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First Tilt: Broken Lances 0.5
HEATED RIVALRY meets A KNIGHT'S TALE
A NAMELESS KNIGHT. A CHAMPION'S FALL. A SQUIRE CAUGHT BETWEEN.
When the mysterious Alaric challenges Ser Halden, an undefeated tournament champion who clawed his way up from nothing, their confrontation sparks more than rivalry. Halden's humiliating defeat leaves him keenly aware of the distance between noble and commoner and drives him toward a dangerous fixation on the man who unseated him.
Caught in their orbit is Perrin, Halden’s loyal squire, who has spent years anticipating his knight’s every need. As tensions between the two men escalate, Perrin is torn between his loyalty and desires he can no longer ignore.
First Tilt is a medieval fantasy romance where pride, power, and desire collide on and off the tournament field, and three men discover that some rivalries burn hottest when the armour comes off.
Perfect for readers who love intense rivals-to-lovers romance and medieval-inspired spectacle.
A NAMELESS KNIGHT. A CHAMPION'S FALL. A SQUIRE CAUGHT BETWEEN.
When the mysterious Alaric challenges Ser Halden, an undefeated tournament champion who clawed his way up from nothing, their confrontation sparks more than rivalry. Halden's humiliating defeat leaves him keenly aware of the distance between noble and commoner and drives him toward a dangerous fixation on the man who unseated him.
Caught in their orbit is Perrin, Halden’s loyal squire, who has spent years anticipating his knight’s every need. As tensions between the two men escalate, Perrin is torn between his loyalty and desires he can no longer ignore.
First Tilt is a medieval fantasy romance where pride, power, and desire collide on and off the tournament field, and three men discover that some rivalries burn hottest when the armour comes off.
Perfect for readers who love intense rivals-to-lovers romance and medieval-inspired spectacle.
146 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 28, 2026
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602 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
interested-in
January 19, 2026sign me the fuck up. I'd read lucien burrs grocery list at this point.
January 30, 2026
FINALLY SOME GOOD FOOD.
Somewhat mixed feelings about the end/I wish some decisions made by the characters were a bit more fleshed out or nuanced, but I ate this up and read it in one sitting. I loved the premise, how flawed the characters actually were, and I will definitely be picking up the full length book coming out in September.
I knew this was going to be a more sex-forward story, but I loved the plot and characters so much that I was a little disappointed when we swapped gears into the smut – I could have read an entire book about this tournament lmao. Testament to how good the writing is though!
It delivers on what it promised, though I did find the first half a lot stronger than the second half. Some of the decisions made by Alaric felt like they needed breathing room. But, because this is a novella, you only get a sentence or two to explain his actions. I do have faith that the first book will do more to characterise him because all three of our main characters are unique and feel well written. Each of them are flawed/have a very unique perspective on their own realities and have a distinct voice when the POV switches.
The first 2/3 of the novella were a 4.5 star, the final 1/3 was probably a 3 star. Settling on a 4 star rating for this!
Somewhat mixed feelings about the end/I wish some decisions made by the characters were a bit more fleshed out or nuanced, but I ate this up and read it in one sitting. I loved the premise, how flawed the characters actually were, and I will definitely be picking up the full length book coming out in September.
I knew this was going to be a more sex-forward story, but I loved the plot and characters so much that I was a little disappointed when we swapped gears into the smut – I could have read an entire book about this tournament lmao. Testament to how good the writing is though!
It delivers on what it promised, though I did find the first half a lot stronger than the second half. Some of the decisions made by Alaric felt like they needed breathing room. But, because this is a novella, you only get a sentence or two to explain his actions. I do have faith that the first book will do more to characterise him because all three of our main characters are unique and feel well written. Each of them are flawed/have a very unique perspective on their own realities and have a distinct voice when the POV switches.
The first 2/3 of the novella were a 4.5 star, the final 1/3 was probably a 3 star. Settling on a 4 star rating for this!
January 30, 2026
Very sexy. Very yearny. Yep, sign me up for the next one, please! 🙂↕️🙂↕️🙂↕️
I fear HR is the new RW&RB comp this year- in that it means boys are kissing. But yes, I guess two of them ARE rival jousters! (?)
I fear HR is the new RW&RB comp this year- in that it means boys are kissing. But yes, I guess two of them ARE rival jousters! (?)
January 29, 2026
Format Read: Kindle eBook
Spice Level: 🌶️
Lucien Burr is onto something with this one - but it's far from polished.
::::SPOILERS BELOW::::
Alaric is a wholly unlikable character who arrives just in time to ruin the dreams of Hal who had worked himself to the bone for years to achieve. I'm not a huge fan of Alaric, personally-- though his motivations are spelled out in the book for the reader, there is very little to him aside from "being the best without his name".
Hal, on the other hand, is my favorite genre of man - which is why I have such a hard time being negative about this book.
Hal is written so well! He's the type of character that's "lived in", his motivations are clear, he's worked incredibly hard to get where he is-- the common man sees him as a symbol that they don't have to settle on being oppressed by the ruling class. He's a big man, broad, body showing clear evidence of the battles he'd both won and lost. Then you see him with Perrin-- and while the feelings are unspoken, you get the feeling there is something *there* between them and it had the potential to be something very special.
Then Alaric, "I gotta prove myself", ruins everything.
One final complaint is the accuracy of the cover art. I know it's art, and that perhaps it speaks to things coming in later books in this series-- but as a whole it is misleading. The three protagonists are never in a situation that would prompt this cover art.
Over-all, in spite of my many complaints, I did enjoy this book! I enjoyed the author's writing style, their ability to describe a scene made it very easy to picture what they were envisioning, and the story was fairly enjoyable!
I do think that it could have used some polishing (perhaps a dozen more chapters), but at the end of the day it's still one more published book than I've written myself. Kudos to Lucien!
Spice Level: 🌶️
Lucien Burr is onto something with this one - but it's far from polished.
::::SPOILERS BELOW::::
Alaric is a wholly unlikable character who arrives just in time to ruin the dreams of Hal who had worked himself to the bone for years to achieve. I'm not a huge fan of Alaric, personally-- though his motivations are spelled out in the book for the reader, there is very little to him aside from "being the best without his name".
Hal, on the other hand, is my favorite genre of man - which is why I have such a hard time being negative about this book.
Hal is written so well! He's the type of character that's "lived in", his motivations are clear, he's worked incredibly hard to get where he is-- the common man sees him as a symbol that they don't have to settle on being oppressed by the ruling class. He's a big man, broad, body showing clear evidence of the battles he'd both won and lost. Then you see him with Perrin-- and while the feelings are unspoken, you get the feeling there is something *there* between them and it had the potential to be something very special.
Then Alaric, "I gotta prove myself", ruins everything.
One final complaint is the accuracy of the cover art. I know it's art, and that perhaps it speaks to things coming in later books in this series-- but as a whole it is misleading. The three protagonists are never in a situation that would prompt this cover art.
Over-all, in spite of my many complaints, I did enjoy this book! I enjoyed the author's writing style, their ability to describe a scene made it very easy to picture what they were envisioning, and the story was fairly enjoyable!
I do think that it could have used some polishing (perhaps a dozen more chapters), but at the end of the day it's still one more published book than I've written myself. Kudos to Lucien!
January 29, 2026
I loved this, it was a good introduction to the main characters of the series. The main characters had strong personalities despite the short length. I thought there might have been small typos like a repeating sentence on page 3? It wasn't a big issue for me but if those things bother you it may. Overall I am excited to see where the series goes.
January 30, 2026
not interesting enough to read the rest of the series
It was fine. I assume that the series gets better but honestly it’s not interesting enough to continue for me.
It was fine. I assume that the series gets better but honestly it’s not interesting enough to continue for me.
January 28, 2026
Mmmmmmm Lucien Burr does it again (I've read four novels by the same author's other pen name). Three compelling characters whose characteristics are painted very well for such a short novella, and whose relationships with each other were done beautifully. I think the following quote from Perrin describes it best: "“Don’t.” The word came out like a bark, that loyal dog in him rearing its head. Perrin’s hands curled into fists." Sweet-sweet loyal Perrin, my most favourite guy. Alaric's past (revealed on the last page) was also a surprise and I very much hope it gets expanded on in the next instalment. And Hal!!! Man of fury and fear, knowing exactly what he wants, desperate for it yet also afraid of it and angry at himself for having such wants in the first place.
Overall the setting - a jousting tournament that takes place over a week (or a weekend even) - was just long enough to tell the entire story yet left the door open for more. The jousting itself was exactly as brutal as it had to be, with Hal and Alaric being wonderful mirrors to each other; so very different yet so very similar. Perrin is also a reflection of them, but the most different out of the three. I do hope he gets more love and kisses and pats on the head soon.
Basically: :3 more please!!!
Overall the setting - a jousting tournament that takes place over a week (or a weekend even) - was just long enough to tell the entire story yet left the door open for more. The jousting itself was exactly as brutal as it had to be, with Hal and Alaric being wonderful mirrors to each other; so very different yet so very similar. Perrin is also a reflection of them, but the most different out of the three. I do hope he gets more love and kisses and pats on the head soon.
Basically: :3 more please!!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Heated Rivalry x A Knight's Tale?! Sign me all the way up!
From start to finish I was enchanted by this story. I really loved the way that Burr created mirrors between Alaric and Halden through their perception of one another from first glance and felt on the edge of my seat not truly knowing where the story was going to take me in the very best way.
There is a definite push and pull between Halden and Alaric where the reader can clearly see the ever so thin line between love and hate that exists between these two men. Perrin adds additional intrigue to the story as he feels very conflicted about what he wants but also acts impulsively at times to try to grasp what he isn't sure he can have.
This book is an entrée into a story that I am truly excited to see expand and grow. Burr does a great job leaving the reader with a satisfying ending but also offering a sense of intrigue for what comes next.
Completely and utterly obsessed and crawling at the walls to read the next Broken Lances book.
From start to finish I was enchanted by this story. I really loved the way that Burr created mirrors between Alaric and Halden through their perception of one another from first glance and felt on the edge of my seat not truly knowing where the story was going to take me in the very best way.
There is a definite push and pull between Halden and Alaric where the reader can clearly see the ever so thin line between love and hate that exists between these two men. Perrin adds additional intrigue to the story as he feels very conflicted about what he wants but also acts impulsively at times to try to grasp what he isn't sure he can have.
This book is an entrée into a story that I am truly excited to see expand and grow. Burr does a great job leaving the reader with a satisfying ending but also offering a sense of intrigue for what comes next.
Completely and utterly obsessed and crawling at the walls to read the next Broken Lances book.
January 30, 2026
The first half of this was unfortunately pretty boring to me and soooo many sentiments and descriptions were repeated, but the second half was much better. I was getting vibes and hoping I was right about Alarics identify, and I was right! So I’m excited for that Love Perrin, and intrigued by Hal. I think the biggest issues were the prose for Alarics chapters and the constant repetition of the descriptions and certain feelings/goals. Alarics chapters didn’t flow very well though I can’t pinpoint exactly what the issue was.
The second half definitely saved it from being 3 stars. I don’t think we got to know the characters well enough past some repeated ideas in the first half to really be too invested, but now I am interested and will be reading the second book for sure.
The second half definitely saved it from being 3 stars. I don’t think we got to know the characters well enough past some repeated ideas in the first half to really be too invested, but now I am interested and will be reading the second book for sure.
January 30, 2026
Heated Chivalry Indeed
The moment I saw a book advertised as a Heated Rivalry-esque sport romance, but make it medieval jousting I said SIGN ME UP!
This prequel novella is so good!
The medieval tourney setting? Fabulously gritty.
It had the nerdy kid in me who obsessed over medieval weaponry, warfare, and tourneys, giddy with joy.
The main characters? ✨chefs kiss✨
They’re complex, flawed, and wonderfully human in an era of fae, monsters, and other supernatural beings.
In First Tilt you’ll find the start of a rivalry, hidden identity, unrequited love, and So. Much. Yearning. The tension between the MCs, both competitive and romantic, gave me anxiety. But in a good way. The build up toward book 1 was extremely well done and I am officially hooked.
Now I just have to wait 9 painful months for Second Pass to come out.
The moment I saw a book advertised as a Heated Rivalry-esque sport romance, but make it medieval jousting I said SIGN ME UP!
This prequel novella is so good!
The medieval tourney setting? Fabulously gritty.
It had the nerdy kid in me who obsessed over medieval weaponry, warfare, and tourneys, giddy with joy.
The main characters? ✨chefs kiss✨
They’re complex, flawed, and wonderfully human in an era of fae, monsters, and other supernatural beings.
In First Tilt you’ll find the start of a rivalry, hidden identity, unrequited love, and So. Much. Yearning. The tension between the MCs, both competitive and romantic, gave me anxiety. But in a good way. The build up toward book 1 was extremely well done and I am officially hooked.
Now I just have to wait 9 painful months for Second Pass to come out.
Read
January 31, 2026Rating between 3.5-4 stars
I didn’t see it coming that Alaric was going to be the Crown Prince! But it makes sense that he would hold that title with the amount of training he had. I’m interested to read the next book when it’s released in September!
I think the second half was much better written than the first half and a bit less repetitive. I’m interested to dive deeper into Alaric’s past in the next book (and hopefully learn more about Perrin’s past too). I’ m sure Halden is going to freak out I think when he finds out Alaric’s true identity as a Crown Prince, especially since he doesn’t like nobility.
I didn’t see it coming that Alaric was going to be the Crown Prince! But it makes sense that he would hold that title with the amount of training he had. I’m interested to read the next book when it’s released in September!
I think the second half was much better written than the first half and a bit less repetitive. I’m interested to dive deeper into Alaric’s past in the next book (and hopefully learn more about Perrin’s past too). I’ m sure Halden is going to freak out I think when he finds out Alaric’s true identity as a Crown Prince, especially since he doesn’t like nobility.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 30, 2026
First off, look at that freaking cover art!! I was sold as soon as I saw it.
This book/prequel novella was everything I wanted it to be. You got a good introduction to the characters and so much more.
Alaric and Halden were both so easy to fall in love with.
It was really well written and I love how the languaged changed a bit between the different characters.
I literally can't wait for the next book in September!
This book/prequel novella was everything I wanted it to be. You got a good introduction to the characters and so much more.
Alaric and Halden were both so easy to fall in love with.
It was really well written and I love how the languaged changed a bit between the different characters.
I literally can't wait for the next book in September!
January 29, 2026
THANK GOODNESS! This book resurrected me from my Heated Rivalry book slump. The enemies to lovers tension !!! The banter was perfect !! The knights/jousting felt like a new and fresh story I hadn’t read before. Could not put it down, I’m so excited for the sequel because I need 1,000 more pages with these characters.
January 30, 2026
This was fun, a little bit different from what I usually read. I really enjoyed it.
It's listed as a fantasy and I wish we could have gotten to see more of the fantasy aspects coming up in the series.
Other than that, I think it was a great introduction to the characters and the sport of jousting.
I look forward to reading the first book when it comes out later in the year.
It's listed as a fantasy and I wish we could have gotten to see more of the fantasy aspects coming up in the series.
Other than that, I think it was a great introduction to the characters and the sport of jousting.
I look forward to reading the first book when it comes out later in the year.
January 30, 2026
Sadly just did not work for me, felt off at some moments in the story and I was not feeling this threesome tyle of feel with the way the characters personality are. Just did not fit for true chemistry or romance. There was lacking moments that felt not needed.
January 28, 2026
Omg I’m obsessed
January 29, 2026
This was a great short rivalry story. I’m excited to see where this series leads!
dnf
January 29, 2026dnf at 26% (page 31)
January 30, 2026
🐎 ⚔️ ❤️ This was great, but I swear to god Perrin better be fucking worshipped in the next book because my heart actually hurt for him. 🐎 ⚔️ ❤️
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews