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Scorched Earth: An MM Hurt/Comfort Novel
Cooper “LB” Sorenson
The boy I used to be.
The home I used to know.
The happiness I used to feel.
Everything is gone.
Destroyed by the person that was meant to keep me safe.
With nothing left to keep me going, I give in to the demons screaming in my head. That decision lands me back in the arms of the boy, now a man, who has always been everything to me, but I don’t belong here anymore.
I’m damaged.
Broken.
Tainted.
Everett “Teddy” Davenport
The boy I used to know.
The house he made a home.
The joy he used to spread.
All of it disappeared.
In the blink of an eye, I lost him.
Life goes on, but it is a pale comparison to what used to be. When he comes barreling back into my life, I know I can’t lose him again. He doesn’t feel worthy, but I plan to show him that in my arms is where he was always meant to be.
The past tried to incinerate us, but together we can extinguish the flames and revive what once was.
Hostile Exchange is an MM hurt/comfort novel. Intended for mature (18+) audiences only.
The boy I used to be.
The home I used to know.
The happiness I used to feel.
Everything is gone.
Destroyed by the person that was meant to keep me safe.
With nothing left to keep me going, I give in to the demons screaming in my head. That decision lands me back in the arms of the boy, now a man, who has always been everything to me, but I don’t belong here anymore.
I’m damaged.
Broken.
Tainted.
Everett “Teddy” Davenport
The boy I used to know.
The house he made a home.
The joy he used to spread.
All of it disappeared.
In the blink of an eye, I lost him.
Life goes on, but it is a pale comparison to what used to be. When he comes barreling back into my life, I know I can’t lose him again. He doesn’t feel worthy, but I plan to show him that in my arms is where he was always meant to be.
The past tried to incinerate us, but together we can extinguish the flames and revive what once was.
Hostile Exchange is an MM hurt/comfort novel. Intended for mature (18+) audiences only.
- GenresM M Romance
293 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 17, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
April 21, 2026
This is a 2.75 that I am rounding up to 3 because the potential is there, and a lot of of my complaints/reservations for this book are because I was so disappointed by how things were executed because the bones were there for this to be a five star read.
I think my main point is that this book needed to be 100 to 150 pages longer. There’s so much that is happening in this book, and so much that the author is trying to address that 225 pages just simply isn’t enough. So much of what happens in this book feels very glossed over. There’s so many things being introduced and so many of them are being brushed over and we’re not actually getting into the meat of these themes/issues that are being brought up.
For example: Teddy is shown to be Cooper’s safe place this whole book. He’s the steadfast support in Cooper’s life and he’s solid the entire book. Then we have one little section in this book where he ends up crying in the shower for 30 minutes because everything that has happened to Cooper finally weighs on him and being Cooper’s safe space and being in love with someone who has been so traumatized as finally dawned on him. So Cooper suggests that Teddy gets therapy and Teddy agrees.
And that’s it. It’s never brought up again, and I wish it had been. Because that ties into another problem that I have with this book: this is Cooper’s book. This is not Cooper AND Teddy‘s book. And frankly, I think the author should’ve either made it solely from Cooper’s point of view, or they needed to flesh Teddy out more.
Teddy is a very sweet character, and he is a really good guy, and I enjoyed that he was a steadfast person. However, he doesn’t have much going on for himself or much in the way of a personality that doesn’t revolve around Cooper. We really don’t know much about Teddy beyond the fact that he is a nurse and he is in love with Cooper. That one little section that we get with him having that panic attack about Cooper is so interesting and I wish it had been explored more. And that’s why this book is so disappointing to me. There’s really good things happening in it but they’re not being explored. And so many things that are happening, we’re not getting into.
Teddy and Cooper move in with each other with literally no fanfare in the book. I had to read that section over again because of the way that it was written. I genuinely didn’t realize that they had moved in with each other. You would think this would be a bigger deal to Cooper, someone who has major trauma, but it’s not. He just mentions it and then moves right on. We jump from event to event to event to event in this book and we don’t spend nearly enough time in these moments as we should. From the inciting incident in the beginning of the book with Cooper meeting Teddy again, to his subsequent stay in the hospital, to then him getting out just happens so fast.
And with this heavy subject matter, there wasn’t enough feeling. I understand the author wanted us to feel safe, and I do appreciate that, and I’m not saying that we needed to experience everything that Cooper went through, and we didn’t need explicit scenes of what happened, but he literally just told us what happened to him in multiple different dialogues. I wanted to feel more. I wanted to experience the emotions of it, not necessarily read about what happened to him while it was happening to him, but I wanted to feel it!
To me, there was a surprising lack of angst and tension in this book, and though I can appreciate that the author wanted to write a feel good romance and show that you can be hurting and still be worthy of love, with everything that happens in this book, there should be more feeling to it than there actually was.
I also wish we could’ve had more time watching Cooper and Teddy fall in love with each other again. This is what I mean when I say this book should’ve been longer, because there’s so much to address in this book. Not only Cooper’s trauma and his journey into starting to heal and confronting what happened to him, but it’s also him and Teddy reuniting and falling in love again. And trying to accomplish all of this in less than 300 pages just isn’t feasible. So a lot of this romance hinges on this connection that they had when they were children, and I think the author relies on that too much. The relationship is sweet and I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t fall in love with them the way that I wanted to because I think they love the versions of each other that they knew as children and not the current versions of themselves.
I don’t know why Cooper and Teddy are in love with each other as adults because we don’t see it. We get a flashback… A FLASHBACK of Cooper and Teddy deciding to go on a date. I want to see it! I want to see them slowly start to have feelings for one another! I want to see them talking and getting to know each other again! They hadn’t seen each other since they were 14 years old, and while a lot of that time for Cooper was traumatic, he still had somewhat of good times with Max, so we could’ve seen him talking about those moments with Teddy.
And Teddy! Again, we barely know anything about Teddy in this book. I wanted to know more because I did like Teddy from what we got of him in this book. Why did Teddy get into nursing, where is Teddy‘s dad, what was Teddy up to in the years that Cooper was gone? Their relationship was so rushed that I didn’t get to enjoy them falling in love. It felt like one minute they met up again after all those years, the next minute they move in with each other, and then they’re married by the end of the book. I just wanted this book to slow down a little bit and let us enjoy the themes and the moments of the author is bringing up to us.
Sometimes when there’s a romance like this where one character has experienced severe trauma, especially trauma revolving around sex/love, the other character serves to be an emotional crutch. And they don’t necessarily have any problems or personality on their own beyond being the traumatized person‘s person, basically. And that is how Teddy felt. And it’s a shame, because I did like Teddy. I thought he was very sweet, I liked his balance of teasing and humor, and how heartfelt he was, but all he was, was Cooper’s safe place.
It felt like he didn’t have any sort of characterization or agency of his own. That’s why I say this book was Cooper’s book and not Teddy AND Cooper’s book, because we spend so much time learning about Cooper and what happened to Cooper and how this is affecting Cooper and not enough time with Teddy. And when we do spend time with Teddy, it revolves around Cooper. How Cooper’s feeling, how he can support Cooper, how he’s feeling about Cooper… But never about Teddy and his own journey. And I’m not saying that this is necessarily a bad thing, but if you’re going to market this book as dual POV and that it’s a book about how they fall in love, then Teddy deserves to have a bigger part and a much deeper character than what he was.
Also: this is a small gripe, but I’m not sure if it’s ever explained why Cooper and Teddy are somehow back in the same town again. Cooper moved to Nebraska when he was 14 which is like states and states away from Georgia… Where I think he grew up with Teddy, and then I think it’s mentioned that he lived in New York and that’s where he met Max, but I genuinely can’t remember if they explained how he managed to be back in Georgia in the same town, where Teddy was.
There’s so much potential here, and there were enjoyable moments, but overall: there was too much that was bitten off by this author to accomplish in this short of a book. I think this book would’ve benefited from being solely from Cooper’s point of view, being about 100/200 pages longer, and not relying so much on Cooper and Teddy being friends when they were children to launch a somewhat Second Chance romance when they’re adult adults. It’s simply not enough. I didn’t hate this book, and there were parts of it that I enjoyed, but I’m really sad that it did not live up to the expectations that it created in the first place! There are the bones of something really good here.
I think my main point is that this book needed to be 100 to 150 pages longer. There’s so much that is happening in this book, and so much that the author is trying to address that 225 pages just simply isn’t enough. So much of what happens in this book feels very glossed over. There’s so many things being introduced and so many of them are being brushed over and we’re not actually getting into the meat of these themes/issues that are being brought up.
For example: Teddy is shown to be Cooper’s safe place this whole book. He’s the steadfast support in Cooper’s life and he’s solid the entire book. Then we have one little section in this book where he ends up crying in the shower for 30 minutes because everything that has happened to Cooper finally weighs on him and being Cooper’s safe space and being in love with someone who has been so traumatized as finally dawned on him. So Cooper suggests that Teddy gets therapy and Teddy agrees.
And that’s it. It’s never brought up again, and I wish it had been. Because that ties into another problem that I have with this book: this is Cooper’s book. This is not Cooper AND Teddy‘s book. And frankly, I think the author should’ve either made it solely from Cooper’s point of view, or they needed to flesh Teddy out more.
Teddy is a very sweet character, and he is a really good guy, and I enjoyed that he was a steadfast person. However, he doesn’t have much going on for himself or much in the way of a personality that doesn’t revolve around Cooper. We really don’t know much about Teddy beyond the fact that he is a nurse and he is in love with Cooper. That one little section that we get with him having that panic attack about Cooper is so interesting and I wish it had been explored more. And that’s why this book is so disappointing to me. There’s really good things happening in it but they’re not being explored. And so many things that are happening, we’re not getting into.
Teddy and Cooper move in with each other with literally no fanfare in the book. I had to read that section over again because of the way that it was written. I genuinely didn’t realize that they had moved in with each other. You would think this would be a bigger deal to Cooper, someone who has major trauma, but it’s not. He just mentions it and then moves right on. We jump from event to event to event to event in this book and we don’t spend nearly enough time in these moments as we should. From the inciting incident in the beginning of the book with Cooper meeting Teddy again, to his subsequent stay in the hospital, to then him getting out just happens so fast.
And with this heavy subject matter, there wasn’t enough feeling. I understand the author wanted us to feel safe, and I do appreciate that, and I’m not saying that we needed to experience everything that Cooper went through, and we didn’t need explicit scenes of what happened, but he literally just told us what happened to him in multiple different dialogues. I wanted to feel more. I wanted to experience the emotions of it, not necessarily read about what happened to him while it was happening to him, but I wanted to feel it!
To me, there was a surprising lack of angst and tension in this book, and though I can appreciate that the author wanted to write a feel good romance and show that you can be hurting and still be worthy of love, with everything that happens in this book, there should be more feeling to it than there actually was.
I also wish we could’ve had more time watching Cooper and Teddy fall in love with each other again. This is what I mean when I say this book should’ve been longer, because there’s so much to address in this book. Not only Cooper’s trauma and his journey into starting to heal and confronting what happened to him, but it’s also him and Teddy reuniting and falling in love again. And trying to accomplish all of this in less than 300 pages just isn’t feasible. So a lot of this romance hinges on this connection that they had when they were children, and I think the author relies on that too much. The relationship is sweet and I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t fall in love with them the way that I wanted to because I think they love the versions of each other that they knew as children and not the current versions of themselves.
I don’t know why Cooper and Teddy are in love with each other as adults because we don’t see it. We get a flashback… A FLASHBACK of Cooper and Teddy deciding to go on a date. I want to see it! I want to see them slowly start to have feelings for one another! I want to see them talking and getting to know each other again! They hadn’t seen each other since they were 14 years old, and while a lot of that time for Cooper was traumatic, he still had somewhat of good times with Max, so we could’ve seen him talking about those moments with Teddy.
And Teddy! Again, we barely know anything about Teddy in this book. I wanted to know more because I did like Teddy from what we got of him in this book. Why did Teddy get into nursing, where is Teddy‘s dad, what was Teddy up to in the years that Cooper was gone? Their relationship was so rushed that I didn’t get to enjoy them falling in love. It felt like one minute they met up again after all those years, the next minute they move in with each other, and then they’re married by the end of the book. I just wanted this book to slow down a little bit and let us enjoy the themes and the moments of the author is bringing up to us.
Sometimes when there’s a romance like this where one character has experienced severe trauma, especially trauma revolving around sex/love, the other character serves to be an emotional crutch. And they don’t necessarily have any problems or personality on their own beyond being the traumatized person‘s person, basically. And that is how Teddy felt. And it’s a shame, because I did like Teddy. I thought he was very sweet, I liked his balance of teasing and humor, and how heartfelt he was, but all he was, was Cooper’s safe place.
It felt like he didn’t have any sort of characterization or agency of his own. That’s why I say this book was Cooper’s book and not Teddy AND Cooper’s book, because we spend so much time learning about Cooper and what happened to Cooper and how this is affecting Cooper and not enough time with Teddy. And when we do spend time with Teddy, it revolves around Cooper. How Cooper’s feeling, how he can support Cooper, how he’s feeling about Cooper… But never about Teddy and his own journey. And I’m not saying that this is necessarily a bad thing, but if you’re going to market this book as dual POV and that it’s a book about how they fall in love, then Teddy deserves to have a bigger part and a much deeper character than what he was.
Also: this is a small gripe, but I’m not sure if it’s ever explained why Cooper and Teddy are somehow back in the same town again. Cooper moved to Nebraska when he was 14 which is like states and states away from Georgia… Where I think he grew up with Teddy, and then I think it’s mentioned that he lived in New York and that’s where he met Max, but I genuinely can’t remember if they explained how he managed to be back in Georgia in the same town, where Teddy was.
There’s so much potential here, and there were enjoyable moments, but overall: there was too much that was bitten off by this author to accomplish in this short of a book. I think this book would’ve benefited from being solely from Cooper’s point of view, being about 100/200 pages longer, and not relying so much on Cooper and Teddy being friends when they were children to launch a somewhat Second Chance romance when they’re adult adults. It’s simply not enough. I didn’t hate this book, and there were parts of it that I enjoyed, but I’m really sad that it did not live up to the expectations that it created in the first place! There are the bones of something really good here.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 20, 2026
— Scorched Earth by Rowan Oliver | ★★★★★
This is, by far, the best representation of Hurt/Comfort and it was so well written!! I finished it yesterday, still think about it when I close my eyes and I can see these two special boys and their unique love for each other. It was... heartwarming and watching Cooper become someone entirely different because of his trauma felt like torture not only for his Teddy, but for me too. I was so invested in their story, it gave me HUGE waves of nostalgia and soft smiles and a real nice feeling of warmth. This is definitely a story for the heart, you don't have to think too much before picking it up, you don't have to analyze stuff before diving into their story. You're simply reading everything with an open heart and it's exactly what I loved most about it.
This is, by far, the best representation of Hurt/Comfort and it was so well written!! I finished it yesterday, still think about it when I close my eyes and I can see these two special boys and their unique love for each other. It was... heartwarming and watching Cooper become someone entirely different because of his trauma felt like torture not only for his Teddy, but for me too. I was so invested in their story, it gave me HUGE waves of nostalgia and soft smiles and a real nice feeling of warmth. This is definitely a story for the heart, you don't have to think too much before picking it up, you don't have to analyze stuff before diving into their story. You're simply reading everything with an open heart and it's exactly what I loved most about it.
April 17, 2026
4.5☆
This was cute and sweet but also heartbreaking at times. Everett and Cooper were best friends, before Cooper had to move away with his uncle. This started a series of events that would forever mark Cooper.
I really loved their connection and I think it was great that we got to see parts of their past and the beginning of their friendship. That gave context to a lot of things and helped us see their feelings and thoughts from way back. I loved the mental health rep and how we saw Cooper do the work. Cooper was also conscious of the fact that he needed a strong support system and I was happy to see that he asked for help from his found family. I loved the hurt/comfort in this. Everett is such a protective and loving person, I loved the way he showed up for Cooper. Their love was deep and beautiful and it was refreshing to see them be open and honest about their feelings from the start. My heart really went out to Cooper, but he is a truly strong person who clawed his way back to happiness and that just made me so happy.
There were some things that were only mentioned in the book and I felt like the story would have benefited from having some of those scenes in the book, but otherwise I really enjoyed the story and the writing felt very easy to read.
This is definitely worth a read if you enjoy best friends to lovers with a side of hurt/comfort.
This was cute and sweet but also heartbreaking at times. Everett and Cooper were best friends, before Cooper had to move away with his uncle. This started a series of events that would forever mark Cooper.
I really loved their connection and I think it was great that we got to see parts of their past and the beginning of their friendship. That gave context to a lot of things and helped us see their feelings and thoughts from way back. I loved the mental health rep and how we saw Cooper do the work. Cooper was also conscious of the fact that he needed a strong support system and I was happy to see that he asked for help from his found family. I loved the hurt/comfort in this. Everett is such a protective and loving person, I loved the way he showed up for Cooper. Their love was deep and beautiful and it was refreshing to see them be open and honest about their feelings from the start. My heart really went out to Cooper, but he is a truly strong person who clawed his way back to happiness and that just made me so happy.
There were some things that were only mentioned in the book and I felt like the story would have benefited from having some of those scenes in the book, but otherwise I really enjoyed the story and the writing felt very easy to read.
This is definitely worth a read if you enjoy best friends to lovers with a side of hurt/comfort.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Review: Scorched Earth by Rowan Oliver
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
A Story with 5-Star Heart
There is something incredibly special about Scorched Earth. It’s a short, intense read that resonated with me on a level that felt deeply personal. It isn't just a romance; it’s a story about survival, loyalty, and the people who become your entire world when the rest of the world fails you.
The Foundations: Parentification and Protection
The book spends a significant portion of the beginning following the MCs as children. While some might find their dialogue mature for their age—like a seven-year-old using phrases like "radiating like the sun"—it made perfect sense to me. Given their family situations, that forced elegance in speech is a hallmark of parentified children. If you can’t relate to why a child would speak that way, consider yourself lucky. As someone who was also parentified, I felt an instant, fierce need to protect Cooper at all costs.
The Dynamic: Short King vs. Teddy Bear
When they finally reunite, the payoff is excellent. I loved the "hate at first sight" energy of their reunion. The character archetypes here are top-tier:
Cooper: Our feisty short king.
Everett: The tall, ginger "Teddy Bear" a literal gay teddy bear who I now adore.
The Romance: It was so refreshing to see no sexuality crisis. They were open-minded and ready to try dating, which is a beautiful change of pace.
Pacing and Structure
This is a lean read with absolutely no filler. While I appreciated that there were no sagging middle parts, the pacing is a whirlwind. At times, the transitions in the character arcs feel a bit instant, moving from one "pinch point" to the next without much breathing room.
Rowan Oliver calls herself a "baby author," and you can see that raw potential here. While it’s not the most flowery writing and the structure isn't "perfect," it’s a great story that understands exactly what it needs to be to move the reader. I found myself flipping pages, completely engrossed, even when my "editor brain" wished for a bit more transition time to sit with these characters.
Final Thoughts
I could not put this book down. The side characters Nyla, Max, and Lane felt necessary and made the world better. If you want a story with high emotional stakes and a "protect them at all costs" vibe, pick this up.
It might not be a "perfect" 5-star technical masterpiece yet, but it is a great story told with a lot of soul. I’m deep in my feelings for Everett and Cooper, and I can't wait to see how this author evolves.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
A Story with 5-Star Heart
There is something incredibly special about Scorched Earth. It’s a short, intense read that resonated with me on a level that felt deeply personal. It isn't just a romance; it’s a story about survival, loyalty, and the people who become your entire world when the rest of the world fails you.
The Foundations: Parentification and Protection
The book spends a significant portion of the beginning following the MCs as children. While some might find their dialogue mature for their age—like a seven-year-old using phrases like "radiating like the sun"—it made perfect sense to me. Given their family situations, that forced elegance in speech is a hallmark of parentified children. If you can’t relate to why a child would speak that way, consider yourself lucky. As someone who was also parentified, I felt an instant, fierce need to protect Cooper at all costs.
The Dynamic: Short King vs. Teddy Bear
When they finally reunite, the payoff is excellent. I loved the "hate at first sight" energy of their reunion. The character archetypes here are top-tier:
Cooper: Our feisty short king.
Everett: The tall, ginger "Teddy Bear" a literal gay teddy bear who I now adore.
The Romance: It was so refreshing to see no sexuality crisis. They were open-minded and ready to try dating, which is a beautiful change of pace.
Pacing and Structure
This is a lean read with absolutely no filler. While I appreciated that there were no sagging middle parts, the pacing is a whirlwind. At times, the transitions in the character arcs feel a bit instant, moving from one "pinch point" to the next without much breathing room.
Rowan Oliver calls herself a "baby author," and you can see that raw potential here. While it’s not the most flowery writing and the structure isn't "perfect," it’s a great story that understands exactly what it needs to be to move the reader. I found myself flipping pages, completely engrossed, even when my "editor brain" wished for a bit more transition time to sit with these characters.
Final Thoughts
I could not put this book down. The side characters Nyla, Max, and Lane felt necessary and made the world better. If you want a story with high emotional stakes and a "protect them at all costs" vibe, pick this up.
It might not be a "perfect" 5-star technical masterpiece yet, but it is a great story told with a lot of soul. I’m deep in my feelings for Everett and Cooper, and I can't wait to see how this author evolves.
February 28, 2026
Highlight of the year ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Before going into this, please check the trigger warnings!
This is heavy, but also very healing! ❤️🩹
At the start of this book, you get an inside look at how Everett “Teddy” and Cooper “LB” meet and how they grow up together. The friendship between the two boys at a young age is filled with so much love, happiness, and laughter, even though both of them had rough and difficult childhoods. From the very beginning, they are like brothers.
At the beginning, you’re introduced to how the boys behave and what kind of personalities they have.
Everett is all about love, saying things like: “I promise to spend the rest of our lives loving you enough for the whole world.” [tears 😭 Teddy, you can’t say things like that.]
At the same time, you have Cooper saying: “Parenting grown-ups, as a child, really freaking sucks.” [Tell me about it, my love… tell me about it.]
Prepare yourself for this ride. I mean it.. because I started crying at chapter 7. It just hit me. The way Rowan writes completely pulled me in. All the way in.
And speaking of all the way in! I cried even more throughout the next chapters and the rest of the story. Thank you for destroying me like that! It reminded me again: a hurt/comfort romance hurts you too when it’s written right - damn.. Sometimes I need books like this to give my own feelings an outlet. But I also know there will be comfort and healing along the way, and I need that too.
The internal monologues from LB made me laugh out loud, cringe at times, and cry. Honestly, everything you could hope for.
The way Teddy helps LB heal healed a little piece of my soul too. “I see the most beautiful thing in the world - your survival.” And damn, if that didn’t hit home… 😭
Please, please, please, please, please!!!!!
Read this absolute masterpiece of a book!! I dare you. Read it! I’m serious! 🤔
Thank you! 🫶🏻🥹💖
💝 healing
❤️🩹 hurt/comfort
💝 slow burn
❤️🩹 Ace Rep
💝 sassy internalized monologues
❤️🩹 childhood friends to lovers
April 22, 2026
I've been putting off this review because I don't know where to even start, but here goes.
THIS. BOOK.
THIS. FREAKING. BOOK.
I was lucky enough to beta read this, and I devoured it in a weekend, which is really rare for me these days. Rowan Oliver has taken some really heavy topics here and tackled them with absolute grace, reminding us that no matter how broken we may feel, we're all deserving of love.
First, we have Cooper. Cooper is the sassy, sweet-treats-obsessed half of the Cooper and Teddy duo. He's outspoken and fun, and nobody crosses Cooper. Then we have Teddy, who's just sweet as pie (or perhaps pancakes) and a walking green flag.
Cooper and Teddy are soulmates from the moment they meet, and when Cooper is whisked out of Teddy's life in the wake of a tragedy, Teddy is left heartbroken. Fast forward more than a decade into the future, and Cooper suddenly shows back up in Teddy's life in a very unexpected way. Only, he's not the lively boy Teddy remembers. This Cooper is hurting, carrying around something aching and broken in the deepest reaches of his soul.
What I love about this book is that it's not one of those "true love cures all" mental health books. The very real issues in this book are dealt with with empathy and sensitivity, while acknowledging that trauma changes us. While Teddy is instrumental in Cooper's healing, it's ultimately Cooper who takes responsibility for healing himself and doing the work, and that's powerful, as well as something we don't see nearly enough of in this genre.
This book isn't heavy on the spice, and I appreciate that, too. It made the sex scenes in the book feel that much more powerful and intimate, without ever feeling sordid.
If you're someone who loves mental health rep and you want to feel whole again at the end of a beautiful story of hope and healing, please pick up Scorched Earth.
THIS. BOOK.
THIS. FREAKING. BOOK.
I was lucky enough to beta read this, and I devoured it in a weekend, which is really rare for me these days. Rowan Oliver has taken some really heavy topics here and tackled them with absolute grace, reminding us that no matter how broken we may feel, we're all deserving of love.
First, we have Cooper. Cooper is the sassy, sweet-treats-obsessed half of the Cooper and Teddy duo. He's outspoken and fun, and nobody crosses Cooper. Then we have Teddy, who's just sweet as pie (or perhaps pancakes) and a walking green flag.
Cooper and Teddy are soulmates from the moment they meet, and when Cooper is whisked out of Teddy's life in the wake of a tragedy, Teddy is left heartbroken. Fast forward more than a decade into the future, and Cooper suddenly shows back up in Teddy's life in a very unexpected way. Only, he's not the lively boy Teddy remembers. This Cooper is hurting, carrying around something aching and broken in the deepest reaches of his soul.
What I love about this book is that it's not one of those "true love cures all" mental health books. The very real issues in this book are dealt with with empathy and sensitivity, while acknowledging that trauma changes us. While Teddy is instrumental in Cooper's healing, it's ultimately Cooper who takes responsibility for healing himself and doing the work, and that's powerful, as well as something we don't see nearly enough of in this genre.
This book isn't heavy on the spice, and I appreciate that, too. It made the sex scenes in the book feel that much more powerful and intimate, without ever feeling sordid.
If you're someone who loves mental health rep and you want to feel whole again at the end of a beautiful story of hope and healing, please pick up Scorched Earth.
April 21, 2026
Goodness Rowan! Page 34!! Really??? Ugh! 😭😭😭 I had to put the book down I was crying so hard!
There were some editing flaws that bothered me a little. For example Everett takes his shirt off and lays on the bed so Cooper can draw on him. Then they start to fool around and in Cooper’s inner dialogue it says that his hands drifted under Everett’s shirt. I thought his shirt was off?
Another was on page 184 after Silas corners Cooper in the bathroom it says that him and Teddy approached the family and the prosecutor. Nyla says “An officer? Everett, what’s going on? Cooper, baby are you ok?” Cooper then says “I’m ok mom…Well I will be. Silas just cornered me in the bathroom”. Everyone gasps.
Then on page 187….Nyla says “Everett, what happened? What’s wrong with my son? Why didn’t we have court today?” In which Everett responds with “Silas sexually assaulted him earlier in the restroom”. Then everyone is all shocked to hear this. Like it’s the first time hearing about it, but they were literally told that on page 184.
What really bothered me though was on page 187. It says….”That good-for-nothin rat bastard.” (Narrator note: this is said by Nyla). When it should have just been..,”That good-for-nothin rat bastard.” Nyla said.
Wait so is Max trans?! I’m so confused! I think it was implied! I don’t know!
The tears on the letter???? You’re killing me!!
Despite the flaws, this was an amazing book! Especially for a debut! I was hooked from the first page!
There were some editing flaws that bothered me a little. For example Everett takes his shirt off and lays on the bed so Cooper can draw on him. Then they start to fool around and in Cooper’s inner dialogue it says that his hands drifted under Everett’s shirt. I thought his shirt was off?
Another was on page 184 after Silas corners Cooper in the bathroom it says that him and Teddy approached the family and the prosecutor. Nyla says “An officer? Everett, what’s going on? Cooper, baby are you ok?” Cooper then says “I’m ok mom…Well I will be. Silas just cornered me in the bathroom”. Everyone gasps.
Then on page 187….Nyla says “Everett, what happened? What’s wrong with my son? Why didn’t we have court today?” In which Everett responds with “Silas sexually assaulted him earlier in the restroom”. Then everyone is all shocked to hear this. Like it’s the first time hearing about it, but they were literally told that on page 184.
What really bothered me though was on page 187. It says….”That good-for-nothin rat bastard.” (Narrator note: this is said by Nyla). When it should have just been..,”That good-for-nothin rat bastard.” Nyla said.
Wait so is Max trans?! I’m so confused! I think it was implied! I don’t know!
The tears on the letter???? You’re killing me!!
Despite the flaws, this was an amazing book! Especially for a debut! I was hooked from the first page!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
LB & Teddy had my heart from the very first page. The loyalty, love and friendship they had at such an early age was so beautifully written. When tragedy strikes and they are ripped from each other's lives only to reconnect in the most unexpected place 13 years later. The true story of loss, hurt and rebuilding begins.
Everett "Teddy" is a natural care taker, his heart and soul always belonged to Cooper "LB" when he discovers that Cooper did not have the idyllic upbringing he had hoped for when they parted, he is determined to be there for Cooper in whatever capacity he needs.
Cooper struggling with years of emotional and physical abuse, has an aversion to touch and is just trying to cope day to day. When he is given a second chance with the one person he loves more than anything, he will stop at nothing to gain the confidence in himself, to realize his life is worth having all the good things and to live his best life with Everett by his side.
This book is short but packed full of love, loss, healing and finding yourself again. I highly recommend it.
Everett "Teddy" is a natural care taker, his heart and soul always belonged to Cooper "LB" when he discovers that Cooper did not have the idyllic upbringing he had hoped for when they parted, he is determined to be there for Cooper in whatever capacity he needs.
Cooper struggling with years of emotional and physical abuse, has an aversion to touch and is just trying to cope day to day. When he is given a second chance with the one person he loves more than anything, he will stop at nothing to gain the confidence in himself, to realize his life is worth having all the good things and to live his best life with Everett by his side.
This book is short but packed full of love, loss, healing and finding yourself again. I highly recommend it.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was a book with so much heart and love, and so much tenderness put into it! I loved LOVED the idea behind how one character (not giving it away) would release their tension and artistic inclination in a very sweet and intimate way. One of my favorite concepts in fiction recently. Their love for each other was gorgeous, wonderful!
The content is brutal when it needs to be, kind when it needs to be and full of beauty and triumph. I felt like it only lacked in some ways that could have been tweaked a bit for a more realistic feeling story. The way in which the characters spoke sometimes felt a little perfect and less conversational, especially such broken people who had struggled without love their entire lives, navigating their healing almost seemed too polished.
Otherwise, I think this author is onto something great and will be a phenomenal force, yes tears were shed and love was felt for these characters!!
The content is brutal when it needs to be, kind when it needs to be and full of beauty and triumph. I felt like it only lacked in some ways that could have been tweaked a bit for a more realistic feeling story. The way in which the characters spoke sometimes felt a little perfect and less conversational, especially such broken people who had struggled without love their entire lives, navigating their healing almost seemed too polished.
Otherwise, I think this author is onto something great and will be a phenomenal force, yes tears were shed and love was felt for these characters!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book 100% lives up to the hurt/comfort story it is advertised to be. It has so many achingly sweet moments between the characters as they navigate their pasts and present. It is a beautiful story of love, healing, friendship, and found family. So, if you are looking for a hurt/comfort MM romance that will pull at your heartstrings, this book is definitely worth checking out.
The hurt/comfort primarily revolves around trauma, and it is authentic in its portrayal. If you are expecting a story where love swoops in and heals all trauma, you will not find that here. This story displays the non-linear path of healing. The good days, the bad days, the potential for retraumatization, and the need for active work to move forward through the healing process. Some moments of this story will break your heart, while others will heal it.
Thank you to the author for providing me with a early copy of this book. This is my honest and voluntary review.
The hurt/comfort primarily revolves around trauma, and it is authentic in its portrayal. If you are expecting a story where love swoops in and heals all trauma, you will not find that here. This story displays the non-linear path of healing. The good days, the bad days, the potential for retraumatization, and the need for active work to move forward through the healing process. Some moments of this story will break your heart, while others will heal it.
Thank you to the author for providing me with a early copy of this book. This is my honest and voluntary review.
February 27, 2026
This was perfection. Our MMCs are so beautifully written in their understanding of each other. LB’s trauma is so heavy and hard to get through so definitely make sure to read the trigger warnings as the author has made it very easy to skip those parts if you wish to. I do feel it adds so much to their story, but also understand why some wouldn’t be able to get through it. Teddy is the greenest of green flags and everything that Teddy needed in his worst moments.
I absolutely loved getting to see their dynamic as children and watch their relationship change from the beginning. “Promise to be nice to each other forever.” I CAN’T. I’m going to start crying again😭 The found family is amazing and hilarious. Mom is everything that baby needed and I’m so happy he got her back.
I know it’s still very early, but I really hope we get to see more of LB and Teddy🖤
I absolutely loved getting to see their dynamic as children and watch their relationship change from the beginning. “Promise to be nice to each other forever.” I CAN’T. I’m going to start crying again😭 The found family is amazing and hilarious. Mom is everything that baby needed and I’m so happy he got her back.
I know it’s still very early, but I really hope we get to see more of LB and Teddy🖤
March 1, 2026
Wow! I had to collect myself before I could write this. I laughed, I cried, I smiled, I cried! This was such a heartfelt story that hit on so many different issues. If I could have read this in one sitting, I would have. The author did a fantastic job at developing the characters. There was a variety of representation in the characters and their own stories themes. I highly recommend reading this.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I started this book in the middle of the night, in hopes that it would help get me back to sleep. Then I read the whole thing.
This book proves that sometimes people come crashing into your life for the better. This book explores romantic love, platonic love, & the importance of found family. This book is full of love, through the good times and the bad times.
This book proves that sometimes people come crashing into your life for the better. This book explores romantic love, platonic love, & the importance of found family. This book is full of love, through the good times and the bad times.
April 24, 2026
Had the pleasure of getting an arc from one of my favorites 😍
I LOVE when a writer is southern and it bleeds through their writing. Ugh. And these two men she wrote? Top tier. The hurt...the trauma....the tears....the comfort. 😭😍
So blessed to have made a friend in Rowan. I would've been biased and given this five stars because that's my homie---but there truly is no need.
So proud of you❤️
I LOVE when a writer is southern and it bleeds through their writing. Ugh. And these two men she wrote? Top tier. The hurt...the trauma....the tears....the comfort. 😭😍
So blessed to have made a friend in Rowan. I would've been biased and given this five stars because that's my homie---but there truly is no need.
So proud of you❤️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 21, 2026
Way too short to tell the story this book is trying to tell.
May 23, 2026
3.5⭐️s
The mental health rep in this story was beautifully done!
I really felt connected to the pain of these characters and I was invested in seeing them heal!
I am also such a sucker for found family and this one delivers that in the most heartwarming way!
the Dedication:
“To anyone who's ever had to white knuckle their way through life. To the fighters, the survivors, and the ones we've lost along the way.”
MM Romance
Childhood Friends to Lovers
Hurt/Comfort
Mental Health Rep
Found Family
This is an honest review of an ARC
The mental health rep in this story was beautifully done!
I really felt connected to the pain of these characters and I was invested in seeing them heal!
I am also such a sucker for found family and this one delivers that in the most heartwarming way!
the Dedication:
“To anyone who's ever had to white knuckle their way through life. To the fighters, the survivors, and the ones we've lost along the way.”
MM Romance
Childhood Friends to Lovers
Hurt/Comfort
Mental Health Rep
Found Family
This is an honest review of an ARC
Review of advance copy received from Author
✨ARC Review✨
⭐️ 4.25/5
🌶️ 2.5/5
Main characters: Cooper & Everett
Side characters: Maxine, Lane, Nyla (Mom)
Page count: 225
First person, dual POV.
This is a deeply emotional and tender romance about two childhood best friends who find their way back to each other after a long and very traumatic separation. I loved the pure devotion they had to each other when they were kids, and the bond that Cooper developed with Everett’s mom. They were the family he needed when his own let him down. It was so heart wrenching when they were separated, and what Cooper went through was horrendous. Once they were reunited, Everett was so amazingly steadfast in his support of Cooper. Just loving him as he was and never pushing too hard. It was beautiful to see every bit of progress that Cooper was able to make as he started to heal. In the end, despite all the trauma and abuse and their separation, they were able to find their HEA in each other.
⭐️ 4.25/5
🌶️ 2.5/5
Main characters: Cooper & Everett
Side characters: Maxine, Lane, Nyla (Mom)
Page count: 225
First person, dual POV.
This is a deeply emotional and tender romance about two childhood best friends who find their way back to each other after a long and very traumatic separation. I loved the pure devotion they had to each other when they were kids, and the bond that Cooper developed with Everett’s mom. They were the family he needed when his own let him down. It was so heart wrenching when they were separated, and what Cooper went through was horrendous. Once they were reunited, Everett was so amazingly steadfast in his support of Cooper. Just loving him as he was and never pushing too hard. It was beautiful to see every bit of progress that Cooper was able to make as he started to heal. In the end, despite all the trauma and abuse and their separation, they were able to find their HEA in each other.
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