The Outsider

by Finn .

A little bit of spice. A lot of slow burn.

Everyone knows Jasper went to prison. Everyone knows what for.

At twenty-three and already feeling behind, Matt just wants to survive university, earn his teaching degree, and keep things simple. But when circumstance pairs him with Belridge's most infamous ex-con, Jasper, “simple” disappears fast. Especially when no one has ever cared to distinguish gossip from guilt.

Except Jasper is nothing like they say.

He's quiet, gentle, guarded, unexpectedly funny, and far too easy to want. What begins as a reluctant partnership becomes something neither of them planned for, pulling Matt into Jasper's inner family loyalty, buried trauma, and one carefully guarded truth.

In a town that's already decided who Jasper is, falling for him could cost Matt everything.

And the more Matt learns, the less walking away feels like an option.


Contains MM Spice.

The Outsider is an intense, opposites-attract gay romance that blends slow-burn tension with emotional depth and open-door heat. This character-driven LGBT+ romance explores stigma, reputational damage, and the courage it takes to choose your own truth. This contemporary MM love story delivers a deeply emotional journey of self-acceptance and loyalty. Perfect for readers who crave brooding passion, complex characters, and tender yet spicy intimacy that doesn’t fade to black.

Forced proximitySlow-burn romanceSocial outcast x social outsiderMisjudged x misunderstoodHurt/comfortFamily bonds“Us against the world”

Genres: M M Romance, Contemporary

374 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication June 23, 2026

About the author

FINN has been writing for pretty much as long as he’s been capable of insisting he “had an idea for a book.” He started at around age six and never really stopped, despite several early masterpieces being tragically lost to time. (Or maybe the dumpster, who knows?) Along the way, he’s also picked up singing, songwriting, voice acting, and whatever other creative outlets didn’t zap him when he stuck a fork in.

For years, FINN bounced between half-finished drafts and shifting styles. Then, one hot summer night in 2018, he found himself tucked into the corner of a pub almost bigger than the town it was in. Listening to the smooth sounds of people stumbling around and botching, he penned the opening chapter of what would become his debut novel, If Walls Could Talk. For the first time, the story felt honest enough to have true staying power.

He finished the first draft in a month, learned the hard truth about editing shortly after, and eventually crossed the line from “some guy who writes” to “published author.” FINN now focuses on emotionally driven stories with sharp edges, quiet moments, and characters who tend to feel too much—or not at all.

Reviews

[The Reading Frog · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to FINN, Fortified & BookSirens for this free ARC in exchange for my honest review

Rating: 3.25/5 ⭐
CW: Explicit | Sexual content
Moderate | Alcohol, domestic/child abuse, scar descriptions
Mild | Mentions of murder, implied past self-harm, mention of gun violence
My chosen soundtrack: CREEP U - Black Dresses | Placing The Blame - Self

“I’m…” He hesitated. “I’m not like that.” The words were quiet and soft, and the control he usually held slipped, causing them to waver. My mind replayed the rumours I’d heard about Jasper. Everything rolling around and mixing together. Then it started to play what had been said about me in the past—different rumours, different people, same shape. Stories born from nothing and taking on a life of their own. Lies seeded with lies. I knew he had gone to prison. I knew what he went there for, because everyone made sure of it. But I also knew the reasons why people did things. What caused them to make choices they didn’t think they had any other way out of. I didn’t know Jasper’s reasons. Maybe he had good ones. Maybe he didn’t. I had no idea.

Representation
╰┈➤ Queer MC, Matt(hew)
╰┈➤ Neurodivergent-coded MC, Matt (this is not explicitly stated)
╰┈➤ Queer MC, Jasper
╰┈➤ MLM dynamic(s)
╰┈➤ Queer SC, Amber & Chloe
╰┈➤ Implied Asian SC, James
╰┈➤ Background WLW dynamic
╰┈➤ Disability rep in SC, Caleb lost one eye.

Themes
University life, outcast/social pariah/ostracization, rumors, reputation, guilty by association, social cues and rules, the discomfort of being perceived, control or the lack thereof, "don't judge a book by its cover", reintegration.

Tropes
‎ ‎ ‎ ❥ Slowburn
‎ ‎ ‎ ❥ Forced proximity
‎ ‎ ‎ ❥ Reluctant connection
‎ ‎ ‎ ❥ Social outcast X social outsider

What I liked/loved
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ Matthew is very much neurodivergent-coded. The book spends a lot of time focusing on his hypervigilance of the world around him, his struggles with not understanding social cues, and how being a 'normal' part of society is a constant effort. Of course, 'normal' is totally subjective, but it was quite relatable to read about Matthews anxieties around being perceived. There was also a focus on Matt's discomfort with unexpected touch and certain textures/fabrics, which I thought was well written.

Amber touched my shoulder gently. I flinched. Not because she’d done anything wrong. But because touch was an input; I didn’t always process fast enough to feel safe.

I think lots of awkward introverts and anxious overthinkers could identify with him.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ I found it interesting how this book unpacks Matt's need for routine, control, and predictability, and how this carefully constructed way of living is completely disrupted once people start to associate him with Jasper
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ Though there is some insta-attraction, it is, emotionally at least, a slow burn as promised by the blurb.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ Matt is very much a 'what you see is what you get' character, which I appreciated.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ There is an explicit focus on consent and a certain gentleness with which intimacy was handled that was unexpected but very much appreciated.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ Matt and Jasper's dynamic is almost the opposite of how they are generally viewed or expected to act, which was a nice choice that added some intrigue to their dynamic.

The way he let me take control sat in my chest, heavy under my ribs. I didn’t think I’d realised how badly I’d wanted that until it happened. Ever since I moved away from home it was like I’d been gripping at my life with wet hands. Between bills and work and classes and routines that didn’t settle properly no matter how many times I repeated them, I couldn’t get a hold of anything for long. Getting randomly paired with Jasper had been the final insult. Random wasn’t something I liked. Random meant variables I couldn’t account for. It meant walking into a room and not knowing what I was supposed to do with myself. And it meant other people deciding things for me. Then the rumours happened, and random stopped being random and started being inevitable. I couldn’t get a hold of anything. Until now.

What I didn't like/felt lackluster about
‎ ‎ ‎ ✦ Disclaimer: Though I do have some commentary on this book, some of these points are highly personal. I tend to enjoy more complex/intense aspects when reading contemporary/romance stories. Still, I think readers with a different taste from mine could still really enjoy this book.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✦ Even though I liked some aspects of the characters as well as their dynamic, they did feel a bit flat to me. I wanted more in some ways.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✦ There is a lot of tell instead of show in my opinion. Some repetitive descriptions could've been replaced with more in-depth content about the things that were described. That is probably one of the reasons why I didn't connect with the story and characters much. The most intriguing things, Jasper's backstory, his time in prison, and how he navigates society as well as anyone associated with him, though discussed, haven't gone into much depth. And even though I really enjoyed being in a neurodivergent-coded POV, it did feel a bit surface-level. I also found myself wanting to be in Jasper's POV since I think there are some really interesting dynamics and inner thoughts to explore within his headspace.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✦ This book had the opportunity to discuss some important topics, like the complexity of domestic abuse, imperfect victims, prison, our law system, and how it fails some of its citizens, how rumors can emotionally and structurally affect one's life, and how rumors can be used to shape public opinion positively as well as negatively, etc. These themes were touched upon, though quite lightly. It felt like a lot of these aspects were there to serve the romance instead of genuine story beats. I personally wanted more exploration of those aspects. Which, once again, is not something all readers mind. Because, yes, this was an easy, relaxing read and definitely a good palate cleanser after all the intense/grungy/horror I've been consuming. But I don't think this is a story that will stay with me (which is how I rate most books I read).
‎ ‎ ‎ ✦ It was quite obvious to me what the reveal would be, which made me unable to feel a sense of mystery or tension. But once again, for the avid romance-focused readers, this might not be an issue.


Conclusion/Notes
Though I did enjoy my time reading this book, it isn't something that will stay with me.
Which, honestly, could be my own fault for expecting this book to be something that it wasn't. I really enjoy social commentary and highly introspective content, which is a minor part of this book.

What IS a major part of this book is the slow-burn romance between two people who, in some way or another, aren't completely welcomed into society and have to navigate how to feed a connection that is constantly perceived and judged by those around them.

If you love queer rep, romance stories, and a "us against the world" dynamic, you should give this one a try!


⋆⁺₊⋆ ━━━━⊱༒︎ • ༒︎⊰━━━━ ⋆⁺₊⋆



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[✦ ̣̣ ۟ ︵ Bonnie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

“The Outsider” by FINN is a queer contemporary romance that takes place in a college setting. The plot begins with Matt (who struggles to make human connections outside of his childhood friend, James) getting paired with Jasper for a class project. Jasper, unfortunately, is the source of many speculation and rumors — all of which seem to conclude that he was recently released from prison for the murder of his father and that he has violent tendencies.

There is achillean representation as well as a sapphic side couple. The main character, Matt, seems to be neurodivergent. While he’s not formally diagnosed with anything, it’s implied that he’s autistic.

Content warnings: There’s some references to past physical abuse and injuries resulting from that, so keep that in mind if you choose to pick up this book.

I was pleasantly surprised by the sapphic and neurodivergent representation included in this book. The sapphic couple was handled incredibly well and I wish there were a little more of them! Matt isn’t expected to overcome his introverted nature and his boundaries are often respected by the main crew of side characters. My only real complaint with his representation for autism is how much his best friend, James, babied him. Especially toward the beginning. There were a couple of times where something James said or did irked me, and other times where I found him adequately concerned. I feel there’s a balance between being infantilizing and being protective, and sometimes James teetered a little too far on that line. Otherwise, I think Matt is a solid protagonist.

Jasper was also a great love interest for Matt. There was a mysterious intrigue there because of the rumors. I do wish Jasper was actually on page more often. I can count the amount of times Matt and Jasper actually conversed on one hand. Aside from that, Jasper was never pushy with Matt. There was one moment where I thought Jasper might misconstrue Matt’s struggle with communication and eye contact as something hostile but instead he was empathetic and understanding. Matt and Jasper intrigued me so much it was what got me through the book, honestly. I just wanted to know where their story went and how everything would come together in the end.

I was drawn to the book because of the summary. There’s so much you can do with this sort of plot, a lot of social commentary to be unraveled here (and yes, I know this is a romance, but romances can still touch upon important topics if they want to). A lot of ex-cons struggle to readjust to civilian life after their release. Jasper is also socially isolated — there’s a lot to be said about that as well. I had so many questions about his case, his release, his sentencing. Furthermore, there’s a lot you can do with a queer, neurodivergent protagonist too! Throwing these two characters together was a really good narrative decision; however, i do feel that the book falls flat in a lot of ways, which is why I didn’t give it a higher rating.

It felt like a lot of the book was summarizing what was happening around Matt rather than having these things happen on page. Because of that, it became a narrative of telling. When the author did choose to be descriptive, he did well enough with it. Whenever I read something new, I adjust my expectations based on the genre. I don’t expect lyrical poetry from contemporary romance and I don’t expect standard prose from literary fiction and so on. Even for contemporary romance, there’s just too much telling for my liking. I wanted to learn more about the characters through their interactions and what they did and so on. It’s hard to glean that from summary after summary after summary. There were some events that felt like they were built up for multiple chapters only for nothing significant to happen. And as I said previously, I really wanted more Jasper and Matt scenes to make the story feel more complete. I wish I could say I loved the book because we need more LGBTQ+ representation.

I do appreciate what the author was trying to do, though, and I really hope they keep writing. Their ideas have a lot of potential to be something great.

[Tara Batt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Copy received through NetGalley.

First off, poor Robbie, having to sit through wildly uncomfortable smut scenes. Haha.

I really liked the concept of this book: the shy, introverted, possibly neurodivergent MMC paired with the tattooed “bad boy” love interest who’s actually just a teddy bear.

The story touches on some deep themes, and I do wish we’d spent more time exploring them with the characters.

There was also an interesting dynamic with the best friend at the start, and it almost felt like he went through his own character arc off page, towards the end of the book.

Overall, not a bad book at all - it’s an easy read.

[Catalina Ess · Rating 3 out of 5]

Matthew just wants to pass his classes and earn his teaching degree. When he is paired with Jasper, a convicted murderer, for the term—he has little choice but to make the most of it (and if he learns more about Jasper in the process than he bargained for? Well...).

This review is a bit of a hard one for me to write. I think, on one hand, the premise of this book and the themes it promised are both really interesting and hold so much potential. On the other hand, despite how much I wanted to love this book, there were just a few aspects of the execution that did not quite click and prevented me from fully enjoying this read.

First, I am happy that we get a neurodivergent-coded protagonist—we definitely want for more representation in this space, so I am glad FINN took on the task to write one. I did, however, experience mixed feelings about how Matthew's neurodivergence was handled. There were elements I thought faithful: the difficulty with eye contact, trouble interpreting facial cues, sensitivity to unexpected touch, and more (although I note lived experiences vary significantly amongst individuals on the spectrum). I just found the portrayal a little much at times and particularly struggled with the way James would speak with Matthew. Although James might be well-intentioned, a lot of what he said fell flat for me and came across as condescending and patronising. Neurodivergent people can be quite capable too, so some of what James said just rubbed me the wrong way as problematic, even if it was intended as banter.

I also found it a little hard to engage with the writing. Matthew has an almost matter-of-fact style of narration which unfortunately I found a little hard to get invested in. There were areas where I thought there was a bit too much detailing of every action characters were taking—for instance one section essentially went: J opens the door, J steps into the hallway, M follows him out, J closes the door behind them, M + J start walking down the hallway, M + J reach the elevator and J presses the button. In fairness, this sequence of events occurred whilst a conversation took place so it was a little more engaging—but overall sometimes it felt a little too much was included, which bogged down the story. There were also areas where the description felt overly generic (i.e. overused or clichéd expressions), but there were also sections of description I did enjoy!

I liked how the book set out to explore the way rumours can distort the truth, be harmful to an individual's wellbeing, and how reputations can be misleading (and thus we should set out to determine the truth ourselves). I think the overall message that FINN wanted to convey with this book is excellent, but I (1) felt a disconnect between the ages of characters and events, and (2) would have preferred a more subtle, nuanced approach for an adult novel (or otherwise to market this novel to a younger audience). On the first point, I can see that the author is trying to create a stifling environment to illustrate the insidious effects of rumours, but I think with all the incessant gossiping that followed our protagonists everywhere, this story might have worked better in a high school setting given it would feel more realistic here. This is as university students are adults, and by the point they reach university, tend to have a plethora of their own personal issues they are grappling with (e.g. work, rent, looking for internships, exams, dating), to have the time to be overly invested in gossip. Although sharing a campus with an ex-con is spicy, I would expect the novelty to fade after the first few weeks, and definitely struggle to picture the entire campus knowing about minor points like X character appeared with Y character this one time, or that all the uni students could be so immature. On the other hand, high school year groups tend to be far more of a monolith and mongering ground for gossip. Second, I would have preferred a subtler, more nuanced exploration of the impact of rumours. I think the approach we did get is a little in your face spelt-out and heavy-handed, but this would probably work well for younger audiences.

Overall, I do believe this book had all the trappings of an amazing story that if further refined could make for an excellent, thought-provoking read. I still enjoyed moments of this book and want to thank the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC!

[Sav · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

General:

So far, it’s not the best book I’ve read, and I found myself toiling through it and having to seriously flick through miles of similes and metaphors.Tbh, the only reason I got through it fast is without all the nonsense metaphors that did not immerse me at all, it’s actually a pretty easy read.

The plot though has potential. I actually found myself reacting to the best beats of it like:

1. Jasper killed his father? That rumor had me raising my eyebrows and hankering for more.
2. When Jasper apologized for not helping in the groupwork, felt it. I can’t help but say I sympathize with useless groupmates.
3. Jasper talking about his mother for the first time?
4. Jasper meeting the family
5. The truth.

Prose:

The prose seems off. Too many similes and metaphors that tell me nothing, that sometimes instead of these “scars that seemed to tell a story,” why don’t you spend more time describing the scars? That probably would have given me more to work with and help me guess why he’d had them in the first place?

I don’t think the book is completely written by AI. There’s a consistent thread at least for every chapter, but sometimes, the overly purple prose with nothing to show for it, comes off sounding off: “it’s not…, it’s not…. Just…” and the rule of threes and “x and y.”

Some similes don’t make any sense, like ‘as if the aircon was set by someone who hates the sun?’ This doesn’t feel like something a human would right tbh.

If the figures of speech do make sense, they don’t really add much to the story. Like I think a lot of descriptions could have been cut down because they were pretty much explaining Math’s feelings all throughout in some tellish manner, when a little more “show” not “tell” could have helped.

Like by expanding on the world and making US feel it or expanding on Jasper or Matt or even James characterization, I feel like the writer could have engaged the reader more tbh.

Which brings me to my next issue:

Characterization


There are literally times where I find myself scanning through paragraphs of Matt describing his emotions, because he’s describing how his stomach does flip flops or how he freezes, but like I feel like some authors tend to forget that you can actually make a reader more attached to a character by you know, giving them more quirks than let’s say Matt being overly self conscious about his hair or Jasper calling himself a nerd or James not trusting Jasper. Like a lot of the time, they were literally just caricatures: red-blue lover dynamics (I’m a shipper so I’m pretty familiar with this dynamic), best friends, token friend group, sibling, extras. While reading, I kinda just had tags in my head of who was who and I don’t get particularly attached to anyone, but fleshing these characters out could really help, make all the plot developments less cringe and cliche.

I get that a lot of tropes are overdone, and every plot idea has probably been tried once before, but what makes a book quality is the execution and can be done through proper characterization, worldbuilding and deliberate plot build up, which the book lacked a lot.

Worldbuilding:

There’s little to no worldbuilding aside from the bull statue, his Canvas account, gym and the occasional mention of other buildings that it’s genuinely hard to get immersed. There are a lot of descriptions, most of them to describe the feelings of Matt throughout the series, but for a book which uses so much descriptive prose, it actually tells me nothing.
The final part and the climax was kinda blah, because I didn’t feel a lot of build up towards it.

Overall, it’s a pretty shallow book. It’s not a one, because the porn wasn’t bad, but Idk if I was supposed to be expecting something a bit more profound from this book or if I was supposed to feel attached to the characters.

[Mark F · Rating 5 out of 5]

My latest read was The Outsider, by FINN (Finnegan Tomlin). I was fortunate enough to be given an ARC of this book, but this review is given voluntarily. It’s the story of Matt Grey and Jasper Ward, two university students who get partnered together for a class they’re both taking. Matt is 23, quiet, not good at reading social cues or making friends, and studying to become a teacher. Jasper is a tattooed ex-con, who keeps to himself while rumors revolving around him make their way through the campus, causing people to stare at him, whisper about him, and avoid his path. He’s also quiet, guarded, with good reason, secretive, as well as loyal to a fault, and extremely protective of those he cares about. Misunderstood would be a great way to describe him, as no one really knows him, even Matt, until much later on. As they work together, an attraction grows, though Matt tries to deny it, fearing the unknown. And there’s a lot about Jasper that’s unknown.

This story highlights the dangers of assumptions and rumors, and how they affect not only who the rumors are about, but their friends and loved ones as well. It’s balanced with a fair bit of humor between some of the characters, adding to the pleasure of reading this book.

The author excelled at character development, so much so that the characters easily stayed with me during the entire book, which for me is a great accomplishment. Strong personalities and physical descriptions also helped. And I loved how supporting and protective they were of each other. Shoutout to James, Amber and Chloe, Rachel, Ian, Levi, and Marcello. A special shoutout to Jasper’s brother, Caleb, for being a cool younger brother with an amusing sense of humor.

This book is definitely a slow-burn with lots of angst, sometimes too much for my poor little heart, but things work out in the end. I only wish we got to see more of Matt and Jasper’s future together. It was implied that they’re together, though they never even exchanged the “L” word (Love), so the HEA is more of an assumption than what was portrayed. For me, it was more of a HFN than an HEA. I would have loved an epilogue depicting them a year or more down the road into their relationship, planning a future together. But at least their story ended on a happy note.

All things considered, I have to admit that I loved this book, angst and all. As for spice, there were only two spicy scenes in this book, and they were about a 2.5 out of 5 on the spice scale, more than enough for me. That said, I give this book a 9 out of 10, adjusted to a 5 out of 5 for a 1-5 rating scale.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

That you to BookSirens and the author for providing a copy of this novel!

This book had me in a chokehold. I just could not put it down. I don't even necessarily know what it was, I just needed to know what was going to happen next. I'm not really good at writing reviews for books that I like, but I will try my best to actually comment on the book and not just gush about how much I liked it.
This book is in first-person perspective and follows Matt, who is neurodivergent-coded. Something I liked about his narration was how he would observe the people around him. We would get him noticing a facial cue but not knowing what to do with it. I liked how we got an insight into his way of thinking and perceiving others, but also got the opportunity to try and interpret the scenes as well.
I also really liked the characters. Matt was easily my favorite, but this was likely because he was the narrator and, therefore, the most well rounded. I also liked how flawed the characters were. They were all prone to making assumptions and being judgmental, but also willing to grow and change. I was also really interested in Matt's best friend, James. He was such an interesting character. He obviously loved and cared for Matt, but sometimes he would say and do things to Matt that just seemed uncalled for. For example, very early in the book, James makes a couple new friends and introduces them to Matt by letting them know that Matt hadn't had sex in a year. Like... why would he say that? Why would you tell strangers about your friend's sex life? It baffled me. I do wish we could have learned a little more about some of the side characters though. The did come up quite a lot, so it would have been nice if they would have been more developed.
I can say, I was surprised that this book wasn't more romance forward. Don't get me wrong, I would still call it a romance, but Matt and Jasper didn't really even interact for that much of the book. Most of it was Matt hanging out with his friends or trying to cope with the rumors. That said though, still loved the romance. I loved Matt and Jasper's conversations. I also quite liked the spice, which is off for me, because I don't really like sex scenes.
Anyway, loved this book, pretty much read it in two sittings. Probably would've read it in one, but I needed to sleep.

[☾arina⭐︎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Based on the premise, I was intrigued to learn Jasper’s story and how Matt helps him overcome it, but unfortunately, we didn’t get much of that. I think the story would’ve benefited more from Jasper’s POV because that would’ve brought to the forefront why he went to jail. What we got was 1-2 chapters of Jasper explaining his side of the story, and that was it.

What I did enjoy were the characters themselves. As someone who is a shy introvert who hates any attention, I could relate to Matt so much. Jasper has a reputation based on his alleged past actions, but in reality he’s sweet and considerate, especially when it comes to Matt. Unlike most people, I actually didn’t mind James. He wasn’t being mean-spirited, and I saw it as ribbing between friends. He was also very protective of him. He didn’t agree with some of Matt’s choices, but he let him be when he knew he couldn’t deter him. His accepting Jasper in the end made me like him more because he was able to see past the rumors and judge him by how he treated Matt. I also enjoyed the members of their little study group. They brought a little humor to the story.

The romance overall was cute, but I wanted more depth in their relationship. I’m someone who enjoys a slow burn, or at least for the couple to have an emotional connection first before any physical. Matt goes from scared to instant attraction very quickly. There’s nothing wrong with being curious and attracted to a person, but when that person is ignoring you and not being too nice at the beginning, I don’t understand how you can find yourself unable to stop thinking about that person when they’ve barely spoken to you. I didn’t like the conflict between Matt and Jasper. I understood why Jasper did what he did, but it would’ve been better to talk it out and let Matt decide what he wanted. But when the emotional connection did happen, I really enjoyed it and loved how affectionate and caring they were toward each other. I just wish the “getting to know each other” part had taken longer to develop.

Overall, I liked the book. The bones were there. It just needed more exploration.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

[anuelina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you for the author, NetGalley and publisher for giving me an ARC to read and review. I am voluntarily reviewing this book and all opinions are my own.

3,5 stars to this book!

Finn is new author to me and I truly was excited to read this book, because of the description. I had some mixed feelings while reading, but over all the book left me with a happy feeling.

This seems to be written character-first kind of a way. It's not a bad thing, but in some ways I maybe hoped for more of world building. The story concentrates on Matt and Jasper. This is first POV and we get to see all things from Matt's POV. It would have been nice to see some scenes from Jasper's POV. The main characters are built good, but some sidecharacters feel unnecessary, like they don't add anything to the story.

Matt seems to be in spectrum. At least it seemed like that to me. His problems with keeping eye contact, his love for the schedule and the way he didn't like to be touched and I think that he was portraided quite accurately. Sure, the spectrum is wide, but still..

These two are both somekind of outsiders on their own way and they both try to navigate through the world that's not designed for people like them. There is slight drama and some references to child abuse and death, so please take that into account before starting the book.

There were really beautifully written passages and I mostly enjoyed the language and writing style. Some parts were stiff or forced, but over all I like the language.

This was fast read, slow burn romance between two people who try to navigate the world they don't feel like belonging. I can recommend this to anyone who likes to read MM romances that are character driven.

[Adellett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was immediately intrigued by the premise of this book: a socially awkward university student who is forced to partner with a mysterious peer who just so happened to have spent time in prison? Count me in.

Matt is me. I am Matt. Except I am a 43-year-old married female who is now wondering if I am possibly on the spectrum. I relate to Matt so deeply in all of his social interactions, all of the feelings that he has about himself, all of the feelings he has about how everything seems to come so easy to other people etc. And of course he has that ONE overbearing friend who claims to know what is best for him and will not let him have any control over his own life.

And then there is Jasper, who is ALWAYS having to be in control, thanks to what people think they know about him. The fact that the book is written solely from Matt‘s point of view really adds to the intriguing mystery of Jasper and his history.

I am a sucker for a romance book in which the characters come together in a way that is natural and believable, and this book really delivers on that. I really love the simplicity of the scene with the shared document and the overwhelming anxiousness that comes with knowing that you’re both looking at the same thing at the same time. I felt that in my soul. It was such a simple scene, but so effective in doing what it intended to do.

What I love about this pairing is how patient and understanding they are with each other. They do not try to force or bend each other into what they want them to be; they accept one another as they are in that moment. When they do finally get together the power dynamic shifts in such beautiful and complementary way. It’s a great payoff for us readers.

Not every question the reader has will be answered in this book, and that is OK. We get enough, and we can connect the dots. I prefer my romances to be a little bit spicier, which is the only reason why I gave it four stars. I would’ve given it 4 1/2 if I could’ve.

Overall, this book was wonderful, and I found myself itching to get my eyes back on it when I was forced to step away and do other things, like live my life. I am looking forward to reading other titles from Finn. I just hope he leans more into the spice. He’s good at it.

Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Luqueerbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received from NetGalley

The story is from Matthew's point of view, back to uni and trying his best to fit in a world not made for him, while living with his best friend James. Matt is probably on the spectrum of autism, but it's not confirmed in the book. During a class, he gets paired with Jaster, the 'bad boy' by excellence. Ex-con, followed by all eyes and rumors and talks. Evidently the worst that could happen to Matt, the one who hates being the center of attention and can't understand social cues to save his life.

Matthew was a very emotional character, especially if you relate to his inability to cope with the world's expectations and others' antics. I wanted to hug him a lot and hissed at all the ones that made him feel bad.

Jesper was difficult to understand at first, without his pov, we can only base ourselves on Matt, which isn’t reliable as said before, and the way others react to him, and frankly, they were all assholes. The more we learn about him, the more we realize he's just the precious bean ever, must protect him forever. 

Their love story is a real slow burn, with a few bumps on the road, making them step back. I wanted to shake them at times, but it is worth it in the end.

However, I had issues with James. He could be very supportive, and I did like him more by the end of the book, but he was also quite rude and condescendant with Matt. Especially at the beginning, he was so unpleasant and frustrating, treating his so-called best friend like he was a two-year-old without any brain cells. Boy has some maturing to do.

[Cara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to recieve an ARC from the author/publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I thought the premise of The Outsider sounded good; Matt, starting University and paired with ex-con Jasper. I thought the book would be about judgements and explored feelings, however I think it missed the mark.

The authors writing style was quite clipped and short, and maybe that was because we were reading the book from Matt's POV, which isnt explicitly stated, but is inferred quite heavily that he is on the autism spectrum.

That itself held many issues for me; Matt's friend James seemed to baby him a lot, and considering he was quite adamant and pushy about Matt being unable to read a room or understand inflection in people's voices, he was quite pushy on Matt's love life (mainly sex life) and seemed to bring it up regularly. It felt at odds with the other side of his character which seemingly was to protect Matt. I also found it quite difficult to understand when Matt said certain things or acted in a way that was at odds with his own character then also.

I feel as though Jasper's character could have been fleshed out more and the trauma he had gone through and the life he lived re-told in more detail to allow the reader to connect more with him.

Overall, i feel as though the story was there, it just needed less superficial context around the humidity and weather and walks to work/campus, and more in depth conversations or reflections of situations from Matt's POV.

Thank you to the author and Netgalley for allowing me to read this book before publication date.

[Zed · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Outsider was hard for me to put down. I loved every moment of this book. I am a sucker for a slow burn, for the yearning, and this book delivered exactly what I was looking for. The writing was amazing, and I really enjoyed only having Matt’s point of view. We’re forced to believe the rumours he’s fed and never know what’s going through Jasper’s head.

The core three characters are built up so thoroughly, I loved all 3. James came across as rude and arrogant at first, but as we slowly learn it's from love and learned behaviour, it helps to understand his and Matt’s relationship.

Matt feels as though he is written to be on the spectrum, which I personally feel was handled really well. It never felt forced and was not even outright mentioned throughout the duration of the book, and it made it feel more real it didn’t need to be said outright.

While we are made to believe that Jasper is the outsider, it is made clear throughout the book that Matt has been and also is an outsider in his own way. Having them come together was inevitable and satisfying.

While some of the side characters felt a bit pointless, they helped to build the world around the three boys. It also helped to have Matt (and eventually Jasper) find a small family on campus, people they can rely on, stopping them from being outsiders.

This book feels grounded and real, and the timeline worked so well for me, it was easily a four star read. :)

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

First off: Robbie, you know those two smut scenes were hot. Don't deny it!

It starts off so good. Both Matt and Jasper are new to campus and are in a few of the same classes together. Jasper went to prison for killing his dad. We don't find out the ins and outs of that until the last couple chapters. Because of this, Jasper is a nailed shut book. He doesn't speak to anyone. Just does his work and leaves. Matt is neurodivergent and doesn't understand Jasper one bit. And of course they're paired in a semester long group assignment together. They both really don't know what to do with each other.

I don't know how small this college is, but nobody usually cares this much about a single person to gossip this much at a university. Not to this degree anyway. I also wanted Jasper's POV. He was complex and needed his own voice. There were also too many side characters to keep up with. Most didn't add anything to the book. It got slow in the middle and my attention wandered to where I put it down several times. I'd like a followup book. Like what happens to them after that night at the house or maybe Caleb's book or Jessica finding new love.


I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Trace Dial]

This book is one of the best I’ve read in a long time.

It’s a beautifully woven story about two guys who both have incredibly tough lives. You never realize that these two are about to completely change each other’s lives. And it’s a shock because they absolutely hate each other.

Matt is attending a university, hoping it will make things better—or at least easier—since his life is just not going well. And in a town that’s already made up its mind about Jasper being a murder could ruin everything for Matt if he falls for him.

Jasper Ward spent time in prison and is now back at the same university as Matt, even in the same classes. I know, right?

It’s a slow burn, but once it sinks it's claws in you, it never lets go. I was completely blown away by the secrets Jasper shared with Matt. My mouth started to quiver as I imagined how much pain that entire family went through every single day.

I’m really hoping there’s a “THE OUTSIDER” book 2. There’s so much more to discover about Jasper and Matt. Let alone Jasper’s little brother, Casper.

I absolutely loved this book.

Trace Dial

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[liv · Rating 1 out of 5]

The premise was interesting, but I fear the execution didn't work out for me.

For staters, we had scenes (and characters) that added nothing to the story, and everything happened too quickly and I had no time to care about the characters or their feelings and struggles because you blinked and it was over.

There's no worldbuilding and the characters felt shallow at best. The lesbian couple was more interesting than what Jasper and Matthew had going on and that says a lot when we see them only three times. James was annoyingly patronizing during most of the book and Matthew in turn felt like a caricature of an autistic person, and on top of that he was constantly infantilized by James as well.

The writing didn't flow well either,. There's quite a bit of “[Negative]. [Negative]. Just/Only [Positive Target]” type of sentence structure and overall loose sentences that makes me think this book would benefit from one more round of editing.

And, at last, it was a tad too trope-y for me, especially since the execution was inconsistent.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me this ARC in exchange of an honest review.

[Han. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started this book a day ago and I did not put it down until I inevitably passed out at 3am from exhaustion. I couldn't put it down. I just needed to know how it concluded! The storyline and writing was pretty simple and straightforward. Easy to read, and had me up in my feels for some of the book. Matt was a sweet character, someone I could relate to, with his shy, introverted nature and obvious autistic traits or possible trauma (it's never specified). I really loved him and his awkwardness, his inability to detect social cues. Then there's Jasper, a reputation that is whispered about throughout campus and loner, dangerous from those looking in. This book is a college MM romance but with older MCs, a slow burn with all the feels, a supportive found family, and a hard-earned HEA. It was overall a good read, a solid 3.5 stars, I liked it a lot, I'd recommend, but it just didn't have all the information, maybe I read too much into Matt's character and I should've just looked at him at surface level but with his traits, I assumed there was more to his background.

[Fernanda (ivyfer_isreading) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The outsider is a quiet kind of love story, and I loved it. There's no big conflict or someone keeping the main characters apart, it's just a quiet story that could very well be happening somewhere in the world right now. I really love how the characters' struggles are just there, it's not a big thing and they don't magically get better and it's all rainbows, it's all still there at the end of the book they just learn to accept it. I don't think it's a reach to say Matt is on the autism spectrum, and I love how lowkey and subtle it is, it affects him but is far from an issue because in real life that's just a thing about someone, it doesn't have to serve a purpose in the plot or romance. I did not like James in the beginning, but he grew on me a little(I would definitely side eye if I heard someone talk to their friend like that though).
I rarely say that but I think it could've been a little longer to explore some parts better, but I'm satisfied.

Thank you Netgalley and BookBuzz for the ARC.

[Dominic · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think a lot of awkward introverts and anxious overthinkers could identify with Matt.

Matt is clearly neurodivergent-coded, particularly in his difficulty reading social cues, anxiety around being perceived, and discomfort with unexpected touch and certain textures. I really liked that this was not constantly labelled or explained. Instead, it was simply part of how Matt moved through the world, and the writing reflected that. We are very much limited to Matt’s mind, and while that may not work for every reader, I appreciated how particular and consistent his perspective felt.

There were moments where I wanted a little more depth or showing rather than telling. Still, this was a thoughtful, textured, and emotionally satisfying romance with characters who felt real beyond the page.

I received an advance review copy for free, and am leaving my honest review.

[Brady · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Fortified and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. This was a quick read that sucked me in! Matt’s attending university to start working towards becoming a teacher, he worries about how he’ll do as teacher though, with his difficulties reading social cues and looking people in the eye. In his first class he gets paired with Jasper, who everyone seems to shy away from and talking about. Oh yeah and Jasper wouldn’t even communicate with him. But the more time they spend together the more he sees Jasper in a different light then what everyone else thinks about him. So what if he’s an ex-con? Everyone’s already decided who Jasper is, of Matt lets himself fall what could it cost him? Should he risk it all for love? A quick and easy read that was sweet and charming! Finn writes a slow-burn forced proximity queer romance that pulled at the heartstrings!

[Lady Bookshelfdown · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Outsider is the first book I’ve read by Finn, and honestly, it was such a great discovery! I immediately fell in love with Matt, a college student who is very likely on the autism spectrum, his exuberant friend James, and the mysterious Jasper. The characters are well written and feel real. Matt’s social and emotional struggles are portrayed in a very believable way, and I found myself relating to him more than once. Jasper’s story was also incredibly touching. The characters’ growth throughout the novel felt natural and authentic. The saying “never judge a book by its cover” truly comes to life in this story. There were a few minor repetitions and inconsistencies, but nothing that affected my enjoyment of the book. Kudos to the author!

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was written in a way that showcases the difficulties some people have with eye contact and touch. The way their minds overwork themselves into trying to come off as "normal".
I loved the dynamic between Jasper and Matt. Even though Jasper held onto the asshole persona as long as he did, it was a defense mechanism that he used to protect the ones he cares about.
I also love how Matt stuck with it, even when it was hurting him inside.
I'm glad the author let us know the real truth as to what happened and didn't leave us with the rumors strangers come up with to appease themselves.

I received an ARC from Book Sirens for my honest review.

[Natasha Holmes · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was ok, it wasn't bad but for me it didn't offer anything new. The characters were ok but I felt there wasn't a lot of depth to them, I wanted more of their back stories , I felt no connection to them due to this. Wasn't keen on James at times either, he treated and spoke to Matt like he was a child at times.
I would've liked some of the chapters to be from Jasper's POV too.
Sometimes the pacing felt a bit off to me too, some bits seemed a bit rushed and other bits seemed to drag and seemed a bit repetitive, not a lot actually happened in the book.
Overall it wasn't a bad book, it just wasn't for me as there wasn't enough depth to it.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Outsider hooked me because it takes a setup you think you know—quiet ex-con meets awkward university student—and turns it into something way more layered. Matt is trying so hard to be normal that it’s almost painful, and Jasper is the kind of character you can’t quite figure out at first, which makes every interaction matter more. The tension isn’t just romantic—it’s social, personal, and constant, especially with everyone around them already deciding who Jasper is. Watching that wall slowly crack, piece by piece, is what kept me reading. It’s messy, a little raw, and surprisingly funny in places, with just enough heat to balance the slow build.

[Lauri MissDysfunktion · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Fortified Publishing for the ARC.

Outsider had a premise that immediately pulled me in, especially with the mix of tropes involved. These are all things I usually gravitate toward really quickly in romance.

Unfortunately, this one just didn’t fully land for me. There were a few elements in the story that didn’t quite make sense to me personally, and I struggled to fully connect with the writing style and overall flow. Because of that, I never fully vibed with the story.

That said, I can absolutely see the appeal for readers. The bones of something compelling were definitely there, but it just ultimately wasn’t the right fit for me.

[Jo · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had a difficult time with the style of this book. I didn't enjoy the writing style. It didn't flow for me and I had to keep dragging my attention back to the story.

My main issue was the friendship between James and Matt. It immediately unsettled me. Whether Matthew is neurodivergent or not, James's comments came across as condescending rather than caring.

Unfortunately, this wasn't to my tastes. It reads a bit too YA for me and I don't get on with YA romance. I think the themes were explored well. I would recommend people give it a try if they find those themes and tropes enjoyable.

Coming 23rd June. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, Jasper gets out of prison and is, dare I say, the talk of the town. Matt sees him at the university AND is paired with him (what a coincidence ;)) and the rest is history.
There is a little bit of "wow he is hot" at the start but the slow burn still does burn.
I'm not quite sure why but I flew through reading this book and loved every second of it. AND the SPICE. There isn't a lot of it but when it hits the page %$@#. If FINN doesn't write more books with spice in them I might lose my mind.

Do yourself a favour and give this a read!

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Outsider leans into the idea of reputation as a kind of prison, placing its central romance inside a community that has already made up its mind. The story follows Matt, a late-start university student, as he becomes entangled with Jasper, a man marked by his past before he has the chance to define his future. Rather than rushing toward romance, it allows silence, discomfort, and misread moments to carry weight. The result is a relationship that unfolds through hesitation and quiet defiance, offering a grounded take on connection shaped by judgment, isolation, and the risk of being seen.

[Seamus M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is an absolute uncut gem. A little rough around the edges, some plot points that could use fleshing out and some background characters too, but it doesn’t quite matter.

A great romance, Jasper is an extremely compelling love interest, and I enjoyed seeing how their relationship developed. Conflict that didn’t feel forced. Self sacrifice that is really self sabotage. There is a lot to like!

[RAECHEL THOMAS · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good, MM slow burn.

Not only is the romance considered LGBTQ, but the main character is also neurodivergent. If you're looking for something different than mainstream romances, this book is for you.
I would also say there is more to this than romance/yearning. There's a lot of depth to it when it comes friendships and being in your 20s and trying to navigate college. We all deserve the friendships that the main character (Matt) has with James and Amber. Add this to your TBR today.......

Thank you to the author and Book Sirens for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.