What do you think?
Rate this book
Austin Falcons #0.5
Meat Cute
A sweet rugby player with a stutter.
A cranky chef with a broken cochlear implant.
One blind date that goes completely off the rails.
Rhys is gentle, awkward, and trying his best. Sev is prickly, exhausted, and barely tolerating anyone—especially someone he can’t quite understand. The conversation? A disaster. The attraction? Immediate and undeniable.
Meat Cute is a sexy, tender novella about two men navigating missed signals, mixed messages, and the kind of chemistry that doesn’t require perfect communication.
Originally published in the Heart 2 Heart Anthology, this expanded novella is the first Austin Falcons story— with more to come in Spring 2026.
A cranky chef with a broken cochlear implant.
One blind date that goes completely off the rails.
Rhys is gentle, awkward, and trying his best. Sev is prickly, exhausted, and barely tolerating anyone—especially someone he can’t quite understand. The conversation? A disaster. The attraction? Immediate and undeniable.
Meat Cute is a sexy, tender novella about two men navigating missed signals, mixed messages, and the kind of chemistry that doesn’t require perfect communication.
Originally published in the Heart 2 Heart Anthology, this expanded novella is the first Austin Falcons story— with more to come in Spring 2026.
100 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 9, 2025
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
November 13, 2026
I was a diehard stan for Kelly until about 2 years ago. But her novellas still deliver and this was super cute and sexy.
Read
October 17, 2026This was a cute intro to the upcoming rugby series Kelly Fox has coming our way. Rhys and Severin were so sweet together. They got off to a bumpy start but the best thing they did was try again. This was fun.
January 5, 2026
Very cute. Loved it when I read it in an anthology a while ago, but I think this was expanded a bit - it’s just really feel good and sweet.
December 15, 2025
This is an adorable MM romance novella with a grumpy chef struggling with going deaf as an adult, and a sweet, golden retriever Texan rugby player with a stutter.
I read the original short story this was based on and loved seeing more of their story... and the start of a new rugby romance series!
In this, you'll find:
●MM Contemporary Romance
●Texan setting
●Grumpy tatted deaf chef struggling with his cochlear implant
●Sweet, slightly insecure rugby player with a stutter
●Gay vers MMCs
●Literal meat-not-so-cute: blind date buying steaks gone wrong
●Going deaf as an adult, without Deaf community
●Anxiety around coming out to (actually supportive) sports team
●Mention of past lack of support from parents for child with stutter
●Mention of struggling to pay for medical care & equipment
I read the original short story this was based on and loved seeing more of their story... and the start of a new rugby romance series!
In this, you'll find:
●MM Contemporary Romance
●Texan setting
●Grumpy tatted deaf chef struggling with his cochlear implant
●Sweet, slightly insecure rugby player with a stutter
●Gay vers MMCs
●Literal meat-not-so-cute: blind date buying steaks gone wrong
●Going deaf as an adult, without Deaf community
●Anxiety around coming out to (actually supportive) sports team
●Mention of past lack of support from parents for child with stutter
●Mention of struggling to pay for medical care & equipment
October 19, 2026
This story is absolutely perfect for what it is!
So many tropes to enjoy -
Size difference, rugby, instalove, opposites attract, disability rep, body positivity, vers MC's.
Rhys and Sev may not have the most auspicious first date but it's great how communication and an apology can make such a difference. Their chemistry is on fire and the heat they share is intense. Add in a link or two and this pair is a match made in heaven.
I loved it from start to finish and can't wait to read more from the Austin Falcons.
So many tropes to enjoy -
Size difference, rugby, instalove, opposites attract, disability rep, body positivity, vers MC's.
Rhys and Sev may not have the most auspicious first date but it's great how communication and an apology can make such a difference. Their chemistry is on fire and the heat they share is intense. Add in a link or two and this pair is a match made in heaven.
I loved it from start to finish and can't wait to read more from the Austin Falcons.
December 25, 2025
Improvising for not hearing.
Love how Sev and Rys improvised! A very quick read but great prom start to finish. Wouldn't mind finding about Tyler and crew. First time reading this author but definitely won't be my last.
Love how Sev and Rys improvised! A very quick read but great prom start to finish. Wouldn't mind finding about Tyler and crew. First time reading this author but definitely won't be my last.
January 2, 2026
Such a cute story!
Rugby!!! Yay!! Y loved this novella! They're so cute together!! Especially where they both look mean but they're both cuddly!!
Can't wait for more rugby players!!
Rugby!!! Yay!! Y loved this novella! They're so cute together!! Especially where they both look mean but they're both cuddly!!
Can't wait for more rugby players!!
December 29, 2025
A brilliantly told story for Rhys and Sev. A scene in this had me laughing at the team’s antics when they played their game match.
January 25, 2026
Rhys & Sev
Great novella to introduce the Austin rugby team. A rough first start but they made it work. Enjoyed the story and steam!
Great novella to introduce the Austin rugby team. A rough first start but they made it work. Enjoyed the story and steam!
January 30, 2026
I loved Meat Cute. It's a book that made me smile all the way through. I needed a happy book for a dreary January :)
May 23, 2026
Really good. A gentle giant of a rugby player with a stutter and a grumpy chef with hearing loss have the worst first date ever. But give each other a second chance and quickly fall in love.
KU
KU
November 14, 2026
3.75 stars
September 15, 2026
Edit: Adjusted to 3,5★ in the new system.
Original review, September 15:
3,5★, rounded up to 4★
I was in the mood for something short and sweet, and hoping to get a laugh or two; this book hit the spot. I enjoyed the start a lot and I loved the end of the book, the middle was nice but I didn't enjoy it as much as the rest.
A quick heads up, the story does get a bit kinky here and there. It's a cute and adorable story, but also seriously spicy.
Original review, September 15:
I was in the mood for something short and sweet, and hoping to get a laugh or two; this book hit the spot. I enjoyed the start a lot and I loved the end of the book, the middle was nice but I didn't enjoy it as much as the rest.
A quick heads up, the story does get a bit kinky here and there. It's a cute and adorable story, but also seriously spicy.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews