Brew Me Wrong

by LS Phoenix

A high-heat MM small-town romance featuring grumpy/sunshine, emotional tension, and explosive chemistry.Wes Calder has built his life on control.
Routine. Structure. Distance.
It’s the only way things don’t fall apart.

Jules Morgan is the exact opposite.

A firefighter with too much confidence and not enough boundaries, Jules walks into Wes’s world like he belongs there—and refuses to leave.

What starts as a single reckless moment quickly turns into something neither of them can ignore.

But Wes doesn’t trust things that feel this good.
And Jules isn’t willing to be treated like something temporary.

In a town where everyone sees everything, keeping their distance would be easier.

Too bad neither of them wants easy.

Tropes &

Grumpy x SunshineSmall Town RomanceForced ProximityEmotional Slow Burn with High HeatPossessive MMC EnergyFound HomeThis book

Explicit open-door spiceStrong languageEmotional themes around vulnerability, fear of attachment, and trustIf you like tension you can feel, characters who fight what they want, and chemistry that refuses to stay contained… this one’s for you.

Genres: M M Romance

220 pages, Paperback

Published May 31, 2026

About the author

Hey everyone, I'm LS Phoenix, and I live in a small town in New England. I’ve been with my high school sweetheart since I was 16, we married in our mid 20’s and had 3 amazing children who are now the best well rounded adults I know. They keep me on my toes and bring endless joy to my life. I’m not sure where I would be without any of them in my life.
Now, here's how I ended up in the world of writing. I’m an avid reader myself and one day as I was reading a book I thought, hmm, I can do this. I used to write when I was in school and I always loved it. I’m a very creative person, sometimes too creative. Is that a thing? Anyway, an idea pops into my head, and it gets stuck and won't go away until I write it all down. then it just spiraled from there and I kept writing. So yeah, I dove headfirst into a sea of words and emotions, all because my brain just wouldn't let it go, and I’m completely okay with that! I love writing!
I'm all about soaking in the beauty of the world and finding inspiration around me. Each character I create, every twist I write, is a reflection of the journey we call life. So I hope you’ll join me on this ride. I can't wait to share my stories and characters with you.

Happy Reading!

Reviews

[Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC review

4.25 stars
🌶️🌶️🌶️

If you’re looking for a high heat, angsty and low stakes MM romance, this is absolutely a joy to read! The fast paced story of grumpy coffee shop owner Wes and incorrigible firefighter Jules starts off with a bang (literally) and the bangs keep coming. They’re steamy and full of tension and the story is so well written.

I love the setting of Sleighbell Springs but the ridiculous chaos of the Christmas-obsessed town takes a backseat here to the emotional arc of our characters - and that’s ok! The emotional arc that Wes goes through is A LOT. He’s full of grief and loneliness and his walls are high, but Jules is MORE than capable of persisting.

Thanks so much to the author and the Sleighbell Springs team for the review copy!

[Mandy BunBun · Rating 5 out of 5]

First Impressions: Wes, a grumpy café owner, and Jules, an interim fire captain, find themselves entwined in a hot-and-cold summer fling that promises of so much more.

Pacing: This is largely a summer fling, and the pacing feels authentic for the time frame.

Character development: Wes is a deeply lonely but also immensely passionate man. He doesn't do anything halfway, which proves challenging as he struggles to come to terms with his affections for Jules.
Jules is a charming but combative man who immediately discovers pleasure in poking Wes' buttons. Like Wes, he can be a bit prickly at times, but also sees through the man's rigidity to the truly loving and passionate soul underneath.
Over the course of the book, Wes learns to let go of his fears and opens his heart to the possibility of a real, genuine love. Jules finds a reason to finally put down roots and build something worthwhile for himself and Wes. Both gamble their hearts and reputations for the chance at a true happy ending, and earn themselves a book-worthy HEA.

World Building: Sleighbell Springs is a cute little town filled with charming, nosy residents. The perfect setting for a small town romance and piping hot tea.

Romance: Wes and Jules have a slow-burn, reluctant romance. Wes is emotionally unavailable and Jules is only supposed to be a temporary resident of Sleighbell Springs. However, with small gestures of trust and a lot of honesty (and maybe some well-intentioned meddling), they build something truly special together.

Spice: There's some intermittent spice, but it's definitely sweet and sensual rather than descriptive. The spice builds with the emotional development of the central relationship.

Errors and Consistency: It's a really clean, tight draft.

Overall experience: Ever wonder what it would be like if a young Hop from "Stranger Things" dated Luke from "Gilmore Girls?" If you answered "yes," then I highly recommend "Brew Me Wrong." It's the perfect small town grumpy/grumpy or grumpy/sassy romance with piping hot coffee and piping hot men. This is definitely a "one more chapter" book, so consider yourself warned.

⭐️ 5
🌶 4

[This.Girl.Readss · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was just ok. I struggled to get through it because I do not care for the writing style. Choppy sentences, starting a new paragraph after a line or two, just made it all feel amateurish. I did like Jules in the beginning but never warmed up to Wes. By the end I was skimming because I couldn’t read any more of Wes being a jerk and Jules just accepting it. I’ve read a lot of grumpy sunshine books and usually the grump has some redeeming qualities. Wes had none. And I don’t even know how they could call it a relationship. They never talked. They had sex, then Wes ran away, repeat over and over until you die of boredom. The beginning was soooo repetitive, the same inner monologue for several chapters, then the end is just as repetitive, only with actions instead of inner turmoil. Jules deserves better. I didn’t read the last chapter because I know they end up together and for the first time ever, I was wishing there wasn’t a HEA.

[De Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had my attention from the very first moment and kept me enraptured until the last line. We got some seriously high heat and angst. Plus it’s MM, which makes its better in my opinion. Wes is a grumpy little barista and I loved him. I think anyone who has worked in food service of any kind relates hard core to what Wes was dealing with in those first moments. Jules is a golden retriever puppy with a naughty streak. These two have such an intense connection and insane chemistry. The tension we get is absolutely delicious. The push and pull is incredible and the heat is amazing. We get so much development and change in our characters. And their relationship so deep and genuine. Wes is so guarded and walled off. But Jules is there to support him and help him break out of the cage he has lived in. He’s patient and understanding. Jules absolutely stole my heart and I didn’t want it back. And the ending these two got felt perfect for them.

[Jilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tropes:

✨MM

✨Grumpy x Sunshine

✨Firefighter x Coffee Shop Owner

✨Small Town Romance

✨“This was a mistake”… it wasn’t

✨High Heat + Emotional Tension

✨Possessive Energy

✨Push/Pull Dynamic

✨Fear of Attachment / Emotional Walls

✨Jealousy / Territorial Moments

✨Found Home

Fast paced - quick read. Jules & Wes are precious. Jules is patient and understanding - the calm and Wes is one foot out the door, messy and together they are the perfect storm.

[iky reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wholesome small-town MM grumpy x sunshine read that had me wanting to punch one MMC and hug the other the entire time.

Wes’s grumpiness tested my patience nonstop, but Jules completely stole my heart. I loved how he never gave up and stayed true to himself through all the push and pull. Nothing about the trope felt overly new, but the characters made it work so well.

Not my first book by LS Phoenix, and definitely not my last.

[Christine Pappas · Rating 4 out of 5]

An sweet, some spice MM romance from this author. I liked the story, although Wes felt a bit stunted. I would have like a bit more backstory on why he believed Jules was temporary - were there multiple experiences that left him like this, or was that just his own personality. Overall, I did like the book and it has an HEA.

[Mandie DeVito · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wes and Jules are another special couple inside of Sleighbell Springs. Although there was a bit of stubbornness before they got together this was a love at first sight sort of situations that had you turning the pages to see how quickly they would stop being stubborn and what would happen along the way.

[Alyssa J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of advanced copy.

You had me a Sleighbell Springs!!!

I loved this MM romance! It’s perfectly set up with the best amount of spice and tension! Poor Wes, my heart was all over the place for him. Loved it!

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

As much as i loved this story I did find Wes annoying and a bit lacking. Jules was amazing and perfect and i felt he deserved better tbh. But i am glad all things worked out in the end.

I wouldn't have minded a bit of Jules 🤭

A nice little read though 😊

[Meggie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story was just a bit off. This yes/no theme was to tiring in overall. Being emotionally too scared to be truthful, but equally wanting it so badly you can't nearly stand not to touch and kiss. Just, off.

[Tris]

Don’t work in the customer service industry if this is your attitude. And no - I couldn’t even get past the first few pages of this book.