This is such a tragic story, but so beautifully written. It’s a story that many queer people used to live through in the past, which ma|| 3.5 stars ||
This is such a tragic story, but so beautifully written. It’s a story that many queer people used to live through in the past, which makes it all the more heartbreaking to read… There’s not much focus here on the build-up of their love connection, but instead it tells the story of how sad and lonely and angry and impossible their lives were because of that love....more
I really did not expect to get another book in this series, but this fit as a surprisingly perfect addition. It’s about two entirely ne|| 3.0 stars ||
I really did not expect to get another book in this series, but this fit as a surprisingly perfect addition. It’s about two entirely new characters and I initially wondered how they would fit in at the junkyard, but I shouldn’t have worried, because they matched perfectly. The way Knox and Liv found a new family with these crazy, oddly lovable people just warmed my heart.
Of course, the main focus of the book is the romance between Knox and Liv, and it was honestly pretty great. It’s about two best friends, who truly never thought they would be anything more than that, but who are, due to circumstances, forced to see each other in a new light. I thought the sexual discoveries for both of them were very well done: Each had a very different journey, but neither was less valid and it was interesting to see their contrast. I personally had the biggest soft spot for Knox though, and I absolutely loved seeing the way he blossomed into his best self by finally accepting his sexuality but also his own vulnerability.
The dynamic between Knox and Liv was complete ride-or-die. These two would have done absolutely anything for the other and they were each other’s whole entire world. The love between them ran very deep, and their interactions were so sweet and authentic. Their relationship started out with a lot of banter, teasing and the occasional hostility (just like a regular close “bro” friendship), but it eventually became incredibly soft and gentle. They were constantly giving each other comfort through touch, actions and words, and I just kept swooning at how adorable they were together. They were truly enamored and it was beautiful to see them both discover how completely obsessed and in love they were with each other.
'Wrong Side of the Tracks' series: 1. Scum - 3.0 stars 2. Primal - 4.5 stars 3. D!ckhead - dnf 4. Grind - 3.5 stars 5. Wanted - 3.0 stars...more
➛First read: January 2024 | ★4.5 stars ➛Second read: April 2024 | ★3.5 stars
EDIT after my re-read: I didn’t like it as much as I did|| 3.5 stars ||
➛First read: January 2024 | ★4.5 stars ➛Second read: April 2024 | ★3.5 stars
EDIT after my re-read: I didn’t like it as much as I did the first time. It could be because I reread this way too soon and still remembered everything to a point that it became a little boring, but it could also be because I started to notice a few things that annoyed me. The most obvious thing being how often Nikolai dropped or ghosted Bran. He “dumped” him more times than I can count, and that’s not really the behaviour I expect or want from someone who’s supposedly obsessed. Furthermore, Bran always took Niko back immediately after Niko abandoned him or did some other shitty thing, and he was never angry about it. I really wanted him to make Niko grovel more, but I also just needed Niko to never ever give up on Bran in the first place. But nope, that’s not what happened. And that’s what made this book less enjoyable for me this time around.
Original Review: Wow. Just wow. I’m in love. Just utterly, irrevocably in love. Brandon and Nikolai were complete perfection and everything I wanted them to be. I just love them so much, it physically hurts my heart to know that it’s over. I miss them already.
“You’re a fucking nightmare,” he mutters, his throat working beneath my fingers. “Your nightmare.” “I hate you.” “I don’t.” “You’re fucking crazy.” “About you,” I whisper against his lips and claim them with a guttural moan.
This was my first Rina Kent book, and I’m truly so happy that I decided to skip ahead in the series to these two beautiful souls (after all, this book works perfectly as a standalone). I really wouldn’t have wanted to miss their story for the world!
I’m struggling a little bit to find the right words to describe the beauty and sublimity of this romance. But I’ll try my best. I think I should probably begin by explaining the two amazing main characters, because they’re both so complex and beautiful that you need to understand them to appreciate how epic their love story is:
First I’ll talk about beautiful, self-loathing Brandon. He was the kind of person who would always be kind and patient with the people around him. He wore a carefully constructed mask of pleasantries and politeness; all day, every day. He never lost control of himself; actually, he couldn’t lose control, or he would completely spiral. Thus, he managed to keep his breakdowns perfectly in check through a strict routine, until the day that he met Nikolai. Niko saw the true man behind the mask and he awakened a passion and rage inside of Brandon that he had tried to push deep down inside of him for many years. He believed he had to be perfect, that he had to be in control, because if he wasn’t, he’d be afraid everyone would see him as the weakling and waste of space he himself thought he was.
“You cut yourself?” My words are low, but they’re so loud in the silence. “Why?” “Because I’m fucked up.” His voice sounds like death’s lullaby, anguished and shattered. “Because I look at myself in the mirror and get the urge to shatter it to pieces. Because I’ve been haunted by the bitter taste of nausea and self-loathing for so long, I don’t know how to live without them. I was doing fine, pretending and putting on a façade, so why the fuck did you ruin that? Why did you come into my life and destroy every wall I built and ruin every lie I told myself? Why do you touch me like I’m beautiful? Why don’t you hate me when I can’t stand my-fucking-self?”
Then we have Nikolai. Oh, what a beautiful soul he was. It might sound a little strange to say this about a man whose favourite hobby was inflicting violence and chaos (before he met the love of his life), but he truly was beautiful to me. Yes, he was insane, but never in a sadistic way. The way he explained the violence was more like he needed a way to get rid of all the energy stuck inside of him; like he desperately needed an outlet he couldn’t find anywhere else (again, before he met the love of his life). But this violent part of him was not all there was to him. He was also incredibly caring, observant, funny, hyper, sweet and kind. And Brandon was the one who always brought out that side of him. Niko couldn’t be anything else around him, because he was always just so damn happy to be around the guy he adored with all his being. He actually reminded me of an over-eager puppy most of the time. And it was absolutely adorable.
“I love him and I want to be with him. Despite his violent exterior, he’s really a teddy bear deep down, you know. A golden retriever through and through. He’s extremely affectionate and respectful and makes sure I’m comfortable and happy.” “What type of voodoo did he use on my control-freak brother? More importantly, why did it have to be him? You’re allergic to violence and I’m pretty sure he’s illiterate.” “Lan! I’ll have you know he has a 4.15 GPA. Don’t make fun of his intelligence again or I’ll be really cross with you.” “Jesus Christ. You’re defending him?” “Get used to it. I won’t allow you or anyone else to insult him.”
Now, let’s continue with the romance:
At the beginning of their relationship there was of course lot of push-and-pull from Brandon because he was so very afraid of this man who brought out all these intense emotions inside of him. He didn’t want those. He wanted a simple, lifeless existence, not the fire that Niko lit inside him. But Niko would never take no for an answer. He knew Bran was the man he wanted and he would have fought tooth and nail to finally win this wonderfully infuriating man for himself.
I'm done for. Finished. Absolutely jumping off a cliff, rolling and cracking a few bones and not giving a flying fuck, because I have my prize at the bottom. Him.
Niko’s devotion and pure dedication to Bran was a gorgeous sight to behold from beginning to end; I’m not sure I have ever seen a man as whipped for anyone as Niko was for Bran. He was obsessed in the most literal sense of the word. From the moment he met Bran, it was like nothing else in the world existed besides this beautifully complex man. Bran was obviously a little later on the uptake, but it didn’t take too long for his defences to crumble under the incessant pursuit and courtship or the contagious hurricane of Niko’s feelings.
He can’t possibly expect me to stay away. It’s true that I last saw him this morning, but I’ve been going through withdrawals. My mood is dangerously dependent on him and that’s not even funny anymore, but I’m done trying to figure it out. I’m just obsessed with this man and everything about him. Some would argue it’s something a lot more dire than obsession. He consumes me, but he also grounds me. I’ve never felt as mentally strong as when I’m with him. Even the most mundane things we do together—having meals, watching movies, listening to him read the boring morning newspapers—bring a huge smile to my face. Brandon King is ravaging me alive.
I loved that Niko and Bran both had their own issues, but that the other person was always the one who quieted those demons for them. Niko always felt restless and Bran always felt empty, but when they were together Niko was calmer and able to focus on one thing (namely, his love for Bran), while Bran was finally able to feel anything and let go of his control. They both made each other a much better person, and their unwavering support for each other brought the comfort they both desperately craved. They finally found peace and happiness. Which was made even more exceptional by the fact that they found it in an epically complex and hard-fought romance, and with a person so much their opposite that they (or, more likely, Bran, since Niko was smitten from the very beginning) would have never expected it to work out. But it did. And it was beautiful and stunning and gorgeous.
“And, baby?” He kisses the top of my head and his next words nearly give me a heart attack. “Even if you hate yourself, I’ll love you for the both of us.”
Lastly, I want to give a shoutout to the relationship Brandon had with his identical twin, Landon. There were so many hidden emotions and deeper layers within their bond, I genuinely would read a whole book only about them! Alas, there isn’t one, but I would have given an arm and a leg for more of these two. It honestly broke my heart to see the inferiority complex Brandon had because he saw how easy everything seemed to be for his (supposedly) superior brother; how everyone flocked to him and admired his genius and brash personality. It especially hurt Bran so much when he compared all of that glitter and shine to how hard it was for him to simply find the will to live. He really felt so very small and insignificant next to his mighty brother, and thus, he began pushing him away around the time they hit puberty. He thought Landon didn’t care about him, and even when he did, that it was only because of the way Brandon’s flaws would reflect on Lan’s own reputation. Landon was, after all, a narcissistic sociopath, so those thoughts weren’t entirely without root. However, Bran couldn’t be more wrong because if there was anything in the world Landon cared most about it was him; his sweet brother who pushed him away without him ever understanding why. They truly both loved each other so much, and they would always do anything to help or save their other half. It really was beautiful to see them find their way back to each other:
“Come here.” I open my arms and I suspect he’ll push me away since he’s allergic to showing affection. However, my brother slides right between my arms and hugs me for the first time since that night eight years ago. “I love you, little bro,” he whispers. “I need you to know that. I need you to know you’re the first person I loved unconditionally and always will. I might annoy you, might act like a dick to get your attention, but that’s only because the thought of losing you scares the living fuck out of me.” “Love you, too, Lan.” I exhale against his neck, my chest nearly bursting with emotions.
All in all, I think it’s safe to say I am in love with this book. The characters completely captured my heart and the romance had me swooning uncontrollably. I am in love. Truly.
This wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t good either. It had a very cliché premise with an extremely subpar execution. There was absolutely no de|| 3.0 stars ||
This wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t good either. It had a very cliché premise with an extremely subpar execution. There was absolutely no depth to this whatsoever, and neither did we see any details of the story, characterization or romance.
We skipped in time about a billion times, which meant we didn’t get to see any of the actual development between the couple. We don’t see them falling in love, we don’t get to understand why they develop feelings; honestly, we aren’t even told why either of them become attracted to the other, which is odd considering the less than stellar circumstances these two find themselves in, meaning it wasn’t exactly likely anyone would feel any lust in that situation, so an explanation as to why they did would have been appreciated.
Considering it’s a story about human trafficking and the main character finds himself in a ‘prison’-like situation with his ‘love interest’ as captor I would have expected more hate, mistrust and resentment, so it was pretty weird to see that they suddenly had this giant amount of sexual chemistry, let alone an intimate or romantic connection. It just wasn’t explained properly, and therefore, failed to show me a relationship with true feelings and emotions. It was mostly just lust, especially at first, and after that it seemed there was merely an unhealthy obsession between them. Not love.
Aiden crawled into Zain’s lap and looped his arms around his neck. “Hey,” he said with a small, fond smile. “What’s got you brooding now?” Fond. He had no business looking at him this way. Sometimes Zain wanted to shake him. He might not have kidnapped Aiden himself, but he had treated him horribly at the beginning. Zain didn’t deserve his fondness. He didn’t deserve the soft smiles. He still craved them like a thirsty man craved water in the desert. He wanted everything—every smile, every millimeter of skin, every molecule.
This book was Stockholm Syndrome at its finest, I suppose. Although I would have loved more proper development for it to be believable. But that’s probably too much to ask of this author. It’s just mindless fun with a toxic, possessive couple doing obsessive and insane things; a typical AH book. Yet, still, there was something missing here that I did find in a bunch of her other books. Something about the couple just didn’t work that well.
Well. What a major disappointment. This started out so great, but in the end, it lost me completely.
This book is about two childhood be|| 2.5 stars ||
Well. What a major disappointment. This started out so great, but in the end, it lost me completely.
This book is about two childhood best friends, who love each other deeper and more intensely than anything else in the world, who are beyond obsessive and possessive when it comes to the other, who would go through great lengths to stay together forever, but who are also utterly incapable of communication, honesty, and a healthy relationship.
I really loved how this story began with these two having such a strong relationship and how co-dependent they were. They were so needy and desperate for the other’s affection, and I truly do love those things in a romance. However, everything became insanely repetitive after a while, and I honestly ended up feeling very annoyed with everything. The fact that these two refused to have a damn conversation together that would have made both of their lives’ so much easier really got on my nerves. After a while, I truly didn’t even believe in their love anymore; how can you claim to love each other so much if you continually make it so incredibly difficult for the other? It just became very boring to see these two do nothing but whine about how much they wanted to touch each other, and not have much of a relationship beyond that.
So, all in all, no matter how much I would have normally loved this type of needy, pining, and co-dependent dynamic, I wasn’t impressed with the execution here. It way just way too dramatic without any real substance....more
I actually really like a well-developed “enemies to lovers” trope, but I definitely do not like the “I hate you but I’m going to lust af|| 1.0 star ||
I actually really like a well-developed “enemies to lovers” trope, but I definitely do not like the “I hate you but I’m going to lust after you anyway” trope. It’s so shallow and annoying. This trope also makes every character seem beyond stupid and like their brains are just completely lust-addled. Besides, the protagonists here just had absolutely awful personalities and were just flat-out impossible to like. Jazz was even worse than Ant though; he was literally just the worst and most self-absorbed arsehole alive. Lastly, this was simply not a love story; it was lust. Truly nothing more than lust. They had no connection whatsoever and were somehow sexually drawn to each other for no reason, while still hating each other. I’m really not interested in that. It was so boring, I eventually just couldn’t help but start skimming.
This pretty much had a lust-at-first sight thing going on and surely cannot be praised for its depth or anything remotely like that, bu|| 3.0 stars ||
This pretty much had a lust-at-first sight thing going on and surely cannot be praised for its depth or anything remotely like that, but it was still fun with a hint of angst and I really loved the relationship dynamic here.
This was an age-gap romance with a big size difference between Mike (a big handsome biker who very much enjoys his status as a ‘ladies man’) and Arden (a fiery, feminine boy who’s afraid to commit his heart again after being burned before). Mike is pretty much instantly obsessed with how cute and pretty Arden is, and he tries very hard to get the boy to give him a chance. Mike doesn’t want a relationship though and Arden wants more than a friends with benefits situation, so they dance around each other for a while. Yet, it’s clear they both care for each other a lot: They want to be around each other all the time, and Mike has a very nurturing vibe towards Arden. It was all pretty sweet.
A romance between the Heir to the British Throne and the British Prime Minister apparently results in the sweetest, yet most impossible|| 4.0 stars ||
A romance between the Heir to the British Throne and the British Prime Minister apparently results in the sweetest, yet most impossible, forbidden love story imaginable!
I think what mostly made this book stand out for me was the fact that the love between Callum and Oliver felt so incredibly genuine. They truly connected on a deeper level, and their chemistry was palpable from beginning to end. The dynamic between these two was insanely cute and they were crazy compatible together. I honestly just loved seeing their bond grow stronger and stronger over time.
I really liked Oliver and Callum as characters. They were both very sweet, clever and loveable, but Callum definitely stole the show for me. He was geeky, clumsy and awkward, but in the absolutely best way possible. He was just utterly endearing, and I adored the hell out of him. It melted my heart to see Oliver adore him in every possible way as well; he cherished every odd quirk about Callum, and treasured every single thing about him. It was so lovely to see, and Callum honestly deserved someone who loves him like that.
I do have to say that, even though I thought this story, the characters and their romance were all incredibly charming, the writing itself wasn’t my favourite. It dragged a lot. Sometimes it felt more like I was reading an informational textbook than a cute contemporary, which was a bit jarring considering the fluffy and unrealistic nature of this book. I mean, the ending, for example, was absolutely batshit crazy, so I don’t think this book was really trying too hard to take itself seriously, which makes it odd to choose such an informational writing style. But oh well.
All in all, this book gave me a lot of happy vibes and Callum and Oliver were an amazingly sweet couple to read about....more
This was absolutely gorgeous. It’s a little difficult to explain what made this book so incredibly good, but I || 5.0 stars ||
Wow. Wow. Wow. Just wow.
This was absolutely gorgeous. It’s a little difficult to explain what made this book so incredibly good, but I think it might be because it felt so vivid and so real.
The straight-forward and raw writing style was really something special. It felt poetic, yet simple. That might sound contradictory, but somehow this book made it work. It was authentic and beautiful.
Ari might be one of the best main characters I’ve had the pleasure of reading about. He was such a kind-hearted and sweet boy, but he carried so much weight and pain within him. He struggled, but he never took it out on anyone but himself. His depression and self-loathing were so poignant, and to see him go on his journey of healing was a stunning sight to behold. He had such an interesting personality, and the way his mind worked captivated me. He was really special. I love him with all my heart.
What made this book even better was that it somehow managed to make us understand all the side-characters on a deeper level as well. Ari had so many meaningful relationships with the people around him, even though he sometimes felt like the loneliest boy in the world. And through Ari’s relationship with those people, we got to feel them in our own hearts as well.
Ari truly had an incredibly interesting relationship with his parents. My heart broke for the fact that they all had so much love for each other, but that they simply weren’t always able to express that in the right ways. I believe Ari’s dad loved his son so much, which made it so painful to see how his dad’s own trauma affected Ari so negatively. I think his dad’s inability to talk, to work through his emotions, to heal from his pain, was what made Ari so bad at it as well. His mother also adored her son, that much was obvious, but she clearly hurt him with the secrets she kept about her own suffering. Ari needed them to be open with him, and because they weren’t, he couldn’t be either, and thus, he kept everything inside. This book did an amazing job at showing how much parents’ own issues can affect the way their children grow up, even when they love them and would only wish the best upon them. Good and loving parents can also do harm, and it’s important they try to do better for their children. Which Ari’s parents did, in the end: It was absolutely heartwarming.
Of course, there is also Ari’s relationship with Dante, and I’m not sure what to even say about that. Their friendship was absolutely breathtaking. We never get to read Dante’s POV, but for once, I didn’t feel like I needed it. Dante’s character was already so captivating and wonderful from Ari’s perspective, and I loved everything about the soft and gentle love between them. They were different, but exactly what the other person needed; two sides of the same beautiful coin.
I’m sorry but no. This was so boring and so silly. This had absolutely no depth and the writing was incredibly bland and superficial. It|| 1.0 star ||
I’m sorry but no. This was so boring and so silly. This had absolutely no depth and the writing was incredibly bland and superficial. It was also very cringy. Like, I’m sure it was meant to be cute and sugary-sweet, but it just made me snort derisively, roll my eyes, or sneer in disgust.
It’s a step-brother romance between a nerdy younger brother and a protective older brother and it also has the fake-dating trope. That all sounds like it should be super interesting and engaging, right? Well, it wasn’t. It was boring and gave me absolutely nothing. The chemistry between these two was non-existent and there was less than zero tension between them.
I also failed to see a real connection between them. They were just two “brothers”, who apparently love each other dearly, but I wasn’t feeling any romantic connection between them. The author told me all I was supposed to feel about their relationship, but I wasn’t being shown. It was all way too surface-level and ridiculous for any of that.
And don’t even get me started on the development in the relationship, because it was so non-sensical and so rushed: they literally went from “I love my brother” to “I love my boyfriend” within 1 second, with no inbetween whatsoever.
Also, the fact that they constantly kept calling each other “brother”, even while they were already TOGETHER? They even did so during sex! I could see this dirty-talk maybe working in a very intense and taboo story, but the rest of this book was so “sweet” and bland, that it just felt completely out of place. Honestly, the dirty-talking was literally horrendous. I’m pretty sure the last thing one of them called the other was “baby brother boyfriend”. I gagged. Could it be any more cringe-worthy? I think not.
Also, I freaking hated the way everyone fawned over Jesse. Like, calm down. I understand he is apparently the most perfect and most handsome specimen to walk this earth, but the googly eyes he got from every single person he met made me want to throw myself off of a cliff. Every single woman in his vicinity wanted to have sex with him for some reason, even though he was already there as someone else’s fake-boyfriend?? It was so annoying and actually also very disrespectful.
And then when you compare this ‘perfection of a man’ to his awkward and emotionally-stunted younger brother who still acts like a baby but who is supposedly a genius, and you just have this pathetic comparison between the “amazing, perfect brother” and the “loser brother”. It was so uncomfortable and unbalanced between them.
Last but not least, the evil ex-boyfriend story was so stupid and so annoying. He was the most cringe-worthy character I have read about in a long while, and I could not understand why he didn’t just… disappear. Clearly no one liked him! So why was he there?? I was definitely over his story after only a few pages, but somehow it lasted for the entire book! *sigh*...more
➛First read: May 2023 | ★4.5 stars ➛Second read: October 2023 | ★4.5 stars
Oh my god, this was so adorable! I loved this a lot more than || 4.5 stars ||
➛First read: May 2023 | ★4.5 stars ➛Second read: October 2023 | ★4.5 stars
Oh my god, this was so adorable! I loved this a lot more than I ever expected to, but I’m really glad I gave it a shot. Something about it was just so charming and enjoyable!
This is a romance that really gives us a lot of great tropes: boss/employee, grumpy/sunshine, bi-awakening, age-gap, size difference, and last but not least, one that I don’t think I have ever seen before: daughter’s ex-boyfriend. I have to admit that I was quite wary of that last one. I feared it would be extremely awkward or give us waaaay too much angst, but luckily, it was neither. It was actually kind of cute. And the daughter was not a big part of the story at all, so don’t let that little thing stop you from picking this one up.
I truly adored Mitch and Charlie together. They had amazing chemistry, and I loved the way they slowly developed feelings for each other. Sure, Mitch thought Charlie was gorgeous from the very beginning, but their feelings really developed over a longer period of time.
I was also absolutely obsessed with Mitch’s grumpy exterior melting around Charlie’s unwithering charm. I kept on squealing whenever Mitch had his inner monologue about how cute Charlie was, and how much he was basically obsessing over him. ADORABLE!
This was fluffy, but not overly simple or too sugary-sweet. It was just right....more
Oh my god. This was so good, I’m honestly shocked! I did not expect to like this as much as I did, and this far exceeded any of my expe|| 4.5 stars ||
Oh my god. This was so good, I’m honestly shocked! I did not expect to like this as much as I did, and this far exceeded any of my expectations.
“I’m like... stupidly in love with you.” “Baby... I’m fucking moronically in love with you.”
I mean, I’m normally not much of a fan when it comes to smut, and this is literally a romance where the two main characters create an OnlyFans together: That does not exactly sound like a match made in heaven for me, does it? But wow, did this surprise me! In a really really good way. Sure, it does have a lot of sex scenes, but they were somehow just... different. Not only were they one of the hottest sex scenes I have ever read, they were also meaningful. When they were being physical with each other, it did not feel like lust to me. Instead, it felt incredibly intimate, emotional and deep. Each time these two got together, it felt like they grew closer and closer, and I was completely enraptured. I was convinced I would grow bored with all the sex, especially since this book is incredibly long, but I simply didn’t. Not at all! And that’s coming from someone who literally does not like sex scenes whatsoever. So, if you are a smut reader? Damn, you will love this book with all your might!!
Each time we’re together, it gets deeper. More intense, more staggering, more... beautiful. More terrifying.
I also really appreciated the connection these two had with each other. It was a slow burn enemies-to-lovers romance between step brothers, and the build-up was FANTASTIC! I don’t want to get in to anything too much, but the way these two truly could not stand each other at first, they way they slowly grew towards each other, the way they slowly let their walls down, the way they kept denying their true feelings, the way they both supported each other like no one else had before: I LOVED IT!
Kyran Harbor is the love of my life. That’s it. I’ve fallen. Hook, line, and sinker, he has my whole heart.
Also, the role-reversal between these two was amazing! The character who’s popular and seemingly more confident, Kyran, becomes more submissive(-ish) and needy, while the geeky one, Avi, is more of a leader in bed with a dirty mouth and a gentle touch.
“Tell me you think I’m beautiful.” “Baby... You are so goddamn beautiful. I don’t think, I know.”
Still, Avi is so obsessed with Kyran he would do anything for him. He is patient beyond words, and he would have done anything to be with Kyran, or even be close to him. He would never do anything to hurt or upset him. It was so well done and their dynamic felt super authentic for them.
“I just thought you might like to know that Zeb found your OnlyFans.” “He what!?” Kyran barks, eyes widening in terror. “Kyran, will you please just go eat your food?” I hiss at him. “I’m handling this.” He pins me with a glare, and I gulp, instantly backpedalling. “I’m sorry, baby.” I try to rub his shoulder, but he rips away from me. “That was rude... I didn’t mean it. I just don’t want you to worry, okay?”
The hurt-comfort trope was also really strong here, especially since one of the main characters has a deeply traumatic history, which I will not reveal, but it was devastating, and his character had so many layers. His trauma truly felt like it was part of him from beginning to end and it was just beautiful as well as heartbreaking. His character was truly so well developed, and it once again showed the depth this story was able to portray. I was so happy that he got someone who was there for him unconditionally. These two were honestly so dependant on each other and they truly became each other’s world. They were each other’s comfort and one remaining light in the darkness.
“Every single thing I did... I did for you. To have you.”
Honestly, I loved both of these characters so much and I’m genuinely obsessed with their love story. I couldn’t get enough of them! I'm not sure what else I can say about this book other than: wow....more
This was such a soft and gentle love story. Harper and Reid were caring and nurturing towards each other and their entire relationship || 4.0 stars ||
This was such a soft and gentle love story. Harper and Reid were caring and nurturing towards each other and their entire relationship was just lovely. They had a lot of hurt/comfort between them, and the book truly spent time on building a real connection between them.
They were both exactly what the other needed; Harper gave Riley the patience, understanding and respect he needed to deal with his recent blindness, while Riley gave Harper the confidence, trust and happiness he needed to deal with the trauma of the abuse he suffered by his last boyfriend.
Both of these characters were extremely likable. They were so different with Riley being smiley and charming while Harper was shy and timid, yet they found each other in their respective pain and loneliness. They could be there for each other in a way no one else could, and it felt oh so comforting.
The main thing that I didn’t quite appreciate about this book was the pacing. It could feel a little slow at times, even though I do understand why it needed to be slow.
But really, this was a lovely book. It was written well, it had some deeper and genuinely sad emotions, and the romance was rather beautiful....more
This series is about a group of boys, born on the wrong side of the tracks, who just try to make it day by day with nothing other than || 4.0 stars ||
This series is about a group of boys, born on the wrong side of the tracks, who just try to make it day by day with nothing other than each other’s friendship, non-stop parties and lots of drugs. It’s toxic, it’s depressing, it’s gritty, it’s heady.
The romance is extremely intense and all-consuming with a constant push-and-pull between them. It has lots of angst, drama and obsession. One of the two, Ben, suffers from depression and parental neglect while the other, Damon, is a spiraling addict. Yet, above all, they love each other and would do anything to make it work between them. Even in moments when they might be better apart.
I know I can be overbearing, but he’s got me all fucked up. One look at his big blue eyes, framed by those thick lashes, and I knew I’ll do anything for him. Give him anything. He has total control over me, and he doesn’t even realize it. I’m rearranging my whole life around him. He looks at me like I’m perfect—like he’d forgive me for anything. It’s a heady feeling.
All in all, this book completely enraptured me and I was so into it. I enjoyed it much more than I expected to. However, I do know for certain that this book will not be for everyone, so be aware of that before you give it a try.
This gave me absolutely nothing. It felt stale and was honestly boring. It’s a best friends-to-lovers romance, but I couldn’t really se|| 1.5 stars ||
This gave me absolutely nothing. It felt stale and was honestly boring. It’s a best friends-to-lovers romance, but I couldn’t really see any chemistry or connection between them.
The only thing I liked here was that one of the main characters was overweight while still being super confident and desired by many other men. It’s nice to see positive representation like that rather than the miserable stereotypes where ‘bigger’ people are automatically insecure and unattractive.
Urgh. This was definitely waaaaay too smutty for me. It was basically porn without plot, and that is not something I enjoy. I actually || 1.5 stars ||
Urgh. This was definitely waaaaay too smutty for me. It was basically porn without plot, and that is not something I enjoy. I actually found this incredibly boring.
It’s a taboo story, which has the potential to be super intense, emotional or even romantic, but here it was none of that. It fell completely flat. Jessie and James had zero chemistry together and I couldn’t for the life of me find a true connection between them. Even before they started a romantic relationship, their interactions were just awkward. They didn’t have anything to say to each other, they didn’t truly seem to know each other all that well, and overall they had kind of an uncomfortable vibe going on. Although they argued the opposite, they seemed like they weren’t close at all. And then when they did randomly become “romantic” after an unexpected blowjob, it felt like it was all about the sex. I definitely wasn’t feeling it.
I also have to be honest and admit that I skimmed the hell out of this book, so maybe I missed a scene or two that showed them with a little more depth, but I doubt it....more
Oh my god, why!? Why did this need to be such a disappointment? Again! It’s really starting to become a running theme with this author,|| 2.0 stars ||
Oh my god, why!? Why did this need to be such a disappointment? Again! It’s really starting to become a running theme with this author, and I’m getting kind of sick of it. No matter how much I loved Sem and Emery, I think I will be parting ways with this author from now on. She’s just lost her spark for me. Whereas her characters used to be endearing and funny, now they’re just annoying and ridiculous. Whereas the romance used to be all-consuming and devoted, now it’s just silly and frustrating. Her latest books just feel empty and I don’t like much about them.
The worst part is that I was genuinely so excited for this book. Finn and Landon seemed like the perfect pairing to write a book about, and I could not wait to see it all play out! Unfortunately, it played out like the biggest disappointment imaginable and all potential was completely lost.
I knew this would have the best friends-to-lovers trope with a heavy dose of pining and unrequited love; I was sooo ready for that! I mean, I love that dynamic! So colour me surprised when Finn, who’s supposed to be pining for Landon and doting on him hand and foot, has the personality of a cold dead fish. If I didn’t already know he was in love with Landon, I would have never guessed it from the way he acted. He literally did nothing but exist with a stoic face, pretending like every time Landon touched him was the biggest hardship imaginable. Dude honestly did not do anything remotely interesting and he never showed an ounce of emotion or personality! The only thing Finn did passionately was continuously text with this other guy, Archer, even though he knew how much it was bothering Landon and he knew that it was driving a wedge between them. I mean, call me crazy, but if the man that I have been in love with for EIGHT WHOLE YEARS is finally giving me the time of day, you will not see me texting another man 24/7. Like, why? I understand he was supposedly talking about Landon the entire time, but it was still freaking stupid. Finn just sucked as a love interest. Plain and simple. And that honestly came as a shock to me because based on the previous book I thought he would be amazing…
And honestly, do not even get me started on Landon, because this man drove me absolutely mad! He had such a terribly infuriating personality and I wanted to smack him repeatedly. He did nothing but whine and be stupid. Literally, that’s all he did. Nothing else. Just whine. Be stupid. Whine. Be stupid. Repeat that over and over again and you have this book.
Also, just to be clear, the premise of this book was utterly insane and did not make any sense whatsoever. Supposedly Finn wants nothing more than to be with Landon, but he does everything in his power for that not to happen. He never made any kind of effort to win Landon over and he never attempted to make Landon see him in a romantic light. If anything, it seemed like he was working hard to achieve the exact opposite. He was working against himself so hard, sometimes I couldn’t even be sure if he really did want to be with Landon or if maybe he changed his mind. It was just too crazy to think that he would act this way if he did want him. And you know, maybe it could have all been more understandable inside Finn’s head, but we don’t get to know that because we only get his POV during the chapters when they were young! Everything in the present is narrated by Landon, and I’m certain this dragged the book down further. We definitely needed to know what Finn was thinking in the present because it just wasn’t working this way.
Oh, and the worst part about it all might be that this relationship was entirely build on sex. They didn’t have a genuine connection and there was absolutely no chemistry between them. They didn’t do anything together other than touch and hump each other; no depth to be found anywhere. I’d be surprised if they had a heartfelt conversation even once.
But anyway, not only was everything lacking in the emotional or romantic department, this book was also super boring. It was repetitive like you can’t even imagine, and I was over it after only a few chapters. Nothing interesting happens; it’s constantly the same thing. I mean, okay, that’s not entirely true; something does happen at the very end... but honestly, I wish it hadn’t. Because holy hell that situation was such nonsense, I can’t even. I’m not going to “spoil” it but just know that it was utterly ridiculous, over-the-top and resolved way too fast for something so randomly enormous. It was just such… bullshit. I’m sorry but it was. And honestly, so was this whole book. No offense, but I’m just so disappointed; I’m almost a bit mad that a couple that had so much easy potential was still ruined so spectacularly. What a waste.
I know this has been a rather harsh review, and I apologize if I offended anyone, but for some reason I simply couldn’t find the will to sugar-coat it. Maybe the huge disappointment I’m feeling is making me feel more intensely about the whole thing or something. I don’t know.
'Inevitable' series: 1. Until Him - 2.5 stars 2. Always Him - 2.0 stars...more
This story is about Jory, a well-liked personal assist to an architect, who just so happens to have witnessed a murder and is now being|| 3.5 stars ||
This story is about Jory, a well-liked personal assist to an architect, who just so happens to have witnessed a murder and is now being protected as a witness by the police detective working on the case. The main thing we get to see in this book is just Jory living his life, interacting with many different people, among which his boss, Dane, and the police detective, Sam, are the most important. All his interactions with every person he meets is a fun and captivating thing to read about, since Jory just seems to be the kind of person that enamors every person he comes in contact with. People fall over backwards to get his attention, and I personally have a weak spot for seeing a character get completely adored and obsessed over by other people.
Anyway, there is obviously a romance going on between Jory and Sam, and I’m not sure how to feel about it. At first, I was totally into their relationship, and I adored how devoted and obsessed Sam was when it came to Jory, but that all came to a grinding halt near the end. Sam did something that made me change my entire perspective on the guy and on his love for Jory. I really hope Jory will not just take him back: this man needs to grovel hard and he needs to do it now. I will be extremely pissed if that doesn’t happen. I kind of want Jory to find someone else altogether, but I’m guessing that that’s not going to happen. Unfortunately.
When it comes to Dane I have to say that I am a little more confused about what the author’s intentions are. I genuinely cannot tell if Dane is meant to have romantic feelings for Jory, or if he really just sees him like a little brother. I have no idea… It’s intriguing, though, and I can’t wait to find out. I definitely like their dynamic regardless, but I truly wish they could just end up together. They’d be cute.
Also, judging by other reviews I might be the only person who thinks this, but I honestly did not feel like Jory treated the many men in his life unfairly at all. He owed his exes or previous hook-ups absolutely nothing. He was quite obviously not interested, and most of them just kept pushing. That’s on them, not Jory. I just wanted to say this because I feel like a lot of people hated Jory for his “attitude”, so the fact that I did not might be one of the reasons I was able to enjoy this much more than some others were.
Long story short, this wasn’t realistic in the slightest and everyone here was way too “perfect”, but I still had lots of fun with it. Seeing Jory get carried on hands and knees by every single person he meets was among my highlights.
This is a sweet and simple read. It wasn’t anything special and could, at times, even be a bit boring, but I do think the story had a c|| 3.0 stars ||
This is a sweet and simple read. It wasn’t anything special and could, at times, even be a bit boring, but I do think the story had a certain charm. The characters were likable, and the romance had plenty of adoration and pining between the two of them. It’s just that there wasn’t a lot of depth to anything and everything was super straight-forward.
It’s an insta-love story, and thus, both of the guys are immediately attracted to each other and somehow half-way in love for no real apparent reason. However, they do have a lot of push-and-pull going on, which made their relationship journey a little more interesting to me.
This is a stepbrother romance, but it wasn’t very heavy on the taboo vibes. It almost felt a little more similar to the childhood best || 3.0 stars ||
This is a stepbrother romance, but it wasn’t very heavy on the taboo vibes. It almost felt a little more similar to the childhood best friend trope, because of the “you have always been the most important thing in the world to me, and you always will be” mindset, but without them really treating each other as ‘brothers’ all the time. Their dynamic was just really swoon-worthy. I loved how Jed worshipped Ryder, and I adored how protective Ryder was of Jed’s well-being and happiness.
I have to say that I personally did prefer the first half of the book. I liked it much more before Ryder and Jed admitted their feelings to each other and before they acted upon their lust. The angst, pining, and unresolved sexual tension they had at first was just so awesome! However, after they sort of got together, I wasn’t as big of a fan anymore. The smut just became too much for me personally, and I felt like I was sometimes missing something between them.
I was actually pleasantly surprised with the plotline of this one. I was plenty invested in seeing certain things unravel or play out; I actually have to say that I was so into it that I even ended up feeling a little disappointed with some of the pay-offs. I was especially hoping that all the homophobic members of their motorcycle club would end up with a lot worse than what they got. I kind of wanted Jed and Ryder to leave the club and never look back, while the club completely crumbled without them. I was genuinely hoping for that, so I was quite disappointed with what we got on that front. These immature arseholes got off way too easy.
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