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raynebair's review
4.0
When I started it I didn't realize I'd already read book 1 in the series. So it was fun to read about those characters as well and get a bit of a refresher. This one was so sweet. Low drama, no real angst. Just sweet romance.
ezekielblessing's review
3.0
TL;DR I'm not going to read the other books but I don't regret it
Things I liked:
-The positive trans representation
-The chemistry between the characters
Things I was on the fence
It was claimed you could read this as a single book though it's in a series, but you will be confused when a random guy gets a chapter in his POV with guys you just encountered that scene
Things I disliked
Nothing really happens. There's barely any drama and it was easily diffused. This is the first time I could have used more drama. This is the fluffiest I suppose I can get without disliking it
Things I liked:
-The positive trans representation
-The chemistry between the characters
Things I was on the fence
It was claimed you could read this as a single book though it's in a series, but you will be confused when a random guy gets a chapter in his POV with guys you just encountered that scene
Things I disliked
Nothing really happens. There's barely any drama and it was easily diffused. This is the first time I could have used more drama. This is the fluffiest I suppose I can get without disliking it
tltravis's review against another edition
5.0
Fantastic series!
I hope to see some novelettes with glimpses into all the couples future.
All in all, well done. I will truly miss these characters.
I hope to see some novelettes with glimpses into all the couples future.
All in all, well done. I will truly miss these characters.
novel_nomad's review
3.0
An absolutely excellent finish to the Riley Brothers series, with Ryan finding a business partner (and lover) with James. I loved the pairing, as Ryan was a gentle and shy carpenter who was enchanted by the smart and resourcefulness of James - but James finds easy acceptance with Ryan as he has struggled with his family and previous places of employment not respecting that he has transitioned and recognizes himself as a man. Super cute!
cadiva's review
4.0
Great end to this series
I've enjoyed the Riley Brothers and their love lives and those of their friends so it's sad this is the final book in the series as I understand it.
This is also the second FtM trans MC romance I've read recently and like the previous I think they've been written with a sympathetic and educating touch which has made me more informed about that sphere of the LGBT+ community.
James was a sweetie and Ryan's long been on the edge of the other books so to see him get his HEA was overdue.
This is a gentle romance with a little heat, sex isn't shied away from with a fade to black off page encounter but is instead given the same level of care as any other pairing in this series has been.
I've enjoyed the Riley Brothers and their love lives and those of their friends so it's sad this is the final book in the series as I understand it.
This is also the second FtM trans MC romance I've read recently and like the previous I think they've been written with a sympathetic and educating touch which has made me more informed about that sphere of the LGBT+ community.
James was a sweetie and Ryan's long been on the edge of the other books so to see him get his HEA was overdue.
This is a gentle romance with a little heat, sex isn't shied away from with a fade to black off page encounter but is instead given the same level of care as any other pairing in this series has been.
ktomp17's review
5.0
I have loved every book of the Riley Brothers series, and this was no exception. I liked Ryan's character in the other books, and he deserved to find his man. This was my first book where one of the MC's was transgender, and I am pleased to know that I have learned quite a bit and enjoyed reading it. This book was so well written! I loved reading about the struggle, and subsequent happiness, for James. Ryan was such a great match for him, and I am glad they found each other.
I did a re-read if this, by audio book the second time, and I loved it even more the second time around. Perhaps it was my own growth and education in the years since I read it, but I absolutely loved James and his story as a trans man. Add Michael Pauley’s voice, and it’s a totally dreamy story to listen to. Absolutely fantastic.
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review
I did a re-read if this, by audio book the second time, and I loved it even more the second time around. Perhaps it was my own growth and education in the years since I read it, but I absolutely loved James and his story as a trans man. Add Michael Pauley’s voice, and it’s a totally dreamy story to listen to. Absolutely fantastic.
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review
cadiva's review against another edition
4.0
Great end to this series
I've enjoyed the Riley Brothers and their love lives and those of their friends so it's sad this is the final book in the series as I understand it.
This is also the second FtM trans MC romance I've read recently and like the previous I think they've been written with a sympathetic and educating touch which has made me more informed about that sphere of the LGBT+ community.
James was a sweetie and Ryan's long been on the edge of the other books so to see him get his HEA was overdue.
This is a gentle romance with a little heat, sex isn't shied away from with a fade to black off page encounter but is instead given the same level of care as any other pairing in this series has been.
I've enjoyed the Riley Brothers and their love lives and those of their friends so it's sad this is the final book in the series as I understand it.
This is also the second FtM trans MC romance I've read recently and like the previous I think they've been written with a sympathetic and educating touch which has made me more informed about that sphere of the LGBT+ community.
James was a sweetie and Ryan's long been on the edge of the other books so to see him get his HEA was overdue.
This is a gentle romance with a little heat, sex isn't shied away from with a fade to black off page encounter but is instead given the same level of care as any other pairing in this series has been.
ariadna's review
3.0
Although there were things I enjoyed about this novel, the few issues that I had with it were strong enough to give it a middle of the road rating.
What I liked
+ James
By the time that we meet him, James has already transitioned and come out to his family. He's basically the guy he's always been. I thought it was cool that the transgender angle wasn't written in a clinical or fetish-y way. Worthy of note is that James had a friend (a secondary character) who is genderqueer. #Thumbsup
As soon as Ryan figured out that he was interested in James, he did some research about transguys. But that didn't mean that, all of the sudden, he knew everything there was to know about transgender people.
There were certain moments where he stumbled without coming off as a creep or mocking. It was just someone trying to connect with someone else. After all, this is the first time that Ryan was interested in a transguy so, yeah, he stepped on things a couple of times, but he wasn't mean-spirited about it.
(FTR, I thought Ryan was OK, but his storyarc--aside of dating and falling in love with James--wasn't anything that would shake anyone up. He was, imo, an average character.)
+ Most of the sex
You could feel the chemistry between James and Ryan. Even if all they were doing was making out. Once they got to the sexin', things got steamy af. >:)
It bears mention that one scene was a tad wonky (and I discuss it a length in the negative part.
+ A few female characters
Some of them were nice and the one character who was rude didn't do it out sheer villainy.
What I didn't like
- Chapter 22
So, the book's told from James and Ryan's POVs alternating from chapter to chapter.
Chapter 22 begins on James' POV while he's hanging out with some friends. About a third into that chapter, however, the POV switches over to another character (who's not Ryan) and it stays like so til the end of the chapter.
I don't quite get the reason for that.
- That one sex scene
Ryan and James get in bed. One of them gets flipped around so that he's on his belly.
HOWEVER, there's a SEVERE lack of positioning awareness for the entire scene. It sounds like the character is flipped to his back and then on his belly again back and forth even though that's not what's actually happening. I mean, unless that character's knees can go backward or something.
I dunno. The logistics took me out of what had been a really great and intimate scene between them.
- The ending
The first 85% of the novel is pretty solid. This is romance on the fluffier side of the scale. There are a couple of ups and down but nothing, you know, earth-shattering. Then a confrontation between the MCs and another character happens. I think that the author decided to make up for that moment of angst by taking the plot to such a sugar high that it left me dizzy.
It got to the point that I was reminded of the Hallmark Movie Channel or Lifetime Movie Channel Christmas movies (Ch. 30 and the epilogue take place in December.)
I really wish that the author hadn't given into that urge to make everything so syrupy and instead had pulled back or added a bit of grit.
HAVING SAID THAT, there is a possibility that the ending was so OTT with the fluff because it was the literal ending to the series. I've yet to read the previous five books so I could be wrong about the need for the overwhelming sweetness. #ThoImprettysureImnotwrong #IJS
It lacked emotional payoff for me because the actual story had ended around Ch. 28.
TL;DR: I'd say that this book is a beach read or a lazy afternoon novel. This is not a challenging story and that's OK. Sometimes, you might be in the mood for something mellow to chill out with. It can be read as a standalone.
(And I'm thinking I'll check out some of this author's other books.)
What I liked
+ James
By the time that we meet him, James has already transitioned and come out to his family. He's basically the guy he's always been. I thought it was cool that the transgender angle wasn't written in a clinical or fetish-y way. Worthy of note is that James had a friend (a secondary character) who is genderqueer. #Thumbsup
As soon as Ryan figured out that he was interested in James, he did some research about transguys. But that didn't mean that, all of the sudden, he knew everything there was to know about transgender people.
There were certain moments where he stumbled without coming off as a creep or mocking. It was just someone trying to connect with someone else. After all, this is the first time that Ryan was interested in a transguy so, yeah, he stepped on things a couple of times, but he wasn't mean-spirited about it.
(FTR, I thought Ryan was OK, but his storyarc--aside of dating and falling in love with James--wasn't anything that would shake anyone up. He was, imo, an average character.)
+ Most of the sex
You could feel the chemistry between James and Ryan. Even if all they were doing was making out. Once they got to the sexin', things got steamy af. >:)
It bears mention that one scene was a tad wonky (and I discuss it a length in the negative part.
+ A few female characters
Some of them were nice and the one character who was rude didn't do it out sheer villainy.
What I didn't like
- Chapter 22
So, the book's told from James and Ryan's POVs alternating from chapter to chapter.
Chapter 22 begins on James' POV while he's hanging out with some friends. About a third into that chapter, however, the POV switches over to another character (who's not Ryan) and it stays like so til the end of the chapter.
I don't quite get the reason for that.
- That one sex scene
Ryan and James get in bed. One of them gets flipped around so that he's on his belly.
HOWEVER, there's a SEVERE lack of positioning awareness for the entire scene. It sounds like the character is flipped to his back and then on his belly again back and forth even though that's not what's actually happening. I mean, unless that character's knees can go backward or something.
I dunno. The logistics took me out of what had been a really great and intimate scene between them.
- The ending
The first 85% of the novel is pretty solid. This is romance on the fluffier side of the scale. There are a couple of ups and down but nothing, you know, earth-shattering. Then a confrontation between the MCs and another character happens. I think that the author decided to make up for that moment of angst by taking the plot to such a sugar high that it left me dizzy.
It got to the point that I was reminded of the Hallmark Movie Channel or Lifetime Movie Channel Christmas movies (Ch. 30 and the epilogue take place in December.)
I really wish that the author hadn't given into that urge to make everything so syrupy and instead had pulled back or added a bit of grit.
HAVING SAID THAT, there is a possibility that the ending was so OTT with the fluff because it was the literal ending to the series. I've yet to read the previous five books so I could be wrong about the need for the overwhelming sweetness. #ThoImprettysureImnotwrong #IJS
It lacked emotional payoff for me because the actual story had ended around Ch. 28.
TL;DR: I'd say that this book is a beach read or a lazy afternoon novel. This is not a challenging story and that's OK. Sometimes, you might be in the mood for something mellow to chill out with. It can be read as a standalone.
(And I'm thinking I'll check out some of this author's other books.)
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