5/17/2023 0 Comments Time to Shine by Rachel ReidThis was such a marvelous read! Absolutely adorable! So cute, fun and heartwarming, and with the sweetest main characters that completely stole my heart from the very first page. I stayed up all night to read this book, completely hooked! Time to Shine is the new MM hockey romance by Rachel Reid, who has written many great ones, but this is a sweeter story and closer to YA in the writing style. Which I loved! It was such a perfect slow burn romance that focused on the main characters truly getting to know each other and build the trust in one another to dare to fully open up and be vulnerable before getting physical. But don’t worry, there were some precious steamy moments worth waiting for!
The story is about the two hockey players Landon Stackhouse and Casey Hicks, who on paper are as different as one can get. Where Landon is shy, introvert, dealing with grief and guilt after the loss of his sister, having proximity problems and not making friends easily, Casey is the complete opposite; an all star player thriving in the spotlight, easy and outgoing, loving people and flirting. His only problem is that he’s afraid of the dark and of being alone. So, his offer to let the new called in backup goalie stay in his house is actually more for his own benefit than a pure act of goodness. The way the awkward roommate situation turns into a bromance that turns into something else was so heartwarming. Casey was such a cinnamon roll, so sweet and kind and always focused on making everyone feel happy, always up for a party and never ashamed of the mess he creates on the way. I loved the way he cared for Landon and adapted to Landon’s need for privacy and his inexperience. And Landon was so precious. My heart ached for the way he grieved and blamed himself, not letting himself live his life fully. Until Casey came along. I absolutely loved how the two of them brought out the best in each other! And their banter… pure gold! This story was full of humor, witty humor and comradery with the wonderful and supportive side characters. All in all, this was a completely adorable, sweet, tender, witty, thoughtful and heartwarming story about falling in love, dealing with grief and guilt and finding your place and yourself and allowing yourself to be happy. It’s a story that deals with difficult topics in a both honest and fun way at the same time, and I cannot recommend it enough! Thank you to NetGalley and Carina Adores & Harlequin for the ARC of the book, which I have voluntarily reviewed. Rating: 5 stars Get your own copy: Author links Author info: Rachel Reid
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5/8/2023 0 Comments The New Guy by Sarina BowenSarina Bowen does it again! Him by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy is one of my absolute favorite m/m romances, and I was curious to see how Sarina Bowen would match that book with this new one on her own. Let me tell you that she nailed it! The New Guy is such a wonderful and sweet m/m hockey romance with two amazing main characters to root for, and some added layers of grief and the struggle of being a single parent. The New Guy is the first book in Sarina Bowen’s new series Hockey Guys, and follows two main characters – the closeted hockey star Hudson Newgate and the out but widowed athletic trainer Gavin. Hudson’s nickname “New Guy” comes not only from his last name, but from the fact that he keeps getting traded. The first time he got traded was immediately after telling the management that he was bisexual, which is why he’s decided to stay in the closet for his remaining career. Especially since his agent and father keeps telling him to stay quiet to not risk anything.
Hence, Hudson keeps to himself, and stays away from socializing with his teammates and avoids anything that could risk exposure. Like hooking up with a guy at a bar. Definitely not doing that! Until he meets this gorgeous guy at a bar, realizing too late that he lives in the same team-owned building… Gavin lost his husband two years ago and ended up being a grieving widower with sole responsibility for the daughter his husband adopted before they met. Being a single parent, he really needs the new job to support his daughter. Until he meets this gorgeous guy at a bar, realizing too late that he is a hockey player at the new team he will start working for… 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! It was such a perfect forbidden romance story with lots of depths and added layers. Like Hudson’s toxic relationship with his dad, Gavin’s problems with this late husband’s parents (especially the “monster in law”) and how they were threatening to take his daughter from him, Hudson’s loneliness and longing for being able to show his true self and the way Hudson and Gavin were immediately attracted to each other and had such a sizzling chemistry, but it still felt like a slow burn romance with true relationship development. All in all, this was a both heartwarming and heartbreaking story with a perfect balance of hockey and romance, fun banter, vulnerability, steam and sweetness. Highly recommended! Rating: 4.5 stars rounding up to 5 Get your own copy: Author links Author info: Sarina Bowen This second book in the Breakaway series was just as adorable, sweet and heartwarming as the first one! I binged both books in just one day, completely smitten by the fun and witty story, the sweet main characters and their perfect slow burn romance, and the awesome side characters. In this second book, we get to see more of Alex’s point of view. For the first time in his life he is happy, but the hiding is starting to take its toll. Especially as their very visible “friendship” is already raising eyebrows, and it’s just so easy to get insecure and jealous when you can’t tell anyone your feelings.
I loved how this story really examined what it means to be in love. The happiness and cuteness, but also the fear of heartbreak and vulnerability, and the pain it causes when you can’t be open about who you are. Alex is truly struggling with his mental health, and is trying his very best to examine and understand his own feelings. Some part might have been a bit cheesy, but I don’t care, the way he described his feelings for Eli (“why isn’t there a word for more than love”) were the sweetest ever! It just melted my heart! This book also shone some light on the important issues of forced outings, homophobia and about role models in sports. But even though it didn’t shy away from heavy topics, it was nevertheless a truly hopeful story with a positive and uplifting message. I also loved the Hell Hound teammates even more in this book. They all went on a journey with Alex and Eli, and their character growth was amazing! I can’t wait to read the next book and to continue to follow them all, as well as the new characters that were introduced at the end. All in all, I can say the exact same thing about this book as I did about the first one: This was a completely adorable, sweet, tender, witty, thoughtful and heartwarming story about friendship, falling in love, dealing with mental health issues and being true to who you are. It’s a story that deals with difficult topics in a both honest and fun way at the same time, and I cannot recommend it enough! Rating: 5 stars Get your own copy: Amazon Add to Goodreads Author info: E.L. Massey This was such an adorable, sweet and heartwarming read! Fun and witty, with the sweetest main characters, a perfect slow burn romance and awesome side characters. I binged it and the second book in the series in just one day, completely smitten! The story is about Eli and Alex and their friends and the Hell Hounds hockey team. Eli is recovering from a devastating accident that derailed his Olympic figure-skating dreams and caused a seizure disorder, for which he has a service dog, Hawk. Growing up a mixed-race and gay figure skater in smalltown Alabama, and now disabled too, Eli’s learnt to avoid the hockey jocks. Especially the big shot out-of-control ones like prodigy Alexander Price. But after an antagonistic introduction, he’s surprised to learn that he actually enjoys spending time with Alex and his hockey friends. Alex on his side is trying to hide his big secret of being gay, while dealing with an anxiety disorder and the expectations of an expansion franchise on his shoulders. But being with Eli is soothing and fun and maybe, just maybe, coming out wouldn’t be a complete disaster after all?
This was such a marvelous read! It’s difficult to give it justice and explain exactly what made it so different, but it just had the perfect wonderful and relatable characters with so many flaws, over-the-top feelings and vulnerability, and the cutest plotline and writing style. Eli totally stole my heart and the chemistry between him and Alex was amazing! Their slow burn friends-to-lovers romance was pure perfection. It was like watching your two sweetest and kindest friends fall for each other. It had such wonderful queer, fun and adorable romcom vibes, but it was also filled with some truly great mental health representation. The realistic and genuine way in which Alex and his anxiety disorders, as well as Eli’s seizures, were portrayed was just amazing. The beautiful way in which E.L. Massey included these parts into the story really helps normalize mental health issues and made me love the characters even more. And Hawk, the amazing service dog, truly added to the story! Not to mention the adorable Hell Hound hockey players and the way they stood up for each other and Eli and Alex, as well as Eli’s best friend Cody. And the cooking vlog part – loved it! All in all, this was a completely adorable, sweet, tender, witty, thoughtful and heartwarming story about friendship, falling in love, dealing with mental health issues and being true to who you are. It’s a story that deals with difficult topics in a both honest and fun way at the same time, and I cannot recommend it enough! Rating: 5 stars Get your own copy: Amazon Add to Goodreads Author info: E.L. Massey 4/27/2023 0 Comments This Will Hurt I by Cara DeeThis Will Hurt was such a delightful, addictive and entertaining first installment in this new friends-to-lovers, bisexual awakening, slow burn MM romance duet by Cara Dee, and I’m counting the days to the release of the second installment! I need Roe’s story NOW! This duet follows the two friends and business partners Jake and Roe from their first meeting as young and broke film students and onwards over the years as they become best friends, roommates and partners in a very successful travel show and production company. This first installment is told from Jake’s POV, but in the second one we’ll get to see it all from Roe as well.
Jake is a former Marine, who’s been a war photographer and who has a lot of baggage with him from the war and from his upbringing in a conservative religious and homophobic home. He suffers from internal homophobia after a childhood trauma, and problems with expressing his emotions as well as with closeness and commitment. The only one who seems to truly get him is Roe. But when Roe reveals that he’s bisexual, it stirs a lot of thoughts and complicated emotions for Jake. There were so many things I loved about this book! Like the wonderful relationship between Jake and Roe, and how it was both a classic bisexual awakening story at the same time as it had a new take with Jake’s internal homophobia and denial of his own emotions. There was so much angst and pining! I loved how the focus was on Jake’s and Roe’s friendship, and how there was no immediate lust or desire when they met, which made it feel much more authentic and made me root even more for the slow burn romance. The book spanned so many years, which gave the characters room to grow and learn, and to build their feelings for each other in the most believable way. I’m personally not a fan of the internal homophobia trope, but Cara Dee did a wonderful job with it here. I really appreciated how she showed that there are many nuances to finding out and accepting who you are, especially if you’re pre-wired a certain way due to your upbringing. Another of my least favorite tropes is the accidental pregnancy one, but I could live with it here considering how wonderful Jake was as a dad, and how sweet baby Colin adds to the home-building part of Jake’s and Roe’s relationship. Some of the other things that made this book so special was the funny bantering and authentic dialogues, Jake’s badass grandmother, their group of friends and the fun and spicy scenes with Jake and Roe bartending at a gay club and doing the ‘Tequila Licker’... All in all, this was an emotional rollercoaster, which opened up for important discussions about internal homophobia at the same time as it was fast-paced, fun and addictive with authentic characters to root for. I desperately need to continue this duet, even though I already know how it will live up to its title and hurt me emotionally! Thank you so much Eliza Rae Services for the ARC! All opinions are my own and I am leaving my honest review voluntarily. Rating: 4.5 stars rounding up to 5 Get your own copy: Amazon Add to Goodreads Author info: Cara Dee This was a very Taylor Jenkins Reid-ish story and I mean that in the best possible way! It had glamour and tragedy, highs and lows, characters that were not very likable but still made you root for them, and a completely addictive plot and way of telling the story that just pulled you in. Definitely worth the hype! Daisy Jones & The Six tells the story of the 1970s rock band The Six (originally The Dunnes Brothers) and how Daisy Jones became their lead singer until the band split for no known reason. Just like Taylor Jenkins Reid’s book The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, the story was told as an interview, where the identity of the interview was hidden until the very end, for a reason… Taylor Jenkins Reid’s writing style is always very direct and quick, and intimate yet leaving you with a feeling of being fooled. Here, the format really added extra depths and insights to the story, where we could get to know all of the characters and experience the same event from their different views.
All the characters were amazing, so fleshed out, real and full of flaws. Taylor Jenkin Reid truly showed them at their worst behavior, but then let us come along their journey of self-awareness and growth. It was such a treat seeing how they were able to grow so much as persons and rise from their lows to move forward. At times it was very hard to like them and agree with their choices, but I nevertheless rooted for them and I found myself on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen to them next. The atmosphere and story composition were absolutely amazing too! It truly felt like an authentic retelling of true events, and I loved how the songs were not only mentioned but actually included in full words in the story. The only thing I had a bit of a problem with was the ending and the revelation of the identity of the interviewer. It felt like an unnecessary plot twist and made the ending a bit too simple and underwhelming for me. But all in all, this was an amazing, fun and spellbinding read that I truly recommend to anyone who loves music, drama and morally grey characters who will steal your heart despite their flaws! (Just be aware of the trigger warnings for alcoholism and drug addiction.) Rating: 4.5 rock and roll stars rounding up to 5 Get your own copy: Author links Author info: Taylor Jenkins Reid 4/20/2023 0 Comments Queried Sick by Dallas SmithWhat an adorable and sweet little gem! This was such a swoon-worthy MM romance, full of relatable, fleshed-out characters to root for. I read this book in one sitting, completely hooked from the very first page! Taking place during the pandemic, Queried Sick tells the story of Oliver and Ezra, who become remote coworkers and who, after starting off on the wrong foot, end up falling for each other over text exchanges and Zoom dates.
I have to admit that I was a tiny bit skeptical at first about the pandemic premise, but there was absolutely no need for that, it was so well executed and made the slow burn romance even more heartfelt and real. I loved Dallas Smith’s writing style and the amazing dynamic between Oliver and Ezra. I loved their banter, humor and literature quotes, and not to mention the burning chemistry… Both of the characters immediately stole my heart in their own separate ways. I really appreciated the anxiety disorder and chronical illness representation and how the characters were so vulnerable, full of flaws and yet utterly adorable. I also absolutely loved the side characters, their friends and family were all so well developed as characters and so sweet, hilarious and supportive. All in all, this was such an impressive debut and an adorable, heartfelt and beautiful feel-good romance that I recommend with all my heart! I can’t wait to read more of Dallas Smith in the future! Thank you to the author and BookSirens for the ARC! All opinions are my own and I am leaving my honest review voluntarily. Rating: 4.5 stars rounding up to 5 Get your own copy: Author links Author info: Dallas Smith This young adult adaptation of Chasten Glezman Buttigieg’s memoir was such a sweet and wholesome coming of age story. Through his own words, we learn about Chasten’s teenage years growing up in a small conservative Midwestern town, his experience as an exchange student in Germany and his dawning realization that him always being seen as “special” and “unique” might have something to do with his sexual orientation and his struggle to come to terms with that. Even though Chasten is the husband of the former Democratic presidential candidate (Peter Buttegieg) this book was not a political one, but a personal story meant to give courage and inspiration to teenagers today by sharing the good and the bad, the hardship, fear and pain, as well as the joy and the relief, on the journey of being true to yourself. And it certainly succeeded in that! I Have Something to Tell You was a truly hopeful and earnest story. I enjoyed the direct conversational writing style and how Chasten used a lot of his humor when telling it, and how he wasn’t afraid of showing his own shortcomings nor shy away from awkward situations. It was also really heartwarming to see the love for and from his family even though they all went through a bit of a rough path after he came out.
A minor thing though is that I, personally, would have liked to read more about how Chasten and his husband Peter met and fell in love, not just being told about it in such a matter-of-fact kind of way that felt different from the other parts of the story. It would have added a lot to the story if it had included more of their first meetings, letting us readers feel the attraction and butterflies, and seeing it evolve into their current HEA. I would also have liked to know more about Chasten’s experiences after coming out and learning to be comfortable as a gay man before meeting Peter. But I’m guessing that those parts were included in the full memoir for adults and had been edited away to keep this story shorter and more focused on the early ages. Which makes complete sense, and also makes me want to read the full memoir to find out! All in all, this was a beautiful, raw and honest memoir focusing on Chasten Buttigieg’s early years, giving hope for teens struggling with the same questions, showing that they are not alone and that they deserve to be loved for exactly who they are. It’s also a wonderful resource to use for parents, teachers and others, to reflect on the way to support the LGBTQ+ community, to make this world a safe and inclusive place for everyone. I’m really glad that Chasten decided to share his experience in such a candid way, and I’m sure that this book will give courage and support to so many. Not only by the message in the book itself, but also by learning about Chasten and his husband’s groundbreaking presidential campaign and seeing in practice that there are no limits but that you can reach any goal you have while still being true to who you are. Thank you to Pride Book Tours and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC. I can’t wait for the upcoming book tour to talk about it more! Rating: 4.5 stars rounding up to 5 Get your own copy: Amazon Simon & Schuster Author info: Chasten Glezman Buttigieg 3/11/2023 0 Comments Cry Wolf by Charlie AdharaSuch a thrilling and wholesome completion of this suspenseful, witty and addictive series with a new take on werewolves. Truly loved it! The Big Bad Wolf series has such a different take of shifter romances, it’s very refreshing and intriguing. It’s almost difficult to put this book in a genre. It’s partly urban fantasy, partly contemporary mystery and partly a swooning mm romance story. I really enjoyed the way the werewolves were part of the society, but also had their own fascinating culture. The world building was so rich with all werewolf folklore and intricate pack systems. Charlie Adhara also managed to show the struggle to hide in plain sight and the fear for and consequences of discovery so well and make it relatable.
I also really enjoyed the different mystery plots in all books. In this last one, the mystery was such a complex and thrilling one involving the WIP and rebels, Eli being hunted by his past, new surprising family revelations and Cooper’s former partner and lover meddling with his life again. There’s also a huge twist on the alpha myth and on Cooper’s involvement in the werewolf society that was so intriguing and unexpected, definitely ending this series on a high note on the mystery aspect as well! But the things I love most about this series are the characters and the swooning romance. Park and Cooper have my heart forever! They are both such complex and special characters, and the character and relationship growth they go through, especially Cooper, is beautiful. The love progression is so well done and the chemistry between Park and Cooper is just perfect. I love Cooper’s sarcastic humor and the witty banter between him and Park. All in all, the Big Bad Wolf series is a highly recommended unique series, full of action, family drama, werewolves and a smoking hot romance, that I’m already planning to reread soon. (But might there be a spin-off of this series in the making though? There’s certainly an opening for it…) Rating: 4.5 stars rounding up to 5 Get your own copy: Author links Author info: Charlie Adhara This series just keep getting better and better by each book! Really loved getting to meet the whole Park family and see Cooper interact with them and finally getting to understand where Oliver is coming from and why he’s keeping so many secrets. Fast-paced, great romance and relationship struggle/developments and a really thrilling mystery! In this third book in the Big Bad Wolf series, the story takes Cooper and Park to Park’s family compound for his grandfather’s memorial. Meeting your in-laws for the first time is always awkward, but imagining them not knowing that your golden boy is dating a human when they kind of hate humans… and cats, which he of course brings with him. And on top of that, said human is an agent in the organization that hunts down werewolf suspected of crimes. To say it doesn’t really go well is an understatement. Especially sine Park has left Cooper mostly in the dark about all these issues. But Cooper deals with it all in his characteristic prickly way that I have come to love throughout this series.
This book was the best one yet in this amazing series! The mystery was as thrilling as ever and I loved all the werewolf parts, the romance and the general character developments. Rating: 4.5 stars rounding up to 5 Get your own copy: Author links Author info: Charlie Adhara |
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September 2023
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