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thebookishren's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 4 ⭐️
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫(𝐬): Sean Crisden
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁:
💛 MM Contemporary
💛 Bi-Awakening
💛 Friends to Lovers
💛 Coming Out
Nick Fuller has recently divorced his childhood sweetheart and he now owns the restaurant of his dreams..but something is missing…until he meets his neighbor, Bryce Tanner, and sparks fly despite the fact that neither man has lusted after another man before. They develop a wonderful friendship but after Bryce’s older brother mentions the crush, things rapidly change and BOTH guys have to come to terms with their new feelings and navigating family expectations.
I honestly had a tough time liking anybody. The families were judgmental but made out to be struggling with trusting them so it was excused. The guys definitely had chemistry but the heavy vibes seemed to overshadow it too much. The steamy times were fun but Bryce’s obsession with being the bottom just once to prove something bothered me.
Sometimes people don’t connect with books and, well, that kinda happened here. The storytelling was pretty good though and after a while I enjoyed the audio so not a bad listen, but not a favorite either!
It took me a while to get used to Sean Crisden’s voice. I wasn’t very fond of Bryce’s voice, but after a while I was thankful for it because it helped keep the characters in order.
kynikoskyon's review against another edition
2.0
No se por dónde partir con esta reseña porque quedé tan molesta con los capítulos finales, que la indignación que siento no me deja pensar en nada más que ¿por qué tuve que leer esta cuestión tan mala?
amg_reads's review against another edition
5.0
I loved it
I appreciated that once they went for it, they knew they were it for each other. Nick and Bryce didn’t held back and it was lovely to see them embrace their feelings for each other. They had some doubts, but that’s normal. Their whole life changed and their families were not as supportive as they should’ve been.
It was so refreshing that they struggled a bit with the sexual aspect of their relationship, since it was something new for both of them. It felt realistic that they didn’t immediately knew what they were doing and it was a learning curve for both of them.
I truly adored their relationship and how supportive they were of each other. The only thing I didn’t love was all the winking but I loved everything else about the story.
I’m excited to continue with the series.
I appreciated that once they went for it, they knew they were it for each other. Nick and Bryce didn’t held back and it was lovely to see them embrace their feelings for each other. They had some doubts, but that’s normal. Their whole life changed and their families were not as supportive as they should’ve been.
It was so refreshing that they struggled a bit with the sexual aspect of their relationship, since it was something new for both of them. It felt realistic that they didn’t immediately knew what they were doing and it was a learning curve for both of them.
I truly adored their relationship and how supportive they were of each other. The only thing I didn’t love was all the winking but I loved everything else about the story.
I’m excited to continue with the series.
ruthiedr89's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Misogyny, and Homophobia
Moderate: Grief, Infidelity, and Gaslighting
Minor: Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Medical trauma, Medical content, Biphobia, and Infertility
alessia_g96's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I think there are a few things with this book that made me struggle with it, but let’s start with the good part: Nick and Bryce are lovely. They are such sweet characters, which is why i would get annoyed at all the elements i didn’t like because this could easily have been a higher rated story.
My first issue is with the writing, i’m never a fan of when you’re told that the characters are having a conversation rather than being shown the conversation, I never feel as connected to their bond in those cases (which is 100% a me thing). My second and main thing is the total lack of support they found in their relationship, with some meek exceptions. I do think that the situation with the parents was insane, if Nick’s mom had been my mom I would have gone no contact for so many reasons. Also #FreeMichelle from her asshole husband.
I am not naive, I know homophobia is a massive problem that causes so many endless pain, but I do think that it was poorly dealt with in this book. i feel like there were just too many points of outer conflict, at this point i would have honestly preferred just a third act break up and i HATE those.
My first issue is with the writing, i’m never a fan of when you’re told that the characters are having a conversation rather than being shown the conversation, I never feel as connected to their bond in those cases (which is 100% a me thing). My second and main thing is the total lack of support they found in their relationship, with some meek exceptions. I do think that the situation with the parents was insane, if Nick’s mom had been my mom I would have gone no contact for so many reasons. Also #FreeMichelle from her asshole husband.
I am not naive, I know homophobia is a massive problem that causes so many endless pain, but I do think that it was poorly dealt with in this book. i feel like there were just too many points of outer conflict, at this point i would have honestly preferred just a third act break up and i HATE those.
bitchie's review against another edition
4.0
I'm waffling between 4 and 5 stars on this one. I really loved it, more than I thought I would at the beginning. The writing was solid, I liked all the characters (ok, most of the characters), and I found the sex to me really hot.
What I wasn't so sold on was the need for labels. I guess that shows more growth in me than anything, because a few years ago, I would have said if you (a man) fuck a guy, you're gay, but now I know that's not true. Both these guys had never looked at or even thought of another man that way before, so, in my head, that doesn't make these guys gay, or even necessarily bisexual. They are just two people who are lucky enough to have found love, and to not get totally hung up on who they found it with, and I found that just beautiful.
I wasn't too fond of Nick's mom, even before she reacted the way she did. She just had some really old fashioned ideas about a woman's place. Reminded me of my own mother in law, in fact, so that might be why I didn't care for her.
I also would have preferred for Nick's ex to have been done differently. They married young, and she cheated, apparently, a lot. I think I would have liked it better if she had fallen in love with someone else, and not been treated as more the evil, cheating ex who blamed it all on her husband, not herself. I think the author kind of tried to go that way at the very end, but that phone call in the middle soured that whole subplot for me.
Oh, and after looking at another review (thanks for the reminder, Gigi!) I would be remiss if I didn't mention the dirty talk. Usually, I HATE dirty talk, it always feels so cheesy, but I loved it here, and thought it was well done.
What I wasn't so sold on was the need for labels. I guess that shows more growth in me than anything, because a few years ago, I would have said if you (a man) fuck a guy, you're gay, but now I know that's not true. Both these guys had never looked at or even thought of another man that way before, so, in my head, that doesn't make these guys gay, or even necessarily bisexual. They are just two people who are lucky enough to have found love, and to not get totally hung up on who they found it with, and I found that just beautiful.
I wasn't too fond of Nick's mom, even before she reacted the way she did. She just had some really old fashioned ideas about a woman's place. Reminded me of my own mother in law, in fact, so that might be why I didn't care for her.
I also would have preferred for Nick's ex to have been done differently. They married young, and she cheated, apparently, a lot. I think I would have liked it better if she had fallen in love with someone else, and not been treated as more the evil, cheating ex who blamed it all on her husband, not herself. I think the author kind of tried to go that way at the very end, but that phone call in the middle soured that whole subplot for me.
Oh, and after looking at another review (thanks for the reminder, Gigi!) I would be remiss if I didn't mention the dirty talk. Usually, I HATE dirty talk, it always feels so cheesy, but I loved it here, and thought it was well done.
a_reader_obsessed's review against another edition
4.0
I'll just reiterate what everyone else has already said and hammer down the important parts again.
-Hot double gfy = essentially 2 virgins
-Smexy smex with a natural progression
-Annoying, intrusive mothers
-Issues, fears and obstacles addressed realistically (well I'm assuming here) when faced with such life changing revelations
-Love conquers all
Seriously, if you want a good friends to lovers story, with minimal relationship angst and hot shenanigans in the bedroom - then this is for you. I totally appreciated these two men who owned up to their feelings and desires, steadfastly grabbed onto the one person who made them happy, and stood by that choice with bravery and honesty.
Basically a great read that had enough emotional weight and was chock full of sexy times - just what I like and needed!
-Hot double gfy = essentially 2 virgins
-Smexy smex with a natural progression
-Annoying, intrusive mothers
-Issues, fears and obstacles addressed realistically (well I'm assuming here) when faced with such life changing revelations
-Love conquers all
Seriously, if you want a good friends to lovers story, with minimal relationship angst and hot shenanigans in the bedroom - then this is for you. I totally appreciated these two men who owned up to their feelings and desires, steadfastly grabbed onto the one person who made them happy, and stood by that choice with bravery and honesty.
Basically a great read that had enough emotional weight and was chock full of sexy times - just what I like and needed!
hidees13's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.25
I've read a lot of Riley Hart in the last 12 months (21 Riley books, And even more queer romance by other authors) I LOVE her books, and she's an instant read for me. I've been going farther back into her book history and that's how I landed here with Crossroads. The story is cute, I found the 2 men lovable but not overly so. The challenges they face with their families felt very believable and realistic, but besides that nothing was really remarkable. The steamy scenes were steamy, and I loved their honesty with each other. But something was missing. It didn't capture me like her stories usually do!
It felt a little bit like I was reading a fan fiction or more amateur MM book. I have since realized this book was first published in 2015, and now it all makes sense. This is def an earlier Riley Hart. I would venture to guess if she wrote this story now it would hit totally different, as her writing has greatly improved since this book.
It felt a little bit like I was reading a fan fiction or more amateur MM book. I have since realized this book was first published in 2015, and now it all makes sense. This is def an earlier Riley Hart. I would venture to guess if she wrote this story now it would hit totally different, as her writing has greatly improved since this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
haileeraye's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Homophobia
jankben's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
Good writing, but the sex used up more pages than the story. I did a lot of skimming.