This was an okay read, but not as good as I had expected. Mostly because I didn’t fully root for the main character and because of the love triangle that wasn’t my cup of tea at all. Right Where I Left You follows the introverted and socially awkward comic fan Isaac in the last summer before he goes to college and has to leave his best (and only) friend Diego behind. Diego has decided to take a gap year to pursue his game designer dream career instead of going to college, so Isaac plans to spend every second he can with Diego this last summer. But it all changes when Isaac’s long time crush Davi suddenly speaks to him at the comic store, and reveals that he’s bisexual. So instead of spending his time with Diego, Isaac ends up swooning over Davi…
I loved Diego from the start. He was such a sweet, nerdy and likeable person. And I absolutely adored him for always being kind to Isaac, even though Isaac mistreated him for most of the summer. The main character Isaac was harder to like though. He came across as whiny and selfish, and not understanding at all how badly he treated Diego for Davi’s sake. I also had problems understanding his hatred for his dad and brother. Yes, his dad left his mom for another woman, but if Isaac’s mother could forgive him, it seemed a bit over the top how Isaac kept hating him, and his brother for just trying to make peace in the family. I also never shipped the relationship between Isaac and Davi. Davi seemed very flirty and unserious all the time, and it never made sense why he would be into Isaac. Spoiler alert: It would have been much better if the love triangle had started sooner, with Isaac struggling with feelings for both Davi and Diego, rather than just suddenly realizing he has feelings for Diego when Davi breaks up with him. But all in all, it was a cute, fast paced read that had a lot of potential. I just wished the friends-to-lovers trope had been better executed and that the main character had been a little more likeable. Rating: 3 stars Get your own copy: Indiebound Amazon Book Depository Author info: Julian Winters
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Married to my Best Friend is exactly what the title says: a cute story about two childhood friends, one gay and one supposedly straight, realizing their love for each other after getting married in Vegas by mistake. It’s a very short and fast-paced novella with two lovely main characters, and with one of my favorite tropes (friends to lovers), but unfortunately it was a bit too cheesy for me. It started off really well, with flashbacks to Caden and Alex’s childhood relationship and how Alex realized that he was gay. But after the drunken wedding in Vegas it all started to go downhill and the story felt so cheesy and unbelievable that I caught myself rolling my eyes and feeling secondhand embarrassment for the poor guys.
But it was a cute, heartwarming story that nevertheless kept me engaged the whole way through and made me smile (at the same time as I rolled my eyes), so 2.5 stars rounding up to 3. Thank you to the author Riley Hart and Prolific Works for the free review copy! All opinions are my own and I am leaving my honest review voluntarily. Rating: 2.5 stars rounding up to 3 Get your own copy: Author Links Author info: Riley Hart I read this sweet and super romantic second chance, small town and happily ever after romance book in one sitting, it was that addictive! This book consists of two stories that have been published previously as The Imperfect Love Duet. In part one, we get to follow Chloe who’s had to leave her one true love, Wyatt, and hide a major secret for him for years. It’s been five years since she’s last been home. Since she last laid eyes on the only man she’s ever loved and ever will love, but who now hates her. Can she go against her parents’ wishes this time around and fight for herself and maybe, maybe, find a way to get Wyatt to forgive her?
In the second part, focus is on Addison, who knew she was in trouble from the moment she first laid eyes on Adam. Addison is dealing with some demon from the past, and when she meets Adam, she has to relive some of her worst moments in life for a chance of love. But we also get to see glimpses of what happened to Chloe and Wyatt after the first part, which was lovely. Both these stories were sweet, old fashioned romances (in the best possible way), with destined love between soul mates interrupted by evil meddlers and twists of fate, that were such quick and enjoyable reads. I enjoyed the first story the most, I didn’t root quite as much for Addison as I did for Chloe, and the reason for Addison’s mother’s evilness never made sense to me. And yes, I have to admit that the stories were really cheesy at times, that both romances were very conventional with a strong masculine hero and a beautiful and sweet heroine and that there were some major plot holes and illogical and unrealistic behavior going on. But when the characters are this lovable and the writing this addictive it doesn’t really matter… this was just such a highly enjoyable feel good book! Thank you to Xpresso Book Tours and NetGalley for the free review copy, which I have voluntarily reviewed. Rating: 3 stars Get your own copy: Amazon Author info: Website • Facebook • Instagram • Goodreads 4/5/2022 0 Comments True Faith by T.L. BradfordThis second book in The Young Americans really surprised me and made me question my feelings from the first book… Suddenly I’m Team Noah after having some real problems caring for him in the first book, and my sweetheart Josh is suddenly selfish and immature, and the other cast members certainly are not behaving their best either. Just like the first book, this one was a bit too long and with too much soap opera drama, but it was fun to have your thoughts and feelings overthrown by the author! True Faith continues where Just Like Heaver finished, with the love affair between Josh and Noah. But instead of a happily ever after and a happy marriage that we all expected, they are really struggling to navigate the twists and turns of their newly public relationship…to varying degrees of success. And when Josh suddenly becomes the new Hollywood it-boy instead of Noah things soon get out of hand…
I was a bit disappointed in the way Josh acted, but on the other hand I’m glad that I finally got to root for Noah. The problem was that their relationship was so toxic and melodramatic most of the time, that I almost didn’t want for them to end up together. It was also sad to see the relationship of some of my other favorite supporting characters turning toxic as well. What I really loved about this book was the way the author made her characters so real and so human with all their flaws and shortcomings. The story was a very angsty, emotionally complex and intriguing one, and I’m glad that we got more of Josh and Noah than just the first book. So all in all, it was an enjoyable read, but now I’m feeling more than ready to move on to some of the other members of the Americana cast. Thank you to Xpresso Book Tours for the free review copy. All opinions are my own and I am leaving my honest review voluntarily. Rating: 3 stars Get your own copy: Amazon Author info: T.L. Bradford 3/29/2022 0 Comments Just Like Heaven by T.L. BradfordThis first book in The Young Americans really got me hooked at first! It started off as an intense and thrilling romance and with a great Hollywood setting. But after a while it became just as melodramatic as the soap opera TV show where the main characters were actors. It had a lot of potential but didn’t meet them all the way sadly. Just Like Heaven takes place on the set of the Hollywood show Americana, where Noah Sinclair is the big star. After a breakup from his co-star Gemma, both on set and in real-life, the directors felt that a twist was needed in the show. Enter Josh Hill, former football player, as the new love interest and a threat to Noah’s well protected secret…
I really loved the charming, sweet and kind Josh, but had a lot of problem with Noah and his controlling ways. Even though his backstory provides some explanations, it never really justified his toxic behavior at times. I also had some issues with the overall plot – or rather plots – there was so much going on that the book became way too long and the twists and turns just made you lose connection with the characters. The plot contained just about every literary trope possible and there was some really weird things happening storywise concerning Noah’s abusive father. But the other cast members were great supporting characters and I completely adored Josh’s family! So even though this book didn’t quite meet my expectations I still have high hopes for the second book in this series! Thank you to Xpresso Book Tours for the free review copy. All opinions are my own and I am leaving my honest review voluntarily. Rating: 3 stars Get your own copy: Amazon Author info: T.L. Bradford 3/24/2022 0 Comments Base and Balls by Lynn MichaelsThis was an easy and light read that provided some entertaining for the moment about a semi-closeted baseball player and the construction guy building his mother’s house, but the romance was way too much instalove and too shallow to make any lasting impression. This M/M sports romance was a very fast-paced and easy read, and both main characters were very lovable, even though I’d wished for them to be a little more fleshed out, and for Derby to maybe be a little less swooning at times. Since he’s a professional baseball player used to taking showers with his athletic teammates it felt a bit over the top that he got all shaky just by the look of Godwin in tight jeans.
The author did an attempt to add some more depth to the story by mentioning some bad things happening to the characters, like child abuse and loss of parents, but unfortunately it just skimmed the surface of those aspects and moved on quickly to the hook up parts. But sometimes all we need is something light and easy to keep us entertained for the moment and for that this book was good enough. So, 2.5 stars rounding up to 3 for the decent entertainment, even if it didn’t make any lasting impression. Thank you to Prolific Works for the free review copy! All opinions are my own and I am leaving my honest review voluntarily. Rating: 2.5 stars rounding up to 3 Get your own copy: Author links Author info: Lynn Michaels This was a poignant, sweet and honest story of coming out, first love and acceptance showing the authentic experience of a queer Chicanx boy surrounded by toxic masculinity. It was both heartwarming and heartbreaking, both full of wonderful friendships and sibling relations, as well as harassments and abuse. But sadly, I personally didn’t connect with the story and the characters as much I had hoped for. I guess I expected more, from both the writing style and the story itself. Fifteen Hundred Miles from the Sun tells the story of Julián Luna, a Mexican-American boy living with his homophobic father. Jules’ dad suspects his son might be queer but will hear nothing of it; even using physical abuse to suppress any such ‘tendencies’ in his son. Jules is therefore living a closeted life, just enduring until he can graduate and move away, to finally become himself. But a drunken tweet changes all that. Luckily he finds Mat because of it, and for the first time in his life he can truly be himself with someone. Sadly though, Mat lives fifteen hundred miles away, in LA.
Firstly, I want to mention the trigger warnings in the beginning of the book. The author Jonny Garza Villa really did a wonderful job laying out what might be triggering in the story, such as homophobia, abuse and physical violence, but also focusing on the positive and empowering parts. I’m also so happy for the amazing representation and diversity in this book, and for the authentic way the harsh realities many queer Chicanxs/Latinxs face were described. Even though Jules’ dad acted absolutely horribly, he wasn’t just portraited as a villain, but Jonny Garza Villa also showed other aspects too, making Jule’ relationship with this dad feeling very real and personal. Going into this book, I really thought it would be one of my favorite books this year. I wanted so much to love it. But sadly, I didn’t connect with it on the level I had expected. Objectively, the story was great, and I can definitely understand how it will be resonating with many of its readers, and I’m so happy that it has been written to add another voice to the YA literature. But my main issues with it were the writing style, the romance that I couldn’t fully root for and the rather plain side characters. The story had such potential to be absolutely heartwrenching, but to me the writing style felt too much telling rather than showing, which prevented me from truly taking the characters to my heart. The romance part was cute, but the whole premise of how they met through Twitter and fell for each other felt a bit rushed and unrealistic. I never felt the chemistry between Jules and Mat, and the way Jules treated Mat and ghosted him from time to time didn’t sit well with me. I also wished that the side characters would have been more fleshed out and that there could have been stronger subplots. The story felt very one-dimensional, only focusing on Jules without fully building the world around him. But all in all, this was a heartwarming and poignant story. Even though the main character faced a lot of terrible things, like homophobia and an abusive dad, it was still a hopeful story full of loving friendships and supportive siblings. It just had the potential to be so much more. Rating: 3 stars Get your own copy: Bookshop.org Amazon Book Depository Author info: Jonny Garza Villa 10/18/2021 0 Comments People Like Us by Ruby MooneThis is the second book in the Winsford Green series, which is such a sweet and heartwarming m/m romance series set in the Regency time. I really enjoyed the first book in the series and was so happy to get back into this world, even though this book wasn’t a new favorite. The books in the series can be read as standalones, since they all focus on different characters. But I really enjoyed getting glimpses from the lives of the characters we met in the first book, and how the stories were interwoven in some parts.
This time, the main characters were Arthur Fitch, the valet of a cruel aristocrat, and Joseph (Joe) Wilkinson, the young blacksmith in Windsford Green. When Arthur is forced to flee into a snowstorm to find safety, their paths crosses and soon Joe finds himself trying to convince Arthur to stay with him forever… Joe really stole my heart from the very first page, but Arthur took longer to warm up to. He came across as quite pompous, stubborn and full of himself at first. I also wasn’t really a fan of his tastes in the bedchamber or their age gap. But all in all, it was another sweet and enjoyable read, and I will definitely continue this series to spend more time in the wonderful Windsford Green world, even though this story wasn’t exactly my cup of tea. Thank you Gay Book Promotions for the free review copy! All opinions are my own and I am leaving my honest review voluntarily. Rating: 3 stars Get your own copy: Amazon Author info: Ruby Moone 10/5/2021 0 Comments Combustible by Al RiskeI really don’t like to write bad reviews, but this book was just not my cup of tea at all. The plot sounded interesting and I usually love coming-of-age novels. Especially when there’s a lot going on below the surface, but here I just couldn’t connect with any of the characters. The story takes place the summer after the end of high school and is about the two best friends Dean and Curt and how their already complicated friendship is set to test when Dean develops feelings for Curt’s girlfriend Isabelle Smiley. There was enough tension, desire and conflict boiling below the surface to keep you at suspense and just waiting for everything to erupt into disaster, but still I never cared enough for what would happen to the characters to be truly engaged by the story.
None of the characters were particularly likable or made me root for them for other reasons. The relationship between Curt and Smiley was quite toxic, and Smiley seemed very insecure, always looking for attention. When Curt didn’t give her what she wanted, she didn’t shy away from flirting with his best friend. The way she was portrayed felt very much through male eyes, which almost felt a bit creepy at times. It was so much focus on how beautiful and seductive she was, but we never got to know her as a person on her own. The writing style was very special. I think it’s something you either love or hate, and I unfortunately didn’t love it. It was way too much staccato for me to get any flow with all the short sentences and shallow dialogues. It was also too much telling rather than showing all through the book. All in all, it was a fast-paced and suspenseful story, but unfortunately it didn’t meet my expectations. But please don’t let this discourage you from giving it a try, we all appreciate different things and writing styles! Rating: 3 stars Get your own copy: Amazon Add on Goodreads Author info: Al Riske 9/30/2021 0 Comments House on Fire by Jenn BurkeThis is the second book in the Ashes & Dust series, which in turn is a spin off from the Not Dead Yet series. I was kindly provided an ARC by NetGalley and assumed that it would be fine to just jump right in to this book, but I must say that I strongly advice you to read at least the first book in the Ashes & Dust series, All Fired Up, first. Since I hadn’t, I was quite lost to the whole paranormal system and all characters, sadly. Normally there’s some kind of recap at the start of a sequel that can give you the broader perspective, but not here. The story just started off at a furious pace, throwing characters and facts at you in a way that made it a bit hard to keep track of who was who and relate to them. I must admit that I never quite got the system with vampires, shapeshifters, Gods and demon co-existing with humans and why vampires could (needed?) to eat normal food, how the hierarchy worked and which of the characters to cheer for and which the bad guys were and why.
This is of course my own fault for not having read the first book, but I still would have wished for some more build-up and time to get to know the characters. Now it was so hard to keep up with who and what everyone was which took me out of the story a lot. I immediately rooted for Colin though, the Phoenix who had been held captive and forced to suck the magic of his victims, only to be bond-mated with a vampire, Evan. Evan took much longer to get to know, despite that he was the narrator and main character. He came across as quite locked-up and stiff and just off when it came to the romance part. It was like he was telling us readers how much in love he was, rather than letting us truly see and experience his feelings. I also think that the cover and the blurb about how Colin is “done fighting his attraction to the sexy vampire” gives the impression that this is a romance between two young men, which it isn’t. There are romantic elements, sure, but it’s more of a paranormal mystery story than a romance. I also think the cover gives the wrong impression about the characters age. Colin was around 30 when he was transformed and then 30 years have lapsed, and even though he hasn’t aged during those years it still feels wrong with such young persons on the cover. I really enjoyed the writing style though, and all queer representation, and I think that I would have enjoyed it much more if I had read the books in the Not Dead Yet series and All Fired Up first and had felt attached to the characters already from the start. So if you have read and loved those books, don’t let my review discourage you from reading this one too! Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin (Carina Press) for the free review copy! All opinions are my own and I am leaving my honest review voluntarily. Rating: 3 stars Get your own copy: Amazon Pre-order via the author Author info: Jenn Burke |
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September 2023
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