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Heart & Chrome
Not yet published
Expected 28 Apr 26A gang leader who protects his own at any cost. A medic who sees a man where he was taught to see a —and can't look away.
In a city run by megacorps, Kane’s crew survives because he makes the hard calls and doesn’t hesitate when it counts. But when an attack from a rival gang leaves his fixer dying, he’s forced to cross a line: taking a medic from Midtown into his territory.
Rafael was taught the Outer Districts were a lawless void of violence and chrome. But as a medic, he doesn’t see gangs. He sees a community holding the line, and a leader who carries every loss like it’s his to answer for.
Taking Rafael was a means to an end. Kane wasn’t prepared to protect him like his own—or to want him, when wanting anything is a weakness in his world.
Going home should be Rafael’s only concern. But leaving isn’t simple when Kane treats his kindness like something worth keeping…or when walking away means leaving Kane.
But Nova City runs on leverage, not love. Choosing each other may cost them everything they’ve worked to protect.
In a city run by megacorps, Kane’s crew survives because he makes the hard calls and doesn’t hesitate when it counts. But when an attack from a rival gang leaves his fixer dying, he’s forced to cross a line: taking a medic from Midtown into his territory.
Rafael was taught the Outer Districts were a lawless void of violence and chrome. But as a medic, he doesn’t see gangs. He sees a community holding the line, and a leader who carries every loss like it’s his to answer for.
Taking Rafael was a means to an end. Kane wasn’t prepared to protect him like his own—or to want him, when wanting anything is a weakness in his world.
Going home should be Rafael’s only concern. But leaving isn’t simple when Kane treats his kindness like something worth keeping…or when walking away means leaving Kane.
But Nova City runs on leverage, not love. Choosing each other may cost them everything they’ve worked to protect.
382 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication April 28, 2026
About the author
Atlas Knight
1 book3 followersI write MM romance for readers who like their love stories wrapped in neon and moral ambiguity. You’ll usually find my characters in cyberpunk cities or far-off sci-fi futures, where the stakes are high and the men are complicated.
When I'm not writing, I'm probably gaming, listening to heavy metal, or hiking with my partner (and pretending I'm not already plotting the next scene).
When I'm not writing, I'm probably gaming, listening to heavy metal, or hiking with my partner (and pretending I'm not already plotting the next scene).
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
Review of advance copy
I'M SO ANNOYED.
Okay so, first the writing was so plain. It also had a lost of errors, like grammatical and formatting errors. The were parts were I swear words were missing. It needs editing ASAP.
"Omg Kane is not at all how I supposed a kidnapper should be". After the first 2 times, I get it, BUT AFTER 20 TIMES, RAFAEL ISTFG IF YOU DON'T SHUT UP ALREADY, YOU SHOULD ALREADY KNOW THAT MAN IS NOT FULL OF "CONTRADICTIONS". LIKE WE GET IT, BUT C'MON, THINKKKKKK BOY. UGH HE PISSES ME OFF.
The sex scenes may as well not be there, like I couldn't care any less. They were the biggest MEH ever.
The romance was so ????? so rushed, shallow and it didn't even have passion nor nothing interesting at all. It was also very cringy. If it was at least characters I care about who said those cringy and corny lines... but no.
The plot was the only thing somewhat interesting, if it wasn't disregarded for more than half of the book and ruined by how convenient and easy was solving it. Viper was so fucking predictable. Why not Echo. It would've been so shocking.
Why was the final encounter like an oral exposition some kids would do in elementary school. Why was Athena such a dumb villain, why did she let Kane's team expose her like that. Why was Kane such a dumb leader. Why was he so easily "manipulated" by Rafael; like he never considered NEGOTIATING in a interrogation but suddenly a pretty boy says "hey uwu why not uwu" and HE DOES IT. Why did he only need a dumb pep talk from a guy he despised for years to get his shit together (someone whom he only talked to because his boyfriend "uwu'd" him a bit, SO DUMB).
Why the fuck didn't we read how they fought and got back stolen terrain instead of a whole scene of the team telling Rafael "oh we did this, and then this, and Kane said this". DUMB.
This could've been so much better. Annoying.
Okay so, first the writing was so plain. It also had a lost of errors, like grammatical and formatting errors. The were parts were I swear words were missing. It needs editing ASAP.
"Omg Kane is not at all how I supposed a kidnapper should be". After the first 2 times, I get it, BUT AFTER 20 TIMES, RAFAEL ISTFG IF YOU DON'T SHUT UP ALREADY, YOU SHOULD ALREADY KNOW THAT MAN IS NOT FULL OF "CONTRADICTIONS". LIKE WE GET IT, BUT C'MON, THINKKKKKK BOY. UGH HE PISSES ME OFF.
The sex scenes may as well not be there, like I couldn't care any less. They were the biggest MEH ever.
The romance was so ????? so rushed, shallow and it didn't even have passion nor nothing interesting at all. It was also very cringy. If it was at least characters I care about who said those cringy and corny lines... but no.
The plot was the only thing somewhat interesting, if it wasn't disregarded for more than half of the book and ruined by how convenient and easy was solving it. Viper was so fucking predictable. Why not Echo. It would've been so shocking.
Why was the final encounter like an oral exposition some kids would do in elementary school. Why was Athena such a dumb villain, why did she let Kane's team expose her like that. Why was Kane such a dumb leader. Why was he so easily "manipulated" by Rafael; like he never considered NEGOTIATING in a interrogation but suddenly a pretty boy says "hey uwu why not uwu" and HE DOES IT. Why did he only need a dumb pep talk from a guy he despised for years to get his shit together (someone whom he only talked to because his boyfriend "uwu'd" him a bit, SO DUMB).
Why the fuck didn't we read how they fought and got back stolen terrain instead of a whole scene of the team telling Rafael "oh we did this, and then this, and Kane said this". DUMB.
This could've been so much better. Annoying.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Raphael is a nurse who’s kidnapped by mistake because Kane’s lieutenant, Echo, needs a doctor. He’s able to repair her implements, and Kane and his team are thankful. He’s told he has to stay and help for a few days and then he’ll be returned home.
Kane sees Raphael’s care for his patients even though he doesn’t know them, and he feels guilty for keeping him. Rafa wants to help and is treated well, with Kane encouraging him to speak his mind and considering his ideas and opinions. He stays in Kane’s apartment until he’s returned home, where his life is safe and predictable, sanitized and artificial.
Kane shows up and wants to date Raphael, and they share a common interest in cooking, but Kane’s set up a market with real food instead of the synthetic stuff where Rafa lives.
When it’s discovered by the corporation where Raphael works that he knows Kane he’s told to end things, and he doesn’t want to risk the life he has. Even when Kane tells him he loves him, it takes him a few weeks to realize Kane is who he wants to be with.
He goes back to the outer city and lives with Kane, who learns how to defeat their enemy’s leader, Athena, and how to run his team with discipline and trust in a good balance.
I really liked this book, the world wasn’t hard to get a handle on and the plot was clear, with lots of interesting and imaginative details. I love the characters, especially Cipher and Echo, and the otherworldly descriptions of places Rafa and Kane visited.
I received this ARC for free and am pleased to provide my honest review with gratitude.
Kane sees Raphael’s care for his patients even though he doesn’t know them, and he feels guilty for keeping him. Rafa wants to help and is treated well, with Kane encouraging him to speak his mind and considering his ideas and opinions. He stays in Kane’s apartment until he’s returned home, where his life is safe and predictable, sanitized and artificial.
Kane shows up and wants to date Raphael, and they share a common interest in cooking, but Kane’s set up a market with real food instead of the synthetic stuff where Rafa lives.
When it’s discovered by the corporation where Raphael works that he knows Kane he’s told to end things, and he doesn’t want to risk the life he has. Even when Kane tells him he loves him, it takes him a few weeks to realize Kane is who he wants to be with.
He goes back to the outer city and lives with Kane, who learns how to defeat their enemy’s leader, Athena, and how to run his team with discipline and trust in a good balance.
I really liked this book, the world wasn’t hard to get a handle on and the plot was clear, with lots of interesting and imaginative details. I love the characters, especially Cipher and Echo, and the otherworldly descriptions of places Rafa and Kane visited.
I received this ARC for free and am pleased to provide my honest review with gratitude.
Review of advance copy received from Indie Reviewers
The world-building in this book is immersive. Seriously, it’s one of the more impressive books I’ve ever read, and I average between 300-400 books a year. From the very first page, I was captivated by the characters and mysterious, futuristic landscape. I had to put the book on hold for several days because of a prior commitment, and I couldn’t stop thinking about the characters. I was only three chapters in when I realized how much this book had taken hold of me. When I finally got back to it, I barely put it down until the very end. I even took my time re-reading certain portions again before moving forward, not because I needed further comprehension, but because I loved those parts so much. This is an interesting and unique read for me, and that’s rare when you read a lot. The writing is superb, and I can see this writer going really far in their career. I’m already planning to purchase this book to keep on my shelf because it has instantly become a favorite. Don’t miss out on this book! You’ll regret not reading it. The future is bleak, but there’s one leader who’s all heart and grumpy exterior. Then there’s an “uptown sunshine medic” who lives the “good life” (corporate-sponsored). Who doesn’t realize what he’s missing until he sees the real world behind the veil. There’s action, fighting (minus graphic violence), spice, suspense, and protection where it counts most. Third act breakup due to high external stakes.
I was given this book as an ARC for Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest, unbiased opinion.
I was given this book as an ARC for Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest, unbiased opinion.
April 18, 2026
❤️❤️❤️/5
👥: It’s the story about Kane and Rafael. They come from opposite worlds, but they collide when they meet. It was beautiful to see Rafael open up and speak up throughout the book, because in the start he comes from an environment that doesn’t encourage him to be his real self.
I prefer Rafael to Kane (sometimes Kane was annoying), but Kane also has a « redemption arc ». He’s an asshole to his team in the middle of the book, but then he learns to be better.
💞: I have to say, maybe I didn’t see the sparkles when they fell in love. The first part of the story was not what I like to read in romance books. Yes Kane encourages him to speak what’s on his mind, but yet it felt like Rafael was infantilised.
🪶: What I love the most about this book is the political side of it. If you liked 1984 (one of my favourite dystopias), I think you’ll love this one ! It denounces the working conditions of nurses, the use of technology, wars, and cults. One part I really enjoyed was when Rafael realizes that his nurse friends just see patients and their death as numbers and not real people. It was also great to see the topic of food being addressed, and to see how it could be in the future.
Finally, this book is about forgiveness and dreams.
🗒: « With Kane, the words come easier. He says things he’d usually swallow, lets silences sit without filling them. »
✨I received an ARC by GRR for this book and I’m very grateful for it, but this is obviously my honest review.✨
👥: It’s the story about Kane and Rafael. They come from opposite worlds, but they collide when they meet. It was beautiful to see Rafael open up and speak up throughout the book, because in the start he comes from an environment that doesn’t encourage him to be his real self.
I prefer Rafael to Kane (sometimes Kane was annoying), but Kane also has a « redemption arc ». He’s an asshole to his team in the middle of the book, but then he learns to be better.
💞: I have to say, maybe I didn’t see the sparkles when they fell in love. The first part of the story was not what I like to read in romance books. Yes Kane encourages him to speak what’s on his mind, but yet it felt like Rafael was infantilised.
🪶: What I love the most about this book is the political side of it. If you liked 1984 (one of my favourite dystopias), I think you’ll love this one ! It denounces the working conditions of nurses, the use of technology, wars, and cults. One part I really enjoyed was when Rafael realizes that his nurse friends just see patients and their death as numbers and not real people. It was also great to see the topic of food being addressed, and to see how it could be in the future.
Finally, this book is about forgiveness and dreams.
🗒: « With Kane, the words come easier. He says things he’d usually swallow, lets silences sit without filling them. »
✨I received an ARC by GRR for this book and I’m very grateful for it, but this is obviously my honest review.✨
Review of advance copy
2.5 stars
This story had good bones but needs some work. The set-up in this dystopian world was pretty interesting and there was the chance for some great world-building but I would have needed a little more explanation, a little more background to really immerse myself in this world. There was a cool bunch of side characters and, sadly, I was more interested in those than our two main guys. We stay mostly at the surface of who they are and so they felt a little flat to me. Their love story was not bad, had some hiccups to make it more interesting but I never really got invested. Usually I really like this kind of story but this one just didn't vibe with me. It didn't hurt reading it but it didn't really fill me with joy either. Hopefully, others had a better reading experience.
This story had good bones but needs some work. The set-up in this dystopian world was pretty interesting and there was the chance for some great world-building but I would have needed a little more explanation, a little more background to really immerse myself in this world. There was a cool bunch of side characters and, sadly, I was more interested in those than our two main guys. We stay mostly at the surface of who they are and so they felt a little flat to me. Their love story was not bad, had some hiccups to make it more interesting but I never really got invested. Usually I really like this kind of story but this one just didn't vibe with me. It didn't hurt reading it but it didn't really fill me with joy either. Hopefully, others had a better reading experience.
Review of advance copy
Imaginative. Futuristic. Creative.
All the words I would use to describe Heart and Chrome. Take all the ultramodern things you love about Cyberpunk, throw in MM romance, and that’s Heart and Chrome. For me, a good sci-fi book immerses me in a new universe, and good worldbuilding is crucial. Atlas has done a phenomenal job at checking those boxes.
Furthermore, I love Raphael and Kane’s relationship, how it blossomed. Not to mention their mutual love for cooking.
If you’re looking for a sci-fi read that’s gripping, imaginative, and different from your typical reads, Heart and Chrome is for you.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
All the words I would use to describe Heart and Chrome. Take all the ultramodern things you love about Cyberpunk, throw in MM romance, and that’s Heart and Chrome. For me, a good sci-fi book immerses me in a new universe, and good worldbuilding is crucial. Atlas has done a phenomenal job at checking those boxes.
Furthermore, I love Raphael and Kane’s relationship, how it blossomed. Not to mention their mutual love for cooking.
If you’re looking for a sci-fi read that’s gripping, imaginative, and different from your typical reads, Heart and Chrome is for you.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy
This was such an incredible debut novel.
Super imaginative, detailed, and an amazing storyline.
I enjoyed the futuristic components and the way the little things were described.
Kane and Raphael come from two different sides, yet somehow their barriers break down and they come together as one.
Gripping story, some trauma and doubt interlaced, culminating to a shared love between them. Both of them opening up in a way neither had done before.
I received an ARC from Book Sirens for my honest review.
Super imaginative, detailed, and an amazing storyline.
I enjoyed the futuristic components and the way the little things were described.
Kane and Raphael come from two different sides, yet somehow their barriers break down and they come together as one.
Gripping story, some trauma and doubt interlaced, culminating to a shared love between them. Both of them opening up in a way neither had done before.
I received an ARC from Book Sirens for my honest review.
April 22, 2026
3.75 rounded up. The first half drew me in. It had world building, plot, and tension between characters. The slow burn was well done. It’s low spice, only a few graphic scenes. Once they finally get together, it’s not as detailed as I was expecting. My biggest issue is 3rd person POV in an MM. Sometimes it made it hard for me to remember whose POV we were in. I loved Kane and Raphael as characters. Kane is every bit the protective gang leader and had me swooning. I enjoyed Kane and Raphael’s story.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This review is of my honest opinion.
I am so grateful to have received this ARC.
TROPES:
Forced Proximity
Gang Leader x Civillian Nurse
Found Family
Reluctant Allies to lovers
Cinnamon Roll Hero (Kinda)
Hurt/Comfort
Touch him and die energy
Accidental Kidnapping
First impression was this is not my vibe, the language is out of my realm of vocab. If this weren't an ARC, I don't think I would have picked it up myself because cyberpunk is not my jam. I am hopeful that my tune changes in the end.
My honest rating is 2.5 stars. I liked the idea of it, but it fell flat on explanations and build-up. Things just were happening with no lead-up. Harsh transition points.
What I liked...
Kane and Raphel were cute with their shared love of cooking/baking.
The futuristic components, when detailed, were cool.
I liked that there was a plot and a tiny hinting a spice. The plot didn't get lost when Kane and Raphel became lovers.
SYNOPSIS:
Kane needed a doctor and needed one ASAP, and because of that Raphel was kidnapped accidentally. He did what they wanted him to do and was kept until his replacement came. Kane and his crew were dealing with a group that wanted them disbanded and to take over their territory. Things got messy. Betrayal. Threats. And a long-awaited forgiveness.
Heart and Chrome was alright in the overall sense.
I am so grateful to have received this ARC.
TROPES:
Forced Proximity
Gang Leader x Civillian Nurse
Found Family
Reluctant Allies to lovers
Cinnamon Roll Hero (Kinda)
Hurt/Comfort
Touch him and die energy
Accidental Kidnapping
First impression was this is not my vibe, the language is out of my realm of vocab. If this weren't an ARC, I don't think I would have picked it up myself because cyberpunk is not my jam. I am hopeful that my tune changes in the end.
My honest rating is 2.5 stars. I liked the idea of it, but it fell flat on explanations and build-up. Things just were happening with no lead-up. Harsh transition points.
What I liked...
Kane and Raphel were cute with their shared love of cooking/baking.
The futuristic components, when detailed, were cool.
I liked that there was a plot and a tiny hinting a spice. The plot didn't get lost when Kane and Raphel became lovers.
SYNOPSIS:
Kane needed a doctor and needed one ASAP, and because of that Raphel was kidnapped accidentally. He did what they wanted him to do and was kept until his replacement came. Kane and his crew were dealing with a group that wanted them disbanded and to take over their territory. Things got messy. Betrayal. Threats. And a long-awaited forgiveness.
Heart and Chrome was alright in the overall sense.
Review of advance copy
RTC
Review of advance copy received from Author
I loved id!
Review of advance copy
GRR ARC: review to follow
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews