I got this from Netgalley a couple of days ago and started reading it yesterday morning and was able to finish it by midnight. This book just sucked me in from the very beginning. I totally devoured it. I seriously could not put it down, and I just had to finish it right away!
He Gets That FromMe has two storylines that weave in and out of the narrative: One is with Maggie Fischer, a young mother who helped out a gay couple as a surrogate in order to afford to go to college, and the other one are the Rigdales, the gay couple who are trying to build a family of their own. But nothing in life is black and white as ten years after the twins were born, the Rigdales and Maggie found out a shocking revelation about one of the twins.
This book just holds the readers’ attention from start to finish because of its well-conceived and deftly drawn characters. It was told through a dual POV — Maggie Fischer and Donovan Rigsdale, and I loved that their voices are so authentic, so vivid that it feels like I personally know them. Even though I couldn’t fully relate with Maggie, I could feel her pain and her anger towards her life and her situation. With Donovan, maybe I am biased because I am a gay man myself, but I feel like I could resonate with him more and that I understood more where he’s coming from. It’s really the emotional complexity and intensity of their situation that really pulled me in.
The writing puts me inside these characters so that I know them and feel them because Friedland wonderfully captures a little of the essence of that humanity in these situations they found themselves in. It navigates two families’ responses to such unintentional incidents along with the resolution that each party could think of in order to resolve it. It wasn’t very pretty that I could tell you, but there is much to be gleaned from it. It’s absolutely engaging with a brilliant structure too!
After finishing it, I sat back and reflected on what its central message was: what family truly means, how far you will go for your child, and that love (this is cheesy) will always lead that way no matter what.
I’d definitely recommend this book. It is heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. There is so much to this book that a short review does not do any justice. I just have to say that this is by far the best book I’ve read so far this year – an absolute must-read!
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
An advance review copy was provided by the publisher, SparkPress via Netgalley for an impartial and honest review.
Paperback, 256 pages Date of Publication: September 14th 2021 by SparkPress Pre-order your copy below:
About the Author Jacqueline Friedland is the author of award-winning novels Trouble the Water and That’s Not a Thing. A graduate of The University of Pennsylvania and NYU Law School, she practiced as an attorney before returning to school to receive her MFA from Sarah Lawrence College. She lives in New York with her husband and four children. For contact info, tour dates, and book clubs please visit http://www.jacquelinefriedland.com and Instagram @jackiefriedland
What a fantastic epilogue (?) of the series! It felt like just yesterday when I’d read its first book, Once Upon a Haunted Moor. In this last volume of the ’10th’ book, we get to see yet again the slew of characters we’ve met and fallen in love with since the series’ was released in 2013.
I was trying to read this slowly and in between other books on my TBRlist, but because of the build-up of the events from the last volume, I was also dying to know how they will ever find themselves into the present– into their reality. Who will be the hero this time when both Lee and Gideon are powerless to control this alternate reality they were thrown into. It was just very fascinating how the author was able to intricately connects everything, each character in such powerful scenes that will make you sob and sigh with relief at the same time.
This volume three wraps up the series very nicely, with all the feels that only the likes of Harper Fox could so eloquently conveyed. I’m still hoping that we’ll get more of Gideon and Lee, even a little novella here and there, because this series, for me, is one of the most beautiful works I’ve read from this genre. It’s definitely worth your dime and worth your time.
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Kindle Edition, 245 pages Published May 2nd 2021 by FoxTales
Do check out my review of each book in the series below:
About The Author Harper Fox is an M/M author with a mission. She’s produced six critically acclaimed novels in a year and is trying to dispel rumours that she has a clone/twin sister locked away in a study in her basement. In fact she simply continues working on what she loves best– creating worlds and stories for the huge cast of lovely gay men queuing up inside her head. She lives in rural Northumberland in northern England and does most of her writing at a pensioned-off kitchen table in her back garden, often with blanket and hot water bottle.
She lives with her SO Jane, who has somehow put up with her for a quarter of a century now, and three enigmatic cats, chief among whom is Lucy, who knows the secret of the universe but isn’t letting on. When not writing, she either despairs or makes bread, specialities foccacia and her amazing seven-strand challah. If she has any other skills, she’s yet to discover them.
Please also note that this blog is reader-supported. When you buy through links on my site, I may earn an affiliate commission.
First, let me just tell you that I devoured this book in one sitting after receiving a copy yesterday. It’s that engaging and I was pleasantly surprised to find out that this is also the debut work of the author! Yay!
This story is basically the gay Notting Hill, and who doesn’t love Notting Hill? I mean, tell me, who doesn’t love Notting Hill??! Right? We got the hipster, anti-social, struggling bookstore owner Aubrey Barnes meeting a C-list American actor Blake Sinclair who’s filming in Soho, and we have a crew of crazy and chaotic side characters!
I loved the series of meet-cute between Aubrey and Blake. There was immediate chemistry between them. The first half of the story was quite engaging and with the right pacing as well. It was told through Aubrey’s perspective only, and I really liked his dry sense of humor, his banter with his friends, and just the way he interacts with Blake. It was just adorable.
Aside from our main characters, I really enjoyed Lily, who’s apparently Aubrey’s best friend and confidante. She’s just very interesting and mysterious at the same time. I’d definitely read a book about her if there’s one in the future.
If I were to nitpick the story, I’d say the scene at the tube station didn’t quite work for me. I won’ spoil it, but the setting of this book is very Gen-Z, right? We have social media, and almost everybody has cellphones, so it’s weird that Blake didn’t even think about the repercussions of his gesture and the way he reacted after it came out; I’m like – surely, he knew that this would come out. Also, the grand romantic gesture of Aubrey flying to New York was a bit cliché, but I love cliché, so that was okay. After that, the whole thing felt just a wee bit rushed. It’s still very much enjoyable, but I wished we’ve gotten more before the time skip in the epilogue.
Overall, this was a very feel-good romance. It has solid characters, the story was very engaging, and it has a happy ending, so I’m one happy bookworm!
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Expected publication: August 9th 2021 by Entangled Embrace
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Pre-order your copy on the link below:
About Hayden Stone More animal than mineral, Hayden Stone is a writer of queer fiction, especially with kissing. He currently lives in Victoria, Canada, and has previously lived in Vancouver, Canada and London, UK. He knows which is the business end of a trowel, the horror of the wrong kind of leaves on the track delaying trains, and a bit about ancient ruins. Hayden likes strong coffee and is owned by two cats.
This is the second out of the three volumes of the tenth Tyack & Frayne story. If you’ve not been following the series religiously, you have got to stop reading this volume now because it won’t make sense. You really have to start from the very first book.
I thought this second book was quite interesting. Due to the events from the last volume, Lee and Gideon found themselves in London, albeit not together and living their individual lives in a pandemic, post-Brexit London that is. The whole thing was just disorienting. There was like this magic casted into their universe that resulted to major changes in their lives. It was interesting witnessing the what-ifs and what could’ve been but also a bit confusing because of the intersecting timelines of each character, not just for Lee and Gideon but old characters from the earlier books – it made Inception way easier to decipher.
Here, we get more insights about Gideon’s character being a ‘beast,’ we see Lee’s life pre-Gideon and without Gideon. It’s basically an alternate reality but we also get some answers to some questions, particularly about Gideon as mentioned above.
The first volume ended with a cliffhanger and this one did too, so I think I made the right choice of waiting for the third and final volume to be released. This may not be as engaging as the previous books in the series, but I liked that it’s different and very on-brand and consistent with the tone of the series. The whole paranormal stuff just gotten way over the top and I live for it!
I’d of course recommend this to the followers of the series but please be reminded that you’ve to get the rest of the volumes first!
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Kindle Edition, 164 pages Published August 15th 2020 by FoxTales Publications
About The Author Harper Fox is an M/M author with a mission. She’s produced six critically acclaimed novels in a year and is trying to dispel rumours that she has a clone/twin sister locked away in a study in her basement. In fact she simply continues working on what she loves best– creating worlds and stories for the huge cast of lovely gay men queuing up inside her head. She lives in rural Northumberland in northern England and does most of her writing at a pensioned-off kitchen table in her back garden, often with blanket and hot water bottle.
She lives with her SO Jane, who has somehow put up with her for a quarter of a century now, and three enigmatic cats, chief among whom is Lucy, who knows the secret of the universe but isn’t letting on. When not writing, she either despairs or makes bread, specialities foccacia and her amazing seven-strand challah. If she has any other skills, she’s yet to discover them.
Please also note that this blog is reader-supported. When you buy through links on my site, I may earn an affiliate commission.
Young aspiring writer Ginny Anderson and her family are moving into the mysterious Woodmoor Manor to spend the summer. Having recently found out about Agatha Christie, her curiosity towards the mystery surrounding the spooky manor was piqued even more. There, she discover moving mannequins, heard whispers in the dark, and saw weird shadows, among other things, suspecting that she’s the only one noticing these. She also befriended a boy in town named Will to help her investigate and try to solve these mysteries.
This was a very fun book to read. The characters are well-developed, and all are very likable too. I particularly loved the dynamics between Ginny and her older brother Leo. As for the mystery part of the book, I thought it was well-paced within the story. I loved that there’s this creepy atmosphere about the place and even its people. There was no gore in the book since it’s intended for the middle grade, but the author is still very effective in setting the mood here.
If there’s one criticism I have for the book, it’s probably its ending. It just felt anticlimactic for me. I mean, it was happy and all, but I would’ve pushed a bit, and expanded it a bit more. Overall, as a middle-grade novel, it’s absolutely a fantastic read – there’s mystery, great characters, fun and adventures, and just a feel-good ending. It’s easily one of the most enjoyable books I’ve read so far this year.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Paperback, 320 pages Expected publication: September 14th 2021
An advance review copy was provided by the publisher, SOURCEBOOKS Kids via Netgalley for an impartial review.
Pre-order your copy below:
About the Author Lindsay Currie is the author of spooky middle grade novels. While she’s never experienced anything truly paranormal, Lindsay enjoys researching her city’s forgotten history and learning about the events that shaped the many ghost legends in Chicago. When she’s not reading or writing a mystery novel of her own, Lindsay can generally be found taking long walks with her family, chilling with one of her three dogs, or searching the graveyard for her next antagonist.
Lindsay has two middle-grade novels out currently – THE PECULIAR INCIDENT ON SHADY STREET, and SCRITCH SCRATCH. Coming soon, WHAT LIVES IN THE WOODS!
My review for the ninth book of the series, Once Upon A Western Shore was posted last May of 2018 and I initially thought that was it for Lee and Gideon but since the series is all about the supernatural stuff, I knew that there’ll probably be more from them down the road, and readers of the series would be glad to know that not only will they be getting one additional book, but three volumes of a very long storyline altogether! I’ve actually had to wait for the last one to drop earlier this year before starting the first volume.
What I loved most about this series is how the author depicted Cornwall with its atmospheric, magical and sometimes dark background to a slew of characters that readers like yours truly came to love since the first book. Harper Fox is a genius when it comes to this. She knows how to properly set the mood of the story and this is consistent all throughout the series.
In this first volume, we see the surface of what’s about to unfold in the future for our beloved couple, Gideon and Lee. The normalcy of their domestic life together with their daughter Tamsyn almost feels like a prelude for the sh!t that is about to go down and I’ve just realized that this is literally what this volume is about. There were warning signs already and I’ve to tell you, the last few books in the series I’ve to read them at daytime because I remember having a nightmare about Bodmin haha, it was so bizarre and it scared the hell out of me. I got the same feeling for this first volume, this creepy feeling about it. I mean, that’s good and all, because it shows just how good Harper Fox is n keeping up with the whole vibe of the story.
If you’ve been following this series, you’d absolutely loved this like I did. If you haven’t heard about it, you’d have 12 books to read through and I’d guarantee that you won’t be regretting it. This is another solid five stars for me.
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Kindle Edition, 230 pages Published April 25th 2020 by FoxTales Publications
About The Author Harper Fox is an M/M author with a mission. She’s produced six critically acclaimed novels in a year and is trying to dispel rumours that she has a clone/twin sister locked away in a study in her basement. In fact she simply continues working on what she loves best– creating worlds and stories for the huge cast of lovely gay men queuing up inside her head. She lives in rural Northumberland in northern England and does most of her writing at a pensioned-off kitchen table in her back garden, often with blanket and hot water bottle.
She lives with her SO Jane, who has somehow put up with her for a quarter of a century now, and three enigmatic cats, chief among whom is Lucy, who knows the secret of the universe but isn’t letting on. When not writing, she either despairs or makes bread, specialities foccacia and her amazing seven-strand challah. If she has any other skills, she’s yet to discover them.
Please also note that this blog is reader-supported. When you buy through links on my site, I may earn an affiliate commission.
I’ve recently received a copy of this as a gift, and I wasn’t expecting much from it. I am not that familiar with Patterson’s style. However, I’ve read his Women’s Murder Clubseries and a couple (I think) from his Alex Cross, ages ago and I seem to remember generally liking his writing. And with President Bill Clinton as a collaborator, I thought this would be an interesting read given the premise of the book.
I do find the beginning of the book a bit slow and unexciting. I thought there are just too many details that won’t affect the plot without being too verbose. The title, by the way, was a catchy one. I mean, it’s the ‘President trying to save the US’ premise but with twists and turns that was quite compelling.
I find the President’s characterization a bit too much, If I’m honest. He is a former marine and a prisoner of war in Iraq who has lost his wife to cancer and has a blood disease too! I mean, the dude just couldn’t get a break in life. But hey, he’s the President, and it’s his responsibility to stop a virus from destroying the country!
Over time, I find myself not wanting to put it down! Hah! It’s admittedly quite engaging because it’s the state of affairs in the US and the entire world nowadays. Everything is online, and cyberterrorism is a critical issue facing particularly powerful nations such as the US.
I think it’s interesting to see a scenario like this and see what the President would do in such a situation, and with Bill Clinton at the helm of this story, it makes it more believable. We get insights into what a ‘good’ president / or good people in the government are willing to do for the common welfare of the country.
Overall, I thought it was enjoyable. I find the poignancy of the message from the President at the end quite touching, although it could get a bit preachy too, but hey, this is politics at the end of the day. I’d recommend this for people looking to read an excellent political thriller!
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Kindle Edition, 513 pages Published June 4th 2018 by Little, Brown and Company and Knopf
About The Authors James Patterson is one of the best-known and biggest-selling writers of all time. His books have sold in excess of 375 million copies worldwide. He is the author of some of the most popular series of the past two decades – the Alex Cross, Women’s Murder Club, Detective Michael Bennett and Private novels – and he has written many other number one bestsellers including romance novels and stand-alone thrillers.
James is passionate about encouraging children to read. Inspired by his own son who was a reluctant reader, he also writes a range of books for young readers including the Middle School, I Funny, Treasure Hunters, Dog Diaries and Max Einstein series. James has donated millions in grants to independent bookshops and has been the most borrowed author of adult fiction in UK libraries for the past eleven years in a row. He lives in Florida with his wife and son.
William Jefferson Clinton was the 42nd president of the United States. After leaving the White House, President Clinton established the William J. Clinton Foundation with the mission to strengthen the capacity of people in the United States and throughout the world to meet the challenges of global interdependence. His Clinton Global Initiative brings together global leaders to devise and implement innovative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing issues. He served as the UN Envoy for Tsunami Recovery and is now the UN Special Envoy to Haiti.
Please also note that this blog is reader-supported. When you buy through links on my site, I may earn an affiliate commission.
Since it’s my birthday month, I thought I’d share with you guys some of the books I’m looking forward to get a hold of this month. Without further ado, here’s are my top picks in no particular order!
Sleight of Hand (The Kings: Wild Cards, #3) by Charlie Cochet
Blurb: Former Special Forces Green Beret, Sacha “Joker” Wilder, is well-versed on the subject of demolitions. As a silent partner of Four Kings Security, Joker spends his days working alongside his brothers-in-arms and his best boy, Chip—a bomb-sniffing Belgian Malinois with sass. Years of military and private security experience have prepared Joker for almost anything, except the explosive attraction between him and Giovanni Galanos.
When Gio returns from his travels abroad, everyone is charmed by the handsome billionaire philanthropist, but in Joker’s experience, anyone who’s too good to be true usually is. Gio is hiding something, but the more time Joker spends around Gio, the more his walls start crumbling, leaving him exposed and at risk of losing his heart, something he swore he would never do. Love is for suckers, and that’s not him.
For years Gio has dedicated his life to his charity work, helping people around the globe, but when things go horribly wrong during one particular trip, Gio decides it’s time to come home for good. The desire for family, and a certain ex-Green Beret with a chip on his shoulder, has Gio eager to restart his life Stateside. For all of Sacha’s blustering and griping, no one makes Gio feel safer. If only Sacha could see how right they are for each other.
Danger lurks in the shadows as someone sets their sights on Gio, and secrets are forced into the light. If Gio and Joker are to have any kind of future together, they’ll have to face difficult truths, because where love is concerned, it’ll take more than sleight of hand to make things work.
The Kings: Wild Cards series is a spin-off of the Four Kings Security series.
Love Springs Eternal (The Beacon Hill Sorcerer #5) by S.J. Himes
Blurb: Apprenticed to the infamous Necromancer of Boston, Daniel Macavoy has seen a lot of upheaval in his life since that fateful day. Rescued from an abusive father and the monster he was once enslaved by, Daniel has struggled with every trauma that scarred his heart and mind.
Yet with the love and support of his found family, Daniel has become stronger than he ever imagined. A capable sorcerer, he’s been entrusted with the ancestral family seat of the Salvatores, the legendary site of the Massacre, the culmination of the centuries long Blood Wars between the Salvatores and the Macavoys. The huge mansion is a testament to old school magic, high sorcery, and comes with a history almost as impressive as the enigmatic fae warrior who calls the gardens home.
Rory Brennan is immortal. A member of the nearly extinct High Court Sidhe, Rory remembers when humans climbed down from trees and learned to stand upright. His long life has been spent hand in hand with his identical twin, Cian, who happens to be locked in prison, sentenced to a thousand years for heinous crimes committed while Rory slept for centuries in stasis, hovering at the edge of death. Rory wakes to a modern world after his resurrection at the hands of the Necromancer of Boston, only to lose Cian to a mortal prison.
Once worshipped as a god, Rory Brennan is learning what it means to exist in a modern mortal world. Rory finds that for the very first time, true love has found its way into his immortal heart.
Daniel and Rory grow closer, love springing to life in the narrowing space between them. Daniel has concerns about Cian, the serial killer twin brother of the man he loves, and the repeated attempts of strangers trying to break into the Mansion. He’s got no idea what these strangers are after, and Rory is certain that Cian is in ever-growing danger locked up in Blackguard Prison.
With the danger increasing from all sides, Daniel and Rory struggle to balance surviving with falling in love. A dragon with a growth spurt isn’t helping matters, and his mentor’s watchful eye makes things both more awkward and potentially lethal.
LOVE SPRINGS ETERNAL is the fifth book in the bestselling Beacon Hill Sorcerer series and should not be read as a standalone.
Out of Character (True Colors #2) by Annabeth Albert
It’s friends-to-enemies-to-friends-to-lovers in this LGBTQIA+ Romance for fans of Red, White & Royal Blue and The Pros of Cons who enjoy:
• Ex-best-friends falling in love • Gaming, conventions, fandom & cosplay • Nerd culture at its finest • Learning how to be true to yourself
Jasper Quigley is tired of being everyone’s favorite sidekick. He wants to become the hero of his own life, but that’s not going to happen if he agrees to help out his former best friend turned king of the jocks, Milo Lionetti. High school was miserable enough, thanks, and Jasper has no interest in dredging up painful memories of his old secret crush.
But Milo’s got nowhere else to go. His life is spiraling out of control and he’s looking to turn things back around. Step one? Replace the rare Odyssey cards he lost in an idiotic bet. Step two? Tell his ex-best-friend exactly how he feels—how he’s always felt.
Jasper may be reluctant to reopen old wounds, but he never could resist Milo. There’s a catch, though: if Milo wants his help, he’s going to have to pitch in to make the upcoming children’s hospital charity ball the best ever. But as the two don cosplay for the kids and hunt for rare cards, nostalgia for their lost friendship may turn into something even more lasting…
Wildfire by Toni Draper
Blurb: After a difficult breakup, a wildland firefighter and university professor have parted ways, but neither has moved on. When a life threatening accident reunites them, can a love that once burned so bright be rekindled?
The Mastermind by Amy Lane
Blurb: Once upon a time in Rome, Felix Salinger got caught picking his first pocket and Danny Mitchell saved his bacon. The two of them were inseparable… until they weren’t. Twenty years later Danny returns to Chicago, the city he shared with Felix and their perfect, secret family, to save him again. Felix’s news network—the business that broke them apart—is under fire from an unscrupulous employee pointing the finger at Felix. An official investigation could topple their house of cards. The only way to prove Felix is innocent is to pull off their biggest con yet. But though Felix still has the gift of grift, his reunion with Danny is bittersweet. Their ten-year separation left holes in their hearts that no amount of stolen property can fill.
Body at Buccaneer’s Bay (Secrets and Scrabble, #5) by Josh Lanyon
Blurb: Dead Men Tell No Tales
Mystery Bookshop owner Ellery Page and Police Chief Jack Carson are diving for the legendary sunken pirate galleon Blood Red Rose when they discover an old fashioned diver’s suit, water-damaged and encrusted with barnacles. Further examination reveals the 19th Century suit contains a 21st Century body.
Who is the mysterious diver? No one seems to be missing from the quaint and cozy town of Pirate’s Cove. Was hereally diving for pirate’s gold? And if not, what exactly did he do to earn that bullet hole in his skull?
The End Zone (Atlanta Lightning, #2) by Riley Hart
Jeremy Seeing my best friend West, happy with his fiancé opened my eyes to things I’ve been missing in my own marriage. My divorce, which was amicable, followed. Strangely, at West’s wedding, I find myself confiding in Darren, the straight, confirmed bachelor and star quarterback of the Atlanta Lightning. Darren is a full-steam-ahead kind of guy, and one talk leads to hanging out, swapping phone numbers, and pranking West and Anson while they’re on their honeymoon. When I head back to California, I expect our chats to end, but I couldn’t be more wrong.
Darren I still can’t say how it happened, how a random decision to strike up a conversation with Jeremy turned into…whatever this is. All I know is, months later, my days aren’t complete until we tell each other good night. Whether it’s on our calls or when he flies to Atlanta, we talk about everything, lying awake together half the night. Jeremy’s got me feeling…different. If it was just my newly discovered bisexuality, that’d be one thing. I’m not one to stress about being into a man for the first time. It’s the other stuff, the way he makes my pulse race and my heart swell, that’s throwing me for a loop.
I didn’t think I was made for relationships, thought something inside me was broken, but I want it all with him. Except, it feels like as soon as we make it past one obstacle, there’s an even bigger one waiting for us. We just have to keep our heads in the game and our eyes on the prize, to make it to the end zone, before one last tackle takes us down for good.
There’s actually a lot of releases this month, but they’re mostly part of a series which I have not read or didn’t like that much so here are my current list now!
This was a cute little read. There’s this cute world building, almost like a cutesy version of Once Upon A Time but where there is a fairy tale world and the real life merging. Did I say cute? lol Okay, so it’s just over a hundred pages, with Owin, an ocelot shifter and his assigned bodyguard Grimm, a wolf-shifter exchanging banter all throughout the story.
At first, I was just annoyed with Owin’s acting like a little diva towards Grimm every now and then but I appreciate his growth over the course of his whole ‘quest’ – something that he needs to fulfill to show his worth as one of the crowned Princes of this Shifter World led by the naughty king of all shifters, Alarick.
What I loved most about the story is that it’s cute and quick. Initially Owin and Grimm’s banter felt a bit too much but since everything feels like happening simultaneously, there’s no room to overthink it. It isn’t as memorable as the other stories and characters from the author but I guess, not everything is on THIRDSlevel.
I do love the epilogue though. It was sweet and funny. I’d still recommend this one for some light and fun reading and I’d most likely be reading the next story in the series.
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Kindle Edition, 154 pages Published September 19th 2019
About the Author Charlie Cochet is the international bestselling author of the THIRDS series. Born in Cuba and raised in the US, Charlie enjoys the best of both worlds, from her daily Cuban latte to her passion for classic rock.
Currently residing in Central Florida, Charlie is at the beck and call of a rascally Doxiepoo bent on world domination. When she isn’t writing, she can usually be found devouring a book, releasing her creativity through art, or binge watching a new TV series. She runs on coffee, thrives on music, and loves to hear from readers.
Please also note that this blog is reader-supported. When you buy through links on my site, I may earn an affiliate commission.
Okay, so let me tell you first that I love me some fake boyfriend trope, and if there’s one author who could deliver it for me, it’s going to be Alexa Land. Her Tinder Chronicles is probably one of the best in the genre, and her First and Forever series is such a comfort read for me. Pretenders is no different. This is classic Alexa Land.
Wes needed someone to go to the wedding of his ex-boyfriend who’s marrying his big brother *gasp* I know! I’m like –why would you do that to yourself? Anyway, so he decided to hire an escort to play the part. Then comes Ash, who’s not an escort but is the escort’s friend who decided to offer the job to him instead.
I just loved this couple. From their very first meeting, there’s already that spark between them, and the way they’re the opposite of each other made their ‘pretend relationship’ even sweeter in the face of Wes’ nasty family. ‘Loved that Ash played the part well and is always on Wes’ defense. I was just a bit annoyed by how passive Wes’ was towards his family, but yeah, that’s just me.
This was an easy read. It will not spoil anything, but you’d love how Wes and Ash’s relationship didn’t get too complicated throughout their agreement because they acted like the adult they are. It’s just fun, it’s funny, and it was so good seeing Nana and her crew too! I thought I was long over her whole gay shenanigans, but apparently, I still find the gang extremely adorable! If you’re looking for a quick and entertaining read, then this book should do the job.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Kindle Edition, 222 pages Published May 29th 2021
About The Author I write and independently publish M/M love stories. My best-selling Firsts and Forever series includes: Way Off Plan, All In, In Pieces, Gathering Storm, Salvation, Skye Blue, Against the Wall and Belonging etc…
I’ve also published Feral, a paranormal M/M romance, and The Tinder Chronicles, a paranormal trilogy.
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