Sam and Roy, despite their unlikable aspects, also have a sympathetic side to them. They're both devoid of hope, ageing into their 50s with terrible dead-end careers and self-destructive habits they just can't kick. I think most readers can relate to those feelings on some level. We've all felt injustice in our day jobs and grappled with our own self destructive habits. That relatability made me want to see where Roy and Sam's paths would lead instead of finding them too insufferable to follow.
The dynamic between these two is also absolutely wild. Roy is obsessed with Sam, longing for him to an unhealthy degree, and when Sam tries to put up boundaries, he lashes out in frustration. Sam, meanwhile, hasn't met anyone who genuinely wanted to be with him in a long time, and thus can't keep himself away from Roy despite acknowledging that he could literally be killed by him. It reminds me of (admittedly less extreme) dysfunctional relationships I've seen in real life, so there were more than a few moments in this book that brought back memories for me that made the whole book feel more realistic.
I will say that I was a bit underwhelmed by the sci-fi elements of this story. This is a story that could almost happen in a modern day setting, and it feels sometimes like the sci-fi aspect is only there to keep Roy and Sam completely isolated from each other in the 2 months Roy is on his route, since there isn't a cell phone signal in deep space. The whole thing taking place in space does help add to the cruelty of Roy's isolation, thus deepening the theme of loneliness. However, it was still in the back of my mind that about 95% of what happens here could have happened in a contemporary setting. Personally, I was fine with this, because I love themes, but I could see other readers feeling that the story doesn't do enough to justify its sci-fi setting.
I'm glad to have read Thorns after reading so many traditional gay romances. I feel like my horizons have been broadened, though I might need something sweet to cleanse my pallet after this one. I highly recommend it to people who are looking for flawed character studies, or who are looking for something a bit more gritty in their romance stories.
-Gay, sci-fi romance
-Messy, dysfunctional romance
-Characters with lots of baggage
-Themes of ageing, loneliness, and unhealthy fixations
-Waffle House brawls
The summary for Thorns describes the romance as "sinking deeper into beautiful mutually assured destruction", which is the line that made me press the "add to cart" button. After reading, I can confirm, it's an apt description for how the romance in this book goes down, making it a great change of pace from my usual gay romance reads.
Thorns starts with Roy, a bear who runs freight across the solar system. As a cost-saving measure from his company, he's completely alone for most of his 2-month long route, which makes him severely isolated and depressed. During one of his stops, Roy meets Sam, a manipulative rabbit who spends his nights searching for young guys to coerce into sleeping with him. After saving Sam from a gay bashing at a waffle house and spending a night together, Roy becomes unhealthily attached to Sam, and the two begin seeing each other every 2 months when Roy returns on his route. But his visits aren't exactly idyllic as, despite feeling inexplicably drawn together, both men have their own demons that seem bent on clashing every time they meet.
As you can probably imagine, this is a very character-driven story, and both main characters are absolute messes in desperate need of therapy. Sam is manipulative, scummy, and standoffish while Roy is naive, obsessive, and prone to dangerous bouts of anger. Yet Sam and Roy, despite their unlikable aspects, also have a sympathetic side to them. They're both devoid of hope, ageing into their 50s with terrible dead-end careers and self-destructive habits they just can't kick. I think most readers can relate to those feelings on some level. We've all felt injustice in our day jobs and grappled with our own self destructive habits. That relatability made me want to see where Roy and Sam's paths would lead instead of finding them too insufferable to follow.
The dynamic between these two is also absolutely wild. Roy is obsessed with Sam, longing for him to an unhealthy degree, and when Sam tries to put up boundaries, he lashes out in frustration. Sam, meanwhile, hasn't met anyone who genuinely wanted to be with him in a long time, and thus can't keep himself away from Roy despite acknowledging that he could literally be killed by him. It reminds me of (admittedly less extreme) dysfunctional relationships I've seen in real life, so there were more than a few moments in this book that brought back memories for me that made the whole book feel more realistic.
I will say that I was a bit underwhelmed by the sci-fi elements of this story. This is a story that could almost happen in a modern day setting, and it feels sometimes like the sci-fi aspect is only there to keep Roy and Sam completely isolated from each other in the 2 months Roy is on his route, since there isn't a cell phone signal in deep space. The whole thing taking place in space does help add to the cruelty of Roy's isolation, thus deepening the theme of loneliness. However, it was still in the back of my mind that about 95% of what happens here could have happened in a contemporary setting. Personally, I was fine with this, because I love themes, but I could see other readers feeling that the story doesn't do enough to justify its sci-fi setting.
I'm glad to have read Thorns after reading so many traditional gay romances. I feel like my horizons have been broadened, though I might need something sweet to cleanse my pallet after this one. I highly recommend it to people who are looking for flawed character studies, or who are looking for something a bit more gritty in their romance stories.
January 17, 2026
Thorns came to me through my writing group as a fair few of my reading titles do these days, and I had never read anything by this author prior to this book. Well, that’s not entirely true. I had heard a short story of theirs called Salisbury on the Voice of Dog Podcast, shoutout to Rob MacWolf, and I really enjoyed it. The topic of the story caught my attention, something hard to do in such a prolific podcast, and so I was interested to see how the author handled something larger in scale.
The book is a bit short, divided into seven chapters each set two months apart. They detail the assorted meetings of Roy Archer, a touch starved lonely bear space trucker, and Sam Thorn, a rabbit with a lot of self destructive tendencies. Together, they are like kerosene and a match. They probably shouldn’t be anywhere near each other, but sometimes at the bottom of the barrel, chaos is better than nothing.
The chemistry between the two is spectacular, with the pair forming an explosive relationship that reminds me of reality TV or a train wreck, in a good way. You can’t look away, you’re morbidly curious to read on, and the characters are pretty fun. You know they’re not good for each other. Also, props for older protagonists. I would definitely pay attention to the warning labels at the beginning of the book, however, and do not read it if you’re not in a place to handle such things. Roy and Sam don’t have issues, they have a full subscription.
The story is complex and interesting, and the entire time you’re not exactly sure which way it’s going, but part of the interest is the curiosity to find out. If you’re expecting everything to be wrapped up in a neat little bow, this isn’t that. It’s pretty much a window into these characters lives. It’s messy, and it’s ongoing. The ending is satisfactory enough, with the story concluding with enough closure for the time being.
For a first novel, it’s a strong first entry. One of those that you can’t tell they’ve never done this before, which is a high bar to start with. I always say that if you can’t tell it’s their first novel, they know their stuff, and I’d say that’s true here.
The book is a bit short, divided into seven chapters each set two months apart. They detail the assorted meetings of Roy Archer, a touch starved lonely bear space trucker, and Sam Thorn, a rabbit with a lot of self destructive tendencies. Together, they are like kerosene and a match. They probably shouldn’t be anywhere near each other, but sometimes at the bottom of the barrel, chaos is better than nothing.
The chemistry between the two is spectacular, with the pair forming an explosive relationship that reminds me of reality TV or a train wreck, in a good way. You can’t look away, you’re morbidly curious to read on, and the characters are pretty fun. You know they’re not good for each other. Also, props for older protagonists. I would definitely pay attention to the warning labels at the beginning of the book, however, and do not read it if you’re not in a place to handle such things. Roy and Sam don’t have issues, they have a full subscription.
The story is complex and interesting, and the entire time you’re not exactly sure which way it’s going, but part of the interest is the curiosity to find out. If you’re expecting everything to be wrapped up in a neat little bow, this isn’t that. It’s pretty much a window into these characters lives. It’s messy, and it’s ongoing. The ending is satisfactory enough, with the story concluding with enough closure for the time being.
For a first novel, it’s a strong first entry. One of those that you can’t tell they’ve never done this before, which is a high bar to start with. I always say that if you can’t tell it’s their first novel, they know their stuff, and I’d say that’s true here.
April 1, 2026
While I read a good amount of gay romance stories, I can say Thorns isn't in the typical themes I go for. But once I read the description, I knew I had to give this one a go, and I'm glad I did. Roseco G. Beetle's tale of two deeply flawed individuals is hard to put down. I'll say, read the content warning page carefully before diving in. Thorns deals with some heavy themes, including violence, and talks of death/suicide.
The book starts from the eyes of Roy, a space-trucker bear who is battling his sexual repression and loneliness on his long hauls across the solar system. I really enjoy stories that deal with gay discovery and the acceptance that comes along with it, and Thorns handles that topic well. Because of this, I found myself drawn to Roy. He's not the smartest at times, but I enjoyed the way Beetle wrote him. He is overattached and violent, but deep down, there is a glimmer of a kind person under it all. Although his violence and unkempt nature can be off-putting at times. He's not a typical romance character that you can use as a self-insert, which is one of the reasons the book is so fascinating. No one is perfect, and not every romance or relationship is without its flaws. Never once did I feel Beetle was condoning his violent outburst; instead, it was used as a way to show how damaging self-repression can be.
Sam, the other half of the story, is an aging rabbit trying to still find meaning in his life by hooking up with younger partners found at seedy bars and clubs at Seb Station. What starts as a hookup with Roy slowly becomes something more. Unlike Roy, Sam knows what he wants, or at least he thinks he does. His resistance doesn't come from his sexuality but from his unwillingness to commit to a relationship or even admit he might be developing feelings for the bear.
What I found interesting is that Roy and Sam are horrible for each other, but part of me just wanted them to work out. Each encounter provided further proof of how wrong and dangerous it was for them to keep seeing each other, a fact they each bring up many times throughout the book. But I think that is where the story's beauty comes from. Two people who don't feel they are deserving of love, sabotaging every chance they might have to get it. They are deeply flawed, well-written, messy characters trying to find the smallest amount of joy in the cold depths of space.
While I didn't leave Thorns with the typically warm, fuzzy feelings I do after reading most romances, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the book and recommend it to anyone looking for a character-driven story. Like an explosion, it's beautiful, horrific, and hard to look away.
The book starts from the eyes of Roy, a space-trucker bear who is battling his sexual repression and loneliness on his long hauls across the solar system. I really enjoy stories that deal with gay discovery and the acceptance that comes along with it, and Thorns handles that topic well. Because of this, I found myself drawn to Roy. He's not the smartest at times, but I enjoyed the way Beetle wrote him. He is overattached and violent, but deep down, there is a glimmer of a kind person under it all. Although his violence and unkempt nature can be off-putting at times. He's not a typical romance character that you can use as a self-insert, which is one of the reasons the book is so fascinating. No one is perfect, and not every romance or relationship is without its flaws. Never once did I feel Beetle was condoning his violent outburst; instead, it was used as a way to show how damaging self-repression can be.
Sam, the other half of the story, is an aging rabbit trying to still find meaning in his life by hooking up with younger partners found at seedy bars and clubs at Seb Station. What starts as a hookup with Roy slowly becomes something more. Unlike Roy, Sam knows what he wants, or at least he thinks he does. His resistance doesn't come from his sexuality but from his unwillingness to commit to a relationship or even admit he might be developing feelings for the bear.
What I found interesting is that Roy and Sam are horrible for each other, but part of me just wanted them to work out. Each encounter provided further proof of how wrong and dangerous it was for them to keep seeing each other, a fact they each bring up many times throughout the book. But I think that is where the story's beauty comes from. Two people who don't feel they are deserving of love, sabotaging every chance they might have to get it. They are deeply flawed, well-written, messy characters trying to find the smallest amount of joy in the cold depths of space.
While I didn't leave Thorns with the typically warm, fuzzy feelings I do after reading most romances, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the book and recommend it to anyone looking for a character-driven story. Like an explosion, it's beautiful, horrific, and hard to look away.
May 11, 2026
I hadn't even heard of this book until I randomly saw Shiloh Skye's review of it—which is both a shame and a testament to the importance of signal boosting in this niche corner of the publishing world. 'Furry' writers are putting out some of the best work in genre fiction, and it’s unfortunate that so much of it gets lost in obscurity, or ignored because readers find animal people somehow off-putting. But perhaps it’s because of that lack of mainstream appeal that furry works are so much more imaginative.
Case-in-point: "Thorns" is a great little story about two damaged men who, being past their prime and desperate to fill the emptiness of their corporate lives, engage in a passionate love-hate affair as each tries to mold the other to fulfill their own needs. Debut novelist Roscoe G. Beetle finds much dramatic depth in the push-and-pull of the couple’s codependent behavior, and he isn’t afraid to show his characters doing unsavory things. That isn’t to say they aren’t sympathetic; Beetle does a good job showing the interiority of each character and the insecurities that drive them to do what they do. Far from being repellent, it’s this moral grayness that makes the story so compelling to read. It also helps that the book is so short, so it never feels like a drag to read.
The one detail I haven’t mentioned is that this story has a science fiction setting… and that’s because it barely feels relevant. Now I don’t think the plot needs to be more ‘fantastical’ to justify being set in space, but a lot of the background description is very general and could easily be placed in a contemporary setting without changing any detail. It just seems like a missed opportunity to imbue the story with more ‘flavor’, The rest of the prose is quite serviceable, with some typos and sections I thought could use tighter editing. But the character writing is still solid, and I’m definitely interested in what this author does next.
Case-in-point: "Thorns" is a great little story about two damaged men who, being past their prime and desperate to fill the emptiness of their corporate lives, engage in a passionate love-hate affair as each tries to mold the other to fulfill their own needs. Debut novelist Roscoe G. Beetle finds much dramatic depth in the push-and-pull of the couple’s codependent behavior, and he isn’t afraid to show his characters doing unsavory things. That isn’t to say they aren’t sympathetic; Beetle does a good job showing the interiority of each character and the insecurities that drive them to do what they do. Far from being repellent, it’s this moral grayness that makes the story so compelling to read. It also helps that the book is so short, so it never feels like a drag to read.
The one detail I haven’t mentioned is that this story has a science fiction setting… and that’s because it barely feels relevant. Now I don’t think the plot needs to be more ‘fantastical’ to justify being set in space, but a lot of the background description is very general and could easily be placed in a contemporary setting without changing any detail. It just seems like a missed opportunity to imbue the story with more ‘flavor’, The rest of the prose is quite serviceable, with some typos and sections I thought could use tighter editing. But the character writing is still solid, and I’m definitely interested in what this author does next.
June 1, 2026
This is a grimy book. I don't mean that in a negative way, but it really feels like one that's really seeped in grime and grossness of travel and sweat, and it's messy. Sometimes it started to get too much, but I also feel like the characters were 100% believable in how messy both of them were and I didn't necessarily root for them, but I also felt that they made sense in a way of age and pain and their own messy histories. I could handle the fact that they were both messes because it certainly seemed a book that was intent on making sure everyone was messy and complicated in their own ways. I didn't always love it, but I did enjoy the ride of seeing how their messes would crash and cascade into one another.
June 6, 2026
As someone who doesn't easily get into sci-fi I found this story enjoyable. The story could very easily be written in contemporary time but the sci-fi aspect gives nice additional emotional touches from the story's descriptions. A very fun read featuring middle aged and beyond males which was an excellent surprise.
June 9, 2026
Thorns is a love(?) story of two unlikely and different men finding solace in one another. Togetherness that is, quite frankly, horrible for both of them. I really enjoyed reading this rather unconventional companionship blossom into something that is both endearing and despicable.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews