Unholy Temptation: A Brother's Best Friend Gay Romance Novel

Lynn Burke

Apr 2022 · Sinful Natures Book 4 · Lynn Burke

About this ebook

A Forbidden Bi-Awakening MM Contemporary Romance Novel by USA Today Bestselling Author Lynn Burke

As an assistant pastor at Simply Grace Church, it’s my duty to abstain from the appearance of evil—which includes keeping my sexual orientation to myself, same as I’ve done with my close-knit family.

Yet I knew I was different when at age fourteen, I woke from a dream with the evidence of my desire for him.

Aiden McNelis, my older brother’s best friend.

But he left for the west coast after graduation, and I chose God.

Almost sixteen years later, Aiden’s return catches me unaware, but even more surprising is how he’s changed. He looks at me with more than friendship in his eyes, studies me like he wants to strip me down body and soul.

Aiden’s curiosity closely mirrors mine, challenging my spirituality with unholy temptation.

But giving into my sinful nature, touching the forbidden, won’t just tear apart the life I’ve built for myself.

It will ruin my family as well.

Ratings and reviews

I absolutely enjoyed this book. Jed being an assistant pastor, hiding his true identity his entire life to go to be in the church. He was just going about his daily life until his teen crush Aiden came back home. Their chemistry and love for each other conquers all and this story shares how they become stronger together. Lynn Burke knows how to write MM. Sooo gooood.

This may be my favorite installment of the Sinful Natures series since the first book, but I truly believe that just comes down to my preferences as a reader in regards to spicy content, because every Sinful Natures book is excellent. We got a hint that Pastor Jed may be struggling with the same demons as (now formerly) Pastor Ezra in the last book, Unholy Desire, but in this book we get to know Jed more, and also to get to know his… preferences more. We also get to see more of his identity and the lifelong love he has held for Aiden, who was his older brother’s best friend when they were growing up. This is a brother’s best friend/best friend’s little brother romance trope, but there’s not a whole lot of the usual push-pull relationship movement surrounding this trope. I didn’t miss the angst that usually comes with the trope, because often I feel like that particular shade of angst is rather put-on and condescending to the brothers in question. The angst concerning Jed’s older brother (and, therefore, Aiden’s best friend) stems more from the religious conflict central to the book’s (and the series as a whole) plot than anything else, really. I do appreciate that Aiden leaned into his own journey of self-discovery, because it doesn’t seem like something that might be strange for a newly-divorced man to do when confronted with the fact he may appreciate men more than he had ever let himself think before. I had a slight feeling of uneasiness at how he teased Jed, because I thought it was obvious Jed had some issues going on and priorities to attend to, but the moments when Aiden went snooping were some of the hottest in the book. And can we just talk about the fuzzy socks? All in all, this book was an excellent romance with that scathing dose of insulting evangelization we’ve come to know and love from Lynn in this series. It ended a bit abruptly for my taste, but otherwise it was very well-rounded.

Unholy Temptation is book #4 in the Sinful Natures series, which goes from strength to strength. Lynn Burke has done it again!! I was so excited to read Jed's story as he intrigued me in Unholy Desire and I so wanted to know more about him and his background. Again the setting is Simply Grace Church and features the unchristian Pastor Welkes and his unholy acolytes. Jed Simpson is the assistant Pastor and this is his story... The story begins when Aiden an old friend of Jed's brother (Jacob) returns to his home town, and moves into the apartment opposite Jed. I loved reading about their early teenage years and their earlier interactions. For most of the story I just wanted to hug Jed and tell him that he was a beautiful soul I felt so much for what Aiden suffered in his past and how he doubted himself. My heart went out to this couple and I suffered with them through their pain and anguish. Jed "My existence had been everything but fulfilling..." This broke me up as it resonated how empty Jed was in his life. There is such a tug-of-war of emotions and angst; family, church, grandfathers' wishes, responsibility and self all vying for the upperhand. Read this amazing, heartwrenching book and find out if they can resist the Unholy Temptation they pose to each other. P.S. On a joyful note I had a happy dance at the poetic justice served.