Raising Hell

by Daryl Banner

Thirsty?
Take one reckless party boy. (That's me.)
Add a sensible, hunky math teacher. (He's stupid-hot and driving me crazy.)
Throw in one ice-princess baby sister who hates my guts. (We'll work on that later.)

And you get:
One HELL-raising cocktail of trouble.

Welcome to my life.
Please drink responsibly.

"Raising Hell" is a hot and wild new M/M romance from Daryl Banner, the same author of the Amazon top-selling Bromosexual, Hard For My Boss, and Football Sundae.
Contains: mature themes, drug use, adult language, and sexuality.

Photographer: Eric David Battershell
Cover model: Kevin K. Hessam
Cover design: Daryl Banner

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, Audiobook, Contemporary, Gay, Humor, LGBT

343 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 7, 2018

About the author

Daryl Banner is a USA Today Bestselling author, composer, and performer. He graduated magna cum laude from the University of Houston Honors College with a degree in Theatre and Psychology. He is happily married to his piano. Theory suggests this is why he writes romance.

During Daryl Banner's time in college, he wrote, composed, and produced a musical under Tony Award-winning musical and Theatre producer Stuart Ostrow, as well as two original plays produced under the mentorship of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lanford Wilson, who also mentored Daryl through the writing of his very first novel. In addition to new adult and M/M romance, Daryl also writes post-apocalyptic fantasy as well as dystopian.

Join his mailing list here to be the first to hear about his new releases! He awards an Amazon gift card every newsletter:
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Fun facts about Daryl Banner:

- He is an obsessive self-taught pianist.

- He is a huge video game enthusiast.

- He left his day job of 10 years to tour with a 2-woman-1-man original musical.

- He's been remixing video game music for over 20 years. One of his remixes is featured in the major motion picture "The Spy Who Dumped Me". Check out his work here: http://www.youtube.com/DarylBanner

- He composes original soundtracks that accompany his books and series, including The Beautiful Dead and OUTLIER. He is also the award-winning composer of the audio drama Janus Descending, as well as several films, games, podcasts, and other media. You can enjoy his music here: http://darylbanner.bandcamp.com

Reviews

[Brenda Motza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy mother of effing Christ! Where do I even begin? This book, holy hell, this book, I so wish I could give it, like, a bazillion stars. It deserves way more than those measly five. Trust me!!

This book was so raw and so full of feelings that I couldn't put it down. I mean, I had to at times, because, ya know, work and everything. I was like a true addict and this book was like my crack. One hit and your done for. Hooked for the remainder of this emotional ride that Daryl happily took us on.

I am more of a dual POV type of reader but this single POV totally worked.

Mathew totally had his priorities all askew. Drinking, drugs and partying was his way of life to drown out everything he didn't like about his life or his surroundings. Then one fateful night he gets a call from his older brother, Wes, with bad news, and with him high as a kite, he couldn't totally comprehend exactly what was just said to him.

This book took you from Mathew's rock bottom to everything in between to his HEA. And what a ride, with the roller coaster of emotions, from hilarious, laugh out loud moments to tears, and every emotion was so worth it. I even caught myself with a few tears rolling down my face, and I hate crying when I read. But, I would do it again just for Daryl's outstanding writing.

This book is something different for sure and I can only imagine the blood, sweat and tears that Daryl must have shed just to write this book. KUDOS!!! And thank you!!

**** I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this exceptional book ****

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this ❤️❤️❤️ great characters & supporting cast, especially the drag queens and their fabulous period party ( yup, a period party ! ) Matthew was faced with the harsh reality of growing up suddenly and taking guardianship of his 11 year old sister. His party days were numbered and his life changed dramatically. Enter sexy Maths teacher .., and all the cuteness begins.

[Starr (AKA Starrfish) Rivers · Rating 3 out of 5]

If it weren’t for the cover this might have been a 3.5 rounded to 4 😤

[Fabi NEEDS Email Notifications · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it! I love Daryl Banner's writing. It's straightforward and easy to read. You're almost sure to find quite a bit of humor sprinkled in.

Losing his parents to an untimely death and left in charge of his young sister, Matthew resists growing up until he simply can't anymore. It was a slow and sometimes painful process. Luckily it gave him the opportunity to meet wonderful Charlie, his sister's math teacher. What a super nice guy.

In fact, the entire cast in this lovely story is full of color and life. I very much enjoyed seeing the growth and progress all the MCs made after life threw them a curve ball.

[Santy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I reaaaally liked this book!

Matthew took some getting used to but I loved him in no time! Charlie was great for h8m as well

I will admit that i almost stopped this book a number of times because I was frustrated with Matt not growing up even after all these things happened to him. I was glad I stuck with it though because it was definitely with the wait.

This was an enjoyable read all in all.

[Mariah · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 one of the most unlikable MCs I've ever encountered.
and very little happens to redeem it

[gracie · Rating 1 out of 5]

dnf at 25%

not only is the mc just a shitty person but he also calls little girls bitches. it's incredibly dehumanizing, misogynistic and to use it against little girls??? multiple times in a single scene?? gay men thinking they're allowed to use a slur against women will always piss me off

[Meg (queer_book_recs) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Snarky, sexy, and emotional

I loved this book! It's full of snarky, irreverent humor, but there's a seriousness to it as well. The main character is a real immature jackass (at first) but I couldn't help but love him and root for him anyway! Matthew and Helen develop their sibling relationship while Matthew learns some life lessons and falls for Helen's math teacher. I thought the blend of romance and plot was perfect. Matthew, Helen, and Charlie (and even Glenn) all have their own personal transformations and the epilogue was incredibly satisfying. This book made me laugh and cry which is really my ultimate proof of my enjoyment! I listened to the audiobook which was narrated wonderfully by Chris Chambers.
(Original review Nov 2020)

EDIT 2022: I just re-listened to this audio and loved it just as much if not more. I’d go so far as to say this is one of my all time favorite MM romance books, if not just an all-around favorite book of mine. It’s so funny I laughed out loud several times. I love Mathew. I love seeing him grow as a person. I love his relationship development with his sister. It’s just wonderful. Chris Chambers’s voice was just made for Mathew. Perfect!

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Matthew is my absolute favorite type of character. He’s sassy, has no filter, but underneath all the sarcasm has a heart of gold. His relationship with Charlie was sweet and I loved it, but it was his relationship with Hell that really drove the story. There’s nothing like sibling love, and you could absolutely feel it here. This is one of those feel good stories, with the occasional serious moments, that I could see myself returning to again and again. It’s my first time reading a Darryl Banner story and I’m excited to seek out more in the future!

[LostinaLibrary · Rating 1 out of 5]

The actual story of this was great, however I hated the love interest and the romance, which is obviously a central part of the book.

The reason why I gave this book 1 star is because the main character has a serious issue with consent and boundaries, after being told multiple times by the live interest that he wanted to take it slow, he would constantly, and most importantly, purposefully, push those boundaries, and made fun of him for ‘being scared being with someone’. He constantly pressured him, and eventually touched him without consent, which is obviously very uncomfortable to read.

Aside from this the main character is kind of a raging dick, while this is sometimes funny, a kind of funny that not everyone will appreciate, he is overwhelmingly an ass. Furthermore, he does not know how to act around children, and I while his relationship with his sister was really sweet, I do question the main characters ability to look after children.

I feel like I probably took this somewhat lighthearted book a little too seriously, however I cannot help the way that I feel about this.

[Cindi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Take one immature party boy who only cares about himself. Add an eleven-year-old sister who needs to be cared for after the loss of their parents. Toss in the sister's hot-as-hell math teacher and a slew of drag queens and you get one hell of an interesting book.

And a Period Party.

I can't not mention the Period Party, hosted by Glenn, aka Divina Latrina, Mathew's hilarious best friend.

I admit I lost count of how many times I almost DNF'd this book during the first half. There are selfish party boys and there's Mathew. He's rude, obnoxious, and often crude. He has zero filter and only cares about his own wants and needs. He loves his sister but he doesn't know her that well, having chosen years earlier to be the black sheep of the family. The last thing he wants is to be responsible for her. That would mean adulting. Mathew is not good with adulting.

Then he meets Charlie, his sister's math teacher, who I loved even when I was questioning why he'd want to date Mathew.

This is my first book by Daryl Banner. I admit to picking it up because I needed something funny after the last book I read that had me in tears more often than not. Raising Hell won't be for everybody, that's for sure. If you go to read it, go in with an open mind (and maybe a good stiff drink or four) and try to stick with it to the end. Had I stopped reading the many times I wanted to I'd have missed a good story.


Full review can be found at -

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lost to found

“I heard once that it takes getting lost to truly find yourself.” And wow is Mathew lost. He’s so high he’s nearly on another planet when he receives life-altering news. I think what I loved about him was his imperfection. His grieving felt real to me - it’s a process. Sometimes you move forward, but sometimes just not floating off into space is all you can do.

This is told from 1st person single narrator view. I think this is really difficult to write, because it only tells one side of the story. We only know what that one character is thinking and it can become a bit self-centered; we only know his interpretation of events, not necessarily what others meant. However, this perspective really works here because while it’s a romance with a HEA, it’s really Mathew’s story and how he grew from a depressed yet still partying addict to a man who found love for not just his husband, family, and friends, but himself as well.

[Ronie Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well done! A slice of life, that follows subblings that have lost their parents to an accident. Leaving an 11 year old ice princess in the care of an workaholic and party boy. What an adventure at every turn of the page.

[Dayna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ya know, it really pains me to give a Daryl Banner book only three stars, but this book was something else.

If this book was advertised as a story of a rekindled sibling relationship with an aspect of romance, I would have rated it so much higher, because really, that’s what it was. This book is not a romance in my opinion. Our relationship with Helen, and even Glenn, felt well thought out and had more of a meaningful impact than the love interest, Charlie, could ever dream of. Charlie, as a character, was about as bland as a saltine cracker, and by that I don’t mean that he was a boring person, but that I felt as though he was an after thought. While all the characters in the story were very rounded and bursting with personality, he was like a 2D cut out.

If you asked me to tell you everything I know about Charlie, I would tell you that he’s a math teacher and a nice guy.
Like that’s it.
That’s all I know about him.
Frankly, I probably know more about our old lady neighbour who brings us cookies every week.

The relationship also seemed like it was taking place mainly off screen, and instead of the author showing me the progression of falling in love, he was just telling me about it. However, the rest of the story definitely lived up to my expectations of a Daryl Banner book, because I really do love his stories. I loved the fourth wall breaking, the period party, the threatening of children and lots more. So although the romance was a flop, the rest of the story wasn’t!

[Kaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

YES QWEEEN this book was amazing

I received an ARC of this book from the author BUT as soon as it was released I bought a copy. Yes, I loved it that much. I always have high expectations when I start a new Daryl Banner book, and this book did not disappoint.

Mathew is a lost soul, alcohol and drugs his constant companion, who becomes guardian of his young sister Helen when they tragically lose their parents. Mathew was not ready nor did he welcome this commitment. When he met Helen's HOT maths teacher Charlie, everything changed.

This is a love story from unexpected places as Mathew and Charlie navigate the challenges life delivers them, and deliver them it did. Everything from personal struggles with fear, denial, friendships, family, love, acceptance and HAWT sex, at the same time they face external struggles with homophobia and judgement.

I felt every emotion while reading this book, from laughing out loud to quietly sobbing and everything in between. I was on this journey with Mathew and Charlie.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves love. I couldn't put it down and didn't get much sleep until I finished it.

Now I want ice cream and sprinkles (read it and you will understand)

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy Hell...what did I just read?? Oh yeah, a new and very different Daryl Banner book with a sexy, sarcastic and totally (sometimes) wrong narrator. And I loved it. Wow...damned funny, seriously emotional and just hits you in the heart and made me want more =) Coming very soon!!

***** 5 ***** "doing a great job raising Hell" stars

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

[Lizva · Rating 4 out of 5]

charming romantic mm comedy with depth

I really enjoyed this. TW for casual drug/alcohol abuse. Story of what happens when a party boy has to step in as primary guardian for his much younger sister. I found him engaging and fun to read.

[TheLazyCatLady · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNA

I wanted to read this because it sounded really different. The writing was great. The author is very talented. I really wanted to like it but the main character completely turned me off. He was so annoying. He seemed to want to have a relationship with his newly orphaned sister but he was such a selfish person that he didn't even try. He was too busy dusting the damn chip on his shoulder. I made it through to where he took his sister to her orientation and proceeded to make an a$$ out of himself and embarrass his sister. I couldn't take it anymore. Being different or whatever you want to call it doesn't mean you get to hurt and disrespect others. Needless to say I stopped reading and I can't go back to it. I will read other books by this author because I do like him but not this book.

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is easily my favorite Daryl Banner book. The cover is gorgeous. The audiobook narration is perfect. The characters and story are interesting and well written.

This is a story of grief and sibling relationships and finding oneself and unconditional love. The drama comes from outside of the romantic relationship which I always appreciate, especially with a story that has a lot of moving parts. Charlie is an absolute rock for both Matthew and Helen. I love the way he loves Matthew! Matthew’s “voice” and sass make for a hilarious narration, even during the heavier parts of the book. His journey through dealing with the death of his parents felt real and authentic. And he is so open with his emotions; gotta love a man who can be vulnerable.

I highly recommend. I loved it from start to finish.

[Wendy Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't love it or hate it.....I loved Charlie but Matthew was just to over the top and self centered. Daryl writes such interesting characters and is so talented. I just couldn't get past the main character most of the time.

[Tess]

DNF at 28%. I tried and tried but I had real problems with Mathew. Maybe he’ll redeem himself but I couldn’t bring myself to care about him enough to find out.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read this author before and have liked his other books. However, I absolutely hated this book for the first 80%. I listened to the audio book and with this being a nearly 12 hour audio book in which I hated the first 9+ hours, you can imagine how tough it was for me to not give up on the book. I hate not finishing a book, especially an audio book in which I used a Hoopla download credit.

Matthew was by far one of the worse characters I've ever had to read about. And he was the main character and the story was told in his words, so we couldn't get a break from the guy! He was completely selfish, someone who used alcohol and drugs A LOT (that's how the book starts, by the way), and he was not the nicest person. He was incredibly immature given his age. You would think that when he finds out that his parents have died and now he has to take care of his little sister that he'd get his act together, but nope, he didn't. He continued to use drugs and alcohol to 'get away' from reality. I had absolutely no respect for him most of the book. However, if you can get through the first 80%, then I'm happy to say that Matthew redeemed himself and turned into a respectable and responsible loving adult. I actually found myself in tears a few times there in the end.

I didn't have an issue with Charlie, Helen's (Matthew's sister) math teacher who Matthew crushes on. He did come off very judgmental at first, but overall, he was sweet, kind and just what Matthew needed to start acting like an adult. Plus, they were really cute together.

Now Glenn is another story. He's Matthew's best friend and I absolutely hated this guy for most of the book as well. He was even more immature than Matthew and definitely an enabler - I mean he supplied Glenn with the drugs and kept pressuring him. And when he didn't get his way, he pouted and tried to make Matthew feel bad. He does get himself together in the end though. I liked that he matured and grew up when he was apart from Matthew.

Giving this book 3 stars is just me being nice because I did like Matthew in the end. But had I rated the first 80% alone, it would have only received 1 or 2 stars at most. I'll still read other books by the author because I have liked the others I've previously read. This one was just a dud for me simply because the main character was an self-centered idiot.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Emotional Ride Like No Other

This book differed from the other books written by the author, dealing with a deeper conflict than most m/m stories that I've read.

At first, I was sure that I was not going to like our main character, anti-hero Mathew. His self-centered, destructive behaviors had me cringing at times. But his development throughout this story shed some light on his true character traits, and about halfway through the book I was totally team Mathew. I found myself hoping that Helen would finally open up to him, that he would finally clean up his act and settle down with Charlie and that he could finally come to terms with his parents deaths.

Hooked from the very first chapter, this book took me through so many emotions. I was laughing at moments (I mean that party was fabulous!) and then crying at others. I have not had a book make me feel so deeply in a long time.

A book that sets this author apart from others in this genre, Raising Hell is one not to miss!

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

What do you get when you mix a reprehensible reprobate and the sweet shy teacher? A delicious slow burn romance!! Matthew is a playboy, and borderline addict. When he learns his parents have died and he is expected to take over caring for his younger sister he is understandably upset. He is intrigued by one of her teachers, Charlie.

Matthew should not be a likable guy. However the way the book is written you see the kernels of goodness. He is out, proud, and unapologetic. Charlie is the perfect foil - he wants to be bad but is reluctant.

I loved the transformation of the character. His little sister was adorable and precocious in a charming way. Matthew’s best friend Glenn is great comic relief (the drag queen names were comic genius). Superbly written and hot as heck. I loved the entire book!!

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, the chapter titles alone are entertaining. I read them all before diving in.
Second, these characters: Matthew, the immature, in your face, doesn’t care what you think, party boy; Charlie, the good guy, stuck in his head, hot math teacher; Helen, the ice princess brat of a sister to Matthew; and Glenn, the drag queen who is everything you want and more.
The author drops the proverbial fourth wall with this book and style is very different from what I’ve seen the past from him. It’s Matthew’s POV and the reader is addressed throughout the book. Prepare for a mental and emotional rollercoaster of high and lows, laugh out loud moments, and a couple tear worthy moments. There were a couple moments that felt incomplete in the book, unanswered questions, but that’s just me. Otherwise this would have been I five star read.

[Joshua Conner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Raising Hell, is a very introspective piece by Daryl Banner. The singular point of view, gives the story a few brief darker undertones. Although an m/m novel, it explores universal topics like how the death of a love one can impact a family, alcohol abuse & drug problems in our country. While most of Daryl's books that I have read transport you into a realm of idealic possibilities, this book gives you a dose of realism. While the book is somewhat mature in nature, it has a very hopeful & positive message. It also proves that sometimes it liberating to be a square peg in a round hole, because only then can you discover the true essence of your happiness.

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sigh...again I am blown away by another Daryl Banner story! I have to admit that I was a bit unsure where this story was heading in the beginning, but , as usual, Daryl does not disappoint! This tale will take you on a roller coaster ride of emotions! I was angry, I laughed, I cried...and of course, in the end, I am once again in awe at this young man’s talent! Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your amazing journey!

Your forever fan!

[Julie Leopold · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strap in for a wild ride!! Definitely not the usual Banner fare. This book is sarcastic, irreverent, sexy and involves a party like no other. With a HEA that brings tears to your eyes. I loved the first person point of view. It took a while to warm to the main character but that was the point. A story of growth and reimagining what family means. Thoroughly enjoyed the ride!!!

[Sue Ouellet-Cofsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I started reading, I wasn't sure how I felt and if I could enjoy such a dislikable character. Then I started seeing glimpses of people I know in real life who, while acting and saying such off the wall and despicable things, were really just covering up discomfort or pain. I motored through and am thrilled I did because in the end, this was reminiscent of Daryl's Brazen Boys and all the tough characters redeemed themselves in my eyes. A little irreverent, a whole lot flippant, brazen and funny, enough sexy and lots of love!