I absolutely love Beth Bolden’s adorable and heartwarming Food Truck Warriors series, so this sixth and last book was a bittersweet read. I sure will miss my Food Truck Warriors! But on the other hand, I’m so happy for this wonderful and satisfying conclusion of the series. Beth Bolden did an amazing job wrapping it all up!

Just like the previous books in this series, Ride or Die can be read as a standalone. Even though the characters from the other books make their appearances, each book focus on a new character amongst the group of gay food truck owners in LA. I really love the way Beth Bolden keeps giving us glimpses of the characters from her previous books and how she’s created her own universe by weaving her stories and characters together without making the story plot less understandable if you’d jump straight into this one as your first read.

This time we got the story of the food truck owner Ren Moretti and security professional Seth (partner with Lennox from the fourth book) and how love can find a way to win even a non-believer like Ren over…

Ren is the player of the food truck lot, known for his one night stands and for not believing in love. Seth on the other hand definitely believes in love and is not interested in anything but a serious relationship. So when attraction hits, neither will bulge to give into what the other person want…

I really loved Ren’s and Seth’s slow burn romance and how Ren slowly began to trust Seth (even though he didn’t really know it was Seth he chatted with…) and dared to open up about his problems and feelings, and finally surrender to the notion that love might be for him too after all.

I did miss my favorite couple from the series, Tate and Chase, who had almost no part in this story at all. But other than that, I was completely satisfied with this adorable conclusion! It was such a swooning, sweet and addictive M/M romance story that warmed my heart. I binge-read the whole book in just a few hours - that’s how addictive it was!
 
Thank you to Gay Book Promotions for the ARC and blog tour invitation! All opinions are my own and I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

Rating:
4 stars

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This fifth book in Beth Bolden’s adorable, sweet and heartwarming Food Truck Warriors series was yet another adorable m/m foodie romance. Just like the previous books in this series, Wheels Down can be read as a standalone. Even though the characters from the other books make their appearances, this book focus on food truck owner Ross, who is trying to pick up the pieces after having been betrayed by his former partner, and Shaw, who is the bartender at the nearby bar the food truck warriors hang out at.

Both Ross and Shaw have been side characters for the whole series, so it was wonderful to finally get to know them both some more as main characters. I’ve always had a sweet spot for the grumpy, introverted, Ross. He’s always had trust issues, and being betrayed by his only friend and partner, Aaron, don’t really make these issues any easier… He’s also having problem with social interactions and figuring people out. The only person he seems to be able to talk to is Shaw, and that is not without work from and a lot of patience by Shaw.

I really loved their slow burn friends-to-lovers romance and how Ross slowly began to trust Shaw and dared to open up about his problems and feelings. And Shaw was such a sweetheart, both as a friend and boyfriend, he was just perfect for Ross. I also really loved to see how the rest of the food truck warriors warmed up to Ross and buried old hatchets from the previous books. I did miss my favorite couple from the series, Tate and Chase, who had almost no part in this story at all. And I would have love to get to know more about Harmony. She seems to have and untold and very interesting story, that hopefully will be revealed more in the next book. Or in a spin-off series, maybe?

Sadly, Beth Bolden has announced that the next book will be the last of the fabulous Food Truck Warriors series, but I’m nevertheless eagerly awaiting it to finally get Ren’s story.

All in all, this was a swooning, sweet and addictive friends-to-lovers story (so addictive that I read it in one sitting) that warmed my heart.

Thank you to Gay Book Promotions for the ARC and blog tour invitation! All opinions are my own and I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

Rating:
4 stars

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I love Beth Bolden’s Food Truck series and it was so wonderful to get a small glimpse into the lives of my favorite group of gay food truck owners via this New Year’s Eve novella. Chronologically, this novella takes place between the first and the second book, but just like all books in the series it can be read as a standalone.

This time we got the story of the Funky Cup bar owner Jackson and how one New Year’s Eve changed his and food truck owner Alexis’ lives forever.

It was bordering to insta-love the way one night (no matter how amazing) made Alexis change his plans for the future. But since it was a decision that took the time and didn’t come easy for either of them, it was executed well enough to be reasonably realistic and so very sweet and heartwarming. And the New Year’s magic really added to the story. We all know how New Year’s Eve can make you believe in fairytales and for new futures!

All in all, it was a really cute and enjoyable novella about taking chances and finding love when you least expect it.

I received a free ebook copy of this book as part of a promotion tour. All opinions are my own and I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

Rating:
4 stars

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This is the third book in the Riptide series, but it also connects this series to the Food Truck Warriors series in an amazing way. I really love the way Beth Bolden keeps giving us glimpses of the characters from her previous books and how she’s created her own universe by weaving her stories and characters together without making the story plot less understandable if you’d jump straight into this one as your first read. I’m especially happy that my favorite Food Truck Warrior couple Chase and Tate played quite an important role in this book. They have a special place in my heart since Hit the Brakes was my first Beth Bolden book and completely blew me away!

This time, we get to follow Spencer Evans, who was the first player out of the closet to be drafted into the NFL nine years ago, and Alec Mitchell, who was the first gay sports agent. The two men couldn’t be more different though. Where Alex has given his life and his career to making queer athletes’ dreams come true, all Spencer wanted to do was to play football and be accepted as any other player. Unfortunately, the team he was playing for was the worst and most homophobic one in the series and soon Spencer began to conceal all the parts that made him different, pushing himself back into the closet again, and also sadly being quite the jerk himself to the queer community. Regardless of their differences though, there’d always been such a sizzling hot attraction between Spencer and Alec, which they both spent nine years denying. Until Spencer got severely injured and decided to reevaluate his whole life and the choices he’d made.

I immediately rooted for both Spencer and Alec and the wonderful chemistry between them. Alec was just such a sweetheart. And I really loved the character growth Spencer went through and how he was brave enough to admit his faults and to push himself out of his comfort zone to learn to be himself. If you’ve spent nine years suppressing who you are, it’s quite a journey to finally find out who you truly are beneath it all. I appreciated how this story showed a different side of ‘acceptance’ and that it didn’t shy away from Spencer’s flaws and issues with internal homophobia.

Compared to the other books I’ve read by Beth Bolden, this one was perhaps a bit slower and not quite as addictive story plot wise. It even felt a bit uneventful and repetitive at times. I also have to say that I’m not a big fan of the cover. The Food Truck Warriors series had such gorgeous covers that matched the warmhearted vibe, but this cover gives the expression of a much more explicit story. (To be honest, if I hadn’t received an ARC, the cover would probably have stopped me from picking this book up.) 

But all in all, this was an adorable and heartwarming story about second chances, the power of love and acceptance, and about being brave enough to risk your whole career for a chance of true love and happiness.

Thank you to Gay Book Promotions for the ARC and blog tour invitation! All opinions are my own and I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

Rating:
3.5 stars rounding up to 4

Get your own copy:
Amazon • Add on Goodreads

Author info:
A lifelong Pacific Northwester, Beth Bolden has just recently moved to North Carolina with her supportive husband. Beth still believes in Keeping Portland Weird, and intends to be just as weird in Raleigh.

Beth has been writing practically since she learned the alphabet. Unfortunately, her first foray into novel writing, titled Big Bear with Sparkly Earrings, wasn’t a bestseller, but hope springs eternal. She’s published twenty-three novels and seven novellas.

Connect with Beth Bolden:
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This was the fourth (and final, I believe?) book in Beth Bolden’s adorable, sweet and heartwarming Food Truck Warriors series, and it was yet another adorable m/m foodie romance. If it was the last book, it really wrapped the series up in a sweet and perfect conclusion. If it was not, I couldn’t be happier to keep reading about my favorite group of gay food truck owners!

Just like the previous books in this series, Full Speed Ahead can be read as a standalone. Even though the characters from the other books make their appearances, this book focus on the new character Lennox and the burgeoning romance between him and the food truck owner Ash.

When Lennox was first introduced in On A Roll (the third book in this series), I didn’t like him at all. But now I’m glad to say that he has completely won we over by sharing his backstory and the reason for being such a closed off person. Lennox is a security professional who’s been coming around the Food Truck Warriors for months, ordering salad from Ash’s truck even though he doesn’t even like salad… He’s something of a mystery; repressed, sad and lonely, and no one even knows if Lennox is his first or last name. But Ash is fascinated by him and slowly Ash’s charm seems to be working, tearing down the walls Lennox has built around him. When a stalker appears and start to threaten the food truck lot and especially targeting Ash, Lennox is hired for protection. And finally, the electricity between Lennox and Ash is surfacing and let out into the open.

Ash was such a sweetheart that stole my heart from the very first start. And Lennox slowly worked his magic on me. The more he revealed about his past and his losses and reasons for not trusting other people or daring to love and be openly gay, the more I warmed up to him and in the end I completely rooted for him as well.
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The story in this book is a bit different from the others in the series as it had more of a thriller plot with the added element of mystery and search for the stalker. Personally, I prefer the other three books in the series a bit more as this book lost some of the charm and sweetness from the others with this kind of plot. And the stupid and reckless way Ash behaved at one point didn’t feel authentic, it felt forced for the sake of the drama.

But all in all, this was an adorable and heartwarming story about second chances, being brave to share your deepest secrets and the empowering love of found families. If it was the final book in the series, I’m completely content with the way it wrapped everything up. If not, I can’t wait to follow more of my favorite food truck people…

Thank you to Gay Book Promotions for the ARC and blog tour invitation! All opinions are my own and I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

Rating:
4 stars

Get your own copy:
Amazon • Add on Goodreads

Giveaway:
Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card!

Author info:
A lifelong Pacific Northwester, Beth Bolden has just recently moved to North Carolina with her supportive husband. Beth still believes in Keeping Portland Weird, and intends to be just as weird in Raleigh.

Beth has been writing practically since she learned the alphabet. Unfortunately, her first foray into novel writing, titled Big Bear with Sparkly Earrings, wasn’t a bestseller, but hope springs eternal. She’s published twenty-three novels and seven novellas.

Connect with Beth Bolden:
Website • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram • BookBub • Newsletter Sign-up

I love Beth Bolden’s adorable, sweet and heartwarming m/m foodie romances, and this third book in the Food Truck Warriors series did not disappoint. Not at all. I binge-read this sweet, frenemies to lovers, second chance romance in just a few hours - that’s how addictive it was!

The Food Truck Warriors series follows a group of gay food truck owners in LA, but each book can be read as a standalone as they focus on different characters and their relationships each time. However, I really do love the way Beth Bolden keeps giving us glimpses of the characters from her previous books and how she’s created her own universe by weaving her stories and characters together without making the story plot less understandable if you’d jump straight into this one as your first read. This time, the story followed the two characters we’ve met as the two combatants in the previous books (if you have read the previous books you are probably already familiar with their meet ball incident…), Gabriel Moretti and Sean Cooper.

Two years ago, Gabriel and Sean both named their food trucks the exact same name – On A Roll – and since neither of them wanted to give in and change the name, they ended up as enemies, constantly fighting. But is it really only the disagreement about a name that keeps pulling them towards each other? Don’t they both enjoy the fighting and bickering a little too much… couldn’t it be that for them fighting is actually flirting, and what they really crave is each other? When they are faced with an ultimatum to change the name and try to settle it over a couple of drinks, their buried chemistry is sudden out in the open and much more becomes at stake than just a food truck name.

I absolutely loved the frenemies to lovers trope, it was so well executed, and their fighting/bantering turning into smoking hot attraction was so fun and addictive! I also really appreciated the background stories that Beth Bolden slowly revealed, explaining the tragedy behind Sean’s reason for his food truck name, and Gabriel’s need to distance himself and find his own path away from his family heritage. The way Sean didn’t think he deserved love again was so heartbreaking, as was the way Gabriel let himself be completely honest and vulnerable. He really wore his heart on his sleeve and put himself out there for Sean when he learned about the tragedy, even though Sean tried to keep his protective walls up.

Compared to the previous two books in the series, the story was perhaps a little bit thinner and without the major emotional rollercoasters and suspense. But all in all, On A Roll was a heartwarming and charming, sweet and romantic, and very sexy, story about second chances and being brave enough to reveal your most vulnerable self for a chance of true love and happiness.

Thank you to Gay Book Promotions for the ARC and blog tour invitation! All opinions are my own and I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

Rating:
4.5 adorable stars rounding up to 5.

Get your own copy:
Amazon • Add on Goodreads

Giveaway:
Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card!

Author info:
A lifelong Pacific Northwester, Beth Bolden has just recently moved to North Carolina with her supportive husband. Beth still believes in Keeping Portland Weird, and intends to be just as weird in Raleigh.

Beth has been writing practically since she learned the alphabet. Unfortunately, her first foray into novel writing, titled Big Bear with Sparkly Earrings, wasn’t a bestseller, but hope springs eternal. She’s published twenty-three novels and seven novellas.

Connect with Beth Bolden:
Website • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram • BookBub • Newsletter Sign-up

Today is my stop for the Gay Book Promotions Blog Tour for Hit the Brakes by Beth Bolden. I’m so happy and honored to be a part of the tour celebrating this ​adorable fake-dating, second chance m/m romance! It was so addictive that I binge-read it in just a few hours!

For his senior year in high school, Tate Ward had Home Economics together with the big football star Chase Riley. He also had the biggest crush on him. A crush that he’d never really recovered from ten years later either, compulsively following Chase’s football career and whereabouts on social media. When his sister suggests that they use Chase’s name to help their food truck business survive the desperate situation they’re in, he didn’t expect Chase himself to turn up on his doorstep. And he certainly didn’t expect Chase to give him an offer he couldn’t refuse. An offer that will help his dreams come true, as long as he can pretend that his very real feelings are actually fake…
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This book has so many things that I love, like a sports romance, a fake dating trope, wonderful siblings and supportive friends. And food! All foodie scenes from the food truck added such a wonderful vibe to the story! And the characters… I immediately rooted for both Tate and Chase and I loved the wonderful chemistry between them. They were both such amazing and relatable characters, with depth and as far from any stereotype cliches you can come. I really appreciated how Beth Bolden showed Chase’s problems with anxiety, loss of self-control and panic attacks, and Tate’s insecurity and feeling of not being worthy of Chase’s love, but also the amazing character development they made throughout this book. I also really appreciated the discussion about there not being a ‘right’ way of coming out, and how ‘coming out’ is not something you do once, but a statement you constantly have to make in any new situation.

This is the second book in the Food Truck Warriors series, but each book can be read as a standalone as they focus on different characters from a group of food truck owners and their relationships. I loved getting glimpses of the characters from the first book in this one too, I love when an author creates her own universe by weaving stories together the way Beth Bolden has done with both her Food Truck Warriors and Kitchen Gods series.

All in all, I absolutely loved this swooning, sweet and emotional rollercoaster for a love story! I read it 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! Highly recommended, and the bonus scene was to die for, it completely melted my heart!

Thank you to Gay Book Promotions for the ARC and blog tour invitation! All opinions are my own and I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

Rating:
5 stars

Get your own copy:
Amazon • Add on Goodreads

Giveaway:
Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card!

About the Author:
A lifelong Pacific Northwester, Beth Bolden has just recently moved to North Carolina with her supportive husband. Beth still believes in Keeping Portland Weird, and intends to be just as weird in Raleigh.

Beth has been writing practically since she learned the alphabet. Unfortunately, her first foray into novel writing, titled Big Bear with Sparkly Earrings, wasn’t a bestseller, but hope springs eternal. She’s published twenty-three novels and seven novellas.

Connect with Beth Bolden:
Website • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram • BookBub • Newsletter Sign-up

This was such an adorable, sweet and heartwarming m/m foodie romance! I loved that it was low on angst and drama, but still full of suspense and totally addictive! (I binge-read it in just a few hours, that’s how addictive it was…)

The story follows Tony Blake who is running a food truck together with his brother Wyatt. Whereas Wyatt is happily married to his hot baseball player Ryan, Tony is recovering from being dumped by his ex-boyfriend. When Wyatt gets too busy with his cook book projects, and hires Lucas Barnes to help Tony out for the summer, Tony might just have a chance on his own happily ever after. If only he dared to trust again… And if only Lucas could allow himself to break his no-relationship-rule… And if co-worker Jeremy could stop being a jealous jerk and stop accusing Lucas for the thefts that are happening…

I completely fell for both Tony and Lucas from the very beginning! I loved how sweet and kind, yet tough, Tony was and how self-aware he was. He’d been a rough time, but had come out stronger and with a realization of his own fault and problems. And Lucas, he was such a sweetheart. I loved how he always spoke his mind and how determined he was to make his vegan energy bar business a success. And the chemistry between them… it was absolutely sizzling and flaming hot! The tiny food truck kitchen was burning up by more than the heat from the cooking… The attraction was instant, but the romance was nevertheless a gorgeous slow-burning one, where both Tony and Lucas were scared by their strong feelings. The mystery part added a bit of extra suspense, but most of all a reason for Tony and Lucas to go on stake-outs together and building up such high amounts of suppressed longing and desire in Lucas’ small car that it was almost physically palpable for us readers…

For those of you that have read Beth Bolden’s books before, some of the characters in this book are known from her Kitchen Gods series (Wyatt and Ryan’s story was told in Catch Me), but all books can be read as standalones. I am so happy that I’ve found this new to me author and for the possibility to go back to her previous books to connect even more with the characters I’ve already come to love and how she’s created her own foodie universe by weaving her stories together. The food aspect really does add something extra to the stories too.
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All in all, Drive Me Crazy was such a heartwarming and charming, sweet and romantic, and very sexy, story about two men falling head-over-heals in love with each other no matter how much they tried not to. Highly recommended and I can’t wait to continue with the second book, Hit the Brakes, and then to go back and read more about how Wyatt and Ryan fell in love in Catch Me.

Thank you to Gay Book Promotions for the free review copy for this wonderful book! All opinions are my own and I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

Rating:
4.5 swooning stars rounding up to 5

Get your own copy:
Amazon

​Author info:
Beth Bolden