May Archer
September 15, 2026
September 15, 2026
A fake engagement to the hot sheriff who escorted me to family camp? Weirdly delightful.
Failing to tell him that my family is a bunch of professional thieves? Small oversight.
I left the Callahan family business years ago. These days I’m a law-abiding citizen. A photographer who takes nothing but pictures. A man who’s learned not to get greedy for anything… or anyone.
But my family hasn’t gotten that memo, so I expect my week at family camp to be filled with guilt-trippy attempts to lure me back into the fold.
Until Holden Axford comes along… and everything goes axe backwards.
Winsome’s gorgeous sheriff was supposed to be nothing more than a one-night-stand. He doesn’t have a clue why I’m dreading this week, but he takes his protection game seriously. So when he thinks I need a rescue, he steps in and declares himself my fiancé… and I’m too busy swooning to argue.
Now Holden’s sharing my bed, stealing kisses like Callahans steal Rembrandts, planning a camp heist (for fun, obvs!), and charming my family of criminals.
Our motto is ‘Callahans don’t get caught’ but nobody warned me about catching feelings.
Unfortunately, secrets don’t stay buried forever. And when someone forces the Callahans toward one last impossible job, protecting the family I love means becoming the man I swore I’d never be again.
But if Holden learns the truth about my past, it’ll be goodbye fake engagement, goodbye sheriff… goodbye heart.
Character Graphics From Author's newsletter
Holden Axford is the Winsome Sheriff. He’s loyal, responsible, a rule follower, witty, and not looking for love in any way, shape, or form. He’s a one-and-done type, and he tries to avoid his matchmaking mama's attempts at all costs.
It turns out that a one-night half-stand with Merritt Callahan isn't as anonymous as hoped, and things get too close for comfort, as Merritt is friends with one of his brother’s partners. And now he’s remembering the good parts of the night that he does remember clearly and trying to talk himself out of wanting to go back for a second helping. And his brain misfire causes him to volunteer to not only drive Merritt to his family camping vacation but also to stay there and pretend that he is his fake fiancé in front of Merritt's family. He is just protective like that.
So now they’re definitely too close for comfort, and the initial attraction that started it all is back in full force. Neither of these guys wanted a relationship; that’s problem number one. Problem number two is that they don’t live in the same area and Merritt is a traveling photographer. And problem number three is that Merritt’s family are (secretly) former thieves, while Holden is a small-town Sheriff. And lying to everyone (sometimes even themselves) is also another problem. Messy, messy, messy.
I loved seeing Sheriff-Stick-Up-His-Butt start to let go and have fun, enjoy life, and have passion outside of work. And Merritt has been running so long and just alone, and I enjoyed seeing him reconnect with his family and also feel safe, protected, and cared for by Holden. Their chemistry is amazing and they balanced each other well. They both see to the heart of each other to what the other needs, unfortunately there is a secret and some obstacles to navigate and they could be a deal breaker.
This is a small-town, one-night stand that kept going, opposites-attract, fake engagement romance with plenty of family shenanigans, secrets, lies, humor, and a pinch of suspense. It brings back the other Axford Brothers and their significant others and their parents, as well as introduces Merritt's quirky family. I have really enjoyed the series, and I’m excited for the last Axe brother, True, to find his true love. I am excited about the match up that was teased.
It turns out that a one-night half-stand with Merritt Callahan isn't as anonymous as hoped, and things get too close for comfort, as Merritt is friends with one of his brother’s partners. And now he’s remembering the good parts of the night that he does remember clearly and trying to talk himself out of wanting to go back for a second helping. And his brain misfire causes him to volunteer to not only drive Merritt to his family camping vacation but also to stay there and pretend that he is his fake fiancé in front of Merritt's family. He is just protective like that.
So now they’re definitely too close for comfort, and the initial attraction that started it all is back in full force. Neither of these guys wanted a relationship; that’s problem number one. Problem number two is that they don’t live in the same area and Merritt is a traveling photographer. And problem number three is that Merritt’s family are (secretly) former thieves, while Holden is a small-town Sheriff. And lying to everyone (sometimes even themselves) is also another problem. Messy, messy, messy.
I loved seeing Sheriff-Stick-Up-His-Butt start to let go and have fun, enjoy life, and have passion outside of work. And Merritt has been running so long and just alone, and I enjoyed seeing him reconnect with his family and also feel safe, protected, and cared for by Holden. Their chemistry is amazing and they balanced each other well. They both see to the heart of each other to what the other needs, unfortunately there is a secret and some obstacles to navigate and they could be a deal breaker.
This is a small-town, one-night stand that kept going, opposites-attract, fake engagement romance with plenty of family shenanigans, secrets, lies, humor, and a pinch of suspense. It brings back the other Axford Brothers and their significant others and their parents, as well as introduces Merritt's quirky family. I have really enjoyed the series, and I’m excited for the last Axe brother, True, to find his true love. I am excited about the match up that was teased.
Kiss My Axe
Kim's 5 star review
Tropes: Enemies to Lovers, Grumpy/Sarcastic Sunshine
Opposites Attract, Fish Out of Water, Small Town
Living in a treehouse? Unavoidable.
Falling for the grumpy lumberjack hottie next door? Unthinkable.
After a viral PR disaster torpedoes my marketing career, I flee Manhattan. The only place left to land? A fairy-tale treehouse in a pickle-obsessed Vermont town, left to me by an uncle I barely knew.
Yes, I said pickles.
No, I’m not okay.
But I’m only here temporarily. Just long enough to regroup, let the notoriety die down, and figure out my next steps in peace.
Unfortunately, my new neighbor has other ideas.
Beckett “the Axe” Axford–cranky local heartthrob and unapologetic tree-murderer–claims Uncle Jim made him promises about the forest around the treehouse, and he’s none too pleased when I won’t take his word for it.
Unfortunately for him, I’m done playing by other people’s rules. I’m not backing down just because some sexy–I mean grumpy–lumberjack says so, and I can handle whatever he dishes out.
Tree climbing? No problem.
Pickle festival popularity contest? Sign me up.
Kissing my unexpectedly-tender, flannel-clad nemesis in the woods after dark? I can take it, bro. And take it. And t– Ahem. You get the picture.
I’m tired of losing, so I’m not giving up my inheritance or my heart without a fight.
And if Beckett thinks differently, he can kiss my axe.
Hot Axe
Axford Brothers #2
Goodreads
Goodreads
Kim's 5 star review
Falling in love with my straight best friend? Tragically inevitable.
Telling him? Completely out of the question.
Everyone in Winsome knows Robbie and I are a matched set. A package deal. Ames and Robbie, Robbie and Ames.
He’s the calm to my chaos. The sun shining through my rain cloud. The guy who convinced me to be a firefighter. The man who’s known every single thing about me since we were thirteen…
Except for the teeny, tiny, inconsequential fact that I’ve been in love with him for years.
I planned to take this secret to the grave. Robbie’s straight. He’s engaged. And I’m finally–finally–ready to move on.
But one uncontrollable blaze, one daring rescue, one inconvenient injury, and one heavily-medicated, wildly inappropriate love confession later, my plan’s up in flames.
Suddenly helpful, perfect, shirtless Robbie is bathing me, dressing me, and nursing me back to health. And if being around my gorgeous bestie 24/7 wasn’t torture enough, it seems I’m not the only one having un-platonic thoughts.
But there’s no way I’m letting myself fall into the fantasy again. Because if I let myself believe this is real and it isn’t, it won’t just break my heart… it’ll break us.
And I refuse to risk our friendship, no matter how tempting the man’s hot axe might be.
May Archer
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May is an M/M author who lives in Boston. She spends her days raising three incredibly sarcastic children, finding inventive ways to drive her husband crazy, planning beach vacations, avoiding the gym, reading M/M romance, and occasionally writing it. She also writes MF romance as Maisy Archer.
