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Proof by Contradiction
Not yet published
Expected 25 May 26Three days in Manchester and Ewan Carrick has already decided he's leaving.
The economics degree was his mother's idea. The damp halls, the grey skies, the moquette the colour of a confession nobody wanted to make: all confirmation that Lewisham was better. He'll finish the term. He'll go home.
Then Dr Laurence Halliday walks into a lecture theatre, uncaps a marker, and Ewan's exit strategy falls apart.
Laurence is thirty-one, Oxford-trained, and held together by rolled sleeves and self-control. He does not touch students. He does not bend rules. He does not look twice at the student in the back row who solves his problem sets too fast and refuses to raise his hand.
Except he does look. And Ewan looks back.
Office hours become Tuesday afternoons with the door closed. Then a borrowed key. Then a green door in Chorlton. Then a thing that could cost Laurence his career and break every lie Ewan tells himself.
What readers will find:
Single POV, first person present: Ewan's sharp, catalogue-everything voice from page one
An age-gap forbidden romance with a morally grey lecturer and the eighteen-year-old who unmakes him
British setting: Manchester, Chorlton, lecture theatres, terraced houses, the 142 bus
Slow-burn literary romance — the tension builds through problem sets, not grand gestures
Light kink, full consent, no fade-to-black
HEA guaranteed
★ A forbidden student-lecturer MM romance with literary tension, light kink, full consent, and a guaranteed HEA. Book 1 of the Carrick Brothers Duet. Can be read independently.
The economics degree was his mother's idea. The damp halls, the grey skies, the moquette the colour of a confession nobody wanted to make: all confirmation that Lewisham was better. He'll finish the term. He'll go home.
Then Dr Laurence Halliday walks into a lecture theatre, uncaps a marker, and Ewan's exit strategy falls apart.
Laurence is thirty-one, Oxford-trained, and held together by rolled sleeves and self-control. He does not touch students. He does not bend rules. He does not look twice at the student in the back row who solves his problem sets too fast and refuses to raise his hand.
Except he does look. And Ewan looks back.
Office hours become Tuesday afternoons with the door closed. Then a borrowed key. Then a green door in Chorlton. Then a thing that could cost Laurence his career and break every lie Ewan tells himself.
What readers will find:
Single POV, first person present: Ewan's sharp, catalogue-everything voice from page one
An age-gap forbidden romance with a morally grey lecturer and the eighteen-year-old who unmakes him
British setting: Manchester, Chorlton, lecture theatres, terraced houses, the 142 bus
Slow-burn literary romance — the tension builds through problem sets, not grand gestures
Light kink, full consent, no fade-to-black
HEA guaranteed
★ A forbidden student-lecturer MM romance with literary tension, light kink, full consent, and a guaranteed HEA. Book 1 of the Carrick Brothers Duet. Can be read independently.
460 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication May 25, 2026
About the author
Alex W. Wells
3 books3 followersAlex W. Wells (they/them) writes contemporary MM romance: slow burn, open door, and men who are much better at observing than asking for what they want.
Their books follow characters figuring things out late, badly, and with more precision than necessary: academics, bricklayers, commuters, exes, fathers, teachers, artists. Very specific food. Tea that means something it shouldn’t.
They write queer romance with sharp dialogue, emotional restraint, and heat that arrives after far too much thinking.
They say very little about the rest.
Their books follow characters figuring things out late, badly, and with more precision than necessary: academics, bricklayers, commuters, exes, fathers, teachers, artists. Very specific food. Tea that means something it shouldn’t.
They write queer romance with sharp dialogue, emotional restraint, and heat that arrives after far too much thinking.
They say very little about the rest.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
Review of advance copy
Oh this was so so good! I’m a sucker for a age gap professor romance
This was a slow burn in the way that Ewan kept going to his office hours to slowly break down Laurence’s resolve
Laurence liked how smart Ewan is there is an age gap unknown to Ewan but Laurence has done this before but with a smaller gap which is why there is a gap on his cv
Ewan is not used to someone paying attention someone wanting him for more than sex so he has trouble accepting that this is what it is to himself and to Laurence
Ewan’s brother is very protective so Ron knows that he’s hiding something and follows him and ends up at Laurence’s apartment which doesn’t go good for either
We find out the true reason Ron did what he did which was kind of sad but I am happy that we get to explore Ron’s sexuality in the next book!
One thing I didn’t like was Hugo! In Vienna judging what they had hyar because he was the former student that Laurence was with!
Even though they had many many obstacles we get the ending they deserved which took a bit but honestly was so worth it!!
This was a slow burn in the way that Ewan kept going to his office hours to slowly break down Laurence’s resolve
Laurence liked how smart Ewan is there is an age gap unknown to Ewan but Laurence has done this before but with a smaller gap which is why there is a gap on his cv
Ewan is not used to someone paying attention someone wanting him for more than sex so he has trouble accepting that this is what it is to himself and to Laurence
Ewan’s brother is very protective so Ron knows that he’s hiding something and follows him and ends up at Laurence’s apartment which doesn’t go good for either
We find out the true reason Ron did what he did which was kind of sad but I am happy that we get to explore Ron’s sexuality in the next book!
One thing I didn’t like was Hugo! In Vienna judging what they had hyar because he was the former student that Laurence was with!
Even though they had many many obstacles we get the ending they deserved which took a bit but honestly was so worth it!!
Review of advance copy
The writing was unique and I enjoyed it immensely.
Ewan - 18, fresher, brilliant with his mind and how he does maths.
Laurence - 31, Dr. Haldrey, rolled sleeves.
Ronan - 26, brother to E, messing with what they've got bc he doesn't know how to go for what he wants.
Absolutely loved this and look forward to reading Ronan and Celyn's story.
I received an ARC from Book Sirens for my honest review.
Ewan - 18, fresher, brilliant with his mind and how he does maths.
Laurence - 31, Dr. Haldrey, rolled sleeves.
Ronan - 26, brother to E, messing with what they've got bc he doesn't know how to go for what he wants.
Absolutely loved this and look forward to reading Ronan and Celyn's story.
I received an ARC from Book Sirens for my honest review.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews