What do you think?
Rate this book
Inevitable #3
A Lifetime Kissing You
Charles
I have a great family, a successful career, and never struggle to find the company of a man when I want it, and I do—often. The loss of my brother years ago is the one dark spot in an otherwise perfect life. But at forty-three, my world suddenly feels emptier than it should. Something’s missing. I don’t know what it is…or how I think I’ll find it spending a summer in a small town in North Carolina.
Brian
I’ve spent my life in love with the woman who married my brother. When they passed, I raised their son, living with the guilt of my feelings. Now, at forty-eight, I’m used to being alone. Until I meet Charles.
I’ve never known someone like him—a wealthy, confident city man I shouldn’t have anything in common with. He’s determined to be friends. We play music together, spend our nights talking in ways I’ve never done. I look forward to seeing him—and to those innocent touches that make me crave more.
I don’t experience attraction the way most folks do, but as our friendship grows, I can’t deny I want him. It’s my first time with a man. Every brush of his skin against mine makes me feel things I hadn’t thought possible. I didn’t know intimacy could be like this. I could spend a lifetime kissing him, but for us to have any chance at a future, we’ll both have to face truths we’ve tried to ignore for too long.
A Lifetime Kissing You is a small-town, opposites-attract romance with first times, lots of touch, and a love of music.
This book deals with past loss of a loved one, anxiety and panic attacks . Please read the content warning at the beginning of the book for more information.
I have a great family, a successful career, and never struggle to find the company of a man when I want it, and I do—often. The loss of my brother years ago is the one dark spot in an otherwise perfect life. But at forty-three, my world suddenly feels emptier than it should. Something’s missing. I don’t know what it is…or how I think I’ll find it spending a summer in a small town in North Carolina.
Brian
I’ve spent my life in love with the woman who married my brother. When they passed, I raised their son, living with the guilt of my feelings. Now, at forty-eight, I’m used to being alone. Until I meet Charles.
I’ve never known someone like him—a wealthy, confident city man I shouldn’t have anything in common with. He’s determined to be friends. We play music together, spend our nights talking in ways I’ve never done. I look forward to seeing him—and to those innocent touches that make me crave more.
I don’t experience attraction the way most folks do, but as our friendship grows, I can’t deny I want him. It’s my first time with a man. Every brush of his skin against mine makes me feel things I hadn’t thought possible. I didn’t know intimacy could be like this. I could spend a lifetime kissing him, but for us to have any chance at a future, we’ll both have to face truths we’ve tried to ignore for too long.
A Lifetime Kissing You is a small-town, opposites-attract romance with first times, lots of touch, and a love of music.
This book deals with past loss of a loved one, anxiety and panic attacks . Please read the content warning at the beginning of the book for more information.
348 pages, Paperback
First published July 6, 2023
404 people are currently reading
1492 people want to read
About the author
Riley Hart
114 books7,132 followersRiley Hart is the girl who wears her heart on her sleeve. She's a hopeless romantic. A lover of sexy stories, passionate men, and writing about all the trouble they can get into together. If she's not writing, you'll probably find her reading.
Riley lives in California with her awesome family, who she is thankful for everyday.
Riley lives in California with her awesome family, who she is thankful for everyday.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 308 reviews
December 28, 2023
He laughed as we tumbled out of the truck together. We raced toward the house, a lightness to Brian he didn’t often have. I wanted him to have it all the time. I wanted to be the one to give it to him. His happiness fed my own, how seeing him smile made me want to do the same, how being with him filled me up in ways I didn’t even understand myself. Being the person he chose, the one to make him feel and have all these experiences he’d denied himself most of his life, completed parts of me I hadn’t known weren’t whole.
you know what i think is so underrated in romance novels? kissing. i am always in full joy reading it. it’s such an intimate act for me. maybe it’s because one of my top love languages is physical touch, and maybe because i’m in the asexual spectrum, but the act of kissing and touching is more intimate than sex—forehead kisses, cuddles, holding hands, hugging. i vibrate with happiness when reading it, partly because of how much i love it, and the other part because of how little it actually is in these stories.
and a lifetime kissing you has it. the title is quite fitting, since charles and brian do kiss a lot and have a lot of physical affection for each other, which is full of love and tenderness. i felt captivated in their relationship, not wanting to miss a single moment they spent together just like they didn’t.
this is the 12th book i’ve read from this author, and unfortunately, it is the only 4-star one. it’s a new favorite for sure, and even though it was looking so promising and feeling like a rare 5-star gem, i loved almost everything about it.
“You’re mine, Brian Manning. And nothing is ever going to change that.”
charles and brian were first introduced to each other at the end of the second novel, which, because i didn’t like, i didn’t remember. i had to go back to recall some memory. while charles isn’t exactly a grump, he’s a lonely character—grieving his brother and his wife, the woman he had been in love with, who was also his best friend. he’s not the biggest fan of socializing and prefers to be alone. his only family is sutton, his nephew and current husband of jasper (from book 2). he’s a little grump, but he’s a gentle soul. he’s kind, giving, and respectful, but he also prefers being on his own. he’s in his 40s, close to being 50, and the feeling of being alone for the rest of his life is eating at him. basically, i loved his character. something about the lonely characters who have gone their life thinking they’re okay being single and then finding love in the least expected person and way always gets to me. maybe it’s because of the second chance they get. maybe it’s because of the sudden happiness and flurry feelings they start getting randomly. maybe it’s because they slowly start coming out of their shell. whatever magic authors add to these scenarios and situations, i’m always a fan of them. i love seeing that character be brought to life and joy through small things, finding happiness in small things, and realizing life truly isn’t better off alone.
that’s what charles became for brian, and if was delightful. charles is the complete opposite. he’s more on the sunshine level, being a huge extrovert from the city of new york, flirtatious, and doesn’t give up without a fight. he’s cocky when necessary, but still respectful of boundaries. i liked his flirty banter with brian, which started off as iffy and later progressed to clear banter. he’s visiting the small town of ryland in north carolina and wasn’t expecting to fall for the brooding gruff man confused at his actions. he was joyous, bringing that light into brian. charles is much more out-going, friendly, and lively, but he’s still dealing with his own problems as well, which he’s trying to take a break from, such as grieving his brother phil, who died of suicide, or taking a break from his career of being a lawyer. as someone who is from a small city, despite it being the capital of my state, everyone knows each other, especially between groups. witnessing charles’ confusion and uncertainty about how people in small towns act act was so cute. i love reading about small towns with characters who come from big cities for this reason—the new perspective opened up to them and how much they come to love the place and people.
“Will you go somewhere with me?” he asked.
“There’s no place in the world I wouldn’t go with you.” And I meant it.
the relationship between the two men develops at a steady pace. because this has demisexual rep, i was worried everything would progress too quickly (for me) and become overly sexual, like the usual. however, i’m glad i kept my hopes up and continued on because in my opinion, this had some of the best demi rep i’ve read so far. i appreciated how raw the sexuality was shown. i’m not sure if anyone will consider this tmi or something unnecessary to write about, but reading about brian not always being able to get his dick up and hard, or how he wasn’t always in the mood for sex, or how he couldn’t always have an orgasm? i don’t think some of y’all understand how refreshing to read that was. the scene at 45% when the two engage sexually for the first time was so beautiful to me. when brian started opening up to talk about how he isn’t wired the same and how he struggles with certain things sexually felt so…real. i was sad for brian—sad because he thought there was something wrong with him; sad because he thought his dick being soft defined his ability for sexual intercourse; sad because he thought he needed to see a doctor about his “problem.” not just that, but considering their ages, how brian couldn’t always bring himself off or be in the mood all the time made it even more believable. too often men are portrayed as if they can last forever and all night despite their age, when it makes it more realistic to…not. they aren’t teenagers anymore, so why should they be acting like one? i loved how riley kept up the demi rep. there was never an incident where brian was suddenly cured or how he felt before disappeared. because he’s demi, he needs that emotional connection with charles, and he has it, clearly, but it still didn’t mean he’d be horny all the time and addicted to sex. his feelings were always validated and respected by charles, never once questioned or mentioned to get over. i wish he didn’t need to think he needed to use pills to get himself going, because when he was in the mood, it worked, and other times his body just didn’t want it. and that’s okay. not to mention, i loved seeing the difference between sexual attraction, desire, and arousal. there were moments where brian and charles had intercourse that didn’t involve penetrative sex. it’s obvious that oral sex was one of the biggest ways for brian to become aroused, but it also didn’t work all the time. sometimes he also did have sex with charles to please him, while other times he wanted it for himself. this really showed some of the fluidity of asexuality, and how different it is for everyone. i really appreciated this, seeing as how many people still don’t understand asexuality is a spectrum and different for everyone for a reason.
I wasn’t hard, but I wanted to get hard for him, wanted to feel the kind of pleasure and attraction that fueled so many people.
He avoided my dick, and I was both thankful and disappointed about that. I wanted to feel something but feared getting my hopes up, and that he’d be done with me if nothing happened.
Despite how good this felt, how much I wanted him, there still seemed to be some block in my mind. I still wasn’t hard. For a minute, I’d thought I would end up that way, but my cock had softened again. Was that even what this was about, though? I had no idea. I just knew I needed to feel him and how incredible it was.
Charles shifted against me. His erection pressed hard against my hip, making me tense up slightly and him pull away.
“That’s enough for tonight.”
“You’re hard.”
“It’ll go down.” Charles leaned over and turned off the light. He kept touching me, though, kissing my chest, brushing his thumbs over my nipples, running his fingers up and down my torso, until I fell asleep.
We were naked like we had been every night since he’d fucked me, but he hadn’t made a move to take me again, and I didn’t bring it up because I didn’t want to sound like I was pushing him. I’d never been in a relationship with someone who was likely demi or fell somewhere on the ace spectrum. It was new territory for me to navigate, so I always made sure to err on the side of caution. I loved sex with him, but only wanted to have it when he did too. He’d jerked me off two more times in the past week. I blew him once, and it took a while for him to get there, but eventually we got him to finish. The other time I asked, he said he didn’t feel like it but wanted to be naked with me, just kissing me. That he always seemed to want, skin-to-skin contact and kissing. Damned if I didn’t love giving them to him. Kissing him went to my head the way it never had with anyone else.
If I weren’t in the mood, I knew he’d be fine with it, but I wanted it tonight. Our sex life likely wasn’t like most folks’. There were still times I didn’t want it, and times when I struggled to stay hard or have an orgasm. Pills could help, but I didn’t do that often. There were times when I just wanted to pleasure him, and others where we’d just be naked and kiss for hours on end.
you hear that? that’s my heart shattering from bliss. in this household we love communicating and understanding. we love asexuality being represented as something people are and not just go through, as if it was just a phase or they were broken and needed that magic penis fixin’.
adding on to that, the friendship the two kept up made the relationship grow out and develop. a lot of the moments the two men shared as friends were still part of their every day routine and life, even after getting together. their moments were so sweet and full of affection, yearning and mutual pining, physical appreciation and understanding—charles bringing brian flowers, their dates at the music bar, them bonding over music and playing together, charles holding and kissing brian, knowing that was what he needed. the two begin to learn to read each other, especially charles, and it’s incredibly sweet. these two middle aged men found a chance at love together and decided to stick with their feelings. even when we’re giving the possibility of them walking away from each other, they communicate their feelings and talk it all out. i could understand where brian was coming from, jumping to conclusions and thinking charles deserved better, but i was also glad he came to open charles’ eyes to their life together. and i could understand why charles thought he wasn’t enough for brian to take care of him, but i was glad he allowed himself to be open and cared for after holding so much weight on him from his brothers death. the two fit together so well, wanting to take care of each other for their benefit. from friends to lovers, these two maintained their maturity. i was actually a fan of how sappy they became, i guess because i’m a firm believer in sappiness not being attributed to a certain age. the two had never had anything like they did right then either, so it also felt right for them to act giddy. plus, i loved their open communication and vulnerability. considering their age, it is expected, so i was glad riley kept that up with them.
“I like you too, Charles. I’ve never… I never had a real relationship with someone I care about. Not that I’m sayin’ we’re in one…” But I wanted to be. I’d spent my whole life feeling alone, even if I was surrounded by people. I didn’t ever feel alone when I was with him.
“Mmm.” He climbed onto me, straddled my lap as if it was nothing. I immediately liked the weight of him there, my hands on his hairy thighs. “Brian Manning…will you be my boyfriend?”
I barked out a laugh, and when he didn’t do the same, I said, “Wait. Are you serious?”
“You’re breaking my heart,” he teased.
one of the things i wasn’t a big fan of was the sex, and that’s coming from someone who almost never pays attention to sex scenes on a specific level. i’m usually one to skim sex scenes anyway, considering they mean nothing to me. the only author i don’t skip is tal bauer, because his sex scenes are so intimate and loving, full of passion and love making. there’s none of that roughness but instead tenderness. here, i found it quite…cringe. personally, i’m not a fan of when genital parts are referred to as toys, something to “play with,” or when they’re referred to as a given name. charles saying things like “someone wants to play” to refer to brian’s dick was so off putting. this was something i didn’t like in Tough Guy either, and it was something that made me uncomfortable. maybe it’s the way i see it, but with how smut is tricky for me already, this didn’t help. regardless, it isn’t something i pay attention to a lot and doesn’t affect me greatly, so i still enjoyed the story and don’t use this as a way to reflect it. i also could’ve done with less sex, but that’s really because when i read a romance with an ace/demi character, i don’t expect sex to overtake the relationship. not to say that happened here, but the excitement for the sexuality being a part of the character is there for a reason: to not read about sex.
in conclusion, this is new territory to me. giving a RH book something higher than 2-stars is so uncommon. my first and only 5-star book last year was from this author, and it was a complete shock. i didn’t think i would be enjoying something so much from her again but here we are. i wasn’t a fan of the previous two books of this trilogy at all, but fortunately this one came through and made up for those. you can definitely read this as a stand-alone if you’re looking for something with demisexual rep, sexual awakening, friends to lovers, dates, small town, and an overall sweet love.
“I remember you once told me you could spend a lifetime kissing me,” Charles said against my lips. “Promise me we’ll do that?”
I looked into his eyes, knowing with all my heart that the words I said were true. “I promise.”
August 20, 2023
3.75 stars
This was lovely. It's one of those quiet stories, focusing mostly on the main characters and their relationship.
I wasn't sure how I'd feel about Charles, he seemed too pushy at first, but he ended up being my favourite character here. I loved his positive energy and how open he was about everything.
His and Brian's relationship develops slowly, starting as friends first. I liked all the little things they shared, their honesty with each other and the fact that they actually communicated. I could have done with less s*x scenes, but that's my personal preference.
Both characters deal with some serious issues, especially Brian, so I expected more angst. But I agree with the author that this story is more melancholic than angsty.
I haven't read the previous two books in the series and I had no problems following all the characters and the storyline in this one.
This was lovely. It's one of those quiet stories, focusing mostly on the main characters and their relationship.
I wasn't sure how I'd feel about Charles, he seemed too pushy at first, but he ended up being my favourite character here. I loved his positive energy and how open he was about everything.
His and Brian's relationship develops slowly, starting as friends first. I liked all the little things they shared, their honesty with each other and the fact that they actually communicated. I could have done with less s*x scenes, but that's my personal preference.
Both characters deal with some serious issues, especially Brian, so I expected more angst. But I agree with the author that this story is more melancholic than angsty.
I haven't read the previous two books in the series and I had no problems following all the characters and the storyline in this one.
June 7, 2025
4/5
Riley Hart knew what she was doing writing this books, because this story was utterly gorgeous. I knew I will love it since I met Charles and Brian in the second books from this series. Mainly because these two couldn’t be different from each other but somehow together created a beautiful relationship. I know my rating isn’t five stars. Don’t let yourself be fooled by it though. That’s just how I am. The book has to be perfect to gain five stars from me. Although, this one was extremely close. I loved this story but it strangely didn’t give me this five stars book feeling as I thought it will. I will write further why.
The books follows Brian and Charles. Two men who couldn’t be possibly more different. Brian is closed, really introverted, lives in a small town, works at a factory, has one close relative and he had never experienced true love except the unrequited and tragically ended one he felt for his dead brother's wife. Charles though is extraverted, confident, charming, works as a big lawyer in New York city, is close with his family, has a lot of money, friends and past love/ sexual partners. As you can see how could it be possible for these two to create a great relationship? Well. They did. An amazing one even. They started out as friends, thanks to Charles, but with each passing day they grew closer. Charles helped Brain open up to the world and more possibilities without being too pushy but instead giving him time and helping him through it. They both actually helped each other recover from the tragedies they experienced in life, as Charles was still grieving his dead brother.
The progress Brian made after a life of sadness and grief until he met Charles and he helped him open up was amazing.
The demisexuality representation here was probably made in the best possible way. I don't remember reading a book in which this was presented in a better and truer form. Brian, after living alone as a heterosexual man with only a few failed sexual encounters, struggles with his sexuality until he meets Charles and starts questioning a few things. The book perfectly described and portrayed his way of becoming more open with it, without magical making him "healed". The book turned out to be more spicy as I thought, but I liked it because each scene focused more on their connection and dynamic rather than just smut.
I love how patient and sweet they were with each other. The love for music brought them together and every scene they played in Charles’s house was wonderfully described. One of my favorite moments was when Charles bought Brian flowers almost every time he visited him at his house. It’s so simple but beautiful. It made me tear every time. Don't make me start with the things they said to each other because that made me tear even more. Or the fact that Charles called Brian 'sweetheart'.
The thing I adore the most about this book and series is that there is not third act break up. At least in the second and third book, because I didn’t finished the first one. The characters actually communicate and talk things out when the problems comes. Exactly how it should be when you are in a mature relationship that you care about and want it to last even when conflicts arise.
My rating, although I liked the book, is not five stars. So why exactly? First, the "I love you" confession was a bit too fast for my taste. If they had said those words even three or four chapters later, it would have been more believable to me. But that's just my opinion though. The next and last thing is the use of some words, which I hate when are mentioned in books. The sexual ones, like 'tight pucker' or 'prick', or when Charles was saying during the act that Brian’s you know what is 'ready to play'. I despise those words and phrases in smutty scenes. Unfortunately, they make me gag. I know it might not be a problem for everyone, but I just hate them.
I only read three books from Riley, but I would definitely recommend starting with this series. I’m not the biggest fan of the first book. I actually dnfed it, but the second and third one? Close to perfection. If you like opposites attracts, small town setting, Demi awakening, hurt/ comfort, mature MCs in their forties, strangers to friends to lovers and found family. You know what your next read will be. Do yourself a favor and add it to your tbr. Seriously.
Riley Hart knew what she was doing writing this books, because this story was utterly gorgeous. I knew I will love it since I met Charles and Brian in the second books from this series. Mainly because these two couldn’t be different from each other but somehow together created a beautiful relationship. I know my rating isn’t five stars. Don’t let yourself be fooled by it though. That’s just how I am. The book has to be perfect to gain five stars from me. Although, this one was extremely close. I loved this story but it strangely didn’t give me this five stars book feeling as I thought it will. I will write further why.
The books follows Brian and Charles. Two men who couldn’t be possibly more different. Brian is closed, really introverted, lives in a small town, works at a factory, has one close relative and he had never experienced true love except the unrequited and tragically ended one he felt for his dead brother's wife. Charles though is extraverted, confident, charming, works as a big lawyer in New York city, is close with his family, has a lot of money, friends and past love/ sexual partners. As you can see how could it be possible for these two to create a great relationship? Well. They did. An amazing one even. They started out as friends, thanks to Charles, but with each passing day they grew closer. Charles helped Brain open up to the world and more possibilities without being too pushy but instead giving him time and helping him through it. They both actually helped each other recover from the tragedies they experienced in life, as Charles was still grieving his dead brother.
"Charles said, “You need to promise me you’ll always tell me how you’re feeling—whether it’s sex stuff, anxiety, or anything else. I don’t ever want to put more pressure on you, but I haven’t experienced this before and I’m gonna make mistakes.”
The progress Brian made after a life of sadness and grief until he met Charles and he helped him open up was amazing.
The demisexuality representation here was probably made in the best possible way. I don't remember reading a book in which this was presented in a better and truer form. Brian, after living alone as a heterosexual man with only a few failed sexual encounters, struggles with his sexuality until he meets Charles and starts questioning a few things. The book perfectly described and portrayed his way of becoming more open with it, without magical making him "healed". The book turned out to be more spicy as I thought, but I liked it because each scene focused more on their connection and dynamic rather than just smut.
"I stopped him, hand on his arm. “I like lookin’ at ya,” I admitted. “You’re so damn beautiful, it steals my breath.”
I love how patient and sweet they were with each other. The love for music brought them together and every scene they played in Charles’s house was wonderfully described. One of my favorite moments was when Charles bought Brian flowers almost every time he visited him at his house. It’s so simple but beautiful. It made me tear every time. Don't make me start with the things they said to each other because that made me tear even more. Or the fact that Charles called Brian 'sweetheart'.
"I can actually have you…and it’s deeper, like you’ve burrowed into my bones, like I don’t know if my heart would keep beatin’ if I didn’t have you."
The thing I adore the most about this book and series is that there is not third act break up. At least in the second and third book, because I didn’t finished the first one. The characters actually communicate and talk things out when the problems comes. Exactly how it should be when you are in a mature relationship that you care about and want it to last even when conflicts arise.
"I love you. It doesn’t matter if we’re different or if it doesn’t make sense to anyone else. Something about you gives me things I didn’t even know I needed. You said I make you feel like you’re living for the first time, and while I might have lived my life differently from you, somehow you still make me feel the same."
My rating, although I liked the book, is not five stars. So why exactly? First, the "I love you" confession was a bit too fast for my taste. If they had said those words even three or four chapters later, it would have been more believable to me. But that's just my opinion though. The next and last thing is the use of some words, which I hate when are mentioned in books. The sexual ones, like 'tight pucker' or 'prick', or when Charles was saying during the act that Brian’s you know what is 'ready to play'. I despise those words and phrases in smutty scenes. Unfortunately, they make me gag. I know it might not be a problem for everyone, but I just hate them.
I only read three books from Riley, but I would definitely recommend starting with this series. I’m not the biggest fan of the first book. I actually dnfed it, but the second and third one? Close to perfection. If you like opposites attracts, small town setting, Demi awakening, hurt/ comfort, mature MCs in their forties, strangers to friends to lovers and found family. You know what your next read will be. Do yourself a favor and add it to your tbr. Seriously.
August 9, 2023
5 “I never knew what it was like to really want someone this much till it was you.” stars
”I’m proud someone like you would choose to be with someone like me.” […]
“I don’t know what you mean by someone like you, though. You’re incredible, and I wish you saw that. I’m gonna make it my life’s mission to make sure you see it.”
Fair warning, this review will just be me losing my shit over this book. I am absolutely obsessed with this book, just thinking about this book makes me squeal out of happiness, and this review will just me fangirling about how wonderful this book is.
It might only be July, but this book is a serious contender for my top 3 favourite books of the year. But if we’re honest here, it’s not any contender, it’s the top contender for the first spot.
This book is just so special, in a way that not many books are to me, I don’t know how to explain it, this book just had this little something extra that just worked so well and really made the book such a special reading experience. This book just had a special spark for me that I haven’t really found in many other books, so I don’t really know how to explain how much I love this book, but I will try.
I read this book 3 times in 2 days a couple weeks ago. And then I sat down to write this review and I got the need to re-read this book, so I have now read this book a grand total of 4 times. And I’m probably going to do another re-read of this book after I post this review. I just cannot let this book go. I am so obsessed with this book and this universe and I wish that I could stay in it forever, which is why I keep re-reading it because this book just gives me so many fuzzy feelings that I barely get when reading and I just keep re-reading this book because no matter how many times I read it, it just keeps working for me in ways that no many books do. I probably have read my favourite scenes in this book 20 times each, but every time I go back and read them, they still put the biggest smile on my face and make me so happy.
This book and the impact it left on me is just truly special to me. Books don’t often have a really big impact on me and it’s rare that a book knocks me off my feet, but this book just did all of that and so much more. I haven’t had the best reading year so far and I barely read any book that truly got me invested in the story and made me want to keep reading it. I haven’t been super obsessed with a book in a long time and this book just changed all of that for me. I am just so obsessed with this book, and I just want to keep reading it. Hell, I barely rate books 5 stars too, but I feel like 5 stars isn’t big enough for how important this book is to me, so if I could rate this book higher, I absolutely would.
Brief Summary
Brian is a 48 year old man that has always been super lonely. He doesn’t like to socialize much, he is super quiet, and he’s only ever felt attraction for one person in his life, his brother’s wife, which he could never have and who died years ago. Brian thinks that he will spend the rest of his life again, but then he meets Charles, a 43 year old man that has moved to their small town for the summer because he is having a crisis and is trying to figure out what he wants to do with his life. They start hanging out together and Brian finally feels attraction for someone, and they fall in love with each other.
I have said it before, but there is nothing I love more in books than reading about people who are super lonely, finding love and the person that is made for them. And this book was definitely the best example of this trope I have ever read. The way that the love story was shown in this book just impacted me in a way that does not happen often. I loved how this book showed that love is a good thing, and it gives you new things that you never thought would yours, but the book also showed that you have to work on yourself and take control of your life to make all of those things work for you. Which is just a topic that I adored reading about more than everything.
“I’m just a man.”
“My man now.” […]
“I reckon I am.”
Brian discovers that he is on the asexual spectrum during the story, and that he is more likely demisexual, or atleast that he is very attracted to Charles and not many other people. Brian had never been in love or been with anyone that he felt any attraction to (he had a couple of other sexual partners, but he had never felt any attraction to them and he wasn’t really into it). And I will say, I just adored this part of the story so much. I loved how Brian discovered this about himself and how he was so bewildered by the attraction that he felt for Charles because he never felt that attraction before and he had no clue how to deal with it. I just loved how Brian was so fascinated by all of the little feelings he felt and how shocked he was that he could feel this way, after spending 48 years of his life not feeling anything like that. I loved how Brian was amazed at every moment that he spent with Charles and everything that he felt for him, from the electricity he felt when they held hands, to the fuzzy feelings he felt when they hung out and spent time together, to how much Brian wanted to come out of his shelf and experience new things for himself because Charles made him believe In himself and that he can achieve the things that scare him, to how shocked and happy Brian was that he was attracted to Charles and all of the little things that Charles did and that made him who he is. This book was just full of so much wonderment and tenderness and I loved all of it so much. I just loved seeing Brian figure out his sexuality and what he enjoys, while being like a little kid in a candy shop every time that Charles touched him or talked to him. I just loved seeing Brian feel all of those big feelings for the first time and how much he appreciated them and how he cherished every new experience and wanted more of everything.
I don’t think I can even put words on how much I loved the characters in this book. I absolutely adored Brian with everything in me. Brian is a loner who does not really like to hang out with people much and who feels anxious in social situations, which sometimes results in panic attacks and who prefers to spend time alone than with other people. Everything about this is something that I can really much relate to as I’m also a loner who does not prefer to hang out with people that much and I just loved seeing all of Brian’s thoughts and how he acted in social situations because I could just relate to all of those thoughts so much. I just loved seeing how his mood changed depending on his environment and the people he was around and how his social battery ran out super quickly, which was just so relatable to me, so I really appreciated reading about it. But not only was Brian a super relatable character, he was about a super precious character that I was just really cheering for. I just wanted Brian to have the world and I was just so happy when he got everything that he has ever wanted. I was Brian’s biggest cheerleader and I was so happy for him. I also really loved Charles. Not only was he the perfect foil for Brian, because he was outgoing and social, but also super nice and respectful to Brian and he just really respected who Brian is as a person, and he was also super nice to Brian and just really wanted to spend time with him, which I thought was super lovely to read about, but he was just such a well rounded character. I felt like Charles’ persona was super well fleshed out and he was just such a wonderful character. He was just super lovely and I couldn’t have asked for a better character to compliment Brian, he was just his perfect match in every sense of the word.
“He gets me to do things I never thought I would […] just by being him. I am the way I am and always will be, but sometimes I do want to try more, and bein’ with him makes it easier.”
While were on this topic, lets talk about good together these two were. I am not kidding when I say that this book has my favourite love story that I have read all year, the romance in this book was just out of this world to me. I just loved all of their interactions so much. At first, Brian was super uncomfortable and prickly because he doesn’t like to socialize, but then they bounded over their love of music and seeing them bounding together and Brian loosing some of his pricly edge to let Charles in was just a thing of beauty. I really loved seeing them spend all of their time together and how their connection grew over the course of all of that time. I just loved seeing their connection develop and seeing their feelings for each other grow throughout the book. Also, the communication in this book was just so good. I loved how they always shared their feelings and thoughts with each other and how they always respected the other, while being there for each other and supporting each other at the same time. These two were just so attentive to each other and really listened to the other and I just loved it so much. To how they would do little things for each other to just see the other smile. There are so many scenes in this book that put the biggest grin on my face, and thats due to how well Charles and Brian match together. Reading these two together was just an absolute experience for me, but the best experience I’ve had in a while.
Everything about the romance in this book just really worked for me. From them hanging out together all the time and sharing good times and memories. To Brian feeling super comfortable with Charles and sharing his thoughts and life with him in a way that he never felt comfortable to do with anyone before. To how much these two just hung two and cuddled, I absolute love cuddles in this book and this book definitely delivered on those. To how many cute romantic scenes they had together, i’ve always said how scenes where the main characters are bounding and in love are my favourites in books and this book was mostly just made of those really adorable scenes, so of course I adored that. To how they were super supportive of each other and of their life goals and how they were a safe space for each other, no matter what. To Charles who never had been in love before falling heads over hells in love with Brian and wanting to do everything to keep him. To Brian who never had a person who was his before and who was ready to do everything to keep Charles, because he knowns that Charles is his and always wants to keep it that way. To their banter and all of the jokes that they shared, they just showed their communication so well and were absolutely lovely to read. To how they always took care of each other and thought about each other before doing anything. To how Brian got to discover his sexuality at his own speed and share all of these new to him experiences with Charles. To how they talked about each other and how they were super moppy about the other and always thinking about how lovely the other one is. Just everything about the romance in this book did it for me, it was absolutely flawless to me.
There ain’t a lot of people in my life I ever cared enough to miss. You’re one of them.
I think that I pretty much made this clear already, but this book just worked for me in a way that I haven’t really experienced in a long time. I just lost myself to this story and I really vibed with everything it had to offer me. I absolutely adore evrything little second of this book and to me, it’s absolutely flawless.
I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest opinion
”I’m proud someone like you would choose to be with someone like me.” […]
“I don’t know what you mean by someone like you, though. You’re incredible, and I wish you saw that. I’m gonna make it my life’s mission to make sure you see it.”
Fair warning, this review will just be me losing my shit over this book. I am absolutely obsessed with this book, just thinking about this book makes me squeal out of happiness, and this review will just me fangirling about how wonderful this book is.
It might only be July, but this book is a serious contender for my top 3 favourite books of the year. But if we’re honest here, it’s not any contender, it’s the top contender for the first spot.
This book is just so special, in a way that not many books are to me, I don’t know how to explain it, this book just had this little something extra that just worked so well and really made the book such a special reading experience. This book just had a special spark for me that I haven’t really found in many other books, so I don’t really know how to explain how much I love this book, but I will try.
I read this book 3 times in 2 days a couple weeks ago. And then I sat down to write this review and I got the need to re-read this book, so I have now read this book a grand total of 4 times. And I’m probably going to do another re-read of this book after I post this review. I just cannot let this book go. I am so obsessed with this book and this universe and I wish that I could stay in it forever, which is why I keep re-reading it because this book just gives me so many fuzzy feelings that I barely get when reading and I just keep re-reading this book because no matter how many times I read it, it just keeps working for me in ways that no many books do. I probably have read my favourite scenes in this book 20 times each, but every time I go back and read them, they still put the biggest smile on my face and make me so happy.
This book and the impact it left on me is just truly special to me. Books don’t often have a really big impact on me and it’s rare that a book knocks me off my feet, but this book just did all of that and so much more. I haven’t had the best reading year so far and I barely read any book that truly got me invested in the story and made me want to keep reading it. I haven’t been super obsessed with a book in a long time and this book just changed all of that for me. I am just so obsessed with this book, and I just want to keep reading it. Hell, I barely rate books 5 stars too, but I feel like 5 stars isn’t big enough for how important this book is to me, so if I could rate this book higher, I absolutely would.
Brief Summary
Brian is a 48 year old man that has always been super lonely. He doesn’t like to socialize much, he is super quiet, and he’s only ever felt attraction for one person in his life, his brother’s wife, which he could never have and who died years ago. Brian thinks that he will spend the rest of his life again, but then he meets Charles, a 43 year old man that has moved to their small town for the summer because he is having a crisis and is trying to figure out what he wants to do with his life. They start hanging out together and Brian finally feels attraction for someone, and they fall in love with each other.
I have said it before, but there is nothing I love more in books than reading about people who are super lonely, finding love and the person that is made for them. And this book was definitely the best example of this trope I have ever read. The way that the love story was shown in this book just impacted me in a way that does not happen often. I loved how this book showed that love is a good thing, and it gives you new things that you never thought would yours, but the book also showed that you have to work on yourself and take control of your life to make all of those things work for you. Which is just a topic that I adored reading about more than everything.
“I’m just a man.”
“My man now.” […]
“I reckon I am.”
Brian discovers that he is on the asexual spectrum during the story, and that he is more likely demisexual, or atleast that he is very attracted to Charles and not many other people. Brian had never been in love or been with anyone that he felt any attraction to (he had a couple of other sexual partners, but he had never felt any attraction to them and he wasn’t really into it). And I will say, I just adored this part of the story so much. I loved how Brian discovered this about himself and how he was so bewildered by the attraction that he felt for Charles because he never felt that attraction before and he had no clue how to deal with it. I just loved how Brian was so fascinated by all of the little feelings he felt and how shocked he was that he could feel this way, after spending 48 years of his life not feeling anything like that. I loved how Brian was amazed at every moment that he spent with Charles and everything that he felt for him, from the electricity he felt when they held hands, to the fuzzy feelings he felt when they hung out and spent time together, to how much Brian wanted to come out of his shelf and experience new things for himself because Charles made him believe In himself and that he can achieve the things that scare him, to how shocked and happy Brian was that he was attracted to Charles and all of the little things that Charles did and that made him who he is. This book was just full of so much wonderment and tenderness and I loved all of it so much. I just loved seeing Brian figure out his sexuality and what he enjoys, while being like a little kid in a candy shop every time that Charles touched him or talked to him. I just loved seeing Brian feel all of those big feelings for the first time and how much he appreciated them and how he cherished every new experience and wanted more of everything.
I don’t think I can even put words on how much I loved the characters in this book. I absolutely adored Brian with everything in me. Brian is a loner who does not really like to hang out with people much and who feels anxious in social situations, which sometimes results in panic attacks and who prefers to spend time alone than with other people. Everything about this is something that I can really much relate to as I’m also a loner who does not prefer to hang out with people that much and I just loved seeing all of Brian’s thoughts and how he acted in social situations because I could just relate to all of those thoughts so much. I just loved seeing how his mood changed depending on his environment and the people he was around and how his social battery ran out super quickly, which was just so relatable to me, so I really appreciated reading about it. But not only was Brian a super relatable character, he was about a super precious character that I was just really cheering for. I just wanted Brian to have the world and I was just so happy when he got everything that he has ever wanted. I was Brian’s biggest cheerleader and I was so happy for him. I also really loved Charles. Not only was he the perfect foil for Brian, because he was outgoing and social, but also super nice and respectful to Brian and he just really respected who Brian is as a person, and he was also super nice to Brian and just really wanted to spend time with him, which I thought was super lovely to read about, but he was just such a well rounded character. I felt like Charles’ persona was super well fleshed out and he was just such a wonderful character. He was just super lovely and I couldn’t have asked for a better character to compliment Brian, he was just his perfect match in every sense of the word.
“He gets me to do things I never thought I would […] just by being him. I am the way I am and always will be, but sometimes I do want to try more, and bein’ with him makes it easier.”
While were on this topic, lets talk about good together these two were. I am not kidding when I say that this book has my favourite love story that I have read all year, the romance in this book was just out of this world to me. I just loved all of their interactions so much. At first, Brian was super uncomfortable and prickly because he doesn’t like to socialize, but then they bounded over their love of music and seeing them bounding together and Brian loosing some of his pricly edge to let Charles in was just a thing of beauty. I really loved seeing them spend all of their time together and how their connection grew over the course of all of that time. I just loved seeing their connection develop and seeing their feelings for each other grow throughout the book. Also, the communication in this book was just so good. I loved how they always shared their feelings and thoughts with each other and how they always respected the other, while being there for each other and supporting each other at the same time. These two were just so attentive to each other and really listened to the other and I just loved it so much. To how they would do little things for each other to just see the other smile. There are so many scenes in this book that put the biggest grin on my face, and thats due to how well Charles and Brian match together. Reading these two together was just an absolute experience for me, but the best experience I’ve had in a while.
Everything about the romance in this book just really worked for me. From them hanging out together all the time and sharing good times and memories. To Brian feeling super comfortable with Charles and sharing his thoughts and life with him in a way that he never felt comfortable to do with anyone before. To how much these two just hung two and cuddled, I absolute love cuddles in this book and this book definitely delivered on those. To how many cute romantic scenes they had together, i’ve always said how scenes where the main characters are bounding and in love are my favourites in books and this book was mostly just made of those really adorable scenes, so of course I adored that. To how they were super supportive of each other and of their life goals and how they were a safe space for each other, no matter what. To Charles who never had been in love before falling heads over hells in love with Brian and wanting to do everything to keep him. To Brian who never had a person who was his before and who was ready to do everything to keep Charles, because he knowns that Charles is his and always wants to keep it that way. To their banter and all of the jokes that they shared, they just showed their communication so well and were absolutely lovely to read. To how they always took care of each other and thought about each other before doing anything. To how Brian got to discover his sexuality at his own speed and share all of these new to him experiences with Charles. To how they talked about each other and how they were super moppy about the other and always thinking about how lovely the other one is. Just everything about the romance in this book did it for me, it was absolutely flawless to me.
There ain’t a lot of people in my life I ever cared enough to miss. You’re one of them.
I think that I pretty much made this clear already, but this book just worked for me in a way that I haven’t really experienced in a long time. I just lost myself to this story and I really vibed with everything it had to offer me. I absolutely adore evrything little second of this book and to me, it’s absolutely flawless.
I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest opinion
July 12, 2023
***5.0 rating***
"I've never had anyone that's mine. I've never had anyone who wanted me. That's all I care about, not what folks think about it. I'm proud someone like you would choose to be with someone like me."
This was beautiful. Loved every second of it. The way Charles and Brian owned me with this book, is an understatement. I can't even explain it. But I will attempt to, so please bear with me.
I first read this series a year ago, when Riley wrote it. I'll read pretty much anything by this author. Her books are some of my favorite comfort reads. I don't know if it's her beautiful writing or the characters she writes but she has a way to make you come back for more. Riley's stories are never simple, I have read enough of her books to know that. There is always a bit of angst, family drama, and other issues that her characters are dealing with internally, but what she excels at is making you root for the men in her stories and their journey to falling in love with one another.
Charles and Brian are another couple written by her that I fell in love with. I loved their love. It was raw, real, and genuine. These men are a bit older, well-established in their careers, and more emotionally mature. I loved that Brian and Charles were older, it made the story much more believable. Don't get me wrong I am here for young love and puppy love or whatnot but something about grown men being secure in their masculinity and sexuality just leaves you in awe. There is something admiring about that and so when I heard Riley was going to give Brian (Sutton's uncle) and Charles (Emerson's lawyer bestie) their own book, I was very excited.
And Riley did not disappoint, nope. She gave me a new favorite book to obsess over.
Charles (43) sees how his bestie, Emerson is so happy and settled with his new hubby, the delightful Sam. He is in awe of Emerson's happiness and can't help but be a bit envious of him. Charles whose life is based in New York is tired of the city life and his demanding job. He wants the happiness and peace that his dear friend Emerson has found in the small town of Ryland, North Carolina. What is about small towns and their charm? Charles is determined to find out. He is there for the summer, taking a break from his busy life. He has met Brian before and can't help but be intrigued by the stoic man.
Charles is charismatic and makes friends with just about everyone. Maybe Brian is his next new friend? Even though he is somewhat attracted to the broody man that is Sutton's uncle who for the most part keeps to himself.
Brian (48) lives a simple life. He goes to his job and is a homebody. He doesn't have many friends aside from his nephew, Sutton who he practically raised himself. He also doesn't understand why the fancy man from New York keeps conversating with him. Of course, being the polite man that he is Brian doesn't mind Charles's company.
Charles is determined to be his friend. He would like more but since he assumes Brian is probably straight, being his friend is enough. Something about Brian's loneliness reminds him of his deceased brother.
The two hang out and become friends. Slowly. This is a slow-burn romance so I wasn't surprised that their friendship was also developing at a gradual pace. They bond over their love for music, grief, and other personal things that they share with one another. Brian played guitar and Charles played his piano, every time this man went over to Brian's place he bought him flowers. Flowers. How sweet and romantic is he?🥺❤️
They even played together at a local pub which is out of Brian's comfort zone. But something about Charles and his patience and understanding puts Brian at ease. With Charles, he can just be. Their friendship was so sweet and wholesome. Their conversations were personable and raw. Brian confided things to Charles that he had never confided to anyone, especially things about Sutton's mother Nadine, and how he felt about her. He has only been in love once, and it was with her or so he thought.
As their friendship and bond become stronger, romance between them becomes a possibility. We knew from the hints that Riley dropped throughout the book that Charles was without a doubt attracted to Brian but to our surprise, Brian also starts to feel things for Charles. Feelings he had never felt for anyone before, not even Nadine. His whole life, Brian felt like something was wrong with him. Why he couldn't feel for anyone in his younger days or brag about liking girls like other boys did when he was a boy. Things that are considered normal, he struggled with. So, when he does start to feel something for Nadine, he grasps it. It was the first time he felt a thing for anyone that resembled anything sexual or romantic. But sadly for Brian, Nadine loves his brother and marries him. Brian is forever left in the shadows and watches his brother and the love of his life live their life. He keeps his feelings to himself and sadly when he does confide in Nadine about them, tragedy strikes, leaving Sutton without his parents.
Therefore, as a reader, it isn't shocking to see Brian struggling with understanding his sexuality or his grief. His friendship with Charles, a gay man who is more sexually experienced is helpful. Charles teaches Brian about the possibility that he may be on the asexual spectrum, or in other words a demisexual. Things start to make sense for Brian and he realizes that nothing is wrong with him, he just didn't know about these things about himself. Charles is kind, understanding, and patient. Brian is not cured sexually because he suddenly found out he is a demisexual. Riley handled tackling this topic with much care and effort, which as a reader you come to appreciate. Brian's relationship with Charles was just pure romance. Romance at its finest. Charles understood him in ways no one ever did. I don't think Brian understood how lonely he truly was until he met Charles. Everything he experienced with Charles, was like it was for the first time. Brian was open-minded and not at all insecure about his newfound sexual identity, he embraced it. While he continued to struggle with it, he was in no shape or form ashamed of his feelings for Charles. When he suffered from panic attacks and anxiety, Charles was there for his man. They communicated their issues and insecurities with one another, like a couple should and that is why I wholeheartedly love this couple. Everything about them is wholesome and heartfelt. I cannot shut up about it enough.
Their relationship, their friendship, their conversations, them bonding over their loss and grief, they simply just owned me. I cannot simp for them enough. So yes this is worth the hype and the five stars reviews. Riley Hart truly delivered with these two men and their love for one another. By the end of the book the epilogue you get is that of a real couple who is madly in love with one another but they still have their flaws and all. I hope that if you do decide to read this beautiful book, you end up loving Brian and Charles as much as I did because this is a beautifully written book. I know I say that a lot but only because it is true.
I received an advance review copy for free from the author, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
"I've never had anyone that's mine. I've never had anyone who wanted me. That's all I care about, not what folks think about it. I'm proud someone like you would choose to be with someone like me."
This was beautiful. Loved every second of it. The way Charles and Brian owned me with this book, is an understatement. I can't even explain it. But I will attempt to, so please bear with me.
I first read this series a year ago, when Riley wrote it. I'll read pretty much anything by this author. Her books are some of my favorite comfort reads. I don't know if it's her beautiful writing or the characters she writes but she has a way to make you come back for more. Riley's stories are never simple, I have read enough of her books to know that. There is always a bit of angst, family drama, and other issues that her characters are dealing with internally, but what she excels at is making you root for the men in her stories and their journey to falling in love with one another.
Charles and Brian are another couple written by her that I fell in love with. I loved their love. It was raw, real, and genuine. These men are a bit older, well-established in their careers, and more emotionally mature. I loved that Brian and Charles were older, it made the story much more believable. Don't get me wrong I am here for young love and puppy love or whatnot but something about grown men being secure in their masculinity and sexuality just leaves you in awe. There is something admiring about that and so when I heard Riley was going to give Brian (Sutton's uncle) and Charles (Emerson's lawyer bestie) their own book, I was very excited.
And Riley did not disappoint, nope. She gave me a new favorite book to obsess over.
Charles (43) sees how his bestie, Emerson is so happy and settled with his new hubby, the delightful Sam. He is in awe of Emerson's happiness and can't help but be a bit envious of him. Charles whose life is based in New York is tired of the city life and his demanding job. He wants the happiness and peace that his dear friend Emerson has found in the small town of Ryland, North Carolina. What is about small towns and their charm? Charles is determined to find out. He is there for the summer, taking a break from his busy life. He has met Brian before and can't help but be intrigued by the stoic man.
Charles is charismatic and makes friends with just about everyone. Maybe Brian is his next new friend? Even though he is somewhat attracted to the broody man that is Sutton's uncle who for the most part keeps to himself.
Brian (48) lives a simple life. He goes to his job and is a homebody. He doesn't have many friends aside from his nephew, Sutton who he practically raised himself. He also doesn't understand why the fancy man from New York keeps conversating with him. Of course, being the polite man that he is Brian doesn't mind Charles's company.
Charles is determined to be his friend. He would like more but since he assumes Brian is probably straight, being his friend is enough. Something about Brian's loneliness reminds him of his deceased brother.
The two hang out and become friends. Slowly. This is a slow-burn romance so I wasn't surprised that their friendship was also developing at a gradual pace. They bond over their love for music, grief, and other personal things that they share with one another. Brian played guitar and Charles played his piano, every time this man went over to Brian's place he bought him flowers. Flowers. How sweet and romantic is he?🥺❤️
They even played together at a local pub which is out of Brian's comfort zone. But something about Charles and his patience and understanding puts Brian at ease. With Charles, he can just be. Their friendship was so sweet and wholesome. Their conversations were personable and raw. Brian confided things to Charles that he had never confided to anyone, especially things about Sutton's mother Nadine, and how he felt about her. He has only been in love once, and it was with her or so he thought.
As their friendship and bond become stronger, romance between them becomes a possibility. We knew from the hints that Riley dropped throughout the book that Charles was without a doubt attracted to Brian but to our surprise, Brian also starts to feel things for Charles. Feelings he had never felt for anyone before, not even Nadine. His whole life, Brian felt like something was wrong with him. Why he couldn't feel for anyone in his younger days or brag about liking girls like other boys did when he was a boy. Things that are considered normal, he struggled with. So, when he does start to feel something for Nadine, he grasps it. It was the first time he felt a thing for anyone that resembled anything sexual or romantic. But sadly for Brian, Nadine loves his brother and marries him. Brian is forever left in the shadows and watches his brother and the love of his life live their life. He keeps his feelings to himself and sadly when he does confide in Nadine about them, tragedy strikes, leaving Sutton without his parents.
Therefore, as a reader, it isn't shocking to see Brian struggling with understanding his sexuality or his grief. His friendship with Charles, a gay man who is more sexually experienced is helpful. Charles teaches Brian about the possibility that he may be on the asexual spectrum, or in other words a demisexual. Things start to make sense for Brian and he realizes that nothing is wrong with him, he just didn't know about these things about himself. Charles is kind, understanding, and patient. Brian is not cured sexually because he suddenly found out he is a demisexual. Riley handled tackling this topic with much care and effort, which as a reader you come to appreciate. Brian's relationship with Charles was just pure romance. Romance at its finest. Charles understood him in ways no one ever did. I don't think Brian understood how lonely he truly was until he met Charles. Everything he experienced with Charles, was like it was for the first time. Brian was open-minded and not at all insecure about his newfound sexual identity, he embraced it. While he continued to struggle with it, he was in no shape or form ashamed of his feelings for Charles. When he suffered from panic attacks and anxiety, Charles was there for his man. They communicated their issues and insecurities with one another, like a couple should and that is why I wholeheartedly love this couple. Everything about them is wholesome and heartfelt. I cannot shut up about it enough.
Their relationship, their friendship, their conversations, them bonding over their loss and grief, they simply just owned me. I cannot simp for them enough. So yes this is worth the hype and the five stars reviews. Riley Hart truly delivered with these two men and their love for one another. By the end of the book the epilogue you get is that of a real couple who is madly in love with one another but they still have their flaws and all. I hope that if you do decide to read this beautiful book, you end up loving Brian and Charles as much as I did because this is a beautifully written book. I know I say that a lot but only because it is true.
I received an advance review copy for free from the author, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
![Profile Image for moonlight ☾ [semi-hiatus].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1645500038i%2F37448930._UX200_CR0%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
July 9, 2023
He sighed. "You can't change your life for me. You're a social person. I'm not. We're gonna have to find a way to make it work. That means me goin' out sometimes and you stayin' in sometimes. And when I don't wanna go, you don't have to stay home for me."
I grinned. It was the simplest thing, but still, hearing him say it tied me up in knots. "Okay...and if there's something you need, you tell me, whether it's there or afterward. I can't read your mind. I want to be who you need me to be."
"You are. Can't you see that?"
i know i always mention this but, to me, the lil moments between the mcs and their interactions are something i LOVE reading in a romance. when they're doing everything yet nothing at all together. when they simply like to just be with each other. that shit makes me feel giddy to read about. Charles buying Brian flowers or something as simple as them playing music together (Charles with his piano and Brian with his guitar) and chilling in Brian's place? it's small moments like that where i can truly feel a connection between the mcs. i loved their friendship, but i also loved how they came together as a couple. Charles respecting Brian's boundaries and always asking him if it's okay?? i loved that so much. i also loved how they communicated with each other (and i know it wasn't always easy for Brian to express his feelings, but it's the effort he puts in that had me rooting for him) rather than causing unnecessary misunderstandings that could easily be prevented. overall, i enjoyed this book a lot and, while i haven't enjoyed every RH book i've picked up (before this, i've read eight books and only three have been memorable), i'm glad this worked for me. 🥹
I grinned. It was the simplest thing, but still, hearing him say it tied me up in knots. "Okay...and if there's something you need, you tell me, whether it's there or afterward. I can't read your mind. I want to be who you need me to be."
"You are. Can't you see that?"
i know i always mention this but, to me, the lil moments between the mcs and their interactions are something i LOVE reading in a romance. when they're doing everything yet nothing at all together. when they simply like to just be with each other. that shit makes me feel giddy to read about. Charles buying Brian flowers or something as simple as them playing music together (Charles with his piano and Brian with his guitar) and chilling in Brian's place? it's small moments like that where i can truly feel a connection between the mcs. i loved their friendship, but i also loved how they came together as a couple. Charles respecting Brian's boundaries and always asking him if it's okay?? i loved that so much. i also loved how they communicated with each other (and i know it wasn't always easy for Brian to express his feelings, but it's the effort he puts in that had me rooting for him) rather than causing unnecessary misunderstandings that could easily be prevented. overall, i enjoyed this book a lot and, while i haven't enjoyed every RH book i've picked up (before this, i've read eight books and only three have been memorable), i'm glad this worked for me. 🥹
March 5, 2024
3,25 stars rounded up to 4 because of the demi /ace representation.
After having read and loved The Endgame, I didn't enjoy another book by Riley Hart that much, but Snjez convinced me to give this a try (thank you!).
I loved many aspects of this book:
Loved that the MCs were only a bit younger than me, yay!
Loved even more that Brian was probably demi /gray-ace, and that the plot focused on him learning more about himself, and Charles giving him the time and space to do so. I appreciated that he was happy to learn that he wasn't an "anomaly" but didn't need to find a precise label for himself.
It was lovely to read about MCs who talked to each other, and were honest and straightforward.
There were things I didn't love.
The writing style didn't knock me off my feet.
The dialogues often felt clunky, not smooth or like a dialogue sounds irl.
Reading Brian and Sutton's dialect was hard to concentrate on and it gave the story-telling a sloppy note.
It took me some time to like Charles and even Brian but it got better once they spended more time together.
And I had a problem with Nadine. The "then" - chapter was cringey, Nadine was pushy, inconsiderate and treated Brian in a disrespectful way, in my opinion. It did nothing to make me see how Brian could have loved her so much for such a long time. But I guess that's just me.
I loved the relationship Charles had with his parents. They were close, but when one overstepped, the other had no problems to set or remember boundaries, they talked about it, apologized when needed, and stayed close. It's rare in contemporary romance that a family with all adults is shown in such a healthy and realistic way.
After having read and loved The Endgame, I didn't enjoy another book by Riley Hart that much, but Snjez convinced me to give this a try (thank you!).
I loved many aspects of this book:
Loved that the MCs were only a bit younger than me, yay!
Loved even more that Brian was probably demi /gray-ace, and that the plot focused on him learning more about himself, and Charles giving him the time and space to do so. I appreciated that he was happy to learn that he wasn't an "anomaly" but didn't need to find a precise label for himself.
It was lovely to read about MCs who talked to each other, and were honest and straightforward.
There were things I didn't love.
The writing style didn't knock me off my feet.
The dialogues often felt clunky, not smooth or like a dialogue sounds irl.
Reading Brian and Sutton's dialect was hard to concentrate on and it gave the story-telling a sloppy note.
It took me some time to like Charles and even Brian but it got better once they spended more time together.
And I had a problem with Nadine. The "then" - chapter was cringey, Nadine was pushy, inconsiderate and treated Brian in a disrespectful way, in my opinion. It did nothing to make me see how Brian could have loved her so much for such a long time. But I guess that's just me.
I loved the relationship Charles had with his parents. They were close, but when one overstepped, the other had no problems to set or remember boundaries, they talked about it, apologized when needed, and stayed close. It's rare in contemporary romance that a family with all adults is shown in such a healthy and realistic way.
July 24, 2023
This book is a sweet, sweet snoozefest.
Charles is pushy and acts predatory at the beginning. Brian doesn't seem all that interested in hanging out, but Charles keeps insisting.
Brian is dull as ditchwater, mired in anxiety, and set in his ways.
The men play music together (it's the one thing they have in common), and Charles helps Brian realize that he's gray/demi. Brian sure likes sex for someone who's gray though.
They visit New York to celebrate Charles' mom's birthday, and Brian has a panic attack (understandable - I have anxiety just thinking about New York).
There's nothing wrong with this story. I just didn't believe in the connection between the MCs.
The insta love and deep commitment happen so quickly - Charles is ready to ditch his life and move to be with Brian after a few weeks.
Epilogue for the win, with all three couples happy and settled.
The first book in this series is hands down my favorite.
Charles is pushy and acts predatory at the beginning. Brian doesn't seem all that interested in hanging out, but Charles keeps insisting.
Brian is dull as ditchwater, mired in anxiety, and set in his ways.
The men play music together (it's the one thing they have in common), and Charles helps Brian realize that he's gray/demi. Brian sure likes sex for someone who's gray though.
They visit New York to celebrate Charles' mom's birthday, and Brian has a panic attack (understandable - I have anxiety just thinking about New York).
There's nothing wrong with this story. I just didn't believe in the connection between the MCs.
The insta love and deep commitment happen so quickly - Charles is ready to ditch his life and move to be with Brian after a few weeks.
Epilogue for the win, with all three couples happy and settled.
The first book in this series is hands down my favorite.
July 6, 2023
Gorgeous story Charles and Brian deserved
Loved:
◇ So many emotional moments, serious topics touched, the depth of the story. Honesty, tenderness, and intimacy between MCs.
◇ Charles - a city boy, loyal, patient, caring, kind. Outgoing and social but hiding loneliness and regret.
◇ Brian - a lonely sole who feels deeply but struggles to express himself, complex and real character
◇ Both men are in their forties and act their age. Both are mature and actually communicate with each other
◇ Slow burn, perfectly paced relationships development
◇ Music: how it connected Brian and Charles, and paved the way for everything that came after
◇ Brian's sexual discovery journey, and how love wasn't a key to magically solving all issues, but a way to find their own balance and things that worked for them as a couple
◇ Perfect book title - kissing is such a vital part of Brian and Charles, and I absolutely loved it
◇ The best epilogue that provided closure not only to Brian and Charles's story but to the series as a whole
Loved:
◇ So many emotional moments, serious topics touched, the depth of the story. Honesty, tenderness, and intimacy between MCs.
◇ Charles - a city boy, loyal, patient, caring, kind. Outgoing and social but hiding loneliness and regret.
◇ Brian - a lonely sole who feels deeply but struggles to express himself, complex and real character
◇ Both men are in their forties and act their age. Both are mature and actually communicate with each other
◇ Slow burn, perfectly paced relationships development
◇ Music: how it connected Brian and Charles, and paved the way for everything that came after
◇ Brian's sexual discovery journey, and how love wasn't a key to magically solving all issues, but a way to find their own balance and things that worked for them as a couple
◇ Perfect book title - kissing is such a vital part of Brian and Charles, and I absolutely loved it
◇ The best epilogue that provided closure not only to Brian and Charles's story but to the series as a whole
July 31, 2023
4.5 Loved it stars!! ❤️❤️ This was a mature grown up romance that I typically love, with both MCs in their 40s. The plot was simple and yet very beautifully written. Highly recommended to all who enjoy mature m/m romances. It is the third book in the series but I feel that it can be read as a stand-alone, however due to cameos of the MCs from the previous books there are multiple spoilers of those stories in this one.
January 23, 2024
Mature characters for the win!
What a delight to read about characters that actually TALK to each other - a novel idea, I know.
The previous book ends with Charles asking about Brian, Sutton’s uncle - and being told that he’s straight. Although… Brian hasn’t “been with” anyone, because Brian - and that’s another thing we learn in the previous book - has been in love with Sutton’s mum, and loves her still, even 14 years after her untimely death.
Charles isn’t deterred by the fact that Brian is straight, and decides to be his friend - because something about Brian reminds him of his brother Paul, who committed suicide a few years back.
Sounds dreary, I know, but it isn’t: Charlie is a sunny character who honestly wants to befriend Brian, and steamrolls him with his cheerfulness.
“Anyway, let’s do this. I’m gonna make you have fun, if it’s the last thing I do.” As I was getting out of the car, I was fairly certain I heard a soft, “You always do,” and they were maybe the best three words I’d ever heard.
There’s one thing that they have in common, and that’s making music, so their relationship starts with Charlie playing the piano and Brian his guitar.
”His heart was in this song, and whatever it was that had made him write it, he felt down to the marrow of his bones, was maybe why he was sad and lonely, and this was the only way he could express it. And he was sharing it with me. I didn’t understand that, what made him choose to let me in. Brian gave me pieces of himself he didn’t give to others, and damn, was it a precious gift.”
“I started to play, trying to blend my music with his, wanting his notes less lonely, and to try and create something new together.”
Their friendship turns into more when Brian discovers that he’s attracted to Charlie, and they both discover that he’s not really straight, but more likely demisexual and on the ace spectrum. I’ve rarely read a romance with an ace character, and this one is… beautiful. Tender. Full of love. And yes, they do have “real sex”, too, but there are many moments full of need to just connect, to be close to each other.
”We were close, so fucking close that if I lost my breath, I thought I could live off him feeding me his.”
“I like it when you touch me. It makes me feel… don’t know, connected to somethin’. Makes me want more when no one but her has ever made me feel anything.”
And again: they talk. Because even sunny Charles has some issues he needs to work through, and Brian doesn’t always need to be taken care of.
Special mention to Charles’ love for yoga: I’m pretty sure I’m not nearly half as good (and dedicated) to yoga practice as he is, but I understand the peace he finds in excercising.
I kind of missed the angst from the previous books though, even if I appreciated the fact that they just focused on each other and not on what the rest of the world thinks about them.
“I remember you once told me you could spend a lifetime kissing me,” Charles said against my lips. “Promise me we’ll do that?” I looked into his eyes, knowing with all my heart that the words I said were true. “I promise.”
4 happy stars for the little gay community they’ve found in Ryland, North Carolina.
What a delight to read about characters that actually TALK to each other - a novel idea, I know.
The previous book ends with Charles asking about Brian, Sutton’s uncle - and being told that he’s straight. Although… Brian hasn’t “been with” anyone, because Brian - and that’s another thing we learn in the previous book - has been in love with Sutton’s mum, and loves her still, even 14 years after her untimely death.
Charles isn’t deterred by the fact that Brian is straight, and decides to be his friend - because something about Brian reminds him of his brother Paul, who committed suicide a few years back.
Sounds dreary, I know, but it isn’t: Charlie is a sunny character who honestly wants to befriend Brian, and steamrolls him with his cheerfulness.
“Anyway, let’s do this. I’m gonna make you have fun, if it’s the last thing I do.” As I was getting out of the car, I was fairly certain I heard a soft, “You always do,” and they were maybe the best three words I’d ever heard.
There’s one thing that they have in common, and that’s making music, so their relationship starts with Charlie playing the piano and Brian his guitar.
”His heart was in this song, and whatever it was that had made him write it, he felt down to the marrow of his bones, was maybe why he was sad and lonely, and this was the only way he could express it. And he was sharing it with me. I didn’t understand that, what made him choose to let me in. Brian gave me pieces of himself he didn’t give to others, and damn, was it a precious gift.”
“I started to play, trying to blend my music with his, wanting his notes less lonely, and to try and create something new together.”
Their friendship turns into more when Brian discovers that he’s attracted to Charlie, and they both discover that he’s not really straight, but more likely demisexual and on the ace spectrum. I’ve rarely read a romance with an ace character, and this one is… beautiful. Tender. Full of love. And yes, they do have “real sex”, too, but there are many moments full of need to just connect, to be close to each other.
”We were close, so fucking close that if I lost my breath, I thought I could live off him feeding me his.”
“I like it when you touch me. It makes me feel… don’t know, connected to somethin’. Makes me want more when no one but her has ever made me feel anything.”
And again: they talk. Because even sunny Charles has some issues he needs to work through, and Brian doesn’t always need to be taken care of.
Special mention to Charles’ love for yoga: I’m pretty sure I’m not nearly half as good (and dedicated) to yoga practice as he is, but I understand the peace he finds in excercising.
I kind of missed the angst from the previous books though, even if I appreciated the fact that they just focused on each other and not on what the rest of the world thinks about them.
“I remember you once told me you could spend a lifetime kissing me,” Charles said against my lips. “Promise me we’ll do that?” I looked into his eyes, knowing with all my heart that the words I said were true. “I promise.”
4 happy stars for the little gay community they’ve found in Ryland, North Carolina.
July 13, 2023
2.5 rounded up for now. This is a case of everybody loved it but me 😭! The hype was real for this one and I really was looking forward to it but it didn't really resonate with me. I found Charles way too pushy in the beginning: declaring that they were to become friends and then inviting himself to Brian's house felt like too much especially for with someone who has anxiety. Then . Charles grew on me but I didn't end up loving him because I mostly agreed with his mother . I may have agreed with her because the ILY came too early for me. Yes they get to know each other before anything starts and they really communicate well (which I liked) but something was still missing. Also at one point it felt that Charles was walking on eggshells around Brian all the time (during sex and outside of it) which, one, doesn't seem sustainable, and, two, should lead to frustration on his part but doesn't, again that didn't sit well with me. Yes it shows he is very supportive and was also tackled in the book but it didn't convince me personally.
It may be that something was missing from Brian characterization: he works in a factory, plays guitar and is a loner with anxiety and on the ace spectrum. I'm not sure that adds up to a fully fleshed out person, at least it didn't to me. His relationship with Sutton needed to be explored more IMHO. He is his only remaining family member and basically the only person he really interacts with. It was teased in the previous book but not really tackled more here. I like to get what each MC sees in the other and I didn't really here. They are very different and bond over music but again something was missing to me. I love when in grand declaration the MCs explain why they love each other and it makes sense, we didn't get that here.
There were too many sex scenes and they underlined the fact that Charles is really "accommodating" (probably not the right term) Brian and putting his needs/wants second which didn't sit well with me. Also you have an ace MC but he is up to try and loves everything sexual, weird. .
I really loved the epilogue which really wrapped the series very nicely for all 3 couples! Yeah for that!
It may be that something was missing from Brian characterization: he works in a factory, plays guitar and is a loner with anxiety and on the ace spectrum. I'm not sure that adds up to a fully fleshed out person, at least it didn't to me. His relationship with Sutton needed to be explored more IMHO. He is his only remaining family member and basically the only person he really interacts with. It was teased in the previous book but not really tackled more here. I like to get what each MC sees in the other and I didn't really here. They are very different and bond over music but again something was missing to me. I love when in grand declaration the MCs explain why they love each other and it makes sense, we didn't get that here.
There were too many sex scenes and they underlined the fact that Charles is really "accommodating" (probably not the right term) Brian and putting his needs/wants second which didn't sit well with me. Also you have an ace MC but he is up to try and loves everything sexual, weird. .
I really loved the epilogue which really wrapped the series very nicely for all 3 couples! Yeah for that!
July 11, 2023
Just a book about two guys being honest and making each other happy <3
“When I looked at him again, he was laughing. He did that so easily. Most people did, but it felt even freer when it came from Charles, and damned if part of me didn’t wish he could teach me how…”
“When I looked at him again, he was laughing. He did that so easily. Most people did, but it felt even freer when it came from Charles, and damned if part of me didn’t wish he could teach me how…”
September 3, 2025
This was a very nice conclusion to the series. We first met Brian in Sutton’s book, and from the glimpses of him, you can tell he is sad and lonely. Charles was really a ray of sunshine, helping Brian find joy in life again and eventually work on his issues. There was no angst in this book, just two middle-aged guys who communicated a lot and were lovely to each other.
March 9, 2024
Ok just kidding. There are more things about this story that annoy me so I’m lowering my rating to 3 🥴
———————————————
Audio review- I did decide to lower my story rating to 4 stars after listening, and the audio gets 3 stars. This is the last book by Riley I enjoyed.
You know those educational videos they showed us in school in science class in the US when our teachers were hungover or just done with life, and the narrator was joyfully describing the process of digestion like we should be really excited about it? That’s how Nick Russo’s narration of Charles sounds in this audio. 🤣🤣🤣 I kept waiting for him to start talking about the miracle of molecules or the wonder of the nervous system. 😬🤣
So… he is not for me 😬😂
———————————————————-
best of this trilogy
I’m not gonna lie, in the grand scheme of reading MM for a long ass time, I’d probably rate this four stars.
But for a.) 2023 being an absolute abysmal year for MM writing
B.) rarely do authors focus on characters and the actual love story
C.) the lack of tropey problematic bi/demi/ace awakening is REFRESHING
I’m rating this 5 stars because this book is focused on the relationship and MC’s. It’s focused on their friendship and growing feelings. When Riley does it well, she does relationship development better than most authors. She’s also good at adding a little bit of angst and drama without it being silly. Now, the previous two books were way angstier. This dealt with grief, anxiety, and panic attacks, but lacked the drama from the previous two. And the sex, while hot, was impossibly tender. Like… UGH. Thank you.
I heart Brian so hard. Like, SO HARD. He is probably one of my most favorite MM characters ever.
I couldn’t put this book down. I loved reading their evolution from acquaintances to friends to lovers. I love the fact that an author doesn’t write a goddamn bi/demi awakening that isn’t gross or problematic. Like, I feel ridiculous thanking Riley for that but FFS this genre is SATURATED with gross tropes.
Anyway. I loved this book. One of like, four new releases I’ve liked this year lol.
———————————————
Audio review- I did decide to lower my story rating to 4 stars after listening, and the audio gets 3 stars. This is the last book by Riley I enjoyed.
You know those educational videos they showed us in school in science class in the US when our teachers were hungover or just done with life, and the narrator was joyfully describing the process of digestion like we should be really excited about it? That’s how Nick Russo’s narration of Charles sounds in this audio. 🤣🤣🤣 I kept waiting for him to start talking about the miracle of molecules or the wonder of the nervous system. 😬🤣
So… he is not for me 😬😂
———————————————————-
best of this trilogy
I’m not gonna lie, in the grand scheme of reading MM for a long ass time, I’d probably rate this four stars.
But for a.) 2023 being an absolute abysmal year for MM writing
B.) rarely do authors focus on characters and the actual love story
C.) the lack of tropey problematic bi/demi/ace awakening is REFRESHING
I’m rating this 5 stars because this book is focused on the relationship and MC’s. It’s focused on their friendship and growing feelings. When Riley does it well, she does relationship development better than most authors. She’s also good at adding a little bit of angst and drama without it being silly. Now, the previous two books were way angstier. This dealt with grief, anxiety, and panic attacks, but lacked the drama from the previous two. And the sex, while hot, was impossibly tender. Like… UGH. Thank you.
I heart Brian so hard. Like, SO HARD. He is probably one of my most favorite MM characters ever.
I couldn’t put this book down. I loved reading their evolution from acquaintances to friends to lovers. I love the fact that an author doesn’t write a goddamn bi/demi awakening that isn’t gross or problematic. Like, I feel ridiculous thanking Riley for that but FFS this genre is SATURATED with gross tropes.
Anyway. I loved this book. One of like, four new releases I’ve liked this year lol.
July 4, 2023
The Inevitable series is an emotional series overall, but I felt Charles and Brian's story was less angsty than the rest. It was actually quite beautiful, though so were books 1 and 2. There was just something so intimate about their romance. We don't really know much about Brian at the start of this book. He's quiet and reserved, even with his nephew Sutton. Brian keeps to himself and if it's not absolutely necessary to go out, then he can be found at home. Quite a contrast to the teasing and light hearted Charles.
"I didn't understand that, what made him choose to let me in. Brian gave me pieces of himself he didn't give to others, and damn, was it a precious gift."
I loved how Charles was with Brian. He basically told him they were going to be friends whether Brian liked it or not. And they did, become friends that is. Their love of music served as a bond and they would often get together to play. Charles was patient with Brian, yet he also knew when to try and push him a little bit. He paid attention and no one had ever paid attention to Brian before. Their falling was incredibly organic and slow. It reminded me of a flame. How at first it's just a small spark, then eventually it grows into this bright burning fire. Their flame burned brighter with every sweet touch or gesture, usually initiated by Charles.
"His gaze landed on the fresh wildflowers in the vase on my table. Every time they started to wilt, Charles brought me new ones. One day when I was shopping, I bought a vase, and saw him smile when he noticed it."
I mean how romantic is that! This book was littered with cute little moments like that. And though their relationship had some obstacles, it was obvious that both Charles and Brian were committed. Their love shined and I had no doubt they were in it for the long haul. The epilogue was wonderful and it made my heart smile seeing these two flourishing years down the road. Great read!
"I didn't understand that, what made him choose to let me in. Brian gave me pieces of himself he didn't give to others, and damn, was it a precious gift."
I loved how Charles was with Brian. He basically told him they were going to be friends whether Brian liked it or not. And they did, become friends that is. Their love of music served as a bond and they would often get together to play. Charles was patient with Brian, yet he also knew when to try and push him a little bit. He paid attention and no one had ever paid attention to Brian before. Their falling was incredibly organic and slow. It reminded me of a flame. How at first it's just a small spark, then eventually it grows into this bright burning fire. Their flame burned brighter with every sweet touch or gesture, usually initiated by Charles.
"His gaze landed on the fresh wildflowers in the vase on my table. Every time they started to wilt, Charles brought me new ones. One day when I was shopping, I bought a vase, and saw him smile when he noticed it."
I mean how romantic is that! This book was littered with cute little moments like that. And though their relationship had some obstacles, it was obvious that both Charles and Brian were committed. Their love shined and I had no doubt they were in it for the long haul. The epilogue was wonderful and it made my heart smile seeing these two flourishing years down the road. Great read!
June 26, 2023
A Lifetime Kissing You is a beautiful final entry in the Inevitable Series. Charles and Brian are two haunted guys who feel deeply and are in desperate need of a genuine connection with another person. Their story is full of emotional moments that tackle serious topics such as grief and anxiety. This story excels at showing Brian's discovery of his sexual identity. Charles shows incredible kindness and patience with Brian's slow discovery of his feelings.
I also enjoyed their mutual love and passion for music. Having both Charles and Brian play music together allowed both to relax, drop their guard and find a way to share their thoughts and feelings without any judgment. This was a fantastic way for Brian to open up to a stranger and allow Charles to get to know him without any added pressure.
Overall A Lifetime Kissing You is a beautiful slow-burn romance that I appreciated its ability to allow the friendship between Charles and Brian to progress naturally into something so moving and emotional. Their genuine connection was masterfully done and I loved every aspect of it.
*** I reviewed a complimentary copy of this story***
I also enjoyed their mutual love and passion for music. Having both Charles and Brian play music together allowed both to relax, drop their guard and find a way to share their thoughts and feelings without any judgment. This was a fantastic way for Brian to open up to a stranger and allow Charles to get to know him without any added pressure.
Overall A Lifetime Kissing You is a beautiful slow-burn romance that I appreciated its ability to allow the friendship between Charles and Brian to progress naturally into something so moving and emotional. Their genuine connection was masterfully done and I loved every aspect of it.
*** I reviewed a complimentary copy of this story***
September 22, 2024
Sigh
This book fucked me up GOOD. Riley Hart is now a favorite author of mine. This story and these two characters were so perfectly made for each other. I really have no words.
This whole series, town and world have me twisted up in knots and I’m so sad that it’s all over.
This book fucked me up GOOD. Riley Hart is now a favorite author of mine. This story and these two characters were so perfectly made for each other. I really have no words.
This whole series, town and world have me twisted up in knots and I’m so sad that it’s all over.
July 14, 2023
“I could spend a lifetime kissing you,”
Riley Hart at her best. Truly incredible. Words would fail to convey how much I enjoyed reading this book. The story wasn't anything unique but somehow it still managed to get into my brain, sweep inside my veins and then it engraved its name in my heart.
"Charles was bringing me back to life.
I wasn’t sad, lonely Brian on that stage. I was a man, with a guitar, making people fall in love with music, and maybe falling in love myself."
"Inevitable" series, in my opinion, is Riley's best work so far. I have given all the three books 5 glowing stars. I literally have zero complaints when it comes to this amazing series. "A Lifetime Kissing You" is my favourite one so far. I loved everything about this book. I just wish it was longer. I'm not ready yet to let Charles and Brian go.
One more thing, I loved the demisexual representation here. And remember that its coming from a fellow demi. I thought the way Brian's feelings were described was very accurate. At least, I personally could relate to those things a lot.
“I remember you once told me you could spend a lifetime kissing me,” Charles said against my lips. “Promise me we’ll do that?”
I looked into his eyes, knowing with all my heart that the words I said were true. “I promise.”
I couldn’t wait to spend the rest of my life doing exactly that."
Riley Hart at her best. Truly incredible. Words would fail to convey how much I enjoyed reading this book. The story wasn't anything unique but somehow it still managed to get into my brain, sweep inside my veins and then it engraved its name in my heart.
"Charles was bringing me back to life.
I wasn’t sad, lonely Brian on that stage. I was a man, with a guitar, making people fall in love with music, and maybe falling in love myself."
"Inevitable" series, in my opinion, is Riley's best work so far. I have given all the three books 5 glowing stars. I literally have zero complaints when it comes to this amazing series. "A Lifetime Kissing You" is my favourite one so far. I loved everything about this book. I just wish it was longer. I'm not ready yet to let Charles and Brian go.
One more thing, I loved the demisexual representation here. And remember that its coming from a fellow demi. I thought the way Brian's feelings were described was very accurate. At least, I personally could relate to those things a lot.
“I remember you once told me you could spend a lifetime kissing me,” Charles said against my lips. “Promise me we’ll do that?”
I looked into his eyes, knowing with all my heart that the words I said were true. “I promise.”
I couldn’t wait to spend the rest of my life doing exactly that."
November 7, 2023
⭐️ 4.5 stars ⭐️
This was just lovely.
I really enjoyed A Million Little Moments, so not at all surprised I enjoyed this one as well. Less angsty than book two, which I felt matched Charles and Brian’s characters more.
I love demi rep, and I feel Riley Hart did an amazing job capturing Brian’s struggles and his journey of self-acceptance — same goes for the anxiety and mental health rep.
Emotional and heart-warming. The perfect makes-my-heart-fuzzy romance.
CW and tropes(spoilers):
- Demi MC
- MCs dealing with grief
- MC with social anxiety and panic attacks
- Small town romance
- Vers MCs
“I just knew it was right… inevitable, and that was all that mattered.”
This was just lovely.
I really enjoyed A Million Little Moments, so not at all surprised I enjoyed this one as well. Less angsty than book two, which I felt matched Charles and Brian’s characters more.
I love demi rep, and I feel Riley Hart did an amazing job capturing Brian’s struggles and his journey of self-acceptance — same goes for the anxiety and mental health rep.
Emotional and heart-warming. The perfect makes-my-heart-fuzzy romance.
CW and tropes(spoilers):
- Demi MC
- MCs dealing with grief
- MC with social anxiety and panic attacks
- Small town romance
- Vers MCs
July 14, 2023
I can’t tell you how amazing it was to read this book. Now I know there are lots of mental health books around, lots of Demi books around, but after reading this book I realised how much we are missing when it comes to explaining Demi.
This wasn’t oh I think I’m Demi, let’s move on! This is Demi explained in detail, this is you experiencing a little of what Demi is like and how it can affect you daily and when lots of different emotions are attached and you just don’t know how to cope.
This book is beautiful, Riley did a fantastic job of explaining Demi, she gave us Brian, that beautiful, lonely man who just needed the right person to give him a chance, give him time to deal with his feelings and give him the confidence to just be himself. Charles was his person. Charles was patient and kind and loving, he gave Brian affection, touches and reassurance that no matter what happened’s on any given day, he would be there to love him.
I loved that the men were older, I think because I’m in the 40’s club I just love reading about love beyond youth. These two men both had pain from loss, and were both dealing with it in different ways, but with communication you can deal with anything.
Beautiful, stunning, emotional read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
🩷Opposites attract
🩷Older MC’s
🩷Small town
🩷Demi awakening
🩷Bi awakening
🩷Hurt/Comfort
This wasn’t oh I think I’m Demi, let’s move on! This is Demi explained in detail, this is you experiencing a little of what Demi is like and how it can affect you daily and when lots of different emotions are attached and you just don’t know how to cope.
This book is beautiful, Riley did a fantastic job of explaining Demi, she gave us Brian, that beautiful, lonely man who just needed the right person to give him a chance, give him time to deal with his feelings and give him the confidence to just be himself. Charles was his person. Charles was patient and kind and loving, he gave Brian affection, touches and reassurance that no matter what happened’s on any given day, he would be there to love him.
I loved that the men were older, I think because I’m in the 40’s club I just love reading about love beyond youth. These two men both had pain from loss, and were both dealing with it in different ways, but with communication you can deal with anything.
Beautiful, stunning, emotional read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
🩷Opposites attract
🩷Older MC’s
🩷Small town
🩷Demi awakening
🩷Bi awakening
🩷Hurt/Comfort
July 16, 2023
I’m SO happy Brian got a book and that his HEA is found with Charles! Bonus! Brian needed a person like Charles and vice versa.
Their slow burn and exploration felt very organic and true. Brian identifies as demi and had never been with a man before. This was handled so very well by Riley.
“I’ve never had anyone that’s mine. I’ve never had anyone who wanted me. That’s all I care about, not what folks think about it. I’m proud someone like you would choose to be with someone like me.” “Jesus, Brian.””
Man this book made me emotional. Riley is great with her TWs and if suicide is a TW for you like it is for me I was happy to be aware of it in this story. Charles brother committed suicide. It’s off page but still has a huge impact on the story.
The musical aspect of the story was very sweet too. Them literally making music together. Charles was so very understanding of Brian’s anxiety and the care he takes was beautiful. There’s not much relationship angst per say but more outside sources angst. I call it manageable angst. It was a great read and I’m sad this series is over. The HEA was perfectly them and that made me so happy!
Their slow burn and exploration felt very organic and true. Brian identifies as demi and had never been with a man before. This was handled so very well by Riley.
“I’ve never had anyone that’s mine. I’ve never had anyone who wanted me. That’s all I care about, not what folks think about it. I’m proud someone like you would choose to be with someone like me.” “Jesus, Brian.””
Man this book made me emotional. Riley is great with her TWs and if suicide is a TW for you like it is for me I was happy to be aware of it in this story. Charles brother committed suicide. It’s off page but still has a huge impact on the story.
The musical aspect of the story was very sweet too. Them literally making music together. Charles was so very understanding of Brian’s anxiety and the care he takes was beautiful. There’s not much relationship angst per say but more outside sources angst. I call it manageable angst. It was a great read and I’m sad this series is over. The HEA was perfectly them and that made me so happy!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 8, 2023
I really liked this gentle, lovely romance. It was refreshing to read about older, imperfect heroes.
4.25 stars
4.25 stars
June 26, 2023
Loved this book!!! The way they slowly fall for each other explore each other and lean on each to grow and build the foundation to a healthy relationship ❤️❤️❤️
Perfection ❤️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Perfection ❤️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
January 31, 2024
Beautiful Day
It was a beautiful day for Brian Manning and Charles Wells when they met under a tree at his nephew’s garden. Brian had no idea how his life would change, neither did Charles for that matter.
Charles, fed up with his life in New York, and the daily grind of being a lawyer no longer appealing, packs up his job, and he takes off to North Carolina for the Summer, to stay with his friend, a former client, Emerson. Emerson is married to Sam, who is a friend of Sutton Manning, Brian’s nephew. Yep, six degrees of separation is a thing, especially in small towns like Ryland, North Carolina.
Both these men are in their early 40’s, Charles is 43 and Brian is 46 years old. That alone makes their story so special to read. They are polar opposites in every way except one, their love of music. Outgoing Charles loves life, people, music and New York. Brian is so closed off, it seems coffin-like at times. Charles could charm the birds from the trees and he does his best when he meets Brian.
Brian shut himself off from people, he lost his brother and his wife and his niece in a car accident. He has let this affect his life. Plus he suffers with Anxiety and Panic Attacks. Following the accident, Brian took up the raising of his nephew Sutton, when he lost his parents. He remained single.
Charles had something happen in his life that he doesn’t realise is still effecting how he treats people, not in a bad way. He has numerous boyfriends but never been in love.
Charles is such a darling man, how could anyone resist him, but Brian sure tries.
Brian’s defences slowly lower and accepts the friendship of Charles when they share their interests in music.
Given their ages I liked that it still felt as if they were teenagers even though they were adult in dealing with their differences and problems. No letting things fester and hurt.
I just felt so warm reading their story which has no angst but does have possible triggers, dealing with death of family members and the suicide of a sibling, all off page.
So, this is an MM story about two mature men facing great change in their lives, not young, partying guys on the chase, just so you know in advance.
It was a beautiful day for Brian Manning and Charles Wells when they met under a tree at his nephew’s garden. Brian had no idea how his life would change, neither did Charles for that matter.
Charles, fed up with his life in New York, and the daily grind of being a lawyer no longer appealing, packs up his job, and he takes off to North Carolina for the Summer, to stay with his friend, a former client, Emerson. Emerson is married to Sam, who is a friend of Sutton Manning, Brian’s nephew. Yep, six degrees of separation is a thing, especially in small towns like Ryland, North Carolina.
Both these men are in their early 40’s, Charles is 43 and Brian is 46 years old. That alone makes their story so special to read. They are polar opposites in every way except one, their love of music. Outgoing Charles loves life, people, music and New York. Brian is so closed off, it seems coffin-like at times. Charles could charm the birds from the trees and he does his best when he meets Brian.
Brian shut himself off from people, he lost his brother and his wife and his niece in a car accident. He has let this affect his life. Plus he suffers with Anxiety and Panic Attacks. Following the accident, Brian took up the raising of his nephew Sutton, when he lost his parents. He remained single.
Charles had something happen in his life that he doesn’t realise is still effecting how he treats people, not in a bad way. He has numerous boyfriends but never been in love.
Charles is such a darling man, how could anyone resist him, but Brian sure tries.
Brian’s defences slowly lower and accepts the friendship of Charles when they share their interests in music.
Given their ages I liked that it still felt as if they were teenagers even though they were adult in dealing with their differences and problems. No letting things fester and hurt.
I just felt so warm reading their story which has no angst but does have possible triggers, dealing with death of family members and the suicide of a sibling, all off page.
So, this is an MM story about two mature men facing great change in their lives, not young, partying guys on the chase, just so you know in advance.
July 8, 2023
What a beautiful relationship this is
Riley has done it again with this one, my favourite in the series and a brilliant romance.
My heart ached for both men in quite different ways but each found something special in the other to help them cope with the events in their pasts which had scarred them.
Brian's slow fall into love with Charles is wonderfully written, the dawning awareness that he's attracted to him, the expansion of his knowledge to realise he's demi-sexual and not broken.
Charles' own pain, grief and guilt over losing his brother to depression isn't washed over either. But the book never gets dragged down into misery.
I never wanted it to end!
Riley has done it again with this one, my favourite in the series and a brilliant romance.
My heart ached for both men in quite different ways but each found something special in the other to help them cope with the events in their pasts which had scarred them.
Brian's slow fall into love with Charles is wonderfully written, the dawning awareness that he's attracted to him, the expansion of his knowledge to realise he's demi-sexual and not broken.
Charles' own pain, grief and guilt over losing his brother to depression isn't washed over either. But the book never gets dragged down into misery.
I never wanted it to end!
July 11, 2023
4.5⭐️ Just the sweetest story ever. I loved the demisexual rep. Tons of really good spice that felt extraordinarily intimate and loving.
Very low angst, but full of emotion and heart. A Riley favorite for sure.
Note: I did not read the previous books in the series and it was totally fine.
Very low angst, but full of emotion and heart. A Riley favorite for sure.
Note: I did not read the previous books in the series and it was totally fine.
August 8, 2023
Riley Hart is always a hit or miss. I’m not sure if I’ve ever given her books 5 stars but maybe some 4s.
What I liked about this:
* Brian is a demisexual with anxiety and sort of the one who is “wooed”. But still “manly”. And while this might not seem like a big deal, so many books written by women don’t portray men realistically. In that they end up talking and behaving like women with curse words thrown in. So I appreciated that while Brian wasn’t “macho” he was manly.
* These were older men. Brian is 48 and Charles is 42. I like older men.
What I didn’t like:
* too much talking about Demi, ace spectrum, etc. Just show it. Don’t put labels on it! I can’t stand it when ppl do that
* the relationship was pretty instantaneous despite how Brian is, which I thought was really unrealistic.
* kinda boring in a lot of places. Slow.
Would I recommend? I honestly don’t know.
What I liked about this:
* Brian is a demisexual with anxiety and sort of the one who is “wooed”. But still “manly”. And while this might not seem like a big deal, so many books written by women don’t portray men realistically. In that they end up talking and behaving like women with curse words thrown in. So I appreciated that while Brian wasn’t “macho” he was manly.
* These were older men. Brian is 48 and Charles is 42. I like older men.
What I didn’t like:
* too much talking about Demi, ace spectrum, etc. Just show it. Don’t put labels on it! I can’t stand it when ppl do that
* the relationship was pretty instantaneous despite how Brian is, which I thought was really unrealistic.
* kinda boring in a lot of places. Slow.
Would I recommend? I honestly don’t know.
July 7, 2023
Good lord I needed this book and I didn’t even know it. Talk about connecting with characters and I connected so much to Brian. Taking that loss and grief in your life forward into your future and the damage it can cause. It was beautifully written. It was so good I finished it in one sitting ignoring my entire family.
Im surprised at how emotional I feel after reading this. I find it so special when I read about two guys in their 40s and over, its a different kind of love and expectation. It feels more real to life. Maybe its me getting older but it hits you in the chest. These stories remind you that the need for touch and love doesn’t die with age.
Riley really brings out that yearning and emotion with Charles and Brian. I cannot describe it better than a beautiful love story. Riley did both characters justice and also justice to the more mature dating circles. I felt every moment these guys felt, the writing really takes you on that journey.
I also adored the chemistry and sex scenes in this. I don’t even think sex is the right word, it was more in line with making love and the affection in this made it so true to life, it was perfect for them.
I just loved this book so much. Made me feel happy and giddy for these guys.
Im surprised at how emotional I feel after reading this. I find it so special when I read about two guys in their 40s and over, its a different kind of love and expectation. It feels more real to life. Maybe its me getting older but it hits you in the chest. These stories remind you that the need for touch and love doesn’t die with age.
Riley really brings out that yearning and emotion with Charles and Brian. I cannot describe it better than a beautiful love story. Riley did both characters justice and also justice to the more mature dating circles. I felt every moment these guys felt, the writing really takes you on that journey.
I also adored the chemistry and sex scenes in this. I don’t even think sex is the right word, it was more in line with making love and the affection in this made it so true to life, it was perfect for them.
I just loved this book so much. Made me feel happy and giddy for these guys.
July 31, 2023
A Lifetime of Kissing You is my second favorite book of the three. i immediately loved Charles when he was introduced to us as Emerson's best friend in the first book. Brian took a little more for me to warm up to as Sutton's uncle in the second book, but by the time i dove into this one i was fully ready for their love story.
Brian is a 40 something recluse who has a major case of anxiety. he prefers to isolate for the most part with the exception of the occasional visit from his nephew. the bulk of Brian's issues stem from having spent half his life in love with a woman who fell in love with and married his own brother. shortly after his confession to her, she died along with his brother and he was left to raise Sutton, their son. that amount of grief has left him confused and emotionally untouchable for far too long. then Charles comes along and he's vibrant and friendly and pushy and everything that Brian didn't know he needed.
Charles' brother committed suicide, leaving him wide open and honest as a way to make up for the ways he thought he failed his brother. when he sees the familiar sad loneliness in Brian, his desire to be friends with him is tinted with immediate attraction. despite Brian claiming to be straight, Charles is still able to get under his skin and the two form a tight emotional bond that makes Brian reconsider everything he knows about himself on a romantic, emotional, and sexual level.
i loved the way this story delved into the nuance of sexuality and mental health with a nice dose of sweet romance to keep it from getting too heavy. while there are some sensitive topics, they're handled delicately and it adds true depth to the characters; nothing is delivered for mere shock value. there are plenty of discussions surrounding the lesser known sexuality types and how to navigate loving someone who struggles with anxiety.
Charles and Brian are so different but i think that's what made this coupling so special and unlike the other two. while i do feel like Charles was the star, it was impossible not to love and adore Brian. his earnestness to be close to Charles was everything. after being touch starved and emotionally stagnant, it was so satisfying to see him open up to Charles and be brave in his vulnerability. i think this was my favorite ending of the series even though Jasper and Sutton remain my favorite couple overall. it was good to see Brian find his happy ever after.
Brian is a 40 something recluse who has a major case of anxiety. he prefers to isolate for the most part with the exception of the occasional visit from his nephew. the bulk of Brian's issues stem from having spent half his life in love with a woman who fell in love with and married his own brother. shortly after his confession to her, she died along with his brother and he was left to raise Sutton, their son. that amount of grief has left him confused and emotionally untouchable for far too long. then Charles comes along and he's vibrant and friendly and pushy and everything that Brian didn't know he needed.
Charles' brother committed suicide, leaving him wide open and honest as a way to make up for the ways he thought he failed his brother. when he sees the familiar sad loneliness in Brian, his desire to be friends with him is tinted with immediate attraction. despite Brian claiming to be straight, Charles is still able to get under his skin and the two form a tight emotional bond that makes Brian reconsider everything he knows about himself on a romantic, emotional, and sexual level.
i loved the way this story delved into the nuance of sexuality and mental health with a nice dose of sweet romance to keep it from getting too heavy. while there are some sensitive topics, they're handled delicately and it adds true depth to the characters; nothing is delivered for mere shock value. there are plenty of discussions surrounding the lesser known sexuality types and how to navigate loving someone who struggles with anxiety.
Charles and Brian are so different but i think that's what made this coupling so special and unlike the other two. while i do feel like Charles was the star, it was impossible not to love and adore Brian. his earnestness to be close to Charles was everything. after being touch starved and emotionally stagnant, it was so satisfying to see him open up to Charles and be brave in his vulnerability. i think this was my favorite ending of the series even though Jasper and Sutton remain my favorite couple overall. it was good to see Brian find his happy ever after.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 308 reviews