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Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.
I had come to terms with the fact that my little crush had somehow morphed into something much more serious when I wasn’t looking, and now my body ached with the tender, throbbing pain of unrequited love.
“You came back.” He sounded like he hadn’t been sure I would return, which could have been mildly insulting if it hadn’t been so astute. I hadn’t been sure I’d come back either.
This is hands down one of my favorite Daddy/boy books, and I think this is my third time reading it. There’s so much mutual affection, respect and admiration between these MCs. It’s a power exchange relationship, but they still feel like equals in every way, and the focus is on both of them being happy. It’s a slow burn and the book almost feels like it’s split in two parts: when Reid and Foster work together, and after they stop working together. They build a friendship as well as a professional relationship while working together, but never cross any lines.
“Scott… my boyfriend, he was… exacting. And he had very little tolerance for my mistakes, so I quickly learned not to make them.”
It’s quite a long and serious book. It deals heavily with the aftermath of an emotionally abusive relationship, and Reid isn’t ‘cured’ of his insecurities and emotional trauma by being with Foster in any way, and I truly do love that. However, it’s light, sweet and sometimes funny as well. It’s beautiful the way Foster teaches/shows Reid that he’s strong, and makes him believe in himself again, and that he isn’t reliant on him as his Daddy to feel good about himself.
“Was he abusive?” Reid looked down at his hands and fiddled with his straw wrapper. “No, he never hit me.” I wondered if Reid understood that there was more to abuse than physical violence.
Amazing elements of hurt/comfort, hot as hell when it gets going, and a subplot with a touch of suspense and external drama which I *love*. It really hits every spot for me.
He was, without a doubt, the smartest, kindest, most driven person I had ever met, and yet he was one lip twitch away from a pout because of some raisins.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Daddy kink
Power exchange
Slow burn
Age gap
Size difference
CEO and temporary assistant
Forced proximity
Hurt/comfort
Office shenanigans
Role play
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Attempted physical assault
Explicit sexual content
Anxiety attacks
Unlawfully held by police
Childbirth (on page, side character)
Death of a side character (heart attack, off page)
Abuse of police authority
Grief
Past abusive relationship:
Emotional abuse
Grooming
Gaslighting
Emotional trauma
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
OM/OW drama: Foster is set up on a date with someone else by a friend. He doesn’t want to, and nothing happens.
Breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual POV
Genre: Contemporary romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
MCs age: 22 and 42
Pages: 416
I didn’t mind the age gap at all, but I wondered if it bothered him, if he’d get tired of having me around eventually. No problem. I’d just practice saying really mature things like “decaf for me” and “in this economy?”
I only wanted to be with someone if that’s what he wanted too, and in an employee-employer relationship, there was no way to ever take that inequality out of the equation.
“Foster is a Daddy,” I blurted, my words coming out before I could stop them. Chase took another bite of his peach. “Doesn’t surprise me.” “It doesn’t?” It sure surprised the hell out of me. “You said he was, like, pretty put together, and older. Makes sense that he’d have kids.” I rubbed my temple with my fingertips. “Not a dad, Chase… a Daddy.” Chase choked slightly, coughing several times, but he waved a hand at me when I made a motion to stand and help. “I’m fine,” he said, voice hoarse.
“What’s with the suicide soundtrack?” My cheeks flushed, and I firmly instructed Alexa to stop my playlist. “I’m just saying…” Chase studied me intently. “That is a lot of Adele.”
I had come to terms with the fact that my little crush had somehow morphed into something much more serious when I wasn’t looking, and now my body ached with the tender, throbbing pain of unrequited love.
“You came back.” He sounded like he hadn’t been sure I would return, which could have been mildly insulting if it hadn’t been so astute. I hadn’t been sure I’d come back either.
This is hands down one of my favorite Daddy/boy books, and I think this is my third time reading it. There’s so much mutual affection, respect and admiration between these MCs. It’s a power exchange relationship, but they still feel like equals in every way, and the focus is on both of them being happy. It’s a slow burn and the book almost feels like it’s split in two parts: when Reid and Foster work together, and after they stop working together. They build a friendship as well as a professional relationship while working together, but never cross any lines.
“Scott… my boyfriend, he was… exacting. And he had very little tolerance for my mistakes, so I quickly learned not to make them.”
It’s quite a long and serious book. It deals heavily with the aftermath of an emotionally abusive relationship, and Reid isn’t ‘cured’ of his insecurities and emotional trauma by being with Foster in any way, and I truly do love that. However, it’s light, sweet and sometimes funny as well. It’s beautiful the way Foster teaches/shows Reid that he’s strong, and makes him believe in himself again, and that he isn’t reliant on him as his Daddy to feel good about himself.
“Was he abusive?” Reid looked down at his hands and fiddled with his straw wrapper. “No, he never hit me.” I wondered if Reid understood that there was more to abuse than physical violence.
Amazing elements of hurt/comfort, hot as hell when it gets going, and a subplot with a touch of suspense and external drama which I *love*. It really hits every spot for me.
He was, without a doubt, the smartest, kindest, most driven person I had ever met, and yet he was one lip twitch away from a pout because of some raisins.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Daddy kink
Power exchange
Slow burn
Age gap
Size difference
CEO and temporary assistant
Forced proximity
Hurt/comfort
Office shenanigans
Role play
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Attempted physical assault
Explicit sexual content
Anxiety attacks
Unlawfully held by police
Childbirth (on page, side character)
Death of a side character (heart attack, off page)
Abuse of police authority
Grief
Past abusive relationship:
Emotional abuse
Grooming
Gaslighting
Emotional trauma
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
OM/OW drama: Foster is set up on a date with someone else by a friend. He doesn’t want to, and nothing happens.
Breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual POV
Genre: Contemporary romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
MCs age: 22 and 42
Pages: 416
I didn’t mind the age gap at all, but I wondered if it bothered him, if he’d get tired of having me around eventually. No problem. I’d just practice saying really mature things like “decaf for me” and “in this economy?”
I only wanted to be with someone if that’s what he wanted too, and in an employee-employer relationship, there was no way to ever take that inequality out of the equation.
“Foster is a Daddy,” I blurted, my words coming out before I could stop them. Chase took another bite of his peach. “Doesn’t surprise me.” “It doesn’t?” It sure surprised the hell out of me. “You said he was, like, pretty put together, and older. Makes sense that he’d have kids.” I rubbed my temple with my fingertips. “Not a dad, Chase… a Daddy.” Chase choked slightly, coughing several times, but he waved a hand at me when I made a motion to stand and help. “I’m fine,” he said, voice hoarse.
“What’s with the suicide soundtrack?” My cheeks flushed, and I firmly instructed Alexa to stop my playlist. “I’m just saying…” Chase studied me intently. “That is a lot of Adele.”
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.
“Those rose-colored glasses?” he asked, kissing my nose. “Don’t ever take them off. Stay this optimistic and loving forever. I’ll protect you from everything else.”
This book is mostly fluff with a big helping of sugary sweet mid-coitus love-declarations, a surprising amount of borderline cringe dialogue because of the aforementioned, and yet, there’s just something about this book I really freaking enjoy.
If you’re like me and started reading MM after M/F and reverse harem books and feel like you’re missing that ‘big family of protective older brothers’ vibe you sometimes get with those, then look no further. Archer is the baby in the family, he has more brothers than I can remember, and he’s physically the smallest, even though he’s still 6 feet tall. He’s a sweetheart golden retriever and the entire world kinda collectively decided he needed to be protected, lol. I know that’s not everyones jam, but it’s certainly mine.
Also, there are not enough books with pleasure Dom’s out there. It just gives me all the tingly warm and fuzzies. Bram (I’m surprised there weren’t more vamp jokes) is 100% focused on pleasing Archer in any and every way, and it’s so hot. I am also a sucker for books where daddy kink happens because one character happens to blurt it out while getting railed. As good a time as any.
I’m not one to often add spicy quotes, but this one deserves a mention:
“Want me, Daddy? Want my mouth?” “Yes. God, yes.” His full lips trailed down my jaw to my neck. “On your knees, baby boy.”
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Pleasure dom
Daddy kink
Age gap
Size difference
Auction date
BIPOC character
Instalove
Fast burn
Jockstraps
Cockwarming
Public shenanigans (car with driver, sexting during meeting)
Multiple orgasms
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Explicit sexual content
Mentions of parent cheating (past)
Pregnant side character
Side characters going through adoption process (few details)
Blindfold and restraints (sexual, brief)
Sexting in public
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: No
Breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual
Genre: Contemporary romance
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile, no switching on page
Main characters’ age: 26 and 37
Series: Interconnected standalone
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages: 145
“I spent a hundred and fifty thousand dollars for a chance to spend two hours with you, Archer. You don’t need to be the one embarrassed here, okay? Tell me you understand that.”
“[…] I just need to live for myself. I need to feel it all: happiness, sadness, anger... pain. It’s all part of life. I’ve watched all of you go through those things and as hard as it was to see, I also knew it was a part of living. I have a good feeling about Bram, and if I’m wrong, I’ll make it through that too.”
“Have you heard of a pleasure Dom?” Every part of him relaxed. “Is that what he is? Yes, I’ve ... heard of them,” he said slowly, trying not to smile. “Yes.” I blushed, but I was happy to see him like this. “I’m... really happy, Brenn.” He snorted, then tried to hide it. “I’m not surprised to hear that. […]”
“Is it too soon to propose?” I asked, only half exaggerating. “I hear Vegas is open late.” Archer laughed, spinning around for me with his bottom lip between his teeth. “Nope. But I kind of want ice cream first,” he joked, yet I took it quite seriously. Five minutes later, he had a bowl full of strawberry ice cream in his hand, a heating pad behind his lower back, his feet in my lap and a smile on his face as I rubbed them.
You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?igsh=MWZ3azhkdDc2Y2ludg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
“Those rose-colored glasses?” he asked, kissing my nose. “Don’t ever take them off. Stay this optimistic and loving forever. I’ll protect you from everything else.”
This book is mostly fluff with a big helping of sugary sweet mid-coitus love-declarations, a surprising amount of borderline cringe dialogue because of the aforementioned, and yet, there’s just something about this book I really freaking enjoy.
If you’re like me and started reading MM after M/F and reverse harem books and feel like you’re missing that ‘big family of protective older brothers’ vibe you sometimes get with those, then look no further. Archer is the baby in the family, he has more brothers than I can remember, and he’s physically the smallest, even though he’s still 6 feet tall. He’s a sweetheart golden retriever and the entire world kinda collectively decided he needed to be protected, lol. I know that’s not everyones jam, but it’s certainly mine.
Also, there are not enough books with pleasure Dom’s out there. It just gives me all the tingly warm and fuzzies. Bram (I’m surprised there weren’t more vamp jokes) is 100% focused on pleasing Archer in any and every way, and it’s so hot. I am also a sucker for books where daddy kink happens because one character happens to blurt it out while getting railed. As good a time as any.
I’m not one to often add spicy quotes, but this one deserves a mention:
“Want me, Daddy? Want my mouth?” “Yes. God, yes.” His full lips trailed down my jaw to my neck. “On your knees, baby boy.”
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Pleasure dom
Daddy kink
Age gap
Size difference
Auction date
BIPOC character
Instalove
Fast burn
Jockstraps
Cockwarming
Public shenanigans (car with driver, sexting during meeting)
Multiple orgasms
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Explicit sexual content
Mentions of parent cheating (past)
Pregnant side character
Side characters going through adoption process (few details)
Blindfold and restraints (sexual, brief)
Sexting in public
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: No
Breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual
Genre: Contemporary romance
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile, no switching on page
Main characters’ age: 26 and 37
Series: Interconnected standalone
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages: 145
“I spent a hundred and fifty thousand dollars for a chance to spend two hours with you, Archer. You don’t need to be the one embarrassed here, okay? Tell me you understand that.”
“[…] I just need to live for myself. I need to feel it all: happiness, sadness, anger... pain. It’s all part of life. I’ve watched all of you go through those things and as hard as it was to see, I also knew it was a part of living. I have a good feeling about Bram, and if I’m wrong, I’ll make it through that too.”
“Have you heard of a pleasure Dom?” Every part of him relaxed. “Is that what he is? Yes, I’ve ... heard of them,” he said slowly, trying not to smile. “Yes.” I blushed, but I was happy to see him like this. “I’m... really happy, Brenn.” He snorted, then tried to hide it. “I’m not surprised to hear that. […]”
“Is it too soon to propose?” I asked, only half exaggerating. “I hear Vegas is open late.” Archer laughed, spinning around for me with his bottom lip between his teeth. “Nope. But I kind of want ice cream first,” he joked, yet I took it quite seriously. Five minutes later, he had a bowl full of strawberry ice cream in his hand, a heating pad behind his lower back, his feet in my lap and a smile on his face as I rubbed them.
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 & tags down below.
“How in the hell did you know that was there?” “I told you, I can smell them.” Edin stood back up and dusted off his hands. “It stinks here. Besides, there are obvious signs.” He waved an imperious hand around at the field and road. I looked again. There were no obvious signs.
I remember devouring this book *so* freaking fast. It’s funny, a little sad, there’s action, and the smut is super hot. It sets up the rest of the series beautifully, and gives us a different perspective of things than we got in Soul Eater. Which I guess is true for every single book in the series. It’s a pretty long book and it can definitely feel a little repetitive at times, but at the same time it went by really fast. Somehow the book manages to give a fairly deep dive into the characters while there’s still things happening externally, without it feeling like it sacrifices one or the other.
“He is mine, human,” Edin snarled, taking a step forward. “I am his, he is mine. Not yours. Yes? Do you understand?”
I absolutely adore seeing Wyn and Danny again in this book, and generally my favorite parts of this entire series is whenever the characters from each book interacts with each other. That enjoyment triples whenever it’s Edin who shows up later on, because he just keeps getting funnier.
Don’t worry, human.” He shot me a wide, fanged grin. “I think you’re pretty.”
I absolutely love grumpy characters, and I think it’s really neat that it’s Hunter, the human, who’s the grumpy one in this book. Expressing emotions is basically torture for the poor guy, but his character development is great in that department. If you enjoyed Soul Eater, you really should keep going with Edin. I love it.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Monster/human
Military
Dystopian
Disability rep
Grumpy/sunshine
Rescue mission
Size difference
One-sided enemies to lovers
Tail
⚠️⚠️ Content warning ⚠️⚠️
PTSD
Injured MC
Prosthesis
Graphic violence
On-page killing
Facial scarring
Fight ring - forced to fight
Mentions of amputation
Explicit sexual content
Mentions of torture
Mentions of the death of family
*Most of this list can be found on the author’s website:
lily-mayne.com
⚠️⚠️⚠️ Book safety ⚠️⚠️⚠️
Cheating: No
OM/OW drama: No
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 1st person, single POV
Genre: Fantasy/monster romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
Charlie’s horrified eyes met mine. Welp, my best friend now knew what I sounded like when I was getting railed to within an inch of my life.
“Fuck,” I breathed out, half-laughing and half-sobbing at the sheer gall of it. Of spending twelve years in the military fighting monsters, twelve years out in the Wastes, but meeting my end all alone in a fucking sinkhole in Kentucky.
“Monsters, if you insist on being so general, did none of those things, human. Your military did.” I flushed with anger. “The military—” “—Was the one who started attacking us,” he interrupted. “All of us. Indiscriminately. There are some species of monster that came here who would never hurt a living soul. Yet that didn’t matter, because they looked different.”
Might be a point in there somewhere
“How in the hell did you know that was there?” “I told you, I can smell them.” Edin stood back up and dusted off his hands. “It stinks here. Besides, there are obvious signs.” He waved an imperious hand around at the field and road. I looked again. There were no obvious signs.
I remember devouring this book *so* freaking fast. It’s funny, a little sad, there’s action, and the smut is super hot. It sets up the rest of the series beautifully, and gives us a different perspective of things than we got in Soul Eater. Which I guess is true for every single book in the series. It’s a pretty long book and it can definitely feel a little repetitive at times, but at the same time it went by really fast. Somehow the book manages to give a fairly deep dive into the characters while there’s still things happening externally, without it feeling like it sacrifices one or the other.
“He is mine, human,” Edin snarled, taking a step forward. “I am his, he is mine. Not yours. Yes? Do you understand?”
I absolutely adore seeing Wyn and Danny again in this book, and generally my favorite parts of this entire series is whenever the characters from each book interacts with each other. That enjoyment triples whenever it’s Edin who shows up later on, because he just keeps getting funnier.
Don’t worry, human.” He shot me a wide, fanged grin. “I think you’re pretty.”
I absolutely love grumpy characters, and I think it’s really neat that it’s Hunter, the human, who’s the grumpy one in this book. Expressing emotions is basically torture for the poor guy, but his character development is great in that department. If you enjoyed Soul Eater, you really should keep going with Edin. I love it.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Monster/human
Military
Dystopian
Disability rep
Grumpy/sunshine
Rescue mission
Size difference
One-sided enemies to lovers
Tail
⚠️⚠️ Content warning ⚠️⚠️
PTSD
Injured MC
Prosthesis
Graphic violence
On-page killing
Facial scarring
Fight ring - forced to fight
Mentions of amputation
Explicit sexual content
Mentions of torture
Mentions of the death of family
*Most of this list can be found on the author’s website:
lily-mayne.com
⚠️⚠️⚠️ Book safety ⚠️⚠️⚠️
Cheating: No
OM/OW drama: No
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 1st person, single POV
Genre: Fantasy/monster romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
Charlie’s horrified eyes met mine. Welp, my best friend now knew what I sounded like when I was getting railed to within an inch of my life.
“Fuck,” I breathed out, half-laughing and half-sobbing at the sheer gall of it. Of spending twelve years in the military fighting monsters, twelve years out in the Wastes, but meeting my end all alone in a fucking sinkhole in Kentucky.
“Monsters, if you insist on being so general, did none of those things, human. Your military did.” I flushed with anger. “The military—” “—Was the one who started attacking us,” he interrupted. “All of us. Indiscriminately. There are some species of monster that came here who would never hurt a living soul. Yet that didn’t matter, because they looked different.”
Might be a point in there somewhere
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.
(If it isn’t obvious, I couldn’t really pick three quotes lol).
“I’m scared I might be bi. Sexual,” he clarifies, like someone might assume he meant bilingual.
I think I finally found my princess, Mom. He’s six and a half feet tall, grumpy as hell, and talks dirty as sin.
I’ve read the ebook once and listened to the audiobook twice by now, and it really is a story I don’t think I’ll get tired of. I love it just as much every reread, and it makes me just as emotional every time as well, even when I know it’s coming. I think that’s a good indicator for some truly amazing writing. If you’ve read anything by Riley, you know he can write his socks off. This was also the first book I ever read by the author, and it’s still my favorite. It’s hard to review it without just saying ‘I love it’ ten different ways.
I’ve been called a lot of words. Funny. Cute. Stupid. Annoying. Hopeless. He keeps giving me new ones I’ve never had before. Bi. Good. I can’t stop playing them over and over in my head. I know deep in my chest that they don’t belong to me. I won’t get to keep them once I walk out of this bathroom door. But I’ll remember them for as long as I remember him.
The characters and their journeys/development is freaking beautiful in this book. Gray especially. That man is just hurting and very alone. Jonah showing up doesn’t automatically fix that, but he slowly but surely learns that there’s more to life than guilt and work. Jonah is a fucking ray of sunshine that is impossible to resist, and everyone is drawn to his light. It can be difficult to see how (seemingly) happy and sunshine-y people can be hurting too, but Jonah is carrying a massive weight on his shoulders, trying to make his parents proud, prove himself capable as a disabled man, *and* find his way through a sexual awakening (he is extremely capable btw, but tries twice as hard to prove it). To say their journeys aren’t easy is probably an understatement, but man it’s such a beautiful story. I haven’t read Teach Me to Sin yet, but I imagine this book will stay my favorite in the series. There’s just something incredibly special about these characters to me.
“The socially acceptable answer is three children. The honest one is five, but that’s when you scare guys off.” He expects me to be surprised that the man who knows the whole My Little Pony theme song by heart wants to be a dad. He really can be clueless sometimes.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
(If it isn’t obvious, I couldn’t really pick three quotes lol).
“I’m scared I might be bi. Sexual,” he clarifies, like someone might assume he meant bilingual.
I think I finally found my princess, Mom. He’s six and a half feet tall, grumpy as hell, and talks dirty as sin.
I’ve read the ebook once and listened to the audiobook twice by now, and it really is a story I don’t think I’ll get tired of. I love it just as much every reread, and it makes me just as emotional every time as well, even when I know it’s coming. I think that’s a good indicator for some truly amazing writing. If you’ve read anything by Riley, you know he can write his socks off. This was also the first book I ever read by the author, and it’s still my favorite. It’s hard to review it without just saying ‘I love it’ ten different ways.
I’ve been called a lot of words. Funny. Cute. Stupid. Annoying. Hopeless. He keeps giving me new ones I’ve never had before. Bi. Good. I can’t stop playing them over and over in my head. I know deep in my chest that they don’t belong to me. I won’t get to keep them once I walk out of this bathroom door. But I’ll remember them for as long as I remember him.
The characters and their journeys/development is freaking beautiful in this book. Gray especially. That man is just hurting and very alone. Jonah showing up doesn’t automatically fix that, but he slowly but surely learns that there’s more to life than guilt and work. Jonah is a fucking ray of sunshine that is impossible to resist, and everyone is drawn to his light. It can be difficult to see how (seemingly) happy and sunshine-y people can be hurting too, but Jonah is carrying a massive weight on his shoulders, trying to make his parents proud, prove himself capable as a disabled man, *and* find his way through a sexual awakening (he is extremely capable btw, but tries twice as hard to prove it). To say their journeys aren’t easy is probably an understatement, but man it’s such a beautiful story. I haven’t read Teach Me to Sin yet, but I imagine this book will stay my favorite in the series. There’s just something incredibly special about these characters to me.
“The socially acceptable answer is three children. The honest one is five, but that’s when you scare guys off.” He expects me to be surprised that the man who knows the whole My Little Pony theme song by heart wants to be a dad. He really can be clueless sometimes.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.
I cuddled him closer, my chest hurting at how touch-deprived he was. If Oscar wanted me to carry him around like a baby koala all day, then you could bet your arse that was what I would do.
Yet another reread in hopes of actually continuing and finishing the series this time around. Cross your fingers and toes, lol.
I woke up with all the fun emotions. Shame. Anxiety. Bitterness. Fear. It wasn’t the first time, and it wouldn’t be the last. Before Joe, I didn’t exactly bounce out of bed, but I also didn’t wake up wishing I hadn’t.
I really like Cal and Oscar together, and how sweet they are. They bond over romance books ffs. Swoon. Cal is a sweet and gentle soul, you know, considering he’s actually a prince of hell, lol.
You don’t want to get off the sofa? I’ll sit with you. You’re having an anxiety attack? I’ll talk you through it. No matter what you’re thinking or going through, I’ll be at your side. Nothing about you can scare me away. That’s the good thing about demons. Your darkness cannot contend with mine.”
I think the past trauma for Oscar was handled well, and it was a good way to build the relationship between the MCs. This is definitely a book I would recommend if you enjoy (urban) paranormal romance, as well as a solid dose of hurt/comfort. It’s not 5 stars for me because I think it’s a touch longer than needed. It kinda drags in a few spots, which is probably why it took me longer than excpected to finish it both times I read it. It’s really good, but not quite captivating, ya’know? Well, not to me, anyway. Love the writing tho.
Sweeping my eyes down over his sharp suit, I gulped as my gaze caught on the sizable bulge against his thigh. I was both massively aroused and suitably terrified by what he was packing.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Paranormal
Demon/human
Fated mates
Prince of hell
Hookup to lovers
Age gap
Size difference
Hurt/comfort
⚠️⚠️ Content warning ⚠️⚠️
Emotional abuse (past)
Domestic violence (past)
Panic attacks
Graphic violence
Explicit sexual content
Casual references to torture
Flashbacks (abuse)
Physical assault (on page)
On-page killing
⚠️⚠️⚠️ Book safety ⚠️⚠️⚠️
Cheating: No
OM/OW drama: No
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual POV
Genre: Paranormal romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
MCs age: 34 and ‘really fucking old’
Catching Mori’s eye over the top of the man’s head, I asserted my authority by mouthing the universally recognised code of siblings—even demonic ones. Dibs.
Lounging on the balcony railing surrounding the VIP area, I loosely held my whisky on the rocks in one hand as I perused my options for the evening.
⬆️
*gag*
Big yuck. Just me?
I cuddled him closer, my chest hurting at how touch-deprived he was. If Oscar wanted me to carry him around like a baby koala all day, then you could bet your arse that was what I would do.
Yet another reread in hopes of actually continuing and finishing the series this time around. Cross your fingers and toes, lol.
I woke up with all the fun emotions. Shame. Anxiety. Bitterness. Fear. It wasn’t the first time, and it wouldn’t be the last. Before Joe, I didn’t exactly bounce out of bed, but I also didn’t wake up wishing I hadn’t.
I really like Cal and Oscar together, and how sweet they are. They bond over romance books ffs. Swoon. Cal is a sweet and gentle soul, you know, considering he’s actually a prince of hell, lol.
You don’t want to get off the sofa? I’ll sit with you. You’re having an anxiety attack? I’ll talk you through it. No matter what you’re thinking or going through, I’ll be at your side. Nothing about you can scare me away. That’s the good thing about demons. Your darkness cannot contend with mine.”
I think the past trauma for Oscar was handled well, and it was a good way to build the relationship between the MCs. This is definitely a book I would recommend if you enjoy (urban) paranormal romance, as well as a solid dose of hurt/comfort. It’s not 5 stars for me because I think it’s a touch longer than needed. It kinda drags in a few spots, which is probably why it took me longer than excpected to finish it both times I read it. It’s really good, but not quite captivating, ya’know? Well, not to me, anyway. Love the writing tho.
Sweeping my eyes down over his sharp suit, I gulped as my gaze caught on the sizable bulge against his thigh. I was both massively aroused and suitably terrified by what he was packing.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Paranormal
Demon/human
Fated mates
Prince of hell
Hookup to lovers
Age gap
Size difference
Hurt/comfort
⚠️⚠️ Content warning ⚠️⚠️
Emotional abuse (past)
Domestic violence (past)
Panic attacks
Graphic violence
Explicit sexual content
Casual references to torture
Flashbacks (abuse)
Physical assault (on page)
On-page killing
⚠️⚠️⚠️ Book safety ⚠️⚠️⚠️
Cheating: No
OM/OW drama: No
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual POV
Genre: Paranormal romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
MCs age: 34 and ‘really fucking old’
Catching Mori’s eye over the top of the man’s head, I asserted my authority by mouthing the universally recognised code of siblings—even demonic ones. Dibs.
Lounging on the balcony railing surrounding the VIP area, I loosely held my whisky on the rocks in one hand as I perused my options for the evening.
⬆️
*gag*
Big yuck. Just me?
Book safety, tropes and tags down below.
My second time reading this book, and let me just say, I adore it. I will never turn down a book with a possessive and protective, slightly unhinged daddy. The daddy in question is such badass, rich, mafia drama queen, it’s *fantastic*. Benjamin isn’t a nice person, but he would do anything for Toby. Good or bad.
“I don’t like when you’re mean.” “Oh, for fuck’s sake. How old are you?” “Nineteen.” “I know. It was rhetorical. I was implying you were acting-“ “Like a child, yeah. I got it.” I stared into my orange juice. “Mean.”
Toby has lupus, he’s mega tactile (let’s just call him touch-starved with a capital T), and he’s very emotional. He wears his heart on his sleeve, and he feels everything very keenly.
“I’m sorry I’m such a mess.” I sniffed, cringing at the snotty sound. “My body produces tears at a rapid rate.”
Toby cries a LOT and is very emotional, and it’s honestly the cutest thing. I love sad boys in books and the grumpy daddies who take care of them.
He licked at a tear. “My little crybaby. They used to anger me but now they make my cock hard.”
I will probably read this book again some day. It’s everything I love rolled into one book. I’m also a big fan of April Jade’s writing in general.
Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
OM drama: A former friend of Toby creates drama and problems, but no drama in terms of love triangle. Just external plot.
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual
Genre: contemporary romance, M/M
Strict top/bottom or vers: Strict roles
TW/CW ⚠️⚠️
Violence
Broken bones
Explicit sexual content
Chronic illness (lupus)
Poverty
Mentions of death of parent
Kidnapping
Drugging (syringe)
Sexual assault (non-con kissing, not between MCs)
Killing off-page
Tropes & tags ⚠️⚠️⚠️
Hurt/comfort
Age gap
Size difference
Suckling
Cockwarming
Dancer
Mafia boss
Kidnapping
Chronic illness
Forced proximity
My second time reading this book, and let me just say, I adore it. I will never turn down a book with a possessive and protective, slightly unhinged daddy. The daddy in question is such badass, rich, mafia drama queen, it’s *fantastic*. Benjamin isn’t a nice person, but he would do anything for Toby. Good or bad.
“I don’t like when you’re mean.” “Oh, for fuck’s sake. How old are you?” “Nineteen.” “I know. It was rhetorical. I was implying you were acting-“ “Like a child, yeah. I got it.” I stared into my orange juice. “Mean.”
Toby has lupus, he’s mega tactile (let’s just call him touch-starved with a capital T), and he’s very emotional. He wears his heart on his sleeve, and he feels everything very keenly.
“I’m sorry I’m such a mess.” I sniffed, cringing at the snotty sound. “My body produces tears at a rapid rate.”
Toby cries a LOT and is very emotional, and it’s honestly the cutest thing. I love sad boys in books and the grumpy daddies who take care of them.
He licked at a tear. “My little crybaby. They used to anger me but now they make my cock hard.”
I will probably read this book again some day. It’s everything I love rolled into one book. I’m also a big fan of April Jade’s writing in general.
Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
OM drama: A former friend of Toby creates drama and problems, but no drama in terms of love triangle. Just external plot.
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual
Genre: contemporary romance, M/M
Strict top/bottom or vers: Strict roles
TW/CW ⚠️⚠️
Violence
Broken bones
Explicit sexual content
Chronic illness (lupus)
Poverty
Mentions of death of parent
Kidnapping
Drugging (syringe)
Sexual assault (non-con kissing, not between MCs)
Killing off-page
Tropes & tags ⚠️⚠️⚠️
Hurt/comfort
Age gap
Size difference
Suckling
Cockwarming
Dancer
Mafia boss
Kidnapping
Chronic illness
Forced proximity
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes & tags down below.
«He was a paradox, and I knew with every fiber that danced along my spine that he belonged to me… … he just didn’t know it yet.»
«“Thea said so. She said if I tell people what I’m thinking, then they might take me away. She doesn’t want me to go away, so she gave me a book. It’s supposed to teach me how to fake my way through life but it just feels wrong.”»
Gosh, I still really like this book. It’s the third time I’ve read it. I think April Jade just has a direct line to my book-heart. She just hits all of my favorite tropes and character types. Yeah, it’s all a little OTT and the guys are unhinged, but fudge, I live for that shit. Romantic suspense is all the sustenance I need, lol.
«“How about Daddy brings you back a present?” I froze. “Like what?” “A finger? An ear? A vial of blood?” I sat a little taller, and the urge to tear apart my skin weakened. “I want the skull.” Daddy blinked, and his fingers paused in their perusal of my lips.»
Silas is… Well, he’s never diagnosed in the book, but if it wasn’t for his sister helping him channel the crazy, he would definitely be locked up in some capacity, lmao. Luckily he found his Daddy Elijah who appreciates him and can match him on the unhingedness-scale on a good day.
«“Ben called you an asset—a genius, actually.” His chest lifted, and I noted the smile that spread across his face. “I’m the fucking best.” His cockiness was a direct contrast to his shyness. Much like his delicate features and innocent brown eyes were a contrast to the fact that he loved to watch people be murdered.»
There’s just something about morally grey (more like black), men who are absolutely obsessed with each other, that does it for me. Silas has been and basically keeps on stalking Elijah, and Elijah loves it. He’s clingy, possessive, murderously jealous if someone even tries touching his man, and quite literally loses his shit on the regular if he can’t keep tabs on his Daddy. I adore him greatly.
«“I… I can’t help it.” I know. The abuse was a coping mechanism for all the distress he suffered over not understanding the world the same way most humans did. “My scars itch more when I’m upset, and I like to bleed, so I thought I should just bleed there. That makes sense, doesn’t it?” “No, Silas, it doesn’t.”»
I don’t really have any triggers when it comes to traumatic shit and violence, so I might not be the best at judging it, but even though it has some dark subjects and a few triggers, it doesn’t feel heavy or dark at all, really.
«Audacity made people stupid, and that man had too much of it.»
«Arms outstretched, Silas’ hands opened and closed. He made a desperate sound. “Hugs.”»
Sorry, lol. I have so many freaking good quotes highlighted.
Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Definitely something undiagnosed mentally, Daddy kink, assassin, hacker, mafia, stalking (the sexy and friendly kind), virgin MC, obsessed and possessive, size difference, suckling
⚠️⚠️ Content warning ⚠️⚠️
Explicit sexual content
Violence
Murder
Blood play
Gunshot wound
Self harm
Mentions of past abuse
Mentions of human trafficking
⚠️⚠️⚠️ Book safety ⚠️⚠️⚠️
Cheating: No
OM drama: No
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual POV
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
«He was a paradox, and I knew with every fiber that danced along my spine that he belonged to me… … he just didn’t know it yet.»
«“Thea said so. She said if I tell people what I’m thinking, then they might take me away. She doesn’t want me to go away, so she gave me a book. It’s supposed to teach me how to fake my way through life but it just feels wrong.”»
Gosh, I still really like this book. It’s the third time I’ve read it. I think April Jade just has a direct line to my book-heart. She just hits all of my favorite tropes and character types. Yeah, it’s all a little OTT and the guys are unhinged, but fudge, I live for that shit. Romantic suspense is all the sustenance I need, lol.
«“How about Daddy brings you back a present?” I froze. “Like what?” “A finger? An ear? A vial of blood?” I sat a little taller, and the urge to tear apart my skin weakened. “I want the skull.” Daddy blinked, and his fingers paused in their perusal of my lips.»
Silas is… Well, he’s never diagnosed in the book, but if it wasn’t for his sister helping him channel the crazy, he would definitely be locked up in some capacity, lmao. Luckily he found his Daddy Elijah who appreciates him and can match him on the unhingedness-scale on a good day.
«“Ben called you an asset—a genius, actually.” His chest lifted, and I noted the smile that spread across his face. “I’m the fucking best.” His cockiness was a direct contrast to his shyness. Much like his delicate features and innocent brown eyes were a contrast to the fact that he loved to watch people be murdered.»
There’s just something about morally grey (more like black), men who are absolutely obsessed with each other, that does it for me. Silas has been and basically keeps on stalking Elijah, and Elijah loves it. He’s clingy, possessive, murderously jealous if someone even tries touching his man, and quite literally loses his shit on the regular if he can’t keep tabs on his Daddy. I adore him greatly.
«“I… I can’t help it.” I know. The abuse was a coping mechanism for all the distress he suffered over not understanding the world the same way most humans did. “My scars itch more when I’m upset, and I like to bleed, so I thought I should just bleed there. That makes sense, doesn’t it?” “No, Silas, it doesn’t.”»
I don’t really have any triggers when it comes to traumatic shit and violence, so I might not be the best at judging it, but even though it has some dark subjects and a few triggers, it doesn’t feel heavy or dark at all, really.
«Audacity made people stupid, and that man had too much of it.»
«Arms outstretched, Silas’ hands opened and closed. He made a desperate sound. “Hugs.”»
Sorry, lol. I have so many freaking good quotes highlighted.
Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Definitely something undiagnosed mentally, Daddy kink, assassin, hacker, mafia, stalking (the sexy and friendly kind), virgin MC, obsessed and possessive, size difference, suckling
⚠️⚠️ Content warning ⚠️⚠️
Explicit sexual content
Violence
Murder
Blood play
Gunshot wound
Self harm
Mentions of past abuse
Mentions of human trafficking
⚠️⚠️⚠️ Book safety ⚠️⚠️⚠️
Cheating: No
OM drama: No
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual POV
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below. Excessive quotes warning.
He’d never been looked at in such a way before—as if he was something to be devoured, to be worshiped, to be loved, to be defiled.
This book is really special. I read the book over a year ago and finally got around to listening to the audiobook. Philip Alces did an incredible job with it. It’s a character-driven story with an eventual HEA that the characters have to work hard for.
I’d definitely call it a taboo story. There’s nearly a 27 year age gap and a power imbalance. Luca grew up calling the other MC ‘Unka Immie’, as in ‘Uncle Imre’. They’re not related by blood, but have to navigate how their relationship has evolved from a childish and friendly love to romantic love, and it’s not a smooth journey. It is however super beautiful, even with all the angst. It’s one of those books that makes me cry a lot because it’s written in a way where you feel like your heart is being squeezed in a vice every time the characters are hurting, which is often.
“Nothing isn’t better than something, Imre. I would live fifty years with the pain of losing you for just fifty days to have you.”
Neither character is perfect, and they are (understandably) unsure about how to navigate their situation. I read a lot of age gap books, especially kinky ones, where a large age gap doesn’t seem to be an issue at all, and this book feels very realistic in comparison.
This is still the only Cole McCade book I’ve read, but holy hell can he write. It’s one of those where you have to go back and reread certain phrases or rewind the audio, just to hear it again. Shoutout for writing amazing spice as well. There’s not a lot of it, but what’s there leaves an impact.
Imre leaned down, ghosting his mouth against Luca’s, and Luca strained into it even as he wondered how Imre couldn’t taste the stifled scream on his breaths, bottled up and waiting to break free.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Large age gap
Demisexual MC
Family friend
Taboo
Pseudo-uncle
Silver fox
Sad and broken boy
Forced proximity
Slow burn
Virgin MC
Size difference
Farm setting
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Explicit sexual content
Sick farm animals (no death)
Self harm (not taking care of injuries, feels he ‘deserves it’)
Homophobic comments and slurs (past)
Power imbalance
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: No
Breakup: Sort of, briefly
POV: 3rd person, dual
Genre: Contemporary romance
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
Main characters’ age: 19/20 and 46
Series: Standalone
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages: 596
Luca the boy had been fragile, but Luca the man was completely broken. Lost. Hurting. Wounded, and struggling to cage all that unfettered emotion inside where he could protect it from others’ sharp touches—yet still it burst from him at every seam, desperate to be free.
And there were few things more powerful, more sensual, Luca realized, than feeling desired by someone you loved.
“Do you still love them?” “In a way.” […] “The way you love a memory. Something that isn’t real anymore and can never be real again. It’s a fondness that belongs not to the person or thing, but the place they occupy in your history and the fingerprints they left on the glass walls of your heart.”
“[…] I’m only me when I’m with you, and when I’m with you I’m everything I want to be.”
You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?igsh=MWZ3azhkdDc2Y2ludg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
He’d never been looked at in such a way before—as if he was something to be devoured, to be worshiped, to be loved, to be defiled.
This book is really special. I read the book over a year ago and finally got around to listening to the audiobook. Philip Alces did an incredible job with it. It’s a character-driven story with an eventual HEA that the characters have to work hard for.
I’d definitely call it a taboo story. There’s nearly a 27 year age gap and a power imbalance. Luca grew up calling the other MC ‘Unka Immie’, as in ‘Uncle Imre’. They’re not related by blood, but have to navigate how their relationship has evolved from a childish and friendly love to romantic love, and it’s not a smooth journey. It is however super beautiful, even with all the angst. It’s one of those books that makes me cry a lot because it’s written in a way where you feel like your heart is being squeezed in a vice every time the characters are hurting, which is often.
“Nothing isn’t better than something, Imre. I would live fifty years with the pain of losing you for just fifty days to have you.”
Neither character is perfect, and they are (understandably) unsure about how to navigate their situation. I read a lot of age gap books, especially kinky ones, where a large age gap doesn’t seem to be an issue at all, and this book feels very realistic in comparison.
This is still the only Cole McCade book I’ve read, but holy hell can he write. It’s one of those where you have to go back and reread certain phrases or rewind the audio, just to hear it again. Shoutout for writing amazing spice as well. There’s not a lot of it, but what’s there leaves an impact.
Imre leaned down, ghosting his mouth against Luca’s, and Luca strained into it even as he wondered how Imre couldn’t taste the stifled scream on his breaths, bottled up and waiting to break free.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Large age gap
Demisexual MC
Family friend
Taboo
Pseudo-uncle
Silver fox
Sad and broken boy
Forced proximity
Slow burn
Virgin MC
Size difference
Farm setting
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Explicit sexual content
Sick farm animals (no death)
Self harm (not taking care of injuries, feels he ‘deserves it’)
Homophobic comments and slurs (past)
Power imbalance
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: No
Breakup: Sort of, briefly
POV: 3rd person, dual
Genre: Contemporary romance
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
Main characters’ age: 19/20 and 46
Series: Standalone
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages: 596
Luca the boy had been fragile, but Luca the man was completely broken. Lost. Hurting. Wounded, and struggling to cage all that unfettered emotion inside where he could protect it from others’ sharp touches—yet still it burst from him at every seam, desperate to be free.
And there were few things more powerful, more sensual, Luca realized, than feeling desired by someone you loved.
“Do you still love them?” “In a way.” […] “The way you love a memory. Something that isn’t real anymore and can never be real again. It’s a fondness that belongs not to the person or thing, but the place they occupy in your history and the fingerprints they left on the glass walls of your heart.”
“[…] I’m only me when I’m with you, and when I’m with you I’m everything I want to be.”
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, tropes and tags down below.
He was still smiling. “Do you always struggle in social situations?”
I read this a little while back, and I wanted something short with little angst to listen to, and Nick J. Russo being the narrator was such a pleasant surprise. Damn, that man could narrate the phone book, and I'd listen with rapt attention.
I adore this little book. Definitely one of NR. Walkers more spicy books, and I'm totally here for it. Logan and Brent are complete opposites, and absolutely adorable.
I rolled my eyes at him. “I just want the place to look nice.” I looked around the living room at the old mismatched furniture, and I amended it with, “Well, I want it to look clean.”
I most definintely recommend this book to anyone that wants something sweet and short, but still has substance. Somehow during all the sex and talk about taxes and Dr. Who, you start to really care for the characters. Not that it says a lot, considering I cry at just about anything and everything, but this made me cry too, which usually means I connect with the characters.
“Oh…” He sighed. “This is… perfect.” “What? Me? Or the TARDIS key ring?” Logan smiled and rolled his eyes. “The key ring, of course.” My mouth fell open indignantly, playfully. “Do you only love me for the Doctor Who stuff I buy you?” I looked over to the TARDIS cookie jar and the Dalek teapot.
Oh, and the epilogue is *perfect*.
⚠️ Spoiler warning ⚠️
Book safety
Cheating: No
OM drama: Yes, Brent has a friend that wants him, and he tries to break them up out of jealousy. They're apart for less than a day before they fix it. The friend is a friend no more after.
Third-act breakup: Sort of
POV: 1st person, single POV
Genre: Contemporary romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
MCs age: Both are 24 or 25
TW/CW:
explicit sexual content, homophobia (estranged from parents because of it)
Tropes & tags
Opposites attract, friends to lovers, geek MC, jock MC, Dr. Who, novella, former playboy, spicy
“You’re pretty smart, you know that?” I said to Tim. “I mean, for a dumbass.”
He was still smiling. “Do you always struggle in social situations?”
I read this a little while back, and I wanted something short with little angst to listen to, and Nick J. Russo being the narrator was such a pleasant surprise. Damn, that man could narrate the phone book, and I'd listen with rapt attention.
I adore this little book. Definitely one of NR. Walkers more spicy books, and I'm totally here for it. Logan and Brent are complete opposites, and absolutely adorable.
I rolled my eyes at him. “I just want the place to look nice.” I looked around the living room at the old mismatched furniture, and I amended it with, “Well, I want it to look clean.”
I most definintely recommend this book to anyone that wants something sweet and short, but still has substance. Somehow during all the sex and talk about taxes and Dr. Who, you start to really care for the characters. Not that it says a lot, considering I cry at just about anything and everything, but this made me cry too, which usually means I connect with the characters.
“Oh…” He sighed. “This is… perfect.” “What? Me? Or the TARDIS key ring?” Logan smiled and rolled his eyes. “The key ring, of course.” My mouth fell open indignantly, playfully. “Do you only love me for the Doctor Who stuff I buy you?” I looked over to the TARDIS cookie jar and the Dalek teapot.
Oh, and the epilogue is *perfect*.
⚠️ Spoiler warning ⚠️
Book safety
Cheating: No
OM drama: Yes, Brent has a friend that wants him, and he tries to break them up out of jealousy. They're apart for less than a day before they fix it. The friend is a friend no more after.
Third-act breakup: Sort of
POV: 1st person, single POV
Genre: Contemporary romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
MCs age: Both are 24 or 25
TW/CW:
explicit sexual content, homophobia (estranged from parents because of it)
Tropes & tags
Opposites attract, friends to lovers, geek MC, jock MC, Dr. Who, novella, former playboy, spicy
“You’re pretty smart, you know that?” I said to Tim. “I mean, for a dumbass.”
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below. Sorry in advance about all the quotes. I couldn’t choose.
Jonty made himself smile. His first line of defence.
This book was just as fabulous as the last time I read it. I haven’t read that many books by the author, but she’s still one of my favorites. Her writing is so unique, and I don’t know anyone who writes witty dialogue like she does, without it feeling forced or unnatural. It just flows.
“Stop right there.” Jonty stopped walking and Devan sighed. “Oh, you want me to stop talking?” Jonty started walking again. “Can you?” The silence lasted no more than a few seconds.
I spent ages trying to list tropes for this book, because you can’t really boil it down to a handful of tropes. The book deals with some pretty heavy themes, both past and present, but it’s handled in a way that it doesn’t feel too dark. Jonty fights trauma and darkness with humor and snark, which creates a lot of light and funny moments for the reader, but is obviously not the best coping method. All he wants is for someone to care, to love him enough to stick around and see beyond the snarky banter.
“[…] I hope you’re good, or Gill, who owns the stables, is going to chop me up and feed me to her dogs. She has four Chihuahuas and it’ll take them ages.” Jonty whined.
Devan is the perfect counterbalance to Jonty. He grounds him when it’s needed, but also laughs with Jonty and lets him be his silly self when there’s no reason not to. Jonty also brings a lot of light and perspective to Devan’s life, which he really needs. Think ‘uptight, overworked and surly businessman meets snarky (and cockhungry) twink who goes toe to toe with him’.
Jonty squirmed as something tickled his neck. What? Not a finger. A feather. “Tell me you took that off the seagull first.”
I really think it’s one of my all-time favorite books, and is one of those that I wish everyone would read so we could all gush about it together. One of those where 5 stars doesn’t feel like enough.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Witty banter
UK setting
Age gap
Self-sucking (Jonty is very bendy)
Past trauma
Opposites attract
Snarky MC
Strangers to lovers
(Eventual) coworkers/boss-employee
Stalker (not the friendly kind)
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Stalking
MC is cheated on by an ex (past)
Near-drowning experience
Self harm (mild case, only once)
Child abuse (past)
Physical abuse (past)
Verbal abuse (past)
Side character in a long-term minimally conscious state (almost coma)
Homophobic parent
Sexual harassment (not between MCs)
Rape (past, off page)
Estranged parent with terminal cancer
Themes of abandonment
Verbal abuse (parent, on and off page)
Assault and attempted kidnapping (on page)
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: Devan was cheated on by his fiancé in the past. Said ex comes back and creates a few issues, but Devan never goes back to him, and doesn’t want to either. Someone Jonty went on a handful of dates with is stalking and harassing him.
Breakup: No
POV: 3rd person, dual POV
Genre: Contemporary romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
Main characters’ age: 25 and 35
Pages: 393
Except out on the water, nothing mattered but riding the wave. Out here he could do anything, be anyone, believe that someone out there could love him as much as he would love them.
“He’s a good boy. He deserves a good man. I don’t think that’s you.” “You know nothing about me.” Mike made a dismissive sound. “I know enough. You’ll take what you can get and you’ll be gone in less than a week. He’ll be out of your mind before you get a mile down the motorway, but he won’t forget you.”
He wanted people to look at him and think what a fit guy, rather than ah, good for him, he’s trying, bless him.
“Do you have a boyfriend?” Devan asked. This Tay you mentioned? “No. Shocking, isn’t it? I’m continually amazed there aren’t guys lined up desperate to go out with me, hopefully forming an orderly queue, though a bit of a scrum might be flattering. Unfortunately, I only attract impossible men.” “Am I impossible?” “I knew you were trouble when you walked in. Hey! That would make a great song lyric, don’t you think?”
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Jonty made himself smile. His first line of defence.
This book was just as fabulous as the last time I read it. I haven’t read that many books by the author, but she’s still one of my favorites. Her writing is so unique, and I don’t know anyone who writes witty dialogue like she does, without it feeling forced or unnatural. It just flows.
“Stop right there.” Jonty stopped walking and Devan sighed. “Oh, you want me to stop talking?” Jonty started walking again. “Can you?” The silence lasted no more than a few seconds.
I spent ages trying to list tropes for this book, because you can’t really boil it down to a handful of tropes. The book deals with some pretty heavy themes, both past and present, but it’s handled in a way that it doesn’t feel too dark. Jonty fights trauma and darkness with humor and snark, which creates a lot of light and funny moments for the reader, but is obviously not the best coping method. All he wants is for someone to care, to love him enough to stick around and see beyond the snarky banter.
“[…] I hope you’re good, or Gill, who owns the stables, is going to chop me up and feed me to her dogs. She has four Chihuahuas and it’ll take them ages.” Jonty whined.
Devan is the perfect counterbalance to Jonty. He grounds him when it’s needed, but also laughs with Jonty and lets him be his silly self when there’s no reason not to. Jonty also brings a lot of light and perspective to Devan’s life, which he really needs. Think ‘uptight, overworked and surly businessman meets snarky (and cockhungry) twink who goes toe to toe with him’.
Jonty squirmed as something tickled his neck. What? Not a finger. A feather. “Tell me you took that off the seagull first.”
I really think it’s one of my all-time favorite books, and is one of those that I wish everyone would read so we could all gush about it together. One of those where 5 stars doesn’t feel like enough.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Witty banter
UK setting
Age gap
Self-sucking (Jonty is very bendy)
Past trauma
Opposites attract
Snarky MC
Strangers to lovers
(Eventual) coworkers/boss-employee
Stalker (not the friendly kind)
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Stalking
MC is cheated on by an ex (past)
Near-drowning experience
Self harm (mild case, only once)
Child abuse (past)
Physical abuse (past)
Verbal abuse (past)
Side character in a long-term minimally conscious state (almost coma)
Homophobic parent
Sexual harassment (not between MCs)
Rape (past, off page)
Estranged parent with terminal cancer
Themes of abandonment
Verbal abuse (parent, on and off page)
Assault and attempted kidnapping (on page)
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: Devan was cheated on by his fiancé in the past. Said ex comes back and creates a few issues, but Devan never goes back to him, and doesn’t want to either. Someone Jonty went on a handful of dates with is stalking and harassing him.
Breakup: No
POV: 3rd person, dual POV
Genre: Contemporary romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
Main characters’ age: 25 and 35
Pages: 393
Except out on the water, nothing mattered but riding the wave. Out here he could do anything, be anyone, believe that someone out there could love him as much as he would love them.
“He’s a good boy. He deserves a good man. I don’t think that’s you.” “You know nothing about me.” Mike made a dismissive sound. “I know enough. You’ll take what you can get and you’ll be gone in less than a week. He’ll be out of your mind before you get a mile down the motorway, but he won’t forget you.”
He wanted people to look at him and think what a fit guy, rather than ah, good for him, he’s trying, bless him.
“Do you have a boyfriend?” Devan asked. This Tay you mentioned? “No. Shocking, isn’t it? I’m continually amazed there aren’t guys lined up desperate to go out with me, hopefully forming an orderly queue, though a bit of a scrum might be flattering. Unfortunately, I only attract impossible men.” “Am I impossible?” “I knew you were trouble when you walked in. Hey! That would make a great song lyric, don’t you think?”
You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?igsh=MWZ3azhkdDc2Y2ludg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr