Sibling Rivals by Summer Devon

Sibling Rivals by Summer Devon

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

The Blurb…

Meeting the family shouldn’t be this complicated.

As the designated slacker of the family, Peter Stevens was accustomed to being eclipsed by his “perfect” older brother, Mark. But when Mark came out to their parents one Christmas vacation, it was his turn to be the black sheep.

Even more surreal was Peter’s brief encounter with his brother’s boyfriend, Colin. The unmistakable sparks between them shook the foundations of his confirmed heterosexuality. Years later, when they meet again as graduate student and professor, that bone-deep attraction is still there.

Thanks to the emotional scars Mark left behind, Colin has had his fill of Stevens men. Having Peter at his university shouldn’t be a problem though, as he knows the younger man is straight. But when Colin realizes the electricity sizzles both ways, he can’t resist indulging in a passionate affair.

Yet some old flames stubbornly refuse to die. This time, Peter refuses to step aside—and when an emergency brings the family together again, Colin must decide if it’s worth the risk to trust another Stevens brother with his heart.

So what did I think?

This is an interesting story that explores a sibling relationship in the context of two men and their relationship with the same man. Colin and Mark have a relationship which ends, however Mark’s younger brother, the ‘straight’ Peter, continues corresponding with Colin over a number of years. Eventually Colin offers Peter a place to stay when he moves to Boston.

Mark and Peter are very different and have grown up in a family where initially, Mark was the prefect ‘good’ son (I struggled with this as I never really warmed to Mark. Eventually Mark’s sexuality had made him an outcast with his mother. Mark is moody and sullen, the opposite of the outgoing and honest Peter.

Peter starts to realise he has an attraction to Colin and doesn’t hesitate to act on this. He is honest and funny and the perfect partner for the older, more serious Colin. Peter’s sexual exploration is very natural.

When Mark and Peter’s mother becomes ill and they need to return home, Mark decides it’s time to make a play to win Colin back. It takes separation and a lot of introspection, for all men to come to terms with what they really want.

❅❅❅❅❅❅❅

To find out more about Summer Devon and her books visit her website.

Buy Sibling Rivals from Amazon.

Buy Sibling Rivals from Samhain.