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Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.
“First love is sweet, but good love is sweeter.”
This book really put me through every emotion under the sun. I felt burning anger, I cried (a LOT), and I even laughed a couple times. I will admit that our main dude, Peter, wasn’t always easy to like and root for in this book, but you also can’t help but love him. I wanted to shake him and hug him all at the same time. He’s so real and flawed in this, and just trying to figure himself out, all while dealing with a manipulative (I would even say abusive) boyfriend. He’s dealing with immense feelings of guilt, growing feelings for someone else while still trying to stay loyal to a disloyal boyfriend. Yeah, it’s a lot. It’s very much worth it, though.
There were men out there like me, men whose only crime was love, and for the expression of that love they were dying.
I think I mentioned this in my review for Pictures of You as well, but there’s just something about this trilogy that feels important. Like it’s a story that needs to be heard. It continuously rips your heart out, but you can’t stop reading either.
Maybe it’d be easier if he hated me. Maybe I’d deserve it. After all I’d done someone should hate me. Sometimes I sure did.
It was good to see Peter take charge a bit, stand up for himself, and make new friends. However, when he messes up he does so epically, and it was equally painful to witness these things at times. I feel like I talk (and think) in circles when it comes to this trilogy, but it really is one you need to experience for yourself. I’m hoping to start the third book very soon, because I am beyond ready to experience Peter’s HEA. We both need it.
And as pink bloomed in the east, I just wanted to hear his voice again. Be held in his arms again. Hear him laugh and tell me everything was all right. He was good at big lies like that.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Love triangle
Coming of age
Historical
Romance
Push and pull
Only one bed
Set in the 90’s
Book 2/3
High angst
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Vomiting
Death of a pet (on page, natural causes)
Drugging (GHB)
Unsafe sex
Homophobia
Cheating
Discussions of HIV and AIDS
Side character with AIDS
Intense feelings of guilt
Mentions of the death of a parent (past, off page)
Club hookups with dubious consent (under the influence of GHB)
Alcoholic parent (relapse)
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: Yes, both Peter and Adam cheat on each other.
OM/OW drama: Yes. Peter starts something with Daniel (MC Peter ends up with) in this book. The same situation with Adam and his girlfriend from book 1 still applies to this one. See my review for Pictures of You for more details.
Breakup: Yes
POV: 1st person, single POV
Genre: Historical/coming of age/romance
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile (no switching on page)
MCs age: Peter and Adam are both 19. Daniel is 22.
“I don’t need to be taken care of,” I said again, my ego smarting. “I know.” Daniel slid his fingers down the side of my face gently. “But why don’t you let me anyway? Would it be so bad?”
No one came to my defense. Not even me.
“[…] making the right choice can feel like a cop-out, especially when you’ve spent a lot of time justifying making a bad one. […]”
“First love is sweet, but good love is sweeter.”
This book really put me through every emotion under the sun. I felt burning anger, I cried (a LOT), and I even laughed a couple times. I will admit that our main dude, Peter, wasn’t always easy to like and root for in this book, but you also can’t help but love him. I wanted to shake him and hug him all at the same time. He’s so real and flawed in this, and just trying to figure himself out, all while dealing with a manipulative (I would even say abusive) boyfriend. He’s dealing with immense feelings of guilt, growing feelings for someone else while still trying to stay loyal to a disloyal boyfriend. Yeah, it’s a lot. It’s very much worth it, though.
There were men out there like me, men whose only crime was love, and for the expression of that love they were dying.
I think I mentioned this in my review for Pictures of You as well, but there’s just something about this trilogy that feels important. Like it’s a story that needs to be heard. It continuously rips your heart out, but you can’t stop reading either.
Maybe it’d be easier if he hated me. Maybe I’d deserve it. After all I’d done someone should hate me. Sometimes I sure did.
It was good to see Peter take charge a bit, stand up for himself, and make new friends. However, when he messes up he does so epically, and it was equally painful to witness these things at times. I feel like I talk (and think) in circles when it comes to this trilogy, but it really is one you need to experience for yourself. I’m hoping to start the third book very soon, because I am beyond ready to experience Peter’s HEA. We both need it.
And as pink bloomed in the east, I just wanted to hear his voice again. Be held in his arms again. Hear him laugh and tell me everything was all right. He was good at big lies like that.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Love triangle
Coming of age
Historical
Romance
Push and pull
Only one bed
Set in the 90’s
Book 2/3
High angst
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Vomiting
Death of a pet (on page, natural causes)
Drugging (GHB)
Unsafe sex
Homophobia
Cheating
Discussions of HIV and AIDS
Side character with AIDS
Intense feelings of guilt
Mentions of the death of a parent (past, off page)
Club hookups with dubious consent (under the influence of GHB)
Alcoholic parent (relapse)
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: Yes, both Peter and Adam cheat on each other.
OM/OW drama: Yes. Peter starts something with Daniel (MC Peter ends up with) in this book. The same situation with Adam and his girlfriend from book 1 still applies to this one. See my review for Pictures of You for more details.
Breakup: Yes
POV: 1st person, single POV
Genre: Historical/coming of age/romance
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile (no switching on page)
MCs age: Peter and Adam are both 19. Daniel is 22.
“I don’t need to be taken care of,” I said again, my ego smarting. “I know.” Daniel slid his fingers down the side of my face gently. “But why don’t you let me anyway? Would it be so bad?”
No one came to my defense. Not even me.
“[…] making the right choice can feel like a cop-out, especially when you’ve spent a lot of time justifying making a bad one. […]”
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.
“It’s okay to want things, Paul. Everyone needs a dream.”
This was sweet, hot, a little sad, and festive as heck. I’ve struggled with getting into books the last few weeks because I’m absolutely swamped with school work, but this was a perfect low angst christmas book to help me unwind in the evenings.
Gideon was a man with a plan, and that worried me. Especially when he turned up with a thick stack of printout pages, a legal pad, and, lord help us, fabric samples.
I ended up loving both MCs a lot, which is always super nice. They are both a little sad and lonely inside, which I mean, of course, it’s a christmas romance. But, that always gets me right in the feels. They’re not the best at communicating early on because neither of them want to risk ‘popping the bubble’ as it were, but it has a lovely HEA and coming along for the ride as they learn the other persons love language and needs was lovely. Cute and quick read. I also *adore* a bossy smaller guy topping from the bottom.
It really was a darn shame, the way the man totally lacked an appetite for fun and community togetherness. But maybe when one filled out a leather jacket like he did, a personality was strictly optional.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Grumpy/sunshine
Geeky MC
Christmas
Opposites attract
Neighbors to lovers
Bossy bottom
Silver fox
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Explicit sexual content
Brief mentions of parent deaths due to house fire (past)
Grief
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
OM/OW drama: No
Breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual POV
Genre: Contemporary holiday romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
MCs age: 42 and 40’s. Might be the same age.
“You’re cute if you think I can’t be bossy and bottom at the same time.”
“I love that you, with all your endless sunshine, have a cranky cat.” “Apparently, I attract grumpy things.”
And maybe I couldn’t write him poetry, but I could put it into my touch, my lips, my very breath.
“It’s okay to want things, Paul. Everyone needs a dream.”
This was sweet, hot, a little sad, and festive as heck. I’ve struggled with getting into books the last few weeks because I’m absolutely swamped with school work, but this was a perfect low angst christmas book to help me unwind in the evenings.
Gideon was a man with a plan, and that worried me. Especially when he turned up with a thick stack of printout pages, a legal pad, and, lord help us, fabric samples.
I ended up loving both MCs a lot, which is always super nice. They are both a little sad and lonely inside, which I mean, of course, it’s a christmas romance. But, that always gets me right in the feels. They’re not the best at communicating early on because neither of them want to risk ‘popping the bubble’ as it were, but it has a lovely HEA and coming along for the ride as they learn the other persons love language and needs was lovely. Cute and quick read. I also *adore* a bossy smaller guy topping from the bottom.
It really was a darn shame, the way the man totally lacked an appetite for fun and community togetherness. But maybe when one filled out a leather jacket like he did, a personality was strictly optional.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Grumpy/sunshine
Geeky MC
Christmas
Opposites attract
Neighbors to lovers
Bossy bottom
Silver fox
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Explicit sexual content
Brief mentions of parent deaths due to house fire (past)
Grief
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
OM/OW drama: No
Breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual POV
Genre: Contemporary holiday romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
MCs age: 42 and 40’s. Might be the same age.
“You’re cute if you think I can’t be bossy and bottom at the same time.”
“I love that you, with all your endless sunshine, have a cranky cat.” “Apparently, I attract grumpy things.”
And maybe I couldn’t write him poetry, but I could put it into my touch, my lips, my very breath.
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.
I didn’t know how much longer I could stand being a person I couldn’t respect.
Some books are nearly impossible to boil down into a few paragraphs and a list of tropes. I imagine it will only get more difficult with each book in the trilogy. I put off reading this book for absolute ages, because I knew it would be angsty, emotional and hard to read. I got as much as possible of what happens spoiled so that I could deal with the content and topics.
Something in me had broken over our months together. It hadn’t been an instant break, more of a slow shatter. I could point back to moments and say, “This crack started there, and this one there,” but now I was a mess of barely-held-together glass, and it was only a matter of time until I fell apart completely.
It’s a brutal, honest, heartwrenching story about first loves, friendships and unhealthy relationships, and it really doesn’t pull any punches. This is more Peter’s story than it is a love story, and the inner turmoil Peter deals with throughout (and it really only builds) was intense, and I ended up feeling this continuous sense of dread on his behalf, because you can see how it will only end in heartbreak, and the main character knows it too.
Love was like honey—a little was good, a lot was amazing, and too much? Well, too much made a big, sticky mess, a sweet mire I was drowning in, alone and more exhausted by the minute.
Peter isn’t perfect, but he’s a good person struggling with his situation. Adam, however… I hate him with my entire being, lol. He is awful, and very early on I could see the tendrils of how his strong personality and manipulative behavior would play out, and I was both right and wrong. I was right, but it was just worse than I expected, even after getting *all* the spoilers.
“Why is the way I love so awful that someone has to be called out to blame for it?” My eyes burned. “Am I that horrible? Was he?”
I’m sure there are plenty of great reviews for this book, so I’m not even going to try to explain it all. I can already tell that the trilogy is going to leave a lasting impression, and I’ll be thinking about this book for a long time. It hit a trigger for me, so it certainly wasn’t easy, but I think it was worth it. Leta Blake has done a beautiful job with Peter and his first book, and when I read her explanation and introduction to the book, I got really emotional. You can tell this story means a lot to her, and she has brought all of that emotion to Peter and his story. Somehow, I’m really looking forward to reading the next book.
Adam didn’t have to be my future. He could be my for now. And I’d take whatever I could for as long as I could because, despite everything, I loved him, and it wasn’t going to last. We didn’t stand a chance.
I’ll give details on some of the content warnings and book safety at the very end of this review. Spoiler warning for that as well.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Coming of age
The 90’s
Closeted MCs
High school
High heat
Love triangle
Historical romance
Push and pull
High school
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Cheating
Homophobia
Bullying
Bi erasure
Neglectful parents
Drug use (marijuana)
Underage drinking
Casual homophobic language
Physical assault (hate crime)
Brief mention of parental abuse (past)
Brief mentions of family death (cancer, some details)
Mentions of/discussions of war (desert storm)
Humiliation (verbal abuse, spanking with belt)
Hate crime/murder (past, family member, detailed)
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: Yes
OM/OW drama: Yes
Third-act breakup: Yes
POV: 1st person, single POV
Genre: Historical/coming of age/romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
MCs age: 18 and 18
Adam is the main love interest in this first book, but he is not who Peter ends up with at the end of the trilogy. There is no HFN or HEA at the end of book 1.
The cheating:
Adam starts a relationship with a girl (Leslie) while Peter and Adam are still together. Leslie is completely in the dark, so there is cheating between the main characters, as well as Adam cheating on Leslie with Peter.
OM/OW drama:
Mostly based on the cheating mentioned above. Adam has an orgasm while being spanked (not by Peter, and not the spanking situation mentioned in the content warnings) on stage during a drag show. Peter develops a small crush on a young man called Daniel who is introduced late in the book. Nothing happens between them beyond light flirting (in this book). Peter goes on a date with two different girls, and has a fake relationship with one of them for a while. Nothing intimate happens beyond hand holding and a couple pecks. Peter is mostly very loyal to Adam.
I didn’t know how much longer I could stand being a person I couldn’t respect.
Some books are nearly impossible to boil down into a few paragraphs and a list of tropes. I imagine it will only get more difficult with each book in the trilogy. I put off reading this book for absolute ages, because I knew it would be angsty, emotional and hard to read. I got as much as possible of what happens spoiled so that I could deal with the content and topics.
Something in me had broken over our months together. It hadn’t been an instant break, more of a slow shatter. I could point back to moments and say, “This crack started there, and this one there,” but now I was a mess of barely-held-together glass, and it was only a matter of time until I fell apart completely.
It’s a brutal, honest, heartwrenching story about first loves, friendships and unhealthy relationships, and it really doesn’t pull any punches. This is more Peter’s story than it is a love story, and the inner turmoil Peter deals with throughout (and it really only builds) was intense, and I ended up feeling this continuous sense of dread on his behalf, because you can see how it will only end in heartbreak, and the main character knows it too.
Love was like honey—a little was good, a lot was amazing, and too much? Well, too much made a big, sticky mess, a sweet mire I was drowning in, alone and more exhausted by the minute.
Peter isn’t perfect, but he’s a good person struggling with his situation. Adam, however… I hate him with my entire being, lol. He is awful, and very early on I could see the tendrils of how his strong personality and manipulative behavior would play out, and I was both right and wrong. I was right, but it was just worse than I expected, even after getting *all* the spoilers.
“Why is the way I love so awful that someone has to be called out to blame for it?” My eyes burned. “Am I that horrible? Was he?”
I’m sure there are plenty of great reviews for this book, so I’m not even going to try to explain it all. I can already tell that the trilogy is going to leave a lasting impression, and I’ll be thinking about this book for a long time. It hit a trigger for me, so it certainly wasn’t easy, but I think it was worth it. Leta Blake has done a beautiful job with Peter and his first book, and when I read her explanation and introduction to the book, I got really emotional. You can tell this story means a lot to her, and she has brought all of that emotion to Peter and his story. Somehow, I’m really looking forward to reading the next book.
Adam didn’t have to be my future. He could be my for now. And I’d take whatever I could for as long as I could because, despite everything, I loved him, and it wasn’t going to last. We didn’t stand a chance.
I’ll give details on some of the content warnings and book safety at the very end of this review. Spoiler warning for that as well.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Coming of age
The 90’s
Closeted MCs
High school
High heat
Love triangle
Historical romance
Push and pull
High school
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Cheating
Homophobia
Bullying
Bi erasure
Neglectful parents
Drug use (marijuana)
Underage drinking
Casual homophobic language
Physical assault (hate crime)
Brief mention of parental abuse (past)
Brief mentions of family death (cancer, some details)
Mentions of/discussions of war (desert storm)
Humiliation (verbal abuse, spanking with belt)
Hate crime/murder (past, family member, detailed)
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: Yes
OM/OW drama: Yes
Third-act breakup: Yes
POV: 1st person, single POV
Genre: Historical/coming of age/romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
MCs age: 18 and 18
Adam is the main love interest in this first book, but he is not who Peter ends up with at the end of the trilogy. There is no HFN or HEA at the end of book 1.
The cheating:
Adam starts a relationship with a girl (Leslie) while Peter and Adam are still together. Leslie is completely in the dark, so there is cheating between the main characters, as well as Adam cheating on Leslie with Peter.
OM/OW drama:
Mostly based on the cheating mentioned above. Adam has an orgasm while being spanked (not by Peter, and not the spanking situation mentioned in the content warnings) on stage during a drag show. Peter develops a small crush on a young man called Daniel who is introduced late in the book. Nothing happens between them beyond light flirting (in this book). Peter goes on a date with two different girls, and has a fake relationship with one of them for a while. Nothing intimate happens beyond hand holding and a couple pecks. Peter is mostly very loyal to Adam.
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.
[…] every time they were within ten feet of each other, he couldn’t decide if he wanted to strangle the arrogant man or throw himself into his arms.
When I saw a promo post for this, I *knew* I needed to read it. Paranormal, bodyguard, age gap and shifters? SO sold. Thankfully, it more than lived up to my expectations. I had tons of fun while reading it, and I finished it super fast.
There’s definitely a case of push and pull in this, but I thought the reasoning behind it was solid, so it wasn’t as annoying as I usually find that trope. The build-up of sexual tension was lovely.
“I don’t know what the future holds,” Jeremiah whispered against his skin. “But I know that I won’t just die for you, Remington. I will live for you, and I will fight for you. […]”
These authors managed to create a very original paranormal fantasy world, and it really was a joy to explore it and learn how it all works and the dynamics between different species and countries. The action was super well done as well, and I am so excited for the second book! Very highly recommend.
The few humans close by scattered as soon as they drew near, and Jeremiah could only guess what he looked like: eyes lit up with blue flames, fangs protruding from his mouth, and smoke rising from his shoulders. Anyone with even just a few brain cells left would know to get the fuck out of his way.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Bodyguard
Royalty (crown prince)
Hellhound MC
Paranormal
Fated mates
Half siren/half human
Enemies to lovers
Age gap
Knotting
Found family
Possessive and protective
Grumpy/brat
Size difference
Virgin MC
Class difference
Scenting
Cock pocket
Shifters
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Attempted kidnapping
Bigotry
Speciesism
Attempted murder
Severely injured MC
Knotting
Non-human genitalia
Drugging
Kidnapping
Graphic violence
Explicit sexual content
Sex while in siren-form (shifted)
Xenophobia
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
OM/OW drama: No
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 3rd person, dual POV
Genre: Paranormal romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
MCs age: Remi is college aged. Not specified, at least 10 year age gap.
[…] every time they were within ten feet of each other, he couldn’t decide if he wanted to strangle the arrogant man or throw himself into his arms.
When I saw a promo post for this, I *knew* I needed to read it. Paranormal, bodyguard, age gap and shifters? SO sold. Thankfully, it more than lived up to my expectations. I had tons of fun while reading it, and I finished it super fast.
There’s definitely a case of push and pull in this, but I thought the reasoning behind it was solid, so it wasn’t as annoying as I usually find that trope. The build-up of sexual tension was lovely.
“I don’t know what the future holds,” Jeremiah whispered against his skin. “But I know that I won’t just die for you, Remington. I will live for you, and I will fight for you. […]”
These authors managed to create a very original paranormal fantasy world, and it really was a joy to explore it and learn how it all works and the dynamics between different species and countries. The action was super well done as well, and I am so excited for the second book! Very highly recommend.
The few humans close by scattered as soon as they drew near, and Jeremiah could only guess what he looked like: eyes lit up with blue flames, fangs protruding from his mouth, and smoke rising from his shoulders. Anyone with even just a few brain cells left would know to get the fuck out of his way.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Bodyguard
Royalty (crown prince)
Hellhound MC
Paranormal
Fated mates
Half siren/half human
Enemies to lovers
Age gap
Knotting
Found family
Possessive and protective
Grumpy/brat
Size difference
Virgin MC
Class difference
Scenting
Cock pocket
Shifters
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Attempted kidnapping
Bigotry
Speciesism
Attempted murder
Severely injured MC
Knotting
Non-human genitalia
Drugging
Kidnapping
Graphic violence
Explicit sexual content
Sex while in siren-form (shifted)
Xenophobia
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
OM/OW drama: No
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 3rd person, dual POV
Genre: Paranormal romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
MCs age: Remi is college aged. Not specified, at least 10 year age gap.
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.
I’m no longer afraid to be different, not when I’m finally being me. I spent too long being somebody else and hating myself for it.
This dang book made me tear up from the sweetness and kindness, and I don’t think that has ever happened to me before. Just the nicest, most beautiful, relatively straightforward love story ever, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I’d been wanting to read this book for a while because it’s one of the author’s (very few) books that are safe for me. I’m sad it took me so long to get around go it.
Bo is an amazing character and I’ve heard and seen lots of well-deserved love for them, but I just want to highlight Jameson too. What a mensch. He just wanted to learn and be the best ally (and boyfriend) he could be, while also acknowledging that he could never *actually* understand Bo and their experience with coming out and being genderqueer. He was just so accepting of everyone, including himself, which made his sexual awakening relatively pain-free.
“You are courageous every single day. Every day. Because the world you walk through is one so few people will ever understand, and you do it with your head held high. You’re gorgeous and caring and fierce. And I’m so fucking glad I found you.”
Bo did not have an easy go of it growing up, and the fact that they managed to let go of so much hate and break out of the vicious cycle of their family and become someone kind and good? Freaking impressive. And I know it’s fiction, but real people do this all the time too, and I can’t imagine many things being more challenging.
Courage, dear heart.
I absolutely loved this book and recommend it lots.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & content tags ⚠️
Sexual awakening
Pansexual
Enby MC
Lace & lingerie
Coworkers
Shy MC
Show tunes
Skirts and makeup
Size difference
Fast feelings
Swoony and romantic
Intercrural sex
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Purposeful misgendering of MC (not by other MC)
Mentions of parent death (off page, past)
Deadnaming of MC
Alcohol consumption
Themes of fertility issues (SCs unable to conceive)
Mentions of MC being a bully in the past
Explicit sexual content
Biting/marking
MC abandoned by parent as a baby
Details of homophobic and borderline abusive parent
Homophobic slur
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: No
Breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual
Genre: Contemporary romance
Pairing: M/X
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
Main characters’ age: 23 and 30
Series: Interconnected standalone
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages: 312
Happy ending: Yes
“What is this?” “The start of something, if you want it to be,” he says, surprising the hell out of me. He adds, gaze intent, “I want it to be.”
“I want to leave… a hundred marks… on your skin,” he says breathlessly, mouth at my neck. “I want to bite you… and suck you off… and fuck you… and hold you.” He keeps thrusting. “And when you’re covered in my bruises… and too sore to leave my arms… maybe then you’ll know how insatiable I am for you.”
You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?igsh=MWZ3azhkdDc2Y2ludg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
I’m no longer afraid to be different, not when I’m finally being me. I spent too long being somebody else and hating myself for it.
This dang book made me tear up from the sweetness and kindness, and I don’t think that has ever happened to me before. Just the nicest, most beautiful, relatively straightforward love story ever, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I’d been wanting to read this book for a while because it’s one of the author’s (very few) books that are safe for me. I’m sad it took me so long to get around go it.
Bo is an amazing character and I’ve heard and seen lots of well-deserved love for them, but I just want to highlight Jameson too. What a mensch. He just wanted to learn and be the best ally (and boyfriend) he could be, while also acknowledging that he could never *actually* understand Bo and their experience with coming out and being genderqueer. He was just so accepting of everyone, including himself, which made his sexual awakening relatively pain-free.
“You are courageous every single day. Every day. Because the world you walk through is one so few people will ever understand, and you do it with your head held high. You’re gorgeous and caring and fierce. And I’m so fucking glad I found you.”
Bo did not have an easy go of it growing up, and the fact that they managed to let go of so much hate and break out of the vicious cycle of their family and become someone kind and good? Freaking impressive. And I know it’s fiction, but real people do this all the time too, and I can’t imagine many things being more challenging.
Courage, dear heart.
I absolutely loved this book and recommend it lots.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & content tags ⚠️
Sexual awakening
Pansexual
Enby MC
Lace & lingerie
Coworkers
Shy MC
Show tunes
Skirts and makeup
Size difference
Fast feelings
Swoony and romantic
Intercrural sex
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Purposeful misgendering of MC (not by other MC)
Mentions of parent death (off page, past)
Deadnaming of MC
Alcohol consumption
Themes of fertility issues (SCs unable to conceive)
Mentions of MC being a bully in the past
Explicit sexual content
Biting/marking
MC abandoned by parent as a baby
Details of homophobic and borderline abusive parent
Homophobic slur
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: No
Breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual
Genre: Contemporary romance
Pairing: M/X
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
Main characters’ age: 23 and 30
Series: Interconnected standalone
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages: 312
Happy ending: Yes
“What is this?” “The start of something, if you want it to be,” he says, surprising the hell out of me. He adds, gaze intent, “I want it to be.”
“I want to leave… a hundred marks… on your skin,” he says breathlessly, mouth at my neck. “I want to bite you… and suck you off… and fuck you… and hold you.” He keeps thrusting. “And when you’re covered in my bruises… and too sore to leave my arms… maybe then you’ll know how insatiable I am for you.”
You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?igsh=MWZ3azhkdDc2Y2ludg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.
For someone like me, friendships were precious, rare things. I told myself this. Reminded myself of it over and over in an attempt to make it less painful that he didn’t want me.
I’m sad to say this was kinda disappointing. It started so well and I was super excited after reading the first book. The premise was original, it was emotional and the character introduction intrigued me tons. Unfortunately it just became kinda stagnant. Nothing really happened for a very long time. I think this book is just way too long, unfortunately. I really wanted to finish it because I had made a connection to the characters, but by the end I didn’t really care anymore, which isn’t great. It was all sweet, the sex was hot and the emotional aspect was on point. It didn’t outweigh my issues with it this time, though.
“The sass,” I shook my head in disbelief. “I feel like if I told people how sassy you can be sometimes, they wouldn’t believe me.”
One thing I feel I need to mention was the frankly obscenely excessive use of repetition. Repeated phrases, repeated words, and repeated internal monologue (intentional or not). It was cute early on, but by the end it felt like someone was pranking me. If i never see a word repeated three times again, it’s too soon. soon. soon. Please stop that.
2.75 stars
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Commitment-phobe
Big boys
Single dad
Small town
First times
Primal kink
Disaster date
Scheming kid
Pansexual MC
Slow burn
Found family
Mental health rep
Outdoor shenanigans
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Primal kink
Anxiety
Explicit sexual content
Panic attacks
Mentions of parent death
Grief
Mentions of homophobia (past)
Brief Mentions of bullying (past and present)
Mentions of incarceration (juvie, past)
Family abandonment
Neglectful parent (MCs parent)
37 and 29
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
OM/OW drama: No
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual POV
Genre: Contemporary romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
MCs age: 29 and 37
If ass eating was an Olympic sport, Trent Montgomery would’ve won the gold fucking medal.
And he terrified me, because what was I supposed to do if I loved him…if I loved him, and he didn’t love me back?
For someone like me, friendships were precious, rare things. I told myself this. Reminded myself of it over and over in an attempt to make it less painful that he didn’t want me.
I’m sad to say this was kinda disappointing. It started so well and I was super excited after reading the first book. The premise was original, it was emotional and the character introduction intrigued me tons. Unfortunately it just became kinda stagnant. Nothing really happened for a very long time. I think this book is just way too long, unfortunately. I really wanted to finish it because I had made a connection to the characters, but by the end I didn’t really care anymore, which isn’t great. It was all sweet, the sex was hot and the emotional aspect was on point. It didn’t outweigh my issues with it this time, though.
“The sass,” I shook my head in disbelief. “I feel like if I told people how sassy you can be sometimes, they wouldn’t believe me.”
One thing I feel I need to mention was the frankly obscenely excessive use of repetition. Repeated phrases, repeated words, and repeated internal monologue (intentional or not). It was cute early on, but by the end it felt like someone was pranking me. If i never see a word repeated three times again, it’s too soon. soon. soon. Please stop that.
2.75 stars
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Commitment-phobe
Big boys
Single dad
Small town
First times
Primal kink
Disaster date
Scheming kid
Pansexual MC
Slow burn
Found family
Mental health rep
Outdoor shenanigans
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Primal kink
Anxiety
Explicit sexual content
Panic attacks
Mentions of parent death
Grief
Mentions of homophobia (past)
Brief Mentions of bullying (past and present)
Mentions of incarceration (juvie, past)
Family abandonment
Neglectful parent (MCs parent)
37 and 29
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
OM/OW drama: No
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual POV
Genre: Contemporary romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
MCs age: 29 and 37
If ass eating was an Olympic sport, Trent Montgomery would’ve won the gold fucking medal.
And he terrified me, because what was I supposed to do if I loved him…if I loved him, and he didn’t love me back?
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.
He was just the cutest thing I’d ever seen, and I had a batch of newborn bunnies back at the shelter. A group of bunnies is called a fluffle, by the way. And that knowledge isn’t half as adorable as what I had lying passed out on top of me.
Zile’s writing is refreshingly original and his stories are so much freaking fun to read. For the first parts of this I really had no idea where it was gonna go or what was gonna happen, but I figured I would just put all of my expectations aside and just go with it. Nothing crazy really happened, but I was ready for anything, lol.
“He’s narcoleptic. Something must have happened to him to make him scared or overly excited. When he gets a burst of adrenaline, his system overloads, and he shuts off like an overheated computer.”
If Vix’s sexual appetite and unconventional relationships with his roommates worries you, you’re safe to keep reading. Once Vix and Paris lay eyes on each other, everyone else ceases to exist, pretty much.
I made my eyes as large and as sweet as I could. I even managed to get a good glisten going. I knew it was good because I practiced in front of a mirror.
Zile’s books are always hard to pin down or boil down to a few sentences. How do you even specify the genre with something like this? It’s not really fantasy, but there’s magic, maybe curses, literal mind-talking with animals, evil geniuses, etc. At the same time, it all feels contemporary, lol. Whatever it actually is, who cares. What I do know is that it’s a lot of fun. There is a touch of christmas vibes in this, but it won’t feel like you’ve swallowed Santa himself by the end. Just a bit of pretty fairy lights and sexy christmas gifts.
Protective and creepy were merely two sides of the same coin. Ultimately, I wasn’t the one who could decide which one I was being.
The author has done a good job of writing this in a really unique way, like the characters are telling *you* the story. This results in the tenses switching a bit, but you’ll get used to that quickly. It was well done and an entertaining read.
Yes, I have a small dick. Sue me. Several people have told me it’s cute just like me, and I’m proud of it.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Size difference
Instalove
Possessive
Obsessive
Protective
Magic
Narcoleptic MC
Nymphomania
Morally gray MC
Talking to animals
Somewhat evil genius
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Brief mentions of homelessness
Mentions of killing
Explicit sexual content
Arson
House fire
Explosions
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
OM/OW drama: No. Vix is cuddly with his best friend, but nothing sexual (with anyone) after he meets Paris.
Third-act breakup: No
POV: Mixed tenses, dual POV
Genre: Fantasy-ish romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
MCs age: 21 and 26
“Still sleepy? That’s okay. You can stay here as long as you need to.” Paris put a hand on my chest and one behind my neck and slowly pushed me back onto the bed. The resulting zing of lust shooting through me, combined with the knowledge that I would win a tall-man contest before I ever got a chance to ride Paris’s bologna pony, made my brain flip the closed sign, and it was lights out for Vix once again.
I was so strange, and Paris was so good. He’d probably never accidentally killed a single person in his life.
I decided to offer him water. If he cried that much normally, I’d need to make sure to keep him well-hydrated.
He was just the cutest thing I’d ever seen, and I had a batch of newborn bunnies back at the shelter. A group of bunnies is called a fluffle, by the way. And that knowledge isn’t half as adorable as what I had lying passed out on top of me.
Zile’s writing is refreshingly original and his stories are so much freaking fun to read. For the first parts of this I really had no idea where it was gonna go or what was gonna happen, but I figured I would just put all of my expectations aside and just go with it. Nothing crazy really happened, but I was ready for anything, lol.
“He’s narcoleptic. Something must have happened to him to make him scared or overly excited. When he gets a burst of adrenaline, his system overloads, and he shuts off like an overheated computer.”
If Vix’s sexual appetite and unconventional relationships with his roommates worries you, you’re safe to keep reading. Once Vix and Paris lay eyes on each other, everyone else ceases to exist, pretty much.
I made my eyes as large and as sweet as I could. I even managed to get a good glisten going. I knew it was good because I practiced in front of a mirror.
Zile’s books are always hard to pin down or boil down to a few sentences. How do you even specify the genre with something like this? It’s not really fantasy, but there’s magic, maybe curses, literal mind-talking with animals, evil geniuses, etc. At the same time, it all feels contemporary, lol. Whatever it actually is, who cares. What I do know is that it’s a lot of fun. There is a touch of christmas vibes in this, but it won’t feel like you’ve swallowed Santa himself by the end. Just a bit of pretty fairy lights and sexy christmas gifts.
Protective and creepy were merely two sides of the same coin. Ultimately, I wasn’t the one who could decide which one I was being.
The author has done a good job of writing this in a really unique way, like the characters are telling *you* the story. This results in the tenses switching a bit, but you’ll get used to that quickly. It was well done and an entertaining read.
Yes, I have a small dick. Sue me. Several people have told me it’s cute just like me, and I’m proud of it.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Size difference
Instalove
Possessive
Obsessive
Protective
Magic
Narcoleptic MC
Nymphomania
Morally gray MC
Talking to animals
Somewhat evil genius
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Brief mentions of homelessness
Mentions of killing
Explicit sexual content
Arson
House fire
Explosions
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
OM/OW drama: No. Vix is cuddly with his best friend, but nothing sexual (with anyone) after he meets Paris.
Third-act breakup: No
POV: Mixed tenses, dual POV
Genre: Fantasy-ish romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
MCs age: 21 and 26
“Still sleepy? That’s okay. You can stay here as long as you need to.” Paris put a hand on my chest and one behind my neck and slowly pushed me back onto the bed. The resulting zing of lust shooting through me, combined with the knowledge that I would win a tall-man contest before I ever got a chance to ride Paris’s bologna pony, made my brain flip the closed sign, and it was lights out for Vix once again.
I was so strange, and Paris was so good. He’d probably never accidentally killed a single person in his life.
I decided to offer him water. If he cried that much normally, I’d need to make sure to keep him well-hydrated.
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.
“It’s as if I’ve been hit by a lightning bolt, except not hurt, but energised. The only person who’s ever made me feel I’m enough is myself. Now I have you. I don’t dread the future because we can have one together. You’re mine. I’m yours.”
I read the second book first (because why not), and I ended up absolutely falling in love with Theo from this book while reading it, and knew I had to go back and read book 1 after. I’m very glad I did. This is only my third Barbara book, but she is easily one of my favorite authors. Her writing skills are up there with the very best of them. The snarky british banter gives me all the joy, the spice is great, and the romance is freaking fantastic.
“Hello.” Theo glanced from side to side, then up and down. “I’m frantically looking for danger so you can save me again. Oh look. A meteorite.”
Col was great too, but Theo stole the show for me. Yes, he speaks just about every thought that falls into his head, but I was very pleased to see that the ‘rambling mess’ bit wasn’t his entire personality. He was a fleshed out and lovely MC, who also happened to be (sometimes unintentionally) hilarious and beyond snarky. Characters like that can feel a bit OTT sometimes, but to me he was charming and sweet.
“I’ve never had a boyfriend before,” he blurted. Shit! Why did my throat choose that moment to open up? “Why not?” “A million reasons. Well, no. Slight exaggeration but several hundred thousand.” Theo frowned. “You actually want me to tell you why not? Because once I get started, I’ll keep going and going and then you won’t want to be my boyfriend either.”
It truly doesn’t matter how similar or different her MCs are. They’re written in a way that makes their friendships and connections utterly believable. They just make sense together. Even when this author is writing about objectively horrible things (there’s a real possibility of tears being shed), you’ll probably read it with a smile on your face, mostly. At least to me, the books are joyous. Every time I’ve read something by Barbara, I’m blown away by how she isn’t a massive name in the genre, because she certainly deserves it. She also repeatedly hits that sweet spot with enough plot and action to keep my interest outside of the actual romance. Very highly recommend this series. Absolute *chefs kiss* perfection.
He spotted Theo bounding his way, a broad smile on his face. While Col was watching, Theo did one of those little jumps in the air, tried to click his heels and fell over. He dusted himself down, tried again, and when he managed the click, he flung his arms in the air in delight.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Virgin MC
Rambling MC
Aristocratic drama
Strangers to lovers
Past trauma
Meddlesome ex boyfriend
Hurt/comfort
First times
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
MC cheated on by side character
(not detailed)
Explicit sexual content
Neglectful parents
Verbal abuse (family members)
Estranged family
Medical emergency
Injured MC
Violent attack by ex boyfriend
Mentions of past child abuse
(MC and side character)
Death of a sibling (past, some details)
Racism (side characters)
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
OM/OW drama: No
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 3rd person, dual POV
Genre: Contemporary romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
MCs age: 21 and 25
The older I grew, the more I wanted them to forget I existed. I used to hide under the bed in my attic room and put my fingers in my ears so I couldn’t hear Dominic crying.
“In a different world, what would you like to be?” “Ah. Don’t laugh.” Col caught hold of Theo’s chin and lifted his head so they were facing each other. “I would never tread on someone’s dreams.”
“[…] Undo my zip.” Theo widened his eyes. “Your cock is pulling that down all on its own! I’m so impressed. What other tricks can it do? Sit up and beg? Fetch the ball?”
“It’s as if I’ve been hit by a lightning bolt, except not hurt, but energised. The only person who’s ever made me feel I’m enough is myself. Now I have you. I don’t dread the future because we can have one together. You’re mine. I’m yours.”
I read the second book first (because why not), and I ended up absolutely falling in love with Theo from this book while reading it, and knew I had to go back and read book 1 after. I’m very glad I did. This is only my third Barbara book, but she is easily one of my favorite authors. Her writing skills are up there with the very best of them. The snarky british banter gives me all the joy, the spice is great, and the romance is freaking fantastic.
“Hello.” Theo glanced from side to side, then up and down. “I’m frantically looking for danger so you can save me again. Oh look. A meteorite.”
Col was great too, but Theo stole the show for me. Yes, he speaks just about every thought that falls into his head, but I was very pleased to see that the ‘rambling mess’ bit wasn’t his entire personality. He was a fleshed out and lovely MC, who also happened to be (sometimes unintentionally) hilarious and beyond snarky. Characters like that can feel a bit OTT sometimes, but to me he was charming and sweet.
“I’ve never had a boyfriend before,” he blurted. Shit! Why did my throat choose that moment to open up? “Why not?” “A million reasons. Well, no. Slight exaggeration but several hundred thousand.” Theo frowned. “You actually want me to tell you why not? Because once I get started, I’ll keep going and going and then you won’t want to be my boyfriend either.”
It truly doesn’t matter how similar or different her MCs are. They’re written in a way that makes their friendships and connections utterly believable. They just make sense together. Even when this author is writing about objectively horrible things (there’s a real possibility of tears being shed), you’ll probably read it with a smile on your face, mostly. At least to me, the books are joyous. Every time I’ve read something by Barbara, I’m blown away by how she isn’t a massive name in the genre, because she certainly deserves it. She also repeatedly hits that sweet spot with enough plot and action to keep my interest outside of the actual romance. Very highly recommend this series. Absolute *chefs kiss* perfection.
He spotted Theo bounding his way, a broad smile on his face. While Col was watching, Theo did one of those little jumps in the air, tried to click his heels and fell over. He dusted himself down, tried again, and when he managed the click, he flung his arms in the air in delight.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Virgin MC
Rambling MC
Aristocratic drama
Strangers to lovers
Past trauma
Meddlesome ex boyfriend
Hurt/comfort
First times
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
MC cheated on by side character
(not detailed)
Explicit sexual content
Neglectful parents
Verbal abuse (family members)
Estranged family
Medical emergency
Injured MC
Violent attack by ex boyfriend
Mentions of past child abuse
(MC and side character)
Death of a sibling (past, some details)
Racism (side characters)
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
OM/OW drama: No
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 3rd person, dual POV
Genre: Contemporary romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
MCs age: 21 and 25
The older I grew, the more I wanted them to forget I existed. I used to hide under the bed in my attic room and put my fingers in my ears so I couldn’t hear Dominic crying.
“In a different world, what would you like to be?” “Ah. Don’t laugh.” Col caught hold of Theo’s chin and lifted his head so they were facing each other. “I would never tread on someone’s dreams.”
“[…] Undo my zip.” Theo widened his eyes. “Your cock is pulling that down all on its own! I’m so impressed. What other tricks can it do? Sit up and beg? Fetch the ball?”
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.
Sometimes growing up meant growing apart and that was the hardest pill to swallow as a father who didn’t know how to be anything but… Dad.
Y’all. I don’t remember the last time I read something this charming and sweet, that still has emotional depth. For a (spicy) Hallmark-y christmas book, the plot was also refreshingly original. The only reason I didn’t read it in one sitting was because I had to sleep.
Jesus. I wondered what he sounded like in bed? All… gruff and… grrrrr. Like a big bear. I bet he had chest hair. Fuck, I loved chest hair.
I’m a bit of a Grinch in real life, but I’m glad I picked this up after hearing about Paxton’s ‘pipe laying’ skills, as it were. Not only was that comment entirely accurate (I might need a cold shower), but it actually gave me a bit of christmas cheer. If christmas happened every four years like the olympics, I would be okay with that, yet this book put me in a really good mood even while I’m anxiously procrastinating everything I’m supposed to be doing, lol.
“Sweet little thing, aren’t you, sugar?” Paxton murmured, one of his hands slipping beneath the hem of my shirt.
The family vibes were immaculate, and made even sweeter because of the overarching themes of loneliness. A fantastic represantion of the grumpy/sunshine trope, with two adorkable teenagers who love their parents unconditionally. I really do love single dad books, but don’t often see teenagers. Fae really pulled this off. The kids were somehow very real and exactly like teenagers, but without being annoying at all. They were just utterly charming and added a wonderful element to the story. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series. Apparently I’m in a christmas mood.
“I can’t promise everything will go right. That’s not in my power. But I can promise you—whatever happens—I’m gonna be right by your side.”
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Single dads
Holiday setting
Hurt/comfort
Small town
Lonely parents
Meddling teens
Grumpy/sunshine
Size difference
Dad jokes
Dirty talk
Eating pie
Sometimes growing up meant growing apart and that was the hardest pill to swallow as a father who didn’t know how to be anything but… Dad.
Y’all. I don’t remember the last time I read something this charming and sweet, that still has emotional depth. For a (spicy) Hallmark-y christmas book, the plot was also refreshingly original. The only reason I didn’t read it in one sitting was because I had to sleep.
Jesus. I wondered what he sounded like in bed? All… gruff and… grrrrr. Like a big bear. I bet he had chest hair. Fuck, I loved chest hair.
I’m a bit of a Grinch in real life, but I’m glad I picked this up after hearing about Paxton’s ‘pipe laying’ skills, as it were. Not only was that comment entirely accurate (I might need a cold shower), but it actually gave me a bit of christmas cheer. If christmas happened every four years like the olympics, I would be okay with that, yet this book put me in a really good mood even while I’m anxiously procrastinating everything I’m supposed to be doing, lol.
“Sweet little thing, aren’t you, sugar?” Paxton murmured, one of his hands slipping beneath the hem of my shirt.
The family vibes were immaculate, and made even sweeter because of the overarching themes of loneliness. A fantastic represantion of the grumpy/sunshine trope, with two adorkable teenagers who love their parents unconditionally. I really do love single dad books, but don’t often see teenagers. Fae really pulled this off. The kids were somehow very real and exactly like teenagers, but without being annoying at all. They were just utterly charming and added a wonderful element to the story. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series. Apparently I’m in a christmas mood.
“I can’t promise everything will go right. That’s not in my power. But I can promise you—whatever happens—I’m gonna be right by your side.”
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Single dads
Holiday setting
Hurt/comfort
Small town
Lonely parents
Meddling teens
Grumpy/sunshine
Size difference
Dad jokes
Dirty talk
Eating pie
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.
“I don’t dislike you,” he said firmly. “O—kay. That’s good.” “I’m not sure what you’re up to, but I don’t think you’re a terrible person.” Tim felt a trickle of annoyance. “Wow. I’m flattered. Can I use you as a future reference?”
I got tired of writing reviews for a bit (still am, let’s be honest), so this one is about 10 days late. I still have the general impression and my book safety notes, but not too many other thoughts, lol. I read book 2 in the series first and I thought that was absolutely fantastic. This one was good too, but I definitely prefer the second one.
Having the hottest guy in town talking to him made Tim feel like he’d won a temporary visa to leave his pathetic life for a single night, like Cinderella.
It’s a little bit difficult to review, because a huge part of the plot that is the basis for the connection between the MCs (which is also humorous), is something I probably wouldn’t forgive someone for doing. There’s also a meddling mother who is supposed to be endearing and funny I suppose, but personally I wanted to throw her into a snake pit and leave her there.
The book was still charming and cute, and definitely entertaining, and I was glad there was a bit of a groveling situation going on near the end. I can’t bear it when someone messes up (intentionally or not), without having to work for the forgiveness.
Also, the entire premise of the series is so cool and endearing. 3.5 stars rounded up.
He was like a mistreated junkyard dog snarling at anyone who approached, but at the same time wanting kindness so bad he ached with it.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Law enforcement
Dog shifter
Shifter/human
Tall and gangly
Bisexual awakening
Enemies to lovers
Deception
Slow burn
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Explicit sexual content
Mentions of domestic abuse (past, off page)
Mentions of child abuse (past, off page)
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
OM/OW drama: No
Third-act breakup: Yes
POV: 3rd person, dual POV
Genre: Shifter romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
MCs age: 31 and 23
This would be more like the fantasies he had of being held down and fucked by a real man. Not cruelly, but covering him with confidence and assurance, like a big blanket that kept him safe and also, conveniently, unlike all but the most cleverly manufactured blankets, stimulated his prostate.
“I don’t dislike you,” he said firmly. “O—kay. That’s good.” “I’m not sure what you’re up to, but I don’t think you’re a terrible person.” Tim felt a trickle of annoyance. “Wow. I’m flattered. Can I use you as a future reference?”
I got tired of writing reviews for a bit (still am, let’s be honest), so this one is about 10 days late. I still have the general impression and my book safety notes, but not too many other thoughts, lol. I read book 2 in the series first and I thought that was absolutely fantastic. This one was good too, but I definitely prefer the second one.
Having the hottest guy in town talking to him made Tim feel like he’d won a temporary visa to leave his pathetic life for a single night, like Cinderella.
It’s a little bit difficult to review, because a huge part of the plot that is the basis for the connection between the MCs (which is also humorous), is something I probably wouldn’t forgive someone for doing. There’s also a meddling mother who is supposed to be endearing and funny I suppose, but personally I wanted to throw her into a snake pit and leave her there.
The book was still charming and cute, and definitely entertaining, and I was glad there was a bit of a groveling situation going on near the end. I can’t bear it when someone messes up (intentionally or not), without having to work for the forgiveness.
Also, the entire premise of the series is so cool and endearing. 3.5 stars rounded up.
He was like a mistreated junkyard dog snarling at anyone who approached, but at the same time wanting kindness so bad he ached with it.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Law enforcement
Dog shifter
Shifter/human
Tall and gangly
Bisexual awakening
Enemies to lovers
Deception
Slow burn
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Explicit sexual content
Mentions of domestic abuse (past, off page)
Mentions of child abuse (past, off page)
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
OM/OW drama: No
Third-act breakup: Yes
POV: 3rd person, dual POV
Genre: Shifter romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
MCs age: 31 and 23
This would be more like the fantasies he had of being held down and fucked by a real man. Not cruelly, but covering him with confidence and assurance, like a big blanket that kept him safe and also, conveniently, unlike all but the most cleverly manufactured blankets, stimulated his prostate.