The Stepbrother Distraction

by Jenny Pineapple

Playing wingman to my gay stepbrother is not how I imagined spending my summer in Italy.
But Gabriel needs a distraction after a bad breakup, and I offer to step up.
Simple, right?
Except every man who looks at him irritates me.
Every smile he gives someone else feels wrong.
And the more time we spend together, the harder it becomes to ignore what's happening to me.
Which is impossible.
Because I'm straight.
And wanting my stepbrother?
That sure as hell wasn't part of the plan.

THEMES & TROPES
🔥 Stepbrothers / forbidden romance
🔥 One straight MMC / bi-awakening
🔥 Forced proximity
🔥 Protective, possessive hero
🔥 Jealousy and pining
🔥 Size kink
🔥 Summer romance
🔥 First-time romance
🔥 HEA guaranteed

Genres: M M Romance, LGBT, Novella, Contemporary, Family, Queer

151 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 10, 2026

Reviews

[Cath · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐️

*ARC REVIEW*

My first ARC and it’s from JP.. what a fucking blessing 🥹🥹💗💗💗💕💕💕💕 THANK YOU MY QUEEN!!

If 5-starring JP’s books was a sport, I would be a gold medalist with sponsorships. I don’t read her books, I CONSUME them 😩😩🥵🥵🥵🥵

The tension between Gabriel and Marshal could be CUT WITH A KNIFE. Holy mother.

I could literally feel it in the air between them. It’s not loud, but it’s…constant…??? Like it’s just sitting there judging you. You know what I mean??? It builds under everything until you realize you’ve been holding your breath for chapters.

AND DON’T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THE KISS IN THE RAIN. BECAUSE OMGGGGGG 🫠🫠🫠💕💕

SO FKING HOT, sweet and so devastatingly INTENSE that I had to close the book and just… sit there for a minute.

Phew, what a story. I can’t wait for the longer novel that will hopefully be out ASAP 🤭🤭🙈🙈🙈🙈

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Whitney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marshall + Gabriel 🖤

Love me a good accidental 'baby' slip




⚠️ potential spoilers below in detailed tropes, content and warning lists






Tropes/content:
Stepbrothers
Bi-awakening
28 and 29
Jealousy
Memorable first kiss
Kissing in the rain
Thigh hump to completion
💦 in pants
Facial
Saying we should stop while being unable up stop kissing
Mouths at his erection through his pants
Slips and calls him baby
Deep throat
Size kink
Dildo
Showering together
Years of pining
Supportive family
Bareback
Strict roles


Warnings/icks:
Marshall just barely went through a divorce
Gabriel had a creepy liar ex that was actually married. He shows up uninvited and makes everyone uncomfortable. He also happens to be their dad/stepdads friend
They both kiss other people at a bar while dancing - not to intentionally make each other jealous, but it does.
They accept a dinner invitation of the creep Blaine for some reason

[Ca Ta · Rating 4 out of 5]

So far it’s been my favorite book of Pineapple’s. 📚

[amina · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 sweet

[Paige · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can always count on Jenny for popping out the quick releases.

I’m a big fan of the stepbrother trope. This author has done a few and I’ve enjoyed all of them. I liked these two. They were both good guys and had some good chemistry. But there were so many things I’m just confused about that kept it from getting more stars.

1. How long have they been stepbrothers? It’s super unclear. They seem like it hasnt been too long but they share a 16 year old sister so they basically grew up together but kind of seemed like strangers in a way

2. Why did Marshall and his wife divorce? He didn’t even talk about it and we have no idea why they broke up.

3. How did Gabriel find out his bf was actually still married and not just separated. Again not explained or discussed.

4. Why the hell would Marshall accept a dinner invitation from Blaine know that he was Gabriel’s ex and Gabriel didn’t want anything to do with him. That made no sense to me!! Marshall was all like “you need to stay away from him, I don’t want him coming to see you anymore” and yet Marshall was the one who was like “sure we would love to come to dinner!” Like wtf is that?

5. Also Gabriel needed to stick up for himself more with his ex. He didn’t say shit when Blaine kept coming around. It was so annoying.

6. When Blaine finds out about Gabriel and Marshall and he threatens to tell their parents…um WHY IN THE HELL didn’t Gabriel be like well you’re my dads best friend and we were sleeping together so how about I tell him that!! WTF.

Omg so many missed opportunities in this book. Wasn’t my favorite at all.

They both kiss someone toward the beginning while they are out clubbing. No one else after that though people try. No break up. More of an HEA than any other of this authors books because they actually say I love you.

[Raven || The Reader Identity · Rating 5 out of 5]

《original review》
🌟 5/5
🌶 4/5

💘 Marshall + Gabriel

Okay, babes...

I've been in a major reading rut. I don't feel like reading. But when JP has a release I immediately add it to my rotation because I just KNOW I'm gonna be hooked.

And y'all. This mother fucking book. The YEARNING. The PINING. The fucking TENSION.

The avoidance was mutual. The pining was mutual. The chemistry was off the charts. The push and pull. They had a love that was inevitable but also shrouded in unknown. Such amazing writing once again.

Fuck Blaine and Vanessa. Like, wtf?
LOVED the parents and sister. Bravo.

And I feel like we got enough with this one. Could I have read 500 more pages? Abso-fucking-lutely, but alas, I was satisfied.

𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: The Stepbrother Distraction by Jenny Pineapple
𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐠𝐨𝐚𝐥: 101/150
𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭: ebook - KU

𝐪𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬:
《𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚢𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚜 𝚠𝚎 𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚊 𝚠𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚎 𝚗𝚘𝚠, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙸’𝚖 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚢 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍 𝚒𝚝. 𝙼𝚊𝚢𝚋𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚌𝚊𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝚒𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚒𝚎𝚛. 𝙼𝚊𝚢𝚋𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚌𝚊𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝚑𝚎 𝚊𝚕𝚠𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚖𝚊𝚍𝚎 𝚖𝚎 𝚊𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚖𝚢𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏 𝚒𝚗 𝚊 𝚠𝚊𝚢 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗’𝚝 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚍𝚘 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑.
-
《𝙸’𝚟𝚎 𝚗𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚔𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚊 𝚖𝚊𝚗 𝚋𝚎𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚎. 𝙸’𝚟𝚎 𝚗𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘. 𝙱𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕𝚜 𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚝𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎, 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚖𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚞𝚙 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗, 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚎𝚡𝚊𝚌𝚝 𝚜𝚎𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚍 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝙶𝚊𝚋𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚕 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚔𝚒𝚜𝚜 𝚖𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙸 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚔𝚒𝚜𝚜 𝚑𝚒𝚖 𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚜𝚎.
-
《“𝙷𝚘𝚠 𝚍𝚘𝚎𝚜 𝚒𝚝 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕?” 𝙸 𝚊𝚜𝚔 𝚊𝚜 𝙸 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚑𝚒𝚖. “𝙷𝚊𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚙𝚋𝚛𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛’𝚜 𝚌𝚘𝚌𝚔 𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚒𝚍𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞?”
“𝚂𝚘 𝚐𝚘𝚘𝚍,” 𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚊𝚜𝚙𝚜. “𝚈𝚘𝚞’𝚛𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚎𝚝𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚎 𝚜𝚘 𝚐𝚘𝚘𝚍, 𝙼𝚊𝚛𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚕𝚕, 𝚏𝚞𝚌𝚔.”
“𝙲𝚊𝚗’𝚝 𝚋𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚎𝚟𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞’𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚘𝚏 𝚖𝚎,” 𝙸 𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚕 𝚑𝚒𝚖, 𝚙𝚞𝚗𝚌𝚝𝚞𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚎𝚊𝚌𝚑 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚍 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚊 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚞𝚜𝚝. “𝚂𝚚𝚞𝚎𝚎𝚣𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚎 𝚜𝚘 𝚝𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝.”
-
《𝙸 𝚌𝚊𝚗’𝚝 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚙 𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚝 𝚒𝚝. 𝙰𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚠𝚘 𝚌𝚛𝚊𝚢𝚘𝚗 𝚏𝚒𝚐𝚞𝚛𝚎𝚜 𝚑𝚘𝚕𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚜, 𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚜. 𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝚊𝚜 𝚊 𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚕𝚍, 𝙰𝚞𝚍𝚛𝚎𝚢 𝚜𝚊𝚠 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚋𝚎𝚝𝚠𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚞𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚠𝚎 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚋𝚘𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚘𝚘 𝚜𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚊𝚌𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠𝚕𝚎𝚍𝚐𝚎.

𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭:
- mm contemporary romance
- forbidden/taboo: stepbrothers
- forced proximity
- bi-awakening
- breeding
- size kink
- vibes: emotional, sweet, hot as fuck, fast-paced
- 🚫 ow/om drama: oh yea, the old ex; great tension
- 🚫 third act breakup: nope
- ending: HFN, but satisfying

[Sara Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely loved it. The tension and confusion. They were hot together.
Drama, Jealousy, Angst...







Spoilers.
What I didnt like was them making out with other people. Marshall started it by kissing some chick at the bar because he was jealous Gabriel was getting flirted with. And Gabriel not wanting to kiss the random bar guy but doing it because Marshall is kissing someone.

[Madam Ra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well damn, the tension! The chemistry between Gabriel and Marshall was 🔥🔥🔥 scorching! I loved the setting, the Italian villa, the garden, the quiet nights on the patio! That first kiss omg… great read, but Marshall, really were going with that name 😀 it was a bit silly for me 🤷‍♀️

[Arcturus170 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance copy and this is my honest review.
3.8*
I enjoyed this story quite a bit, but it felt a little off balance. The beginning third is on the slow side, but once we dive into the spice, things are fiery and fun, as are the pendulum swings from “we shouldn’t” to “we need this” and back. The plot climax has a satisfying confrontation, but the resolution feels too easy for all the slow buildup and angst. That said, the ending is pretty wonderful. Like, surprisingly sweet and emotional.

Gabriel and Marshall are lovely together. They’re both broken in their own ways, but they’re also in tune with each other and supportive when things seem off. I like that we have enough time with them to really feel how they grow together. I love the balance between aggressive spice and touch-starved sweetness the rest of the time. The dirty talk is fantastic as are the cuddlefests afterwards. For being rich and staying in a luxury Italian villa, they do seem to find happiness in simple things and domestic time together. I think it’s part of their healing process and appreciation for what they missed in previous relationships.

A few things caught my attention that I wish had more page time. Marshall’s queer awakening just kinda happens and isn’t remarked on again. That’s such a missed opportunity. I wanted to hear more about his feelings on it, as well as Gabriel’s surprise, excitement, confusion, etc. Another thing, I wish we had a better visualization of the garden before and after Marshall’s renovation. I feel like we get a pretty strong visual of the house, inside and outside, but more limited info on the garden. It’s a great symbol of Marshall building his confidence with Gabriel and his new direction in life. I wish we spent a little more time in it. The last thing is one I already mentioned, but I wish we had some more emotional wrangling between the confrontation and the resolution. The book spends a solid amount of time building that angst and drama, which gets amped up in the confrontation. I wish we saw the MCs wrestle with their fears a little more before things are resolved so cleanly. I’m not usually one to ask for more angst, but there’s always an exception. 😂

Loved Gabriel and Marshall. Fun drama, great spice, and a memorably sweet ending.

P.S. I laughed at tomato soup served with a side of tomato salad (caprese). There’s a joke in my family about serving XYZ vegetable soup with a side of same XYZ vegetable. 😅

[Kitchen Sink Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Society has apparently decided that stepbrothers, and very likely any form of stepfamily, should never be romantically attached to one another. Personally I have no idea why, there is, after all, no blood relation between them and that is the underlying message of this story - that and the message that love is love, that parents and family who love you will understand and that who any of us love is our own business. I love the strength and conviction Jenny Pineapple shares that message with.

I also love the setting for this story. It doesn't get more romantic than a villa in Italy, by a lake, with a garden waiting to be landscaped. Swoony doesn't even begin to describe it!

Marshall and Gabriel are both at the villa, it's the first time that they've been in the same place, and for an extended amount of time, for years. They've successfully managed to avoid one another at family gatherings, alternated their festive visits so as not to overlap but now, here they are. Marshall is recently divorced and Gabriel is nursing himself out of a bad relationship, one in a line of many. Whilst Gabriel works from the villa, remotely, on his interior design business, Gabriel is there to work on the garden, a landscape architect he certainly knows what he's doing. What he is stumped by is being Gabriel's wingman for a night out - why does he feel jealous of other men?

If this pair actually managed to talk to one another rather than burying their heads in the sand, well, we wouldn't have a story. I for one am glad they found expressing their feelings a challenge, it makes for a wonderful hurt-comfort, blurred boundaries story and I was hooked. I highly recommend reading this and all Jenny Pineapple's Forbidden Summer romances.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Anne Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Totally loved it
Wow I absolutely thoroughly enjoyed this Read. Marshall and Gabriel , there is this real tension when they first meet back up they haven’t seen each other for years their stepbrother but there’s just this electric between them. Now Marshall is returning after a divorce and Gabriel is Nursing the end of a relationship. But there’s a reason that these two have kept away from each other and that’s because there is this sexual tension between them. The more time they spend together, it is obvious there is a connection. There is so much chemistry between them but what would their family think?? Now there is no Blood shared between them Pure stepbrother but would it be hard for them to accept?? Especially when there is a lying cheating jealous scumbag trying to ruin them before they’ve even begun.
Totally adore this Book one of my favourites from Jenny. I just enjoyed the tension the chemistry there is an electric current running between these two and it’s just perfect.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jenifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness - I just adored Marshall and Gabriel together and watching them finally give into their feelings for one another. The idea that Marshall could be a wingman for Gabriel only to have the evening end on a completely different note was perfect. I'm so thankful that Blaine never got his second chance. And I absolutely loved the final scene when the family is so accepting and then the drawing that ties it all together. This story just warmed my heart and left me so happy for this couple and craving more of their loving relationship.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Stepbrother Distraction is about Marshall and Gabriel. They see each other after years apart in Italy, where Marshall offers to be Gabriel's wingman, except every man who looks at Gabriel irritates Marshall.

This was a really good summer read. I could easily imagine be in Italy, or maybe it was helpful that I visited Como in March so I could imagine the place. I really liked this. Jenny has become one of my favorite writer.

----------------------------------
I received a copy of this book, and this is my honest review

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely was sucked into the story. The author painted the scenes vividly, the emotions are felt through her words. I even enjoyed the repetition of the promises that they kept breaking, as it works for when you are fighting feels you have been told not to have.

I loved how Marshall stood up for Gabriel, was there to shield him and defend him, all the while warring with himself. The yearning, the jealousy, protectiveness was chefs kiss. And the ending was exactly what I wanted.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Renae Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this steamy forbidden stepbrother romance. Both brothers had been feeling a sort of connection for years, and after over 5 years of limited contact, they are forced to cohabitate during a vacation, and their simmering tension forces both to confront their feelings for one another intensely and explosively.

Overall, I could not get enough of these two. I loved their shared connection and overall chemistry. This story was full of great moments between the brothers, and I could not get enough of their story.

[Debbie Benson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. I'm glad that Gabriel and Marshall finally act on their hidden feelings and confess their love for each other. I'm glad that their parents and sister accept and support them. I liked how it was revealed and how their parents suspected it already.

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I guess I'm a dirty girl, I kinda like Step-brother stories. There's something sweet and a little bit sad in their love for each other. This one was super angsty as both struggled with their feelings, but it made it a truly lovely story.

[Ninni · Rating 4 out of 5]

A new book from JP that I didn't know of!? I downloaded and bingeread. This time the story is about two stepbros. Meeting up after years of avoiding each over. Beacuse reasons. Hot and intense. 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story

I absolutely loved this story. The chemistry between these two was incendiary. The way they fought against it and then finally gave in was explosive. I also really enjoyed how protective they both were.

[Amanda Reeves · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved the Stepbrother Distraction by Jenny Pineapple. This is a forbidden, forced proximity, sexual awakening read about Gabriel and Marshall. Another fantastic read from Jenny, love the characters and the storyline.

[Presley · Rating 5 out of 5]

JENNY PINEAPPLE THE WOMAN THAT YOU ARE!!!!!
It’s not abnormal that I gobble up her novellas the day they release, but this one was without a doubt my favorite.

[Mary *~* · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 stars rounded up, because of my beloved Top!POV (all spice scenes). And because I love this author. This wasn't their best though, to me, personally.