Almost True: An MM Double Bi-Awakening Romance

by Ella Brighton

I’m not gay. This is nothing but a game. Problem is, we’re both desperate…

My life is a wreck. I’ve taken a job doing wildlands firefighting in middle-of-nowhere Copper Creek, Alaska, in hopes that it will help me sort things out.

But I’m broke. And I don’t know where I’ll live after the summer finishes.

When the fire chief offers a free cabin to whoever wins a drunken game of gay chicken, I’m all in. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to win that cabin. I’m never going to get a chance like that again.

But Dex is equally determined.

And the game doesn’t end that night.

Soon we’re both getting deeper and deeper into this mess, and even though we’re both straight, we go way further than either of us intended.

Until it’s hard to sort out what’s true and what’s just part of the game…

Almost True is a steamy MM romance featuring sexy firefighters, a double bi-awakening, hurt/comfort, and only one bed. Use the Look Inside feature for trigger warnings.

***

This story was inspired by the classic story that went "In high school, I was dared to play 'Gay Chicken,' which is where two straight guys pretend to be gay, and the first one to chicken out loses. The other guy and I are both really stubborn, and neither one of us wanted to lose."

"We've been married 14 years and we run a bed and breakfast in Vermont with our adopted daughter. If that dude doesn't chicken out soon, I'm going to start to suspect that he's actually gay."

205 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 27, 2026

Reviews

[Renae Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this slow-burn romance between two firefighters who both have a trauma-filled past they are trying to overcome, while trying to manage their growing feelings for one another. On top of both of their struggles, these two are developing feelings that are slowly growing as their bond is becoming more intense by the day.

I really enjoyed how these two really began caring so intensely for one another. What initially started out as a simple game of dares, the game quickly develops into genuine feelings and a dependency on one another. Their bond is beautiful to see grow and develop while feeling natural and organic. Overall, I really loved this story and cannot wait to read more from this author.

*** I reviewed a complimentary copy of this story.***

[DLB2572 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Korren & Dex

I'm rounding this up from 3.5. I enjoyed the overall story. Korren and Dex both deserved their happily ever after. There were just some things that didn't work well for me.

I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion

[Saskia Veldhuis · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. A very touching double hurt/comfort, double bi-awakening story. Korren and Dex were both really lonely and struggling with poverty and traumatic pasts. The fire chief offers a run-down cabin to whoever wins a game of gay chicken, which is an unusual start to a relationship. Both are desperate enough to keep competing, and feelings become involved.
Thanks for the advance copy via Booksprout, I am happy to leave a voluntary review.

[Karen T]

Almost True by Ella Brighton is a sweet, heartfelt romance that I really enjoyed. It’s a slow-burn, hurt/comfort story featuring a double bi-awakening.

The two main characters, Korren and Dex—firefighters starting new jobs in the small Alaskan town of Copper Creek—are both navigating difficult periods in their lives as they try to get back on track. Korren is haunted by nightmares and PTSD following a traumatic incident at work, while Dex has moved back to Copper Creek after being kicked out of university because of a reckless mistake that led to his arrest and estrangement from his parents. Both are feeling alone and are unknowingly craving connection, which makes their relationship feel especially tender and authentic.

What begins as a dare to claim the fire chief’s spare cabin slowly evolves into something deeper, growing into genuine feelings and a love they didn’t realize they were missing.

Thank you, Ella Brighton—this was well worth the read.

[Babara-Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A SWEET SLOW BURN DOUBLE BI-AWAKENING!💕
🔥🧑🏻‍🚒🐓

It started with a game of gay chicken to win a cabin in the woods…

Two broke and broken straight firefighters Korren and Dash become partners in a game to win a free cabin by their boss and Dash’s uncle as accommodation is scarce and expensive in this small Alaskan wilderness town called Copper Creek…

This is where they discover that they are touch starved and lonely and the dares are getting very bold and outrageous for touch and affection… or is there more to it?…

Are they just two straight guys longing for companionship and affection or are they queer repressed?…

A raging fire will bring it all to light with sweet, heartfelt moments in a close community and a beautiful epilogue a year later!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kathleen Covington · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I read the blurb, I thought the whole "gay chicken" thing was the most "written by a straight woman for straight women" premise I've ever read, and my mind is unchanged on that front. It's amusing and outlandish and straight out of a fanfiction and I couldn't resist picking the book up for that reason alone. I enjoyed it more than I expected- it was well written, the progression of enemies/rivals to reluctant friends to lovers was fun to read, and the side characters chiming in were fun.

Edit to add: also, loved the kitten! Every book would be better with a kitten.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[The Book Ssirren · Rating 4 out of 5]

375⭐️

This was a really good story about Dex and Korren. Both broke, both needing a place to stay. They’re offered a run down cabin if they can win the game of “gay chicken” neither are willing to back down. So they both get the cabin. But what started as a game, turned into so much more. Both men, straight, start to develop feelings for one another. Although Dex isn’t about to tell the truth about his feelings. I loved reading about the hardships both have faced. The traumas they’ve dealt with and more. Once they both finally admitted there was something between them, it was great. This was a really good read, and I enjoyed these two.

[C.B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is fun! Dex and Korran are working as firefighters in Alaska. They both are at their bottom, looking up hoping to at least survive. They are two straight men who are struggling in a competition that challenges who they are. The author does an excellent job letting us feel the hopelessness of both men as they struggle to find their feet and start climbing up in their lives. There is humor, challenges, danger and a lot of deep thinnking and choices in this story that keeps us gripping our kindles hoping our men find their happy. Delightful story! Well done! I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Dee Layton · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know it's going to be a good book when the blurbs starts off like, "I’m not gay. This is nothing but a game. Problem is, we’re both desperate."
This book is so scrumptious it is a hurt/comfort mm romance. It also has sexy firefighters and so many amazing things. I loved the way the author did the characters they were so emotionally in tuned. I just like everything about this book. The plot, the characters, the romance it was super steamy and also amazing. This is the first book I've ever read by the author and she blew my socks off.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[A-Jj · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story made such a big deal about Dex’s criminal past but it was quite nothing (sure it was still an illegal thing but so minor, jeez I thought he killed someone).

Korren’s background was more heartbreaking (TW: depression, self-harm, PTSD, panic attacks).

Decent take on double bi-awakening, there was good progression and transition. Romance was surprisingly sweet (strong HEA ending), those two were quite lonely and touch starved, they got together well.

There was plenty of spice though the drunken sex verged too close to dubcon/noncon…

[L H · Rating 4 out of 5]

It starts as a competition for a cabin and turns into so much more between two firefighters who each have their own trauma filled pasts. The game they start takes them unexpected places and as they proceed they find out that they catch feelings they have to figure out how to deal with. It really was not where they started out, but the journey they take to a strong, if unexpected connection between one another.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[SJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun, funny, fast read. The absurdity of the plot is what made this exactly the lighthearted feel-good read balanced by the sweetness and emotional moments.
Korren and Dex are hilarious and so adorable together. It was so cute to as their feelings grew from fake to real. Their banter and verbal sparring were spot on. I was giggling like a school girl. I ate it up.

Tropes:
Firefighters
Double Bi-awakening
One Bed
Hurt/Comfort
Dual POV

Check TW

[Priscilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book starts off with a dubious plot that drives both Korran and Dex to spend time together that they would otherwise not do. But it does work because the characters are warm and the affection genuinely grew between them. Overall, it was a pretty sweet story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Cynthia Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is a romantic page-turner, with Korren and Dex the main characters, who have hurt in their lives and just want a new beginning. Because of a dare they are living together, and both have trust issues and slowly start to trust each other. Now both have to admit that they have feelings for each other. I really enjoyed this book.

[Samantha Meyers · Rating 3 out of 5]

What started as a game became their forever. Korren accepted his attraction to another man very easily, however Dex took almost the whole book to admit his feelings. Overall, it was a pretty decent read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Cheyenne Rivera · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was not at all what I was expecting from this book and it takes you all over the place but it is worth the read for sure.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Vivien R · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a bi awakening story about two male firefighters. What started out as a bet, ends in something quite different. This was an enjoyable story and different from some of the stuff I usually read.

[Fel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this, although I didn't buy the dare aspect of it - didn't understand WHY the accomation should hinge on it. Believable love story between Korren and Dex.

[Elle · Rating 5 out of 5]

firefighters. augst but not too much. great location forced prox & biawakening. _ great read!

[Amanda Grange · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was such a slow burn that I kept getting distracted. It just wasn't good for me. It was cute though, if you have the patience for it.