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teresab78's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this. I liked that Cooper struggled with his attraction only because it made it feel more real. I loved how well Cooper and Noah fit together and how the relationship progressed over time. I look forward to the next book as I want Wes to get his HEA.
lolly460's review against another edition
4.0
Ohhhhhhh this was such a sweet and romantic story. Also very very HOOOOT, I was actually sweating so turned on was I. I really loved it. I Couldn’t stop reading and I had to finish it in one take.
goodyreads's review against another edition
3.0
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It was far from perfect and actually there are quite a few things I wish could’ve been better about it, but it still fulfilled what I wanted out of it: it had some really good smutty sex scenes and also just an overall swoon-worthy romance between the two main characters, and even between two side characters too. It was cute, it was absolutely so funny with the banter, it was heartwarming, it was sexy and sizzling, and isn’t that all we really want in a romance novel?
If you’re looking for a quick but super hot and smutty book to read, this is a great choice for you! The smut in this book is super well done and really hot content, especially with the whole dynamic of the two main characters with Noah and Cooper. Noah being openly gay for much longer has him kind of in the role of the “mentor” or teacher in a way with how he takes Cooper through the ropes of what they do and what he’s willing to try out as they explore their relationship. Which brings me to my next point…I really liked their dynamic for the most part in this story. I like romance stories with the tropes like “second chance,” “small town romance,” “keeping it a secret,” and “friends-to-lovers” and reading about how much these two guys care about each other and the moments where their friendship shine through are so soft and affectionate and heartwarming, which is also so cozy when in comparison to all the scorching hot sex scenes. I find it funny I’m saying this when I’m also a reader who usually doesn’t turn towards a specific story for its fluff versus steam.
Overall, “Collide” by Riley Hart wasn’t as good as it could’ve been, but this was still an enjoyable story that’s a great consideration to anyone who loves M/M romance with plenty of fluff mixed with steam. It’s so great for fans of “second chance” romances or “friends-to-lovers,” or “gay only for you” type of stories. Noah and Cooper have quite the story here, and while it wasn’t exactly mindblowing, that hopefully doesn’t detract from when I say I still really enjoyed this book too, and plan to read on in this series with the two friends who hooked up in this book who also get the spotlight on them too!
Thanks for Reading!
- Nick Goodsell
It was far from perfect and actually there are quite a few things I wish could’ve been better about it, but it still fulfilled what I wanted out of it: it had some really good smutty sex scenes and also just an overall swoon-worthy romance between the two main characters, and even between two side characters too. It was cute, it was absolutely so funny with the banter, it was heartwarming, it was sexy and sizzling, and isn’t that all we really want in a romance novel?
If you’re looking for a quick but super hot and smutty book to read, this is a great choice for you! The smut in this book is super well done and really hot content, especially with the whole dynamic of the two main characters with Noah and Cooper. Noah being openly gay for much longer has him kind of in the role of the “mentor” or teacher in a way with how he takes Cooper through the ropes of what they do and what he’s willing to try out as they explore their relationship. Which brings me to my next point…I really liked their dynamic for the most part in this story. I like romance stories with the tropes like “second chance,” “small town romance,” “keeping it a secret,” and “friends-to-lovers” and reading about how much these two guys care about each other and the moments where their friendship shine through are so soft and affectionate and heartwarming, which is also so cozy when in comparison to all the scorching hot sex scenes. I find it funny I’m saying this when I’m also a reader who usually doesn’t turn towards a specific story for its fluff versus steam.
Overall, “Collide” by Riley Hart wasn’t as good as it could’ve been, but this was still an enjoyable story that’s a great consideration to anyone who loves M/M romance with plenty of fluff mixed with steam. It’s so great for fans of “second chance” romances or “friends-to-lovers,” or “gay only for you” type of stories. Noah and Cooper have quite the story here, and while it wasn’t exactly mindblowing, that hopefully doesn’t detract from when I say I still really enjoyed this book too, and plan to read on in this series with the two friends who hooked up in this book who also get the spotlight on them too!
Thanks for Reading!
- Nick Goodsell
liza5326's review against another edition
5.0
This was the book that started my MM journey seven years ago . . . And every reread just reinforces my original five-star rating. The story of Noah and Cooper still completely blows me away. That friendship that grows into a deep love. Cooper`s uncertainty of his feelings towards Noah. It was executed perfectly and I love every second of it! I think this is why I still gravitate towards GFY/OFY and friends-to-lovers so much. It began my love of this genre and still remains my favorite tropes.
jamiesbookaddiction's review against another edition
3.0
This will be a difficult one for me to rate. I really loved Noah and Cooper. I'm just not sure I bought into their relationship.
I loved that they were close friends growing up. You can tell they were close, but they had been separated for 17 years. I felt like they didn't have enough time together for this relationship to spark. It almost felt forced for a good majority of it.
Cooper comes across strong at times, but then weak at others as well. He cared way too much about what others thought of him. I felt for Noah. It really felt like Cooper was pulling him back and forth, but he was really trying to continue to be there for Cooper.
Ultimately, I think I will knock a star because of the epilogue. Epilogues to me should be a wrap-up of the couple I just read about. This one was more about Wes and Braden to get us ready for the next book. I really feel like while Cooper and Noah have a semi-hea, I wanted more of a closure for them. Hopefully we will see more of them and get those answers in the next book.
I loved that they were close friends growing up. You can tell they were close, but they had been separated for 17 years. I felt like they didn't have enough time together for this relationship to spark. It almost felt forced for a good majority of it.
Cooper comes across strong at times, but then weak at others as well. He cared way too much about what others thought of him. I felt for Noah. It really felt like Cooper was pulling him back and forth, but he was really trying to continue to be there for Cooper.
Ultimately, I think I will knock a star because of the epilogue. Epilogues to me should be a wrap-up of the couple I just read about. This one was more about Wes and Braden to get us ready for the next book. I really feel like while Cooper and Noah have a semi-hea, I wanted more of a closure for them. Hopefully we will see more of them and get those answers in the next book.
lindseysv's review against another edition
5.0
I could not put this hot, angsty book down! Cooper and Noah were just perfect to me.
robazizo's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. Cute. The development of the relationship between Noah and Cooper felt believable, although it veered into soapiness near the end. It also needed a good editor for all the spelling mistakes. I look forward to reading more about Wes and Braden.
haloblues's review against another edition
3.0
This was sweet and I did read all the way through it, which says something, but this was a strange one. I noticed a lot of errors - punctuation mistakes (periods where there should be commas, missing apostrophes, capitals where there shouldn't be) and spelling ones (mixing up of "your" and "you're", a lot of "your" instead of "you", "affect" instead of "effect", "slowing" instead of "slowly", "is" instead of "his", "kneeled" instead of "knelt"... you get the picture). I don't know if it didn't have an editor, or if it just needed another thorough look-over by one, but regardless something went wrong here, and it surprised me because I don't remember seeing this many mistakes in a Riley Hart book before. I noticed one every couple of pages or so.
The dialogue also felt a little forced/artificial - it was just impossible to sink into the story and believe them as people, and I couldn't forget the fact that I was just watching two fictional characters written by the same person and performing whatever lines were needed to push the plot along.
Regardless, I did end up enjoying the story as a whole. The ending wasn't as satisfying as I'd like, I would have liked some more closure when it came to Autumn (even if not Vernon), but I'm glad it had a relatively happy ending.
Details: Alternating POVs, third-person, past tense
Favourite character: Both about equal
Happy ending?: Yes
Favourite quotes:
The dialogue also felt a little forced/artificial - it was just impossible to sink into the story and believe them as people, and I couldn't forget the fact that I was just watching two fictional characters written by the same person and performing whatever lines were needed to push the plot along.
Regardless, I did end up enjoying the story as a whole. The ending wasn't as satisfying as I'd like, I would have liked some more closure when it came to Autumn (even if not Vernon), but I'm glad it had a relatively happy ending.
Details: Alternating POVs, third-person, past tense
Favourite character: Both about equal
Happy ending?: Yes
Favourite quotes:
He was tall and... familiar... A smile spread across Cooper's face. "Noah? Noah Jameson? Wow. Long time no see. How ya been?"
Noah cocked a brow at him, and Coop realized that probably wasn't the best thing to say when you mowed down your best friend from childhood.
"Run over," Noah replied.
Cooper walked to the door, but paused there. "Get your ass feeling better. We'll go out and meet some women," he joked.
"Nope," Noah mumbled. "I'm gay." That easily, he was passed out again. Cooper couldn't help but laugh. Jesus, the man really couldn't handle pain pills.
"You're my best friend. We'll run away if we have to," Cooper told him.
Noah wanted to tell him thank you, but he thought that would sound way too girly. "Then we wouldn't have to go to school anymore either."
"Awesome. We could do whatever we wanted." There was a pause and then, "I got your back, Noah. You and me? We'll always be a team."
Noah hoped so. "I got yours too."
When he woke up in the morning, Cooper's hand was still touching him.
"I don't have it in me to keep fighting this. Hell, I don't want to. You've always trusted me before. Do it now too."
Noah smiled against his mouth. "You've always been a persuasive motherfucker."
"We had fun, though. Jesus, we had a lot of fun. Then and now."
And they had. There wasn't anyone else he had liked raising hell with more than Noah. Noah, who now ran his fingers against Cooper's skin, on the edge of his underwear. Cooper stood up straight to make it easier for Noah to touch him.
Leaning forward, Noah pressed his lips to Coop's stomach. "I'm trusting you to know what you're doing. To know what you want."
He knew exactly what his friend was saying. Noah didn't trust easily, but he was giving that to Cooper. Putting his faith into him, to not do something that would screw up their friendship. He hoped he deserved it.
"I'm trusting you, too."
"I want to make you feel like your whole world is coming apart, like you did to me last night."
He'd always been with women. Loved women. How could he be interested in a man now? It wasn't who he was. This whole thing wasn't Cooper.
But the way he makes me feel... invincible. Incredible. Fucking buoyant.
"Twenty years ago you collided with me over that damn football, and my life was never the same."
"The same way you and your damn truck collided with me?"
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Death, Sexual content, Infidelity, and Fire/Fire injury