jamieb_19's Reviews (252)

I loved this book a lot! It’s a book I’ve had on my radar since its release last year but hadn’t gotten around to reading. I’d seen so many good things said about it on social media, and now I completely understand the hype. This book was delightful from start to finish. It’s chock full of trans/queer joy, loads of baseball, found family, and the sweetest slow burn romance. Even given the state of the country right now, it still made me believe that a future where someone like Gene could realize their dream is entirely possible. In a way, I’m glad I waited to read it because I need that kind of hope and joy right now. 

Gene Ionescu is precious, and I will protect that man at all costs. Baseball was in his blood; his love for the game leapt from the pages. I loved his raw determination to make a space for himself in a space not typically welcoming for a trans person. He’s bounced around and worked his butt off to get where he was and he carved out a perfect little niche for himself. His optimism was unmatched, and it was easy to get swept up in it all as you’re reading. 

When his ex-teammate and rival, Luis Estrada, is traded to Gene’s team, Gene’s whole equilibrium is thrown off. Partly because of how things ended between them the last time they were teammates, partly because of how standoffish Luis is now, and mostly because of how attractive Gene finds Luis now. I loved seeing them slowly rebuild that friendship as they figured out how to work together again. Gene tried to be mean at first, but it’s not his nature and as he caught glimpses of what Luis was battling, he couldn’t help but support him. The romance was such a slow burn, but it was the sweetest, softest thing, and the payoff was more than worth it. I loved these two together so much. 

I also loved the baseball of it all. Even if you don’t love baseball, I think you might find yourself with a new appreciation for the game after following the Beavers for a season. I love a good underdog story, and between Gene and the Beavers as a team, this book delivered. I loved the side stories with Gene’s teammates. His friendship with Vince was excellent, and I loved the relationship Gene had with Baker, his coach. All of these different things wove together so seamlessly to create something really special. Gene and Luis will always have a special place in my heart. 

This was pure grumpy/sunshine gold! I love a grumpy character who is secretly a total softie for the people he cares about and Charlie fits that bill so well. And Kevin had total golden retriever/cinnamon roll energy and was just a delight. Together Charlie and Kevin were too darn cute. I had a dumb grin on my face for most of this book because they were so cute. I swooned and laughed and even had a few happy tears (the end of the bonus scene linked at the end of the book got me good). I thoroughly enjoyed all three books but I think this may be my favorite of the series.

I think it’s best to read these books in order. The first two books take place on the same timeline and it’s nice seeing the same events through different lenses. This book takes place four years later and features Charlie and Kevin who you meet in the first books. Plus there are plenty of cameos from Ray, Adam, Jasper, and Liam. Each book gives enough background information that you wouldn’t be lost if you haven’t read the others but I think reading in order will give you maximum enjoyment.

The book is told from Charlie’s POV and I loved it. He was grumpy and anti-social but he had secret soft spots for a select few. One of those people is Kevin, the local handyman, and general ray of sunshine. Charlie has loved Kevin from afar for years, assuming he was straight. But it turns out that Kevin has had eyes for Charlie too and I loved the way he bulldozed his way into Charlie’s life. He had the energy of a golden retriever puppy and his unbridled enthusiasm for seducing Charlie was challenged only by his unbridled enthusiasm at the prospect of fixing up Charlie’s house. He was such a lovable character and it was so fun seeing him bulldoze his way into Charlie’s life. These two were so darn sweet together.

We finally got answers on the overarching plot line of the dead bodies that kept popping up and I was glad we got some closure on that front. It was always just a secondary plot line but it was nice to have a bit of closure. And I loved seeing what the previous couples were up to 4 years down the line. I don’t know if there'll be more in this series, I’d happily read them if there ends up being more, but if not, I was happy with the closure we got.

Even though this book is a standalone, it picks up right where the first book leaves off with Brooks turning up at Ben's gym after being sent there by Ben's ex-wife. Brooks is an influencer and cam boy who is being stalked by an overzealous/possessive follower and Summer thought Ben and crew might be able to help. Ben's tapping out, though, and in steps his brother Roman to take over protector duties.

Brooks and Roman had a tumultuous start. Roman was kind of a dick and could be a little overbearing and Brooks was not interested in being steamrolled. But they eventually reach an understanding and begin to actually like one another and work together to try to take down Brooks' stalker. 

I think I liked the first book a little better but overall I enjoyed this one too. There was an element of suspense as they tried to figure out the stalker situation. Although, I thought there were a few missteps in that storyline. And once Brooks and Roman stopped butting heads, they had good chemistry and there were some good spicy scenes in this one.

I listened to the audiobook and much like the first one, I wish the narrators had been swapped. Stephen Dexter would have been so perfect for Roman, but alas... 

I loved the first book in this series and this book was good too, but not quite on the same level as the first book for me. In fact, the things I enjoyed most about this one were the parts that directly related to the first book. Both books run on the same timeline and I loved seeing events from the first book from a different perspective. Particularly, seeing a lot of what Adam was doing when he wasn’t with Ray and how Adam always knew to show up to support Ray. I loved those bits and for that alone, I think this book is worth reading if you’ve read the first one.

I did love Jasper, though. He was adorable and made a good narrator. We only knew him as Adam’s gym buddy and the intrepid wannabe reporter in the first book but he was a super endearing character in his own right. And the poor guy had been pining away for Detective Chief Inspector Liam Nash ever since he was a teenager. Seeing Jasper deal with the unrequited love made me want to hug him.

The comedy delivered a lot of laugh-out-loud moments but the romance aspect of this book was a little sparse for me. There was a lot of tension and some moments between Jasper and Liam in the early parts of the book but then they barely interact for the middle 3rd of the book before Liam finally comes around in the last 20%. That said, when he finally did come around, these two were very sweet together. I just wish there had been a little more in the middle to get us from where they were at the start to how cute they were together by the end. But regardless, I am glad they found their way together! Jasper deserved that happiness.

This book was a delight! Luckily I wasn’t reading it while out in public because it had me laughing out loud a lot! If you like rom-coms that get the comedy parts right, I think you’ll really enjoy this one. It’s silly and absurd and was so much fun. It was also an adorable romance. It was cozy and romantic but also steamy and full of hilarious banter. I loved the quirky cast of characters and the insanity of the situation our hero, Ray, finds himself in. It was a good time from start to finish and I’m really glad it got on my radar!

The whole book is told from the POV of Ray Underwood, a 32-year-old graphic designer whose life is turned upside down after a pity party gone wrong winds up with him making an unexpected discovery under his bedroom floor. I usually prefer dual POV but he worked so well as the narrator here that I didn’t mind one bit. Ray is a little high-strung and can be a bit neurotic but he was such a lovable character. I absolutely loved seeing him continually flustered by the attention of Adam, the much younger, very attractive man, who Ray has a complicated history with. But he’s also the man who keeps showing up for Ray when he needs him most.

Adam may have been young (early 20s) but he was such a confident character. He could come off as bossy but he always knew what Ray needed, even if Ray didn’t, and he had a knack for soothing him. His maturity and self-assuredness were hot, not gonna lie. Ray was powerless against it. I loved Ray’s journey to recognizing the vulnerabilities within Adam too and figuring out how to be there for him the way that Adam was always there for Ray. At first glance, it may seem these two shouldn’t work, but they absolutely did. They were sweet and sexy and so funny with their banter. Even during the spicy scenes, the banter was so good.

I already miss these guys! But I suspect I’ll be seeing more of them in the second book given who the MCs of that book are. If you’re looking for a rom-com that’s got great romance and comedy, I would recommend this book. Be prepared to laugh and swoon!

I liked the story and the characters. The book dealt with some heavy topics but it was done with a light touch so the overall feel of the book wasn’t too heavy. I listened to it on audio and my only complaint is that the narrators should have switched characters. Stephen Dexter would have been perfect for Ben and I think Michael Dean was better suited for Colby. Missed opportunity there!

Ridge and Oz were the sweetest! I’ve had a soft spot for Oz ever since I saw what happened to him in Frey’s book, so I was excited to see him as one of the main characters in this book. And I thought Ridge was the perfect match for him. What Oz had to deal with growing up and even as an adult having to deal with his awful family broke my heart. He spent most of his life being trampled on. It warmed my heart to see him finally be someone’s priority and to find someone who accepted him exactly the way he was. Seeing Oz realize he was important to someone and that he mattered, too, was so sweet.

Ridge was a natural caregiver, and he never hesitated to show Oz kindness and prove to him time and again that he was Ridge’s priority. There was some great hurt/comfort in this one. There wasn’t a lot of angst between Ridge and Oz, but there were a lot of external factors that made things challenging for them. The way they communicated and dealt with everything together was lovely to see. This series is full of swoony love stories, and Ridge and Oz are no exception.

Once again, the found family aspect of the series shone through in this book. The way the guys supported Ridge and welcomed Oz into the fold was perfect. I was especially glad to see Oz find a loving and accepting family with this group, considering how bad things were with his biological family. I also loved all the disability rep. This series (and all the E.M. Lindsey books I’ve read) has the best disability rep I’ve ever seen. It was informative and eye-opening to learn about the Deaf community through Oz’s experiences. I love the way everyone is loved and accepted within this group regardless of their differences, and I look forward to returning to this world in the next book!

I thought this was a fun debut college hockey romance. The book centers around Xander and Nicko, star hockey players from rival colleges who were drafted to the same NHL team. Thanks to an incident at the end of their freshman year, they’ve been enemies on and off the ice. But they’re tied together by the fact that Xander is best friends and roommates with Nicko’s twin brother, Nate. When Nate needs Nicko to step in and switch places with him temporarily, Xander finds himself having confusing new feelings for the guy he thinks is his best friend. But when he discovers the truth, he’s not sure what’s worse - thinking he's growing feelings for his best friend or actually growing feelings for the guy he’s never liked.

I hope my summary isn’t too confusing, I promise the book itself isn’t confusing! I enjoyed the dynamic between Xander, Nicko, and Nate. Twin shenanigans are always a good time. I’m not sure I totally bought the fact that Xander wouldn’t have been able to tell the difference when Nicko steps in as Nate, but I just went with it. I liked how it all played out, and I especially liked Nicko’s POV during that time. I felt bad for all he was going through with the recovery from his injury and the worries that created about his future. But I enjoyed seeing him get his confidence back.

Xander and Nicko were cute together when they finally gave in to their feelings. And they had plenty of sexual chemistry, too! They never lost the competitive edge and banter, though; it was kind of their “thing” and I’m glad they still challenged each other.

I really enjoyed the first part of the story. The middle was maybe a touch slow, but then I liked what happened at the end and how it all came full circle in the epilogue. It seems like we may get more from these characters, and I’d be happy to see what the future has in store for these guys!

I thought this book was lovely. It was low angst and just so soft and cozy. Spencer and Ian were the sweetest (seriously, Ian was pretty perfect and very swoonworthy). Their relationship developed slowly and I loved how it unfolded. Despite clicking right away, they were a little tentative at first, with both men dealing with their own baggage. But ultimately they built a solid foundation of trust and caring which blossomed into a wonderful relationship. It left me feeling all warm and fuzzy inside.

There was one aspect of Spencer and Ian’s relationship that I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about. I’m hesitant to say what it was so I don’t spoil anything, but it was something I hadn’t really read about before. It’s not something I’d ever be comfortable with in my own life, but I actually loved how it worked out in the context of these characters. It showcased the level of trust and commitment they had between them, and yeah, it was very hot. But I also saw it as a way for Spencer to reclaim some agency over his sex life after what he experienced in a previous relationship. It was really great to see. I know this was a vague paragraph, but perhaps it’s intrigued you to read the book!

Outside of Spencer and Liam, I also loved all the home renovation, the dogs (so many dogs!), and the friendships in this book. Spencer had a diverse and fun group of friends, and I enjoyed getting to know them and would happily read future books about any of them. As a Western Mass native myself, it was also cool that the book takes place in the Berkshires!

If you’re in the mood for a sweet, cozy book that feels a lot like a warm hug, I would recommend checking this one out!