[Complete][76k] [M/M New Adult College/Sports Romance] - The Empty Chair - slow-burn hurt/comfort
Title: The Empty Chair
Genre: M/M college romance - Harvard, first-gen ex-LDS student, out but trying to stay invisible + junior QB legacy golden boy. Slow-burn hurt/comfort, bi awakening with one darker stretch.
Length: 76k complete, posting 10k sample (Ch 1-4) to start, full 76k if you want to continue.
Premise: Kirk Langdon survived freshman year at Harvard by staying invisible - back row, hoodie up, keep your distance. Three weeks into sophomore fall, he makes the mistake of making eye contact with Lukas Vanderbilt - junior quarterback, legacy, golden boy who owns every room he walks into. Kirk hates him on principle. Or tells himself he does.
Content note: First 4 chapters are low angst - no assault, no explicit sex. Full book does contain: attempted SA - no graphic sexual detail but extended struggle and aftermath, homophobic slurs during assault.
Not dark romance - romance is tender and consent-forward, plot gets dark for a stretch.
Looking for 2-3 readers who love college/New Adult MM romance for big picture notes in 1-2 weeks.
What I need on the 4 chapters - big picture over line edits:
• After Ch 1 - would you keep reading? What hooked or lost you?
• Does Lukas feel like more than a golden boy quarterback stereotype?
• Do Kirk and Lukas sound like two different people in Ch 3?
• I use internal italics for intrusive thoughts - did it work or feel distracting? Too much / too little?
• Where did you get bored or skim?
• After Ch 4 - would you request the full 76k? What would make you say yes / no? Are you rooting for them as a couple yet?
Format / timeline: On BetaBooks - 4 chapters uploaded now, I will unlock full 76k if you want to continue. Can also share Google Doc with Suggesting on or Word doc. 2-3 weeks for sample is great. Happy to swap for MM / college / sports / hurt-comfort.
DM for link.