Scientific Method Universe Series by Kris Ripper

Hugh Reynolds is bored. And, okay, maybe a little bit lonely. His best friend's out of town and it turns out that he doesn't really have a reason to leave the house without her. When his mom mentions the new gym down the street, he figures, why not?The cute guy at the gym flirts outrageously and says filthy things to him, the kinds of things Hugh finds arousing and doesn't know why, so when Nick invites him home, he goes along... moreHugh Reynolds is bored. And, okay, maybe a little bit lonely. His best friend's out of town and it turns out that he doesn't really have a reason to leave the house without her. When his mom mentions the new gym down the street, he figures, why not?The cute guy at the gym flirts outrageously and says filthy things to him, the kinds of things Hugh finds arousing and doesn't know why, so when Nick invites him home, he goes along. Maybe he's never actually gone home with a guy he just met specifically to have sex with him, but Nick is cute, and promises pizza.They share a bit more than pizza.Warnings: contains wildebeests. (Not really.) (But kind of.) Also a gym steam room that doesn't meet health codes, a totally non-romantic sexual encounter, and a lot of dirty talk. 8,750 words. less

Sometimes all it takes is meeting one person to turn your world upside down. Will Derrie likes girls but he isn’t honest with them; he wants kinky sex and lots of it. When Hugh offers to dominate him, no sex required, Will realizes it might not be so easy to separate the two. Sometimes all it takes is a new angle on an old idea to change everything you thought you wanted. Hugh Reynolds holds the world at arm's length... moreSometimes all it takes is meeting one person to turn your world upside down. Will Derrie likes girls but he isn’t honest with them; he wants kinky sex and lots of it. When Hugh offers to dominate him, no sex required, Will realizes it might not be so easy to separate the two. Sometimes all it takes is a new angle on an old idea to change everything you thought you wanted. Hugh Reynolds holds the world at arm's length. He lives alone, works alone, and he thinks he's as happy as he'll ever be. But Will gets under his skin and once he's gone, Hugh realizes he doesn’t want to go it alone forever. Sometimes all it takes is a random encounter to open your mind (and your heart). Truman Jennings hits on a cute guy at a conference and he’s smitten by the end of their first date. Hugh's not the kindest or the easiest boyfriend Truman's ever had, but he brings one thing to their relationship that no one else could: kinky, adventurous, sweetly submissive Will. Sometimes you can't find the right man till you find the wrong one. Three men. Three sides to love, and intimacy, and laughter. Three people who didn't know what they were looking for...until they found it in each other. This book is the first book in the Scientific Method Universe, and was originally published as two volumes: The Scientific Method and Hugh's New Dude. The new version has some additional bits here and there, but covers most of the same ground. Information about the rest of the series can be found at krisripper.com/smu less

Alison Jennings followed her big brother all the way to California, and most of the time, she’s glad she did. But when her boyfriend dumps her on Christmas morning, she shows up on Truman’s doorstep to find he (and his husband) on their way out the door to their new beach house for the week.Hugh and Truman aren’t the only ones heading to the coast. They have a whole week-long New Years celebration planned, with a big group of their friends... moreAlison Jennings followed her big brother all the way to California, and most of the time, she’s glad she did. But when her boyfriend dumps her on Christmas morning, she shows up on Truman’s doorstep to find he (and his husband) on their way out the door to their new beach house for the week.Hugh and Truman aren’t the only ones heading to the coast. They have a whole week-long New Years celebration planned, with a big group of their friends. Ally had planned to spend a lot of that time with her lousy now-ex, but now that she’s here, she’s wild with curiosity about all the stuff going on just below the surface of every conversation.It turns out there’s a lot she doesn’t know about her brother and his chosen family, and Ally might discover some things she didn’t know about herself along the way. less

Evan spends New Year’s at the beach house because he doesn’t have anywhere else to go and the boss has assured him that the family’s not that scary, which turns out to be only sort of true. But Lucy’s going to be there. And ever since he met Lucy three years ago, she’s been on his mind…and in his fantasies. Between Lucy, Nick (whom Evan privately calls “the blond god”), and his girlfriend Cait, Evan’s New Year’s is unlike any holiday he’s ever spent... moreEvan spends New Year’s at the beach house because he doesn’t have anywhere else to go and the boss has assured him that the family’s not that scary, which turns out to be only sort of true. But Lucy’s going to be there. And ever since he met Lucy three years ago, she’s been on his mind…and in his fantasies. Between Lucy, Nick (whom Evan privately calls “the blond god”), and his girlfriend Cait, Evan’s New Year’s is unlike any holiday he’s ever spent. And he definitely wouldn’t have it any other way. Ring in the True is 30,000 words, or 120 pages long. This story is part of the Scientific Method Universe, but need not be read in conjunction with other books in the series. Please check out krisripper.com/smu for more info and recommended reading order. less

The more things change, the more they stay the same. And that goes double for New Year's at the beach house. Molly's at the beach house for the first time in years and she's got a lot on her mind. She wants a more stable career than the one she has, but that might involve going back to school (which she swore she'd never do). It also might involve imposing more regularly on her...friends in London... moreThe more things change, the more they stay the same. And that goes double for New Year's at the beach house. Molly's at the beach house for the first time in years and she's got a lot on her mind. She wants a more stable career than the one she has, but that might involve going back to school (which she swore she'd never do). It also might involve imposing more regularly on her...friends in London. Which might be fine? But what if seeing each other more often means they lose the thing that makes their relationship special? Of course, she could spill all this to her family and let them reassure her, but that's a can of worms she's not so sure she wants to open. Plus, she has plenty of distractions. Some folks are contemplating parenthood, some are contemplating the nature of love, others are dealing with loss, everyone's favorite triad has finally admitted their feelings for each other, and then there's Lucy. (Mmm, thank goodness for Lucy.) Hugs, gossip, cuddling, speeches, long walks on the beach, new friends, and loads of laughter. Sure, decisions must be made. But for now all she has to do is eat some good food and love on her family. Happy New Year's at the beach house to Molly! less

Jase was supposed to be spending New Year’s at his oldest friend’s beach house with his boyfriend, except said boyfriend is no longer in the picture. Now if he can just keep Truman (and his nosy husband Hugh) from asking too many questions, maybe he’ll get through the holidays without losing his mind. But things at the beach house are never what they seem. There’s the way his hosts have a longtime boyfriend who’s no longer looking like their piece on the side... moreJase was supposed to be spending New Year’s at his oldest friend’s beach house with his boyfriend, except said boyfriend is no longer in the picture. Now if he can just keep Truman (and his nosy husband Hugh) from asking too many questions, maybe he’ll get through the holidays without losing his mind. But things at the beach house are never what they seem. There’s the way his hosts have a longtime boyfriend who’s no longer looking like their piece on the side. There’s the boyfriend’s twin brother and his partner, who definitely have a secret. There’s the dominatrix and her two young men, only one of whom calls himself a slave (whatever that means). And then there’s charming Nick and his moody dude Bernie, who—hell, Jase doesn’t even know what to think of them, or of the way Nick keeps inviting him to join them. Jase might be a little more lonely than he realized, and while he wouldn’t have picked the beach house as a good place to drown his sorrows, by the end of the week he can’t imagine spending New Year’s anywhere else. Threshold of the Year is 30,000 words, or 120 pages long. This story is part of the Scientific Method Universe, but need not be read in conjunction with other books in the series. Please check out krisripper.com/smu for more info and recommended reading order. less

One moment, the future is wide open. In the next, everything goes dark. When Beccs loses a pregnancy, everything freezes. The past is irrelevant. The future has vanished. All she can do is go numb, even if it means she can’t make any decisions about where to go from here, even if she can barely look at her best friend. Adam has no idea what to do. Is he supposed to pretend he isn’t wrecked by the miscarriage? Because he is... moreOne moment, the future is wide open. In the next, everything goes dark. When Beccs loses a pregnancy, everything freezes. The past is irrelevant. The future has vanished. All she can do is go numb, even if it means she can’t make any decisions about where to go from here, even if she can barely look at her best friend. Adam has no idea what to do. Is he supposed to pretend he isn’t wrecked by the miscarriage? Because he is. Is he supposed to pretend Beccs’ silence isn’t destroying him? Because it definitely is. Eleven years of friendship, intimacy, shared lives, but tragedy threatens to break both of their hearts. How can they find their way back to the life they thought they’d lead? And does it still exist? less

Paul Sorenson signs up for the BDSM and Dating workshop because his best friend threatens an intervention if he doesn’t. He figures if nothing else, at least it’ll be nice to sit in a room with other kinky queer folks. The location’s not quite as accessible as it was supposed to be, but there’s a ramp down an alley and a door his wheelchair fits through, so he’s definitely seen worse... morePaul Sorenson signs up for the BDSM and Dating workshop because his best friend threatens an intervention if he doesn’t. He figures if nothing else, at least it’ll be nice to sit in a room with other kinky queer folks. The location’s not quite as accessible as it was supposed to be, but there’s a ramp down an alley and a door his wheelchair fits through, so he’s definitely seen worse. Also, there’s a no dating rule, but since Paul has a bad habit of rushing into things and steamrolling every obstacle in his path, that’s not such a bad thing. Then he meets Ally Jennings. And all bets are off. Ally loves the workshop, even if she feels like the least experienced person in the room. Meeting Paul is the icing on the cake. When he looks at her, she feels like he gets her, and that’s…never happened before. He’s dominant, she’s submissive, and everything from kissing to talking about their families feels perfect. But when Paul pushes for commitment, Ally hesitates, and each of them feels betrayed. They’ve only known each other for two weeks. They should probably just write the whole thing off and go their separate ways, except they can’t stop thinking about each other. Falling in love was the easy part. Building a relationship takes a hell of a lot of work. less

Will Derrie is not dating his friend Molly. At all. They're just fighting about Star Trek and screwing a lot. You know. Like you do, with your friends. Right? Thing is, he'd really like it if they were also screwing in a...kinky way. Which he told her. Kind of. Ish. She loves the gay couple with whom he still shares sex and whips, and when they finally try it out, Molly's a domination savant. She says gorgeous, filthy things, in just the right tone... moreWill Derrie is not dating his friend Molly. At all. They're just fighting about Star Trek and screwing a lot. You know. Like you do, with your friends. Right? Thing is, he'd really like it if they were also screwing in a...kinky way. Which he told her. Kind of. Ish. She loves the gay couple with whom he still shares sex and whips, and when they finally try it out, Molly's a domination savant. She says gorgeous, filthy things, in just the right tone. So why can't Will get into it? (And he better try a little harder or she's gonna kick his ass. And not in a good way.)Right when he decides the best sex he’ll ever have is with a gay dom who’s in love with someone else, said gay dom smacks him around a bit – metaphorically/literally – and convinces him that the potential rewards of communicating honestly with Molly are worth the risk.This is the third installment in the Scientific Method universe. If you're reading in order, it comes after Hugh's New Dude.Warnings: Various forms of pizza and beer are consumed during times of angst, Marvel and DC Comics are invoked within moments of each other, and the hot stuff is still almost entirely with the boyfriends. (The author apologizes to Molly, whose steamy scenes mostly take place off-page.) less

Hugh likes having a serious, committed relationship–maybe more than he ever imagined he would. But when a former student kills himself, Hugh shuts down, leaving Truman and Will to pull his ass out of the dark. Contains mentions of suicide and death, over-bearing friends-who-are-family, and a clumsy attempt at romance.

After two years of dating, Will and Molly know what they’re about: awesome sex, open communication, and hey, what was that about super-hot sex? They spend most of the year apart, and their reunions are legendary. Not this time.Bad things happen, but you never think that the bad thing is going to happen to you. By the time Molly gets home, a few months after being assaulted, she’s not really interested in processing it further. She’s done processing. But Will? Yeah, Will’s gonna need a minute... moreAfter two years of dating, Will and Molly know what they’re about: awesome sex, open communication, and hey, what was that about super-hot sex? They spend most of the year apart, and their reunions are legendary. Not this time.Bad things happen, but you never think that the bad thing is going to happen to you. By the time Molly gets home, a few months after being assaulted, she’s not really interested in processing it further. She’s done processing. But Will? Yeah, Will’s gonna need a minute. A week. Possibly a year. Molly gives him two days before calling for reinforcements: Will’s therapist boyfriends.All the processing in the world can’t save what was already on its way out. As much as Molly hates to admit it, breaking up with Will has nothing to do with being raped by some asshole whose name she never even knew. That was a horrible, terrible night. But sleeping beside someone she loves but doesn’t want to be with anymore? Hurts like it’ll never stop.Will spins out, breaks down, and takes his rage, his fear, his grief out on the boyfriends. They reel him back in, like always, with the usual menu of submission and laughter, but it’s not the same as being with Molly. He’s not sure anything will ever be as good as it was with Molly.When does a relationship really end? When you start questioning it? When you finally say it’s over? And what does it mean if you can’t stop thinking about the person months later?Warnings: Breaking Down contains non-graphic mentions of sexual assault and an unholy amount of angst. (Mostly Will’s.) There’s a fair amount of kink and very little sex. Does not contain flashbacks, nightmares, or PTSD. Also, there’s a dance club. less

Life may be full of ups and downs, but the ride will make you scream. And laugh. And cry. Sometimes all at once. It’s been nine months since Will and his ex broke up. Nine long months. Will doesn’t date. Will actually likes commitment. It’s just not what he wants right now. That’s when he meets Davey. Davey isn’t like anyone Will’s ever known. He’s genderqueer, and even more of a relationship novice than Will. Will loves hanging out with him, and the sex is new and wild and so freaking hot... moreLife may be full of ups and downs, but the ride will make you scream. And laugh. And cry. Sometimes all at once. It’s been nine months since Will and his ex broke up. Nine long months. Will doesn’t date. Will actually likes commitment. It’s just not what he wants right now. That’s when he meets Davey. Davey isn’t like anyone Will’s ever known. He’s genderqueer, and even more of a relationship novice than Will. Will loves hanging out with him, and the sex is new and wild and so freaking hot. He wants everyone to be as excited about this relationship as he is, but nothing’s ever that simple. Especially when he gets his (fake) boyfriends involved. Truman’s diplomatic and amused, but Hugh? There’s a whole lot Hugh isn’t saying, and only some of it is about how possessive he feels when he’s not allowed to put his hands all over Will. Dating Davey has been a whole lot more than Will bargained for, but he’s loving the ride. Then the bottom drops out and he slams back to the ground all over again. And this time he's not the only one who needs help putting the pieces back together. Warnings: May induce gender bending. If you're lucky. Roller Coasters is 70,000 words or about 280 pages long. less

Will needs a beard. When the boyfriends finally decide to get married, they ask Will to be their best man. Makes sense in theory. But getting through the ceremony and the reception without accidentally forgetting himself and doing something not-very-best-man-like? Yeah, that might be a problem. Molly Evans is back in California for good, but instead of feeling settled, she’s restless... moreWill needs a beard. When the boyfriends finally decide to get married, they ask Will to be their best man. Makes sense in theory. But getting through the ceremony and the reception without accidentally forgetting himself and doing something not-very-best-man-like? Yeah, that might be a problem. Molly Evans is back in California for good, but instead of feeling settled, she’s restless. She’s trying to finish writing a book, trying to decide what to do with it, and oh yeah, she should probably find a more permanent place to live than someone’s couch. And then, into the weird chaos of not knowing what the future holds, she gets a text. From Will. Sure, she’ll go to the wedding. Keeping Will on a leash sounds like fun. But god, Will in a suit? Molly doesn’t know how she’s gonna keep her own hands off him, let alone keep him from mauling the boyfriends. Who's going to keep Molly on good behavior? Warnings: The Boyfriends Tie the Knot may inspire a powerful intimacy kink. Wedding cake does not contain nuts. less

Four nights. Four nights in a little rented house on the beach: Will, Hugh, and Truman.It should be a light, fun, sexy four nights–but nothing is ever simple with these three. A lot of love, a lot of sex, and a whole lot of complex emotions.Warnings: two married therapists and their very flexible, very submissive, best friend. Yep. Everything you think might happen? Probably happens.

A mole, a biopsy, a weekend of waiting for test results. Hugh's worried, Will's desperate, and Truman's just trying to keep it together for a few more days. Things get a little extreme.Warnings: The lads play hard in this story. There's a lot less "revisiting consent" than usual. It's an intense read, y'all.Extremes is 28,000 words long. This story is part of the Scientific Method Universe. Please check out krisripper.com/smu for more info and recommended reading order.

The most damaging secrets are the ones you don’t even realize you’re keeping. Truman has been married for almost five years. He loves his husband, their boyfriend, his job, and his life. So how is it possible that he’s been unfaithful? How did he let a harmless crush turn into…this? Hugh is shocked. Angry. Numb. He has no intention of getting divorced, but no idea how to fix his relationship. And Truman isn’t the only one who’s been less than totally honest... moreThe most damaging secrets are the ones you don’t even realize you’re keeping. Truman has been married for almost five years. He loves his husband, their boyfriend, his job, and his life. So how is it possible that he’s been unfaithful? How did he let a harmless crush turn into…this? Hugh is shocked. Angry. Numb. He has no intention of getting divorced, but no idea how to fix his relationship. And Truman isn’t the only one who’s been less than totally honest. But how can Hugh open the doors to their future when the present is such a mess? Will has two boyfriends. For years he’s secretly wondered what it would be like to be more than just the boyfriend, but suddenly even that is in jeopardy. Did he miss his chance to tell them how he feels? Betrayal cuts deep, exposing things they never thought to question. The road back to one another feels nearly impossible, but if anyone can do this, it’s Will and the boyfriends…or should that be Will and his partners? less