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rellimreads's review against another edition
2.0
Audible Escape. DNF @ 35%. I really tried to give this a shot, but I just couldn’t finish.
I’ll admit that GFY is probably one of my least favorite tropes, so I tried listening longer to see if it would get better but it didn’t. My biggest issues were:
1. The POV is constantly swinging back and forth between the MC’s as well as from present to past. A better narrator *might* have been able to help the listener navigate this, but Luke Itzvic didn’t. Honestly, I’m not even sure a second narrator could have rescued the lack of clarity.
2. While Itzvic has a great voice, he read this book, he didn’t narrate it. Cooper and Noah (and every male in the book) sounded exactly the same. Female characters were a bit higher/softer, but they all sounded the same as well. I want to enjoy the experience, not have to constantly try to figure out who is talking.
Additionally, I listened to “Him” & “Us” by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy about 6 weeks ago. It’s a very similar storyline and was executed & narrated almost perfectly. If I had found “Collide” first it might have been more impressive.
I’ll admit that GFY is probably one of my least favorite tropes, so I tried listening longer to see if it would get better but it didn’t. My biggest issues were:
1. The POV is constantly swinging back and forth between the MC’s as well as from present to past. A better narrator *might* have been able to help the listener navigate this, but Luke Itzvic didn’t. Honestly, I’m not even sure a second narrator could have rescued the lack of clarity.
2. While Itzvic has a great voice, he read this book, he didn’t narrate it. Cooper and Noah (and every male in the book) sounded exactly the same. Female characters were a bit higher/softer, but they all sounded the same as well. I want to enjoy the experience, not have to constantly try to figure out who is talking.
Additionally, I listened to “Him” & “Us” by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy about 6 weeks ago. It’s a very similar storyline and was executed & narrated almost perfectly. If I had found “Collide” first it might have been more impressive.
secret_librarian's review against another edition
4.0
“Collide” is a sweet, sexy and classical gay for you story. The story has several layers to it and there are flashbacks from when Noah and Cooper were younger as well as from their own histories, the past mixes with the present in many ways. Cooper still struggles with the trauma of losing his parents in a fire, one of the reasons why he’s working as a firefighter, and Noah is great with helping him deal with it. The chemistry and attraction between the character is very well portrayed, as well as how they both go about the growing emotions between them - Cooper especially since he's never been attracted to a guy before.
Cooper and Noah make such an adorable couple and I love how honest Cooper is throughout the book. The banter between the characters is great and I feel like it helps to cement their friendship. Their story has low angst with focus on the GFY aspect, but even if the development between the characters is heavily focused, there is also a good plot as well as interesting side stories going on.
Overall a very well written and interesting start to the Blackcreek series!
Cooper and Noah make such an adorable couple and I love how honest Cooper is throughout the book. The banter between the characters is great and I feel like it helps to cement their friendship. Their story has low angst with focus on the GFY aspect, but even if the development between the characters is heavily focused, there is also a good plot as well as interesting side stories going on.
Overall a very well written and interesting start to the Blackcreek series!
yazaleea's review against another edition
4.0
it was cute :D I love friends to lovers and Noah & Cooper were cute as heck and i love that for them!
bitchie's review against another edition
3.0
This one needed a bit of an edit, it had commas in odd places where they weren't needed, a few wrong words, and a couple of spots where it felt like the author was going to use one word, ended up using another, and then didn't remove the other. But the story was good, the characters likable, and the sex was hot.
Full review to come on Booklikes.
Full review to come on Booklikes.
a_reader_obsessed's review against another edition
4.0
*Reread 4/17/16 - still 4 Stars!!*
Best friends forever, Noah and Cooper, haven't seen each other in almost 2 decades, but when Noah returns to Blackcreek, it's like he never left - time and distance are irrelevant. These guys immediately fall back into their close friendship, enjoying each other's company and just "getting it" like no one else does and no one else ever has.
Though renewing their friendship might be easy, the growing feelings between them is anything but. Understandable confusion, guilt, fear, and frustration all make an appearance as these two partake in a-hot-as-hades exploration of their undeniable attraction. Whooee! *fans self*
Equally poignant, angsty, tender - their shared painful past, their deep connection, the ease with which they fit just right with each other, only serves to further strengthen their feelings. A fabulously sweet and very sexy story with two likeable characters. This is Riley Hart at her best!
Best friends forever, Noah and Cooper, haven't seen each other in almost 2 decades, but when Noah returns to Blackcreek, it's like he never left - time and distance are irrelevant. These guys immediately fall back into their close friendship, enjoying each other's company and just "getting it" like no one else does and no one else ever has.
Though renewing their friendship might be easy, the growing feelings between them is anything but. Understandable confusion, guilt, fear, and frustration all make an appearance as these two partake in a-hot-as-hades exploration of their undeniable attraction. Whooee! *fans self*
Equally poignant, angsty, tender - their shared painful past, their deep connection, the ease with which they fit just right with each other, only serves to further strengthen their feelings. A fabulously sweet and very sexy story with two likeable characters. This is Riley Hart at her best!
birdee_'s review
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
drez80's review against another edition
3.0
OK so I didn't love this book because while I understand that it would be difficult to decide you're gay in your 30s (were they 30s or late 20s?!), so I can appreciate Cooper's struggles, I can't understand Noah's willingness to do anything Cooper wants at anytime. So right now, Cooper wants Noah, but 3 hours later, he's freaking and they're over. Noah just easily goes along, and even though he tells Cooper it's the last time cuz he can't do it and he won't go back in the closet for anyone based on the issues with his ex, he goes back into the closet and gives in to Cooper every time anyway. He should have moved out and told Cooper when he got things figured out to come talk to him instead of allowing Coop's wishy-washiness to affect him and make him go against his promise to not go back in the closet. The sex was hot, but it got old because I just found myself bothered by both MCs. Again, I get Cooper being freaked, but you're being a d!ck to your best friend, and Noah seriously need to tell him where to go. Esp. after . He didn't even tell them you were back and friends again. And the Uncle... UGH! Someone should have kicked his a$$ at the end. I had expected Mr. High Horse to have some secret gay thing that Autumn somehow knew about, not , but seriously, I HATE people like him. You don't get be all high and mighty when you're the one who was actually shady and created the mess in the first place.
Spoiler
the fire and the argument with the aunt and uncleSpoiler
the affair with Noah's momsuzysuzy34's review against another edition
3.0
I really wanted to love this book, but I didn't. I didn't really feel the chemistry between Noah and Coop and the writing style was poor IMO. The other thing I struggled with is Coop suddenly realising he loved Noah, he was straight his whole life then suddenly Noah is the one, I just didn't feel it. (Also Noah calling Coop baby, didn't like it). I don't mind straight guys suddenly falling for another man, for instance Ella Franks Try was blooming fantastic, maybe I'm comparing to that. Saying that I am interested in Wes's story and at some point I think I will try this author again.
wintergirl94's review against another edition
4.0
This was just what I needed! I wanted a gorgeous friends to lovers with a beautiful shared last and that’s what I got.
Noah and Cooper were just wonderful and I really liked the little community they were beginning to build around them.
Noah and Cooper were just wonderful and I really liked the little community they were beginning to build around them.