Toren

Ink and Ember #3

by Kate Hawthorne

Ink and Ember is open for business.

Toren Ember is still trying to find his place in life. He’s rebuilding a relationship with his dead brother’s husband—and trying to accept Riggs being in love with someone who isn’t Toren’s brother. Riggs and Smith are gracious and kind to him, and Smith comes with four brothers who are equally welcoming of Toren’s prickly friendship. A late-night cigarette and missed ride share later, Toren finds himself in bed with one of those brothers, Andrew Calavert.

Andrew is fascinated with Toren, turned on beyond belief. He would throw it all away for a shot with the other man and, in fact, he does. Andrew isn’t single and shouldn’t be sleeping with other men behind his boyfriend’s back. That’s not enough to stop him, though, and not anywhere near enough to stop Toren.

The two of them embark on a clandestine affair, indulging in wants they’ve never shared with previous partners. All is well until Andrew’s infidelity comes out into the open. Even though the foundation of their relationship is questionable, Toren and Andrew are committed to a stronger future. Now, they just have to find a way to get there.

--

Toren is a low-angst, high-heat romance from Kate Hawthorne. A spin off of the successful Risk Aware series, the Ink and Ember books are short, spicy, and straight to the point (which, in this case, is bed). This book contains cheating (outside of the main relationship).

Genres: Romance, M M Romance

180 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 1, 2026

About the author

With over two dozen published romances to her name, Kate Hawthorne has built a recognizable brand around telling emotional stories that pack a figurative (and sometimes literal) punch.

Existing on a steady diet of wine and coffee, Kate spends her days dreaming up angsty stories full of heat, kink, and heart. Kate now lives in Louisville, where she writes romance, reads romance, and hides from the humidity.

Visit her website at http://www.katehawthornebooks.com

Reviews

[jaz! · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
(ARC)

This book was fun. I don't really have much to say about it; i think Toren and Andrew were really good together and despite their less than ideal beginnings, I found their romance and relationship really strong. I will say as someone who has yet to read the series that this is a spinoff of, while i think this book does work as a standalone, it would probably be way more enjoyable if you had read the previous works to understand a lot of the characters' backstories and motivations.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't dislike this book, but I wish there had been more character development. I also wish the author hadn't skipped right over Toren meeting Andrew's half-brothers as his boyfriend or what the MCs said to Riggs, Toren's former brother-in-law, and Smith, one of Andrew's half-brothers, when they ended up at Rapture at the same time. Also, what tattoo did Toren randomly go to see Riggs to get the next day? The relationships Kate Hawthorne writes about are always fast burns and usually kinky, but most of her books have a good amount of character development and plot to go along with those relationships, but this wasn't one of those books. I felt like this story wasn't fully developed around all the sex scenes, so it was hot but it felt shallow in comparison to the other books in this series and especially so in comparison with the Club Rapture: Risk Aware series about the four Covingtons, Andrew's half-brothers. I was just disappointed since I had been interested in Toren since we briefly met him as a side character in Breaking the Mold. Anyway, it was a decent read.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance copy from GRR.

Phenomenal writing from Kate yet again.

The cheating in this book took me aback because.... It like almost didn't exist lol. Like yes technically there was cheating, but this isn't a cheating book. So do with that info as you will.

I loved Toren and Andrew. I loved getting inside Toren's brain. And I am now absolutely FERAL to get my hands on Donovan's book.

I took off a star because the main kink in this book was cigarettes... And I personally cannot stand the smell. Like there is not a worse smell in my opinion 😅 so that kinda ruined a lot of the sexy times for me personally.

[Heather Duff · Rating 4 out of 5]

An endearing story wth Kate’s easy love and fiery passion.

Andrew and Toren meet thanks to mutuals, and their connection is quick, and they are pleased to learn that they actually live in the same city.

Toren is working on building his relationship with his brother-in-law after his brother's death - grief is a fickle beast. While Andrew is questioning himself over dating his toxic ex…twice. So their attraction is welcome amidst those feelings.

They are a wonderful couple. And I love their intimate relationship.

For the cheating warning - it’s lowercase cheating. It didn’t bother me at all, and normally I would be cursing till I was blue!

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book from the Ink & Ember series. If you are looking for a lot of spice and a little bit of messiness, then this is the book for you. Toren and Andrews's meet cute is more of a wham, bam, thank you mam... but the chemistry was there and an excitement of what to come was apparent. But neither them were technically looking, especially Andrew (who was already in an open relationship). The rest of the book is the trials and tribulations of what becoming a couple can entail and how it affects their universe. Intrigued, interested and satisfied... overall, good book!

I received an ARC from GRR and am leaving an honest review.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Toren and Andrew meet through mutual brothers and brothers in law and begin an immediate relationship. This book is pretty much all spent in beds, against walls and anywhere they find a place besides figuring out their relationship and kinks. There's pushing boundaries, exhibitionism, switching up and resolving things with friends. They are exceedingly generous with their bodies and are in love quickly. There's lots of mentions of past MCs and it's a good addition to the series. I received a copy of this through GRR and this is my voluntary opinion.

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn’t sure about the cheating in this but it wasn’t too bad and didn’t seem like it lasted all that long. Toren and Andrew were great characters that had a strong connection. I really enjoyed watching these guys get closer. They were a much better couple! This was a very enjoyable and entertaining story! This is my honest opinion of this complimentary copy of this book

[Showarst · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full RTC

[Evelyn Bella (there WILL be spoilers) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Terrible business when your ex boyfriend and his new man got off so ROBUSTLY to cheating on you that it becomes their go-to role play going forward. Terrible business. Loved every minute of it.

These two are a mess.

How dare you have a boyfriend and not tell me? It's kind of hot, though.

Break up with him before x date. It'll be a shame, though.

But no, for real, it's hot. Delete your dating app profiles, though 💀

Calling it 'the adrenaline of indecency' lmfao.

Toren, I know what you are(a cheating ass whore)

Anyway. I love how sometimes it seems like it's just horn between them but then they have moments where they're nervously asking each other if the other has told their friends about them.

So it can seem more real than it feels.

And blushing prettily when the answer on both ends is yes, I told my closest friend(s).

And shortly thereafter, "You're good at eating."
"Was that a joke?"
"I think the way you eat ass is very serious."

So. They contain multitudes.

Well. Two things. But that doesn't sound as good.

"Everything about you is so consuming."

And then,

"I'd want you to push it out so I could see it."

Mmm, I bet you do.

Okay, so. Some things about this, I really enjoyed. Like how caught up they immediately were in each other. They were seizing the moment like they knew death was coming and they had no time to waste.

Really worked for me. Everything about them was too much, too fast, in a way that had everyone side eyeing them, especially given their start.

What didn't work for me....

When I saw this on GRR, I asked myself, how can a cheating romance be 'low angst'? I have the answer.

It is with great sadness that I must announce (and I mean that from the depths of my soul) that this is not a cheating romance.

Hence my rating. While I enjoyed some of the shenanigans, I felt a bit cheated(heh) because what I was promised is really not what it is.

The cheating gets retconned pretty early on in the book. Maybe not entirely retconned but it's only cheating in a very technical sense (and maybe this says more about the degree of aggravated infidelity I want in my cheating romances) but technically cheating isn't what I signed up for.

I want cheating so clear cut the MCs can't lie to each other (or me) about it. I want it so enthusiastic that they KNOW they're going to hell for it. I want the feelings behind it to be so visceral they don't give a damn anymore about the warm climate of their final destination.

They give it the good old college try, though, I'll give them that. But it's not cheating. More morally upstanding readers than I may disagree and that's fine. It's not cheating to me.

Here's to hoping more authors will commit to the cheating storyline and actually do it justice without trying to redeem the characters so it doesn't seem too bad(it's supposed to be a bad thing, and I was here BECAUSE of that, not in spite of it, hello?)

I think the book takes a pretty decent stab at the kink/BDSM elements so if you're into sex scenes, there's PLENTY of those here.

Enough that at some point I legitimately worried all that was keeping them together was the dried cum fusing their skin together.

Also, what the hell was going on with Andrew's dad? Never met a woman he didn't fertilize(and proceed to abandon). Crazy business.

[Danielle Cordsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Toren
By: Kate Hawthorne

📚💕⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💕📚

OMG I LOVE THIS SERIES!

In the 3rd book in this series we get Toren and Andrew in the steamy spinoff series and I’ve been all in since book 1 (Holden) and the book 2 (Merrick). My only thing I wish was deleted was the cheating but overall I can overlook it because the book is well written. The authors ability to have two separate individuals struggling in their everyday life and try to navigate someone else’s thoughts, needs and desires was intense and gives all the fills.

Authors blurb: Ink and Ember is open for business.

Toren Ember is still trying to find his place in life. He’s rebuilding a relationship with his dead brother’s husband—and trying to accept Riggs being in love with someone who isn’t Toren’s brother. Riggs and Smith are gracious and kind to him, and Smith comes with four brothers who are equally welcoming of Toren’s prickly friendship. A late-night cigarette and missed ride share later, Toren finds himself in bed with one of those brothers, Andrew Calavert.

Andrew is fascinated with Toren, turned on beyond belief. He would throw it all away for a shot with the other man and, in fact, he does. Andrew isn’t single and shouldn’t be sleeping with other men behind his boyfriend’s back. That’s not enough to stop him, though, and not anywhere near enough to stop Toren.

The two of them embark on a clandestine affair, indulging in wants they’ve never shared with previous partners. All is well until Andrew’s infidelity comes out into the open. Even though the foundation of their relationship is questionable, Toren and Andrew are committed to a stronger future. Now, they just have to find a way to get there.

This book has everything I love in a book. Then you add that it's beautifully written and believable. It is easily a five star read. Written in dual POV this story flows so incredibly well that the next thing you know you’re 80% into the book and loving every second of it. The believable way the characters interact is perfect. Run, Hop, Jump or use your (1 click) finger to do whatever you have to do and get this amazing book. It'll break your heart, you'll want to scream with frustration and it'll let you discover that love just might conquer all. The chemistry is steamy and sweet and oh so romantic.

[Mandy (MP Book Reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Toren Ember, still figuring out his life while navigating a complex dynamic with his late brother's husband Riggs and Riggs's new partner Smith, finds an unexpected connection with one of Smith's four welcoming brothers, Andrew Calavert, after a late-night cigarette and a missed rideshare lead them to bed together. Despite Andrew having a boyfriend, both men give in to their intense mutual fascination and embark on a secret affair exploring uncharted desires. When Andrew's infidelity is finally exposed, the shaky foundation of their romance is put to the test, leaving Toren and Andrew determined to find a way past the fallout and build a genuine, committed future together.

If you are looking for a story with major heat, this is it! The spice and passion levels in this book were completely off the charts because Toren and Andrew simply were unable to resist each other from the moment they connected. While things start in a complicated grey area, I really liked how the book handled it—given the actual nature of Andrew's stale relationship with his then-boyfriend at the time, it didn't really feel like malicious cheating, which kept me firmly rooting for them. Beyond the intense physical chemistry, I loved that the book also balanced it out with very normal, domestic relationship milestones, like meeting each other's family and sharing cozy meals together. It was wonderful to see how their unusual, highly-charged start successfully blossomed into something genuinely caring and deeply affectionate. Extremely well-written, it was an effortless, engaging read where everything from the complex emotions to the character dynamics was easy to follow and understand! This was an MM story with mature content.

[Ana Silva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every time I read a book by Kate, my first thought is “that was the spiciest book I’ve read from her!” Then she writes Toren and proves me wrong 😅

I love insta love stories, and for Toren and Andrew, it was love at first sight even if they didn’t know it yet. The chemistry between them was undeniable, and it didn’t take long for them to give in to it.

Andrew was taken by Toren from the moment he saw him. He knew that hooking up with him would be super complicated because Toren knew his brothers and Andrew was in a relationship. Granted, his relationship was falling apart, but it was a relationship nonetheless.

He couldn’t understand why he was still with his ex when he knew things had not been working out for a while. He knew that once he crossed that line with Toren, there would be no going back, but Andrew couldn’t care less. He wanted Toren would deal with the consequences later.

Finding out that Andrew was in a relationship should have been a big deal for Toren. Instead, it excited him to a certain degree. But at the end of the day, he wanted to be chosen by Andrew, he didn’t want to share him with anyone. Andrew made him feel alive again, and he wanted to give their situationship a chance.

I seriously hated that Andrew thought he had to settle for less. His jerk of an ex made Andrew feel like he wasn’t worthy of being loved unless it was by him. I’m so glad that having Toren in his life showed him what it meant to be truly loved.

“ɪ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ʜᴏᴡ ʏᴏᴜ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴍᴇ. ɪ’ᴠᴇ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ꜰᴇʟᴛ ʙᴇᴛᴛᴇʀ ɪɴ ᴍʏ ᴏᴡɴ ꜱᴋɪɴ ᴛʜᴀɴ ɪ ᴅᴏ ᴡʜᴇɴ ɪ’ᴍ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʏᴏᴜ.”

I love this series so much. I can’t wait to see what’s next!

[Beth King · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great Ink and Ember couple!

After spending three years estranged from his late brother's husband, Toren is ready to start welcoming his ex-brother-in-law back into his life. There's a giant whole in his heart and he's hoping the connection will bring him some peace.

Andrew is adjusting to life as an adult who just realized his has four brothers. Getting to know them, making time to be around, and figuring out where he fits into these new dynamics. When he goes to the art show to support one of his brothers friends he doesn't realize he's about to meet the man who will change his life.

There were SOOO many warning about the cheating this book has. It honestly gives the impression that that is what this book is about when that isn't the case. Andrew is in an open relationship when he meets Toren. The relationship changes, then four days later it ends. Cheating happens in those four day and within the first 35% of the book and then thats it.

Not that im downplaying cheating in general. Its just this book is about much more than that and I kind of forgot it had happened by the end.

OTHER than all that, I did really enjoy this book. Its such a good story about leaving behind what is comfortable to find something thats right. Andrew and his scrappy relationship and Toren and the parts of grief that had stopped him from living.

I really enjoy everything ive read to Kate so far, and this is another good one. I highly reccomend.

Happy reading

[Justine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series has been a fun, spicy read and Toren was no different. There is some cheering in the story, not between the main characters, but I think it was done well. More tolerable at least, in my opinion. I wasn’t thrilled with the idea of cheating and I expected it to be a long, drawn out affair. I was pleasantly surprised with the way it was handled though, and honestly my biggest gripe with this story was the smoking. Not to yuck anyone’s yum, or spoil anything (so proceed with caution if you care,) but the smoking turn on was hard to get on board with. Smoking cigarettes is a nasty habit (again personal opinion) so I cannot fathom it being sexy! Also, the story sometimes felt a little disjointed, in the bdsm aspect of it. Other than those points, I enjoyed their story. Andrew and Toren were total simps for each other. There’s very minimal drama/angst, but a whole lot of sexy times. A quick read and overall enjoyable!

[Marion · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third book in the Ink and Ember series. It is the story of Toren Ember and Andrew Calavert. Toren is still trying to sort out his life. He is working on building a relationship with his dead brother’s husband. He is having trouble getting over the fact that Rigg's has found someone to love who isn't his brother. Andrew is one of Smith's four brothers. He is in a toxic, open relationship with his ex for the second time. Their cute meet involves a late-night cigarette and missed ride share. The two of them have chemistry for days. The book is written well and is easy to read. I received a complementary advanced review copy of this book from the author and I am voluntarily leaving a review. In the beginning they decide to keep their relationship on the down low. I enjoyed all the logistical maneuvering needed to avoid anyone in the family. This is a fun and spicy read. I look forward to more by this author.

[Dee Layton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me tell you this series is turning out to be a very hot and amazing series. This is book 3 in the ink and ember series and I have had the pleasure of reading all of them thus far. Thanks to GRR for the opportunity to advance read them.
This book was another one of the series that you just jump head first then and are like oh my. I really like how the author put in the blurb as a warning there is cheating there is but to me like it's not that big of a deal. I understand that's a no-go for some but for me I kind of fit The narrative of what the author was trying to come across.
Other than that I really love it I thought this was an absolutely amazing book I just can't wait to see how the rest of this series continues.
I will say I prefer that you read these books in order even though they're standalone they still need to be read in some sort of order because things tend to like go from book to book.

[Suzanne Irving · Rating 4 out of 5]

Toren and Andrew are complicated

This relationship that Kate Hawthorne has written between Toren and Andrew is the definition of complicated. There is a past boyfriend at the beginning, but it’s not really infidelity because the relationship is supposed to be open. In fact the way it’s written is messy but very real seeming. By the time Toren and Andrew get serious they are very into having a monogamous relationship. They fall fast and hard and sort of work things out between them after they are completely in love. It’s a fun read and has plenty of kinky moments. I laughed at the bits where they have to work out when people are going to the club so they don’t run into each other! There are friends and brothers, but it’s mostly just these two people falling in love and working things out together.

[Amanda D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note the author name here — this is Kate Hawthorne, not Katey Hawthorne from earlier in your list; two different people, easy mix-up. This is the final novella in the low-angst, high-heat Ink and Ember series (a Risk Aware spinoff): Toren's rebuilding his relationship with his dead brother's husband when a late-night cigarette and a missed rideshare lands him in bed with one of the husband's brothers. Short, spicy, straight to the point, with a heads-up that it includes cheating outside the main pairing — worth knowing going in if that's a hard line for you.

If you've read Holden and Merrick already, this closes out the trio; if not, it stands alone fine since it's barely a commitment at novella length.

[L H · Rating 4 out of 5]

​I appreciated that Toren was making peace with some changes, his late brother's husband moving on, and staying connected to him and building that relationship. And the new love interest came with brothers, one of whom - Andrew - Toren finds himself attracted to and they get involved. Andrew and Toren start out messy. They have to stay on the down low because Andrew is in a relationship. But not all things that are meant to be started out in the best of places. This couple works and because they really want one another they have to work through the complications to get to the place where they can be together, open and exclusive.
I received an ARC from GRR and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jvles · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
This is another filthy, quick, very smutty book in this series. So it's right what you expect if you've read the previous stories. This book heavily features characters from another series but I had no problem following the story without having read about them beforehand. It was a whirlwind romance and while I enjoyed the devotion and the willingness to try new things I would have enjoyed some more relationship development. I often liked the brother shenanigans more than the spicy scenes in this book because I could not get behind the smoking kink, which was a big part of their bedroom fun. I liked the writing style a lot and will gladly come back for more from this author.

[Sarah Thornburg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will admit to being put off by the cheating aspect of this novel, but I’ve been reading Kate’s novels for a while, and I trusted her to handle it well, and she did. The cheating isn’t a major issue, but it is the catalyst for Toren and Andrew to get together. Their chemistry is instant and fiery, and in true Kate fashion, they fall fast. Also, in true Kate fashion, family drama pops up but mostly stays outside their budding relationship. I kept expecting the ex to pop up and want Andrew back, but that wasn’t the case. They fought for each other’s wants and needs and kept good communication. Overall, a steamy short read with a lot of fantastic side characters.

[Deb Kel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Toren and Andrew had such an intense connection, and I really enjoyed watching it develop despite the complicated circumstances. Toren’s grief and his efforts to rebuild his relationship with Riggs added some emotional depth, while Andrew’s situation brought plenty of drama. Their chemistry was undeniable, and the high-heat romance kept things moving at a great pace. A short, spicy read with two complicated men finding something worth fighting for. Great addition to the series

I received a free ARC and this is my honest review.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series. It’s a quick read with insta-chemistry and lots of passion. We have our two, deserving of some happiness, MC’s. Andrew who has been in in a bad relationship (twice) with the same loser. We have Toren who we met in a previous book in the series (#1 I think), who is trying to survive the grief of losing a loved one. They meet and sparks fly. The passion is hot and the relationship makes my heart happy. I highly recommend this book. Enjoy!

[Lissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love that we are building out the circle of friends and family with this story. Toren had been lost after losing his brother, but with one meeting his life changed. Andrew had been stuck, but meeting Toren gave him a larger purpose and he embraced it fully. Together they explore what it is to want and to love. Merging two worlds together in more ways than one can be complicated but they make it work. I hope there is a Donovan book coming soon to wrap things up.

[Traci S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you for the book, here is my honest opinion:
I enjoyed Toren and Andrew’s story. The cheating storyline is kind of blink and you’ll miss it, it’s not really much of a plot point. What I loved about this was that Toren and Andrew don’t spend the book resisting their quick connection they keep choosing each other. This is rare and I always appreciate that, they wanted to be together and keep building their relationship with purpose.

[Ida Umphers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this entry in the series a lot. It was clear at the beginning that Toren was trying to find his footing with Riggs and Smith and he's thrown right into Smith's family when he meets his brother Andrew. These two don't start their relationship with a clean slate but it's immediately clear nothing is going to keep them apart and I enjoyed how the author had them deal with the fallout from several directions.

[Yvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The third installment in the series, and absolutely another great addition.
The dynamics and chemistry between the main characters are sublime.

As they find their way in life while having to let go of choices they made so that they could have a chance at existence together.

💞Thank you to the Author and GRR for the opportunity to read and review this ARC💖

[Leonie Duncan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although not centred on the tattoo parlor, it does get mentioned, along with Riggs. However there is still a lot of heat and spice in Andrew and Toren's story. They find their own kink and almost from the start their is no doubting their bond! It's another great Ember and Ink story with great characters! I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[Saskia Veldhuis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Somewhat more loosely connected to the previous books in this series, the characters were very hesitant in starting something together. They were particularly passionate right from the start, which was sometimes a struggle for both of them, which was refreshing to read. Their openness in exploring each other's kinks and trying them out was one of the main parts of the plot.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This book was hard for me to rate… it was all smut, literally no plot. But the actual writing was good and as engaging as you could make a book with no plot. So if that’s your jam, you’ll love it. But I’m a believer in plots.