Between a Rock and a Hard Place by Amy Jo Cousins

* * * * 

When friends lose the benefits, can the friendship be saved?

Love Me Like A Rock

With the right art tools, there’s almost nothing Austin can’t make real. Except an official relationship with his best friend, rowing teammate and occasional hookup, Vinnie.

Emotional and sexual frustration fuel a spark between Austin and Sean, the nude model in drawing class. After a quick and very dirty encounter, all the reasons Austin has been waiting for Vinnie go fuzzy in his mind.

But if Austin can’t get his head and his heart on the same page, he could lose both his friend, and his lover.

Hard Candy

Vincent always assumed he and Austin would eventually end up together. But now that Austin’s in love with another man, Vinnie is at a loss.

After the world’s most awkward one-night stand with Bryan, a dance major, Vinnie is drawn to his vibrant spirit and calm center.

Physically, the rowing jock and the glittery dancer can match each other stroke for booty pop. But for the lovers to meet on common ground, they’ll have to find a way to get moving in the same direction. 

Review:

If you have read Level Hands, you will remember that the sexual tension between Rafi’s roommates, Austin and Vinnie, was both intense and dysfunctional.  When Amy Jo Cousins announced that Austin and Vinnie would be getting their own story I was elated.  One, I love this series to death.  Two, Austin and Vinnie were just too fascinating and I wanted to know what’s going on with them.  And three, it wasn’t just one story, it was two.  Double the pleasure and double the fun!

Love Me Like a Rock:

Through Austin’s eyes we find out how he and Vinnie became friends (which was long before they headed off to college together) and why their relationship is sadly stagnant.   After meeting Sean during a drawing session we find out just how much Austin has been missing.  For the first time he feels wanted.  For the first time he is learning that it’s completely normal to want sex regularly and often.  And for the first time he starts questioning the reality of his and Vinnie’s relationship.  I love both Austin and Sean.  Austin is absolutely vibrant and hilarious.  And we can just add Sean to my growing list of Forever Boys.  He’s steady as a rock and that steadiness along with his ability to communicate slow brings Austin into the real world of healthy relationships.

Hard Candy

When Vinnie realizes that Austin is no longer willing to wait around for him he gets a little (a lot) drunk and wakes up in a stranger’s room.  That stranger is Bryan.  Bryan is the kind of guy that KNOWS who he is.  And he’s fought hard to BE who he is.  He expresses himself so loudly and so freely that Vinnie is a little in awe and a lot uncomfortable.  But despite the discomfort, something about Bryan keeps bringing Vinnie back to his room.  It’s not even the sex (although Vinnie isn’t complaining about that).  With Bryan, Vinnie can find peace and respite from the constant control he exerts over himself every day.  As outwardly loud as Bryan can be, he actually quietly and patiently brings Vinnie out of his shell.  Bryan encourages a kind of bravery that Vinnie never had before.  Watching Vinnie slowly and bravely tackle things like conservative parents and campus bullies is both heartbreak and beautiful.

Both Austin and Vinnie find partners that have the ability to communicate and nurture healthy relationships.  A quality that neither Austin nor Vinnie have any personal experience with.   In the end, THIS is the thing that makes both of these stories so satisfying to read.   

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.  Amy Jo Cousins is an amazing author and the Bend or Break series is out of this world.  If you’re already reading them I know you won’t hesitate to pick up Between a Rock and a Hard Place.  If you haven’t read these yet then you must start immediately.  I promise that you won’t be disappointed.

Happy Reading!

Nat

Out of Bounds by A. R. Barley

* * * 

When the weather outside starts cooling down, inside the dorm things are heating up. Can these college roommates fall in love without going out of bounds?

Beaten and heartbroken, Jesse Cole is placed in a new dorm room after his last roommate attacked him. Just wanting to be left alone to heal in peace, he's shocked when tall, dark and dangerous-looking Nick Moretti walks in.

Nick doesn't have time to tiptoe around his new roommate—he's too busy working in order to pay for school. But something about Jesse brings out his protective instincts. As their cautious friendship grows and becomes loaded with sexual tension, he wants to make Jesse comfortable.

Enter the perfect plan: a line of tape down the center of the room. Boundaries established.

But as innocent movie nights become hours-long temptation marathons, and whispered chats from across the room delve into straight-up dirty territory, crossing the line has never been so satisfying.

Review:

Jesse Cole isn’t sure how he can possibly recover from being physically assaulted by his roommate and (now former) best friend.   What he does know is that he needs his own personal space.  Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like he is going to get that anytime soon.  Sure, he’s been moved to a senior only dorm but that doesn’t mean he’ll be any safer.  His fears are not assuaged when he enters his new room and discovers his roommate is a giant gruff straight guy that seems unprepared for and unamused by getting a new roommate.

Nick Moretti just wants to stay under everyone’s radar so he can finish school and continue his job as bouncer and general jack of all trades at a local gay bar.  Last thing he has time for is making his new roommate feel safe.   But he’s not as insensitive as he might try to be and when he sees how afraid Jesse is when they are sharing personal space, Nick institutes a taped boundary line down the middle of their room.  Once that wall is put in place Jesse and Nick’s relationship grows.

I’m a big fan of this type of romance.   The young gay college student recovering from a major assault.  The larger seemingly straight roommate with their own set of issues doing everything they can to make their new smaller scared roommate feel safe.  I won’t lie.  It’s a trope that really works for me.  I’ve seen it and enjoyed it in both m/m and m/f romance.  And if someone can direct me towards an f/f romance with a similar trope, that would be amazing. 

My only complaint is that I felt that the boundary line taped down the middle of their dorm room was crossed a little too soon.  Making the pace of their love story move a little too quickly for my taste.  I would have found it immensely satisfying if the boundary had been swiftly reinstated after it was crossed.  Jesse was severely beaten by his former roommate and best friend.  That’s a pretty big thing and considering his continued experiences with PTSD I found it a little surprising that he was able to get over it so quickly after becoming close with Nick. 

But, that’s my only complaint.  I enjoyed this new adult story about two young men coming together and helping each other deal with difficult and uncommon struggles.  If you are a fan of New Adult and m/m romance, give this one a try.

Nat

Us (Him #2) by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy

* * * *

Can your favorite hockey players finish their first season together undefeated?

Five months in, NHL forward Ryan Wesley is having a record-breaking rookie season. He's living his dream of playing pro hockey and coming home every night to the man he loves–Jamie Canning, his longtime best friend turned boyfriend. There's just one problem: the most important relationship of his life is one he needs to keep hidden, or else face a media storm that will eclipse his success on the ice.

Jamie loves Wes. He really, truly does. But hiding sucks. It's not the life Jamie envisioned for himself, and the strain of keeping their secret is taking its toll. It doesn't help that his new job isn't going as smoothly as he'd hoped, but he knows he can power through it as long as he has Wes. At least apartment 10B is their retreat, where they can always be themselves.

Or can they? When Wes's nosiest teammate moves in upstairs, the threads of their carefully woven lie begin to unravel. With the outside world determined to take its best shot at them, can Wes and Jamie develop major-league relationship skills on the fly?

Warning: contains sexual situations, a vibrating chair, long-distance sexytimes, and proof that hockey players look hot in any shade of green.

As I write this, I have the cheesiest of grins that has not disappeared since I finished Us. I thought Him was pretty spectacular but with Us, the brilliant writing duo that is Bowen and Kennedy bring a whole new level of awesome!

Everything that we enjoyed about Him from the humor to the hot magic time is back. Things are better though not easier now that the honeymoon period is over. The difference now is having a relationship under stringent constraints. They both went into it agreeing that publicly acknowledging their relationship during Wes’ rookie year in Toronto would be unwise. The plan was to stay under the radar until Wes could formally come out at the end of the year along with the full support of the front office. Instead of being in love and enjoying their relationship, they’re “managing” it.

Us explores the dynamics of their relationship now that they’ve moved in together and how they’re handling the pressure from the time apart due to Wes’ constant travels, and the need for both of them to be secretive. Both suffer from insecurities: Wes wondering if Jamie will up and change his mind about being with him while Jamie feels embarrassment because he sees financial inequities in their arrangement. I felt most connected to Jamie’s story probably because his struggle with his identity as a person and a partner during this time resonated with me. How they conduct their relationship is directly tied to Wes’ career. Jamie’s not used to hiding himself and as a result he begins to feel isolated leading to resentment and confusion. Keeping things on the down low is not a healthy thing for either of them.

Complicating things would be one of Wes’ teammates moving into the same apartment building. People, you will love Blake! His larger-than-life persona is the much needed comic relief when things between our lovebirds get too tense. He also makes you nervous with his tendency to just barge in on the boys. But when he’s present, be prepared to double over laughing!

I enjoy reading M/M romances though in the past I’ve tended to go for the angst-filled tropes. Us (and Him before that) are different. The emotionally charged moments are balanced out by humor or exceptionally hot magic times. I did like seeing other aspects of their lives such as Wes in professional athlete mode and Jamie as a kids coach. There’s always that tiny bit of apprehension whether or not a sequel will deliver that magical thing we loved about the first book but also introduce something new to keep things interesting. Us is a success in both regards! Our boys are going to be okay.

~ Bel

Getting Him Back by K. A. Mitchell

* * 1/2

An unexpected fresh start leads to an unlikely-but-absolutely-perfect pairing in this male/male new-adult novel from bestselling gay romance author K.A. Mitchell 

Ethan may have followed his high school sweetheart to college only to get dumped his first day there, but he's not going to let that stop him from exploring all his new life has to offer. Sex-only hookups, his photography, new friends and a campus-wide game of zombies vs humans all help keep his mind off his broken heart and move him toward building a new, better life without his ex.

And then there's Wyatt. Mysterious, grouchy—hot. And possibly not gay. But Ethan's not going to let that stand in the way of figuring out what makes Wyatt tick. New college goal? Get Wyatt into bed and into Ethan's life.

Step one: arrange a "tutoring" date. Step two: "accidentally" bump into Wyatt as often as possible. Step three: explore the sexy body under that ever-present hoodie. And when their friendship deepens into something neither of them expect, convince Wyatt he's not just a pity fling or a one-time hookup, but that Ethan is in it for the long haul.

This book is approximately 43,000 words.

Review:

Alright.  Let’s clarify things.  I feel that the description of this book is misleading.  A few things you should know – there are no sex-only hookups.  Barely a promise of one.  Photography is mentioned twice, maybe three times.  And most importantly, those first few steps to get Wyatt into bed had absolutely nothing to do with getting naked with Wyatt and everything to do with Ethan trying to get information on his ex, Blake, so he could convince him to get back together.  But things never stay true to the original plan in a book.  In his attempt to get back together with Blake, Ethan realizes that Blake’s quiet and cranky roommate is kind of hot and intriguing. 

The two things I enjoyed most about this story were the pace and Ethan’s development.  This was a quick read and I absolutely loved that.  I love a writing style that engages me so much that I can’t wait to get to the next word, next page or next chapter.  As for Ethan.  He’s a little needy and clingy with Blake in the beginning but as the story progresses he does an admirable job of learning his self-worth and gaining independence.

Unfortunately, the romance between Ethan and Wyatt just didn’t work for me.  It was just too fast to be believable.  By the end of this book I would have bought a Happy For Now ending where the MC’s were still getting to know each other and wanted to see where it all goes.  Instead I saw two kids that had barely exchanged any words yet are declaring their love for each other. 

If you are a fan of insta-love I would recommend picking this one up.  It will be a quick and satisfying read.  But if you are like me and really need a slow burn in order to buy the romance of it all, this might not be for you. 

Nat

US by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy COVER REVEAL!!

Ohhhh... we've been waiting for this ever since HIM melted our hearts. Our favourite hockey couple is back! Take a look at this fantastic cover!

US is available March 8th!

Add to Goodreads

Summary:

Can your favorite hockey players finish their first season together undefeated?

Five months in, NHL forward Ryan Wesley is having a record-breaking rookie season. He's living his dream of playing pro hockey and coming home every night to the man he loves–Jamie Canning, his longtime best friend turned boyfriend. There's just one problem: the most important relationship of his life is one he needs to keep hidden, or else face a media storm that will eclipse his success on the ice.

Jamie loves Wes. He really, truly does. But hiding sucks. It's not the life Jamie envisioned for himself, and the strain of keeping their secret is taking its toll. It doesn't help that his new job isn't going as smoothly as he'd hoped, but he knows he can power through it as long as he has Wes. At least apartment 10B is their retreat, where they can always be themselves.

Or can they? When Wes's noisiest teammate moves in upstairs, the threads of their carefully woven lie begin to unravel. With the outside world determined to take its best shot at them, can Wes and Jamie develop major-league relationship skills on the fly?

Warning: contains sexual situations, a vibrating chair, long-distance sexytimes, and proof that hockey players look hot in any shade of green.

Nothing Like Paris (Bend or Break #2) by Amy Jo Cousins

* * * *

Humble pie wasn’t supposed to taste this sweet.

Jack Tarkington’s life is in the toilet. He was supposed to be spending his junior year studying someplace cool like Paris or Rome. Instead, after taking out his anger on the campus “golden boy”, whose dad ripped off his parents, Jack is facing possible expulsion.

Sure, it’s all his own fault, but coming back to the small Iowa town he thought he’d escaped, after crowing about his admission to a prestigious school, has been a humbling experience.

When he runs into Miguel, Jack braces for backlash over the way he lorded it over his old friend and flame. Instead, Miguel offers him friendship—and a job at his growing farm-to-table store and café.

Against the odds, both guys bond over broken dreams and find common ground in music. But when Jack’s college gives him a second chance, he’s torn between achieving a dream that will take him far from home, and a love that strikes a chord he’ll never find anywhere else.


Warning: This book contains a humbled guy who’s on the brink of losing it all, a determined entrepreneur who seems to have it all together, apologies issued through banjo-picking duets, and two lovers who can play each other’s bodies like virtuosos.

Review:

If you have read Off Campus, the first in the Bend or Break series, you are familiar with Jack Tarkington.  He’s the bully that made it his mission in life to make Tom and Reese’s life a living hell.  I love Tom and Reese so I was happy to see Jack disappear towards the end of the first book.  But when I saw that book two was about Jack, I was intrigued.  Because, as I’ve mentioned many times before, I love when an author takes the hero or heroine I hate and turns them into someone I love.  Take Me On by Katie McGarry being my favorite example.

Jack Tarkington has a huge chip on his shoulder.  A natural self-preservation technique he has perfected through the years.  Add that chip with a tendency to mouth off and cause trouble and you have a recipe for disaster.  His anger over the loss of his father’s investments and savings (and in turn the possible loss of his enrollment at Carlisle) leads him down a path that may very well get him expelled.  After being caught making Tom Worthington’s life a living hell, he is sent home for the rest of the semester until the Dean makes a decision on his acceptance the following school year.

So Jack heads back to the small Iowa town he grew up in.  The town he couldn’t wait to leave and never wanted to see again.  The town that contains not only his highly dysfunctional family but also the best friend and lover he left behind because he had to escape. 

Miguel never thought he’d see Jack again.  And he probably would have been just fine if that had been the case.  Needless to say, when Jack shows up at his farm-to-table café he is more than a little surprised.  He should just turn him away. But Miguel is a nice guy and no matter how angry he might still be at how Jack left him he won’t leave him out in the cold.  He can at least give him a cup of coffee.  In a to-go cup.  Because he sure as hell can’t trust Jack to stick around to use anything more permanent.

But Jack is here to stay.  At least for the short term.  And he needs a lot of things.  A way to avoid the constant reminder of his mother’s alcoholism, a job because he’s broke, and a friend because he’s never really had one since he left Iowa.  Much to Miguel’s surprise, he’s willing to provide all three of those things.  He’ll just have to protect his heart and keep their relationship strictly in the friend-zone.  But as they spend more and more time together the invisible thing that drew them together in the first place becomes harder and harder to resist. 

Miguel is a steady forever guy.  He very obviously stays in Iowa, not because he doesn’t want to go away to school, but because he wants to be close to his family who he believes needs him more than he needs to pursue his own dreams.  And he makes the absolute best of it.  He’s happy with his accomplishments and his success and doesn’t feel the pull of wanting more.  Which makes starting a relationship with Jack all the more difficult.  Because Miguel knows that Jack won’t stay and Miguel has no intentions of following him.  I really loved Miguel as a character.  No surprise there since I love those forever boys.  I found his ability to protect himself endearing but I also found that ability being worn away over time to be believable as well.

Jack’s trip back home is life changing in so many ways.  He’s finally forced to address the things he ran away from.  His relationship with Miguel is the obvious one.  But he is also forced to accept the fact that his mother is an alcoholic and even though he can’t make her get help he can certainly get help for himself.  With an unsure future at Carlisle, Jack finds a community of support in the one place he never thought he’d find it. The small town that never offered him much before he left. Between Miguel and the opportunities he provides Jack, Miguel’s family, the high school kids who look up to him when he volunteers to be their advocate and his old high school counselor, Jack just might have a safe fall back plan if he can’t go back to school out east.  But if the Dean shows some mercy and allows him to attend school in the fall?  Jack will have to decide if he can leave everything he just found behind.   And if he does choose to leave it behind, can he convince Miguel to go with him.

As I mentioned in my review of Off Campus, Amy Jo Cousins writes amazingly realistic characters.  Jack isn’t always likable.  Especially considering his history from book 1.  But the humbling things he experiences coming home helps wear away at that chip on his shoulder so much that you just want to hug him and tell him he’s going to be okay and that he can make it through. 

This is another great m/m new adult title and as you can probably guess, I can’t recommend this series enough.

Nat

Off Campus (Bend or Break #1) by Amy Jo Cousins

* * * *

Everyone’s got secrets. Some are just harder to hide.

With his father’s ponzi scheme assets frozen, Tom Worthington believes finishing college is impossible unless he can pay his own way. After months sleeping in his car and gypsy-cabbing for cash, he’s ready to do just that.

But his new, older-student housing comes with an unapologetically gay roommate. Tom doesn’t ask why Reese Anders has been separated from the rest of the student population. He’s just happy to be sleeping in a bed.

Reese isn’t about to share his brutal story with his gruff new roommate. You’ve seen one homophobic jock, you’ve seen ’em all. He plans to drag every twink on campus into his bed until Tom moves out. But soon it becomes clear Tom isn’t budging.

Tom isn’t going to let some late-night sex noise scare him off, especially when it’s turning him on. But he doesn’t want any drama either. He’ll keep his hands, if not his eyes, to himself. Boundaries have a way of blurring when you start sharing truths, though. And if Tom and Reese cross too many lines, they may need to find out just how far they can bend…before they break.

Warning: This book contains cranky roommates who vacillate between lashing out and licking, some male/male voyeurism, emotional baggage that neither guy wants to unpack, and the definitive proof that sound carries in college housing.

Review:

After more than a summer of sleeping in his car and driving a cab to make cash and save money for school, Tom Worthington is excited to finally have an actual bed to sleep in.  But when he arrives at the off-campus housing he’s been assigned to, he finds his bed has been converted into a couch.  Apparently his new roommate wasn’t expecting company for the school year. 

After a vicious on-campus assault the year before, Reese Anders was promised a private room in the off-campus housing usually reserved for adults.  Needless to say he was unhappy and extremely displeased to find an oversized jock standing in his doorway and expecting to sleep in his room.   

No amount of complaining will help the situation.   There is not enough available housing for Reese to have a single and Tom has nowhere else to go.  So they’ll have to figure out how to live together until the next school year.  Tom is cool with that.  He just wants to keep his head down and get through the next three semesters.  But Reese?  He is determined to have his own space.  His safety and peace of mind depend on it.  So what should scare off an assumedly homophobic jock more than anything?  Purposely bringing guys back to their room for a good time, of course.  But what Reese doesn’t understand is that Tom is not only not homophobic, he’s not all that straight either.   Tom knows what Reese is doing but he’s too desperate for a room and a bed to be scared off.  Plus, listening in is kind of hot.  Not that the very reserved Tom is going to admit that to anyone but himself. 

This book is told through Tom’s POV (third person).  Because of this, the reader becomes intimately aware of the kind of person Tom used to be and the young man he’s become thanks to the criminal actions of his father.  A once overly privileged and careless young man has become so careful and overly focused that his paranoia uncomfortably leaps off the page.  But that same watchfulness allows him to be super aware that his roommate is negatively reacting to their room situation because he’s afraid of Tom.  Mostly Tom’s size in comparison to Reese’s smaller stature.  And because Tom has become so much more conscious of others, he does everything he can to alleviate that fear.  Even to the extent of making himself physically smaller when he’s in the same room as Reese.  Reese is just as watchful as Tom in some ways.  And as he becomes more comfortable with Tom he also sees more of things that Tom doesn’t want anyone to see.  At one point Tom finds out that Reese had been purposely leaving apples on his desk because he saw that Tom was financially struggling and couldn’t always afford or fit in a healthy snack or meal.  It was a very short but sweet moment that said a lot about both of these characters.  As Tom and Reese get to know each other and eventually begin a relationship, it’s amazing and beautiful to see the lengths they will go to make the other feel safe.

Sweet moments aside, there has to be a conflict in every romance.  No relationship can survive the PTSD that both of these men are experiencing without some professional help.  The problem is that they are both resistant to that help. Tom especially since he is convinced reaching out will make him vulnerable to the press that hounded him after his father was arrested.  Tom’s acceptance of his issues and his fear of seeking help is more than a little frustrating.  Especially since Reese shows more willingness to face his fears and try.  The conflict in this story is honest and messy and sometimes unflattering.  Tom’s and Reese’s issues are the kind that they will be working on for a lifetime.  But, in the end, their willingness to do so is what makes their story so beautiful and so relatable. 

I’ve read this entire series (more reviews to come!) and I have found that Amy Jo Cousins has an amazing knack for writing characters with frightening realistic personality traits that will drive you nuts.  And yet you fall in love with those characters because they are so ridiculously human it’s impossible not to.  Off Campus is a great contemporary New Adult romance featuring two young men that are determined to make a relationship work in spite of and because of their individual traumatic experiences. 

Nat

Level Hands by Amy Jo Cousins

****

When it comes to love, there’s no such thing as smooth sailing.

Rafael Castro is so far out of his element he can’t even see it anymore. Carlisle College in Massachusetts is a long way from his Chicago home, even farther from his Dominican Republic roots. 

The only thing keeping him attached to his last nerve is the prospect of seeing Denny Winslow again. The first time they met, Denny taught Rafi to fly across the water, rowing hard in a knife-like boat. Now, two years later, on the wings of a rowing scholarship, Rafi is attending Denny’s elite college. 

Even before the excitement wears off, Rafi is struggling with classes and fending off rumors that Denny’s family, not Rafi’s talent, won him his spot. To quash the gossip, Rafi tries to steer clear of the man he wants. A plan that evaporates in the fire of renewed attraction.

But Carlisle’s academic pressure cooker has Rafi barely treading water. And when a family crisis hits, both Rafi and Denny must pull hard to keep their relationship from capsizing in rough waters.

Warning: Contains a surly Dominican-American guy determined to show no weakness, a golden boy who knows his soft spots, some seriously dirty bachata dancing, and an excellent excuse for voyeurism in the locker room. 

Review:

The first time I had ever read anything by Amy Jo Cousins was when I read her short story, Five Dates.  After reading that, I jumped at the chance to read and review Level Hands when I saw it on Netgalley.  And not just because it was written by this author.  Because really, have you met me? Hey, Nat, do you want a hot gay New Adult romance with fit and sexy rowers and plenty of angst?  Well that’s a ridiculous question.  Of course I do!

Rafi first met Denny when Denny was just 17 and staying with a cousin in Chicago.  The attraction is mutual but Rafi has an overdeveloped sense of chivalry.  No way is he giving Denny his first kiss until he’s 18 and he lets Denny know this.  Of course, Denny holds him to his promise and what they experience is a kiss capable of setting off the fireworks at Navy Pier.  Sadly, Denny leaves the next day. 

Fast forward two years and Rafi is transferring to Carlisle College on a rowing scholarship.  A scholarship that he knows wouldn’t have been awarded him had it not been for Denny’s family.  A fact that makes him increasingly uncomfortable the closer he gets to his new school and Denny (who he hasn’t seen since that amazing kiss).  His plan?  To keep a distance from Denny so he can prove that he deserves that scholarship regardless of his connections.  The drastic change in academic expectations surprises Rafi and makes his rock hard determination to succeed in academics and rowing that much more difficult.  Sadly, Rafi has such a chip on his shoulder that he doesn’t realize that letting Denny in for the physical and emotional support he so desperately wants to give might just be what Rafi needs in order to succeed.  Instead Rafi’s anxiety and exhaustion over keeping up builds and builds until he periodically emotionally explodes.

Denny is a pretty patient dude. He’s been waiting 2 years for Rafi.  Well, sort of.  He DID have his share of boyfriends during that time.  But now that they are older and in the same place for the foreseeable future?  Once he realizes that Rafi wants to figure things out on his own, he’s hurt.  But Denny is a fairly balanced individual.  He tries to be understanding and give Rafi the space he needs while still pushing a little bit here and there.  But even he has his limits and a ton of self-respect to boot.  So when Rafael becomes too much of an ass, Denny has no problem giving him a piece of his mind and even dishing out ultimatums when it becomes necessary for both their emotional health.  But even while doing that, Denny is still there.  No matter how angry Rafi might make him, he still loves him and he doesn’t think twice to drop everything when Rafi needs him most. 

This story has a lot of emotional give and take and, in turn, a lot of angst. Because Rafi has such a hard time addressing his securities in a healthy way while Denny continuously tries to invade Rafi’s space and be the support Rafi so obviously needs.  But Denny brings a perfect amount lightness to balance out the story and keep it from becoming too heavy.

Ms. Cousins is an excellent writer.  Her style is fast paced and emotionally engaging.  She’s honest with her characters and doesn’t hold back even when it means making her MC’s unattractive at times.  And to be fair this honesty almost didn’t work for me.  Almost.  Why, you may ask? 

……Warning.  Slightly spoilery…..

Well, I had a hard time with Rafi and Denny’s Happy Ever After.  It’s not that I didn’t want them to have one.  I did.  I DO.  I was rooting for them the whole time.  I’m rooting for them NOW.  It’s just that I didn’t feel Rafi had quite got a grasp on his anxiety and subsequent anger issues.   I have my own strong opinions (based on personal experiences) about anxiety and anger management so I was internally screaming, “take care of you first, Rafi! THEN you and Denny can get together!”    And to be fair, by the end of the book, he recognizes his emotional and mental needs and he’s actively working on them and he has the support system of his teammates, roommates and, most importantly, Denny, that he didn’t have before.  So, in the end, I had to put my personal issues and rigid expectations aside temporarily and admit that the end of this story was perfect for Rafi and Denny.  It was uneasy and honest which was insanely fitting for these two young men.

I’ve really been lucking out on the great m/m NA I’ve been reading lately and this is no exception.  Another slam dunk for my favorite sub-genre.  I highly recommend it.

Nat

Him by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy

* * * *

They don’t play for the same team. Or do they?

Jamie Canning has never been able to figure out how he lost his closest friend. Four years ago, his tattooed, wise-cracking, rule-breaking roommate cut him off without an explanation. So what if things got a little weird on the last night of hockey camp the summer they were eighteen? It was just a little drunken foolishness. Nobody died.

Ryan Wesley’s biggest regret is coaxing his very straight friend into a bet that pushed the boundaries of their relationship. Now, with their college teams set to face off at the national championship, he’ll finally get a chance to apologize. But all it takes is one look at his longtime crush, and the ache is stronger than ever.

Jamie has waited a long time for answers, but walks away with only more questions—can one night of sex ruin a friendship? If not, how about six more weeks of it? When Wesley turns up to coach alongside Jamie for one more hot summer at camp, Jamie has a few things to discover about his old friend...and a big one to learn about himself.

Warning: contains sexual situations, skinnydipping, shenanigans in an SUV and proof that coming out to your family on social media is a dicey proposition.

It's been some time since I’ve read a good m/m story that made me feel all warm and fuzzy. Him was my welcome back to the genre that did just that!

We start off with Wes, a powerhouse star on his college hockey team who’s headed to the pros. He’s made a habit of one-night stands, refusing to get emotionally involved with anyone because no one deserves a place in his mind other than Jamie, his best friend from hockey camp. But because things went awry after one drunken dare, Wes cut off all contact with him and has spent the past four years trying not thinking of him. That comes to an end when both Wes and Jamie’s teams are in the college tournament. Suddenly Wes has to man up and face the friend he walked away from. This isn’t going to be easy and even harder to leave again.

Jamie is hesitant about seeing Wes again. After all these years he’d like answers as to why he ended their friendship. Seeing Wes again brings up fond memories of their summers at camp playing hockey and being regular teenage knuckleheads. So what if that one dare was a bit weird? Jamie’s more concerned about why that was the last night they were friends.

Wes coming back to camp to coach alongside him is move towards fixing things. His feelings for Jamie will not derail their reconnection as friends again. Although Jamie forgives him, they're re-establishing trust and before they know it, they’re back to their easy-going friendship.

What I loved about Him is how nicely their changing relationship developed over the course of the book. Wes tries hard to keep his feelings in check, always so worried about scaring off Jamie. You wouldn't think that a big, tough guy joker like Wes would feel so vulnerable and afraid about having his heart broken, too. Jamie for his part notices how he begins to see Wes differently. I think Jamie’s growing awareness about his own feelings and sexuality, and the confusion that comes as a result, are handled very well here. The tension is often dissolved by some well-timed humor – one of my favourite moments being a reference to Sex and the City. But what got me, and hopefully will get you too, are the quiet, private moments that are so tender. A soft kiss on the neck, a quick peck on the cheek - those are swoon-worthy moments in any romantic situation.

If you love m/m romances or if you’ve never read one, Him is a good one to start with. The other reason I enjoyed this so much is that it didn’t carry a lot of angst. I don’t mind reading angsty novels (believe me, I've read my fair share) but in this case it was nice not to have that distraction as the story evolved from friends to lovers. The growing intimacy is some of the sweetest that I've read. Oh and just wait until you meet Jamie’s family – they’re crazy awesome!

Him is funny, engaging and heartfelt; I certainly hope that Bowen and Kennedy write more of these together. Believe me, you'll love these boys! 

~ Bel