Quick Reviews

Find Me In July by Christie Gordon: New Release Review

December 20, 2021 by Denise

Troy lives to be a teacher. Jessie knows teachers can’t be gay. These facts could rip them apart.

It’s the summer of 1978. Troy Larson is only one university-year away from living his dream as an elementary school teacher. In the meantime, he’s heading to his family’s annual month-long vacation at a Northern Minnesota lake resort. He’s looking forward to time with his best friend, Jessie, and finding out what has happened to him. This year was odd. They hardly spoke on the phone, and Jessie didn’t come home for the usual breaks. When they meet, it’s clear something’s off with Jessie. One day in, Troy secretly stumbles upon Jessie in an illicit act with another man. The incident triggers questions about Jessie’s sexuality and confusion about his own.

Jessie Smith is set to take over his father’s Minneapolis foundry when he graduates from a New York university next year. But the time in New York has taught him how to accept his sexuality, and his newfound freedom is not something he’s willing to give up. As the families meet for their vacation, it’s clear that Jessie is different. After the first day, Jessie sees an abrupt change in Troy, and it’s baffling. The changes in Troy cause a lifetime of repressed feelings to surface in him.

Troy’s pursuit of the truth brings him closer to Jessie than he ever thought he would want to be. He struggles to understand what’s going on between them and how his best friend is turning into more, way more. With the gay rights movement facing legal challenges from Save our Children, can Troy convince Jessie he’s willing to fight alongside him and face any consequences together?

Amazon

This is a new to me author and honestly I chose to read it because it is set in 1978 and was marked historical. HISTORICAL! Don’t at me. I am not ok with this.

There is no way to NOT know that this book is set in 1978. You are smacked in the face at every turn with nostalgia and descriptions. Shag carpet. Orange counters. Trans Am with t tops. The music. And even with all of that there was one thing that was mentioned that wouldn’t be seen for another 11 years. I don’t know why I am like this, I’m sorry.

So it was a decent story. Best friends, one more year of college yet, spending a month at the lake with their respective families. Except last year Jessie didn’t come home at all. So this was the first time he and Troy were seeing each other in two years. Because Jessie has a secret. And in 1978, you kept that secret at risk of losing everything. But Troy finds out. And starts to explore with Jessie. But again, 1978 isn’t very kind to the gay community. Especially in Minnesota.

I wanted MORE story and less descriptive nostalgia. It was just overdone and not necessary. And the truth or dare and spin the bottle games with siblings involved. Just, ew.

All of the “Wanna beer?” “Wanna get high?” were too much. CONSTANTLY. Jessie and Troy each were ridiculously jealous of the other looking or even mentioning another man or ex.

I was hoping the “historical” nostalgia would make me smile at memories (btw, I was only 7 in 1978) but it all got to be very eye rolling.

2.5 pieces of eye candy

A Dashwood Of Sense And Sensibility (Love, Austen Book 6) by Antya Sunday: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

December 17, 2021 by Denise

Two Dashwood brothers. Two dashing romances.

Sensible, reasonable, responsible.

Dad has died and left Noah Dashwood his debts. After selling the family home, he and his brother are couchsurfing. The number one new priority? Finding them a new place to live. He has a list of cheap rentals, and he has no problem if sexy and lovely Wade Ferrars wants to help him choose the best option. Wade. He is everything a guy could dream of. He even makes Noah . . . believe in romance.
Except . . .
Why does he go hot and cold at an instant?
What is he hiding?

Clueless, energetic, spontaneous.

Oh God. This is a disaster. No money, no home, no man . . . Zach Dashwood should really, like, get a steady paying job. Help his brother out. Ohhh, maybe he could find something at Ask Austen Studios?
This guy with terrible tie-taste is really something. Working on a Sunday, poor thing. Okay, they should hang out, maybe he’ll put in a good word with the boss—
Oh, he is the boss.
Well that’s . . .
To say thanks, Zach will totally find this “Brandon” the girlfriend of his dreams!

Two very different brothers. Both in for a surprise.

A modern gay retelling of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Goodreads

Zach climbed hurriedly into the Tin Man onesie.

He charged out to the kitchen, flinging out his arms in frustration. “Toto, I’ve got a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.”

True in, like, all the important senses.

Brandy looked up over the onions he was chopping at the kitchen island. He’d changed into a fresh pair of jeans and a t-shirt, and he was . . . laughing.

Zach doubled down on a glare. This energy was easier to manage. Much better than whatever had taken him hostage before. “Why couldn’t you have lent me your clothes?”

“My pants would fall off you.”

“Then I could’ve swum in your pullover.”

“I’ve seen what you do to pullovers, tucking them over your knees, stretching them into weird shapes.”

“I never—”

“You did it to my jacket in the car just now.”

“So you put me in the Tin Man?”

Brandy continued chopping and murmured, “And his wish came true.”

“Huh?”

“Never mind. Turn on some music. Or your guitar is on the sofa. Noah will be here in a few minutes. He went to check the local, in case you missed me telling you that, too.”

“I totally heard that.” He totally hadn’t.

Brandy smiled, like he knew the truth.

But not that truth, right? Like, he wasn’t giving off extra-spicy I have feelings for you pheromones or anything?

He lifted his guitar into his lap and played. He was humming the words, but his focus was on Brandy.

Who was preparing lunch.

Brandy was always looking out for him. Feeding him, driving him around, questioning his taste in music, relenting because Zach was right of course. Hell, the bach was supposed to be a weekend retreat, and he’d made it his home. Had he stayed at his place in town even once? No. Because even when he’d considered it, he’d sensed Zach needed him and driven the winding bays to get back.

He was . . . he was generous, caring, funny, hard-working, protective . . .

Zach stopped strumming and burrowed into the onesie.

He yearned to ask all the questions, find out all the unknowns he could. He wanted to know everything, but his voice cracked on the first syllable. He shut his mouth and dropped his head back uselessly.

What was he supposed to do now? Ignore this? Try to convince Brandy that he was worth a try? Subtly, of course. He wouldn’t want to spring anything on the guy. But why would Brandy even want to try? He was too young. Immature. Hopelessly naïve.

“You’re fretting about something,” Brandy said.

“Ahahaha.”

Smooth, Zachary. Real smooth.

He cleared his throat, pitching his voice deeper than usual. The fuck was that about? “The thing is, I just don’t care about Jack.”

Brandy stopped chopping, but he didn’t look over.

“I thought I would. I tried. But . . . I’m more sorry for your ex. And I hate her.” For ever having you, for never loving you. For still having you.

“You don’t hate her. Your voice is . . . I hope you’re not coming down with something.”

Zach hugged his knees and thumped his head on them. He needed to get rid of this stupid awareness. Stop overthinking things. He’d make himself sick. Look, he was already shivering.

“You really don’t care about Jack?”

Zach snapped his head up. Had that question sounded too quiet? A little . . . imploring?

His heart lurched like it wanted to drag him across the room. He wanted to read Brandy’s face. And, you know, devour all the fairy dust he could while he was there.

He groaned.

And convulsed with a shiver; this one only half to do with the man watching him across the room. He grabbed a blanket off the back of the couch and snuggled into it. The back of his throat stung a little. The soup would help there. And Noah might make some of that ginger tea and honey he was so good at.

Wrapping the blanket tighter around him, he frowned. “Something wrong?” Brandy asked.

“It’s been almost twenty minutes.” He glanced out the rain-lashed window. “Where’s Noah?”

I have THOROUGHLY enjoyed this whole series. Modern day retelling of classics- most I had read before, but it honestly doesn’t matter if you did or didn’t. They are excellent reads.

And the final one (sobs) give us TWO romances. Swoon.

One of the things that I loved about this particular book is that there are two kind of big things that are not made a big deal of. I don’t want to spoil anything. But both of those things could have been used as big plot points and they aren’t. As such, they are totally normalized and I really loved that. Two separate characters, by the way.

We have brothers Noah and Zachary who are houseless after their father died and they had to sell their family home to pay debts. Noah seems to be the responsible one, making sure they have a place to stay, that bills are paid, etc. Zachary is the brother that trusts that Noah will take care of everything. I don’t think he takes advantage of that at all, it’s just their dynamic.

Zach is the one who finds them a place to live- a very nice place in fact. Although it takes a while for him to realize who it is who is letting them stay on the cottage behind his house. Zach is also done with the one night stand scene and wants to fall in love. So when he meets a guy at the pub, he basically decides that this is the guy he will fall in love with. Very throw back to the days of Sense and Sensibility. But he doesn’t seem to notice what is right in front of his face.

Noah has had a crush on his former best friend’s brother since they were teens. But now they are adults and they are playing the flirting game hard. Wade is very hot and cold and it takes a bit to find out why.

The perspective switches between the two brothers, which is nice as the story runs concurrently and you can focus on one brother while still getting the story of the other.

This was very swoony, very slow burn, but also so satisfying. The writing is poetic at times that makes you just want to sink in to the story and devour the pages.

I absolutely recommend this entire series.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

I’m a big, BIG fan of slow-burn romances. I love to read and write stories with characters who slowly fall in love.

Some of my favorite tropes to read and write are: Enemies to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, Clueless Guys, Bisexual, Pansexual, Demisexual, Oblivious MCs, Everyone (Else) Can See It, Slow Burn, Love Has No Boundaries.

I write a variety of stories, Contemporary MM Romances with a good dollop of emotion, Contemporary lighthearted MM Romances, and even a splash of fantasy.

My books have been translated into German, Italian, French, Spanish, and Thai.

Contact: http://www.anytasunday.com/about-anyta/
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Save Me by Beck Grey: Audiobook Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

December 17, 2021 by Denise

Deputy US Marshal Jamie MacDougall assumes his latest assignment is just another security detail, but when he finds himself falling for the gorgeous key witness he’s sworn to protect, it takes everything he has to keep things professional.

When Ashley Pandy enters the WITSEC program, with a new identity and a new life far away from Seattle and Jamie, he tries to move on, but a year later, with no hope of seeing him again, he still can’t forget the man who stole his heart.

Ashley walked away from love for noble reasons. Jamie let him go because it was the honorable thing to do. When a foolish decision gives them a second chance to be all kinds of wrong, can they finally get it right?

Amazon

Audible

Goodreads

“Jamie.” I step close and slip my fingers into his curls, pressing against him from chest to hip. “I want this.” I nuzzle against his jaw, letting my need for him fill every word. “I want you. I have wanted you since the day we met.”

His whole body relaxes, and he pulls me further into the room, setting the lamp on the dresser. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to hear you say that.”

“Good. Then let me show you, too.” My fingers are back in his curls, my lips against his, our mouths sliding together, tongues and hands never still. I touch everywhere I can reach, chest, arms, back, ass, as I guide him towards the bed. When his calves hit the frame he stops, but I don’t, and we tumble onto the mattress.

He glances up at me, eyes dark, sparkling with amusement, his hair a mess from my fingers. Fuck, he looks edible. “Very smooth.”

I smirk and cock an eyebrow. “Wait ‘til you see my other moves.”

His beautiful eyes stare into mine with an intensity that steals my breath. “Show me.”

Beck Grey is an LGBTQ romance author who lives in the Northeastern United States with their partner and two adorable dogs. Weekdays are passed spending their employer’s money. Evenings and weekends are devoted to writing stories involving hot characters, favorite tropes, and happily ever afters.

Any additional time is spent laughing with friends, drinking red wine, printing and painting minis, and playing D&D. There might even be video games. If there’s cake involved at any point it’s a win!

Connect with Beck:
www.beckgrey.com
Twitter: @BeckGreyWrites
FB Group: Beck’s Blanket Fort https://www.facebook.com/groups/789307111722835/
Pinterest boards for Beck’s books: @Beck_Grey
IG: beckgreyauthor

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It’s Complicated (A Reservation Story Book 2) by Kindle Alexander: Blog Tour and New Release Review

December 15, 2021 by Denise

Nightclub manager Julian Cullen runs Reservations with impeccable precision and a deep sense of pride. But repressed memories from his abduction two years ago surface, leaving him struggling emotionally. Julian vows to reclaim his previous life but doesn’t factor in the biggest distraction of all: the handsome cowboy hanging around the club intent on gaining his attention.

Entrepreneur Beckett St. Clair built an industry-leading survivalist training company through hard work and dedication. The tough as nails outdoorsman can navigate any situation or so he thinks…A chance encounter with a guarded night club manager leaves him tumbling head over heels into uncharted territory.

One man is lost to his past, the other dreams of a future.

Both men will soon find out love is never easy…it’s complicated.

Title: It’s Complicated

Series: A Reservation Story Book 2

Author: Kindle Alexander

Genre: M/M Romance

Release Date: December 7, 2021

Cover Design: Reese Dante

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Goodreads

I had a bit of a love/hate relationship with this book. The writing, the imagery, and Beck, I loved. I struggled to like Julian through most of the book. It had very little to do with his previous profession, and yet everything to do with it.

This was definitely a slow burn romance, with many of the feels. However, where I struggled was that Julian spent a large portion of the story really wanting to go back to being an escort, and I really couldn’t fathom why. He’d been assaulted, although we don’t learn by whom until late in the book, and it felt like part of the reason was because he had been an escort. It seemed to be the prestige, the money, being adored was what he was looking for. I really wasn’t sure, other than maybe he just wanted his life to be good again, and he felt that was the only way to get there.

Also, he was a bit of a D**k to his boss, as well as his emotional support dog, for much of the book. Woofer deserved better than that. (Julian did come through in the end with Woofer, though.) 🙂

Beck, meanwhile, was the sweetest man ever. Julian called him his gentleman through the entire book, and he was. He fell in love with Julian on sight, and never looked back, even when Julian pushed him to the side. In Beck’s defense, he knew the score, but he stepped aside willingly. Then when Julian needed him, he didn’t question, and went right back. It was super sweet, supportive and so loving, and I wanted to wrap him up and give him the biggest hugs ever. His love was true and he never wavered.

Their relationship together was touching. Julian wanted to be the center of someone’s universe, and Beck wanted someone who would be the center of his universe. Even with all the differences between them, they were good together, and meshed well. Beck was extremely patient, and Julian needed that patience considering all he’d been through. And Julian, when he needed someone the most didn’t hesitate to turn to the man who he knew would be there for him, no matter what. It was heart breaking, and at the same time, made the reader happy to see such a level of trust from someone who had every reason never to trust another soul again.

Two things that I thought should have been touched on more was Julian’s time with his counselor as it pertained to his coming back into his sex life. That seemed like it should have been critical to his healing, as well as his relationship. Also, I would have liked a bit more of an epilogue with Julian and Beck to wrap things up. I was left wondering a bit about that final chapter and it’s purpose. But maybe we will find out with book 3!

I loved visiting with Thane and Levi from Reservations, book 1. Their relationship clearly was going strong, and Levi didn’t let Thane, or Julian get away with anything. 🙂

I really wanted to give this book 4 pieces of eye candy, I really did, but I just couldn’t quite get over that hump, so 3.75 pieces of eye candy, it is.

Best Selling Author Kindle Alexander is an innovative writer, and a genre-crosser who writes classic fantasy, romance, suspense, and erotica in both the male/male and male/female genres. It’s always a surprise to see what’s coming next!

I live in the suburbs of Dallas where it’s true, the only thing bigger than an over active imagination, may be women’s hair!

Usually, I try for funny. Humor is a major part of my life – I love to laugh, and it seems to be the thing I do in most situations – regardless of the situation, but jokes are a tricky deal… I don’t want to offend anyone and jokes tend to offend. So instead I’m going to tell you about Kindle.

I tragically lost my sixteen year old daughter to a drunk driver. She had just been at home, it was early in the night and I heard the accident happen. I’ll never forget that moment. The sirens were immediate and something inside me just knew. I left my house, drove straight to the accident on nothing more than instinct. I got to be there when my little girl died – weirdly, I consider that a true gift from above. She didn’t have to be alone.

That time in my life was terrible. It’s everything you think it would be times about a billion. I love that kid. I loved being her mother and I loved watching her grow into this incredibly beautiful person, both inside and out. She was such a gift to me. To have it all ripped away so suddenly broke me.

Her name was Kindle. Honest to goodness – it was her name and she died a few weeks before Amazon released their brand new Kindle ereader. She had no idea it was coming out and she would have finally gotten her name on something! Try finding a ruler with the name Kindle on it.. It never happened.

Through the course of that crippling event I was lucky enough to begin to write with a dear friend in the fan fiction world of Facebook. She got me through those dark days with her unwavering support and friendship. There wasn’t a time she wasn’t there for me. Sometimes together and sometimes by myself, we built a world where Kindle lives and stands for peace, love and harmony. It’s its own kind of support group. I know without question I wouldn’t be here today without her.

Find out more by visiting www.kindlealexander.com or email me at kindle@kindlealexander.com

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✦ Facebook ➜ https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKindleAlexander/

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The Cuckoo’s Call by Lily Morton: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

December 13, 2021 by Denise

Can a summer romance last forever?

Wren Roberts thought he’d found his fairy tale when he met Mateo Rossi on holiday in Majorca. The wealthy and successful older man swept him off his feet, and before he knew it, he’d thrown caution to the wind and was living in Mateo’s waterside apartment in Venice. It’s a far cry from his harsh upbringing and crummy flat in London.

But as the summer turns to autumn, cracks begin to show. Mateo’s family aren’t welcoming, and there doesn’t seem to be a place for Wren in Mateo’s world. He could have coped with all of that, but Mateo himself seems like a different person away from the sunshine island.

Should Wren have been more cautious in riding off into the sunset when he wasn’t sure what lay over the horizon?

From bestselling author Lily Morton comes a romance about two men who find that sometimes happily ever after doesn’t end there.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Goodreads

I walk into the room and whistle. “Wow.”

Mateo sniffs disapprovingly. “This is the superior room?”

“Hmm. It’s quite poky, isn’t it? A bit like a prison cell with a nice view.” He glares at me, and I spread my hands. “What? You wanted me to point out the problems.”

He takes off his baseball cap and throws it on one of the beds. Will we be sleeping in here tonight? The beds are very close together. Somehow, I don’t think Mateo figured on that when he thought up this plan.

He puts his hands on his hips and looks intently around the room. He somehow manages to be dignified even with that atrocity of a T-shirt. I shake my head. Even in those cheap clothes, he’s hot. The tight T-shirt clings to his muscled torso and highlights the bulge of his biceps while the colour, which would be terrible on me, makes his olive skin glow. Even the shorts accentuate the tight fleshy curve of his buttocks.

He breaks the spell by moving over to the bed and lifting the mattress.

“Whoa,” I say. “What are you doing?”

He grins wickedly. “An old tip given to me by a hotel inspector. Lift the mattress and check for dust and dirt on the frame and springs. It shows whether it has been turned recently.”

“Aren’t hotel inspectors supposed to be secretive?”

He winks. “Not when they’re naked.”

I shake my head and move to his side. “Ugh. Look at that dust.”

He lets the mattress fall, wiping his hands on his shorts. “The mattresses are supposed to be turned every month.”

“I bet Julio Iglesias was in the charts the last time that happened here.”

He crouches and peers under the bed. “There is a condom wrapper under here,” he says in disgust.

“Open or sealed?” He raises an eyebrow and I shrug. “Well, it changes things. Open is bad housekeeping. Sealed is helpful.”

“It changes nothing.” He stands up and runs his finger over the top of a picture. He turns his finger toward me, showing that it’s covered in dust. “Housekeeping isn’t doing their job.”

“You remind me of an old foster carer I stayed with,” I say idly, opening the drawer of the bedside table. I remove a copy of Fifty Shades of Grey and offer it to him. “Don’t hotels usually provide the Gideon Bible? I’m not sure whether this is an improvement or not.”

“Why?”

“Well, it’s not the best read out there.” I grin. “I remember reading this. It took bloody ages to get a copy from the library. I wanted to know whether I was suited for BDSM. I decided in the end that I could cope with the odd smacked bum, but I wasn’t that keen on being told what to do. I mean, I might have been able to obey a handsome billionaire, but it didn’t quite work with Trevor from Wapping, who was telling me to go to Tesco for him to buy his beer.”

There’s a long pause, and his lip twitches. “No, I mean, why do I remind you of a foster carer?”

I look at him and burst into laughter. “Sorry,” I say when I’ve recovered. “This couple I lived with for a few months used to get us all out of bed at five in the morning and make us clean the house.”

I’m startled to see a look of rage on his face.

“How old were you?” he asks.

“About ten, I think.”

“That’s fucking terrible.”

I shrug. “I’ve had worse, and at least I know how to use a hoover attachment. I’m sure it’ll come in useful sometime.” I look around the room. “I could be in for a position with your housekeeping team with my superior cleaning knowledge. I’d probably be management material straightaway.”

Another win by Lily Morton. Should I be shocked? No. She never disappoints.

I hate to call him poor, but… how about a living paycheck to paycheck kind of guy, Wren is on vacation with his wealthy friend who ends up ditching him. Through a series of kismet like events, he ends up getting hired for a week by the owner of a chain of hotels to help him figure out what is wrong with each one. And it is almost always prejudice. Prejudice against people who aren’t well off. Or don’t look or act well off. Which is 100% a real thing so it was nice to see it addressed so thoroughly in a book.

They naturally have chemistry, even with their almost 20 year age difference and their difference in tax brackets. But Wren never expects a thing from Mateo and Mateo never treats Wren any differently than people with money. And after the week is over, Mateo invites Wren back to Venice for a month.

Then we REALLY see how awful people with money can be, save a few.

I loved Wren because although he was an orphan, zero family, very few friends, a dead end job and an apartment he shares, he is just a happy person. He doesn’t let much get him down. He doesn’t lament or dwell or stew. He just carries on.

Mateo is like two different people. Except when he is with Wren. Seeing his worlds collide and his eyes open makes for great story telling.

I, of course, adored Mateo’s grandfather and I really hope side character A gets together with side character B in the next book. As as Ms. Morton is wont to do, there is a very loose thread connecting Wren to a character in a previous book. That is also always fun.

Mateo is very romantic throughout, even though he refuses to fall in love. And Wren is smitten. They are very sexy and sweet together and the romance is swoony without being over the top.

I also enjoyed starting at the end (nearly) and going back to the beginning. I don’t usually like that in books but it was very well done.

Lily Morton fans, this is a must read. And if you’re new to her work, do yourself a favor. Jump in.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

Lily writes contemporary romance novels, and specialises in hot love stories with a good dose of humour.

Lily lives in sunny England with her husband and two children, all of whom claim that they haven’t had a proper conversation with her since she bought her first Kindle.

She has spent her life with her head full of daydreams and decided one day to just sit down and start writing about them. In the process she discovered that she actually loved writing, because how else could she get to spend her time with hot, funny men!

She loves chocolate and Baileys and the best of all creations – chocolate Baileys! Her lifetime’s ambition is to have a bath in peace without being shouted by one of her family.

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No Take Backs (Zone Defense Book 1) by Becca Seymour: New Release Review

December 8, 2021 by Denise

Some things you can’t take back.

If you say those words, get caught glancing at his bulge, or share a heated kiss, it’s game over. The “no take backs” rule strikes, and there’s no way you can backtrack.

That’s the way it’s always been with me and Nate Griffin, my old best friend who thought he could change the rules.

It doesn’t matter that time and distance have pulled us apart. I’ve finally figured myself out and yanked my head out of my backside. Now, if only I can drag myself out of the closet and be the man I want to be for Nate…

But I’m a pro basketball player who has no desire to be a poster boy. Not only that, Nate and I don’t even live in the same country.

Nate, big-hearted guy he is, takes it all in his stride, and I can’t help but wonder if just maybe he’s too good for me. But hell if I can resist him.

It all boils down to: Do I want to take anything back when it comes to Nate Griffin?

Author: Becca Seymour

Book: No Take Backs

Release Date: November 10th, 2021

Series: Zone Defense Book 1

Genre: M/M Romance

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

I’ve enjoyed this author’s books quite a bit, I love sports romance books, and I always love books based in Australia, so there was zero chance I was passing this one up. I wasn’t disappointed. It was all those things, and more.

This book was a friends to (sort of) enemies to friends to lovers book, only really showing about a year of their lives, but these two had known each other since they were 11. Ryan went to play basketball in the US, first at a Division 1 college, then on into the pros. Meanwhile, Nate stayed back in Australia, waited for Ryan, took care of Ryan’s family, ran his father’s store, but had that was just for him. Nate took care of everyone else, and never took care of himself.

When Ryan left, they drifted apart, not really becoming enemies, but not really friends any longer. Ryan’s sister ends up pregnant at 18, and Ryan finds out only from Instagram. (It’s hilarious how he thinks Nate is the father at first.) He then begins the slow process of coming back to his family and Nate.

I really liked this. It wasn’t instant. They didn’t just start talking and everything was okay in a chapter. Ryan had to earn the trust of the people he cared about again, as well he should. It took time, patience and a lot of honesty. Eventually, he came home, to fully win back his man, meet his niece, and reconnect with his family in person.

I enjoyed the realism of their relationship back to each other, from the small texts, to the video calls, and eventually getting visas for Nate to spend time with Ryan in the US as he played. Unfortunately, Ryan refused to come out of the closet. And while Nate didn’t expect him to, it takes a toll on any relationship. They dealt well with it as a couple, staying strong, and slowly Ryan came out just little more to those he cared about.

Great side characters, and if we don’t have X and Y for the next book, I may cry. 🙂 There is obviously a HUGE story there, and I, for one, want to know how it goes.

Definitely recommend if you like found family, re-found family, and a slow burn romance.

4 pieces of eye candy