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Blue Mountain University #1
Duplicity
Daniel
When my ex outed me, he also lied about our relationship, and everything changed. Now, I’ve been effectively disowned by my parents, and I haven’t dated anyone in almost nine months since. According to my friend, that’s too much time to waste regretting the actions of a good for nothing jerk. Part of me wants to get back out there, but I’m not sure. She insists on setting me up on a semi blind date with her old study buddy. But when I run into him on campus, he isn’t anything like she said.
Ian
I can count the number of people that I’ve told I’m bi on one hand, make that one finger. I’ve never been the out and proud type. So, when Daniel approached me nervously asking about a date, I was a little surprised, but I was also on my way to soccer practice and had no time to think it through. I gave him my number so we could meet up later and we went on a date the next weekend. It was great, and he kissed me when we were saying goodbye. Then he called me Aiden. That’s my brother’s name. Did I forget to mention I’m a twin?
*Duplicity is a mistaken identity romance novel with a HFN ending. Please see front matter for TW.*
When my ex outed me, he also lied about our relationship, and everything changed. Now, I’ve been effectively disowned by my parents, and I haven’t dated anyone in almost nine months since. According to my friend, that’s too much time to waste regretting the actions of a good for nothing jerk. Part of me wants to get back out there, but I’m not sure. She insists on setting me up on a semi blind date with her old study buddy. But when I run into him on campus, he isn’t anything like she said.
Ian
I can count the number of people that I’ve told I’m bi on one hand, make that one finger. I’ve never been the out and proud type. So, when Daniel approached me nervously asking about a date, I was a little surprised, but I was also on my way to soccer practice and had no time to think it through. I gave him my number so we could meet up later and we went on a date the next weekend. It was great, and he kissed me when we were saying goodbye. Then he called me Aiden. That’s my brother’s name. Did I forget to mention I’m a twin?
*Duplicity is a mistaken identity romance novel with a HFN ending. Please see front matter for TW.*
318 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 15, 2022
87 people are currently reading
311 people want to read
About the author
A.E. Madsen
12 books77 followersA. E. Madsen(they/them) is a stay-at-home parent and loving spouse. They live in California with their three children. A. has degrees in culinary arts and business management that have nothing to do with writing gay romance. They started writing gay romance in an attempt to better understand their gender identity and sexual orientation as a teenager, and it grew as a hobby from there. A. spends most of their time writing and reading stories about men falling in love with other men, but they also have ADHD and are easily distracted by social media and various topics of research that often have little relevance.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
January 4, 2022
*** I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.***
Duplicity is a wonderfully enjoyable romance that features a trope I have never read before: mistaken identity. Ian is an identical twin and his romantic interest, Dani mistakes him for his twin Aidan and naturally, feelings develop forcing Ian to pretend to be his brother until the truth is revealed.
In particular, I enjoyed the sweetness of the relationship between Dani and Ian, they developed genuine feelings for one another that was so cute to see and it made for an inevitable reveal that was much more intense and heartbreaking.
Overall this was an enjoyable story that included a large group of characters that I cannot wait to see more from in the next entry of this series.
Duplicity is a wonderfully enjoyable romance that features a trope I have never read before: mistaken identity. Ian is an identical twin and his romantic interest, Dani mistakes him for his twin Aidan and naturally, feelings develop forcing Ian to pretend to be his brother until the truth is revealed.
In particular, I enjoyed the sweetness of the relationship between Dani and Ian, they developed genuine feelings for one another that was so cute to see and it made for an inevitable reveal that was much more intense and heartbreaking.
Overall this was an enjoyable story that included a large group of characters that I cannot wait to see more from in the next entry of this series.
January 4, 2022
This is a decent debut novel, that started out as a solid 4 star read, but fell flat after about the 50% mark and left me a bit frustrated and annoyed.
I liked the premise of this novel. A mix-up between identical twin brothers can make for an interesting story, and I have to admit, in the first half of the book, it was. Even though Ian should have brought it up sooner, and even though his reasons were quite thin, I did enjoy the way the story put me on edge, because the moment Ian's lies would be discovered was coming nearer. It was palpable, it was only fair to Daniel. I just wondered how and when. When it all blows up, it kind of happens in a natural way. There's no building up to the moment, even though you can see it coming.
And when it's finally there, that's unfortunately when the story starts to fall flat. After that big revealing moment, the story drags, even though there are some side story's and some side characters that are allowed to share the spotlight for a few pages. Nothing really happens anymore.
Yes, Daniel is hurt.
Yes, Ian goes on with his life.
But it's all a lot of telling instead of showing. I didn't FEEL Daniel's hurt. I didn't FEEL Ian's regret and the fact that he lost Daniel.
The lines where 'he pulls his phone out' and 'he says back' were used a little too often and it started to annoy me at some point. Too many details that could have been left out. Too many characters that demand their share of this story.
It didn't flow naturally after that 50% mark, and I really think that's a pity, because I was definitely impressed by the first half of the book.
All in all, I guess for a debut novel this was quite decent. My advice would be to have a good editor look over the second book, because some details can be left out, which make the story flow better. And maybe focus more on both mc's instead of allowing secondary characters to take the stage one time too often.
I kindly received an ARC from the author and this is my honest, unbiased review
I liked the premise of this novel. A mix-up between identical twin brothers can make for an interesting story, and I have to admit, in the first half of the book, it was. Even though Ian should have brought it up sooner, and even though his reasons were quite thin, I did enjoy the way the story put me on edge, because the moment Ian's lies would be discovered was coming nearer. It was palpable, it was only fair to Daniel. I just wondered how and when. When it all blows up, it kind of happens in a natural way. There's no building up to the moment, even though you can see it coming.
And when it's finally there, that's unfortunately when the story starts to fall flat. After that big revealing moment, the story drags, even though there are some side story's and some side characters that are allowed to share the spotlight for a few pages. Nothing really happens anymore.
Yes, Daniel is hurt.
Yes, Ian goes on with his life.
But it's all a lot of telling instead of showing. I didn't FEEL Daniel's hurt. I didn't FEEL Ian's regret and the fact that he lost Daniel.
The lines where 'he pulls his phone out' and 'he says back' were used a little too often and it started to annoy me at some point. Too many details that could have been left out. Too many characters that demand their share of this story.
It didn't flow naturally after that 50% mark, and I really think that's a pity, because I was definitely impressed by the first half of the book.
All in all, I guess for a debut novel this was quite decent. My advice would be to have a good editor look over the second book, because some details can be left out, which make the story flow better. And maybe focus more on both mc's instead of allowing secondary characters to take the stage one time too often.
I kindly received an ARC from the author and this is my honest, unbiased review
January 5, 2025
⭐️ 2.5 stars ⭐️
Ian and Daniel go on a lovely date, but then Ian finds out Daniel thinks he’s on a date with his twin brother.
Love the premise, low key hated the execution.
The writing style was very bland and repetitive, the plot unmoving for most of the book.
A lot of ‘I did that and he did that’ moments, unfinished plot points, no depth to the characters.
It has me convinced... Is it just me or does that sound weird? Wouldn’t it have been hotter if it was just ‘he cusses and oh fuck, he just came too.’ ?
I don’t know, I just didn’t vibe with the style, which is a shame ‘cause I’m kind of curious to see what happens to Aiden, but I don’t think it’ll be worth the read.
CW and tropes (spoilers):
- Mistaken identity
- College setting
- Homophobia
- Out vs closeted
- MC w/ ADHD
- Vers MCs
- Rimming
Ian and Daniel go on a lovely date, but then Ian finds out Daniel thinks he’s on a date with his twin brother.
Love the premise, low key hated the execution.
The writing style was very bland and repetitive, the plot unmoving for most of the book.
A lot of ‘I did that and he did that’ moments, unfinished plot points, no depth to the characters.
My body shakes and tightens around him, making him moan as well. He cusses, and the gravelly sound that comes out has me convinced that he just came too.
It has me convinced... Is it just me or does that sound weird? Wouldn’t it have been hotter if it was just ‘he cusses and oh fuck, he just came too.’ ?
I don’t know, I just didn’t vibe with the style, which is a shame ‘cause I’m kind of curious to see what happens to Aiden, but I don’t think it’ll be worth the read.
CW and tropes (spoilers):
- Mistaken identity
- College setting
- Homophobia
- Out vs closeted
- MC w/ ADHD
- Vers MCs
- Rimming
January 28, 2022
RTC but I quite enjoyed this one. I had a lot of fun reading it and I wished I enjoyed it more than I did. I just had a hard time connecting with the book and I wish that everything was shown more instead of being told to me.
I received an ARC of this book, and this is my honest review.
I received an ARC of this book, and this is my honest review.
September 23, 2022
Nice story but it seemed to drag and there was no resolution with Daniel's family issues, which was frustrating because it took up so much of the story. If the family stuff had been cut down, (or even reduced to a paragraph because it didn't really add anything in the end), and instead more time was given to the characters actually being together instead of always having clashing schedules, I would have rated higher.
Also found it hard to believe Ian could pass off being his twin for two months!!
Optimistically curious for the next book though.
Also found it hard to believe Ian could pass off being his twin for two months!!
Optimistically curious for the next book though.
January 21, 2022
Mmm the first part was good overall, but it does not intrigue me as I hoped it've would.
January 23, 2022
Mistaken identity with identical twin college students, with the soccer-playing closeted jock being taken for his out-and-proud twin by a newly out blind date leads to some tense moments in this debut novel. It's well-written, with believable dialogue and a storyline well suited for the age group it portrays.
It took me a bit to warm up to the characters. That may have just been me feeling old, because about halfway through, when a significant event happens, I became invested in their future. There's plenty of heat, and plenty of drama, so if you're a fan of dorm-rooms, roommates, and a cast of college student characters, you should be right at home with Duplicity, an apt title if there ever was one.
It took me a bit to warm up to the characters. That may have just been me feeling old, because about halfway through, when a significant event happens, I became invested in their future. There's plenty of heat, and plenty of drama, so if you're a fan of dorm-rooms, roommates, and a cast of college student characters, you should be right at home with Duplicity, an apt title if there ever was one.
February 3, 2022
This was a great debut book for A.E Madsen. I was really intrigued by the concept of mistaken identity in the blurb, and curous to see how it played out.
Daniel gets set up on a blind date with Aidan, the out and loud player, except when Daniel approached him and reschedules, it was actually the closeted bi twin brother, Ian. Ian doesn't know at first that Daniel thinks he's someone else, not until after their first date.
At that point, I spent a third of the book yelling at Ian. He is such a sweetheart, very caring, and I totally felt for him and the predicament he found himself in as he got to discover more about himself, but I still wanted to throttle the guy LOL
I really appreciate the way A.E. handled it when Daniel found out the truth. I feel like it was an appropriate response, but I don't think it was completely over the top and hateful, just hurt. But there's a really special moment, where Ian shows up for someone really important to Daniel. I loved this part so much, and I love the heart that went into it and how things developed from there.
This was a really sweet slow-burn romance, with a nice dose of heat. A. E. has created a really great cast of characters, and I'm really excited to continue through the series and see who else will get their story.
Daniel gets set up on a blind date with Aidan, the out and loud player, except when Daniel approached him and reschedules, it was actually the closeted bi twin brother, Ian. Ian doesn't know at first that Daniel thinks he's someone else, not until after their first date.
At that point, I spent a third of the book yelling at Ian. He is such a sweetheart, very caring, and I totally felt for him and the predicament he found himself in as he got to discover more about himself, but I still wanted to throttle the guy LOL
I really appreciate the way A.E. handled it when Daniel found out the truth. I feel like it was an appropriate response, but I don't think it was completely over the top and hateful, just hurt. But there's a really special moment, where Ian shows up for someone really important to Daniel. I loved this part so much, and I love the heart that went into it and how things developed from there.
This was a really sweet slow-burn romance, with a nice dose of heat. A. E. has created a really great cast of characters, and I'm really excited to continue through the series and see who else will get their story.
July 29, 2022
3.7 stars
January 14, 2022
This was a fantastic debut release for A.E. Madsen.
Ian's insecurity about coming out after the way things went down with his brother in high school led to a lot of his issues. It made matters worse when Daniel thinks he's going on a date with his brother instead of him. He doesn't find this out until it's too late!
The build-up to the "big reveal" had me on the edge of my seat! I just wanted to shake Ian a few times! Just tell Daniel already!
Once it's discovered that Ian is Ian and not Aiden at EXACTLY 50% (nicely done) the story transitions nicely. Daniel is understandably upset! Ian doesn't get an easy pass either.
It was sweet watching Ian and Daniel rebuild their relationship while dealing with other struggles that pop up along the way.
This was such a fun book and I can't wait to see what's in store for Liam and Aiden.
Ian's insecurity about coming out after the way things went down with his brother in high school led to a lot of his issues. It made matters worse when Daniel thinks he's going on a date with his brother instead of him. He doesn't find this out until it's too late!
The build-up to the "big reveal" had me on the edge of my seat! I just wanted to shake Ian a few times! Just tell Daniel already!
Once it's discovered that Ian is Ian and not Aiden at EXACTLY 50% (nicely done) the story transitions nicely. Daniel is understandably upset! Ian doesn't get an easy pass either.
It was sweet watching Ian and Daniel rebuild their relationship while dealing with other struggles that pop up along the way.
This was such a fun book and I can't wait to see what's in store for Liam and Aiden.
January 20, 2022
A Joyfully Jay review.
3 stars
Duplicity is the debut book from author A.E. Madsen and introduces us to Ian and his circle of friends. Ian is busy with school and busy with soccer and his schedule sometimes gets affected by his ADHD, but he’s trying to make it all work. He has explored his bisexuality, but he is reluctant to let any one know. Ian wasn’t aware of the chain of events that led him to meeting Daniel, but he wants to keep seeing him. Daniel just wants someone on his side and he thinks he may have found that with Ian, but Daniel doesn’t have all the facts.
The start of the mistaken identity had a good flow, but it went on too long for me. For half the book, Daniel thinks he is dating Aiden and not Ian. Daniel isn’t even aware that Ian has a twin brother for some time. Once things progressed, Ian still was lying to Daniel and the ease of his continuous lying made him lose credibility for me.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
3 stars
Duplicity is the debut book from author A.E. Madsen and introduces us to Ian and his circle of friends. Ian is busy with school and busy with soccer and his schedule sometimes gets affected by his ADHD, but he’s trying to make it all work. He has explored his bisexuality, but he is reluctant to let any one know. Ian wasn’t aware of the chain of events that led him to meeting Daniel, but he wants to keep seeing him. Daniel just wants someone on his side and he thinks he may have found that with Ian, but Daniel doesn’t have all the facts.
The start of the mistaken identity had a good flow, but it went on too long for me. For half the book, Daniel thinks he is dating Aiden and not Ian. Daniel isn’t even aware that Ian has a twin brother for some time. Once things progressed, Ian still was lying to Daniel and the ease of his continuous lying made him lose credibility for me.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
not-for-me
January 18, 2022Dnf at 30%
This should have been right up my alley but I am not sure I can finish this book. I just did not feel a connection to the characters and between them.
I couldn't understand why Ian makes such a secret of his bisexuality as his brother is gay and everyone around him is OK with that.
I also didn't understand how he could hold the secret about his twin that long .... I know I am only at 30% but even till that point where around 10 instances where it should have blown up into his face.
And Daniel was bland. I hated his relationship with his family
So all in all unfortunately not a book for me
This should have been right up my alley but I am not sure I can finish this book. I just did not feel a connection to the characters and between them.
I couldn't understand why Ian makes such a secret of his bisexuality as his brother is gay and everyone around him is OK with that.
I also didn't understand how he could hold the secret about his twin that long .... I know I am only at 30% but even till that point where around 10 instances where it should have blown up into his face.
And Daniel was bland. I hated his relationship with his family
So all in all unfortunately not a book for me
March 29, 2022
fast read
This story was a fast read for me. I really liked how the author wrote the romance and the dueling emotions that Ian had throughout as he pretended to be someone he wasn’t. He walked such a fine line being himself while letting Dani think he was Aiden and he just couldn’t confess it without messing up so much. But that old adage a tangled web proved true and Dani found out the hard way and not from him. There was also something about how Dani felt the homophobia from his father and sister that broke my heart. When his younger sister came out to him as transgendered 🏳️⚧️, it almost felt like a healing as Joe felt safe going to Dani for help. As a mom myself, I felt proud of the mom in the book who stood up for her children. I loved reading that there will be more books in this series and that Dani and Ian will continue to have a spot in them. ♥️
This story was a fast read for me. I really liked how the author wrote the romance and the dueling emotions that Ian had throughout as he pretended to be someone he wasn’t. He walked such a fine line being himself while letting Dani think he was Aiden and he just couldn’t confess it without messing up so much. But that old adage a tangled web proved true and Dani found out the hard way and not from him. There was also something about how Dani felt the homophobia from his father and sister that broke my heart. When his younger sister came out to him as transgendered 🏳️⚧️, it almost felt like a healing as Joe felt safe going to Dani for help. As a mom myself, I felt proud of the mom in the book who stood up for her children. I loved reading that there will be more books in this series and that Dani and Ian will continue to have a spot in them. ♥️
January 22, 2022
3 Stars 🌟
This one was 50/50 for me, I liked some parts but others fell flat... specifically the romance/relationship between Ian and Daniel, they spent the majority of this book apart after the secret was revealed....then after, their pairing felt...eh... both of them went on with their lives and I missed the longing, and feelings between the two in that separation...I will say that I did enjoy some of the side characters and will go on to read the next books in this series as I felt their stories could be promising. Unfortunately this first one wasn't a win for me 🙁
* I received an ARC from GRR, this is my open and honest review *
This one was 50/50 for me, I liked some parts but others fell flat... specifically the romance/relationship between Ian and Daniel, they spent the majority of this book apart after the secret was revealed....then after, their pairing felt...eh... both of them went on with their lives and I missed the longing, and feelings between the two in that separation...I will say that I did enjoy some of the side characters and will go on to read the next books in this series as I felt their stories could be promising. Unfortunately this first one wasn't a win for me 🙁
* I received an ARC from GRR, this is my open and honest review *
January 7, 2022
The date mixup.
What happens when a man dates the wrong twin? A sweet, slightly confusing, exploration of coming out, and falling in love.
I didn’t really connect to the first part of the book. It didn’t read as well as the second half did. The author seemed to become more comfortable with the various characters.
That said, all the characters in this story were cute and sweet. Daniel and Ian were extremely likable. I think this should be an interesting series.
I received an arc of this book.
What happens when a man dates the wrong twin? A sweet, slightly confusing, exploration of coming out, and falling in love.
I didn’t really connect to the first part of the book. It didn’t read as well as the second half did. The author seemed to become more comfortable with the various characters.
That said, all the characters in this story were cute and sweet. Daniel and Ian were extremely likable. I think this should be an interesting series.
I received an arc of this book.
March 9, 2022
I'm not the biggest fan of mistaken identity especially when you keep lying to them and forcing your friends to go along with it. It's not the same thing as the miscommunication trope. And I love angst and pining. Gimme all of that. I'm just not here all the extra lying. But I did mostly enjoy this story and I'm looking forward to continuing the series.
January 10, 2022
This was a VERY slow burn story that would have benefitted from being a little bit shorter. I loved the premise of the book...going out with one twin, thinking it's the other. Daniel goes out with Ian, thinking he is his twin brother Aiden. It was an honest mistake, but Ian let things go for too long which causes a lot of drama. I did love the way that Ian genuinely cared about Daniel even though he wasn't completely honest about his identity. Daniel really likes Ian but he feels betrayed by Ian's deception. The side characters in this book were very interesting and I would really like to read their stories next.
January 8, 2022
This is not a trope I’m used to reading, the mistaken twin identity, but it was a good slow burn romance. Set in college, the main characters are truly coming of age and into their own.
The bi character having adhd had me fully identifying! Ian and Daniel had great character development and backstories, Ian dealing with coming out, and Daniel dealing with a super religious Latino family. I enjoyed the ups and downs of the budding relationship, especially in the second half when it all blew up.
Third person past tense, dual pov, vers characters with one new to gay sex.
The bi character having adhd had me fully identifying! Ian and Daniel had great character development and backstories, Ian dealing with coming out, and Daniel dealing with a super religious Latino family. I enjoyed the ups and downs of the budding relationship, especially in the second half when it all blew up.
Third person past tense, dual pov, vers characters with one new to gay sex.
January 7, 2022
Fabulous debut novel!
Duplicity was recommended by another author whose books I've enjoyed, so I took a chance and agreed to read an ARC for it. I'm so glad I did!
Ian and Daniel have a very unusual 'meet cute' and it's the basis for their relationship (as well as the plot for this fun book). When the mistaken identity continues, how far will Ian let it go?
I really enjoyed this book - it's got an amazing found-family, as well as complicated familial issues and an amazing relationship between the main characters. This is a fun read that I recommend.
Duplicity was recommended by another author whose books I've enjoyed, so I took a chance and agreed to read an ARC for it. I'm so glad I did!
Ian and Daniel have a very unusual 'meet cute' and it's the basis for their relationship (as well as the plot for this fun book). When the mistaken identity continues, how far will Ian let it go?
I really enjoyed this book - it's got an amazing found-family, as well as complicated familial issues and an amazing relationship between the main characters. This is a fun read that I recommend.
February 20, 2022
I loved Ian and Daniel's story! The mistaken identity trope is one of my favorites, especially between twins. When Daniel assumes Ian is Aiden, his twin, and reschedules their blind date. Ian is thrown because he has never publicly admitted he was bi. Not wanting to embarrass the nervous cutie, Ian figures he will tell Daniel about the mix up on their date. Only, Ian doesn't expect to be so wildly attracted to Daniel or to hit it off so well. Soon he is absorbed in Daniel's orbit and doesn't want to let him go.
This book was cute, intriguing, steamy and fun. There is a little angst but a majority of it is separate from their blooming relationship. Overall I really enjoyed this book and loved all the side characters. I'm already eager to figure out what is going on with the tension between Ian's twin and their childhood friend. I'm also intrigued by one of Ian's team mates. Oh, and I am also very hopeful a certain shy makeup blogger named Elliot, gets his own romance as well!!
This book was cute, intriguing, steamy and fun. There is a little angst but a majority of it is separate from their blooming relationship. Overall I really enjoyed this book and loved all the side characters. I'm already eager to figure out what is going on with the tension between Ian's twin and their childhood friend. I'm also intrigued by one of Ian's team mates. Oh, and I am also very hopeful a certain shy makeup blogger named Elliot, gets his own romance as well!!
January 15, 2022
This book had one of the tropes that is kinda rare: mistaken identity and twin mix-up. The premise was very intriguing so I requested an ARC (And because of the beautiful cover). The story takes place in university and I think it has one of the most accurate descriptions of being a college student because they are always busy and barely have time to hang out haha. *Internal agony because I relate too much*
I think Ian's reluctance to tell Daniel the truth because he was too scared to come out of the closet was realistic. When it all came to light I thought Daniel was going to punch him in the face. After they got together the plot got a little out of focus but overall their romance was good and the sex scenes were well written.
And for the next couple, the whole time I was wondering if Aiden and Liam were going to be a couple then I found out they were! (Yay!) Yes, I do need to know what happened in highschool but more importantly WHAT WAS THE THING AIDEN GAVE LIAM ON CHRISTMAS?
(...Tell me it was something kinky lol)
In the football match it was very satisfying to see (well, read) Asher punch his own teammate in the face for being homophobic. I'm assuming he and Bennett will be in the third book. Or maybe the author will surprise us and Bennett will be with someone else from the group of characters instead. (*cough* Elliot)
One of my favorite moments was when Joe came out to Daniel and Ian and they took him to get a haircut. Being a trans person myself, I'm so happy that most of his family members support him on his journey. I'm hoping he grows up in the next books and then gets a book of his own. I so love it when that happens in a series.
I'll be waiting for the next book!
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review*
I think Ian's reluctance to tell Daniel the truth because he was too scared to come out of the closet was realistic. When it all came to light I thought Daniel was going to punch him in the face. After they got together the plot got a little out of focus but overall their romance was good and the sex scenes were well written.
And for the next couple, the whole time I was wondering if Aiden and Liam were going to be a couple then I found out they were! (Yay!) Yes, I do need to know what happened in highschool but more importantly WHAT WAS THE THING AIDEN GAVE LIAM ON CHRISTMAS?
(...Tell me it was something kinky lol)
In the football match it was very satisfying to see (well, read) Asher punch his own teammate in the face for being homophobic. I'm assuming he and Bennett will be in the third book. Or maybe the author will surprise us and Bennett will be with someone else from the group of characters instead. (*cough* Elliot)
One of my favorite moments was when Joe came out to Daniel and Ian and they took him to get a haircut. Being a trans person myself, I'm so happy that most of his family members support him on his journey. I'm hoping he grows up in the next books and then gets a book of his own. I so love it when that happens in a series.
I'll be waiting for the next book!
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review*
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 5, 2022
3.5
A good debut with some interesting characters. Although the focus of the novel was Ian and Daniel, all too often Liam, Aiden and Elliot stole the show from them.
The first half of the book went along well with the mix up. I'll admit to being frustrated with Ian not admitting the truth to Daniel.
However after the reveal the pacing dipped quite a bit and I struggled with it. Often I didn't feel an emotional connection to the characters or their relationship.
That being said, it was interesting with the side stories and it was sweet.
Told in dual pov with vers characters. Check the CW for any triggers
A good debut with some interesting characters. Although the focus of the novel was Ian and Daniel, all too often Liam, Aiden and Elliot stole the show from them.
The first half of the book went along well with the mix up. I'll admit to being frustrated with Ian not admitting the truth to Daniel.
However after the reveal the pacing dipped quite a bit and I struggled with it. Often I didn't feel an emotional connection to the characters or their relationship.
That being said, it was interesting with the side stories and it was sweet.
Told in dual pov with vers characters. Check the CW for any triggers
July 27, 2024
to quote Louise Belcher: “if it was a spice, it’d be flour”
DNF 86%
The telling instead of showing was *painful*. Like literally nothing is actually shown but somehow the telling takes longer than if it had been???
This wasn’t even supposed to be that long and I kept thinking “surely I’m nearly done AND YET
I thought we were not doing a 3rd act breakup and we didn’t, it was about halfway through and then instead of the characters like growing as people or something we do a whole ass side plot with a sibling. And yay trans bc ofc. but I barely cared about the MCs why am I reading so much about all these side characters???
There was never even a moment when any of the characters felt real or even realistic. The MCs have no agency and only go places or do things because other characters (mostly the women) tell them to do things and drag them places. Only side character that made sense to focus on was Bennett as a foil for Ian’s coming out or his team but it also made no sense bc at the slightest hint of homophobia he defended his teammate so as much as we were told “I’m scared to come out as bi/be perceived as gay because TEAMMATES” he sure didn’t actually give a fuck so 🤷♀️🤷♀️
the women characters were so annoying bc they were the least like real people, only existed to set the premise and meet up so we could read Daniel telling them the same thing we’d just read happen. And also show up at his dorm with *multiple* Halloween costumes for him at random to drag him to a last minute party which clearly only happened bc author wanted to make sure we knew Daniel didn’t actually find Aiden attractive and then see Ian again for like a minute. But it all took sooo long to read through. “I did this. And then we did that and that. I put this over here and drank soda. Then put my soda down. We smiled at each other. Then the night was over” like I can never read from this author again it’s been a while since I’ve been so annoyed and bored simultaneously
The soccer pretty much vanishes as if the author got bored (same). In college but barely practiced and only like 3 games mentioned??? wild
Every character sighed constantly and for no reason and every reason. Someone smiles at you? Sigh. You got caught lying to your boyfriend? Sigh. Your mom just threatened to divorce your dad for being a bigot? Sigh.
I’ve never read so many unnecessary scenes in my liiiiiife
yeah okay I should have DNF’d sooner but I kept thinking the buildup would be worth it and I’d finally spot some chemistry!! silly me.
DNF 86%
The telling instead of showing was *painful*. Like literally nothing is actually shown but somehow the telling takes longer than if it had been???
This wasn’t even supposed to be that long and I kept thinking “surely I’m nearly done AND YET
I thought we were not doing a 3rd act breakup and we didn’t, it was about halfway through and then instead of the characters like growing as people or something we do a whole ass side plot with a sibling. And yay trans bc ofc. but I barely cared about the MCs why am I reading so much about all these side characters???
There was never even a moment when any of the characters felt real or even realistic. The MCs have no agency and only go places or do things because other characters (mostly the women) tell them to do things and drag them places. Only side character that made sense to focus on was Bennett as a foil for Ian’s coming out or his team but it also made no sense bc at the slightest hint of homophobia he defended his teammate so as much as we were told “I’m scared to come out as bi/be perceived as gay because TEAMMATES” he sure didn’t actually give a fuck so 🤷♀️🤷♀️
the women characters were so annoying bc they were the least like real people, only existed to set the premise and meet up so we could read Daniel telling them the same thing we’d just read happen. And also show up at his dorm with *multiple* Halloween costumes for him at random to drag him to a last minute party which clearly only happened bc author wanted to make sure we knew Daniel didn’t actually find Aiden attractive and then see Ian again for like a minute. But it all took sooo long to read through. “I did this. And then we did that and that. I put this over here and drank soda. Then put my soda down. We smiled at each other. Then the night was over” like I can never read from this author again it’s been a while since I’ve been so annoyed and bored simultaneously
The soccer pretty much vanishes as if the author got bored (same). In college but barely practiced and only like 3 games mentioned??? wild
Every character sighed constantly and for no reason and every reason. Someone smiles at you? Sigh. You got caught lying to your boyfriend? Sigh. Your mom just threatened to divorce your dad for being a bigot? Sigh.
I’ve never read so many unnecessary scenes in my liiiiiife
yeah okay I should have DNF’d sooner but I kept thinking the buildup would be worth it and I’d finally spot some chemistry!! silly me.
January 24, 2022
I really like new adult romance -- it's usually a fun time. I liked the concept of this debut novel a lot: a case of mistaken identity! Tension is built in, because it's always about when the truth is gonna come out.
Ian is a bisexual soccer player in the closet. Daniel is out, but his family is not supportive at all. When Dani is set up on a date, he's looking forward to it. But Dani doesn't know his date has a twin, and asks Ian out instead. Ian goes with the flow, even after realizing Dani thinks his out-and-proud twin, Aiden. The first half is waiting for the reveal of the duplicity (see what I did there), and the second is the fallout.
You can tell this is a debut novel because the second half drags, like the author didn't know how to keep the tension going after the reveal. It kind of needed stronger editing in the second half to shorten it or beef it up. It's also clear that the author liked the secondary characters a lot (Ian's twin Aiden and their roommates Liam and Elliott) and wanted the reader to get invested in them for subsequent books. But they pulled the focus away in a bad way at times.
Also, I don't get why Ian isn't out to his brother at least. I get not being out to his team, because the sports world isn't exactly LGBTQ-friendly at the best of times. But Aiden is gay and no one in their life has a problem with it like Dani and his family. I also thought Ian let the deception go on for too long for how thin his reasons were for not being honest. The makeup at the end then felt rushed for how long the blowout from the reveal dragged on.
Overall, a decent debut but I wasn't really snagged or engaged the way I wanted to be, and it was a bit of a chore to read at times. But the writing was good and line editing strong. It just need some over-arching editing help to make the pacing consistent throughout.
| I received an ARC, and this is my honest, freely given review. |
Ian is a bisexual soccer player in the closet. Daniel is out, but his family is not supportive at all. When Dani is set up on a date, he's looking forward to it. But Dani doesn't know his date has a twin, and asks Ian out instead. Ian goes with the flow, even after realizing Dani thinks his out-and-proud twin, Aiden. The first half is waiting for the reveal of the duplicity (see what I did there), and the second is the fallout.
You can tell this is a debut novel because the second half drags, like the author didn't know how to keep the tension going after the reveal. It kind of needed stronger editing in the second half to shorten it or beef it up. It's also clear that the author liked the secondary characters a lot (Ian's twin Aiden and their roommates Liam and Elliott) and wanted the reader to get invested in them for subsequent books. But they pulled the focus away in a bad way at times.
Also, I don't get why Ian isn't out to his brother at least. I get not being out to his team, because the sports world isn't exactly LGBTQ-friendly at the best of times. But Aiden is gay and no one in their life has a problem with it like Dani and his family. I also thought Ian let the deception go on for too long for how thin his reasons were for not being honest. The makeup at the end then felt rushed for how long the blowout from the reveal dragged on.
Overall, a decent debut but I wasn't really snagged or engaged the way I wanted to be, and it was a bit of a chore to read at times. But the writing was good and line editing strong. It just need some over-arching editing help to make the pacing consistent throughout.
| I received an ARC, and this is my honest, freely given review. |
January 16, 2022
3.5 Stars
Duplicity is the first book in the Blue Mountain University series. This AE Madsen book is a new adult romance that's a promising start for this series.
I absolutely love and crave college romances, so I jumped into this one with both feet. What's not to love about a closeted bisexual athlete falling in love? Add in that he's pretending to be his twin, and oh hell yeah, I'm intrigued.
Some people might not enjoy that Ian pretends to be his brother, and I understand that complaint. I definitely struggled with this and the way it all started. It just seemed "too easy" for someone who's supposed to be closeted. I'll also add that the twins are so completely different that it seems hard that anyone could ever mistake them for each other. But, damn it, I just didn't care. I was able to overlook that and just enjoy the story for what it is.
Of course, the secret is looming overhead throughout, as the reader knows that Dani will be mad. This adds plenty of tension and excitement for the reader, as these men are so darn sweet together. And of course, there's plenty of worry about the reveal, as the heartbreak is sure to be real.
Honestly, I'd be upset about the pretending thing if I didn't understand how hard it is for athletes to come out. This was just a good case of getting to be "out" without being "out." If you can overlook that, you'll enjoy the story.
Written in alternating first person pov, the writing flows well and the reader is easily brought into the emotions and thoughts throughout.
Overall, I enjoyed Duplicity. If you enjoy college sports, this AE Madsen tale is worth a try. It's a nice debut book and I'm excited to see what comes next in this series, as the friend group is simply delightful.
Duplicity is the first book in the Blue Mountain University series. This AE Madsen book is a new adult romance that's a promising start for this series.
I absolutely love and crave college romances, so I jumped into this one with both feet. What's not to love about a closeted bisexual athlete falling in love? Add in that he's pretending to be his twin, and oh hell yeah, I'm intrigued.
Some people might not enjoy that Ian pretends to be his brother, and I understand that complaint. I definitely struggled with this and the way it all started. It just seemed "too easy" for someone who's supposed to be closeted. I'll also add that the twins are so completely different that it seems hard that anyone could ever mistake them for each other. But, damn it, I just didn't care. I was able to overlook that and just enjoy the story for what it is.
Of course, the secret is looming overhead throughout, as the reader knows that Dani will be mad. This adds plenty of tension and excitement for the reader, as these men are so darn sweet together. And of course, there's plenty of worry about the reveal, as the heartbreak is sure to be real.
Honestly, I'd be upset about the pretending thing if I didn't understand how hard it is for athletes to come out. This was just a good case of getting to be "out" without being "out." If you can overlook that, you'll enjoy the story.
Written in alternating first person pov, the writing flows well and the reader is easily brought into the emotions and thoughts throughout.
Overall, I enjoyed Duplicity. If you enjoy college sports, this AE Madsen tale is worth a try. It's a nice debut book and I'm excited to see what comes next in this series, as the friend group is simply delightful.
January 13, 2022
Duplicity is book 1 in a new series called Blue Mountain University ( book 1 is an m/m romance)
Wow 🤩 this book was amazing and I absolutely loved it.
It’s original, steamy, sad at times, funny, it’s got it all. There maybe times when you cringe and want to shout at these guys too! The fire and passion of a great read.
Twins with mistaken identity…… uh oh!!!! What would be worse is if they weren’t put straight!
Ian is a twin. He’s much more reserved, not out and proud and hardly anyone knows he’s bi. His twin Aiden is the complete opposite, loud, out and proud, isn’t worried about anything and doesn’t really date, just hook ups. Their the complete opposites.
So when Daniel approached Ian for a random date it probably should have rung alarm bells but he didn’t think too much to it, until he was called his twins name. You would think he would set him straight but No!! That’s definitely a recipe for disaster.
And it might just be an explosive disaster with major consequences to their blooming relationship.
Daniel didn’t have a clue that the person his best friend had recommended to go on a date with to get him back out there after everything with his family was a twin. It also didn’t ring too many alarm bells that the guy wasn’t at all how his friend has described. Just a pleasant surprise, but when the truth finally comes out it could be devastating for him and leave him feeling betrayed.
A E Madsen is a new author and has started with this explosive read. I can’t wait for more.
I’ve been left now wondering about the other characters. Particularly Aiden and Liam and possibly Elliott.
I loved how the book had such a mix up of characters too. They were all so different but gelled really well.
I’m super excited for more in this amazing new series.
Would highly recommend to anyone, you won’t be disappointed. A huge 5 stars from me.
Wow 🤩 this book was amazing and I absolutely loved it.
It’s original, steamy, sad at times, funny, it’s got it all. There maybe times when you cringe and want to shout at these guys too! The fire and passion of a great read.
Twins with mistaken identity…… uh oh!!!! What would be worse is if they weren’t put straight!
Ian is a twin. He’s much more reserved, not out and proud and hardly anyone knows he’s bi. His twin Aiden is the complete opposite, loud, out and proud, isn’t worried about anything and doesn’t really date, just hook ups. Their the complete opposites.
So when Daniel approached Ian for a random date it probably should have rung alarm bells but he didn’t think too much to it, until he was called his twins name. You would think he would set him straight but No!! That’s definitely a recipe for disaster.
And it might just be an explosive disaster with major consequences to their blooming relationship.
Daniel didn’t have a clue that the person his best friend had recommended to go on a date with to get him back out there after everything with his family was a twin. It also didn’t ring too many alarm bells that the guy wasn’t at all how his friend has described. Just a pleasant surprise, but when the truth finally comes out it could be devastating for him and leave him feeling betrayed.
A E Madsen is a new author and has started with this explosive read. I can’t wait for more.
I’ve been left now wondering about the other characters. Particularly Aiden and Liam and possibly Elliott.
I loved how the book had such a mix up of characters too. They were all so different but gelled really well.
I’m super excited for more in this amazing new series.
Would highly recommend to anyone, you won’t be disappointed. A huge 5 stars from me.
January 18, 2022
Duplicity is Book 1 in the Blue Mountain University series. I really enjoyed this first book about Daniel and Ian. The story flowed nicely with well developed characters. Putting himself out there, Daniel agrees to a date arranged by a friend. Thinking he sees Aiden, his date, Daniel approaches him to confirm. Ian isn't sure what to think, but he's in a hurry, thinks Daniel is cute and agrees to a date with him. It isn't until after their date when Daniel calls Ian Aiden, his identical twin brother's name, that he knows there's been a case of mistaken identity. Ian had a good time and isn't really out, so he doesn't correct Daniel. I can totally understand where Ian is coming from. I can see how he didn't want to correct Daniel and then have Daniel go out with Aiden knowing his brother didn't really date he only did hook ups. I loved how Ian was still being himself and not trying to be Aiden in personality. There was a lot of family issues going on for Daniel and I loved how Ian wanted to be there for him and help anyway he could. I enjoyed Daniel and Ian together. They really complemented each other. I'm looking forward to seeing how the series develops and I'm really looking forward to knowing more about Liam and Aiden's story. There is definitely something going on or had been.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
March 2, 2023
Mistaken ID: one of my favorite trops.
I really enjoyed this book. I am giving it 4 starts. I wish I could give it 5 because I really liked it but didn't love it. I felt like it was missing something I couldn't put my finger on. Also, the side characters Aiden keep distracting me from Ian and Daniel. I keep thing what was wrong with him and Liam. I almost stopped reading these books to go read the next book with their story. I made myself finish this book. Not because it was bad, and I just wanted to finish it, but I could not let Aiden distract me. I liked Ian and Daniel love story it was so cute. Ian is a sweety! He did make a mistake by lieing to Dani but he apologized and never forced Dani to forgive him and stepped away so he could think Dani has 3 sisters and an older brother on of his sissyer Joe she 14 yrs old comes looking for Dani at school but can find him. Ian happens to see that she is looking for Dani and helps her. That opens the door for Ian and Dani to talk again. Dani only wants to be friends. They start to hang out as friends. Ian never pressures Dani for more. This shows Dani and the fact that he sees Ian being huged by another guy that he could probably lose him. So Dani decided they could date and move on from thier. Ian is happy and tells Dani that he does want to date him that he is the only one.
I really enjoyed this book. I am giving it 4 starts. I wish I could give it 5 because I really liked it but didn't love it. I felt like it was missing something I couldn't put my finger on. Also, the side characters Aiden keep distracting me from Ian and Daniel. I keep thing what was wrong with him and Liam. I almost stopped reading these books to go read the next book with their story. I made myself finish this book. Not because it was bad, and I just wanted to finish it, but I could not let Aiden distract me. I liked Ian and Daniel love story it was so cute. Ian is a sweety! He did make a mistake by lieing to Dani but he apologized and never forced Dani to forgive him and stepped away so he could think Dani has 3 sisters and an older brother on of his sissyer Joe she 14 yrs old comes looking for Dani at school but can find him. Ian happens to see that she is looking for Dani and helps her. That opens the door for Ian and Dani to talk again. Dani only wants to be friends. They start to hang out as friends. Ian never pressures Dani for more. This shows Dani and the fact that he sees Ian being huged by another guy that he could probably lose him. So Dani decided they could date and move on from thier. Ian is happy and tells Dani that he does want to date him that he is the only one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 20, 2022
That hesitation gets you all the time. Ian, is a university student who is bi and closeted. His twin, Aiden is out and proud. Daniel, is not out, until a secretive, ex outs him and lies about their relationship. Daniel is ostracized by most of his family and community. A mix up has Daniel approaching Ian, thinking he's meeting Aiden for a blind date. Ian, goes along with the mistaken identity and pretends to be Aiden to Daniel. Many fellow students, don't expose Ian's lie. They build a relationship that seems like it's going in a positive direction. Does Ian come clean before he's exposed? Does Daniel's family remember to put family first? How do fellow students handle the mistaken identity? How does Aiden feel? Do Ian and Daniel have a chance? Will Ian come out to everyone? Nice story. I give a pass with these men being college students and still growing. I don't understand Ian's motives, but again, he's young. Nice story. Good main characters. Supportive characters look to be fun. Nicely done! I look forward to reading about the rest of the friends. I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 22, 2022
*ARC provided by the author*
As a debut, this is an interesting story. I applaud Madsen for that, because it's clear their heart was in the right place.
I do believe the execution was a little underwhelming. The mistaken identity dragged a little too unrealistically long- which made it hard at times to root for Ian. I could also never connect 100% with Daniel, although his story was compelling enough to engage me in the reading process at least.
The first half of this book was much more interesting to me and easier to stay engaged in reading than the second half, so I do believe this story could have been shorter and it would have worked wonders for the execution and the pace of it all.
I did notice the enthusiasm of the author for the secondary characters, which in any other time I would appreciate; however, in this instance I think it worked in detriment to the development of the main characters, their relationship and the overall specific plot for this installment.
Even though it seemed that I had a lot to complain about, this author is one I plan on keeping on my radar.
As a debut, this is an interesting story. I applaud Madsen for that, because it's clear their heart was in the right place.
I do believe the execution was a little underwhelming. The mistaken identity dragged a little too unrealistically long- which made it hard at times to root for Ian. I could also never connect 100% with Daniel, although his story was compelling enough to engage me in the reading process at least.
The first half of this book was much more interesting to me and easier to stay engaged in reading than the second half, so I do believe this story could have been shorter and it would have worked wonders for the execution and the pace of it all.
I did notice the enthusiasm of the author for the secondary characters, which in any other time I would appreciate; however, in this instance I think it worked in detriment to the development of the main characters, their relationship and the overall specific plot for this installment.
Even though it seemed that I had a lot to complain about, this author is one I plan on keeping on my radar.
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