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But We're Bros! #16

The Neighbor's House

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Helping the hot dad next door alone in his basement – better not wake the neighborhood

I wasn’t supposed to live alone in this house, but here I am. It was pretty terrible until my new next-door neighbor, Andrew, invited me for a few beers in his garage. After a while, I felt better about my predicament and started really valuing Andrew’s friendship. He’s the kind of guy that spends time watching hockey, working on his car in his garage, or watching a game in his basement man cave. He’s a young dad and seems to have gotten a head start on the whole being an adult thing. No one would say he has a dad-bod. Muscular, hairy chest, big arms and shoulders, and thick legs to hold it all up. The dude is built and has a dimpled smile to go with it.

One morning, as I was getting into the shower, I couldn’t help but notice him outside mowing his lawn. I was fascinated by the way the sweat trickled down his hairy chest or how his legs strained pushing the mower around. I watched until he went to take a drink from his hose. It ended up spilling all over him, plastering his gym shorts to his body like cling wrap. It revealed a lot more of my neighbor than I’d ever seen before.

I got in the shower and decided I was due for a little personal time. I conjured visions from the internet I had seen the night before, but Andrew kept popping up in my head. Mostly his chronically unshaven dimpled smile. When it was time for me to finish, I could only picture Andrew’s body with the water cascading down and what it revealed in his shorts. I’m supposed to hang out with him in his basement later. I hope there are no remnants of my shower-time indiscretion on my face. And that he’s wearing more clothes.

106 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 13, 2022

29 people are currently reading
29 people want to read

About the author

Heath Grayson

23 books60 followers
Heath Grayson writes erotic fiction featuring men who've just found out there may be more to life than they ever imagined. His debut series, But We're Bros!, depicts guy friends crossing lines that bros typically don't. Heath is fascinated by the quiet moments between men, how a single stare, repeated joke, or the simple brush of a hand can turn into something much more. The first time with your good bro can change your world.

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5 stars
84 (41%)
4 stars
70 (34%)
3 stars
36 (17%)
2 stars
13 (6%)
1 star
1 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
Profile Image for Noah.
498 reviews412 followers
February 10, 2025
I think “mid” is one of those words that’s become a tad overused. A little lost in the weeds and all that. It’s gotten to the point where it’s often seen as an interchangeable substitute for something that sucks, something you never want to think about again, something that’s bad. But… that’s definitely not how I see the word! To me, a book that’s mid is a book that’s perfectly fine. Readable, serviceable, and maybe even enjoyable at points, even if it falls on the unoriginal side more often than not. I mean, “mid” isn’t even a word to me at this point! He’s more like a dear friend that’s always there for me to help me describe the books I didn’t love or hate without being too mean about it. My good ol’ buddy “mid!” So yeah, just because I might often call something “mid,” that definitely doesn’t mean I’m saying it’s bad, by any stretch of the word. Anyway, this book was bad.

You’re the one I want in my life / Already got a wife / I can't leave you alone / And I know I'm livin' wrong / But I can't let you go (Can’t Let You Go – Fabolous).
Profile Image for ⚓Dan⚓.
500 reviews102 followers
October 15, 2022
This was a great story. I've been there with a neighbor who mystified me.
Kind of like, the straight guy flirting with me, confused me. Sexy stuff when it actually happens.
I Connected with the protags loved both of them.
Loved it, Heath.
Profile Image for J.
1,563 reviews37 followers
November 14, 2022
This is the only Heath Grayson novella I've read that didn't really work for me. It wasn't the plot or characters but more because the story jumps back and forth a bit between present and past and I don't think that he makes these transitions as clear as he could. A couple times I was wondering what was going on before realizing the story had shifted to the past. Simple chapter or section headers saying "Four years ago..." would have been very helpful.

The story is familiar - a gay or bi man trapped in a marriage he didn't really want, the gay neighbor and good friend who becomes much more than that after the marriage breaks down. But Grayson provides the necessary heat and characterization that he does so well. The end resolution is fairly predictable, but that's not a bad thing. Everything comes together organically, nothing forced or rushed (as possible in a novella). Still a very worthy effort by Grayson.
47 reviews
October 16, 2022
Like how this series has developed - from erotica, to erotica with feels & now erotic romance complete with a rather lovely HEA.
7 reviews
October 15, 2022
The main character was awesome and his neighbor was just as hot. I love the vulnerability on both sides and the connection they have. It's a must read! I'm really loving this authors writing! So refreshing compared to other stuff coming out these days.
Profile Image for Robert Fontenot.
2,081 reviews31 followers
November 9, 2022
Yes it's hot, everything Grayson writes has been hot, but this one is somewhat hampered by not having had a final editing pass. Typos and lost words abound and at times pull the reader out of the story. One particular typo, "wonton" replacing "wanton", even comes off as oddly racist. I still enjoyed it and will continue reading Grayson's tales but a proofreader would not go amiss.
Profile Image for Amanda.
727 reviews
November 30, 2024
A Realistic Romance

The growth of Dylan and Andrew’s relationship feels really realistic, especially considering Dylan had never been attracted to a man before and Andrew was not openly bi. I really appreciate that while Andrew was attracted to Dylan from the time they met, he never acted on it while he was married. I thought the way flashbacks were handled worked really well to flesh out the growth of their friendship and some of the hints that they felt more than friendship towards each other.

As often happens for me with novellas, it didn’t feel quite long enough. I would have liked more with these two, especially after they had gotten together as a couple.

Still, it’s a good story. The characters are likable and the development of their relationship feels real.
19 reviews
April 30, 2025
Wow what a wonderful story

A captivating narrative that defies conventional storytelling, this book begins with an understated approach that gradually transforms into an extraordinary journey. The initial chapters subtly diverge from typical literary patterns, ultimately revealing a rich and unexpected storyline that surpasses all expectations. Its innovative narrative structure and compelling plot make this a must-read for discerning readers seeking a truly remarkable literary experience.
358 reviews7 followers
June 23, 2023
life’s twists

Life can take some interesting twists and when they do, is a person at the ready to maneuver them. Meet two guys that seemed to be going in different directions but all of a sudden found that they had a shared direction. Fun read.
Profile Image for Josh.
8 reviews
July 22, 2024
Slow paced and the way its written you cant always tell if its present day or flashback...The 2nd half of the book moves the character development really quickly and it very much goes perfectly so if you like now stakes feel-good this is it!
Profile Image for LC.
171 reviews
November 6, 2024
I like these books but...

My god the dialogue is cringe. I get it, they're bro-dudes. But seriously, does anyone actually find it arousing to be called "bro, dude, buddy, man" during sex?
95 reviews
January 13, 2026
Sweet

Super sweet story at the end with plenty of spice but the first part was a bit convoluted and awkward with timeline and observations. I appreciate that the author was maybe trying something different. It could work, just needed some editing.
Profile Image for b00ks_in_nature.
919 reviews14 followers
November 1, 2023
Disjointed

It skips back and forth in time in a way that doesn’t make sense; it just pulls you out of the story. The actual story was good.
2,789 reviews16 followers
June 11, 2024
intriguing series

This is one of my favorite stories in the series. The characters are written well their emotions are realistic. They had to overcome their own battles.
Profile Image for NTDan.
527 reviews
August 5, 2024
if only this was a full book
i really love andrew's portrayal as a character. very sweet
Profile Image for diana  moreno.
132 reviews
October 9, 2024
Loved andrew

Sooooo it is supposed to be an E novella but not much ero bout it. I did love the premise it was new and interesting, It could have had more intimate moments.
443 reviews2 followers
September 23, 2025
Very Enjoyable

I enjoyed reading this book very much. It was an interesting and very thought provocative storyline. The author is very talented.
Profile Image for Tim.
1,025 reviews6 followers
May 3, 2023
Fresh off a terrible break up, 24 year old Dylan moved into the house he bought to share with his girlfriend. Alone, unfortunately, because he just caught her sleeping with his best friend. He's shy, a bit depressed and feels isolated away from all of his friends and family. A few weeks after moving in, he meets his neighbor 28 year old married Andrew, who is muscled, bearded, and dad to three daughters. Andrew draws Dylan out of his shell. The two of them get along pretty well, drinking, swapping dirty stories, and watching sports in Andrew's basement man-cave. Dylan soon realizes he's developed a man-crush on Andrew but he's straight and has no interest in being a part of infidelity. So he ignores his attraction so they can continue being bros.
About three years later, Andrew comes home to find his wife has moved out to be with her lover that she's been sleeping with for years. He falls apart, so Dylan helps him put himself back together of the next couple years... which then somehow winds up with them sleeping together regularly over the next year and half (or so.)

This was the second story [erotica?] I've read by this author. I had issues with the format of the story, it's all first person single narrator, but randomly jumps back and forth in time. I think the story would have developed better if it had been told in chronological format, because flashbacks jerked me out of the story. There were a couple odd phrases repeated several times and a few grammatical tense issues that threw me off. Then two main characters weren't developed very well, and the author didn't even bother to name all the daughters.

Not as good as The Farm, I rated this 2.5 stars but rounded up to 3.
Profile Image for peter :D.
78 reviews1 follower
March 3, 2023
I THOUGHT I WAS FINISHED BUT ANOTHER ONE CAME OUT IN FEBRUARY WILL I EVER BE FREE OF THIS SERIES
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews

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