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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
I’ve read a lot of Ellas books by now and usually I really like them, but I just couldn’t connect with the characters in this one.
It had potential for sure, ex-lovers reunited, lots of tension and emotions - but I didn’t feel the chemistry between the characters and the inner monologues went on and on to the point where I was tempted to skip some parts.
Maybe my expectations were too high, but sadly “Finley” wasn’t a book for me. I’ll definitely read more of Ella’s books but I’ll leave the Sunset Cove series for now.
It had potential for sure, ex-lovers reunited, lots of tension and emotions - but I didn’t feel the chemistry between the characters and the inner monologues went on and on to the point where I was tempted to skip some parts.
Maybe my expectations were too high, but sadly “Finley” wasn’t a book for me. I’ll definitely read more of Ella’s books but I’ll leave the Sunset Cove series for now.
Ok, I'm going to be in the minority here, because I really struggled to finish this book. I just found this entire premise fucking stupid. Brantley sends Finn away to law school for his own good, and they don't speak for seven years? There wasn't a better way to go about things? A long talk, a long distance relationship, vacations together, phone calls, email, video chat, nothing? Why did Brantley take so long to ask Finn to come home? It all just felt so pointless, so much time wasted. I'm only giving this three stars because the writing was good and I did like the characters.
*fans self*
Well.
*clears throat*
I can definitely say that Ella Frank has not lost her touch. At all. I know she may be an acquired taste to some, but she surely did not disappoint, because with this sensual, emotional read, she has remained true to what she started with since [b:Try|17798649|Try (Temptation, #1)|Ella Frank|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1375230186s/17798649.jpg|24898058].
Daniel and Brantley have quite a few issues to work out between themselves, and boy, what a fabulous way to go about it if I must say so myself. Just throw in some anger, regret, heartbreak, yearning - and tie it all up in the most unbelievable sexual tension that culminates quite nicely over and over again. I kid you not.
This is no fleeting desire or crush, nor is it satisfying or indulging in one's curiosity. Daniel and Brantley have loved each other, yearned for each other for years, and despite one little (or big to some) niggle,, it's going to take a lot to get these two back on steady ground.
In her usual dual POV, Frank shows off the push/pull of the MC's, and the oh-so-hot smex that occurs between these two, as they reminisce about the past and try to fix what's needed so there can be a future. But it's not all about the down and dirty - this too has some serious emotional weight to it and is quite the painful, angsty read.
So basically, if you loved the Temptation series, then this is all you could hope for from this author and more.
You know you want it. You know what to expect. And you surely won't be disappointed.
Well.
*clears throat*
I can definitely say that Ella Frank has not lost her touch. At all. I know she may be an acquired taste to some, but she surely did not disappoint, because with this sensual, emotional read, she has remained true to what she started with since [b:Try|17798649|Try (Temptation, #1)|Ella Frank|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1375230186s/17798649.jpg|24898058].
Daniel and Brantley have quite a few issues to work out between themselves, and boy, what a fabulous way to go about it if I must say so myself. Just throw in some anger, regret, heartbreak, yearning - and tie it all up in the most unbelievable sexual tension that culminates quite nicely over and over again. I kid you not.
This is no fleeting desire or crush, nor is it satisfying or indulging in one's curiosity. Daniel and Brantley have loved each other, yearned for each other for years, and despite one little (or big to some) niggle,
Spoiler
be forewarned about a miscommunication/no communication trope that's basically there to fuel the plotIn her usual dual POV, Frank shows off the push/pull of the MC's, and the oh-so-hot smex that occurs between these two, as they reminisce about the past and try to fix what's needed so there can be a future. But it's not all about the down and dirty - this too has some serious emotional weight to it and is quite the painful, angsty read.
So basically, if you loved the Temptation series, then this is all you could hope for from this author and more.
You know you want it. You know what to expect. And you surely won't be disappointed.
Hated this. Nothing happens and I hated the back and forth between past and present. Didn’t translate well to audiobook and the narrator wasn’t good
After 50% I skimmed a lot
After 50% I skimmed a lot
Professor/teacher. M/M romance. This was a good book. The author has certainly done a very good job of creating a good story between past and present. I have given it four stars as I don't think Brantley and Daniels characters were as developed as Tate and Logan's in the temptation series, but it was still a good book which is available on kindle unlimited.
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Find this review and more at Ramblings From This Chick
Finley is the first book in Ella Frank's new Sunset Cove series which is a spin-off of her Temptation series. Don't worry if you haven't read the Temptation series, Finley can be read as a complete standalone story and readers will be happy to know that there is no cliffhanger. I really liked this book and the characters and I think M/M fans will enjoy this story a lot.
Seven years ago Daniel Finley left Florida for Chicago to attend law school after being sent away by the man he thought he would spend the rest of his life with. But when he receives a note telling him it is time to come home, Daniel knows that he needs to return to Florida to see what made Brantley Hayes contact him after all this time. Daniel is no longer the same guy he was seven years ago though, and he will do whatever it takes to put the past behind him and move forward for good. But Brantley isn't willing to give up without a fight and is determined to show Daniel just how much he cares about and has never forgotten him.
I really liked both Finn and Brantley. These two had such a great connection and a ton of chemistry. It was obvious right from the start that what they shared ran so deep for both of them. This wasn't some fling between them, and my heart broke for all the pain and hurt they each felt. I understood why Brantley had sent Finn away, and yet I hated him a bit for it just like Finn did. It was so hard to see how much that hurt him and I was glad that he was able to ultimately see why Brantley had done it as well even if he didn't like it. The connection these two shared had never gone away, and it was great to see them reconnect and get to know who they were after seven years apart.
I did have a few things that kept this one from being five stars for me though. I thought that at times there was a lot of stuff going on while not much was actually happening. The story seemed to suffer here from not much plot, a ton of inner dialogue, and quite a bit of back and forth/push and pull. I also felt like at times the switch between past and present really removed me from the story. The transitions weren't as smooth as I would have liked and I sometimes wished that things would have just been explained or gone over in the present without an entire flashback to the past. We would be right in the middle of something and it would just suddenly switch to the past, which really messed up the flow and pacing of the story for me. I also found it confusing at times with the POV switching mid-chapter which of them was speaking. With a male/male story it can be tough to keep track of when the speaker is only referred to as "he" and I found that it happened quite a bit here and I would have to try and figure out who it was as it wasn't clear. I do think that these two were great and I liked them a lot. I just wish a few of these things had been handled a little different as I think that Finn and Brantley's story could have been a five star book had some of these things been done differently. I am excited to see what happens next in this series as Ella Frank did a great job of setting up such an interesting story for two of the secondary characters here. There was a ton of tension and a lot that has obviously happened, and I can't wait to find out more!
**ARC Provided by Between the Sheets Promotions**
Finley is the first book in Ella Frank's new Sunset Cove series which is a spin-off of her Temptation series. Don't worry if you haven't read the Temptation series, Finley can be read as a complete standalone story and readers will be happy to know that there is no cliffhanger. I really liked this book and the characters and I think M/M fans will enjoy this story a lot.
Seven years ago Daniel Finley left Florida for Chicago to attend law school after being sent away by the man he thought he would spend the rest of his life with. But when he receives a note telling him it is time to come home, Daniel knows that he needs to return to Florida to see what made Brantley Hayes contact him after all this time. Daniel is no longer the same guy he was seven years ago though, and he will do whatever it takes to put the past behind him and move forward for good. But Brantley isn't willing to give up without a fight and is determined to show Daniel just how much he cares about and has never forgotten him.
I really liked both Finn and Brantley. These two had such a great connection and a ton of chemistry. It was obvious right from the start that what they shared ran so deep for both of them. This wasn't some fling between them, and my heart broke for all the pain and hurt they each felt. I understood why Brantley had sent Finn away, and yet I hated him a bit for it just like Finn did. It was so hard to see how much that hurt him and I was glad that he was able to ultimately see why Brantley had done it as well even if he didn't like it. The connection these two shared had never gone away, and it was great to see them reconnect and get to know who they were after seven years apart.
I did have a few things that kept this one from being five stars for me though. I thought that at times there was a lot of stuff going on while not much was actually happening. The story seemed to suffer here from not much plot, a ton of inner dialogue, and quite a bit of back and forth/push and pull. I also felt like at times the switch between past and present really removed me from the story. The transitions weren't as smooth as I would have liked and I sometimes wished that things would have just been explained or gone over in the present without an entire flashback to the past. We would be right in the middle of something and it would just suddenly switch to the past, which really messed up the flow and pacing of the story for me. I also found it confusing at times with the POV switching mid-chapter which of them was speaking. With a male/male story it can be tough to keep track of when the speaker is only referred to as "he" and I found that it happened quite a bit here and I would have to try and figure out who it was as it wasn't clear. I do think that these two were great and I liked them a lot. I just wish a few of these things had been handled a little different as I think that Finn and Brantley's story could have been a five star book had some of these things been done differently. I am excited to see what happens next in this series as Ella Frank did a great job of setting up such an interesting story for two of the secondary characters here. There was a ton of tension and a lot that has obviously happened, and I can't wait to find out more!
**ARC Provided by Between the Sheets Promotions**
3.5 stars
I devoured Ella Frank’s Temptation series, so when I heard she was coming out with a new m/m series I was excited to jump on the Sunset Cove series train. Finley is the first book and it revolves around Daniel Finley, a lawyer who briefly appeared in the Temptation series. It’s not necessary to read the other series to enjoy this book though.
Daniel—or Finn as he likes to be called by friends—receives a note from his ex-boyfriend/love of his life, Brantley Hayes. It’s been radio silence between the two of them since Finn left his Florida beachfront hometown and moved to Chicago seven years ago. The note asks Finn to return to home, so he decides to take a vacation and confront the man who broke his heart.
It’s immediately apparent to Brantley how much Finn has changed from the laid back surfer he once knew. Ella Frank does an excellent job illustrating the differences between the old Finn and the confident, aggressive big city attorney he has become. Finn’s anger is palpable, and I loved the tension and chemistry between him and Brantley.
While I enjoyed the story, the plot is fairly thin and when we finally discover the reason for the breakup, it’s anticlimactic. Finn’s reaction also seems extreme. In addition, the pacing is a bit slow and the frequent mid-chapter flashbacks interrupt the story in a distracting way. I may fault the execution, but the author’s quality of writing is superb. I’m not a beach gal, yet she convincingly conveys the joys of life in a beach town and now I want to move to Sunset Cove.
Finn and Brantley couldn’t be more appealing. Ella Frank expertly delves into the hearts of these complex characters. Their friends are wonderfully entertaining as well. I’m really looking forward to reading Derek and Jordan’s story.
Finley is a satisfying book on the whole. It’s very sensual but less erotic than the Temptation series, so if you’re looking for a way to ease into the m/m genre I definitely recommend this.
I devoured Ella Frank’s Temptation series, so when I heard she was coming out with a new m/m series I was excited to jump on the Sunset Cove series train. Finley is the first book and it revolves around Daniel Finley, a lawyer who briefly appeared in the Temptation series. It’s not necessary to read the other series to enjoy this book though.
Daniel—or Finn as he likes to be called by friends—receives a note from his ex-boyfriend/love of his life, Brantley Hayes. It’s been radio silence between the two of them since Finn left his Florida beachfront hometown and moved to Chicago seven years ago. The note asks Finn to return to home, so he decides to take a vacation and confront the man who broke his heart.
It’s immediately apparent to Brantley how much Finn has changed from the laid back surfer he once knew. Ella Frank does an excellent job illustrating the differences between the old Finn and the confident, aggressive big city attorney he has become. Finn’s anger is palpable, and I loved the tension and chemistry between him and Brantley.
While I enjoyed the story, the plot is fairly thin and when we finally discover the reason for the breakup, it’s anticlimactic. Finn’s reaction also seems extreme.
Spoiler
Brantley “forced” Finn to go to Chicago for law school. I didn’t feel the breakup warranted Finn not visiting family and friends for seven years.Finn and Brantley couldn’t be more appealing. Ella Frank expertly delves into the hearts of these complex characters. Their friends are wonderfully entertaining as well. I’m really looking forward to reading Derek and Jordan’s story.
Finley is a satisfying book on the whole. It’s very sensual but less erotic than the Temptation series, so if you’re looking for a way to ease into the m/m genre I definitely recommend this.
5 fucking I always will stars
this was PHENOMENAL. maybe i've just been stuck with some particularly shitty books lately, especially in my buddy reads, but this book really shook me. i fell HARD for this story.
i don't want to spoil too much about the plot, and i think you should go in knowing absolutely nothing about it. but it's a MM romance, there's a lil age gap, and there are flashbacks.
and oh boy, the flashbacks. i think they can be VERY tricky and hit or miss in novels. sometimes i feel they're unnecessary and oftentimes i feel like they don't add much to the story. but with this book it made so much sense and i found myself craving to know what happened in the past.
and the way they were woven so effortlessly with the present. cue the freaking swooning.
really though, beyond the excellent writing was the way the characters interacted with each other. if you want to know what kind of romances i crave, THIS IS THE FUCKING EXAMPLE YOU SHOULD USE. there was that feel of "there's absolutely no one else for me" "i don't want to lose you" with some subtle added drama and longing that really made this killer for me. nothing overwrought, it was subtle and perfect. and BEYOND quotable, seriously you will be highlighting half of the pages.
finn & brantley were so damn endearing and UGH ella frank strikes again. if you're looking for a good MM romance, seriously pick this up. i think this was better than the temptation series AND robbie and that's saying something.
(PS the sex is hotter than texas in august)
*****************
buddy read with Betty & Veronica (even though betty kinda went MIA in the process)
this was PHENOMENAL. maybe i've just been stuck with some particularly shitty books lately, especially in my buddy reads, but this book really shook me. i fell HARD for this story.
i don't want to spoil too much about the plot, and i think you should go in knowing absolutely nothing about it. but it's a MM romance, there's a lil age gap, and there are flashbacks.
and oh boy, the flashbacks. i think they can be VERY tricky and hit or miss in novels. sometimes i feel they're unnecessary and oftentimes i feel like they don't add much to the story. but with this book it made so much sense and i found myself craving to know what happened in the past.
and the way they were woven so effortlessly with the present. cue the freaking swooning.
really though, beyond the excellent writing was the way the characters interacted with each other. if you want to know what kind of romances i crave, THIS IS THE FUCKING EXAMPLE YOU SHOULD USE. there was that feel of "there's absolutely no one else for me" "i don't want to lose you" with some subtle added drama and longing that really made this killer for me. nothing overwrought, it was subtle and perfect. and BEYOND quotable, seriously you will be highlighting half of the pages.
finn & brantley were so damn endearing and UGH ella frank strikes again. if you're looking for a good MM romance, seriously pick this up. i think this was better than the temptation series AND robbie and that's saying something.
(PS the sex is hotter than texas in august)
*****************
buddy read with Betty & Veronica (even though betty kinda went MIA in the process)