First Kiss with a Mothman

Creepin U: Season 2

by C.D. Rachels

You’re formally readmitted to Creelin University, known locally as “Creepin U.” The only things wilder than the monsters prowling around campus are the spicy male/male love stories unfolding between classes. ‘First Kiss with a Mothman’ is a monster romance. This spicy novel sings the tale of one grumpy mothman and a blind dude new to the university. Don’t read unless you enjoy first times, disability representation, musical moments, and dangerous twists. It’s part of the Creepin U: Season 2 collab series, and each book has a HEA.

I only want to keep my antennae down at college. That can’t happen while the distracting human boy has me hearing a new type of music.

Being the most well-known mothman in the country, I was never meant to live a normal life. My upbringing was far from average. I simply want to get my degree and start working.
But then I’m butting heads with a human dude, the only blind guy on campus. When we realize we have more in common than we thought, he asks to hang out. For some reason, he wants to be friends with a grumpy bug like me.
Still, I choose to befriend Arie. I find him more fascinating than I should. He’s a vulnerable human who ought to be more scared of the world than he is. He’s cheerful, optimistic, and way too endearing.
When his life is irrevocably changed before Halloween, I help him navigate this new identity. I need to be there for him as his friend, his confidante, and so much more.
Our lives are so different. Despite this, Arie is a flame I can’t stay away from. If we get together, will we fly into the sunset together? Or is our ballad a tragedy from the start?

Genres: Romance, Monsters, M M Romance, Urban Fantasy, Fantasy

214 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 5, 2026

About the author

CD Rachels has been coming up with stories since he was little. At first it was all about superheroes and pocket monsters, but his genre of choice has expanded since puberty.

He’s been consuming young adult gay fiction since he was a teen, but within the past five years moved up to the big leagues of gay adult romance. In 2020 during quarantine, he burned through more male/male romance books than he ever had in the previous 29 years combined.

He lives in New York City with the love of his life and is a nurse by trade. When he’s not reading and writing, he’s playing board games and practicing music. He is honored to become a self-published author, and if you’re reading this, your support means so much to him that it’s giving him a tingly feeling (in a good way).

Reviews

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

This book is about Arie, a new student at the university who has an affinity for birds and an overbearing family. Mort is a grumpy guy who prefers solitude, not because he really wants it, but because he is punishing himself for past mistakes.

They’re a cute couple, and despite Mort’s reluctance at first, they both become a couple and become serious pretty quickly.

IMO, the language style felt a bit off; it was all dude bro language, and it didn’t really seem to fit their personalities. However, despite that, I still enjoyed the overall story. It was simultaneously too much and not enough.

……………………………………………………….
I received an ARC from GRR, and here is my honest review.

[SJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was another fun, light-hearted read in the series. I enjoyed this book so much. I'm loving these cozy MM monster romances, especially for spooky season.

I absolutely adored Arie and Mort. Arie is the sunny breath of fresh air grumpy Mort never knew he needed.
Arie was seriously such a cool character. I loved his seeing eye raven, Reginald.
The not so meet-cute was slightly Mort-ifying (see what i did there?). I loved how their connection developed and how hard they crushed on one another. They are so different but find so much common ground. Their feelings quickly develop. They both encouraged/supported one another to be who they wanted to be and live their lives the way they wanted.

This was such a cute, low-angst, easy read with the perfect amount of sweetness and spice.

Tropes:
Paranormal MM
College
Monster romance
Protective MC
Grumpy/Sunshine
Friends to lovers
Virgin MC
Possesive MCs
Hurt/Comfort
Blind rep
First times
Slow-burn
Dual POV

Check TW

The Creepin U series is part of a set of interconnected standalones by multiple authors collaborating.

Thank you, GRR and CD Rachels, for the opportunity to read this book.

[Amanda · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

This is very very cute. It starts out with a pretty bad meeting, but that is quickly rectified and these two slowly go to friends with secret crushes and eventually into so much more. Both have come to university to reinvent themselves in a way, and I love that they get to find out who they are together while growing into who they want to be.

[Cynthia M Brow · Rating 5 out of 5]

First Kiss with a Mothman is part of the multi author Creepin U Season 2 series. Each book can be read as a standalone but why not enjoy the whole series. This is the story of Mort a mothman and Arie a human who is blind. I loved watching these two as they both worked past their issues to build a relationship. I loved the whole story and the world building that went into this book. I have loved all the Creepin U stories from both seasons because how unique they make the monsters. This was a wonderful addition to the series with great characters, a bit of spice, and a plot twist that I wasn't expecting. I can't wait to see what CD Rachels writes next. I also can't wait for the next book in the series. I would definitely recommend this book and series.
received a free review copy

[Justine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series (including the first season obvs) is such an interesting take on the monster theme. I like the diversity in the characters, both human and monster, and have enjoyed each story that I’ve read so far. First Kiss with a Mothman is about Arie, who happens to be blind, and Mort, our local Mothman. They’re honestly smitten with each other for a majority of the book, though their meet was anything but cute. I did not expect the bit of action near the end, so that was exciting. Arie’s little surprise was fun too. I anticipated something and was pleased that his vision wasn’t magically restored. I liked that Arie embraced who he was throughout the book. Their romance was very cute, with a couple of intimate moments. There are also a lot of little cameos from both seasons, which was fun. The dialogue was sometimes off for me, but it wasn’t anything I was hung up on. I’m obsessed with Mothman, so I’m prone to read anything of the sort and enjoy it lol.

[Bere Peltier · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this monster romance! There were moments when I really related to it, Saddly.
I once met someone with a visual impairment after we accidentally bumped into each other at a party. He had his guide dog with him, but since the dog wasn’t wearing a harness identifying him as a service dog, I didn’t realize he was there to help him. I saw the guy wearing sunglasses, looking annoyed, and my own insecurities made me assume he was just being a jerk. So I told him to watch where he was going😭 Obviously, he couldn’t see, and I felt absolutely terrible! We eventually got to know each other better and ended up becoming friends🤣 so yeah, I definitely related to this book.

These two are absolutely perfect for each other! I also really enjoyed the mystery surrounding the crow. And reading about how they slowly allow themselves to be vulnerable with each other, despite all the insecurities they both struggle with, felt incredibly real and relatable. I loved seeing them open up and let each other in.

This book is mega cheesy, super enjoyable, and the kind of read you won’t be able to put down until you finish it. There’s no doubt that the books in this series are incredibly well written, with authors who are perfectly chosen for it. They’re all such a fun and enjoyable reading experience!

I received this book from Gay Romance Reviews in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Showarst · Rating 3 out of 5]

First Kiss with a Mothman by CD Rachels is part of the multiauthor universe Creepin U: Season Two. Arie has recently transferred to Creelin University to be more independent. He is blind and a music prodigy. He meets Mort, a Mothman, who is grumpy and prefers to hide in his Atticus did really like these to together, but there were times I felt like Arie seemed a little desperate and Mort seemed intent on being a martyr.

The story was sweet and seemed to be going a certain way when so much was thrown into the last 40% of the book. It felt a little overwhelming and not much was addressed or ended in a satisfying way. Everything just felt glossed over.

I do really enjoy this series and will read more from it.

I received an ARC from the author and GRR for my honest review.

[K · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

1st person POV Dual
MM
Plot 3/5
Spice 1.5/5
Darkness 0.5/5
Mothman/ Human*
Grumpy / Sunshine
Pretty funny meet cute


These books are super freaking cute!! Mort and Arie sickeningly sweet! Mort is a grumpy mothman, who is trying to outrun his famous past, while Arie is a blind human? Who is just trying to gain some freedom from this overbearing mother. These two meet and it's beautiful!
There is a bit of drama ( Arie's family are a bunch of wack jobs) but the story moves nicely and is pretty low angst

[Heather Duff · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable and cute addition to season 2 of Creepin U. A blind student with a seeing-eye bird and a mothman.

Mort had fame, and he hated it; he hates that people still only see him as that instead of a person. His chip makes him lash out, which leads to a very not-meet-cute between him and Arie.

But slowly they find they actually have an amazing connection. And they are going to have to rely on that connection to deal with Arie’s family and the chaos they are about to bring!

[Kayla Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book! It was fun, cute, and spicy! All the things I love to see in a good monster romance! I loved everything about this adorable little book! When you have the opportunity to read this and the rest of this series you should!

[neeshreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh how I love Creepin U! We’re back for more monster love, and CD Rachels knows how to deliver the sweetest monster men and all the sizzling tension once they find their person!

🖤College Monster Romance
🦋Grumpy Mothman x Sunshine Human
🖤Lonely Boys Finding Comfort in Each Other
🐦‍⬛Seeing-Eye Raven named Reginald
🖤Friends to Lovers
🦋Special 🍆 & Claspers
🖤“Mine” & “Who do you belong to?”

Mort just wanted to keep his antennae down while getting a fresh start from his childhood actor past, but now? His grumpiness is out in full force and he’s accidentally having a disastrous meet-cute with the only blind guy on campus. Can’t Arie see that a grump like him doesn’t deserve his kindness? But as they get to know one another, Mort starts to build a friendship with the distractingly cheery and optimistic curly-haired human. And when Arie’s life is forever changed on Halloween, Mort is there as Arie’s friend, and so much more…but will it last?

Mort and Arie forever! Mort prefers his fellow insect brethren over people any day…until Arie. This mothman is drawn to Arie like, well, a moth to a flame 🤭 Arie loves Mort’s vibrations — the mothman’s wings create a soft and delicate music that draws Arie in in a way no other composition has before. These two were the absolute cutest together and I couldn’t take it! The secret crushes developing on both ends, experiencing so many firsts together and the protective nature Mort and Arie exuded was everything! Mort thinks he doesn’t deserve love, but Arie brings him out of the darkness and into the light as they face the world together when outside forces try to break them apart 🥹

Story: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️.5/5

[Shana W · Rating 4 out of 5]

This engaging story features a grumpy/ sunshine relationship, with a bit of spice and some action. There are a couple of good twists at the end. Arie is a blind human who has transferred to the university, to play his violin in the music program. Mort, a mothman and frat member, is attracted to him right away and loves helping Arie find his way around campus and run his errands. The two of them are really super sweet together. Arie has a service bird named Reginald who helps him around, and he is wonderful at coping with his challenges and good natured about it. I enjoyed the way both MCs changed and grew over the course of the book, though I'm not sure if Mort's actions at the end are consistent with his nature.

Arie's mom is really overbearing and way too protective, so she got his cousin Selena to babysit him on campus. It turns out that his family has some really negative feelings about monsters, and they are not afraid to voice them. Thankfully, the MCs have an amazing group of friends, both monsters and humans, who are staunchly supportive of them.

I enjoyed the world building and recurrence of some of the side characters in the story. I find the Creelin U books very entertaining, and this one is no exception. I would love to read more books in this series.
I read an advanced copy and I am leaving an honest review.

[Merissa (Archaeolibrarian) · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

FIRST KISS WITH A MOTHMAN is part of the multi-author Creepin U: Season 2 series. All of them can be read as standalones, although you may find small crossovers with situations and characters. Honestly? I love that!

Anyway, moving on... Arie is a human newly arrived at Creepin U. He is blind but has a seeing-bird. He is also excited to meet monsters. Unlike his cousin, Selena, who has also just started. The rest of his family are also against monsters. His first meeting with Mort is anything but a meet-cute, but they soon hit it off.

I loved how their relationship developed and how sharing things with each other was done so naturally, like the reason Mort feels he doesn't deserve a relationship. One thing I must mention is how great it was that Arie was completely okay with his blindness all the way through. And when something happens that will have a big impact on his life, his blindness doesn't just magically disappear. There was some not-so-unexpected excitement at the end, but once again, I loved how it was written.

A fantastic addition to the Creepin U series and absolutely recommended by me.

*I received a free copy of this book via GRR and am voluntarily leaving a review.*
**The same worded review will appear elsewhere.**

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian
Oct 6, 2026

[Sabrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mort came to college to escape from his childhood fame of being the mothboy. But even here, so many humans and monsters know his face. It’s hard to be the only mothman around. So keeping to himself is for the best. And for Arie, he came to school for some freedom. He’s human and blind and has a pet raven that is his guide. His mom is stifling and his cousin is essentially his mother’s spy. Is it so hard to get some independence? And then Mort and Arie meet and turns out they have a lot more in common than they think. While Arie’s crush on Mort becomes stronger, Mort still believes that he isn’t cut out for a relationship. But there is only so much he can do to keep his feelings shoved done. I loved these two! They were so sweet together. I loved how they formed this friendship that slowly turned into so much more. Mort is known for keeping to himself, but Arie really makes him step out of the shadows and be present. And for Arie, Mort gives him a chance to be himself and be so much more than his disability. This was just an overall fun story, with some pretty interesting twists as well!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a college romance with a grumpy/sunshine and a mortifying meet-cute with unexpected results.

Mort is such a secret softie and is waaaaaay too hard on himself for something that happened in his past which he is letting dictate the happiness in his future.

Arie is the bubbliest ray of sunshine ever! His positive outlook and outgoing character make him so adorable and likeable.
And his bird Reginald is just such a cute animal sidekick 🥰

The story is a sweet slow-burn with a deep emotional connection, trust, openness, a healthy amount of jealousy and possessiveness and many unexpected revelations. Mort and Arie fit so perfectly together in all aspects and when it comes to the spice, it was the perfect amount of build-up before the release(s) 😉.

I definitely did not see this plot twist coming! I was completely shocked and saddened.

The fraternity family and new friends are such important characters in this story. They all have each other's backs, whether it is offering to help make a certain someone jealous or saving someone's life.

[Rachel · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

3.5 stars
This book was entertaining. The character development was good, and I enjoyed the plot. I kind of wish Arie's mom had been a better person because up until the climax of the story, I thought it was possible for her to accept not only that Arie was a monster but that Arie was an adult who could make responsible decisions. I did find it a bit weird that Mort decided to use his celebrity and even more weirdly the catchphrase everyone always asked him to say in order to launch a vlog in the epilogue considering that he'd been so grumpy about being recognized the rest of the book. Even if therapy helps you grow as a person, it doesn't usually change your perspective that much. Anyway, I liked this story, and it helped explain the world it's set in without overly focusing on worldbuilding, which I appreciated.

[Zoe · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

Yay for Mothman Books!

3.5 Stars

I saw a Mothman book so I had to pick it up! I really liked Arie who was very sweet even during a less than ideal first meeting with Mort. I liked seeing their relationship build and them getting to know each other more. It was fun seeing Mort try not to like Arie and completely failing. I thought their relationship was sweet and I liked how much they cared for each other. There was some slightly angsty moments because of some side characters but it wasn’t so bad and they had lots of supportive friends. However I just didn’t love the dialogue and I thought it was a little awkward at times and I didn’t completely fall for their relationship even though I did think they were a good couple.

[L H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arie was such a neat character. He may be blind but Arie does a lot with what he has and he is just the influence that Mort needed in his life. Mort, the Mothman, was still affected by his childhood and the way he was left feeling about himself. Difference is difference and Mort was a child actor who did not come through the experience in the most positive way. Meeting Arie helped him change that narrative and as Mort came to see things differently he was also able to support Arie in ways he would need as a change came in his life that had a big impact on him. As a unit they are both able to become stronger individually, deal with past issues and begin building a lovely positive life together.
I received an ARC from GRR and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Liza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creepin' U is back in session and I am so excited!! This is my new favorite Halloween tradition. Mort is a grumpy mothman who hides from his past and his former stardom. Then he meets Arie, the one person on campus who has no idea who he is and truly sees him for who he is, despite being blind. I loved watching their relationship blossom, even with the difficulties of Arie's family and Mort's own fears. Then there's Reginald. How can you not love a seeing-eye Raven? I would go into the plot more, but this has to be read because it is too good to miss! Plus we got to spend time with other Creepin' U faves, Tanner, Seth, Owen, Kovi, Clay, and of course, Bat Nathanson.

[Helen Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy most of the books set at Creepin U, but some more than others. For the first 2/3 of this book, I thought it would be one of the good ones. But unfortunately I didn't enjoy the last third of this book. Mort and Arie's story was really fun up until the point of their first intimate scene. That scene and the other intimate scenes were described poorly, and from that point on the story lost the plot with some outlandish events that seemed to go against human nature without sufficient explanation. I do not recommend this story.

[Henna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun, cute, and occassionally spicy read. It touches some heavier topics but still manages to be low-angst and light. I liked how Mort and Arie supported and loved each other through finding themselves and surviving some iffy times. I also enjoyed how Arie was sunshiny despite being blind, he just rolled with whatever life threw at him but would not let anyone say anything bad about Mort.

[Lois · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm loving this Creepin' U second series. We briefly meet Mort the Mothman in Boy Meets Monster and this is his story. Arie is the new kid on campus. His blind and trying to escape his overbearing family and create an independent life of his own. Mort is the former child star who hates to be recognised and is living with a lot of guilt. I loved Arie's fierce determination and Mort's angst. They were perfect for each other in all the ways. I really enjoyed their story.

[Ashley Cordell · Rating 5 out of 5]

***ARC REVIEW!**

I absolutely loved the grumpy/sunshine vibes in this one! The contrast between these two was so much fun, and watching the sunshine slowly break through that grumpy exterior was adorable. 🥹💕 I loved the fantastic disability rep as well!

Their chemistry, sweet moments, and growing connection had me smiling the whole way through. Add a Mothman to the mix and you’ve got such a fun, quirky, feel-good romance! 🖤✨

[Ida Umphers · Rating 5 out of 5]

How can you not love a story with Mort the grumpy Mothman falling for sweet Arie and Creepin' U? Another wonderful romance in this series with two characters who don't get off on the right foot but are soon becoming friends and then so much more. There is a bit of a mystery and suspense that came as a delightful surprise as well. I'll continue grabbing every book in this series for as long as it lasts (hopefully it will have a long run).

[Kayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you GRR for an ARC copy of this book

I knew I had to read this book once I know one of the MCs is Mothman, being as he's is my favorite humanoid cryptid. First Kiss with a Mothman was absolutely fantastic! I loved both MCs and how they both helped each other in different ways. If you enjoy funny, cute, spicy and a side of murder plot this is definitely one to pick up!!

[Ana Silva · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a cute read! These two didn’t exactly get off to the best start, but they quickly make up for it as they go from friends secretly crushing on each other to something more.

They came to university wanting to become the best version of themselves, and together, they managed to make it happen.

[Soni · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a legally blind University student I really identified with Arie. He is great representation for a really unrepresented disability. I really liked Mort too, since I really like moths and insects. I loved watching Arie and Mort grow and change throughout the story. It a really sweet MM PNR that I would recommend to others who love those genres.

[Tammy Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

***ARC ***
Such a sweet story! I love reading about Creepin U. Mort is just a moth man that thinks he doesn't deserve anybody. Arie comes in and proves him wrong. Love the other characters as well. Definitely going to read more of the series!

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a great add to the multiauthor Creepin U series. I am glad it's back for a new round of quick monster reads perfect for fall! This was a super cute read featuring a moth man and a blind human with a cast of cute characters and a charming HEA

[Joanne Mccorkell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed Mort and Aries story. Aries cousins bias and clinginess creeped me out.
Morts reason for no relationship and solo life wasnt anywhere near as bad as I imagined.
Morts frat brothers were a giggle, as were thoses that befriended Arie.