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sammy_lou's review
4.0
This book was very sweet, not much in the angst department, and mystery free.
We begin with Rod leaving his best friends house after he announces his engagement. He has been in love with Travis for years, and that was the final straw for him. He leaves a note, but of course it stays unread. Rod tries to move on, and Travis finally starts to figure out his own feelings for Rod. He had his head up his arse in that department, but with a mother like that who could blame him.
When they get together it is pretty much plain sailing and everything gets drawn up in a pretty bow! The only blip is Travis's mum, she was plain nasty! Their relationship, and everything round them, just too easy. Most problems got resolved to easily, like Rod and his dad. I did love them together, they have great chemistry, but Travis drove me mad a times.
I loved the secondary characters, the story just wasn't as great as other books. I did enjoy it, just felt that many things got overlooked. I didn't understand the kid really either, he was sweet, just seemed a bit odd to add him in. It was like an insta-family!
We begin with Rod leaving his best friends house after he announces his engagement. He has been in love with Travis for years, and that was the final straw for him. He leaves a note, but of course it stays unread. Rod tries to move on, and Travis finally starts to figure out his own feelings for Rod. He had his head up his arse in that department, but with a mother like that who could blame him.
When they get together it is pretty much plain sailing and everything gets drawn up in a pretty bow! The only blip is Travis's mum, she was plain nasty! Their relationship, and everything round them, just too easy. Most problems got resolved to easily, like Rod and his dad. I did love them together, they have great chemistry, but Travis drove me mad a times.
I loved the secondary characters, the story just wasn't as great as other books. I did enjoy it, just felt that many things got overlooked. I didn't understand the kid really either, he was sweet, just seemed a bit odd to add him in. It was like an insta-family!
isalaur's review against another edition
fast-paced
4.0
I enjoyed this story of two best friends finding their way to each other. I also enjoyed the cameos by some characters from other books. It’s not as heavy on suspense as other books in the series but that’s okay as the friends to lovers story is a good one.
rainbow_grace's review against another edition
2.0
Cute, but...
I liked Rod and Travis, but the plot was so contrived. Dialogue was often awkward and weird, like: no one talks like that. And the big climax was so out there and forced. And then it just wrapped up neatly with a bow. Ugh.
I liked Rod and Travis, but the plot was so contrived. Dialogue was often awkward and weird, like: no one talks like that. And the big climax was so out there and forced. And then it just wrapped up neatly with a bow. Ugh.
showarst's review against another edition
2.0
Frankly, I detested Travis for half the book. So wish-washy. And his mom was insane
xanthe87's review against another edition
4.0
A wonderful contemporary romance. From the first page you're drawn into the characters and the emotions that they are going through.
Rod's unrequited love for his best friend and the surprise engagement announcement by Travis causes Rod to run back home, ignoring contact and trying to just move on with life. Travis has no idea what's going on with his relationships both with his best friend and his "fiancee". After taking time, and advice from his sister, he finally decides what is right for him and his future.
I love that for the first few chapters, we get to spend time with the characters separately. Each man going through daily life but dealing with the separation from their best friend. The pacing of the story is really good as we're not hanging around and just take time to focus in on important moments until it comes time for the two men to meet again.
There are a lot of emotions that we go through with the MC's ranging from the negative at the beginning to the happier, together moments towards the end. There are a couple of hard moments to read, coming more from secondary characters but it helps the story and bringing our MC's together. We do have some characters from the previous books pop up but if this is the first you've read in the series, it doesn't detract from your enjoyment and it's not confusing in any way.
I recommend this read and this series. Elle is a wonderful author, bringing characters to life and enhancing their lives with other people and the world around them.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
Rod's unrequited love for his best friend and the surprise engagement announcement by Travis causes Rod to run back home, ignoring contact and trying to just move on with life. Travis has no idea what's going on with his relationships both with his best friend and his "fiancee". After taking time, and advice from his sister, he finally decides what is right for him and his future.
I love that for the first few chapters, we get to spend time with the characters separately. Each man going through daily life but dealing with the separation from their best friend. The pacing of the story is really good as we're not hanging around and just take time to focus in on important moments until it comes time for the two men to meet again.
There are a lot of emotions that we go through with the MC's ranging from the negative at the beginning to the happier, together moments towards the end. There are a couple of hard moments to read, coming more from secondary characters but it helps the story and bringing our MC's together. We do have some characters from the previous books pop up but if this is the first you've read in the series, it doesn't detract from your enjoyment and it's not confusing in any way.
I recommend this read and this series. Elle is a wonderful author, bringing characters to life and enhancing their lives with other people and the world around them.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
piperclover's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
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? Yes
3.25
This is is just an easy, simple listen. Its not groundbreaking and I always felt like I was held at arms length from the emotions I was meant to feel but it was short and had a sweet ending. The narrator is terrible though, so nasally and a little too stiltled and there was no clear timeline or clear passage of time. At the end of one chapter, one character would be healed a certain amount but at the beginning of the next chapter, he'd be significantly better with no mention to how much time passed. The other big annoyance was that the dialogue was off. Characters would spill their deepest fears without any prompting, completely inorganically.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence and Homophobia
Minor: Medical content
claudia_is_reading's review against another edition
2.0
Didn't work for me. Yes, it might be because, after reading the overview I was expecting for a slow romance, with lots of soul-searching and a side of pinning.
What I got was... a lot of telling about what the characters did, after the fact, a mother that was a caricature of the evil woman (which is a linchpin in a lot of mm romances and one that I hate), a father who we were supposed to see as a good guy and not the doormat he actually is and a 'romance' with no real sense of connection between the main characters.
Add to that a lacklustre narration, and well...
What I got was... a lot of telling about what the characters did, after the fact, a mother that was a caricature of the evil woman (which is a linchpin in a lot of mm romances and one that I hate), a father who we were supposed to see as a good guy and not the doormat he actually is and a 'romance' with no real sense of connection between the main characters.
Add to that a lacklustre narration, and well...
ctsquirrel's review against another edition
2.0
Ugh, Travis pissed me off. That boy was sooooooo frustrating. Seriously dense. And then he made all these decisions for Rod while he was still in the hospital. Like canceling Rod's lease and buying a house. I mean he meant well, but at this point Rod didn't even know Travis had called off the wedding let alone that he was sticking around. Rod was all "I can't afford a house" and Travis was like "well I'm gonna live in it with you duh." Well no, never was it mentioned to Rod that Travis had left Walla Walla for Skagit permanently.
And don't get me started on the random homicidal homophobic mother. That was bizarre. Also, Lisa tries to pepper-spray Travis for breaking up with her but is forced to drive across state for hours with a crazy person but does nothing?!
And don't get me started on the random homicidal homophobic mother. That was bizarre. Also, Lisa tries to pepper-spray Travis for breaking up with her but is forced to drive across state for hours with a crazy person but does nothing?!