Dead Heat: An MM Urban Fantasy Romance

The Second Awakening #3

by Alexander C. Eberhart

The Second Awakening has arrived… but where is Tobias Greene?

Bastien – Tobias wasn’t dead, but he may as well have been. After he and his sister unleashed the Second Awakening across the Expanse, they fell into a deep slumber. Three months I’d spent, trying to wake them, but to no avail. The man I loved slumbered on while the rest of the Magi world roiled in the chaos he left behind. Then there was Cirian, the frustrating, immature, beautiful distraction that interjected himself at any opportunity. If I was to save Tobias from his somnic prison, I would have to do a better job at ignoring the cretin. But as the stakes revolving Tobias’s slumber rise, what would I risk to see him walking amongst the living again?

Azrael – The war was over, but my struggles only deepened. I was the leader of a rebellion—one that sought equality for my kind. But the flames of conflict had cooled, leaving me to navigate the social quagmires of negotiations and political theatre. Tasks I’d never felt comfortable handling. When a distress call goes out, encompassing the other two men Tobias had drawn connections between, I jumped at the opportunity to feel useful again. What I wasn’t prepared for were for those magical connections to migrate between the three of us, or the emotions that they stirred within. I thought my heart beat only for Tobias, but perhaps I was wrong?

Cirian – Disaster had come to the Church of the Source. Our leader absent, the day I’d been dreading had finally arrived. The yoke of responsibility would soon fall on my shoulders, and I’d never been more certain of my egregious faults. What’s worse, Bastien and Azrael had proceeded to entangle themselves in that danger, leaving me no choice but to face my own deficiencies head on. If we were to survive long enough to see Tobias wake, I’d need to push myself beyond what was once thought possible. That couldn’t be so hard, right?

DEAD HEAT is a plot-drive, Urban Fantasy, Polyamorous M/M romance with plenty of action, lots of magical men, and just the right amount of spice. It is the third book in the SECOND AWAKENING series.

367 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 26, 2026

About the author

A Metro Atlanta area native, Alexander has had a passion for writing from a young age. As he grew into his Queer identity, so did his works, and he is dedicated to bringing Queer stories to life in new and imaginative ways.

Alexander has penned over half a dozen titles, from Young Adult works exploring topics of Faith and Queer identities, to an Adult Urban Fantasy series, packed with magic and just the right amount of spice.

When not crafting quality Queer fiction, Alexander works for a local service company. He still lives outside of Atlanta with his husband and their children (dogs).

Reviews

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

4.25 stars

Dead Heat is the third book in Alexander C. Eberhart’s excellent Second Awakening urban fantasy series. There is an overarching plot that connects the series and the books should be read in order. This review will have spoilers for events in the prior book, so new readers should start with the fabulous first story in the series, Dead Wrong.

Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.

[antonia🫧 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC from the author via GRR & this review only contains my honest thoughts and feelings about this book.💐

!!minor (i think) SPOILERS AHEAD!!

I might have seriously found my next favourite Urban Fantasy series...

WHAT A MESS!
And I cannot get enough of it!😭

I am the Sleeper. Now, I am awake. Literal GOOSE BUMPS! I don't know if I was the only one who felt like the Sleeper was so obviously Tobias' dad!!

I MISSED TOBIAS SO MUCH, his pov not being there didn't go unnoticed, I was too used to seeing things from his perspective...

This book mainly focused on the developing relationship between Cirian, Bastien and Azreal, even though for more than half the book it felt like it was only Cirian and Bastien getting closer, which I hated because my boy Azzy needs some love too!!😭

My heart seriously aches for Cirian. He has spent his whole life thinking he's cursed because everyone he has ever loved has left him... And people just keep proving him right, even if it's temporary and even if it's not their fault...
Despite all that, he's so unseriously funny!
"You make a strong argument," I said after a moment, keeping my voice as level as I could. "But I'm afraid that you've crossed the wrong human if dignity is what you're looking for. I'd sooner rip off my own cock than roll over to your cowardly coalescing."
"You can try all you'd like to poison me against her, but I won't budge. You'd have better luck trying to convince a raven that it is a stallion."


My heart also hurts for Azzy and all he has been through his entire life.
"Let it go, Azrael."
She was asking for the impossible. To go against my very reason for existing. I was the one who bore the weight of pain. I was the one who kept others from the cruelest that this world had to offer. I was the shield
for those I loved, and now she would ask that I give it up?
I couldn't do it.
"No, I can handle it." You don't have to handle it alone anymore baby, I PROMISE, I LOVE YOU.🫂
Azreal is literally the opposite of what I had expected. Yes he is a warrior, yes he is the leader of a rebellion and yes he is tough and strong. But he's also so sweet and kind and loving and smart. What he went through and all he has lost so far was so unfair...


After learning some of his story I was wondering why would he choose to keep the name of a horrible man, but he answered that question so beautifully...🖤
"I've done terrible things in the name of our Rebellion, Sam. A lot of them under the orders of the monster who made us. And when I'd killed him with my own hands, I wept. I wept not because he was dead, but because I'd taken away any chance of him knowing the power that comes from kind-ness. So, I took on that mantle. I confiscated his name, because I would not allow the hero of our people to be remembered as the blood-soaked tyrant who took your life."


This book quite literally gave me all the feels and I love and hate simultaneously the fact that it's not the last of the series. I love it because I seriously cannot get enough and I hate it because like my boy Azzy, I cannot wait and having to wait for the next book might just kill me.

[BookGeek1987 · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, straight up, you cannot jump into this series midway through. It’s a same couple series with an overarching plot. You’ll be thoroughly confused otherwise.

I absolutely love an urban fantasy plus it being poly (my catnip), so have been really enjoying the series. What jumped out in this book is having it MPOV as Tobias is still in a coma. We have it split into thirds though, as to Bastian, Azreal and Cirian, not alternating chapters, and I thought that was a great way of doing in, as it enabled you to get into the thought process of each MC. Plus follow their own mini plots - Bastian trying to solve the mystery of Tobias being in a coma, Azreal moving the rebellion into a more stable political force and Cirian stepping up into a leadership position in his Church. So loads going on and all intriguing as to how the threads intertwined.

There’s a lot of plot action going on for each MC, given the fallout of book 2, however the author was careful to ensure this didn’t override character development. I felt we still had a good mixture of plot and romance.

Could it have been improved? Small niggle, I think a short summary of what had happened in book 1/2 at the start before jumping into book 3 would have helped. Just because it’s overall plot heavy with a lot going on as to different tangents. As it took me a little time to catch myself up.

I got this as an ARC from gayromancereviews.com and this review is 100% my own thoughts - I’d been looking forward to book 3 after enjoying the other books in the series so would have read this regardless of getting an ARC.

[Deb Kel · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic continuation of the Second Awakening series, i raises both the emotional stakes and the scale of the story. With Tobias still trapped in his mysterious slumber, Bastien, Azrael, and Cirian each have their own battles to face, and watching their individual journeys slowly intertwine made for a compelling read.

I really enjoyed the multiple points of view, as each character is dealing with different responsibilities and personal struggles. Bastien's determination to save Tobias, Azrael's challenge of leading a rebellion through peace rather than war, and Cirian's fears about stepping into a leadership role all felt meaningful and added depth to the story. Their growing magical and emotional connections were especially satisfying to watch unfold.

The balance between action, political intrigue, magic, and romance kept the story moving at a great pace. Every time I thought I knew where things were heading, another surprise appeared, making it difficult to put the book down. The character development was one of the biggest highlights, with each of the men growing in believable ways as they faced impossible choices and discovered unexpected truths about themselves.

This is definitely not a series to jump into midway, but for us readers already invested in the world, Dead Heat is an exciting, emotional, and thoroughly satisfying instalment that left me eager to see what happens next.

[Megan reads now! · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely third installment

"You're infinitely more than the failures you cling to."

I loved watching these three magical men hold each other together—not just in their grief over Tobias (will they be able to wake him?), but their own failures and insecurities as they fight the evil forces that plague them.

Our rag tag group of Tobias's lovers finally come together (ahem) to form new bonds that will prove more valuable than anyone expected.

Our 1-POV becomes 3 as we navigate the ongoing mysteries with Bastien, Cirian and Azreal as our MMCs. I loved this switch up. Each of these men have such distinct personalities and are so vastly interesting that you can’t help but love the immersion.

While the spice may technically be low(ish), it packs a punch. It's intentional, meaningful and frankly, dirty AF. (Was anyone else gasping when Daddy Bastien took the stage??)

The romance is integral to the plot, but there is a lot of plot. Strap in, every moment is worth it. However, the real star of the show is Eberhart's ability to combine romance, comedy and genuine intrigue into this epic adventure.

I can't wait for book 4. Let the adventure continue!

P.S. Yes, there are grammatical errors, even tense changes—a lot of them. Get over it. The story is worth more than the failures you cling to.

[Debby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dead Heat is the third book in the series Second Awakening. Told from three different points of view, we hear first from Bastien, who is struggling as he tries to awaken Tobias. Cirian is quite the distraction but he cannot seem to get rid of him. Azrael is struggling as head of the rebellion trying to obtain equal rights for his people. He jumps at the chance to help Tobais. Then we have Cirian who is struggling with the knowledge that he may soon be burdened with responsibility of Church of the Source. In spite of all this, the three men find themselves working together trying to save Tobias and maybe more. Along the way, tethers appear as well as unexpected feelings.

Wow, there is so much action and so many surprises. All three of them are struggling with the many changes going on. But working together is what is needed if they are to succeed. There is so much to say but I do not want to spoil the story for anyone. Let’s just say that each of these men grow and change and discover things that affect their outlook and future. This book is not to be missed. It is an excellent addition to the series.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unusual structure to this third book but it worked well

Normally with differents POVs, the chapters alternate between voices but here, the book is split into three parts with Bastien, Azreal and Cirian each narrating their own section. I'm not sure I've seen that before but it worked really well, getting to know each man personally while seeing the three of them interact throughout.
With Tobias in a deep sleep, the three are trying to awaken him but not having any luck. There's time for forging deeper connections with each other, which they sorely need even if they don't know it. They're all a bit lost, trying so hard not to lose faith, but the plot doesn't care about that, not giving them much chance to draw breath. The action was really good, keeping up the tempo of the story and moving the narrative along at pace.
There were the same proofreading errors and change of tense that the first two books had, but I'm still reading. I don't know how many more books there may be but I know I'll be here to see them get their HEA.
Three and a half stars.

[Lissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another spell-binding, action packed, on the edge of your seat chapter of this series. The world building this author does is incredible. Character building and plot twists keep you glued to the pages the entire time. Bastien, Cirian, and Azrael have to work together to beat whatever darkness is coming while trying to wake up Tobias. As they struggle through every battle, they are also dealing with their newly formed bonds. Push and pull, back and forth, but they do not have the time to focus on each other. As the battle for survival wages on, new information is constantly being thrown at them and they always have to second guess their decisions. If you have not started this series it is a must read!

[Cynthia M Brow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dead Heat is the third book in The Second Awakening series. This series is best read in order. We are back with Cirian, Bastien and Azreal as Tobias sleeps. This was definitely a great addition to the series. I missed Tobias' point of view. This book is told in three different parts from the points of view of Cirian, Bastien, and Azreal. There is so much emotion and feelings in this book. It was great learning more about each guy and watching them become closer in all the ways. I couldn't put this book down once I started and now I'm sad because I have to wait for the next book in the series. I would definitely recommend this book and series.
received a free review copy

[Alias11 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book in The Second Awakening series, and follows Bastien, Azrael, and Cirian, as they make their way without Tobias, who is in a deep sleep since he and his sister unleashed the second awakening. The three are trying to cope in a changed world, and we see their struggles, conflicts, insecurities, and new connections. I wasn't sure if a book without Tobias's voice would be as engaging, but it certainly was, and I enjoyed learning more about each of the three, and watching them work together, grow, and connect. I can't wait to see how the story progresses in the next book.

I received ban ARC and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.

[Abrianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I struggled with this book as I had hoped the editing issues that I had noticed before would have been fixed by book three, but alas. Other than that, it was great to get the POV of the other main characters as we witnessed them try to not only find a way to wake Tobias, but also to navigate their ever-changing personal relationships and keep the plot moving forward. It's a tangled plot they weave, but it's done well enough you don't have to worry about being overly confused, and though it needs a good proof, it's not a deterrent from the world building and the end. I'm curious enough and invested enough at this point in the series to want to see how this goes.

[Beth King · Rating 5 out of 5]

The 3rd installment of the Second Awakening series proved to be just as well written and thought out as the previous two books.

Unlike before this book is broken into 3 parts with 3 different points of view. We are no longer watching the story play out through the eyes of Tobias. It time for Bastien, Azrael, and Cirain to share their perspectives.

Other than take away or change the flow of the story this made the book so much better than I thought it would have.

Eberhart has done it again and I can't wait to see what they do next in this series.

Happy reading.

[Raven and Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story is good but I am starting to wish these guys could catch a break. With Tobias still unconscious, the other three are left to figure out why and survive the coming storm. Bas and Cirian have some serious angst to work through but Azzy is my favorite hands down. The one important thing they all have to remember is they are stronger and better together than they are alone. It’s an interesting dynamic between these three without the glue of Tobias holding them together. He may have brought them all together, but they each have their own part to play.

[AshPenny37 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, OK. That was a ride! Carrying on a short time after the events of book two, Dead Heat should not be where folks pick up this great story. It is absolutely not a standalone - starting at the beginning is one hundred percent recommended.

After the graveside confrontation at the end of book two that brought about the Second Awakening, the fallout for our group of MCs is dramatic to say the least. Tobias is still alive but not active; which leaves Bastien, Cirian and Azrael to handle the fundamental societal changes as well as searching for the solution to restoring the linchpin that binds them together.

It's a rollercoaster ride of magic, action and jeopardy told from Bastien, Azrael and Cirian’s points of view. Although this shift in focus doesn't allow for Tobias's POV as he sleeps, it does give the perfect backdrop for the relationship development between the other three MCs. And beautiful it is, too. The continued world building and plot progression are fantastic, too...so much to appreciate about this installment. OK, I just love this series…bring on book four!

An e-copy was provided by GRR. This is my honest opinion.

[Juniper · Rating 5 out of 5]

The series continues to pick up momentum, and without spoilers I’ll just say that there's a ton to take in here, and that every thing that happens and every bit of character development along the way just makes it easier to get caught up in the overall whirlwind. Bastien, Cirian, and Azrael have plenty to take on as Tobias sleeps, and there’s so much feeling and intensity woven into the fabric of this installment that it practically vibrates off the page. I can’t wait to see where the next book in the series takes us.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book..

[Ida Umphers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a non-stop set of trials for Bastien, Azrael and Cirian. Trying to awaken Tobias would have been a major challenge, but they must do that while also trying to deal with all the chaos that has been unleashed in the world as a result of actions in the previous books. None of them feels up to the tasks, but they realize the burden falls on them so they dig in. It turns out that there are feelings developing among these three as well in addition to those they feel for Tobias and those feelings and what they develop into may just turn out to be what saves everything.

[Plaguedoll · Rating 4 out of 5]

This 3rd book of the series is my favorite, I think, mostly because we get to see three points of view (three characters) rather than just Tobias, since he’s…well…having a snooze-fest, so to speak. I liked the character development here, as well as the continued world-building. I will say, it really needs a good editor, it’s a bit rough but it didn’t take away from the story all that much for me.

*ARC review, my opinions are my own

[Izzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m still utterly fascinated by this story, and will continue to read it through to the end. This installment introduced some interesting characters, as well as some very interesting siblings. We also see 3 of our 4 MCs grow significantly closer, which is extremely promising in terms of dynamics. The writing and character building remain strengths in this series, and the world building is very interesting, although mysterious. For this book, I found the POV, told in three blocks from three different POVs, to be unique, as most multi-POV stories alternate more frequently.
All in all, a solid book that I would be happy to recommend, but not standalone. Start with the first in the series!

Thanks to GRR for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Suzanne Irving · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantasy set around four men

Alexander Eberhart has given us even more astonishing story about this world of many magics. I love the relationship between the four guys that cements this tale of magic and the machinations of characters small and great and unknown. I feel like this series deserves to be better known.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

He wants to wake them from their sleep after the war. They seemed to be in a slumber they cannot be woken from. He wants to get rid of a man who is causing him problems. He is not sure how to do it all while trying to woke them up. It is not going to be easy as he tries to find the answers, see how he gets on

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book, Tobias & his sister are in a deep slumber. This book is told in 3 parts, in each part we get to see more of Bastian, Cirian & Azrael & their lives before. After the Second Awakening the town is now full of Magis, & the three are forced to deal with the demon who is trying to reign supreme. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Brodie Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

These 3 books have had me hooked from the start!
With so many twists and turns, this book keeps you guessing! I loved being able to get bastien, cirian and azraels POV. This book ends leaving you hanging and needing to know more! It’s so worth it!

[Geboyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do yourself a favor and read the previous books. You will be lost if you don't. This series is un put downable!!!! This is normally not my jam, but this serirs is so well done I just can't stop reading.

[Alexander Eberhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think the Author may have been a little too generous with the word "c*ck." But otherwise, a good read.

[Corina]

read too fast, now I have to wait for the 4th book 💔🤧🥲

Great 3rd instalment, I love that we got to see more of Cirian Bast and Azi's thoughts and read about their fears.

[Adoraboy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book in the series. I love the worldbuilding and character development in this series.

[Dee Your TBR Wrecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed getting to really understand these 3 men in this book. I’m looking forward to book 4.

[Jvles · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a ride. I really enjoy this world. For some reason I expected this to be the big finale but the story will continue and there is more trouble to come. The story is exciting and a nice mix of popular fantasy tropes. I enjoy the emphasis on relationship building in this particular book and look forward to seeing that enfold in the next installment of this series.
The writing could use a little more polishing but it's still a very enjoyable story.

[isthisakink · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25/5. I still love this series with my whole heart, but like, should I just give up hoping for some editing and proofing? Even a little bit? I’m fucking tired, boss. The story, the characters, and the plot keep getting better, deeper, richer. It’s truly masterful work, it just gets hard to read through all the mistakes. I will continue to suffer for it, though, so that should say something about how good it is.