A review by gina_readsbooks
For Real by Alexis Hall

emotional funny reflective sad tense slow-paced

4.0

“There’s risk inherent in most things that matter.”

Massive thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Alexis Hall is an auto-buy and auto-read author for me. He manages to write some incredibly intense, vulnerable stories with the undercurrent of humor that I always love. This one is a bit out of my comfort zone with a significant age gap and some BDSM, but the underlying story is really beautiful. 

Laurie hasn’t moved on from his last relationship, though his friends are trying to nudge him through. He meets Toby, who’s nineteen, and they have this instant connection. Laurie is eighteen years older than Toby and struggles with the intense feelings he has. He’s so convinced that he’s wrong for Toby and worried about how it will look. 

I particularly loved Toby. He’s so raw and vulnerable. He’s at this point in his life where he feels lost and he just wants Laurie to admit his feelings. There’s a lot that they have to work through, and Laurie eventually becomes the person who helps Toby figure out what he wants to do in life. The way they finally come together just feels so lovely and I did like the slightly ambiguous ending, which really feels realistic.