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jamieb_19's Reviews (275)
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I’m developing feelings for Justin Morris. Not friendship feelings, not revenge-plot feelings, but actual heart-racing, palm-sweating, completely inappropriate romantic feelings.
What do you do when you come face to face with your high school bully after 10 years, and he walks right past without even recognizing you? Well, if you’re Andrew Yates, you orchestrate an elaborate plan to infiltrate his life to exact a little revenge, hopefully making him feel even a fraction of the embarrassment you did back then. But what do you do when you start spending time with the guy and realize there was a lot more going on under the surface that you never knew about? You start to become friends with him. And what happens when you start to actually fall in love with the guy? Andrew certainly got more than he bargained for when he set out to get revenge against Justin Morris, and now he’s got to figure out how to tell Justin the truth without losing him forever.
“I’m just thinking about how we can believe we understand a situation perfectly, but really, we actually have no idea. Like, two people can exist in the same moment but be living completely different stories.”
I loved this book! It was a great rom-com, a story I could easily see playing out in a movie. The early parts of the story were funny as Andrew devised and executed his revenge plans against Justin. But soon turned sweet as Andrew realized he wasn’t exactly cut out for revenge and ended up helping Justin more than anything. This book was a slow burn, but it worked so well. The friendship Andrew and Justin built was adorable, and I loved seeing them slowly fall for each other. It was a little stressful at times because they were so good together, but there was this whole secret hanging over their relationship, and I was so nervous waiting for the other shoe to drop.
The thing I loved most about the book was the message that you may think you have someone figured out, but oftentimes there are parts to their story that you don’t know, and those parts can completely change your opinion of them. My heart broke for both of them for what they went through in high school. Andrew’s life was hell as a result of the bullying, but Justin’s life outside of school was far from perfect. It doesn’t excuse what Justin did to Andrew back then, but it explains it and makes it possible for Andrew to eventually forgive him. Both men made mistakes - Justin in the past, and Andrew now - but together they were able to work toward forgiveness and growth. It was lovely to see. The ending was so good, including an amazing grand gesture, and the sweetest epilogue. Be sure to download the bonus scene too, the perfect way to cap off this story!
I’ve gone and fallen in love with Justin Morris. It turns out I suck at this revenge thing. Epically.
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Kylan and his two daddies have been a bit of a mystery throughout the first two books, and now we finally get to see what they're all about. It kind of felt like we were dropped into the middle of their story, and in a way, I think we were because these three have already been in their arrangement for some time, so all the feelings and everything were already there when the book starts. Not getting to see how they got to the point they were at kind of made it hard for me to fully connect emotionally to their relationship. Even though it would have taken the timeline back a little from the first two books, it would have been nice to see how they started (vs. just the little recap we were given in the first few chapters).
The dynamic between Leon, Marek, and Kylan was good, however. They all got something they needed from the arrangement, and the spicy scenes were very spicy. This book was angstier than the first two, I thought. And a lot of the angst came when actual feelings entered the equation. It felt a little dramatic and over the top, but I guess these guys just felt everything very deeply.
I enjoyed the scenes between Kylan, Fitch, and Benji, too. And we finally got some closure on the stuff with Benji's dad from the first book. I think that if you're going to read these books, they're best read in order because there are overarching storylines that run throughout.
The dynamic between Leon, Marek, and Kylan was good, however. They all got something they needed from the arrangement, and the spicy scenes were very spicy. This book was angstier than the first two, I thought. And a lot of the angst came when actual feelings entered the equation. It felt a little dramatic and over the top, but I guess these guys just felt everything very deeply.
I enjoyed the scenes between Kylan, Fitch, and Benji, too. And we finally got some closure on the stuff with Benji's dad from the first book. I think that if you're going to read these books, they're best read in order because there are overarching storylines that run throughout.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
He’s confusing… and sad… and lost. I’m fairly certain Rhett Swift is lost.
And for a reason I can’t explain, I want to be there when he finds himself.
This was a beautiful end to the Swift Brothers series. We finally get to know Rhett Swift and see him try to remake himself and be the man and brother he always wanted to be. He was a hard character to get a read on in the first two books, mainly because he was always so standoffish, and every time he interacted with one of his brothers, it resulted in a fight. But we finally get to see all he endured at the hands of his father and the immense pressure placed on his shoulders, and my heart went out to him. His father had damaged him so badly; it was heartbreaking. But him finally being able to live for himself and his desire to repair his relationships with his brothers was wonderful to see.
“I’ve spent my whole life feeling alone in one way or another. With you… I don’t. It doesn’t matter to me that it’s a man making me feel this way. I just want more of it.”
Helping Rhett along his journey are Tripp Cassidy and his daughter, Meadow. They both recognized how lost Rhett was and thought he might need a friend. The slow build of the friendship between Tripp and Rhett was the sweetest. Tripp was a great guy, and I loved how he kept showing up for Rhett, being the kind of friend he needed and being patient while Rhett slowly let down his walls around him. Their progression from friends to lovers felt entirely natural, and the way they were both so open and honest with one another was great to see. A perk of having mature MCs. They made such great partners, and I loved watching them fall in love.
I also adored Rhett’s relationship with Tripp’s daughter. She was wise beyond her years, and the way she and Rhett bonded was beautiful. I loved the advice she gave him and how he opened up to her. The little family that Meadow, Rhett, and Tripp built was so sweet. Rhett finally got to experience what a family should be, and you could see that he would never take that privilege for granted.
“What are you smiling at?”
“You.”
“Us.”
“Yes. Us.”
I have an us, and I never want to lose it.
Probably the most important aspect of this book, though, was seeing all three Swift brothers come together and finally work through a lifetime of hurt and damage their father caused them. I loved all the healing and growth from all three brothers, and it warmed my heart to see how they all ended up. The epilogue was so perfect; it was everything I could have wanted for these guys, and the final few lines brought me to tears. It was the perfect way to end this series.
“I would always choose you. I’ve been waiting for you and didn’t even know it.”
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Being that Andrew was the mastermind behind the Spark of Hope trauma support group, which was the common thread for the series, it makes sense that his book is the one to close it all out. I liked the story but wish it had been a little longer to get further into the emotions of it all. And perhaps making it not quite so easy for Andrew and Miles to get over their animosity toward one another. We were told they hated each other at the start, but they got over it pretty fast.
I did like the whole Evan storyline. I'm not sure how realistic it was; everything just went so smoothly and perfectly, but the sentiment was sweet. I also liked seeing Andrew and Miles build their family. And how they fit into the larger found family of everyone at Ben's gym.
I did like the whole Evan storyline. I'm not sure how realistic it was; everything just went so smoothly and perfectly, but the sentiment was sweet. I also liked seeing Andrew and Miles build their family. And how they fit into the larger found family of everyone at Ben's gym.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I want to be here for him. It feels like the most important thing I’ll ever do.
Oof, this was a bit of a tearjerker! I’m not surprised, though. Given what I knew of Easton from Morgan’s book, I knew this would be an emotional story. All of the Swift brothers have their issues as a result of the things their family has been through, but I think Easton had it worst of all - for a lot of reasons. The biggest one was the loss of his twin sister when they were kids, and he has blamed himself ever since. The only way he knew how to handle the trauma was by acting out or getting into trouble, which further alienated him from everyone else. But underneath the troubled exterior is a broken, lonely man who is starved for love and connection. Thank goodness for the day Archer Thorn walked into his life. He made it his mission to be the one person Easton could count on no matter what. Archer helped Easton see that he did have people in his corner and made Easton feel, for the first time in his life, like maybe he was worth fighting for.
"There’s a lot to like about you, Easton Swift, and I don’t plan to stop telling you until you believe it.”
And I don’t want him to. Holy fuck, I don’t want him to stop, and I can’t figure out how to make sense of that.
God, Easton broke my heart. Between losing his sister the way he did and then the way his awful father treated him his whole life, he felt like everyone was better off without him and worked hard to alienate himself from others. But it was clear from the first time Archer fell into his life that he was actually starved for affection. I loved all the little ways he kept letting Archer in and seeing them slowly fall for one another. Easton couldn’t believe Archer would want anything to do with him, but he wanted it to be true so badly. And Archer kept showing up and proving himself to Easton until he finally believed it. It wasn’t an easy road, not when you have the amount of trauma Easton had. But seeing him want to get better and make steps toward that was just beautiful. His journey brought me to tears a few times throughout the book.
I also loved seeing the three Swift brothers keep making strides toward repairing their relationship. A lot of progress was made to that end in this book. Their father did so much damage to them and I love seeing them finally work through that and moving forward together.
Archer can’t fix me, but for the first time in my life, I’m wondering if I can fix myself, want to find a way to do it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Child death, Emotional abuse
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
“I might not deserve you, but I sure as hell am thankful for you. Every day. Even while I was gone, Dust.”
Childhood best friends-to-lovers with a heap of family drama mixed in is how I would describe this book in one sentence. Morgan Swift and Dusty James were best friends growing up. Amid all the turmoil and tragedy in Morgan’s family, Dusty was the one person he could count on. Being with Dusty was the only place Morgan knew peace. But a misunderstanding drove Morgan out of town, and they hadn’t spoken in the ten years since. When Morgan returns to Birchbark after his estranged father has a stroke, he’s reunited with Dusty and realizes he needs to set things right between them. The fact that Morgan lives across the country and his family is still a hot mess makes that task challenging, however.
“I don’t deserve you.” He drops his forehead to mine. “I’m not a good man. Not really, but I want to be for you.”
“You are a good man… and I don’t need you to be anything other than mine.”
It was unfortunate that such a simple misunderstanding kept Morgan and Dusty apart for a decade. I thought that they reconciled awfully fast once Morgan returned home. Dusty was basically perfect and was unwavering in his support and love for Morgan, despite being left behind how he was. But even though Dusty forgave him easily, I was glad they found their way back because it was clear they were meant for one another. They were sweet together and had sizzling chemistry.
Alongside Morgan and Dusty reconnecting, Morgan was dealing with the mess his family had become. To say his relationship with his father and his brothers was complicated would be a massive understatement. They had to overcome unthinkable tragedy, compounded by the fact that their father was an awful man, and it’s left them all very broken. I liked how Dusty was kind of a mediator for all the Swift brothers; he really was a great guy. There was a bit of a turning point for the Swift brothers at the end of this book, but I think it’s going to take all 3 books for them to truly repair their relationship. I’m confident they’ll get there!
“...it’s always been you for me, and it always will be. I never even tried to stop loving you because I know I can’t and don’t want to.”
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I thought Felix and Henry were sweet together. Felix likes to help people, and when Henry turned up at the gym with his daughter in need of help, Felix made it his mission to do that. Even if Henry wasn't very receptive to it at first. But Felix worked his way in and earned Henry's trust, and the way they came together (with all the other characters we've met over the series) to help with Henry's daughter, Hazel, was very sweet.
I didn't love how the subject of Hazel's mom was handled. A few aspects of that kind of gave me the ick. But outside of that, I think I liked this one best out of the series so far, in terms of the main characters and the single dad bit.
For the first two books, I felt like the narrators were miscast (they should have swapped), but book 3 worked for me, and I thought they gave the correct role to the correct narrator this time, too.
I didn't love how the subject of Hazel's mom was handled. A few aspects of that kind of gave me the ick. But outside of that, I think I liked this one best out of the series so far, in terms of the main characters and the single dad bit.
For the first two books, I felt like the narrators were miscast (they should have swapped), but book 3 worked for me, and I thought they gave the correct role to the correct narrator this time, too.
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
We went from being inseparable to becoming strangers, and sometimes you don’t truly know the significance of that loss until they’re standing right in front of you again. Like a mirage of someone you once knew.
It’s good to be back in the Chicago Thunder universe and I think this one may be my new favorite. Second chance love stories don’t always hit for me but I thought this one was done quite well. Even without the use of flashbacks, the connection Jackson and Hayden shared all those years ago shone through and I was very invested in them finding their way back together.
Hayden was a classic case of not judging a book by its cover. In any previous appearance, he was always the outgoing, charming one. But in this book, we learn the darkness he’s been wading through for several years now and that his carefree exterior was just a facade. I thought this aspect of the story was handled with great care and managed to address a serious topic properly without making the book feel too heavy. My heart went out to Hayden; he worked so hard to get where he was, but sometimes his brain still played nasty tricks on him. I was glad, once he reconnected with Jackson, that he finally had someone else in his corner to help him through it.
"If it isn’t obvious already, I’m kind of a mess for you, Jackson. I always have been.”
I’m also a total sucker for single dad romances and this one was full of all the things I love about the trope. Jackson was a great dad; he was overwhelmed and doing his best to keep it all together, but there was no doubt he loved his kids more than anything. And seeing Hayden re-enter his life and fall in love with Jackson’s kids, too, really warmed my heart.
Their reconciliation happened fairly early on, but they still had to work through some things before they could fully move forward. I thought the pace at which they redeveloped their relationship was perfect. It was a bit of a slow burn and was more about the emotional intimacy and reconnecting in a deeper way than it was about just jumping back into bed together. Once I got through the little patch of angst toward the end, the last few chapters were the absolute sweetest, and I finished with happy tears in my eyes.
And seeing all my favorite guys from the series and having lots of fun moments with the larger group was icing on the cake!
“I won’t fail you a second time, Jackson,” I whisper, carding my fingers through his hair. “I swear to you, I’ll be loving you every day for the rest of my life.”
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
“You made me feel… good, right? You made me feel like a man. I mean, I am a man. But sometimes my masculinity is still pretty fragile.”
Aww, Ben and Sid were so sweet together! From their flirting and getting to know each other through texts to Ben being brave enough to accept Sid's offer of a date. To the way Sid accepted and respected Ben once he learned Ben was trans. It was all so lovely.
This was the only book I've read in this series (so far), but once I got all the other characters straight in my head, I had no trouble jumping into the series at this point. I'm interested in going back to read about the other housemates, though, because I enjoyed all the characters I met.
I loved having both Ben's and Sid's points of view here because it was interesting to see how both sides dealt with starting a relationship in uncharted territory like this. For Ben, it was the first time he's putting himself out there after transitioning and naturally had a lot of nerves about it. For Sid, it was the first time he was involved with a trans man. They both had things to learn, but I loved the communication and how they learned together. Sid did his best to create a safe space for Ben to be himself and to explore being with a man as a trans man.
My heart hurt for Ben when his dysphoria and internalized transphobia surfaced. I thought the author did a great job of portraying those struggles, and it was eye-opening as a cis person reading it. And then, I loved seeing Ben take pride in the parts of himself he loved and accepted. It was a balance for him, and I loved that Sid left no room for doubt that he saw Ben as a man and that he was attracted to him exactly how he was.
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I can’t deny that having Connor Kikishkin’s career in my hands holds a certain appeal.
If you had told me while I was reading Forbidden Puckboy that I would end up completely in love with Connor Kikishkin, I wouldn’t have believed you. He was a hard character to like for much of that book, but there was a bit of a reckoning that made me sympathetic toward him by the end and gave me hope that he was redeemable. Well, now, having read his book, I can confidently say that he’s now one of my favorite Puckboys! His redemption arc in this book was executed so well, and he and Parker ended up being the cutest things together. I really loved this book.
Now that Connor is finally able to focus on himself, he realizes that he doesn’t really know himself at all. He’s having a bit of an existential crisis. A crisis that’s not helped by the fact that Parker Duchene, someone who Connor wasn’t exactly nice to in high school, just bought his team. These guys obviously had a rocky start, given their past, and Connor had to hit a pretty low point before he truly saw the damage his past actions caused. But once he finally owned it, I thought the evolution of his and Parker’s relationship felt so natural. Connor was so lost, and Parker was so lonely, but they started a really sweet friendship that blossomed into more as Connor made even more realizations about who he really was.
And when he turns to me with soft eyes that remind me of that boy back in the halls of high school, something in my gut flutters again. Only this time, I know for sure it isn’t hatred. Or being hungover.
I have no clue what it actually is, but I know that I like it.
They were so sweet together. I was giddy during most of the middle portion of the book. I loved the communication between them. They understood and accepted each other on a level that most people didn’t. I loved how open Connor was to exploring this new side of his sexuality. The journey was equal parts adorable and very steamy (Connor’s possessive side when it was focused on Parker? Yes, please!). They had great chemistry together.
I really cannot overstate how much I appreciated Connor’s redemption arc. He had to face some difficult truths, but he did, and he made some tough decisions to finally live his life on his own terms. I loved how Parker was there to support him but also didn’t let him off the hook too easily for what transpired between them back in high school. I just thought the whole thing was done well. I didn’t expect the direction things ended up taking, but I loved how it all turned out.
I also loved the Queer Collective cameos and meeting one of the new characters that’ll be in the next book! This series is one of my favorites, and Connor and Parker have earned a spot near the top of my all-time favorites in the series!
Connor Kikishkin finally sees me, and more importantly, I see him. The real him and not some fantasy dream man who I had built up in my head.
The reality is better anyway.