Reviewed by Taylin
TITLE: Hot Doggin
SERIES: Bitches with Stiches #1
AUTHOR: Raquel Riley
PUBLISHER: Self-Published
LENGTH: 223 Pages
RELEASE DATE: February 20, 2025
BLURB:
It’s funny how you can wake up one day and realize that everything you’ve ever wanted has been right in front of your face all along.
McCormick
I’ve had some dark days.
The day I lost my leg.
The day I took a handful of innocent lives.
The day I watched my buddy take his life because he couldn’t live with the consequences of our actions.
They haunt me late at night. I hear them cry out for help.
The only things that quiet the voices; My motorcycle, knitting, and my buddies—Stiles in particular. He’s always there when I need him, and when I don’t.
But the loneliness lingers, and it hurts sometimes.
Stiles
I gave seven years to the Army, and in return, they took my memories. I got caught in the backlash of a land mine that caused a loss of my short-term memory function. I forget little things like appointments, and whether or not I forgot to turn off the stove or lock the door. But kissing my best friend? That’s a huge thing, something I’m not likely to forget.
Another huge thing I can’t forget? That I’m a straight man who doesn’t kiss men.
It’s too bad I’m not attracted to guys because we would be perfect together. In fact, I think we could make it work, as long as he doesn’t make it weird. But… Fuck, McCormick makes everything weird.
Hot Doggin’ is the first Bitches with Stitches novel and is a continuation of the Scars and Stripes Trilogy. Best friends to lovers Past trauma/hurt comfort PTSD/disability/amputee Motorcycle club Double bi awakening Found family Badass men who knit Stupid hot dog jokes
REVIEW:
Mac and Stiles are ex-Army veterans through injury, not age. Mac lost his leg, and Stiles has memory issues. When they met, a connection made them best friends among a brotherhood of similarly broken men who find therapy through knitting while they talk about their day-to-day activities. But should the status quo remain between Mac and Stiles, who firmly believe they are straight or is something brewing that will make that blip on the Kinsey scale work for them?
I was in two minds about whether to pick up this book for review. The reason is that the blurb reads rather depressing, but I am a sucker for friends-to-lovers stories. By the end, the story wasn’t as sad as it could have been. However, I remained unsure about what to write in this review. I will explain.
The story is very well-written in the first person, with alternating chapters from the viewpoints of Stiles and Mac. Worldbuilding revolves around their day-to-day activities and interactions with the public and other members of the veteran’s group who are closer than brothers. It was interesting to see life from an alternative viewpoint. Still, I found it very sad that some members of the public looked at these heroic men and their disfigurements and saw something horrific instead of saying thank you for your service. The trauma of their active service was, quite rightly, hard to read, and I was frequently in tears throughout the story, though the camaraderie was heartwarming, which also made me cry. I especially enjoyed the Veteran’s Day food trail and the ‘we’ll drop anything and come when you need us’ side of the group.
Mac and Stiles are lovely people. There is lots of belching, down-to-earth conversation, and daily situations. The honesty between the men was an aspect that many relationships could learn from. The banter also brought a smile.
The nuts and bolts of my uncertainty are that I found Hot Doggin to be a thought-provoking story. It was a window into the life of a veteran that I appreciated and respected. It is also a view that I believe needs to be out there, and by the end of reading, I felt educated and more mindful of the people I encounter. The author has done a lot of research for this novel, which is admirable and hits the heartstrings big time. I reiterate that I cried a lot. But the story comes over like a bio-style novel, and I’d have preferred to smile more and cry less.
So, it all comes down to why you pick up a book. Is it to learn about the life of another, escape this world for a while, or something between the two with a percentage of realism to fantasy? While a chunk of the population is in the believable fantasy category, I am positive thousands reside in the realm of realism. These readers will most likely give Hot Doggin a deserved five hearts.
RATING: 
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