Reviewed by Stephen K.
TITLE: The Stepbrother
AUTHOR: Raleigh Ruebins
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 179 pages
RELEASE DATE: August 24th 2021
BLURB:
Step 1: Get stuck on an epic family road trip with your straight, cocky, filthy-rich stepbrother.
Step 2: Pretend he didn’t kiss you on the first night of the trip.
In high school, Fox was my rival. My new stepbrother was already a career-obsessed city boy, and I was a proud small-town theater geek. I said good riddance when his cocky ass finally moved to the big city, leaving us behind. But now after years apart, Fox agreed to come on our big family road trip. And he’s definitely not a teenager anymore.
We’re sharing way more than just an RV. I’m closer to Fox than I’ve ever been before–camping, hiking, and swimming in the summer heat. I’ve grown out of my acne and glasses phase, and I’m not afraid to talk back to him. But I’m also getting lost in his eyes. When he kisses me, I’m not sure if I’d rather strangle him or push him into bed.
…But I want his lips on mine again. Even though I should know better.
Fox has secrets, too. He’s been through hell, and I’m discovering the sensitive man behind his exterior. He takes me seriously, when everybody else sees me as a boy-crazy gym bunny in a tank top. But when Fox finally starts to win my heart, he gets an irresistible job offer back in NYC.
But it doesn’t matter. It’s not like I was falling in love with my damn stepbrother, anyway. Right?
REVIEW:
Sam is the “heart on his sleeve” gay son of an accepting mother who remarried when Sam was still in high school. His slightly older stepbrother, Fox, always seemed too serious and too “cool” for young Sam when they were in school. Now they’re older. Sam works as a bartender in a gay bar, always falling for the wrong guy. Meanwhile Fox is still the too-serious straight arrow, all about business, well past his schoolboy “millionaire by thirty” goal, and is a workaholic who’s never really fallen for anybody. Of course the two step-brothers never got along as kids, but now, forced together on a family vacation after years of being apart, both brothers are beginning to understand each other better.
This story is set against the backdrop of a journey which brings the boys’ metaphorical journey into better contrast. Both boys realize along the way that just following their own approaches hasn’t led to happiness, but maybe compromise, and combining their strengths, just might. And when Fox realizes that maybe he’s not as straight as he always thought…
This is a great vacation read. Not only is it an step-enemies to lovers tale, it’s a family pleasure trip and you can go along for the ride. Both main characters and the rest of their fellow travelers all seem like people you wouldn’t mind spending time with. This is a fast, fun read, low on the angst and moderately spicy without being overly graphic. Though clearly part of an on-going series, this can easily be read as a standalone. I’ve not read any of the precursors but I’m now curious enough that I’ll be going back and checking them out.
RATING: 
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