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caffeinatedcrystal's reviews
91 reviews
68 Whiskey by Erin Russell
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Erin Russell delivers a gritty sequel to Stupid Dirty, with 68 WHISKEY. We finally get Ford and Tristan, and it's not at all what I expected it to be, which feels pretty on brand for Possum Hollow.
Tristan works with Cade on the ambulance. He's a medic. He also has what feels like a busload of baggage.
Ford is the nontalking, broody, but with a heart of gold mechanic who gave Silas a job.
Tristan and Ford connect on a call, and as hard as Ford pushes away... Tristan happily follows.
This book was heavy. It was entertaining as hell. The spicy scenes were stupid hot, and the stories were heartbreaking. But it really was a lot heavier than I was expecting.
What I think Erin excels at, more than anything, is writing a character/s that make you INVESTED. I want Cade and Silas to be okay. I want Ford to be safe. I want Tristan to open up and feel things like a grown-up. I want to know if the nurse at the hospital is okay. Or that Tobias and his grandma are okay. I genuinely feel like each of the mcs and EVEN the side characters are all real - and I wanna know how they're doing. That's good writing.
This story was a bit bonkers, but it's totally on brand for these characters AND this town.
I'm not going into details as far as my review because it's best going in blind I think.
But I WILL say:
The dirty talk was π₯π₯π₯π₯
Ford, you kinky man.
We love to see it
This book was great.
This series is great.
This author is great.
Nothing but positive, and emotionally wrung out feelings. 68 WHISKEY comes out JUNE 26. Don't miss it!
Tristan works with Cade on the ambulance. He's a medic. He also has what feels like a busload of baggage.
Ford is the nontalking, broody, but with a heart of gold mechanic who gave Silas a job.
Tristan and Ford connect on a call, and as hard as Ford pushes away... Tristan happily follows.
This book was heavy. It was entertaining as hell. The spicy scenes were stupid hot, and the stories were heartbreaking. But it really was a lot heavier than I was expecting.
What I think Erin excels at, more than anything, is writing a character/s that make you INVESTED. I want Cade and Silas to be okay. I want Ford to be safe. I want Tristan to open up and feel things like a grown-up. I want to know if the nurse at the hospital is okay. Or that Tobias and his grandma are okay. I genuinely feel like each of the mcs and EVEN the side characters are all real - and I wanna know how they're doing. That's good writing.
This story was a bit bonkers, but it's totally on brand for these characters AND this town.
I'm not going into details as far as my review because it's best going in blind I think.
But I WILL say:
The dirty talk was π₯π₯π₯π₯
Ford, you kinky man.
We love to see it
This book was great.
This series is great.
This author is great.
Nothing but positive, and emotionally wrung out feelings. 68 WHISKEY comes out JUNE 26. Don't miss it!
Brave Boy by K.M. Neuhold
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Brave Boy was just as good as I remembered it to be, and I have stayed up entirely too late to read it.
Emerson is the owner of Unicorn Books. He's Sterling's best friend *from book one*. He loves unicorns and purple. He's a secret writer with an AMAZING pen name. He has a stutter that he worries about. And he thinks he wants a daddy. He gets so nervous when he tries to talk to Kieran, the daddy of his dreams, and it makes his stutter worse, and it just leaves Emerson so upset.
He decides to take Sterling's advice and make a new profile on m4m so he can practice talking to daddies and maybe figure out what he wants.
Kieran is immediately captivated by Emerson, but worries his size *apparently the man is like 6 and a half feet tall* has frightened Emerson away. So he tries to give him space, but he always shows up and flirts. But Kieran is tired of being alone. So he creates another profile on m4m looking for a partner who will see more than just his money.
THEY'RE TALKING TO EACH OTHER THE WHOLE TIME. Let's be real, it's a trope because it's swoony af.
These two mcs are exactly what the other needs. Emerson needs to be brave, and Kieran needs to be patient. They eventually get themselves sorted out, but not before the kink happens. And there's a lot of it.
This was a GREAT read, and I really enjoyed it! Perfect if you're looking for a Daddy book with no age play and exhibitionism!
Emerson is the owner of Unicorn Books. He's Sterling's best friend *from book one*. He loves unicorns and purple. He's a secret writer with an AMAZING pen name. He has a stutter that he worries about. And he thinks he wants a daddy. He gets so nervous when he tries to talk to Kieran, the daddy of his dreams, and it makes his stutter worse, and it just leaves Emerson so upset.
He decides to take Sterling's advice and make a new profile on m4m so he can practice talking to daddies and maybe figure out what he wants.
Kieran is immediately captivated by Emerson, but worries his size *apparently the man is like 6 and a half feet tall* has frightened Emerson away. So he tries to give him space, but he always shows up and flirts. But Kieran is tired of being alone. So he creates another profile on m4m looking for a partner who will see more than just his money.
THEY'RE TALKING TO EACH OTHER THE WHOLE TIME. Let's be real, it's a trope because it's swoony af.
These two mcs are exactly what the other needs. Emerson needs to be brave, and Kieran needs to be patient. They eventually get themselves sorted out, but not before the kink happens. And there's a lot of it.
This was a GREAT read, and I really enjoyed it! Perfect if you're looking for a Daddy book with no age play and exhibitionism!
Pretty Boy by K.M. Neuhold
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
*sighs* I read PRETTY BOY when it came out, and haven't reread it since. So I was more than happy to spend Daddy's Day reading a daddy book.
Sterling lives in a little town in Texas. He's an outcast there for more than just the birthmark on his face. But that's the thing he focuses on. He's shy and timid, spending all his time working at the one bar in town to support himself and his mama. And then a very handsome stranger walks into the bar one night...
Barrett is just traveling through a tiny town on his way to a meeting in Dallas. It's almost like fate made him stop in this little bar - and there he sees Sterling. Who just happens to be everything Barrett ever wanted.
Conversations happen, and Sterling takes a chance - leaving his small town behind and moves to Las Vegas with Barrett.
This is such a sweet, heartwarming story... with spice and daddy kink. Sterling learns he IS worthy of love, and Barrett finally finds the partner he's always wanted.
Sterling really is a sweetheart. He loves reading even though he's "not a good reader," so Barrett reads to him. ***swoon factor one thousand!*** Sterling refuses to be a kept man and gets a job (and friend!) at a little bookstore.
We love a strong, supportive king, and Barrett practically worships the ground Sterling walks on. He doesn't have an easy job with convincing Sterling that his birthmark doesn't bother him. I guess when you personally see what you think is a flaw, the hardest person to accept that it ISN'T a flaw is yourself.
I loved this story.
I loved the dirty talk.
I loved the storytelling.
I loved Sterling's country accent.
I loved the bookmobile.
It's such a good story with great characters. I'm looking forward to rereading Em's book next!
Sterling lives in a little town in Texas. He's an outcast there for more than just the birthmark on his face. But that's the thing he focuses on. He's shy and timid, spending all his time working at the one bar in town to support himself and his mama. And then a very handsome stranger walks into the bar one night...
Barrett is just traveling through a tiny town on his way to a meeting in Dallas. It's almost like fate made him stop in this little bar - and there he sees Sterling. Who just happens to be everything Barrett ever wanted.
Conversations happen, and Sterling takes a chance - leaving his small town behind and moves to Las Vegas with Barrett.
This is such a sweet, heartwarming story... with spice and daddy kink. Sterling learns he IS worthy of love, and Barrett finally finds the partner he's always wanted.
Sterling really is a sweetheart. He loves reading even though he's "not a good reader," so Barrett reads to him. ***swoon factor one thousand!*** Sterling refuses to be a kept man and gets a job (and friend!) at a little bookstore.
We love a strong, supportive king, and Barrett practically worships the ground Sterling walks on. He doesn't have an easy job with convincing Sterling that his birthmark doesn't bother him. I guess when you personally see what you think is a flaw, the hardest person to accept that it ISN'T a flaw is yourself.
I loved this story.
I loved the dirty talk.
I loved the storytelling.
I loved Sterling's country accent.
I loved the bookmobile.
It's such a good story with great characters. I'm looking forward to rereading Em's book next!
Dear Daddy, Please Praise Me by Luna David, Amy Bellows
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
When it's so hot outside that I want to d i e ... of course, the answer is reading a book set around Christmas time.
After reading LET ME IN, my plan is to read all of Luna David's backlog. I decided that since I love the idea around this series, this was the one I'd start, AND I LOVED IT.
This series is a multi author shared universe series around a kink app called Cuff'd. They have a tradition of having a "write to santa" to find your perfect match thing happening. Seriously, this series is great. And this "letters to Santa" thing is what drew our two mcs together.
Sanders is living in chaos. He runs and manages his mom's coffee shop since she can't anymore. He goes to school at night. He goes to visit his mom in the center. He hasn't had sex in three years. The guy is running on empty. He has no self-worth either... I mean, his bestie had to really work to convince him to write to Santa. What Sanders wants is a kind, caring, controlling daddy. One who isn't mean to him and doesn't belittle him. Sanders doesn't see his own worth. He only focuses on his "flaws" and the negative. He wants forehead kisses and footsie under the table.
Briggs is a transplant from Chicago. He was able to retire early *really early*, build his house, and now he's looking for a partner to share his days. He goes to Cuff'd and finds the perfect profile. But now that he's talking to awkward_and_adorable, he feels weird flirting with the barista at the coffee shop.
I LOVED THEM.
It's very You've Got Mail. They were talking to each other the whole time and didn't know. I love the big reveal, too. When they figure it out. The swooning was real.
I love the way Briggs is so reassuring with Sanders. He takes such good care of him, and their dynamic was π₯π₯π₯. Sanders was so cute, and with Leo *the bestie* around, there was always a laugh ready.
This was a CUTE and funny and super sweet Daddy book. No age play. I was so here for them.
This book was great. I might need to reread this series.
After reading LET ME IN, my plan is to read all of Luna David's backlog. I decided that since I love the idea around this series, this was the one I'd start, AND I LOVED IT.
This series is a multi author shared universe series around a kink app called Cuff'd. They have a tradition of having a "write to santa" to find your perfect match thing happening. Seriously, this series is great. And this "letters to Santa" thing is what drew our two mcs together.
Sanders is living in chaos. He runs and manages his mom's coffee shop since she can't anymore. He goes to school at night. He goes to visit his mom in the center. He hasn't had sex in three years. The guy is running on empty. He has no self-worth either... I mean, his bestie had to really work to convince him to write to Santa. What Sanders wants is a kind, caring, controlling daddy. One who isn't mean to him and doesn't belittle him. Sanders doesn't see his own worth. He only focuses on his "flaws" and the negative. He wants forehead kisses and footsie under the table.
Briggs is a transplant from Chicago. He was able to retire early *really early*, build his house, and now he's looking for a partner to share his days. He goes to Cuff'd and finds the perfect profile. But now that he's talking to awkward_and_adorable, he feels weird flirting with the barista at the coffee shop.
I LOVED THEM.
It's very You've Got Mail. They were talking to each other the whole time and didn't know. I love the big reveal, too. When they figure it out. The swooning was real.
I love the way Briggs is so reassuring with Sanders. He takes such good care of him, and their dynamic was π₯π₯π₯. Sanders was so cute, and with Leo *the bestie* around, there was always a laugh ready.
This was a CUTE and funny and super sweet Daddy book. No age play. I was so here for them.
This book was great. I might need to reread this series.
Anyone But Me by J.D. Frost
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Oh. My. God.
If you even care. If you've ever listened to me and read a book because I encouraged you... ADD THIS TO YOUR TBR.
ANYONE BUT ME was an absolutely incredible book. I'm not usually one for "bully romance," but I am so glad I went with my gut and chose to read this book. I think I'm in love with Asher and Oakley.
Classic setup:
Oakley is the new kid. Has been for a year. On the first day of school, he gets singled out by the "IT GUY" on campus. Asher is relentless with the taunts and the attacks.
Asher is the golden boy. Rich, handsome, beloved by all, and the captain of the football team. Oakley is his "plaything" - his toy to push around and belittle.
What Asher doesn't know is that Oakley is being abused by [redacted]. When he finds out, Asher is beyond angry because "no one else is allowed to hurt you."
ANYONE BUT ME is top tier story telling. Asher and Oakley's chemistry is off the charts. The spicy scenes were HOT π₯΅ and their dynamic was interesting.
I liked how the first 60ish percent of the book was Oakley's perspective, and the last 40ish was Asher's.
This book was incredible.
The mcs were amazing.
The romance was π₯π₯π₯π₯
The side characters were great.
The villain was devious to a T.
The story was compelling as hell.
I LOVED this book.
I can't wait to see what @authorjdfrost has waiting for us next. It's sure to be epic, and I'm guaranteed to read it.
ANYONE BUT ME releases July 1st.
It's really a book you don't wanna miss.
I loved it so much.
If you even care. If you've ever listened to me and read a book because I encouraged you... ADD THIS TO YOUR TBR.
ANYONE BUT ME was an absolutely incredible book. I'm not usually one for "bully romance," but I am so glad I went with my gut and chose to read this book. I think I'm in love with Asher and Oakley.
Classic setup:
Oakley is the new kid. Has been for a year. On the first day of school, he gets singled out by the "IT GUY" on campus. Asher is relentless with the taunts and the attacks.
Asher is the golden boy. Rich, handsome, beloved by all, and the captain of the football team. Oakley is his "plaything" - his toy to push around and belittle.
What Asher doesn't know is that Oakley is being abused by [redacted]. When he finds out, Asher is beyond angry because "no one else is allowed to hurt you."
ANYONE BUT ME is top tier story telling. Asher and Oakley's chemistry is off the charts. The spicy scenes were HOT π₯΅ and their dynamic was interesting.
I liked how the first 60ish percent of the book was Oakley's perspective, and the last 40ish was Asher's.
This book was incredible.
The mcs were amazing.
The romance was π₯π₯π₯π₯
The side characters were great.
The villain was devious to a T.
The story was compelling as hell.
I LOVED this book.
I can't wait to see what @authorjdfrost has waiting for us next. It's sure to be epic, and I'm guaranteed to read it.
ANYONE BUT ME releases July 1st.
It's really a book you don't wanna miss.
I loved it so much.
Love, Utley by S.J. Tilly
medium-paced
5.0
*dreamily sighs and stares off into space*
I just finished LOVE, UTLEY, and honestly, SJ Tilly continues to impress.
I couldn't have swooned harder over Maddox if I tried. He was the perfect mix of macho and sweet. And Hannah. She was just the absolute best. This story was so good!
Hannah and Maddox share a night locked in the library in college. But Hannah has to leave school [it's redacted!] but before she leaves, she writes Maddox a letter. Explaining things.
15 years later, Maddox has bought the company Hannah works for - and neither of them knew.
LOVE, UTLEY is the second chance romance dreams are made of. It's second chance. It's *made for each other*. It's *they were the opposite of you*.
Not only was the romance meter tipping, but the spicy scenes were π₯π₯π₯. Maddox is possessive as hell. There was such a desperation to both of them. They were so scared that another 15 years would happen, and they'd be separated again.
These two had such amazing chemistry. I love the idea that even though circumstances kept them apart, they inevitably would be pulled back together.
I was an absolute mess the last 30% of the book. So many big feelings! Although admittedly the story was so compelling, it seemed like the 400 pages just disappeared. I was that absorbed by what Hannah and Maddox were going through.
Tilly set the stage for another great series. I can't wait to see who is next. Waller, if I had to guess.
I wish I could spill all my favorite parts.
But no spoilers!!!
Okay, but let me just say - THE NICKNAME.
Babe and Little Bunny.
Come on. The cuteness factor is off the charts.
In case you were wondering, I ADORED this book.
Love, Utley will be available June 27th.
If you like M/F stories, you definitely need to add to your tbr!
I just finished LOVE, UTLEY, and honestly, SJ Tilly continues to impress.
I couldn't have swooned harder over Maddox if I tried. He was the perfect mix of macho and sweet. And Hannah. She was just the absolute best. This story was so good!
Hannah and Maddox share a night locked in the library in college. But Hannah has to leave school [it's redacted!] but before she leaves, she writes Maddox a letter. Explaining things.
15 years later, Maddox has bought the company Hannah works for - and neither of them knew.
LOVE, UTLEY is the second chance romance dreams are made of. It's second chance. It's *made for each other*. It's *they were the opposite of you*.
Not only was the romance meter tipping, but the spicy scenes were π₯π₯π₯. Maddox is possessive as hell. There was such a desperation to both of them. They were so scared that another 15 years would happen, and they'd be separated again.
These two had such amazing chemistry. I love the idea that even though circumstances kept them apart, they inevitably would be pulled back together.
I was an absolute mess the last 30% of the book. So many big feelings! Although admittedly the story was so compelling, it seemed like the 400 pages just disappeared. I was that absorbed by what Hannah and Maddox were going through.
Tilly set the stage for another great series. I can't wait to see who is next. Waller, if I had to guess.
I wish I could spill all my favorite parts.
But no spoilers!!!
Okay, but let me just say - THE NICKNAME.
Babe and Little Bunny.
Come on. The cuteness factor is off the charts.
In case you were wondering, I ADORED this book.
Love, Utley will be available June 27th.
If you like M/F stories, you definitely need to add to your tbr!
Let Me In by Luna David
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
I absolutely loved this book! At about 25%, I just went ahead and bought it. I knew I'd be rereading again.
Love love loved this book.
If you don't like kinky books, you won't like LET ME IN. If you don't like daddy books, you will hate LET ME IN.
πππππ y'all, I seriously loved this one.
Liam works three jobs to care for his sister, who is about to finish high school. They plan to leave town when she graduates, leaving their alcoholic mother behind. Liam gives and he gives and he gives. All he has ever wanted was a Daddy. Someone to make all the decisions for him, to care for him. But he's spent so long trying to keep himself and his sister alive.
On *the boy's club* app, he gets a message from a boy named Tommy. Tommy is leaving his Daddy Cash and wants to find a new boy "to replace him". Apparently, Tommy and Cash love each other, but they aren't IN love, so they're parting ways.
When Liam decides to take a chance to have what he always wanted, his first meeting with cash doesn't go well. The story quickly progresses, but I don't want to share any details!
I DEVOURED this book.
I loved these two mcs.
This book was πΆπ₯πΆπ₯πΆπ₯πΆπ₯πΆπ₯ seriously spicy. The actual scenes, the dirty talk *omg!* the roleplay. All of it.
Liam and Cash's chemistry and compatibility was off the charts. I could have easily read another four or five hundred pages.
Luna David absolutely KILLED IT with this story, and I can't wait to download Mattie and Jake's story next.
A million out of five stars.
Love love loved this book.
If you don't like kinky books, you won't like LET ME IN. If you don't like daddy books, you will hate LET ME IN.
πππππ y'all, I seriously loved this one.
Liam works three jobs to care for his sister, who is about to finish high school. They plan to leave town when she graduates, leaving their alcoholic mother behind. Liam gives and he gives and he gives. All he has ever wanted was a Daddy. Someone to make all the decisions for him, to care for him. But he's spent so long trying to keep himself and his sister alive.
On *the boy's club* app, he gets a message from a boy named Tommy. Tommy is leaving his Daddy Cash and wants to find a new boy "to replace him". Apparently, Tommy and Cash love each other, but they aren't IN love, so they're parting ways.
When Liam decides to take a chance to have what he always wanted, his first meeting with cash doesn't go well. The story quickly progresses, but I don't want to share any details!
I DEVOURED this book.
I loved these two mcs.
This book was πΆπ₯πΆπ₯πΆπ₯πΆπ₯πΆπ₯ seriously spicy. The actual scenes, the dirty talk *omg!* the roleplay. All of it.
Liam and Cash's chemistry and compatibility was off the charts. I could have easily read another four or five hundred pages.
Luna David absolutely KILLED IT with this story, and I can't wait to download Mattie and Jake's story next.
A million out of five stars.
Batting Style by Louisa Masters
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
5.0
Batting Style is book 3 of the FU 2 series. Louisa Masters really hit it out of the park with this one. ... sorry. I had to do it. But for real, this book was so enjoyable, and I LOVED the characters.
Jordan is legit one of the sweetest mcs I've read in a while. He is so adorably clueless while also being so sweet and big hearted. Jordan is on the baseball team at FU. Through a hilarious situation, he needs to get a new suit for game day, which leads him directly to Blaise.
For the record, Jordan's helplessness is so cute and ridiculous- I can't even.
Blaise is hustling. He has big dreams and is working to the bone to get them. He wants to be a costume designer for TV and movies. He's saving up for an unpaid internship, and through his job, he meets Jordan.
These two are instant fire. A hookup leads to friendship. And then the classic : how long have we actually been dating?
While the mcs were doing their thing, we got to meet both of their friend groups, which is TOTAL FOUND FAMILY vibes. They're all great.
We also get to meet Jordan's family - and OMG - GOALS.
This book was sweet with some spice. Great story. Great mcs. Great everything. I'm sad the story is over now!! I loved how some big questions were asked and big issues were dealt with. I loved how it was all handled.
Batting Style comes out June 24th! Don't miss it!!!
Jordan is legit one of the sweetest mcs I've read in a while. He is so adorably clueless while also being so sweet and big hearted. Jordan is on the baseball team at FU. Through a hilarious situation, he needs to get a new suit for game day, which leads him directly to Blaise.
For the record, Jordan's helplessness is so cute and ridiculous- I can't even.
Blaise is hustling. He has big dreams and is working to the bone to get them. He wants to be a costume designer for TV and movies. He's saving up for an unpaid internship, and through his job, he meets Jordan.
These two are instant fire. A hookup leads to friendship. And then the classic : how long have we actually been dating?
While the mcs were doing their thing, we got to meet both of their friend groups, which is TOTAL FOUND FAMILY vibes. They're all great.
We also get to meet Jordan's family - and OMG - GOALS.
This book was sweet with some spice. Great story. Great mcs. Great everything. I'm sad the story is over now!! I loved how some big questions were asked and big issues were dealt with. I loved how it was all handled.
Batting Style comes out June 24th! Don't miss it!!!
Emery by Cora Rose
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
For shame that I waited so long to read Emery and August's book. For shame.
If you're looking for a well written, funny, and somehow also angsty novel, look no further. Emery has STEPBROTHERS, and adhd rep and ptsd rep and diabetes rep, too.
Emery and August are new stepbrothers that have never quite meshed well because ... things that need explanations happen, and there is no time for explanations. On the way out to a "family vacation," Emery and August end up stranded in a snow storm on the side of the road in a ditch. With no service. Imagine extreme inclement weather with a side roadside forced proximity. Throw in their chemistry and tension...
Can something real be made when one person isn't ready to live openly?
God, y'all. The hype on this one was real, and it lived up to it. Emery broke my heart a hundred times, and by the end, it was put back together.
There was so much I loved about this story. The mcs were π₯π₯π₯π₯ and their chemistry was off the charts. Emery was such a good character, and I loved him so much. August was really trying his best, too.
* You wanted to see me a mess?*
What I loved most, besides this incredible romance, was that Emery was not once inclined to forgive his abuser. So many stories are written where the mc finds healing through forgiveness. Some things don't deserve forgiveness, and you can heal just fine. This little detail added so much realness to Emery, and it only made me love him more.
Don't be dummy and sleep on this story like I did. I read this series out of order, and I think I have a couple more left to read - honestly, I was a serious dumdum waiting so long to get to their story. Emery and August are not to be missed! Trust me!
If you're looking for a well written, funny, and somehow also angsty novel, look no further. Emery has STEPBROTHERS, and adhd rep and ptsd rep and diabetes rep, too.
Emery and August are new stepbrothers that have never quite meshed well because ... things that need explanations happen, and there is no time for explanations. On the way out to a "family vacation," Emery and August end up stranded in a snow storm on the side of the road in a ditch. With no service. Imagine extreme inclement weather with a side roadside forced proximity. Throw in their chemistry and tension...
Can something real be made when one person isn't ready to live openly?
God, y'all. The hype on this one was real, and it lived up to it. Emery broke my heart a hundred times, and by the end, it was put back together.
There was so much I loved about this story. The mcs were π₯π₯π₯π₯ and their chemistry was off the charts. Emery was such a good character, and I loved him so much. August was really trying his best, too.
* You wanted to see me a mess?*
What I loved most, besides this incredible romance, was that Emery was not once inclined to forgive his abuser. So many stories are written where the mc finds healing through forgiveness. Some things don't deserve forgiveness, and you can heal just fine. This little detail added so much realness to Emery, and it only made me love him more.
Don't be dummy and sleep on this story like I did. I read this series out of order, and I think I have a couple more left to read - honestly, I was a serious dumdum waiting so long to get to their story. Emery and August are not to be missed! Trust me!
Off Sides by Andi Jaxon
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
I enjoyed Hidden Scars and Blurred Lines, the previous Darby U books, by Andi Jaxon. However, I LOVED OFF SIDES.
These books are not squishy. They hit some pretty damn serious topics, damaged guys dealing with issues and falling in love. I repeat: not squishy. I'm pretty sure I sobbed the entirety of Hidden Scars. Blurred Lines was funny but so sad, too. And while OFF SIDES was heavy in its own ways, it was *imho* PERFECT.
Joey is the captain of Darby U's hockey team. He's a brother while forced to also be a dad to his siblings while captaining a collegiate hockey team. There's family drama and just too much responsibility all around. He has nowhere he can just let go. At a club, on the hunt for release, he meets Nick.
Nick was a captain of the Darby U football team. His season is over, and he still lives in the dorms. After an electric hookup in a club with Joey, the two begin an intricate dance of hiding, figuring things out, friendship, hooking up, and... so much more.
Joey and Nick become dependent on each other. Obsessed with each other. There's a lot of understandable push and pull for a lot of the book - these two don't know how to trust, no matter how desperately they want to.
Both mcs have baggage. They both have interesting kinks. The chemistry is off the charts. I love a little toxic dependency.
This story was emotional and pretty kinky. I loved Joey and Nick, as characters, in equal measure and found myself really rooting for their happily ever after.
This series isn't light and fluffy. It's gritty with broken but functioning guys who are trying to figure it out. OFF SIDES is definitely my favorite of the trilogy, but I'm a sucker for DADDY books - and the Daddy-ing was Daddy-ing.
OFF SIDES will be available JUNE 20th.
Yes, I have other books I needed to read before this one, but this was a Daddy book, and therefore, it was automatically pushed to the top of the tbr list. I have zero regrets. Zero.
Loved this book. All the feels. And I doubt I'll ever be able to eat a cinnamon roll again. IYKYK.
These books are not squishy. They hit some pretty damn serious topics, damaged guys dealing with issues and falling in love. I repeat: not squishy. I'm pretty sure I sobbed the entirety of Hidden Scars. Blurred Lines was funny but so sad, too. And while OFF SIDES was heavy in its own ways, it was *imho* PERFECT.
Joey is the captain of Darby U's hockey team. He's a brother while forced to also be a dad to his siblings while captaining a collegiate hockey team. There's family drama and just too much responsibility all around. He has nowhere he can just let go. At a club, on the hunt for release, he meets Nick.
Nick was a captain of the Darby U football team. His season is over, and he still lives in the dorms. After an electric hookup in a club with Joey, the two begin an intricate dance of hiding, figuring things out, friendship, hooking up, and... so much more.
Joey and Nick become dependent on each other. Obsessed with each other. There's a lot of understandable push and pull for a lot of the book - these two don't know how to trust, no matter how desperately they want to.
Both mcs have baggage. They both have interesting kinks. The chemistry is off the charts. I love a little toxic dependency.
This story was emotional and pretty kinky. I loved Joey and Nick, as characters, in equal measure and found myself really rooting for their happily ever after.
This series isn't light and fluffy. It's gritty with broken but functioning guys who are trying to figure it out. OFF SIDES is definitely my favorite of the trilogy, but I'm a sucker for DADDY books - and the Daddy-ing was Daddy-ing.
OFF SIDES will be available JUNE 20th.
Yes, I have other books I needed to read before this one, but this was a Daddy book, and therefore, it was automatically pushed to the top of the tbr list. I have zero regrets. Zero.
Loved this book. All the feels. And I doubt I'll ever be able to eat a cinnamon roll again. IYKYK.