My Accidental First Date

Raised by Wolves #1

by Casey Morales

I didn't run when he kissed me.
Why didn't I run?

I thought we were just two friends going to see a movie. He thought it was a date.

When he picked the movie Threesome, I thought it was odd. Then his arm pressed against mine, and my heart raced.

When he kissed me, alarm bells sounded.

What followed was a hilariously authentic beginning to a lifetime of love and laughter.

My Accidental First Date is the first volume in the hilariously cheeky, best-selling Raised by Wolves series, a contemporary coming of age MM romance about a wide-eyed, newborn gay discovering who he is, who he loves, and who he wants to become.

As with any lifelong journey, Michael will fumble through first-time experiences, discover new friends and a wonderful found family, and face the many challenges of love and loss. He laughs with life’s highs and finds comfort in darker times.
Together with the reader, Michael walks the path of his life.

This 5-book series chronicles four decades of a young man's life and are best enjoyed in series order. My Accidental First Date is a novella written to tickle the funny bone and whet the pallet. All other books in the series are full-length novels.

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, Contemporary, LGBT, Novella, Queer, Gay

72 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 22, 2021

About the author

Casey Morales is an LGBT storyteller and the author of multiple bestselling MM romance novels. Born in the Southern United States, Casey is an avid tennis player, aspiring chef, dog lover, and ravenous consumer of gummy bears.

Reviews

[lauraღ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh. I thought I was getting a humorous little coming out novella, and I guess that's what this was but the humour wasn't really my thing. I can sometimes like that 'speaking directly to the reader' kind of POV, but here, it wasn't pulled off with any kind of finesse. I didn't super like the main character or any of his inner monologue, and there was fatphobia of the 'c'mon, why are you mad, can't you take a joke' variety.

Listened to the audiobook as read by Jon Curtis, which, as with so many other lacklustre books, is the only reason I finished it. The premise is cute and the chemistry between this guy and his date was nice, but. Eh. Doubt I'll continue the series.

[Janet (iamltr) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yall...

I'm not gonna lie, I was thinking of bailing around that whole creepy die hard movie watching scene. The older dude was just too icky. I think if this story wasn't told like he was actually speaking to me, that it wouldn't have been so bad. At that moment I wanted to tell him to run.

But I'm glad I finished. Once I got used to the fact that the wall breaking was going to last the whole time, I was ok with it.

So this is a very short story about someone (who is apparently my age, thanks for the memories) who was raised so strict that he couldn't say the word gay, figuring out that he was gay.

The narrator could have edited down some parts but overall, this was good.

[Shelba · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m not a huge fan of 1st person POVs, and definitely not of the narrator constantly addressing the reader.

This was okay. At times, Joseph’s behaviour seemed more creepy than charming. But I guess that’s a matter of perspective.

A few typos. Even instead of event. Angles instead of angels. A word missing here and there from an sentence.

[Soraya · Rating 3 out of 5]

First person narrative with a humorous voice. If you remember slinky-cord landline phones and VHS tapes you'll find his descriptions of settings particularly amusing, especially with his "yes, I'm that old. Get over it," attitude.

[~BookNeeds~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this. I was really into it. My fault for not realizing this was a novella.

[Ed Davis · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is my first book by this author and I have to admit I didn’t care for the writing style. There was way too much description of things like their houses. I really hated the author talking directly to me. I have the next book, but I don’t plan to read it.

[Shonee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so adorable. I screamed with laughter more than a few times.

"He put down a glass full of golden liquid that didn't look like something a good Christian should be drinking." MC is a soft, innocent cinnamon roll. I can't believe I had this entire audiobook box set just chilling on my phone for the longest time.

[Deanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorably Funny.

I have NEVER read a story like this. Funny. Sweet. The writing is good. The "hero" adorable, naive and original. My first read by Casey Morales. I must read more by this author.

[Zak F · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the first person retelling of a humorous first time experience. Made me laugh but also smile over the cuteness of the protagonist.

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (4/12/2022)! 🎁

[Jezabel Nightingale · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet encounter told through the lens of a man who had been brought up to believe being gay was wrong. The humour almost deflected some of the experience at times.

[Lizva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this audio although the narrator didn’t quite jive with the character for me. It’s not a romance but is a sweet coming out story.

[Jooke · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5*

[Val Francis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taking a phone call for his flatmate when he’s out, Michael does something he’s never done before. When the caller asks him if he wants to take in a movie because they’re both bored, Michael decides that there can’t be any harm in it. So why not? It doesn’t matter that Joseph, the caller, is a stranger.

Of course, it does matter because Michael is the product of an ultra-religious upbringing. Though his family has no idea what’s happening, Michael’s gayness is working its way to the surface.

So, why’s a trip to the movies such a big deal? Maybe it’s because Joseph is a particularly hot guy.

My Accidental First Date is an enjoyable novella and an easy read. Wisely, Casey Morales, the book’s author, is wise enough to concentrate the story on the protagonist, Michael. The book focuses on Michael’s journey of discovery, and the reader goes with him on it.

Altogether it’s short and sweet and avoids going off course. I’m happy to recommend the book to anyone who wants to curl up with some easy reading.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unquestionably Funny For A Questioning Preacher’s Kid

This well written peeking out short story is laugh out loud funny. I’m certainly looking forward to the novel length continuation. It’s fun to follow the narrator as he takes his first tentative peek out of the closet without realizing he’s done more than a little peeking—he’s stepped into a whole new world.

Grammar and punctuation are good except for one page that took a bit of decoding. Easily forgiven based on the rest of the story.

If you’re a vintage TV buff you’ll note that “Three’s Company” has two girls and one guy sharing an apartment. The guy pretending to be gay to make the setup appear respectable—not two gay guys as Morales suggested. That never would’ve passed network censors in 1977. In fact neither would have an actual gay character.

Also the non-fatal car crash would have totaled the car.

Nitpicking aside, don’t hesitate to pick up this short story for an enjoyable quick read and more than a few laughs.

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very different kind of mm romance, Michael was raised in a strict religious family, taught gays were bad, watching tv sternly overviewed by his parents, his life ruled by church. This is his story about his accidental 'date' with a dude. The wise cracks and anecdotes as he tells his tale were funny but after a while I got slightly weary of them, but I still enjoyed his poignant story. I was a teensy bit disappointed with the ending though.

[Mya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was not bad. It was enjoyable! I am excited to read the next edition.

[Christopher K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

No “false advertising” here… 😉😉😉‼️

This charming, snarky, totally honest story is EXACTLY what it claims to be: “a funny, sexy, fumbling, out of the closet, M/M romance.
The first in Casey Morales’ “Raised By Wolves” series, “My Accidental First Date” is the tale of a 22 yr old (PK) preacher’s kid, who has been raised SO sheltered by his “ultra religious” family that he has had absolutely NO interaction with anyone, either romantically and/or physically, male or female (except for one “PG” rated kiss from a girl in high school… his one & only date).
The narrative and the narrator are intoxicatingly charming and pleasant, throwing in enough “Gay reflective banter” to help bring the reader in to the story even more.
The character of the other half of the “accidental date” is developed enough to further invest the reader’s relationship in what transpires and rather than be predatory, making this more “clichéd” than as engaging and uplifting as the story is, the level of compassion and intimacy creates a truly wonderful read.
I was blessed to get to listen to the audiobook 🎧 concurrently while reading 📖 the 📕 (and though the narrator wasn’t of a Teddy Hamilton’s stature and continually made teeny little changes to the “actual” printed text, he still added to the experience rather than detracting from it.
I had already purchased the 2nd 📕 in the series as well as the ✍️’s latest release, “Winning His Vote”, that I went ahead and borrowed the entire “Raised By Wolves” Boxset from Kindle Unlimited until I can possibly pick it up in it’s entirety on sale… 🤞🤞🤞‼️

Casey Morales, a new ✍️ for me, but BOTH a GOOD find and☝️that I’m looking forward to 📖 more & more from… 💃💃💃‼️

[Cæsar Eanraig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unanticipated!!!

Really refreshing story, a perfect balance between emotion and comedy, a journey through the main caracter's psyche, it was almost like a great chat with your bestie, I laughed several times, and related... surprisingly, the richness of details were so amusing, the writing was so funny, light and very smart, I had a really good time with this book! High praises to Casey Morales for this marvellous work!!!

I have this book on audible as well, I bought the complete series, it was little disappointed when I notice that if you buy the books separately you have more from the book, I noticed because I had the first book downloaded through my plus catalog and I have the virtual book, so with the complete series I don't have the preface for example, and in my opinion it's a very interesting and fun part that unfortunately was edited out.

Jon Curtis was absolutely superb, perfect choice for this story, the voice was clear, light and with a up energy, in one side it showed some innocence and vulnerability, in the other was funny and fresh! The performance was on point and fully committed, I really appreciated it! Congratulations!!

5⭐️

Cæsar

[Wide Eyes, Big Ears! · Rating 4 out of 5]

In his early 20s, Michael comes from a very strict Christian fundamentalist family, which he describes as being ‘raised by wolves’, so he’s quite naive and easily scandalised—certainly not worldly wise. Joseph, a friend of his roommate invites Michael to the movies and it takes a long time for him to realise it’s a date, despite the close contact, the kissing, the massage, and more. Michael is still looks askance at alcohol, let alone what he calls “the g-word”, which Jospeh finds amusing. It’s the first step in Michael’s gay journey.

Written in the first person, this short story (72 pp, about 1.5 hrs on audio, it’s really a chapter) is the first of five milestone dates feels very semi biographical and I liked that personableness a lot. It has a lovely conversational tone that breaks the fourth wall as Michael addresses us directly in many asides and some gentle humour as the narrator demonstrates his total cluelessness about his sexuality and his sexual inexperience. I guess it’s the familiar story of someone who’s slowly divesting themselves of their religious guilt and programming and I could relate to it fondly and deeply. 🎧 Jon Curtis has the perfect youthful voice for this character and he handled the pathos and gentle humour deftly, I’ll look forward to more audio narrations by him!

[Janice Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in the 1990’s, a clueless baby gay discovers that he may actually like and be attracted to men. All while giving the reader delightfully insightful commentary about his ultra conservative and sheltered upbringing. When a boring Saturday with nothing do led Michael into accepting a second chance offer of a movie hang out with his roommate’s friend Jason, an accidental first date blends into an evening with several firsts.

I really enjoyed this tongue-in-cheek novella and the funny narrative had me in stitches. I grew up with VCR tapes and landlines with mile-long curling cords, so it was really cute to remember back to those days. Michael was just so clueless, but got really into the situation, especially when they went back to Jason’s condo and eventually into his bedroom. For someone with no previous experience with anyone, period, it was endearing how calm and accepting he was to just feel and go with the flow, so to speak. It kinda broke my heart when Joseph negated his feelings after their second “date”, espousing that Michael only felt that way because he was his first.

I am really looking forward to the next book in this series.

I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Nina Diab · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute story that I'd read a year go with a premise interesting enough that I had to pick it up, because how does one go on a date with someone accidentally and not realize it? There were so many ways it could go and I had to know. I'd really enjoyed it. So I was looking forward to the opportunity to listen to it on audiobook.

It was narrated by Jon Curtis. I must admit, I wasn't crazy about it. He had good pitch and enunciated well. There was just something about the tone that bothered me. It sounded almost like the one comic relief character of a friend group who spoke in a way that almost had a goofy edge to it without sounding too over-the-top; just a hint past normal. But it irked me and distracted me every time I heard it.

Since this is the first I've listened to from this narrator, I listened to some samples of his narration in several other books, and he sounded normal. That tone wasn't there. My guess is maybe he was purposely trying to portray a somewhat awkward 22-year-old. Though that tone was also in the inner monologue, not just spoken dialogue. A shame because I would have enjoyed it more otherwise.

Overall: 3 stars
Performance: 3 stars
Story: 3 stars

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Equal parts humourous, self-depreciating, and melancholy, this story felt a bit smoothed over but overall very real. It is told as a story of discovering a different side of himself from what was preached his whole life, of realizing that he could be gay and interested in men. It was funny as he figured out the "date", it was sweet and slightly amusing as he realized his attraction, and it was sad as he felt the shame and guilt over something normal. This was a journey but just the beginning. It was a story that was easy to read but hard at the same time, and very enjoyable. The only part that just didn't work was the actual encounter of the two men. The lead is so innocent he doesn't realize the date, the sexual attraction, barely realizes the innuendo. But when it gets down to it he asks to have anal sex? It felt so out of the blue, even the other man said so. That part just didn't quite make sense with everything else. This one part didn't take away too much from the story and overall it was a great journey to go on!

[Tiffaney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book was an okay read. The style wasn't really my cup of tea, but I'm giving it a 3 star rating because it did keep my attention enough to finish it. The story was sort of told in a biography type of fashion and less like a story. The main character was recounting a memory and explaining his past, so it carried different than a regular story would. Although the characters in the story were relatively young, the ideology of the story felt old fashioned. What I mean by this is the main characters view of the world and toward LGBTQ+ persons felt very old school conservative. The main character goes into detail about he was raised in a conservative home, so that makes sense to a point, but there were little aspects like his inability to say the g word (gay) that made it feel more old school. Sometimes he replayed a memory or explained his thoughts in a way that felt drug out and it started to lose my attention. Overall, it was a decent read, but I would probably not continue on in the series. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Ashar · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I want to start by saying this book is not your cookie cutter LGBT romance. Which is why the reviews are lower than they should be. I feel like this is an artistic and indie style book and that should be taken into account if one chooses to read it.

Now that that's out of the way, the story is cute. Michael and Joseph are the main leads, which have a somewhat innocent and funny chemistry. The book though has a heavy sad undertone, which is probably inevitable when religion and upbringing is tackled in any LGBT story.

My likes are the quirky first person approach paired with the forth dimension reader addressing, though this is a acquired taste for a niche audience. I also have a soft spot for named chapters, it gives the book a homey feel. The book was pretty short though, which is to be expected of a novella, but the chapters were short too. I wonder what a full three hundred pager Casey Morales would look like?

[Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short story/novella is part sweet, part sexy, part humorous (mostly at the lead characters expense.) It is written in a way that the narrator (the main character) is talking to us, the readers, which makes it fun. The young man is a preachers kid, follows the word of the Bible, and has lived a pretty sheltered life. Therefore 'the gays are bad.' He knows that. Color him surprised when he finds himself attracted to the stranger he had agreed to go see a movie with. There are many scenes that show his nativity, and while may have been blushworthy for him, are kinda cute to witness. This isn't a coming out story though, but more of a discovering yourself tale. While there is sexual content, the way it's described keeps it on the 'cleaner' side. It doesn't have a cliffhanger per se, but it's not a full story with a HEA. It's open-ended, to be continued in another book. This is just the beginning of this young mans journey.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Accidental First Date by Casey Morales is a novella about Michael's gay awakening. Michael is a 22 year old preacher's kid who hasn't experienced much in life other than church and boy scouts.

The story takes place 20 some years ago before cell phones and on-line streaming.

Joesph initially calls for Peter, Michael's roommate and since Peter is out of town, Joesph and Michael decide to hang out. One thing leads to another and Michael has his first sexual experience and tries to come to terms with the fact that he is attracted to men.

The story is told entirely from Michael's point of view. There were a couple of times I would have liked Joseph's point of view - and I'm still not sure if Joseph took advantage of Michael or if Michael really was on board with everything that happened.

Overall, this was a good start to the series and I'm looking forward to the rest of Michael's adventured on the way to finding his soulmate.

[Sue Lish · Rating 5 out of 5]

A little bit different.

I have read many books about first dates, and first times, but this book was very different from them all, in a very good way.

It didn't really read like a book, but like a good friend recounting a story to you. The author drew you in, explaining what was happening to him, as the story progressed, explaining his thoughts and feelings with regards to his upbringing, and his lack of knowledge of the intricacies of life due to his very religious, almost cultist, upbringing.

It wasn't at all what I expected, but regardless of that, I have to admit that I'm kind of hooked on the authors style of writing, and I really need to read the next book in this series. Although I have no idea how many more books there are, I need to know more about the trials, and tribulations, of Michael's experiences as he embarks on his journey of discovery, which is sometimes funny, sad, and sometimes very bittersweet.

[RN · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me a long time to decide to read this book, because I knew it wasn't a typical romance with HEA. But it was recommended to me, and now I wish I'd read it sooner. Casey's writing is hilarious while dealing with a topic that's not so easy. Realising you're gay when you've had that sort of religious upbringing must be really difficult - especially back in the era when this story is set. This story is sweet, funny, optimistic, and insightful. I felt for Michael, and how confusing it must have been for him, but so glad that he kept going with his journey of self-discovery. I loved the insight into how a young man thinks, as well as the more philosophical aspects (eg. the granite triangle). I didn't mind the absence of an HEA because the story finishes optimistically and with the promise of everything working out down the track. I can't wait to read all the rest in this series and learn more of Michael's journey.

[Traci S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! My Accidental First Date is just so so charming, I was immediately drawn into narrator Michael’s tale. The writing is clever and genuinely hilarious as Michael unwittingly finds himself on a date with Joseph - a friend of his roommate. His slow realization that he might be on a date was delightful. There is the perfect combination of humor and heart as this sheltered preacher’s kid starts to discover himself. Michael’s inner monologue as he is working out just how he feels about Joseph’s attention and flirting are so well written. The subsequent guilt and confusion that follow are beautifully handled and bring an emotional weight to the story. I just loved everything about it. Unique, funny and lovely.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.