
TROY
Sometimes I want to punch that smirk off Atlas McCallister’s pretty face.
He’s cocky. A troublemaker. A pain.
And, unfortunately, my stepbrother.
We’ve been fire and kerosene since our parents got together, and to keep from exploding into fistfights, we’ve used challenges, dares, and bets to battle out our differences.
Our past bets have been a little inappropriate—scandalous, even—but Atlas’s latest bet has gone too far.
Do I really believe if he loses, my straight stepbrother is gonna mess around with a guy? And not just any guy: me, his rival and nemesis?
Not a chance.
But if he’s so confident he’s gonna win…well, my big stepbro must not know me as well as he thinks…
ATLAS
I love getting under Troy’s skin.
Mr. Former Prom King. Mr. Heartthrob. Mr. Infuriatingly Perfect. Messing with him is too easy. Too fun. Maybe that’s why I’m a little obsessed with him.
Our latest bet is the perfect way for me to test the bisexual waters, and once I dive headfirst into the deep end, I don’t want to stop.
With Troy. My stepbro.
It was supposed to be just a little fun, yet with each touch, I like him more than I should. It wasn’t supposed to go this far. Now I want Troy to be all mine.
But what we’re doing has bigger consequences than our little step bet, and when the stakes are this high, is it worth gambling our hearts when we know this is a game we both could lose?
This is the first book in the Peach State Stepbros Series. It can be read as a standalone.
Trigger Warning: The Step Bet is a steamy romance, but one of the secondary characters struggles with addiction. This may act as a trigger for some readers.
Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions
This was a fun, different enemies to lovers kind of read.
Step brothers who love to hate each other. I mean, they get a long but they also really enjoy ribbing each other. Kind of like real brothers. But these guys are very different in a lot of ways. Gay vs straight. Frat guy vs no frat. One is seemingly fine with a parent who was part of an affair. One has so much anger about that affair that he avoids going home at all costs. But they go to the same college and their parents are married to each other so…. they make everything a competition. Which is SUCH a guy thing. But a bet makes the taboo(ish) not so taboo.
Once I really got into the book, I just wanted to hug Atlas. The guy who wants people to think he is an a-hole. Because he is just holding so much in emotionally. But it seems like he never got the chance to really grieve so things because his father is just so awful. Doesn’t help that Atlas’s dad thinks Troy is the bee’s knees.
Troy also has quite a bit of trauma, but he is a people pleaser. Which means he goes along with whatever Atlas’s dad wants. And it means he wants to be friends, or at least more friendly with Atlas.
When Atlas begins to open up to Troy just a little- ugh, my heart. It made me hate Atlas’s dad more and really wonder what was wrong with Troy’s mom that she didn’t try to make the situation better.
Let’s get down to the relationship part. After losing a bet, Atlas eagerly pays up. Use your imagination. But that opens the doors to more. And Atlas still acts like an a-hole but it’s like he doesn’t WANT to with Troy. Just feels like he has to. Troy works to break through though. Because feelings come fast and come big. But the two of them play off each other so well; they were meant to be.
As a dual POV book co-written by 2 authors, you would never know it. Although each main character has their own distinct voice, there’s nothing that even hints at 2 different authors. I call that a win.
4 pieces of eye candy