liz blue ~ paperback reader

2.5 stars
This is a sweet story with insta-love and older MCs. The writing was redundant though. Within paragraphs, the same phrase was repeated multiple times. I noticed in the sample, but I wanted to read the story because it's a good premise, cute title, and nice cover. It could have been better though.

Hindsight has given me time to drop this review from 2.5 to 2. It's just not good.

This story is super underdeveloped. The relationship between Hunter and Devon built when they were in college. In present day, they're bare reconnected before they're back together. The flashbacks give a good perspective, but it makes the relationship disjointed.

Hunter is deep in the closet. He's a Senator's son and professional baseball player. He's also engaged. To a woman. He's weeks from marrying her, in fact. While she's not painted as completely awful, she's a bit of the worst kind of chick. She ""tests"" Hunter's loyalty. To the point of...ok. Spoiler. So I won't. But let me just say, it's ridiculous. It's offensive. It doesn't make it ok for him to end things how he does. Seriously. THAT'S how you want to dump your fiance? Nope. Not ok.

I felt for Hunter until that ending. The author did a good job of showing the relationship with his father and the challenges he faced. The flashbacks showed him as a really great, if young, guy. He was on Devon's side. He was figuring himself out. I empathized. I wanted his eventual HEA.

Let's talk about that HEA. It was abrupt. And incomplete. I think it's supposed to be HEA, but it barely qualifies at HFN. If you're going to spend half of the book building up why Hunter is so very deeply in the closet, I'm going to find it difficult to believe he just decides to be done with HIS WHOLE LIFE. Seriously. No. I don't buy it.

Oh, and the other guy was Devon. There's...very little about him. I mean, we know he did awesome things for his sister and was kicked out by his family. His issues are clearly secondary to Hunter's. But sure. He's completely likely to forgive Hunter in 5 mins. That's plausible.

The story just feels rushed at the end. It had potential to be a great book, but it was too short for the amount of emotional build-up.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley for review.

3.5 stars
Enjoyed far more than any of the Matter of Time books. These two broke some of the Calmes patterns, while still keeping the things I like.

I read this book a few weeks ago, and I’m still not over the disappointment. I loved Ms. Davitt's Life Drawing but Closing the Loop was not for me.

There were some clever lines and evidence of the writing style I liked previously, but there was far more OHMYGOSHWHAT’SEVENHAPPENING moments. I don’t make a habit of quoting books in my reviews, as I think most things need context. That said, I’m providing quotes here to illustrate my extreme displeasure.

First, an example of something that made me smile:

“Gay cruises. Whoever invented them deserved a rainbow-shaped medal.”

And then there’s this little gem which takes place after Lee’s near drowning experience in the sea while giving a blow job:

“After a few swallows of water to wash away the salt -- and with it, regrettably, the oddly similar but richer taste of cum -- he felt better.”

I think my eyes bugged out of my head. I know I reread this and lines preceding it several times to be sure I got it right. First, the least sexy blow job ever in public wherein Lee has nearly choked to death ON THE SEA WATER and was then tumbled by a wave. Then came some minor hysteria, because least sexy blow job led to unsexy choking and near vomit. We’re meant to believe Lee not only tasted Cole's cum (ew, spelling), but that it has a much richer taste than salt water. Ladies and gentlemen and people of any gender, I object. I can suspend disbelief for many things, even sexual things I find not sexy, but this goes too far. I have been tumbled by the ocean, and I have had the less than thrilling salt water sinus wash that’s part of that deal, and I am telling you, NO WAY is it “richer” than cum (gag, spelling).

This is only one of several unbelievable sexual encounters between these two leads. There’s another on and against a bathroom countertop that I’m convinced would have caused irreparable damage to at least the counter. And I’m a fan of all kinds of kink even when it’s not my kink, but I expect the author to sell me on why the character’s find it sexy. There was a moment of foreplay with the much-discussed gloves in this book that had me squicking out loud. Not the reaction I hope for when reading sexy times.

Beyond the sex, this book has stilted dialogue and immature miscommunication drama. While Cole is supposed to be The Older Man, it’s still frustrating to find his lover Lee behaving as if he’s an hormonal teenager. Their relationship is difficult to invest in. What does Cole see in Lee? And Cole isn’t the most forthcoming dude either. For someone older and supposedly wiser, he mucks up pretty well too.

All around, I was terribly dissatisfied with this book. The others I have by this author will certainly be read, as I so enjoyed Life Drawing, and I’m willing to give Ms. Davitt's other works a chance. Sadly, Closing the Loop won’t be reread or recommended by me.

Copy of book provided by publisher. Review first posted to All About Romance.

So many feelz. So good. Full review to come.

August 1 update:
It's here! This book full of feelz has arrived! I want everyone to read it immediately. Michael and Nunzio are fantastic friends to lovers. While the writing for it seems on the wall, Michael is really the guy stuck in his own head and family bullshit. And that's some deep shit. There's a LOT of family disfunction, and he's still very much not dealing with it at the start of this book.

More than a relationship story, this book is Michael's story. It's the point in his life where he's confronted with HIS LIFE. It's happening in front of him and all around him, but he's not making choices or controlling what's next. I like that about this book. I like that it's not told where some big thing happens, and it all comes to a head. There's living day-to-day and the things that happen in a person's life that he can ignore (which Michael is good at) and things he can't (which send Michael off into Bad Choices).

Through all of this, there's Nunzio. He's the bestie who so clearly loves Michael. The story is told from Michael's POV, but readers can feel the love radiating from Nunzio. And the hurt. Man, does that guy get hurt. It makes me want to kick Michael in the shins. So. Hard.

So why 4 instead of 5 stars? My own personal connections with family stuff played a role in that, to be fair. I don't love how Michael reacts to some of the situations, and I couldn't tell if that was me or if it didn't feel true to the story. The fact that I felt so much whether it was passion, rage, or frustration means Santino wrote a kickass book. That the family dynamics irked the hell out of me is my reader thing.

I hadn't read any of Santino's previous works, and I don't think they're my bag. Five Boroughs? I'll be reading ALL of them as quickly as I possibly can.

There are things I like about these books, but honestly, I don't like Sam and Jory much as a couple. It's nice how Jory is so understanding of Sam's needs. It just doesn't seem like Sam does such a great job of taking care of Jory's needs. After so many years together, Sam STILL doesn't tell Jory much about his work life. In this book, that leads to all kinds of drama, shooting, and the usual screwy situations.

A little dark, a lot sweet. This story is set in one of my favorite cities in the world. While I missed out on having a character with a N'awlins drawl, I completely enjoyed best friends to lovers. Just long enough and sweet enough.

Too much TSTL happening here with Trace. His basically blind faith doesn't ring true, and I honestly don't care that he was right. It FELT off. Stabbity.

No. Nope. So much underdeveloped badness here. Not enough of the fuzzy bunny feelz I came looking for.

Enjoyable story. Not a favorite, but I liked. Some of Tag's issues felt...underdeveloped. He clearly had some damage in his history, but I'm not sure the case was made for the choices he then went on to. There's a lot more miscommunication in a relationship where 1/2 is a therapist than I'd expect to see.

This story is completely underdeveloped. I've seen authors do a lot in very few pages, but this just isn't one of them. The relationship of Alice and Hank happens almost entirely off page. It's basicelly ""over time, they went on dates and fell in love"". I feel some sort of TV narrator in a fairy tale happening as I type that. And it's true. That's how the relationship was written, and then BAM, they're in love. Except...she's got a Big Secret.

The reveal was traumatic, no doubt. I felt for Alice and wanted to kick Hank in the shins. The resolution, though, felt forced into a tiny box. It wasn't at all realistic, and he absolutely didn't grovel. He didn't even FIND her. It was all accidental and lazy.

Overall, I was underwhelmed by every part of this.

I received an ARC of this via Netgalley.

SO GREAT. Better than the first even. But you HAVE TO READ [b:The Rebuilding Year|13244400|The Rebuilding Year|Kaje Harper|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1326139255s/13244400.jpg|18444724] before jumping into this.

Review posted on All About Romance.

Sequels are risky. If book 1 ends in a HEA (or at least HFN), do we really want to see more of these characters and their conflicts? Because a book has to have conflict of some sort to be good. And, in a sequel, now the author is messing with the HEA. I’m a big fan of relationship-centric stories, but even I can be turned off by too much more of the two characters.

Kaje Harper finds the right balance in Life, Some Assembly Required. I was willing to risk it after loving The Rebuilding Year and wanting more of the sweet that is John and Ryan. Book 2 picks up in the the last scene of The Rebuilding Year, so I don’t recommend it as a stand alone. In it, Ryan is telling his dad about John. He’s injured from the fire at the end of book 1, and he’s terrified of his father’s reaction.

Where book 1 is primarily the discovery journey for these two men, book 2 deals more with their external conflicts and challenges. They have to learn how to be in a relationship and what that means with a teenager in the house, ex-wife in the wings, and disappointed family members hovering about. Ryan, in particular, is new to the ways of a relationship, parenting, and work/life balance. He’s at a critical point in medical school and planning his career path. As much as he loves John, their small college town doesn’t offer many opportunities for medicine. He’s also dealing with the pressures of telling his family about a brand new relationship with a man. Any new relationship where a son or brother is making huge life changes for a partner is likely to cause concern. Add in the suddenly gay factor, and Ryan is drowning in familial concern and discomfort.

John is doing everything in his power to be the supportive partner, father, ex-husband...rock to all. He’s steady and wonderful, just as he was in the first book. He’s also struggling with his needs and finding the balance with Ryan’s needs. John’s love and commitment to Ryan means prioritizing Ryan’s career. John has built a home for his children, and he’s chosen a new career and life for himself. Competing family priorities and jobs are only a couple of the kinks making this relationship a challenge.

Both men are still working out their sexual identities. While John finds labels unnecessary, Ryan is plagued by confusion. He realizes it’s difficult to explain his first relationship with a man to his friends and family when he doesn’t clearly understand it himself.

What I love most about this book (and the first in the series) is the dynamic between Ryan and John. There’s no communication problems or unnecessary drama. If they feel things, they speak about it. No one leaps to conclusions or allows misunderstandings to go unexplained. At no point did I genuinely worry for their relationship. The book is about what happens after “I love you forever” and moves on to “living together day-to-day”. As I’m a big fan of this part of a couple’s story, I enjoyed this book even more than the first. I got to read about the nitty-gritty of making it work, and I saw the strength in their love. That’s beautiful and all about the characters. Exactly my bag.

I was provided an advanced copy of this book through Netgalley.

Oh, this book. Amy Lane has a reputation for angsty feelz books. I have a hit and miss relationship with these books. Some break my heart, make me cry and laugh, and end in book hangover. Some feel long and leave me barely interested in the characters. Beneath the Stain is the former. So many feelings. This book had me crying at 2am.

Mackey is a musical savant. As a young boy, Mackey pulls together his brothers and their best friends into a band. He organizes them, writes the music, and leads the band. He’s the youngest and still manages to be the caretaker. The first chunk of the book focuses on his adolescence and relationship with Grant, his older brother’s best friend. (Hello, trope love!) I was cheering for a Mackey&Grant HEA for quite a while.

And then the book zigged when I thought it would zag, and my heart broke into tinier* pieces. The band becomes an epic success, nearly at the cost of Mackey’s life. Things take a dark path, and we meet Trav just about when Mackey hits rock bottom.

Trav’s arrival is fortuitous (naturally), but this is where I had a few niggles. It’s hard for me to believe Mackey could spiral so very far down without his family intervening. There’s a good effort by the author to sell the situation. It had some believability and rock star cliché to lend credence. That said, Mackey is still the baby of the family (on tour), and it’s difficult to wrap my head around them letting him fall SO FAR.

Trav is his angel. Not without flaws, but that man made me feel all the happy. He’s sweet and badass. He’s easily embarrassed by the sex talk, and omgosh endearing. But did I mention he’s also a badass? So much. He’s going to whip these boys into shape. There’s one moment, just one, that was incredibly upsetting with Trav. He’s super remorseful and all is forgiven, but it’s a violence theme I get frustrated by in m/m. I think his regret is real enough to help the reader move on. That said, I’d prefer authors stop thinking violence between men in a relationship is somehow more acceptable than in a m/f romance. It’s all partner violence, and let’s not condone it.

*steps off of soap box*

The last bit of the book has the boys returning to their roots. The reasons are spoilery, so I’ll leave it at super-duper-sobbing-at-2am sadness and let you read it. Because you want to read this book. It’s a bit long and there are slow parts. But it’s worth getting through all that for the mega-super-feelz.

*I say tinier, because nearly every moment of Mackey’s early life is heartbreaking. This book is not for the easily bruised souls. Unless those souls are looking for the eventual HEA. Because it’s worth the ride. I promise.

Review originally posted at Romance Novel News.

Unfortunately, this book didn't work well for me. These are two characters finding ways to be at peace with themselves and each other. I wanted to be invested, but I mostly felt informed. Cin spends much of the book teaching Tom about gender and sexuality. Readers are told over and over how 40yo Tom is being educated by this 20yo boy. Tom hasn't been able to find a sexual partner to really understand his feelings. Suddenly this wise boy gets him. I wish that was just sweet and wonderful. Instead, it was just this side of info-dump. While there weren't pages of definitions, I felt most of the character intimate moments were conversations where Cin assured Tom his feelings were perfectly normal. Some of it read more like therapy sessions than relationship building. I didn't feel much for them together until 80% or so, and by then, I wasn't that interested.

As a personal niggle, I don't particularly care for the phrase ""eat you out"" or variations of it. The author uses it 8 times in this book. While I like a good rimming scene, that phrase squicks me a little. Totally a personal taste issue.

I was provided an advanced copy of this book through Netgalley.

This was, frankly, terrible.

Amnesiac. Rock star. I saw this and was all ""ABS0-FREAKING-LUTELY SIGN ME UP!""

Ugh. No. Underdeveloped characters. Worthless plot. Terrible, no good, very bad editing. Content AND grammar AND formatting fails.

I forced myself to skim to the end after about 40%. I have a problem with DNF, because I just want to get some HEA closure. It hurt though. Painfully bad.

2.5 stars for the dogs

This book has some OTT elements, though the setup for them is clear from the beginning. Unfortunately, the story mostly bored me. I had to force my way through to 70%. Then I just didn't want to DNF after getting that far, but I did some serious skimming.

The book is told from Cory's POV, and his brain is so scattered. The relationship felt insta-lust then maybe love. For all the words in this book, I had a hard time believing the relationship. Just didn't work for me.

I was provided an advanced copy of this book through Netgalley.