[In progress] [82.8k] [Adult Fantasy / Why-Choose Romance] COLLATERAL — Magic Academy, Enemies-to-Lovers, Magical Bonds

Hi! I'm looking for 3–5 alpha readers for the first portion of my adult fantasy novel, COLLATERAL, writing as J.M.R. Bell.

Genre: Adult fantasy with why-choose romance

Elements: Magic academy, survival, enemies-to-lovers, magical bonds, found family

Length: ~82,800 words (Prologue + Chapters 1–10)

Status: Work in progress

Format: Private Google Doc with Commenter access

Feedback: Reader-experience feedback form afterward; inline comments are welcome but optional

About the story:

Nyxx has spent most of her life surviving alone, staying mobile, and avoiding the kinds of questions that get people killed. Returning to Calder was supposed to be temporary.

Instead, a chance at the academy offers something she hasn't had in years: a reason to stay.

There's just one problem—or four.

Kade, Rowan, Jace, and Eli already have a cohort, and Nyxx manages to get under their skin almost immediately. The feeling is mutual.

As Nyxx tries to build a life without exposing the secrets that have kept her alive this long, avoiding them becomes increasingly difficult. And there are questions surrounding their encounters that none of them can quite explain.

What I'm looking for: I'm primarily interested in your experience as a reader, not proofreading or line editing. I want to know what catches your attention, what confuses you, where you get bored or start skimming, which characters you connect with, what theories you develop, and whether you actually want to keep reading.

And please don't force yourself through 82k words just because you volunteered. If you stop reading, I want to know where and why. That's useful feedback. The manuscript contains adult sexual content, violence, strong language, and darker themes.

AI disclosure: I use AI as part of my writing and revision process, including brainstorming, developmental work, continuity tracking, and prose revision. I'm disclosing that upfront so nobody volunteers for something they aren't comfortable reading.

If you're interested, comment or DM me. I won't post the manuscript link publicly; I'll provide private Google Doc access individually.

Thanks! J.M.R. Bell