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booksafety
Book safety, tropes and tags down below.
3.5 stars
«Dealing. Stealing. Prostitution. The unholy trinity of the forgotten.»
I liked both main characters a fair amount, but Caspian was quite lovable. I have a bone to pick with Jonah, but I can’t really discuss it without spoiling a whole bunch. Let’s just say I don’t appreciate characters weaponizing another persons feelings. Is that even a thing? A saying? It makes sense in my head, lol. He redeemed himself well enough I guess. He’s not a bad person (you know, except for all the killing and shit). Here’s a spoilery quote for those of you who want an idea of what that’s all about:
«Jonah murmured in a low seductive voice Cas had never heard before. A teasing, smug tone that made Cas furious and horny at the same time. It cemented Cas’s greatest fear. That Jonah had always known how much Cas wanted him, had loved him, and it meant so little that Jonah was willing to use it as a weapon against him.»
«Cas had spent the last five years trying to become a monster, too, trying to teach himself not to care. Some part of Cas thought maybe if he could become a monster like Jonah, maybe Jonah could love him then.»
There was enough action to hold my interest all the way through (which is a damn feat these days, let me tell you), and the spice was good. I really missed a proper conversation between the guys where they talk about what happened five years ago when Cas left. It’s very much glossed over, and I felt kind of robbed of any type of closure. Just a paragraph or two of clear communication would have made this so much better for me. I also wish we got a little more hacking action - considering Caspian is supposed to be the best at it - and a little more background on why Caspian ran away from home in the first place.
I really really disliked the side character Madigan (even though it got the tiniest bit better by the end), so I’m a little scared of reading the second book where he’s one of the MCs.
Overall, it’s Onley James (I don’t really know Neve Wilder’s work), so you know it’ll be entertaining and good. There was a couple of scenes I would’ve preferred not reading, but I’ll mention those in the spoilers down below ⬇️
Book safety
Cheating: No
OM drama: Yes, with Madigan, but in the past (before Cas left). There is also an on-page situation where Jonah receives a bj, which Caspian witnesses.
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 3rd person, dual
Strict top/bottom or vers: Strict
TW/CW
Prostitution, forced prostitution, violence, killing, blood, stapling wounds, mentions of human trafficking, recreational drug use, explicit sexual content, gsw, on-page sex with someone other than the MC (before they get together), injury
Tropes & tags
Guardian-to-stranger-to-lover, age gap, unrequited young love, tattoos, hacker, assassin-for-hire, former sex worker, injured MC
3.5 stars
«Dealing. Stealing. Prostitution. The unholy trinity of the forgotten.»
I liked both main characters a fair amount, but Caspian was quite lovable. I have a bone to pick with Jonah, but I can’t really discuss it without spoiling a whole bunch. Let’s just say I don’t appreciate characters weaponizing another persons feelings. Is that even a thing? A saying? It makes sense in my head, lol. He redeemed himself well enough I guess. He’s not a bad person (you know, except for all the killing and shit). Here’s a spoilery quote for those of you who want an idea of what that’s all about:
Spoiler
«Jonah murmured in a low seductive voice Cas had never heard before. A teasing, smug tone that made Cas furious and horny at the same time. It cemented Cas’s greatest fear. That Jonah had always known how much Cas wanted him, had loved him, and it meant so little that Jonah was willing to use it as a weapon against him.»
«Cas had spent the last five years trying to become a monster, too, trying to teach himself not to care. Some part of Cas thought maybe if he could become a monster like Jonah, maybe Jonah could love him then.»
There was enough action to hold my interest all the way through (which is a damn feat these days, let me tell you), and the spice was good. I really missed a proper conversation between the guys where they talk about what happened five years ago when Cas left. It’s very much glossed over, and I felt kind of robbed of any type of closure. Just a paragraph or two of clear communication would have made this so much better for me. I also wish we got a little more hacking action - considering Caspian is supposed to be the best at it - and a little more background on why Caspian ran away from home in the first place.
I really really disliked the side character Madigan (even though it got the tiniest bit better by the end), so I’m a little scared of reading the second book where he’s one of the MCs.
Overall, it’s Onley James (I don’t really know Neve Wilder’s work), so you know it’ll be entertaining and good. There was a couple of scenes I would’ve preferred not reading, but I’ll mention those in the spoilers down below ⬇️
Book safety
Spoiler
Cheating: No
OM drama: Yes, with Madigan, but in the past (before Cas left). There is also an on-page situation where Jonah receives a bj, which Caspian witnesses.
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 3rd person, dual
Strict top/bottom or vers: Strict
TW/CW
Spoiler
Prostitution, forced prostitution, violence, killing, blood, stapling wounds, mentions of human trafficking, recreational drug use, explicit sexual content, gsw, on-page sex with someone other than the MC (before they get together), injury
Tropes & tags
Spoiler
Guardian-to-stranger-to-lover, age gap, unrequited young love, tattoos, hacker, assassin-for-hire, former sex worker, injured MC
Book safety, tropes and tags down below.
I enjoyed this book quite a lot. Isaac and Chase became friends slowly through strange circumstances, and even though the attraction was there on both sides all along, their friendship and eventual relationship evolved slowly in a way that felt natural. I've been reading a lot of obsessive instalove type books lately, so in that way it was a breath of fresh air. Both main characters are flawed enough to keep it interesting with a little tension at times. I wouldn't call it angsty, but it's not 100% angst free either, not in the relationship and not with everything external happening around these men.
One of the main sources of tension and pain comes from the situation with Lily, Isaac's mom. She has dementia, and it was quite heartbreaking to read about those instances when she was confused or didn't recognize her son. Isaac feels a lot of responsibility and wants to take care of her himself.
"Chase and Isaac hang back and watch Lily flitter around the kitchen in a rare show of clarity. While she works, Chase turns to look at Isaac, and an overwhelming desire to hug him overtakes Chase. Isaac looks like he's about to cry."
During one of the sex scenes, Isaac opens a condom halfway before lubing up his hands (and his boyfriend), and comments on the difficulty of opening a condom, which I appreciated a whole lot. I even had to message a friend and tell her about it, because even after hundreds of books with both condoms and lube involved, this is the first time I've seen someone mention how goddamned difficult opening those foils are, lmao. Applause to the authors for including that. It gave me joy.
I found the friendships that formed between both MCs family and friends incredibly wholesome and it brought something extra to the book. There were also a few humorous moments that brought a few smiles and giggles, which I appreciated. It's not an overly sad book, but it deals with a lot of heavy subjects. And of course I cried, but if you can point out the last book that didn't make me cry, I'll give you a million dollars, lol.
"Chase isn't prone to road rage, but more than once, he fantasizes about pulling over the assholes and aggressively reviewing traffic laws with them."
Such a politely raging canadian boy, lol.
There is one thing I felt was missing, and that was Isaac telling Chase about his ex fiancé. Their relationship ending definitely affected Isaac's behavior and insecurities, and was worth mentioning, if not exploring further, as it most definitely played a part in some of the MCs relationship troubles.
Book safety
Cheating: No
OM drama: No
Third-act breakup: Yes
POV: 3rd person, dual
Strict top/bottom or vers: Versatile
TW/CW
Parent with dementia, mentions of drunk driving accident killing parent, side character heart attack, explicit sexual content
Tropes & tags
Age gap (12 years, I think?), sick parent, interracial relationship, librarian (with nerd glasses), strangers-to-friends-to-lovers
I enjoyed this book quite a lot. Isaac and Chase became friends slowly through strange circumstances, and even though the attraction was there on both sides all along, their friendship and eventual relationship evolved slowly in a way that felt natural. I've been reading a lot of obsessive instalove type books lately, so in that way it was a breath of fresh air. Both main characters are flawed enough to keep it interesting with a little tension at times. I wouldn't call it angsty, but it's not 100% angst free either, not in the relationship and not with everything external happening around these men.
One of the main sources of tension and pain comes from the situation with Lily, Isaac's mom. She has dementia, and it was quite heartbreaking to read about those instances when she was confused or didn't recognize her son. Isaac feels a lot of responsibility and wants to take care of her himself.
"Chase and Isaac hang back and watch Lily flitter around the kitchen in a rare show of clarity. While she works, Chase turns to look at Isaac, and an overwhelming desire to hug him overtakes Chase. Isaac looks like he's about to cry."
During one of the sex scenes, Isaac opens a condom halfway before lubing up his hands (and his boyfriend), and comments on the difficulty of opening a condom, which I appreciated a whole lot. I even had to message a friend and tell her about it, because even after hundreds of books with both condoms and lube involved, this is the first time I've seen someone mention how goddamned difficult opening those foils are, lmao. Applause to the authors for including that. It gave me joy.
I found the friendships that formed between both MCs family and friends incredibly wholesome and it brought something extra to the book. There were also a few humorous moments that brought a few smiles and giggles, which I appreciated. It's not an overly sad book, but it deals with a lot of heavy subjects. And of course I cried, but if you can point out the last book that didn't make me cry, I'll give you a million dollars, lol.
"Chase isn't prone to road rage, but more than once, he fantasizes about pulling over the assholes and aggressively reviewing traffic laws with them."
Such a politely raging canadian boy, lol.
There is one thing I felt was missing, and that was Isaac telling Chase about his ex fiancé. Their relationship ending definitely affected Isaac's behavior and insecurities, and was worth mentioning, if not exploring further, as it most definitely played a part in some of the MCs relationship troubles.
Book safety
Spoiler
Cheating: No
OM drama: No
Third-act breakup: Yes
POV: 3rd person, dual
Strict top/bottom or vers: Versatile
TW/CW
Spoiler
Parent with dementia, mentions of drunk driving accident killing parent, side character heart attack, explicit sexual content
Tropes & tags
Spoiler
Age gap (12 years, I think?), sick parent, interracial relationship, librarian (with nerd glasses), strangers-to-friends-to-lovers
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes & tags down below.
“P-punishment?” Raf’s eyes widened. Brendan nodded. “Yes, because naughty boys should get punished, don’t you think?” Raf looked puzzled. “When you say it like that, with your voice all low and sexy, it doesn’t sound like punishment.”
I don’t really have tons of thoughts about this one, other than that it was a well written book about a young man with ADHD and depression trying to find his place/people in this world. Up until this point he hadn’t found that one kink that really spoke to him. He finds a really patient and sweet older Daddy who introduces him to age play.
I enjoyed that it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows all the way through. It’s still low angst and sweet, but maybe not as sugary sweet as some other D/l books tend to be.
His mind had conjured up about a million things that could go wrong, and he hadn’t even tried all that hard.
Definitely a few editing/proofing issues that took me out of the story at times, but I still enjoyed it.
Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Age gap
Daddy/little
Age play
ABDL w/wetting
Hurt/comfort
Past trauma
ADHD rep
⚠️⚠️ Content warning ⚠️⚠️
Explicit sexual content
ABDL
Wetting
Depression
Mentions of conversion therapy
Parental neglect and mistreatment
⚠️⚠️⚠️ Book safety ⚠️⚠️⚠️
Cheating: No
OM drama: No
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 3rd person, dual POV
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
“P-punishment?” Raf’s eyes widened. Brendan nodded. “Yes, because naughty boys should get punished, don’t you think?” Raf looked puzzled. “When you say it like that, with your voice all low and sexy, it doesn’t sound like punishment.”
I don’t really have tons of thoughts about this one, other than that it was a well written book about a young man with ADHD and depression trying to find his place/people in this world. Up until this point he hadn’t found that one kink that really spoke to him. He finds a really patient and sweet older Daddy who introduces him to age play.
I enjoyed that it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows all the way through. It’s still low angst and sweet, but maybe not as sugary sweet as some other D/l books tend to be.
His mind had conjured up about a million things that could go wrong, and he hadn’t even tried all that hard.
Definitely a few editing/proofing issues that took me out of the story at times, but I still enjoyed it.
Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Age gap
Daddy/little
Age play
ABDL w/wetting
Hurt/comfort
Past trauma
ADHD rep
⚠️⚠️ Content warning ⚠️⚠️
Explicit sexual content
ABDL
Wetting
Depression
Mentions of conversion therapy
Parental neglect and mistreatment
⚠️⚠️⚠️ Book safety ⚠️⚠️⚠️
Cheating: No
OM drama: No
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 3rd person, dual POV
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.
“Oh, sugar,” I cursed under my breath, darting to my bedside table for a tissue, somehow both satiated and humiliated at the same time. Which is not the worst feeling, for some reason.
This book is so much fun. The perfect balance of obsessive love and romance, superhero-y action, and some of the spiciest smut you’ll read.
I think one of my favorite parts about this is how, if you strip back all the action and ‘extra’ stuff going on, you still have a really sweet (and filthy) romance at the center of it all to kinda bring it all home. They’re fated mates so there’s definitely an instant connection, but it doesn’t necessarily read like instalove. Their connection is believable and you can see how they work together basically right away.
Forget bi-awakening, I had a sub-awakening on my hands, and I had never been more here for anything in my entire goddamn life. Come. To. Daddy.
Their dynamic is a LOT of fun. Butch is an absolute beefcake of a (younger) man, and he loves to be a good boy for Xander. The mix of mild degradation with praise really works, and both MCs love it. If you’re worried about the degradation warning, I would honestly say there’s not much to worry about (unless it’s a trigger for you), because there’s so much pure affection behind it.
Two nights without Butch in my bed and I’d turned into a fucking menace to society.
I think I’ve mentioned this previously as well after reading the second book, but the humor is top notch. It’s so on the nose sometimes, especially with the funny hero/villain/character names, that it makes me chuckle every single time. It’s sorta cheesy, but only in the best way. Gentlemen Prefer Villains is still my favorite, but there’s no doubt that this is also a solid 5 stars. Hats off to the author for building this fun universe with lots of smut, and still managing to center it all around a good romance.
“Oh, fuck,” I repeated out loud as every red flag I’d ignored wildly flapped in the breeze.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Superhero/villain
Secret identity
Hookup to lovers
Praise kink
Age gap
Feuding families
Possessive and protective
First times
A touch of daddy kink
Submissive beefcake
Fated mates
Grumpy/sunshine
Mild degredation
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Mild degradation
Slut/brat
Mentions of killing
Graphic murder details
Intentured servitude
Kidnapping
Animal autopsy (seagull)
Explicit sexual content
Violence
This list and more can be found on the author’s website:
c-rochelle.com
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
OM/OW drama: No
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual POV
Genre: Superhero romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
MCs age: 22 and 31
“[…]It’s okay to cry over sea turtles, Xan. It doesn’t make you weak.”
“Oh, sugar,” I cursed under my breath, darting to my bedside table for a tissue, somehow both satiated and humiliated at the same time. Which is not the worst feeling, for some reason.
This book is so much fun. The perfect balance of obsessive love and romance, superhero-y action, and some of the spiciest smut you’ll read.
I think one of my favorite parts about this is how, if you strip back all the action and ‘extra’ stuff going on, you still have a really sweet (and filthy) romance at the center of it all to kinda bring it all home. They’re fated mates so there’s definitely an instant connection, but it doesn’t necessarily read like instalove. Their connection is believable and you can see how they work together basically right away.
Forget bi-awakening, I had a sub-awakening on my hands, and I had never been more here for anything in my entire goddamn life. Come. To. Daddy.
Their dynamic is a LOT of fun. Butch is an absolute beefcake of a (younger) man, and he loves to be a good boy for Xander. The mix of mild degradation with praise really works, and both MCs love it. If you’re worried about the degradation warning, I would honestly say there’s not much to worry about (unless it’s a trigger for you), because there’s so much pure affection behind it.
Two nights without Butch in my bed and I’d turned into a fucking menace to society.
I think I’ve mentioned this previously as well after reading the second book, but the humor is top notch. It’s so on the nose sometimes, especially with the funny hero/villain/character names, that it makes me chuckle every single time. It’s sorta cheesy, but only in the best way. Gentlemen Prefer Villains is still my favorite, but there’s no doubt that this is also a solid 5 stars. Hats off to the author for building this fun universe with lots of smut, and still managing to center it all around a good romance.
“Oh, fuck,” I repeated out loud as every red flag I’d ignored wildly flapped in the breeze.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Superhero/villain
Secret identity
Hookup to lovers
Praise kink
Age gap
Feuding families
Possessive and protective
First times
A touch of daddy kink
Submissive beefcake
Fated mates
Grumpy/sunshine
Mild degredation
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Mild degradation
Slut/brat
Mentions of killing
Graphic murder details
Intentured servitude
Kidnapping
Animal autopsy (seagull)
Explicit sexual content
Violence
This list and more can be found on the author’s website:
c-rochelle.com
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
OM/OW drama: No
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual POV
Genre: Superhero romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
MCs age: 22 and 31
“[…]It’s okay to cry over sea turtles, Xan. It doesn’t make you weak.”
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Book safety, content warnings and tropes down below.
I know I’m super late to the party on this one, but better late than never.
Alright, so. A main character who communicates their feelings and thoughts. How goddamn novel lmao. Travis won me over by cuddling after sex and then when he yelled at Charlie later on. The bar is super frickin’ low, lol.
Travis4president
N.R. Walker is scary good at writing flawed but likable characters. You know, the ones who make you cry with them while they’re messing up instead of making you want to throw the kindle into the ocean out of anger. That’s an artform not many have mastered.
⚠️ Spoiler warning ⚠️
Book safety
Cheating: No
OM drama: No
Third-act breakup: Almost
POV: 1st person, single POV
Genre: Contemporary romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
MCs age: 23 and 25
TW/CW
Internalized homophobia
Injured MC
Search & rescue situation
Homophobia
Mentions of child abandonment
Tropes & tags
Cowboys
Aussie/American
Exchange student
Australian outback
Farming
Found family
Closeted MC
I know I’m super late to the party on this one, but better late than never.
Alright, so. A main character who communicates their feelings and thoughts. How goddamn novel lmao. Travis won me over by cuddling after sex and then when he yelled at Charlie later on. The bar is super frickin’ low, lol.
Travis4president
N.R. Walker is scary good at writing flawed but likable characters. You know, the ones who make you cry with them while they’re messing up instead of making you want to throw the kindle into the ocean out of anger. That’s an artform not many have mastered.
⚠️ Spoiler warning ⚠️
Book safety
Cheating: No
OM drama: No
Third-act breakup: Almost
POV: 1st person, single POV
Genre: Contemporary romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
MCs age: 23 and 25
TW/CW
Internalized homophobia
Injured MC
Search & rescue situation
Homophobia
Mentions of child abandonment
Tropes & tags
Cowboys
Aussie/American
Exchange student
Australian outback
Farming
Found family
Closeted MC
Book safety, tropes and tags down below.
This novella was very sweet. I enjoyed the idea of a teenager playing cupid, trying to find someone for his dad by hiring a nanny. Considering it’s a novella and the scope it allows, I thought we got a good idea of who the characters were and what made them tick. The ex wife was horrible, and the book deals with a custody dispute, fighting parents and homophobia in a way that isn’t too heavy, even though the subject matter is serious. It had some good spice as well, which is always appreciated.
Benson, Adrian and Elliot were adorable together, and I can recommend it if you want something short and cute that is sort of instalove/lust, but without the OTT lovey-dovey dialogue that often accompanies that sort of thing. Well, it wasn’t to me, atleast, lol.
There were a couple of things I wish was either fleshed out more or just left out completely, which is why this is more of a 3.7 for me instead of 4 stars. It felt like they were forgotten a bit. The ‘break-in’, for example.
Oh, and the cover is so pretty.
Book safety
Cheating: No
OM drama: No. Elliot has a friend that is interested, but Elliot isn’t
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual
Strict top/bottom or vers: Versatile
TW/CW
Homophobia, parents fighting, explicit sexual content
Tropes & tags
Nanny, single dad, teenager, lawyer MC, custody dispute
This novella was very sweet. I enjoyed the idea of a teenager playing cupid, trying to find someone for his dad by hiring a nanny. Considering it’s a novella and the scope it allows, I thought we got a good idea of who the characters were and what made them tick. The ex wife was horrible, and the book deals with a custody dispute, fighting parents and homophobia in a way that isn’t too heavy, even though the subject matter is serious. It had some good spice as well, which is always appreciated.
Benson, Adrian and Elliot were adorable together, and I can recommend it if you want something short and cute that is sort of instalove/lust, but without the OTT lovey-dovey dialogue that often accompanies that sort of thing. Well, it wasn’t to me, atleast, lol.
There were a couple of things I wish was either fleshed out more or just left out completely, which is why this is more of a 3.7 for me instead of 4 stars. It felt like they were forgotten a bit. The ‘break-in’, for example.
Oh, and the cover is so pretty.
Book safety
Spoiler
Cheating: No
OM drama: No. Elliot has a friend that is interested, but Elliot isn’t
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual
Strict top/bottom or vers: Versatile
TW/CW
Spoiler
Homophobia, parents fighting, explicit sexual content
Tropes & tags
Spoiler
Nanny, single dad, teenager, lawyer MC, custody dispute
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.
This little novella is definitely sweet and brought the heat. Unfortunately, I didn’t quite buy into the MCs connection, and therefore the spice didn’t work as well as it could have for me. The MCs are friends, but because all of their one-year-long-history happens off page, and it quite quickly jumps to spice, it felt a bit icky to me. Instead of ‘pining after my friend’ being the vibe, it came off as ‘sprouting wood every time my hair dresser (whom I barely know) breathes in my direction’.
Supposedly they had seen each other every month and texted in between, but that didn’t really come through. They felt like strangers.
It *was* hot though, and nothing really wrong with it I suppose (I’m feeling very critical and trying to reel it back in lol), it just wasn’t what I expected after reading the blurb. It’s surely perfect if you’re looking for something short and sweet with spice (and dick piercings!)
I thought the narrator (Freddie Wills) did a good job with it. The narrating bits between dialogue did sound a bit like a wildlife documentary at times, but that’s probably just the ‘formal’ vibe of the writing shining through.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Divorced MC
Florist MC
Hair dresser MC
Friends to lovers
Novella
Cock piercing (and others)
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Explicit sexual content
Brief mention of parent death (cancer, past),
31 and 32
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
OM/OW drama: No
Breakup: No
POV: 3rd person, dual POV
Genre: Contemporary romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
MCs age: 31 and 32
Pages: 125
This little novella is definitely sweet and brought the heat. Unfortunately, I didn’t quite buy into the MCs connection, and therefore the spice didn’t work as well as it could have for me. The MCs are friends, but because all of their one-year-long-history happens off page, and it quite quickly jumps to spice, it felt a bit icky to me. Instead of ‘pining after my friend’ being the vibe, it came off as ‘sprouting wood every time my hair dresser (whom I barely know) breathes in my direction’.
Supposedly they had seen each other every month and texted in between, but that didn’t really come through. They felt like strangers.
It *was* hot though, and nothing really wrong with it I suppose (I’m feeling very critical and trying to reel it back in lol), it just wasn’t what I expected after reading the blurb. It’s surely perfect if you’re looking for something short and sweet with spice (and dick piercings!)
I thought the narrator (Freddie Wills) did a good job with it. The narrating bits between dialogue did sound a bit like a wildlife documentary at times, but that’s probably just the ‘formal’ vibe of the writing shining through.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Divorced MC
Florist MC
Hair dresser MC
Friends to lovers
Novella
Cock piercing (and others)
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Explicit sexual content
Brief mention of parent death (cancer, past),
31 and 32
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
OM/OW drama: No
Breakup: No
POV: 3rd person, dual POV
Genre: Contemporary romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
MCs age: 31 and 32
Pages: 125
Book safety, tropes and tags down below.
This one was definitely a little more chill than the second book when it came to OTT characters. We’re talking about a mob boss and a billionaire, so of course it’s still pretty crazy, but I enjoy that shit 9 times out of 10. Luca is an adorable mafia boss with a sweet side. I especially enjoyed how he was protective and possessive, but it didn’t feel toxic like those character traits often can. Ford was a great character and I had been looking forward to getting more of his character since he showed up in book 1. A nerdy billionaire with a really sharp fashion sense and a virgin.
It’s been a while since I read some straight up romancing romance. We’ve got dates, galas and slow dancing in the kitchen with gun holsters on the kitchen island, as well as romantic getaways to the italian countryside. Swoon.
«It’s impossible not to touch when we’re in each others presence. It’s disgusting, and I love it.»
They are definitely disgustingly cute together, and I adored how excited and supportive their friends were of their relationship.
The virgin trope can definitely get old after a while with the whole innocent-and-pure thing, but Ford didn’t fall under that at all. He was comfortable with his own sexuality and definitely not non-sexual just because he’s a virgin. This man is a force to be reckoned with in bed, and you bet Kelly Fox brought the heat here as well. Highly enjoyed it.
Book safety
Cheating: No
OM drama: Ford sets up an ‘appointment’ with a nameless escort, but doesn’t go through with it.
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual POV
Genre: Contemporary romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
TW/CW
Attempted sexual assault (not between MCs), Mentions of past attempted SA, violence, blood, murder, gun violence, explicit sexual content, physical assault
Tropes & tags
Mafia boss, billionaire, multicultural and bilingual MCs, galas, fashion, virgin MC, opposites attract,
This one was definitely a little more chill than the second book when it came to OTT characters. We’re talking about a mob boss and a billionaire, so of course it’s still pretty crazy, but I enjoy that shit 9 times out of 10. Luca is an adorable mafia boss with a sweet side. I especially enjoyed how he was protective and possessive, but it didn’t feel toxic like those character traits often can. Ford was a great character and I had been looking forward to getting more of his character since he showed up in book 1. A nerdy billionaire with a really sharp fashion sense and a virgin.
It’s been a while since I read some straight up romancing romance. We’ve got dates, galas and slow dancing in the kitchen with gun holsters on the kitchen island, as well as romantic getaways to the italian countryside. Swoon.
«It’s impossible not to touch when we’re in each others presence. It’s disgusting, and I love it.»
They are definitely disgustingly cute together, and I adored how excited and supportive their friends were of their relationship.
The virgin trope can definitely get old after a while with the whole innocent-and-pure thing, but Ford didn’t fall under that at all. He was comfortable with his own sexuality and definitely not non-sexual just because he’s a virgin. This man is a force to be reckoned with in bed, and you bet Kelly Fox brought the heat here as well. Highly enjoyed it.
Book safety
Cheating: No
OM drama: Ford sets up an ‘appointment’ with a nameless escort, but doesn’t go through with it.
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual POV
Genre: Contemporary romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
TW/CW
Attempted sexual assault (not between MCs), Mentions of past attempted SA, violence, blood, murder, gun violence, explicit sexual content, physical assault
Tropes & tags
Mafia boss, billionaire, multicultural and bilingual MCs, galas, fashion, virgin MC, opposites attract,
Book safety, tropes and tags down below.
«‘Didn’t you know? Every time a cat kidnaps a zucchini, and angel gets his wings.’»
The context of which is for me to know and you to find out.
I’m a little sad that I didn’t like this more than I did. I loved the first book so much, which probably affected my expectations for this one. It was still funny, had great characters and a cute plot, so it should have worked. Unfortunately, the author hit one of my big pet peeves, and that as well as some annoying inconsistencies definitely colored my final thoughts on this. I want to love it, and I should love it. Sadly, sometimes there’s just that little something that doesn’t work for us, even though it’s an objectively good book. I always feel guilty for feeling that way too, lol.
The second half of this (especially the ending) felt very rushed, and the editing suffered for it as well. I’m sure it’ll be cleaned up in short order, considering it’s a new release.
My mind won’t let me not mention this: Julian’s random club hookup at the very start of the book is more detailed than Julian’s and Derek’s first kiss, which I gotta say, is a pretty wild choice.
It’s by no stretch of the imagination a bad book, it just didn’t land for me this time. I would still recommend it, and especially the first book.
Book safety
Cheating: No
OM drama: No. Julian goes to a club looking for a hookup after the MCs meet, but nothing happens there. The book starts with Julian getting a BJ in a club (before the MCs meet)
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 3rd person, dual
Strict top/bottom or vers: Versatile
TW/CW
Detailed hookup with other man (pre MCs meeting), injury, mentions of surgery, broken bones, blood, mentions of past bullying/physical & verbal abuse, explicit sexual content
Tropes & tags
Age gap, nurse, injured MC, friend group, kleptomaniac cat, bullied MC
«‘Didn’t you know? Every time a cat kidnaps a zucchini, and angel gets his wings.’»
The context of which is for me to know and you to find out.
I’m a little sad that I didn’t like this more than I did. I loved the first book so much, which probably affected my expectations for this one. It was still funny, had great characters and a cute plot, so it should have worked. Unfortunately, the author hit one of my big pet peeves, and that as well as some annoying inconsistencies definitely colored my final thoughts on this. I want to love it, and I should love it. Sadly, sometimes there’s just that little something that doesn’t work for us, even though it’s an objectively good book. I always feel guilty for feeling that way too, lol.
The second half of this (especially the ending) felt very rushed, and the editing suffered for it as well. I’m sure it’ll be cleaned up in short order, considering it’s a new release.
My mind won’t let me not mention this: Julian’s random club hookup at the very start of the book is more detailed than Julian’s and Derek’s first kiss, which I gotta say, is a pretty wild choice.
It’s by no stretch of the imagination a bad book, it just didn’t land for me this time. I would still recommend it, and especially the first book.
Book safety
Spoiler
Cheating: No
OM drama: No. Julian goes to a club looking for a hookup after the MCs meet, but nothing happens there. The book starts with Julian getting a BJ in a club (before the MCs meet)
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 3rd person, dual
Strict top/bottom or vers: Versatile
TW/CW
Spoiler
Detailed hookup with other man (pre MCs meeting), injury, mentions of surgery, broken bones, blood, mentions of past bullying/physical & verbal abuse, explicit sexual content
Tropes & tags
Spoiler
Age gap, nurse, injured MC, friend group, kleptomaniac cat, bullied MC
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes & tags down below.
“If I wasn’t numb to everything. If it was before. If it was five years ago. I might have smiled. I might have laughed. But it’s not. And I feel like a pillow is pressing down on my face, suffocating me with regret and painful memories.”
My first Charli Meadows book, and certainly won’t be my last. Fallon is definitely affected by trauma, and feelings of guilt and abandonment, but he’s also just a reserved and quiet person. I liked that he didn’t get a personality transplant just by working through some of that. Ryder is such an endearing mix of dude-bro and golden retriever, as well as being a super-dirty-in-the-bedroom sweetheart. Like, if I ever had a kid, I’d want my kid to be like Ryder. Well, without the dirty bedroom stuff, maybe. I wouldn’t wanna know, atleast, lol.
“Do your lips hurt?” I ask. “No,” he responds, breath hot against my touch. “Damn,” I tease. “I was gonna kiss them better.”
I normally don’t read romance with MCs this young, but I really loved it. This was a very low angst sexual awakening/coming of age type book. I still want to read Al and Joel’s story tho, lol. Single dad, age gap, son’s basketball coach? Sign me up. But yeah, even tho the parent figures stole the show for me a little (I wished we got more scenes between Fallon and his uncle), I loved this book. A little heartbreaking, a little sweet, and a little fun. Just solid overall. Adored the writing.
I think this was my favorite quote:
“I don’t deserve him. But I think I’m going to let myself have him.”
OH, and plus points for a ‘little sister’ character/prominent female character that didn’t get on my nerves within the first three pages. Sofie was awesome. Highly recommend. I’m gonna go back and start with Cali Boy. Soon. Ish. Hopefully sometime this year.
Extra btw, fucking kudos to these guys for banging on a bean bag. I can’t even sit down and get up from one of those without resembling an overturned turtle.
Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Friends to lovers, forced proximity, virgin x2, opposites attract, pseudo-stepbrothers? (dad and uncle of MCs are dating), high school romance, basketball, coming of age, sexual awakening, past trauma, found family, musician, piercings and funky hair, nipples ftw, size difference
⚠️⚠️ Content warning ⚠️⚠️
Explicit sexual content
Violence
Underage drinking and drugs
Bullying (outside of the MCs)
Homophobia
Parental loss (off page in the past)
Parental neglect (off page)
Grief
Anxiety
Depression
⚠️⚠️⚠️ Book safety ⚠️⚠️⚠️
Cheating: No
OM drama: No
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual POV
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
“If I wasn’t numb to everything. If it was before. If it was five years ago. I might have smiled. I might have laughed. But it’s not. And I feel like a pillow is pressing down on my face, suffocating me with regret and painful memories.”
My first Charli Meadows book, and certainly won’t be my last. Fallon is definitely affected by trauma, and feelings of guilt and abandonment, but he’s also just a reserved and quiet person. I liked that he didn’t get a personality transplant just by working through some of that. Ryder is such an endearing mix of dude-bro and golden retriever, as well as being a super-dirty-in-the-bedroom sweetheart. Like, if I ever had a kid, I’d want my kid to be like Ryder. Well, without the dirty bedroom stuff, maybe. I wouldn’t wanna know, atleast, lol.
“Do your lips hurt?” I ask. “No,” he responds, breath hot against my touch. “Damn,” I tease. “I was gonna kiss them better.”
I normally don’t read romance with MCs this young, but I really loved it. This was a very low angst sexual awakening/coming of age type book. I still want to read Al and Joel’s story tho, lol. Single dad, age gap, son’s basketball coach? Sign me up. But yeah, even tho the parent figures stole the show for me a little (I wished we got more scenes between Fallon and his uncle), I loved this book. A little heartbreaking, a little sweet, and a little fun. Just solid overall. Adored the writing.
I think this was my favorite quote:
“I don’t deserve him. But I think I’m going to let myself have him.”
OH, and plus points for a ‘little sister’ character/prominent female character that didn’t get on my nerves within the first three pages. Sofie was awesome. Highly recommend. I’m gonna go back and start with Cali Boy. Soon. Ish. Hopefully sometime this year.
Extra btw, fucking kudos to these guys for banging on a bean bag. I can’t even sit down and get up from one of those without resembling an overturned turtle.
Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Friends to lovers, forced proximity, virgin x2, opposites attract, pseudo-stepbrothers? (dad and uncle of MCs are dating), high school romance, basketball, coming of age, sexual awakening, past trauma, found family, musician, piercings and funky hair, nipples ftw, size difference
⚠️⚠️ Content warning ⚠️⚠️
Explicit sexual content
Violence
Underage drinking and drugs
Bullying (outside of the MCs)
Homophobia
Parental loss (off page in the past)
Parental neglect (off page)
Grief
Anxiety
Depression
⚠️⚠️⚠️ Book safety ⚠️⚠️⚠️
Cheating: No
OM drama: No
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual POV
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles