Cubs & Campfires: Sweet & Stocky, Book 1

Dylan Drake’s Cubs and Campfires is a delightful and heartwarming adventure that captures the essence of youth, friendship, and the great outdoors. Set against the backdrop of a sprawling wilderness, this novel takes readers on a journey through the eyes of a group of young scouts as they navigate the challenges of nature and the complexities of growing up. Plot & Pacing: The plot is refreshingly simple yet deeply engaging. Drake skillfully weaves together the innocence of childhood with the thrills of outdoor exploration. The story progresses at a steady pace, balancing moments of excitement with quieter, introspective scenes that allow readers to connect with the characters on a deeper level. The narrative is filled with the kind of adventures that spark nostalgia for anyone who has ever spent time around a campfire, sharing stories and roasting marshmallows. Character Development: The characters are where Cubs and Campfires truly shines. Each scout is distinct, with their own personality, fears, and dreams. Drake does an excellent job of portraying the dynamics of a group of kids who are still figuring out who they are and where they fit in the world. The friendships feel authentic, and the conflicts, though sometimes small in scale, are handled with a sensitivity that makes them resonate. Writing Style: Drake’s writing is evocative, with descriptions of the wilderness that make you feel as though you’re right there in the thick of it, smelling the pine trees and…

This story follows Luca an up and coming journalist who is tasked with being celibate for the summer in order to write a piece for a job opportunity, he ends up landing a summer job in a fire watch tower which is the perfect escape from temptation that is until Artair shows up and wrecks his plans but improves his summer. I loved the body positivity of this book and how neither men were slightly ashamed of their bear bodies and instead loved themselves and each other as they were. So often plus sized characters are written where they are negative towards themselves or it takes an outside love interest to come along for them to love themselves and this book had none of that. Both Luca and Artair were not only happy with themselves but instantly attracted to one another from the second they met in a hysterical somewhat meet cute. I enjoyed reading about them both along with Bowie and watching them open up to each other and seeing the growth of Luca who was coming to terms with possibly not getting his dream job. I felt like it had good character growth and was a fun feel good story. It's cute but is not at all lacking in spice! Overall well rounded story.

WHAT TO EXPECT: Body Positivity Feeling Frisky in the Woods Cute, Fox Friend Clothing Optional Summer Romance REVIEW: This book is so incredibly funny, sweet and spicy. The tone is very lighthearted and jovial, even while shedding light on the absurdity of societal normal and the social issues around s3x. The writing style is so funny and flirtatious; full of hilarious innuendo, scorching scenes and sweet moments. I had SO much fun listening to the audiobook, especially. The initial moment that Luca and Artair met had me absolutely CACKLING and the description of certain ✨activities✨ nearly made me fall out of my chair. I also adored how size / weight was described in this book. Luca and Artair are large, hairy men with some extra weight. Both main characters are so confident in their own bodies and are unabashedly attracted to each other — honestly, these men are self-confidence goals. I blushed, I cackled, and I sighed wistfully. Highly recommend — such a fun read / listen!

I can tell this book was written with love. I can feel how Dylan Drakes enjoyed writing this story. I want to be clear. The fact that I can tell from the words how this was loved as it was written is so important to me. Was this the perfect story? No. Was this story for me? No. Do I regret reading it? Also no. It just wasn't my speed. The main character and the love interest felt like the same person in different fonts, only showing in the early stages of their flirtations that important diffence in personality. The kinks of the author are very apparent in the novel, and for some reason, seeing the word 'bulge' used repeatedly for any reference to the groin until the end really bugged me. This book is great for easy, unengaged reading. Good for lazy nights where you really should be doing other things, but instead, you're reading and multitasking. It's a book you can put down for a few months and still remember everything when you pick it up again. It's an easy read. Don't be put off by my struggle with it, but don't expect Mobey Dick either.

Getting this out of the way I am biased because I love Dylan Drake as a social media creator. I preordered the book and also received it as an ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily. Cubs and Campfires is the first in the "Sweet and Stocky" series. This is a MM, Contemporary, Low Angst, Cute/Cozy, Chonky MMC's {Authors verbiage}, set in Washington State Forest, HEA. Luca Torres is a Latin VERY Liberal Journalist. He believes in complete sexual freedom with absolute honesty. He wants to work for a major publication but when he pitches to the Gazette he's told that his material is unpublishable and that he has to clean it up. He pivots to a new story line to keep his dreams alive: celibacy for the summer. He gets a job at the Washington State Branch of the US forest service Fire Watch Tower. Which means no temptation and all the writing time he could ever want. Insert -> Artair Osmond the Flirtatious beautifully bearded bear that also happened to be the great epic wanderer. He is a constant temptation to Luca, teasing him every chance he gets. Astair doesn't like commitment or staying in one place for long. So when Luca drops into his life every interaction grows that little seed deep within him. Bowie the Fox is one the greatest side characters to ever side character. Adorable, Mischievous and duper clever. I highly approve of this level of scene stealing. Bits I LOVE: Best COVER of the Year! Love love so much love. Latin representation. Chonky men without horrible…