He Ain't Medicine: But I Swallowed Him Anyway

by Lore

He Ain't Medicine is a dangerously seductive urban tale about trauma, lust, and the kind of love that feels more like withdrawal than romance.

Semaj didn’t just want love, he wanted the high. The chaos. The sweet, twisted intimacy only mentally broken men could offer. After losing his mentally ill ex to suicide, he spent his nights chasing that same manic magic in all the wrong places.

Then came Sanct.

Fine. Feral. Fxcked up. Sanct was a walking red flag wrapped in sex appeal, and Semaj’s trauma couldn’t say no. Their connection was instant. Part lust, part therapy, part warning label. And for Semaj, sex with a mentally unstable man didn’t feel dangerous, it felt like medicine.

But Sanct wasn’t just unwell. He was calculated. Playing a game Semaj didn’t know he was in. By the time Semaj saw the strings, he was too deep. Turned out. Obsessed.

What started as a search for healing became a masterclass in destruction.

This is more than a bromance, it’s a psychological trap dressed like salvation. And once you're in? There’s no safe word.

252 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 13, 2025

Reviews

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was AMAZING!

He Ain’t Medicine is a gripping erotic psychological thriller that makes you question your everything you know! Sanct was unhinged but in such a cold, calculating way that he scared me, literally. I kept asking what does this man want from Semaj?

Semaj was very clear on what he wanted from the beginning but when he started spiraling out of control, I kept turning the pages trying to figure out if he was was really chasing a ghost or if he was really enmeshed with Sanct.

As the story unfolded, my blinks got slower and the gasps got louder. Lord knows how to write a gripping tale that sucks you in and slowly starts to dismantle everything you thought was going to happen.

I enjoyed it 10000%! This is my 2nd read by this author and I’m definitely enjoying his writing!

[Wynette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lore has crafted a captivating tale of grief, obsession, manipulation, and predatory relationships. The line that stood out to me specifically is:

“God don’t make mistakes, but the devil got better dick.”

Semaj is still spiraling with grief following the suicide of his partner, Jeremiah. Semaj was always aware of Jeremiah's struggles, and even thrived on the energy that Jeremiah's mental illness provided him.

Jeremiah’s death cracked him wide open. Since then, the only thing that made his body respond was danger. Madness. Fire wrapped in a smile. Emotion teetering on the edge of eruption.

Semaj's journey of grief, obsession, and being mentally possessed by Sanct is written so poetically. The plot twist is one that I honestly didn't see coming. I would read this author again. I feel that the story built slowly and sometimes was repetitive.

[Kayybereading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alright here we go! This would be considered an erotic psychological thriller. After losing his mentally ill ex to (unaliving himself) Semaj just feels dead inside and is looking for a high to make him feel alive again! He finds this high in a psych ward with an unstable AF man named Sanct! Sanct was nuts literally and Semaj was dick dumb! So many twists and turns and when things really started to unfold it got crazier! I wanted better for Semaj but you gotta want better to be better. This gave the elements of mental health, illness, grief, trauma, obsession, possession, control, must i go on! Lol

Lesson here: if you work in the medical field with psych patients don’t fuck them! Okay? Cool? Cuz this was wild!

[Desmond Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really good story. I enjoyed the ride. I’m giving it 4 stars simply because the writing has a lot of holes and missed connections. At points I was questioning how did we get here. Also having to reread passages…like one minute he had drop the gun and then in the next sentence he had it in his jacket gripping it…caused some confusion, I was able to over look it and get the gist of the story. Overall good read spice level I give a 2.5. Ending interesting but I wanted something more. I do recommend you read just because the story is so interesting and fun how it plays out.

[AB · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was very suspenseful and crazy as ever!!! I went in blindly because this author was recommended if you like books with lgbtq+ characters. I was expecting a romance, but I got a full fledge thriller of sorts. Although I enjoyed the plot of the story, it had many confusing and unexplained moments, and that took away from the story for me. I feel that I have more questions at the end of the book that are left unanswered. Nice story overall, but I want to check out more or this author's work to see if the other books are better for me.

[Lexi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It captivated my attention from the very beginning all the way to the end! I lowkey felt bad for Semaj because he was just a pawn in a game he didn’t even know was being played. Sanct was crazy as hell 🤣 that man needed to be medicated correctly. Sanct was honestly a pawn too. I didn’t know what was going to happen in the story, but that definitely added to the experience of this story. This was my first read by Lore, but definitely won’t be my last ☺️

[Taelor Tolliver · Rating 4 out of 5]

suspense

Definitely different from what I usually read. Clarity came towards the middle of the story. At first I was lost but as I kept reading I discovered that although it’s different it was a good read. A lot of the twists and turns. If you think you are getting a love story, it’s not. But read anyway, it’s good . I really wanted Sanct to somehow get his life together but his antics was spooky lowkey.

[Brieanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crazy

Sanct was crazy as hell. Semaj wasn't too far behind. Semaj, you never heard you have to be professional at work? Who is the patient, and who is the caregiver? I'm there is a part 2.

[Tyedtoabook · Rating 3 out of 5]

At some point....You gotta get tired

There was so much happening here. The way I wanted to Semaj the entire time.......🤦🏾‍♀️🤦🏾‍♀️🤦🏾‍♀️ get it together man! This was interesting for sure.

[Chinelo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Uncomfortable but good

This is not a comfortable read. This is not romance.

This is a psychological erotica thriller that leaves a horrible taste in your mouth and has you questioning stuff.

While I did enjoy, I don't think its something i want to read again.

[Jaquasha Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was a book! I went into blind and loved every minute of it!!! Lore you wrote the fuck outta this book!