I’ve been eagerly awaiting a F1 M/M romance story and couldn’t wait to get my hands on Pole Position! And it was a great, fluffy and cute story with a lot of tension and spiciness, but there were a few things that made it a 4 star rather than a 5 star read. But still, a very satisfying and adorable rivals-to-lovers story! Pole Position is told from the dual POVs of the new F1 team mates Kian and Harper. Where Kian is the four time championship-winner getting questions about his retirement, Harper is the reckless rookie, who gets on his nerves. There was so much tension! A true love/hate situation and the chemistry… just wow!
I totally rooted for Harper who was the absolute disaster, but kind and charming, with his heart on his sleeve. Kian was a bit stiffer and harder to truly get to know at first, but he won my heart too eventually. This was such a slowburn story, with a lot of back and forth, and the usual romcom miscommunications. I truly enjoyed it, and read it in one sitting, but I had some issues that took away a star from what I had hoped would be a five star rating. **Spoiler alert** First of all, there were some major plot holes and parts of the story that just didn’t make sense. The idea that neither of Kian’s problematic relationship with his father nor Harper’s foster care childhood would be common knowledge didn’t feel believable. So all the miscommunication based on these facts felt a bit too hollow. Furthermore, the whole thing with Kian’s dad was never truly resolved, and it was so weird how he was at the airport for Kian’s mother’s funeral, but then just agreed with Harper not to show up, even though he’d already travelled. And also, as far as I could tell, at that point Kian hadn’t really shared the problematic relationship, so wouldn’t it have made much more sense if Harper had gone all fanboy on his old idol instead? My second issue was the way Harper kept pushing and pulling Kian, and constantly giving mixed signals, running away and then coming back being needy and clingy. Even though I definitely understand Harper’s past drama getting the better of him, it just got too much at some points. Like Kian himself put it ”How many times am I going to find myself here? It’s almost as if I watch him every time realizing he’s a little too emotionally invested in what’s going on between us and then he shuts himself down completely. Cuts me off. At what point do I accept that he means it? How many times to I need to be shut out before I’m done?” But luckily the ending made up for it… **End of spoilers** But all in all, this was a cute, fun, adorable romance set in the thrilling F1 world! I truly enjoyed reading it, and can’t wait for another book in what I hope will be a series? I definitely need to know who Johannes’ secret lover is! Rating: 4 stars Get your own copy: Author links Author info: Rebecca J. Caffery
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I loved Ashlyn Kane’s rock band romance American Love Songs, so I was so glad to learn that she’d written another one! And I’m glad to say that this was another sweet and charming story, but more of a cute childhood sweethearts second chances romance than a music-themed one. The Rock Star’s Guide to Getting Your Man follows struggling rock star Jeff Pine, who’s exhausted from all touring and taking some time off to figure out what to do with his life, his band mates, the pressure of producing yet another album and go on yet another tour. Deciding to rent a cabin in the hometown he’d avoided for fifteen years, he–of course-immediately runs into the very person who’s the reason he hasn’t come back, his former best friend and lifelong crush, park naturalist Carter Rhodes.
I rooted for both Jeff and Carter, and I loved seeing Jeff reconnect with important persons from his childhood (like Jeff’s mother). And as always in Ashlyn Kane’s books, the banter was pure gold! It didn’t quite meet my expectations from American Love Songs (or Ashlyn Kane’s wonderful hockey romances) but it was a sweet, fun and charming m/m romance with a great couple. I really appreciated that there was no angst or playing games between them, but how they immediately found their way back to being friends as well as lovers. The rock star thing was more focused on the management struggles and the band dynamics than the music part, which worked well for the story. All in all, a lovely, heartwarming read! Thank you Prolific Works for the free e-copy which I have voluntarily reviewed. Rating: 4 stars Get your own copy: Author links Author info: Ashlyn Kane Such a cute, bittersweet and unique story about dealing with what life throws at you and about not letting anyone (men…) stop you from achieving your goals. A story of self-worth, independence and struggle to be taken seriously and get the same opportunity to succeed in the academic world as men, told with humor and snarky sarcasm. Chemist Elizabeth Zott has struggled to get a career, from being mistaken for the secretary and asked to make coffee to sexual assault, getting miscredited or having her work simply stolen. Still, she’s kept on fighting. When she meets and falls in love with and gets a supporter in Calvin Evans, the lonely, brilliant, Nobel-prize nominee, things start to look better. Until life once again is turned up side down and Elizabeth finds herself a single mother being kicked from the research institute.
I must admit that I didn’t particularly like Elizabeth as a person and that I found Mad a bit too precocious to be likable, but I rooted for them both nevertheless and for the story. (My absolute favorite character was the wise dog!) Bonnie Garmus has a very unique, direct and humorous writing style that made all the bad things happening to Elizabeth bearable to read about. Despite the heartbreaking story that this truly was and despite all the science and chemistry explanations, Bonnie Garmus managed to make it a witty, cute and addictive read. It does leave you with a bittersweet feeling, even though it ends in a positive, almost fairytale, way. The story makes you realize how women still struggle with a lot of the same challenges that Elizabeth had to face. It definitely gives you a clear idea why there are so few women in science that we hear about. If you enjoyed Ali Hazelwood’s books, but want something a bit darker, I definitely recommend you to check this book out! Rating: 4 stars Get your own copy: Author links Author info: Bonnie Garmus This was such a heartfelt, authentic, angsty and intense read! A lot heavier than the cover and blurb might give the impression of, but also heartwarming and hopeful. But please be aware of the trigger warnings! Part of the story and content truly is on the darker side. Out of Blue Comes Green follows Kay (who during the course of the book changes his name to Nate) who has recently come out as trans and makes his first public appearance as a male with his band at the school talent show. After this appearance, we get to follow his struggle through the rest of the school year with bullies, falling in love and getting his heart broken for the first time, dealing with an unsupportive (actually even abusive) mother and just trying to navigate his way in life.
There are some really heartbreaking moments, when Kay/Nate has to experience misgendering, transphobia and a traumatic photo session that made me truly upset, and just plain mean and oblivious peers and adults. (Again, please be aware of the trigging warnings, including a suicide attempt!) But there were also so many beautiful things with the supportive brother and great friendships, and how music was a solace. Just a few thoughts, that include spoilers unfortunately, but that I felt were important for my review. **Spoiler alert** I especially loved the heartwarming way his dad stood up for him and genuinely understood what he’d gone through at the end. I hoped for JT to come around and understand the damage he’d caused at the pub performance at prom night. It was a little disappointing, but probably more realistic, that he just kept getting meaner and meaner all through the end. I also had a bit too much second-hand embarrassment for some of the things Kay/Nate did, like pretending to be someone else at the animal rescue, even though I can see why he grabbed the opportunity to be fully seen as a boy. **End of spoilers** The characters were such teenagers at times, quite annoying but always authentic and lovable! I definitely rooted for them all. It’s certainly a book that makes you feel! All in all, this was a heartfelt, sad yet hopeful, hurtful yet positive story tackling transphobia and the pain of not feeling at home in your body or being misgendered, not being seen or accepted as who you truly are, but also how support can lift you up, how being true to yourself is the only way forward and the power of love and friendship. A highly recommended and important story! Thank you so much to Page Street YA for the copy of this book through NetGalley, which I have voluntarily reviewed. Rating: 4 stars Get your own copy: Amazon Add to Goodreads Author info: M. E. Corey 4/29/2024 0 Comments Delay of Game by Ari BaranThis book had the same kind of intense and emotional vibes as Season’s Change by Cait Nary, but with less angst, as well as the sweetness, sexual awakening and first times feels from Time to Shine, and the banter, steaminess and supportive team spirit from the Hockey Ever After series. Plus an addictive plot that made me binge it all in just a few hours! Delay of Game follows the sweet and shy hockey captain Nate and the bad boy, hot mess Zach, who gets transferred to Nate’s team after one too many screwups.
It was such a wonderful and sweet mm hockey romance, with the perfect amount of steam and two lovable main characters with an absolutely sizzling chemistry! I read this book in one sitting, it was so addictive and I rooted so much for all characters that I just couldn’t bear to put it down until the very end! I loved the slow burn and the relationship angst, as well as how Zach was always so true to himself and how he pushed Nate out of his comfort zone. I also loved their friendship, how they supported each other with their anxiety and acting out issues, and how we got to follow Nate on this self-discovery journey. Bisexual awakening is one of my favorite tropes and this one was so well done! I had two issues with this book though, which is the reason for the four stars instead of five. (Please be aware that these might be spoilers.) **Spoiler alert** The first issue is the storyline jump from Zach getting traded and being annoyed by the goody two shoes Nate to them being best friends a few years later. I felt like I missed out on an important part that I’d love to witness myself rather than being told about it in retrospect. The other issue is the relationship misunderstanding/break-up at the end that felt construed and like it was there just for the sake of the drama. It was a bit too silly how they didn’t even try to talk to each other to clear the air and try to understand what went wrong. **End of spoiler** But all in all, this was such a heartwarming and romantic story about learning who you are, and about allowing yourself to be vulnerable and taking chances with the risk of getting hurt, but potentially to find love and a happy ever after. Highly recommend to anyone who loves queer romances, not just sports fans! (This is the second book in the Penalty Box series, but each book is a standalone, and I had no problem at all to get the story or the characters even though I hadn't read the first book.) Rating: 4 stars Get your own copy: Author links Author info: Ari Baran 3/28/2024 0 Comments Invisible Boys by Holden SheppardThis was such a raw, authentic and absolutely heartbreaking story about three teenagers trying to find a way to accept their true selves and survive the small town bigotry, homophobia and intolerance. Maybe a bit too dark for my personal preferences, but nevertheless a highly recommended one. But please be aware of the trigger warnings! Invisible Boys is a harsh coming-of-age story about three boys, who have to keep their true selves invisible to survive their small town, religious everyday life. Even to themselves. This is not a cute YA story about coming out. It’s a dark, raw, heartbreaking story about four struggling boys, who were not always likable or did the right thing.
I read the book with a knot in my belly, constantly wondering what kind of bad things that would happen next to the boys, or how they would screw up their own lives. I rooted so much for them all, but I can’t fully say that I liked them as characters, if that makes sense. Charlie, the punk rocker, was such a trouble maker who’d been let down by just about everyone and who lived for his music. I definitely understand why he acted out the way he did, but sometimes I just wished that he’d been able to keep his mouth shut just for once, or that he could treat the teachers and others wanting to help him with a little more respect. I truly adored him though and the way he stood up for himself and still was able to believe in love and being supportive of his friends after having been betrayed and let down so many times. Zeke, the shy A star student, who had always been in the shadow of his big brother and who tried so hard to be loved both at home and at school that he almost forgot who he was. Zeke was the easiest of the characters to root for, but sometimes his lack of backbone just got a bit too much. Hammer, the soccer star, was outright mean and selfish, using others without hesitation and a complete misogynist. Still, I so wanted him to come to terms with his sexuality and find a way to accept it and to heal. And then there was Matty, the sweet farmer boy, who played such an important role for the other characters. Knowing that he’d never be accepted as a gay man amongst his family or the farming community, and not having the courage to create another future for himself, he still tried so hard to find a way of not giving up hope for the life he wanted. All in all, this was a tender, raw, heartbreaking, sad and quite upsetting story tackling toxic masculinity, anger, suicide and homophobia, with characters I didn’t always love, but who got me completely invested in their story and made me wish for their happiness and courage to find their true selves so much. I definitely recommend it, it’s a relatable and important story that will stay with you for a long time, but please check the trigger warnings first, and be aware of the darkness, flawed characters and intensity of the story. It’s a complex and tragic story that will break your heart, but also give you hope. Rating: 4 stars Get your own copy: Author links Amazon Author info: Holden Sheppard Young Royals is one of my favorite shows and Red, White & Royal Blue one of my all time favorite books, so a story combining those into a new book by Julian Winters was of course something I needed to read! Prince of the Palisades might not be exactly of the same caliber as RWARB, but it was certainly a wonderful, sweet, adorable and emotional mm romance story between a struggling prince and a badass pink-haired commoner! Prince Jadon is the spare of the fictional kingdom Reverie as the younger, messy brother of crown princess Annika. After a leaked video of him trash talking the prime minister (who is also the father of his ex) makes his parents lose their patience with him, Jadon gets exiled to Los Angeles and a preppy private school together with his sister and two royal guards. In order to be allowed back home, Jadon must change the public perception of him and prove that he is worthy to represent the royal family. Including making friends with his fellow students, joining the school play and making public non-political speeches. But definitely not getting involved with someone or getting caught kissing in public. Which turns out to be harder than expected when sparks start to fly with a certain pink-haired film student…
Running With Lions is my favorite Julian Winters book, with all the amazing characters. This story had the same kind of vibes and fleshed-out characters, witty banter and focus on love and friendship. I truly adored Princess Annika, the quirky royal guards and Reiss’ family. Jadon and Reiss had a wonderful chemistry and I loved their fun banter and how Reiss kept Jadon grounded and showed him what a “normal” life and family looked like. It was perhaps a bit too insta-lovey the way Jadon immediately was intrigued by Reiss, and it took me a while to warm up to Jadon who came across as a little too immature and selfish at first. But the character development was amazing and at the end I fully rooted for him and his relatable struggles to find his path in life. I also loved the fanfiction references to RWARB and The Princess Diaries in the tweets and comments. All in all, this was a sweet and charming YA read about finding your true self and taking a chance on love! Thank you to Penguin Teen and NetGalley for the free ARC of the book, which I have voluntarily reviewed. Rating: 4 stars Get your own copy: Amazon Add on Goodreads Author info: Julian Winters This is the third book in the Mackenzie Country series and it was yet another sweet and heartwarming MM romance taking place in the remote New Zealand sheep country with fleshed out and mature characters to root for! I’ve never been to New Zealand, but the way Jay Hogan describes the rugged, southern alps scenery is so beautiful it makes want to book a flight right away to come visit… It’s almost like the nature plays a role in the story.
In this third book, we once again get to visit Lane Sheep Station, but this time focus is on Zach’s older brother Jules. The books can be read as standalones, but I strongly advice to read them all and in order, for the wonderful revisits of the previous characters and to fully understand the background to the events, but also because they are all highly recommended reads! As we know from the previous books, Zach’s and Jules’ father is a mean homophobe, who drove Zach away when he came out as gay. Naturally, Jules has had good reasons to keep his bisexuality hidden. Especially since he’s never met a man worth pursuing that side for. Not until his dad gets a stroke and physical therapist Liam comes to stay at the station and turns Jules’ world upside down… This was such an adorable bi-awakening story, full of first time sweetness, supportive family members and friends, and the struggle to stand up for yourself and take a chance on true love. It was also lovely seeing both Gil and Holden, and Zach and Luke still being so happily in love and totally sappy! Compared to the previous books, it was lower on angst and a little bit slower, but still full of humor, perfect chemistry, surprising twists and the perfect amount of spiciness! I received a free ARC of this book, which I have voluntarily reviewed. Rating: 4 stars Get your own copy: Amazon Bookbub Add to Goodreads Author info: Jay Hogan 1/26/2024 0 Comments The Wild Within by Gwen MartinI love Gwen Martin’s authentic love stories! They are always heartbreaking and beautiful, full of pain and hope, grief and joy, loss and love, and amazing characters, often struggling with their mental health. This new The Collective series is no different! The Wild Within follows Chance, who is trying to get his life back on track after a suicide attempt and getting a bipolar diagnosis, and Duncan, who is Chance’s brother’s friend and who volunteers to drive Chance to his appointments and the community center The Collective where he volunteers. Helping others is what Duncan does, and it doesn’t hurt that Chance is charming, funny and attractive. But helping others comes at a cost, and while Chance is slowly his bearing, Duncan is pushing himself to the brink of exhaustion.
This was such a beautifully written, emotional and raw story dealing with depression, addiction and mental health. But also a warm and hopeful story full of friendship and support. And love. A very slooooow but wonderful slow burn. And some amazing character growth, especially from Chance! I can’t wait to continue this series with Tristan’s story next! Thank you to the author Gwen Martin for the free review copy, which I have voluntarily reviewed. Rating: 4 stars Get your own copy: Author links Author info: Gwen Martin 1/21/2024 0 Comments The Wonder Within by Gwen MartinThis novella explains how The Collective in Gwen Martin’s new series came to be. I really appreciated getting the background to this beautiful and emotional new series, and getting to know the founders more. When their best friend Jon commits suicide, the former boyfriends Leon and Toryn are brought back to their home town to fulfil Jon’s dream of a creating a safe space for those in the community struggling with mental health issues and addiction (The Collective).
This was such an emotional read, full of love and sadness for the lost friend mixed with the tension and suppressed feelings from the past! It was so fulfilling to slowly get to understand more of the backstory and why Leon had left Toryn and fled his home town four years ago. I do however wish that the transition to admitting their feelings once again had felt a bit less rushed and that they had worked out the major issues causing the break-up more before getting back together. But that probably has most to do with the novella format, and I hope to see more of Leon and Toryn in the next book in the series, to maybe get those parts further addressed. All in all, it was a truly beautiful story about love and friendship, and the importance of clear communication, and I can’t wait to continue the series! Thank you to the author Gwen Martin for the free review copy, which I have voluntarily reviewed. Rating: 3.5 stars rounding up to 4 Get your own copy: Author links Author info: Gwen Martin |
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September 2023
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