Review & Excerpt: Alvin Alonso’s Secret Files by Alex Woolfson
- Merissa
- 4 hours ago
- 7 min read
Book Details:
Series Title: Alvin Alonso’s Secret Files
Book 1: The Reluctant Incubus
Book 2: Incubus Vampire Slayer
Author: Alex Woolfson
Publisher: Cinnamon Roll Press
Cover Artist: https://trifbookdesign.com
Release Date: November 10, 2025
Pairing: MM
Tense/POV: first person, present tense, single POV
Genres: New Adult MM Urban Fantasy
Tropes: Reluctant Monster in Hiding, Touch-Starved Hero, High Action, Slow Burn, Medium Spice
Themes: Coming of Age, Self-Acceptance, Choosing Good over Evil, Finding One’s Power
Length: Book 1: 80,000 words, 263 pages/Book 2: 80,000 words, 267 pages
It is a two-part duet. Book 1 ends on a cliffhanger. Book 2 resolves the story.
Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited
@AlexWoolfsonAuthor @gaybookpromotions
@alexwoolfson @gaybookpromotions
BOOK 1 - The Reluctant Incubus
I’ve always been afraid of the monster inside me. Now I might have to finally unleash it.
Blurb
A hilarious, high-action M/M Buffy the Vampire Slayer—but all grown up, made spicier, and with a scrappy and lovable monster as the hero.Perfect for fans of TJ Klune, David R. Slayton, and K.D. Edwards.
I was born an incubus, a literal soul-sucking sex demon. But I’ve deliberately never fed, so I don't have any powers.
Still, that doesn't stop an arrogant fae prince from blackmailing me into stealing a magical watch from a creepy San Francisco mansion.
Turns out, the artifact contains Collin, an all-knowing spirit with serious golden retriever vibes who looks like a cute twentysomething guy my age. If I can keep him from the fae, he swears we can be together—even physically—without anyone getting hurt.
The wrinkle? He’s also being hunted by bloodthirsty vampires who need the watch to end the world.
And my only ally? A smoking-hot monster slayer who's all "touch him and die" whenever I'm in danger but who would most certainly kill me if he ever discovered what I was.
I’ve spent my whole life trying to be good—and okay, maybe dreaming of someone who could make me feel less alone. But to save Collin and stop the apocalypse, I'll have to feed.
And once I taste a soul, there might be no coming back.
The Reluctant Incubus kicks off the New Adult M/M urban fantasy duet Alvin Alonso's Secret Files. There is a cliffhanger in Book 1—but don't worry: Book 2, Incubus Vampire Slayer, will be released on the same day. You will be able to binge the whole story, all the way to Alvin's deeply satisfying HFN.
Content warnings can be found here: https://alexwoolfson.com/reluctant-incubus-content-warnings/
BLAM! The final vampire bites the dust. I don’t even bother to look back to see if the undead creature was able to get anywhere near the badass Monster Hunter before it was cut down. Instead, I jump to my feet and run for the stairs in a blind panic.
“Wait!” Mr. Terminator yells, voice deep and gruff, clearly expecting complete compliance.
I am not waiting. I book it down the hallway, still gripping the shard of wood.
Collin jogs alongside, having no trouble keeping up. “Alvin? What are you doing?”
I ignore him and almost get to the first stair, but the Monster Hunter is so fast, he swings himself in front of me before I can even put a single foot on that OSHA disaster and grabs my shoulders, fully stopping me. He’s well over six feet. I am child-sized compared to him.
“Slow down, buddy. You don’t need to run. I got ’em.”
He’s less than a foot away from me, his shotgun shoved into some kind of back holster peeking out from under his duster. Without even thinking, I shove back hard against his chest with both of my palms, dropping the stake and using all my strength to try to get out of whatever his “paranormal-creature-smelling” range might be. But at this point I’m a sweaty mess, I’ve got the weak-ass muscles of a committed couch potato, and his grip is so strong, I don’t go anywhere.
In response, he pulls me in tight, into a full-on hug. (Oh, my God! What’s with all the hugs, scary strangers?!)
“Breathe. Breathe! You’re safe. I promise.”
He squeezes me tighter. I can’t breathe. I am so going to die.
4 out of 5 (very good)
THE RELUCTANT INCUBUS is the first story in Alvin Alonso's Secret Files, and begins with Alvin himself. He is the reluctant incubus, unwilling to feed in case it hurts people, and generally living as a human. The life as he knows it changes when an Elf makes a deal with him to steal a pocket watch. Only this pocket watch is needed by a group of vampires for nefarious reasons; oh! And it also has a spirit attached to it that only Alvin can interact with. Throw in a buff Monster Hunter, and you've got all the components of a good story!
This was a great beginning to the story! It is fast-paced for Alvin, but reasonable for the reader. At no point did it feel rushed or unnecessary to me, even if it takes place over only a couple of days. I'm not 100% sure what's going on with Collin, Rafa, and Alvin, but I'm hoping it will all work out in the end, as I'm really not a fan of love triangles!
Other supporting characters help move the story along. And let me just say, with a mum like Alvin has, plus her friends, you'd be better off in a pit of vipers! It makes for an interesting read!
It does end on a cliffhanger, and I can't wait to see what happens next. Definitely recommended by me.
** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
BOOK 2 - Incubus Vampire Slayer
So... I just made out with a Monster Hunter.
Blurb
A totally insane choice since, you know, I'm an actual monster.
And I did this right after finding out that the Hunter, Rafa, has a deep, personal connection with the vampires who are after me—vampires who've kidnapped the teen girl I'm supposed to rescue, and who need the magical watch I'm carrying to end the world.
As for that watch? It imprisons Collin—a handsome spirit who can answer any question and who gets me in a way no one else ever has. Over the last 24 hours, Collin and I have done a whole lot more than just making out.
The truth is, I actually think I'm falling in love with him. Which might be the craziest thing of all, since he still hasn't told me what he really is.
Look, I know I've made some bad decisions lately. But now I have people I need to protect, people I care about. And since I'm feeding, for the first time in my life, I have real power.
So yeah, maybe I'll never be good. But trust me—I am done running.
Because it's time to show those vampires what a real monster can do.
Incubus Vampire Slayer concludes the thrilling, laugh-out-loud adventure that began in The Reluctant Incubus, Book 1 of the MM urban fantasy duet Alvin Alonso's Secret Files. I recommend starting with The Reluctant Incubus so you can binge the whole story from the beginning through to Alvin's deeply satisfying HFN.
3 out of 5 (good)
Incubus Vampire Slayer is the second book in Alvin Alonso’s Secret Files series, and absolutely must be read after book one. This book continues on directly where book one finished, so if you haven't read that one, you won't know what's going on.
Alvin grows into his own character in this instalment, which is more than he ever imagined. At the heart of it, he still remains the 'good, innocent' Alvin we know from book one, who just wants to help people. There's just more to him than he thought. As for Rafa and Collin, well, they don't exactly overlap, and it's not exactly a love triangle, but for me, it did absolutely nothing. I'm sure others will love how it all came to be, but I found it to be quite meh.
There are a number of characters and realms left to be explored, should the author wish to do so, and possibly even more adventures for Alvin. I found his story to be concluded quite nicely at the end of this book, while leaving it open if wanted.
This was a solid Urban Fantasy story that I recommend, even if it didn't push all of my buttons.
** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
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Alex Woolfson writes action-packed adventures with lovable gay heroes.
An East-Coaster who now calls the Bay Area home, Alex spent twenty years editing films and video before turning to comics, where he created the Lambda Literary Award finalist graphic novel Artifice and the long-running LGBTQ-superhero webcomic The Young Protectors.
His debut MM urban-fantasy novel, The Reluctant Incubus, kicks off the Alvin Alonso's Secret Files duet, delivering high stakes action, slow-burn romance, and queer heroes who save the world and each other.
When Alex isn't at his treadmill desk writing, you'll find him traveling the globe with his husband, on the hunt for the perfect taco.
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