The First Stroke by Dylan Joseph
They’re rivals on the river.
Off it, they’re hiding a dangerous secret.
Varsity Heat Crew is a bingeable MM college sports romance series following one couple across multiple books—high-stakes rivalry, slow-burn obsession, explosive chemistry, and emotional payoffs that keep readers turning pages.
Welcome to Asheford, a New England town split by an unforgiving river—and by two colleges that live to beat each other.
On one bank: Kingswell University. Legacy. Money. Tradition.
That’s where Alex Harrington rows—the golden boy raised to be perfect, disciplined, untouchable… and quietly suffocating under the weight of being gay and closeted, terrified of wanting what he actually wants.
Across the river: Riverside State University. Grit. Hunger. Fire.
That’s where Liam Moore belongs—the working-class powerhouse with everything to prove, all raw intensity and ambition… and standing on the edge of a bi-awakening he never saw coming.
But none of that was how it started.
Two years ago, one summer at Brackett Lake—before sides were chosen, before names meant anything—they crossed a line neither of them understood.
One secret summer.
One kiss that should’ve been forgotten.
Then summer ended.
Alex made a choice.
And Liam never forgave him for it.
Now it’s the first day of sophomore year.
5 AM.
No coaches. No rules.
Just Alex and Liam alone on the river, letting two years of anger, desire, and unfinished business explode into an illegal race that could end both their careers.
They thought no one was watching.
They were wrong.
Someone has proof—and with national scouts circling, scholarships on the line, and secrets neither of them can afford to have exposed, one reckless race could cost them everything.
Because wanting each other might be more dangerous than any race they’ll ever row.
Will they sacrifice everything they’ve fought for…
or finally risk it all for each other?
Perfect for fans of obsessive rivals-to-lovers MM romance, Varsity Heat Crew blends intense college sports drama, slow-burn tension, and high-heat chemistry with devastating emotional turns.
