Fabulous start to a new series.

This is a delightful romance between two wonderful men that has taken up space in my heart.

Gage and Knox really are the personification of sunshine guy meets grumpy guy. There’s also a bit of an age gap which leads to some wonderful witty banter between them. Be prepared for snarky humour, over protective feelings, adorable non stop ramblings, supposedly murderous bovines, a dash of angst and plenty of steam.

This was a great read that kept me engaged and had me laughing. The cast of side characters, from the immediate family members to the townsfolk kept things interesting and I’m excited for the next in the series.

I do enjoy a well written rock star romance and this is no exception.
Ollie and Luca are two strong but flawed characters and I just wanted to give them big squishy hugs. Especially Ollie whose troubled childhood left his emotions locked in a steel vault.

After a brief interlude together in a stalled lift, circumstances have them reunited five months later. The chemistry between them still burns brightly and it’s not long before they reconnect and the heat rises. Unfortunately they both have some trouble with the communication side of a relationship and Luca focuses on intrusive thoughts prompted by others. This leads to a major bump in the road but it’s no enough to derail their longed for HEA.

I was fully engaged in Ollie and Luca’s relationship and couldn’t stop my smile at their happy ending. I can’t wait for the remaining band members to have their stories told as the little hints dropped have me intrigued.

Absolutely perfect

4.5 stars.

Loved this sunshine/grumpy romance.

This book absolutely captured me and wouldn’t loosen its hold until the very end. Col and Theo are superbly written characters who have suffered in their lives and have the scars to prove it.

The journey Theo travels from merely existing to finding himself had my emotions going from one extreme to another. Anger towards his despicable parents then morphing into laughter as he babbled and rambled and came out with the most hilarious things. Col’s upheavals from childhood are heart breaking, his ex boyfriend is the worst but Col still manages to maintain a superior level of integrity and kindness towards others. The first meeting between these wonderful main characters has them both seeking each other out for more. The chemistry bubbles along increasing with each flirty interaction until stolen kisses lead to more and a HEA that still has me smiling.

Barbara Elsborg certainly knows how to weave a complex storyline that keeps you turning the pages and fully engaged from start to finish. The well developed main characters and interesting side characters, perfect pacing and plot formation are balanced to perfection and I can’t wait for the next in the series.

Merged review:

This book absolutely captured me and wouldn’t loosen its hold until the very end. Col and Theo are superbly written characters who have suffered in their lives and have the scars to prove it.

The journey Theo travels from merely existing to finding himself had my emotions going from one extreme to another. Anger towards his despicable parents then morphing into laughter as he babbled and rambled and came out with the most hilarious things. Col’s upheavals from childhood are heart breaking, his ex boyfriend is the worst but Col still manages to maintain a superior level of integrity and kindness towards others. The first meeting between these wonderful main characters has them both seeking each other out for more. The chemistry bubbles along increasing with each flirty interaction until stolen kisses lead to more and a HEA that still has me smiling.

Barbara Elsborg certainly knows how to weave a complex storyline that keeps you turning the pages and fully engaged from start to finish. The well developed main characters and interesting side characters, perfect pacing and plot formation are balanced to perfection and I can’t wait for the next in the series.

Cal is such a grumpy, prickly, irritable and stubborn man who crept into my heart pretty much immediately. His soul is burdened with many wounds that haunt him and I just wanted to hug him. Holden is a wheelchair user living with chronic pain which he hides from others by being the town comedian.

Circumstances bring Cal to Safe Harbor and his first meeting with Holden whose later assessment is that “angry cats have nothing on Cal”. Although Holden does feel somewhat of a connection to Cal and takes it upon himself to win his trust and make him smile. It takes a while for them to let down some of their walls but being roommates gives them plenty of time for their friendship to grow into more. Which includes a “kink awakening” for Holden as Cal explores his love of rope play.

I really enjoyed the journey these two mature characters travelled to get their HEA. They certainly had some ups and downs but they left me smiling at the end after giving me some feels along the way. Cal plays an integral role in moving the criminal mystery from the previous book further ahead and I’m looking forward to how that all plays out in the next instalment of the series.

Once again Nicky James has produced a superbly crafted masterpiece that had me turning the pages desperate to find out what happens next. Full of surprises and intrigue the lives of Bowie and Foster were at times balanced precariously on the edge of life and death but they managed to form a beautiful connection that slowly built into snatched moments of joy. With the philosophy of Oasis having two vastly differing sides to the ebb and flow of life at the commune, Bowie and Foster duck and weave to make their plans for escape eventuate.

This is a wonderful slow burn romance with two fantastic main characters, interesting side characters, a plot that held me in its grip from start to finish and a hard earned HEA that left my heart happy. Highly recommended!