REVIEW: Next of Kin by Marie Sinclair (Legal Briefs #2)

- April 12, 2026

NEXT OF KIN

Legal Briefs - Book Two

by Marie Sinclair

Release Date: April 12, 2026

Review

I enjoyed this pairing and it their unique meeting. And despite the theme of this story, it’s not dark or too depressing.

They meet due to really sad circumstances, but their connection and courting is pretty sweet.

Aaron and Nick are both good guys, and both are in need of finding their space in the world and someone to care for them. To see them as special. Especially as Aaron’s friend group is bit crap.

It was a really good story, and I’m totally curious about Kit, because at this point, I don’t know if he’s likeable or not.

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Synopsis

Nick

I've always been the playboy of my friend group. The guy who's never been without a boyfriend or girlfriend or at least a regular hookup since high school. But lately, casual isn't doing it for me. It's a fact that becomes abundantly clear when I can't get it up for a hot guy I met at a coffeeshop and invited back to my place. He's gracious and leaves without making it a big deal. Even offers me a raincheck if I want. Which I don't. When I hear the police sirens about a half hour after he left, I don't think anything of it except to wonder if they can find my missing libido.

Aaron

After my brother, Zack, is found in an alley, everything becomes about finding his killer. Unfortunately, neither the police nor my family have any idea what Zack was doing in that part of San Francisco. I mean, I have a suspicion, but with Zack's phone missing, the police don't know where to look. At a loss about what to do but needing to do something, Zack's best friend and I start handing out flyers trying to find someone who saw Zack or knew where he'd been. It's a long shot, but miraculously, someone calls to say he might have been the last person to see Zack alive.

Meeting under the most unlikeliest of circumstances, Nick and Aaron find a connection neither of them anticipated. A connection that leads them into each others arms and each others hearts.

About Marie Sinclair

Marie Sinclair is a queer (agender/pan) writer living in San Francisco, and prefers she/they pronouns. Her focus is on contemporary romance, usually on the steamy side. While HEAs are guaranteed, it will always take some work for the couples to get there, and it might not look the way they expected at the beginning. As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, Marie believes in rooting her stories in the real world of queer culture and showing how love can survive even in challenging times. Her first book, A Kind of Forever, was nominated for two Goodreads Readers’ Choice awards, and her third, Forever After, is a 2023 Lambda Literary Award finalist in Gay Romance.

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