This was a bit of a disappointment, sadly. I had such high expectations for a fun, sweet and quick read, and it started off very well, but then it just became so… slow? And so full of uninteresting frat things and a mystery plot that just went on and on. In the end, I didn’t even really care who was behind the scheming, I just wanted the mystery to be over with. I did care for the two main characters though, and there were some really sweet moments between them that made the story enjoyable enough to keep reading to the end.

Presidential Chaos is the third and final book in Saxon James’s Frat Wars series, which focuses on the two presidents of the rivaling frat houses Sigma and Kappa, Zeke and Charles. I was really looking forward to getting their story and the premise of them secretly dating while joining forces to solve a mystery seemed like a great one.

But even though they were great as characters, and there were some really sweet moments, I never fully rooted for them. Charles was really sweet and I loved the way he genuinely cared about Zeke, as well as the way he wanted to keep the family together by taking on his grandfather’s expectations. But as regards Zeke, there was a huge lack of background and information to make him more than the one dimensional jock with tattoos who desperately wanted to win the Olympics.

A problem was also the way the story was told from their different POVs without making their voices distinguished enough. They sounded so alike that I often had to go back to check which one of them that said or did what.

I also frankly thought that the secondary plot, the mystery with someone spreading rumors to try and shut the Sigma house down, was quite boring. I skimmed through a lot, just wanting that part of the story, as well as the parts with the juvenile frat pranks, to be over with.

Overall, it was a cute and fluffy story, and I liked both Charles and Zeke as characters as such (even though I’d wished for Zeke to be more fleshed out). But the mystery plot was unexciting, and there was a general lack of substance to the story and the characters to make me fully root for them. So even though I enjoyed the sweet parts and the adorable banter enough to keep reading it all the way through, sadly, I have to say that this book wasn’t for me.

Rating:
2.5 stars rounding up to 3

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Saxon James

This is my second time reading this book and I loved it even more this time around! I still think that the steamy parts are a bit too explicit for me personally, but Wes’s and Jamie’s love story completely stole my heart with their relationship development, their sizzling chemistry, the perfect execution of the friends-to-lovers and second-chance-romance tropes and all the feels! I’m definitely change my rating to 4.5 stars rounding up to 5 after this reread!

“I have the same damn weakness I’ve always had… My weakness is him.”

Original review from October 15th, 2020:

Him is easily one of my absolute favorite m/m romances! I read this book in one sitting, it was completely unputdownable. This friends-to-lovers, second chance romance is so sweet, funny and steamy, with an absolutely sizzling chemistry.

Jamie and Wes are both college hockey players, who’ve been best friends since they were young teens; meeting up every summer at the hockey camp at Lake Placid. Wes has loved Jamie since he was 13, but he knows he can’t do anything about it with Jamie being straight.

“Jamie Canning was my first crush and my first love. But he was never mine to have.”

Then last night at summer camp, a bet derailed and everything changed between them, making them lose contact. Now, four years later, fate brings them together when their college hockey teams play for the championship. And even though Wes fears facing Jamie again, he can’t miss this chance to make amends.
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Even though the book is set in a hockey environment, don’t worry if you are not into sports, this is not a sports jock kind of book! There were some parts that were a bit too sexually explicit for me (I’m more into YA…), and the cover is a bit on the cheesy side, isn’t it? But apart from that, this is such a sweet romance story about a guy falling for his best friends, about taking chances and putting yourself out there with the risk of getting hurt, but potentially to find love. 

Rating:
4 stars changed to 4.5 stars rounding up to 5  after reread on October 22nd, 2022

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Sarina Bowen
Elle Kennedy

Spin is a cute short story about what happens when a party game goes sideways and you discover that your secret crush on your best friend wasn’t so secret after all.

Jacob has been in love with his best friend Anthony (Tony) for years, but never dared to make a move knowing Tony was straight. But a spin the bottle kiss between them turns out to be nothing of an awkward kiss from a straight friend, but a breathtaking, rock-the-world kind of experience. Has Jacob missed the signs all these years, or did Tony just realise that he might be bisexual?

This was such a sweet, light and quick read with one of my favorite tropes – friends to lovers – and a really cute bisexual awakening romance. Even though it was only 30 pages, the characters were fleshed out enough to make you root for them.

Thank you so much to the author Joelle Lynne for the free review copy. All opinions are my own and I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

Rating:
4 stars

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Joelle Lynne

​This book is the perfect light feelgood read to get you out of a reading slump. It wasn’t as good as Date Me, Bryson Keller, and it lacked a bit of depth, but it was nevertheless a sweet, fast paced and cute friends-to-lovers romance.

The MC and sole POV is seventeen-year-old Nate, who’s been secretly crushing on his best friend Jai for a long time. He’s afraid to let Jai know how he feels, since his first boyfriend left him heartbroken and confused. But when Jai’s band suddenly needs a new lead singer before a big competition, Nate steps up to take his place, even though he has a huge stage fright. In return, Jai offers to be Nate’s plus one at his cousin’s fancy wedding in South Africa.

I really enjoyed the characters, both Nate and Jai were such sweethearts, and their pining for each other was adorable. I loved their flirty banter and how much they genuinely cared for each other. I also really loved some of the other characters, especially Gemma and Meghan, and how supportive both Nate’s and Jai’s parents were. Another part that I enjoyed a lot was the South African trip and the insights into the dark history, culture and food (even though it was sometimes bordering to a tourist pamphlet) and to get to see how Nate connected with his deceased dad by visiting the country where he grew up.

I would have wished for the music to play a bigger part of the story though. The story plot with the big band competition felt very rushed and it all ended in a bit of an anticlimax. The initial focus on Nate’s stage fright also felt like it got lost along the way. I also would have wanted some more backstory to Jai, or to get his POV in the story as well, not just Nate’s. And I could have done without the drama at the end, it felt quite unnecessary, and only made me like Nate a little less. Overall, there was a little too much going on for such a short book.

But even though some parts felt a bit underdeveloped, I really enjoyed this book a lot! It was such a light, easy and quick read (I binged it all in just a few hours!) and the romance was absolutely adorable. I highly recommend this book if you’re looking for something sweet and fluffy to brighten up the day, and especially if you need to get out of a reading slump! 

Rating:
4 stars

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Kevin Van Whye

This was a cute low fantasy reading with a great sapphic rivals-to-lovers romance, amazing friendship and wonderful parents, but also an unexpectedly dark and disturbing story with difficult topics, such as grooming by a teacher, manipulation, racism and homophobia.

The story follows the overachieving teen witch Shay, who in order to have a better chance at winning a desperately needed scholarship at her elite high school, joins the school musical upon her drama teacher, and scholarship donor, Mr B’s request. Just as her arch enemy and scholarship competitor, Ana, does. But as Lex, Shay’s best friend, keeps pointing out, isn’t Shay just a little too obsessed with Ana, beyond competing for the same scholarship?

I really loved the relatable characters, and the diversity and representation in this book, with a brown lesbian MC, a bisexual love interest, and several black, cuban and filipino characters. Shay is out to her closest friends and family, but not to her other schoolmates (or teachers, like Mr. B). Since her parents are struggling financially, Shay knows she has to get a scholarship to be able to fulfil her dreams and puts a lot of pressure on herself. I could really relate to the academic pressure that Shay feels, but I had some problems with the way she pushed that pressure onto her best friend Lex as well. Overall, I really loved their friendship though.

I also liked how involved and supportive Shay’s parents were, and the part with the academic rivals to lovers was so cute. I loved the banter between Shay and Ana!

I would have wished for the magic to play a bigger role though. The magic system wasn’t fully explained and the story felt much more like contemporary one and not like a fantasy, as the magic didn’t really impact it. But my main issue with this book was the grooming part. I went into this book expecting a fun, witchy, YA fantasy with a great sapphic rivals-to-lovers story. And while that was part of the story (and very well executed!), too much of the story was about the drama teacher being predatory and trying to manipulate Shay into an inappropriate relationship. The creepy grooming plot took over the story for most parts, which made me feel very uneasy as to the disgusting behavior by Mr. B and also by the way Shay couldn’t stand up for herself, but was so desperate to get the scholarship that she traded her integrity for it.

So, I feel a bit conflicted about how to rate this book. Leaving out the grooming part, it would have been a five star read for me – I absolutely loved the friendship, the rivalry banter and the sapphic romance parts! But since the predatory teacher plot was major part of it, I have to settle for 3.5 stars rounding up to 4.

I really enjoyed the book as a whole though, and truly recommend it. Just be aware of the trigger warning for grooming by a teacher, and homophobia, before reading it.

Rating:
3.5 stars rounding up to 4

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Aislinn Brophy

I really don’t like to write bad reviews, especially not when a book is written by an indie author, but this novella just lacked so many basic parts that I cannot give it more than two stars.

The story had such a great premise, and the cover was so gorgeous, but unfortunately the execution didn’t meet any of my expectations. There was no world building whatsoever and no explanation as to who the characters were, why they were hunting monsters (not even really what kind of monsters they were hunting) or what their end game was. The characters Keenyn and Bren, and their secret yearning for each other, had such potential, but it took more than half of the story until we even got an explanation how and when they became friends. With so much information lacking it just wasn’t possible to get invested in or understand the story at all.

The writing itself was really good though, so I hope Amanda Ferreira will keep on writing, but add more world building to the stories.

Rating:
2 stars

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Amanda Ferreira

This was quite a unique story - not a romance as such, and not very romantic at all - but rather a story about what happens to a relationship when everyday life takes its toll on the big epic romance. It was beautiful, honest, heartwarming and so very realistic.

Life is Good and Other Lies is the story of one messy holiday, two crumbling marriages, five bored kids and a farm full of secrets. It follows the Swedish/Norwegian couple Thomas and Frank, who have inherited a remote Swedish farmhouse and who decide to rent out the guest house to the German/Italian couple Bruno and Gabriel, to spend a month together at the farm with all their children (three of them teenagers). Both couples struggle with their relationship and with life in general. But as the summer proceeds, friendships and bonds are formed both between the adults and their children, which provides support and new insights. So between the fighting and miscommunication, they might all maybe, just maybe, have a shot at finding the way back to the love that has been there all the time.

I really rooted for all characters. They were so well-developed, full of flaws and relatable. I appreciated how the story didn’t shy away from any of the characters’ mental health issues, body morphia and the fact that all relationships have their ups and downs, but how their love for each other always was strong enough.

And, being Swedish myself, I really enjoyed the description of the Swedish countryside and the people in the small town. It was truly spot on!

For me personally, I found the pacing to be a bit slow though. The story took place over the course of a few summer weeks, who were supposed to show a slow, simple, life in the Swedish countryside, but I still think the story itself could have been told in a bit faster pace. I also didn’t quite see how the subplot with the aunt and her love story fit into the maim story. It added a bit of a mystery element to the story that was fun, but maybe it could have been made either as a separate add-on novella, or have been more interwoven with the main story?

But all in all, this was a heartwarming, unique and realistic story about love, mental health, family bonds and the ups and downs of life. A beautiful story that makes you reflect about what’s really important in life and which, despite all the hardship the characters go through, gives you hope for the possibility of forever love. No matter what, some people are just meant to be!

Thank you to Gay Book Promotions for the free ARC of the book, which I have voluntarily reviewed.

Rating:
4 stars

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Magdalena di Sotru
Sophia Soames

Jax Calder does it again! I was a bit nervous starting Attractive Forces, since Jax Calder’s book The Other Brother is one of my all time favorite YA m/m romances, but luckily this book met and exceeded all of my high expectations! I absolutely loved this adorable, slow-burn nerd/jock friends-to-lovers romance!

The two main characters of this story are teenagers Jake and Logan. Jake Stenton is the smart new kid, who’s moved to a new town to start over with his mother and younger brother, trying to escape the scandal caused by his father. Logan Madison is the captain of the rugby team and the most popular guy in school, who is hiding who he truly is from everyone. Being gay is just not an option when you’re the star rugby player and the son of a homophobic Presbyterian minister. But when Jake is assigned as Logan’s chemistry tutor, the feelings that develop between them might be too powerful to control…

I rooted so much for both Jake and Logan from the very first moment and my heart ached for them in their struggles. They were both such wonderful characters, with depth and as far from any stereotype cliches you can come. Yes, Logan was a star rugby player, but he was certainly not the typical jock. And yes, Jake was a chemistry nerd, but he was also so fun and easygoing. And the banter between them and the fun chemistry jokes, as well as their mutual respect for each other, was amazing.

I love Jax Calder’s writing style and how she captures the suppressed feelings and longings between the characters. The slow burn romance was so well executed and so heart-warming! I especially loved the way she made us readers come along on Jake’s and Logan’s journey to finding themselves, understanding their sexuality and coming to a decision what’s really worth living for. It was so accurate how Jake thought he was just a late bloomer when in fact he’s on the asexual spectrum and only starts to have feelings for Logan after they become close friends.

All in all, Attractive Forces was such an adorable, gripping and heart-warming m/m romance with all the feels and amazing character growth. I read it in one sitting as it was completely unputdownable until the very end!

Thank you to BookSirens for the free ARC of the book, which I have voluntarily reviewed.

Rating:
5 stars

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Jax Calder

This was such a witty, fast-paced, adorable and completely unique vampire story! I binged it in just a few hours, so smitten by the sweet and nerdy characters, and the hilarious plot!

How to Bite Your Neighbor is a very different kind of vampire tale and Vincent is as far from the strong and lethal vampire stereotype as one can be. Growing up, he was the shy and awkward bully victim, and being turned into a vampire unfortunately didn’t make his life any better. Still shy and awkward, but now also homeless and broke and on the hide from vampire haters, he’s too poor for black market blood and has to sneak into homes to feeds from sleeping humans. He never feeds from the same person twice though, and he always make sure that they won’t feel or remember anything. That is, until he breaks into the home of his former school friend Wesley, who has the most delicious blood Vincent has ever tasted. Coming back for just one more round can’t hurt, right?

Wesley (Wes) is the opposite of Vincent, a social and easygoing slacker who loves to spend his time playing games with his best friend. But lately Wes has been grieving his mother, who he believes was killed by a pharmaceutical company. Now he’s applied for a position at the company to gain access to their research labs to find evidence of what happened to his mother. The only problem is that he needs to find and catch a vampire for their experiments. So, when he wakes up one night to find a vampire on his bedside, he can’t believe his luck, and offers Vincent to keep coming back to feed on him while he finalizes his plan how to use Vincent as a bate to get into the shady pharmaceutical company and avenge his mother.

What neither of them expected was how much they would like each other and how fun it would be to spend time together, and certainly not to start getting more than friends feeling for each other. Soon Wes has to decide what’s most important to him – to avenge his mother or to protect his sweet vampire friend.

I loved Vincent from the very start. He was such a vulnerable, sweet and lovable character! My heart ached so much for him in his struggles to believe he was even worthy of living, his trust issues and loneliness, and hardship in a life he didn’t choose. I also really loved Wes’s best friend, the badass lesbian gamer Kendall. But it took me a while longer to warm up to Wes with his slacker attitude and his initial bad intentions. Especially since Wes kept on with his scheming and betrayal even though he knew that Vincent wasn’t an evil predator. I would have loved some more character growth on his part, as well as some more closure as regards what happened to Wes’s mother.

But all in all, this was such an enjoyable, quirky and charming story, with an engaging mystery plot and an absolutely heartwarming mm romance. Highly recommended!

Thank you so much to the author D.N. Bryn for the opportunity to read this adorable book for free! All opinions are my own and I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

Rating:
4 stars

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D.N. Bryn

This second book in the Hockey Ever After series was even more addictive and wonderful than the first book! The pace was even faster, the characters even more lovable and the chemistry even hotter, and I loved meeting some of my favorite characters from the first book again. This book truly warmed my heart!

Both books in the Hockey Ever After series are set in the NHL hockey world, but each book can be read as a standalone as they focus on different characters. But I really loved the way Ashlyn Kane and Morgan James gave us glimpses of the characters from the first book, and how some of the characters were even part of the story in the second book but with new positions.

Scoring Position takes place about seven years after the events in Winging It, and follows the openly gay hockey player Ryan Wright, who gets traded to a new team in an attempt to support the struggling would-be superstar Nico Kirschbaum with his lack of results.

Twenty-six year old Ryan is known for his fun and laid-back attitude and for being the go-to-friend for any struggling team mate. So even though he might not be the world’s best hockey player on the ice, he’s highly regarded as an asset in creating a winning team spirit.

Twenty-one year old Nico on the other hand has the potential of becoming a truly great player, if only he could learn to control his performance anxiety and stop cracking under pressure, but find a way to deal with the demands from himself and his famous former hockey-player for a father. He certainly does not appreciate that management traded for another openly gay player and told them to make friends, treating him like some kind of trouble kid in need of a baby sitter. He’ll solve his problem on his own with hard work, not by bonding with the class clown.

Ryan knows his future on the ice depends on how well he succeeds in the locker room and in finding a way to set Nico’s mind straight. But convincing Nico to let him help means getting closer than is wise for Ryan’s heart, which has already been broken and made him afraid of any kind of deeper commitments.
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Just like the first book in this series, Scoring Position was such a wonderful and sweet mm hockey romance, with the perfect amount of steam and two lovable main characters. I truly rooted for both Ryan and Nico, and I really appreciated the slow burn from loathing each other to becoming friends and getting to know each other, to slowly letting the attraction take them further. I also loved the witty banter and all the humor.

Another favorite part was to meet the characters from the first book again, with rookie Yorkie from the first book now being captain in the Fuel team and with Kitty still being very much Kitty. And of course, the scenes with Gabe and Dante, which just melted my heart… So wholesome! It was also so sweet how Ryan, but especially Nico, were thankful for Gabe having paved the way to make it easier for them to be out and proud, and how Nico could tell his homophobic father off by showing him an openly gay hockey player in NHL.

Compared to the first book, I also felt that there was a better balance between the actual hockey parts and the more human/relationship parts, and that the story had a great focus on character developments and mental health issues.

All in all, this was such a heartwarming slowburn romance and a truly sweet and addictive reading experience. I read it in one sitting as it was completely unputdownable until the very end!

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

Rating:
4.5 stars rounding up to 5

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​Author info:
Ashlyn Kane
Morgan James