Meet Cute Diary by Emery Lee

 

Amazon Link 
Goodreads Link

Felix Ever After meets Becky Albertalli in this swoon-worthy, heartfelt rom-com about how a transgender teen’s first love challenges his ideas about perfect relationships.

Noah Ramirez thinks he’s an expert on romance. He has to be for his popular blog, the Meet Cute Diary, a collection of trans happily ever afters. There’s just one problem—all the stories are fake. What started as the fantasies of a trans boy afraid to step out of the closet has grown into a beacon of hope for trans readers across the globe.

When a troll exposes the blog as fiction, Noah’s world unravels. The only way to save the Diary is to convince everyone that the stories are true, but he doesn’t have any proof. Then Drew walks into Noah’s life, and the pieces fall into place: Drew is willing to fake-date Noah to save the Diary. But when Noah’s feelings grow beyond their staged romance, he realizes that dating in real life isn’t quite the same as finding love on the page.

In this charming novel by Emery Lee, Noah will have to choose between following his own rules for love or discovering that the most romantic endings are the ones that go off script.

My Rating - 5 Stars!

Meet Cute Diary is a wonderful young adult book. This Emery Lee tale features a coming of age journey for a trans boy and his non cis friend. 

Noah is in town for the summer, living with his brother, and living as a boy for the first time. He runs a popular blog about trans men finding love. All of this is in an effort to give trans people hope of finding love. 

In the beginning, I found Noah to be annoying. Yes, he's a self centered teen who thinks his problems are everything. But, seriously, it's spot on behavior for a sixteen year old. And wow, the social media part of this story is also spot on. Every single part of it.

Noah's journey towards finding his real self, and his real feelings about love, is a long, bumpy road.

When someone learns that Noah is the blogger, he's suddenly in a "cute on paper" romance with Drew that doesn't always feel right.  

And all the while, Noah's spending time with his co-worker Devin, who's trying to figure out what gender terms work for em. Their conversations are wonderful, poignant, and well worth a read. Everything about Devin is impressive, written with knowledge and a whole lot of care. Their friendship is important, full of understanding, compassion, caring, support, and encouragement. Their friendship changes both of them for the better. I enjoy the realistic and honest feel to their relationship.

And for both teens, the trouble involved with their journeys are deeply explored. Being trans. Body dysphoria. Gender definitions and the ongoing fluidity of figuring of what feels right. Seeing pronoun changes throughout is stellar representation of the struggle. Best of all, there's no open homophobia or transphobia that's illustrated. Yes, it's there but it's not in the forefront at all, which is wonderful. Instead, this story is all about their ever evolving feelings about themselves.

Race is also an aspect that is seen, but not a big issue, which is amazing. Noah is tri-racial and it's never a big part of his story. How fantastic!

As well, Noah's relationship with his best friend Becca is an ongoing aspect of this story. The author excels in exploring the give and take in friendships, and the value of true friendship. Living with teen drama every day, I love the way this is explored. 

I highly recommend Meet Cute Diary for anyone looking for some understanding of the non-cis journey. Trans. Non-binary. Gender queer. Emery Lee explores it all through these two fabulous characters. I wish every teen had this as required reading. I also would love to see this as movie. Visibility is important and this book is a wonderful way for anyone questioning their gender to feel seen. 

Inevitable by Briar Prescott

 

Amazon Link   - Available in KU 

Goodreads Link

The three of us were never impossible. We were always inevitable.

When Drew meets Ezra, he doesn’t expect much. A one-night stand and a quick goodbye in the morning. That’s how these things usually go. Only there’s nothing usual about Ezra and the connection that forms between them.

When Ezra meets Drew, he doesn’t expect much. A distraction and parting as strangers after a night of meaningless fun. That’s how these things usually go. Only there’s nothing meaningless about Drew and the relentless spark between them that just refuses to disappear.

When Bas meets Ezra… things get complicated. As if being hopelessly in love with his best friend isn't painful enough. Throw in an unexpected friendship that develops with the one-time hookup of said best friend, and the results are messy at best.

But sometimes beautiful things emerge from messy and complicated beginnings, and where two isn't enough, three might be just perfect.

My Rating - 5 Stars!

Briar Prescott has once again left me stunned. Inevitable is an amazing menage romance with all the feels. 

Holy crap, I love this book!

It takes a while to get to the good stuff, but omg, the good stuff is so damn good. 

Bas, Drew, and Ezra are absolutely beautiful together. Their story is one with complex characters and a multi-layered storyline. The author excels in bringing them all to life, and taking the readers on a wonderful journey with them. 

The complex nature of the relationship between Drew and Bas is well detailed. They're two men who clearly love one another, but aren't together. Until Ezra. Until they both fall for Ezra and he mends the fractured part of their relationship.

The way that Ezra enters their lives sets the scene for the relationship between Bas and Drew, as well as the gigantic heart that Bas has. Good god, you just have to love Bas. 

The asexuality of Bas is amazingly well done. I love the emotions his sexuality causes, and the pain it causes. 

And then there's Ezra. Poor sweet Ezra. He's lived life on his own, always struggling to make his way in this world that doesn't help him at all. Until Bas and Drew. 

Oh god, everything about these three men is beautiful. The romance is tender, hard fought, and healing. They are three men who can't be together without the other. Each adds a special aspect to their relationship. Their love is strong, but their obstacles are strong too. 

Inevitable is sweet and tender, as well as heartbreaking and complicated.

I love everything about this Briar Prescott story. I love the way the men come together and add so much to each other's lives and hearts. It's truly a wonderful hurt/comfort romance. 

RELEASE BLITZ, EXCERPT, GIVEAWAY & REVIEW - Keeping Casey by Amy Aislin

 

Release Blitz, Excerpt & Giveaway:

Keeping Casey by Amy Aislin

Keeping Him, Book 1

Casey Preston is the guy with the plan. The list-maker. The one who micromanages his own life.

Spontaneously offering to be his best friend’s fake boyfriend to get Ethan’s annoying team captain off his back?

That’s not thinking things through. It’s not even smart given Casey’s been fighting his feelings for Ethan for years.

Ethan Rain just wants to play hockey and get his college degree. Adding a fake boyfriend to the mix? He doesn’t need that complication.

If Casey were his real boyfriend, though? If he got to keep Casey forever? Now we’re talking.

But what if Casey doesn’t want to be kept?

Universal Link

Goodreads

____________________________________________________________________

My Rating - 5 Stars!

Damn, I love this book! Keeping Casey is an amazing sports romance by Amy Aislin. The first book in  the Keeping Him series, it's a wonderful college hockey romance. 

Casey and Ethan are best friends. They're the kind of best friends one dream of having. A bromance for the ages. Except that they're also secretly in love with each other. 

This is a book that has all my favorites in one. Sports. Hockey specifically. College. Best Friends. I can't get enough of books like this. 

The men are best friends who have been acting like a couple long before they were. They're always together as best friends, but never made the move to be together in a relationship. Until Casey helps out his bestie by pretending to be his boyfriend. 

I love these men, and the depth of their backgrounds. 

Casey's past has left him in fear of losing those he loves. He's terrified to allow love into his life. It's definitely heartbreaking and has me wanting to hug and love him. 

Ethan's sexuality is well explored. He's asexual and has always been in love with Casey. But, damn, once the physical want and need hits, watch out! Love it!

The characters are charming, the storyline sweet, and the ending wonderful. As well, there's some good humor sprinkled throughout.

Everything about this story is sweet and tender. Well, almost everything. I mean, there is a homophobic teammate to deal with. And there's so fear and anxiety. But, it's all wonderfully done. 

One overriding theme is that of grief. The author excels in exploring that there is no one way to grieve. Everyone grieves differently and at their own pace. 

And then there's the RA. I appreciate the way the author deals with this aspect. It's written with knowledge and care. As someone who has arthritis myself, I fully relate to the way this is all explored. It's a big part of who Ethan is, and I'm glad it's written as such. 

I truly adore Keeping Casey. This is another fabulous hockey romance by Amy Aislin. With appearances by some of her characters from her Stick Side series, the fun just increases. I can't wait for more of this series. 

____________________________________________________________________

---

Ethan must’ve made a sound. Casey’s head swung in his direction, gaze examining him head to toe in what had become standard for Casey ever since his dad died—checking Ethan over for injuries after practice.

Apparently satisfied, he smiled wide, making Ethan’s stomach tumble, and said, “Hey. I have things for you.”

“So you said.” Dropping his gear bag and backpack next to the door, Ethan moved Casey’s backpack off his desk chair and sat, discreetly rubbing a wrist while Casey wasn’t looking. Wrapping them for practices and games helped, but they were always sensitive afterward, no matter what. He rubbed the other wrist while Casey’s back was turned.

A rustle drew his attention to Casey. There was a pile of . . . stuff on Casey’s bed. Brochures, flyers, buttons, business cards, even a GH pennant. Two piles, actually. He picked up the second, smaller one and handed it to Ethan. “Thought you might be interested in these.”

Ethan dropped them on the desk and sorted through them. “I don’t really have time for clu— Oh, hey! Cross-Stitch Fun-Stitch?”

“Closest I could find to needle felting.”

“Speaking of.” Digging into the outer pocket of his bag, Ethan came out with a squat, felt owl only a couple of inches tall and as round as a bowling ball. He tossed the white-and-gray bundle to Casey. “Forgot to give this to you earlier.”

“Another hootie for my collection?” Casey placed it on the windowsill where a dozen other little felt owls sat in a row. Ethan had been making them for Casey since he’d started needle felting in high school, and he knew there were probably three dozen more in Casey’s bedroom back home. “I’ve got something else for you too.” From the other pile on the bed, Casey fished out a button and leaned over Ethan to affix it to his T-shirt, over his heart.

Ethan stilled, worried he’d pull Casey onto his lap to nuzzle his neck if he so much as twitched a finger. At the end of the day like this, Casey didn’t smell like anything excerpt something uniquely him and, very faintly, of shampoo. This close, the olive green in Casey’s hazel eyes was more pronounced and Ethan had to resist the pull to poke at the tiny beauty mark on his chin.

“There.” Casey stood back with a grin.

Ethan read the button upside down. I dig you. “Let me guess,” he said with a chuckle. “You joined the Archeology Club.”

“And the Hiking Club. Signed you up for it too.”

“Case—”

“I know you don’t have a lot of free time, but I figured there might be a few outings you could attend. Like, the first event is on a Sunday afternoon a couple of weeks from now. You can come then, right?”

Sundays were free of hockey practice and games, so unless Ethan was traveling back from an away game with his team, he had Sundays off. “Yeah, probably.”

“Cool. I’ll RSVP us.”

Ethan played with his button, the metal making a click-click sound as Casey moved the rest of his stuff off the bed and onto the coffee table. I dig you. It was simply one friend giving it to another. Ethan shouldn’t read anything further into it, even if he desperately wished Casey meant something else.

There were other buttons that Casey had gotten for him too and Ethan parsed through them on the desk.

Keep your ion the prize. He chuckled. Casey must’ve stopped by the chemistry club to pick these up for him.

There was also Make like a proton and stay positive, Chemists in a lab are in their element, I like to hear chemistry puns, periodically, and Forget hydrogen, you’re my number one element.

The last one he pinned to Casey’s backpack.

---

---

Enter the Giveaway:

To celebrate the release of Keeping Casey, Amy is giving away a signed copy of Keeping Casey to one lucky winner!
Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance to win!

A Rafflecopter Giveaway

Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/c8c1c64118/?

---

Amy's lived with her head in the clouds since she first picked up a book as a child, and being fluent in two languages means she's read a lot of books! She first picked up a pen on a rainy day in fourth grade when her class had to stay inside for recess. Tales of treasure hunts with her classmates eventually morphed into love stories between men, and she's been writing ever since. She writes evenings and weekends—or whenever she isn't at her full-time day job saving the planet at Canada's largest environmental non-profit.

An unapologetic introvert, Amy reads too much and socializes too little, with no regrets. She loves connecting with readers. Join her Facebook Group, Amy Aislin’s Readers, to stay up-to-date on upcoming releases and for access to early teasers, find her on Instagram and Twitter, or sign up for her newsletter.

Connect with Amy:
Website: amyaislin.com
Newsletter: https://bit.ly/AmyAislinNewsletter
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amyaislin/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amy.aislin
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/amyaislin/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/amy_aislin
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/amy-aislin
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16693566.Amy_Aislin

---

---

Keeping Casey (Keeping Him #1) by Amy Aislin

 

Amazon Link   

Goodreads

Casey Preston is the guy with the plan. The list-maker. The one who micromanages his own life.

Spontaneously offering to be his best friend’s fake boyfriend to get Ethan’s annoying team captain off his back?

That’s not thinking things through. It’s not even smart given Casey’s been fighting his feelings for Ethan for years.

Ethan Rain just wants to play hockey and get his college degree. Adding a fake boyfriend to the mix? He doesn’t need that complication.

If Casey were his real boyfriend, though? If he got to keep Casey forever? Now we’re talking.

But what if Casey doesn’t want to be kept?

My Rating - 5 Stars!

Damn, I love this book! Keeping Casey is an amazing sports romance by Amy Aislin. The first book in  the Keeping Him series, it's a wonderful college hockey romance. 

Casey and Ethan are best friends. They're the kind of best friends one dream of having. A bromance for the ages. Except that they're also secretly in love with each other. 

This is a book that has all my favorites in one. Sports. Hockey specifically. College. Best Friends. I can't get enough of books like this. 

The men are best friends who have been acting like a couple long before they were. They're always together as best friends, but never made the move to be together in a relationship. Until Casey helps out his bestie by pretending to be his boyfriend. 

I love these men, and the depth of their backgrounds. 

Casey's past has left him in fear of losing those he loves. He's terrified to allow love into his life. It's definitely heartbreaking and has me wanting to hug and love him. 

Ethan's sexuality is well explored. He's asexual and has always been in love with Casey. But, damn, once the physical want and need hits, watch out! Love it!

The characters are charming, the storyline sweet, and the ending wonderful. As well, there's some good humor sprinkled throughout.

Everything about this story is sweet and tender. Well, almost everything. I mean, there is a homophobic teammate to deal with. And there's so fear and anxiety. But, it's all wonderfully done. 

One overriding theme is that of grief. The author excels in exploring that there is no one way to grieve. Everyone grieves differently and at their own pace. 

And then there's the RA. I appreciate the way the author deals with this aspect. It's written with knowledge and care. As someone who has arthritis myself, I fully relate to the way this is all explored. It's a big part of who Ethan is, and I'm glad it's written as such. 

I truly adore Keeping Casey. This is another fabulous hockey romance by Amy Aislin. With appearances by some of her characters from her Stick Side series, the fun just increases. I can't wait for more of this series. 

Love Limits (Love Language #3) by Reese Morrison

 

Amazon Link - Available in KU
Goodreads Link

Ash wants a Daddy. Zhong wants Ash.

But Zhong knows he can't give Ash what they need. He's asexual, and when he looks for someone special, it should be someone who will be satisfied with what he can offer. Right?

Zhong has never been enough for anyone else, so when the playful sub who loves board games and wants a Daddy bounces into his life, he knows he’ll have to sit on the sidelines.

But as Zhong grows closer to Ash, he learns more about himself. Maybe he can be the Daddy Ash needs. Maybe his love doesn’t have to have limits.

Love Limits contains a caring asexual Daddy, a genderqueer sub, age play, puppy play, sign language and a HFN. Love Lessons and Love Limits share intertwined characters and timelines, and this book should be read only after reading Love Lessons.

My Rating - 5 Stars!

In Love Limits, once again Reese Morrison impresses with complex characters. I love the whole Love Language series so far. With this being the third book in the series, be sure to read them in order. 

This part of the series is about Zhong and Ash. It follows the same timeline as Love Lessons so it definitely helps to read both. We learn more about Dustin, and wow, some new things come to light that surprise and confuse Zhong.

Zhong is asexual and panromantic, with the most complicated of emotions. Or I should say, he struggles to understand love and his wants. He's a total cuddle slut, which I came to adore in Love Lessons. And it isn't until now that he learns he was in a relationship with Dustin. 

Oh, I adore how clueless and complex Zhong is. His asexual side is beyond perplexing to him.

Add in the multi-layered Ash and things get even more convoluted.

Front and center of this story, and series, is the deaf community. There's plenty about the deaf community and the complexity of dating a hearing person if one is deaf.  I absolutely love and appreciate how much it means to Ash to find friends who are in the community. As Ash had discovered, living in the hearing world has it's own set of complications. I appreciate how much they enjoy finding people who are also deaf. 

Ash, oh sweet Ash. Ash is gender queer, born intersex and deaf. Ash longs to find a Daddy for themselves, as well as a handler during puppy time. Talk about a particular and complex set of needs. 

There is a whole lot of in depth discussions about polyamory in this book. I won't give anything away. But all the characters understand that for some people polyamory is the best choice. Given Zhong's asexual status, I enjoy the way this is all discussed.

At the heart of the story, Ash desperately wants a Daddy. They're instantly attracted to Zhong, but Zhong is far from Daddy material. Or is he? 

I don't want to give anything away, but, damn, these two are so good together. They're such opposites, but their desires and needs mesh well in the end. The journey to get there though is full of doubts, fears, and plenty of internal debate. It isn't easy. But it's worth it.

And oh, the puppy scene is just darling. This is my favorite moment in the book. Most of all, the amount of trust it takes for Ash to become a puppy and lose their ability to communicate is amazing. It's remarkable and absolutely beautiful that Ash can trust Zhong to care for them in this moment. 

In addition to all I mentioned above, I love the relationship between Ash and their mom. Omg, the fact that they are so open about their sex life with their mom is truly remarkable. I love it. 

Once again, the author excels in developing a multi-layered tale with complex characters. No one is better at writing diverse and unique characters. Sexuality and gender play a large part in who these characters are, and the author wonderfully develops and explores this. Hell, the fact that Ash is intersex and it doesn't matter at all, is stellar! 

Love Limits is a sweet and tender romance. Reese Morrison once again impresses and entertains in this romance. This is a must read when you're in the mood for an emotional romance. The heat isn't here for this one, which makes sense given Zhong's sexuality. But the emotions are front and center throughout.

Love Lessons (Love Language #2) by Reese Morrison

 

Amazon Link - Available in KU
Goodreads Link

“Come here,” Dustin repeated, his dark eyes serious.
Landon put his hands on his hips and stood his ground. “Make me.”
He knew he was acting like a petulant teenager, but this was Dustin. And with Dustin, he felt safe.
Please, he thought, please, please make me.

Landon doesn’t need anyone. So he’s confident that when he offers to train a nervous, sexy Dom, nothing will come of it.
But Dustin has some things to teach him, too. Because Dustin uses sign language and asks him questions that no one else bothers to ask. Because Dustin wants him, no matter how he presents his gender. Because when Landon rebels, Dustin’s there to keep him in line. And when Dustin makes him obey, it feels real.
Real enough to call Dustin his Daddy.
But these are just lessons, right?

Love Lessons has a nervous new Dom, a confident and genderfluid sub who offers to train him, age play with a middle, a bit of angst, and plenty of sign language. Love Lessons and Love Limits share intertwined characters and timelines, and should be read together.

This expanded edition features a new cover and over 15,000 new words including multiple new and enhanced scenes throughout the book. 

My Rating - 5 Stars!

Reese Morrison's Love Lessons, the second book in the Love series, is fabulous. 

As in Love Language, the author packs a punch with the complexity of everything tackled in this book. It deals with deafness, ASL, gender-fluidity, BDSM, age play, asexuality, and more. Any of these aspects would have made an interesting read on their own. But, weaving them all together is extraordinary. 

It's impressive the way that the author handles Landon, who's a multi-layered character. He can't hear, he's gender fluid, desperately needs age play, and has a lot to learn. I adore the way Landon/Nina switches ages and gender so easily. But even better, is the way that Dustin recognizes the change instantly. 

And in a fascinating move, Dustin has an auditory processing disorder, which amps up the importance of ALS and communication in this amazing read. 

This story includes a kink club and plenty of kink, including sensory depravation. But, seriously, imagine the issues these two men face with their hearing problems during DBSM, and everything is increased tenfold. 

Landon is so damn confident in his sexuality, but he's also unaware of what he wants sexually. With Dustin's help, Landon's able to figure out what works for him, as the two struggle to figure out what works for them together.

Poor Dustin is so damn weighed down by his past. He struggles to trust himself, as well as trusting a sub. It's a complex issue and it's beautiful in the way it's handled.

This is a story of facing fears and taking chances. It includes sexual exploration and relationship struggles. They are so close, but struggle to make things work. 

In addition to everything else that is tackled in this book, the author also adds in an emotional issue with Landon teaching deaf students. It's a terrific storyline on it's own, and adds tremendously to this tale. 

Overall, Love Lessons is a fantastic read. Definitely check it out when you're looking for a BDSM read with a complex storyline and even complex characters. 

Griff's Place (Havenwood #4) by Riley Hart

Amazon Link - Available in KU
Goodreads Link

GRIFFIN

I always felt I wasn’t wired like my peers, but when my brother, Kellan, gave me three terms—ace, aromantic, and demi—I had possible names for it. Those three words have been on my mind ever since, as has my brother’s best friend, Josh Westbrook. It’s been cool getting to know him and spending time together, just us. He makes me feel something I never thought I’d be able to feel. When we end up alone in a cabin with only one bed, all my crossed wires finally connect and point toward being demi and wanting him.

JOSH

Griff and I were never supposed to be more than friends, but I like him more and more. I like being the reason he smiles, and…yeah, I enjoy making him writhe with pleasure too. But Griff doesn’t hook up casually, and I swore off love a long time ago. Still, we keep finding ourselves drawn together, a shared loneliness and a deep want guiding us. Kellan’s afraid I’ll hurt Griff. Frankly, I am too. My past is still an open wound that keeps me from getting too close.

One thing is becoming clear, though—my Grumpy Griff is making me break my own rules. He says he’s never known his place in the world, but I do. It’s with me. The only way for us to move forward is for me to stop looking back…before I lose sight of him for good.

My Rating - 5+ Stars!

Riley Hart's Griff's Place is freaking amazing! The fourth book in the Havenwood series, it adds immensely to this already must read series. It's a true beauty. 

A combo of brother's best friend, friends to lovers, and a slow burn sexual awakening, I love it all. 

If you enjoy demisexual characters finding love, you will love this book. The author develops Griff's sexual awakening is a wonderful manner; realistic, raw, and beautiful. 

And Josh, lovable Josh has been a man whore, keeping himself from falling for someone after some pain in his past. Josh's heart is still in the past, with his inability to open his heart making their journey a tough road. 

As always, Riley's writing is wonderful, with a soothing and pleasant tone, fabulous characters, and a deep and meaning storyline. Written in alternating first person pov, the men fully come alive, allowing the reader to know their every thought, look, and touch. 

Griff's Place is a stellar romance. Riley Hart has once again outdone herself with this amazing tale. Just read it!

The Rebel (Red's Tavern #2) by Raleigh Ruebins

Amazon Link - Available in KU
Goodreads Link

Everyone wants to be with an adult film star.
They clearly don’t know Liam Hardy like I do.

Red:
At first Liam was just a regular at the bar, and I was the clueless cowboy bartender keeping his glass full… then keeping him full in my bed at night. I had no idea he was about to blossom into a famous adult film star.

But he ripped through me like a storm, losing himself in reckless partying until I had to walk away. I left and opened my bar, Red’s Tavern, here in the middle of nowhere, Kansas.

I never expected to see Liam--all stormy-eyed, tattooed, and smoking hot--show up at my bar now, ten years after we’d cut things off. And it gets worse: he’s asking me to film an adult video with him for his new company. Two words: Hell. No. No matter how hot it sounds to ride in that rodeo again. No matter how much I want to fix that loneliness I’m noticing in his eyes.

My bar is the only boyfriend I need, and I’m plenty happy with my dogs, my old-west house, and my friends.

But I couldn’t help but kiss him. And now I’m aching for him and letting him film videos of me, doing things I’d never dreamed.

And I remember how perfectly we used to fit together, body and soul. Liam’s always been the only one who could get to me...

Like we were made to light each other the hell up. 

My Rating - 4.5 Stars!

The Rebel by Raleigh Ruebins is a tender second chance romance with a chance for redemption. The second book in the Red's Tavern series, it is easily read as a standalone.

Liam knows he was wrong in the past, but he's back to see Red again. 

Liam's struggling to find himself, after years of losing his identity in porn and alcohol. I love that he's learning to live without alcohol. His struggles are realistic and well explored. I also enjoy his love of flowers.

As for Red, he's the owner of Red's Tavern and he's given up on love and sex. His whole focus is on keeping his struggling bar afloat.

Both men are troubled and the connection they develop is one that can save them. Their reunion isn't easy and forgiveness is not instant. But the attraction remains and the chemistry is still strong. I love these guys, both individually and together. 

Their story includes family issues and finding a life one actually values. It includes and asshole of an ex, a bar that needs a re-do, and a supportive best friend. And most of all, a romantic second chance at love.

I love the writing except for the dialogue. There are far too many "he said"s. That drives me crazy. Other than that, I love the author's ability to tell an intriguing story. The characters are well developed, flaws and all, and their journey is wonderful. 

The Rebel is a great story. This Raleigh Ruebins book is full of heart and has some fantastic character growth. Liam and Red's journey is perfect for anyone looking to lose themselves in a beautiful second chance romance.