What do you think?
Rate this book
Coming About #1
I Survived Seattle
As if being a deeply closeted gay man living in the South isn’t enough, Justice Crawford also suffers from a crippling anxiety disorder. Flying cross country to be the best man in his best friend’s wedding probably isn’t the best idea, right? Forced back into the closet after being rejected by his family, Justice has given up on the idea of finding acceptance and love. He has allowed his disorder and his troubled past to keep him from taking a chance, but love might just find him where he least expects it… in Seattle.
Sailor and charter boat captain Nic Valentine is still reeling from the unexpected death of his father, when the man of his dreams—literally—falls into his lap. He thinks he’ll never see the man again, but fate has other plans. Nic tries to resist the charms of adorably quirky, nervous Justice, because he has no desire to get tangled up with another closet case. But when life keeps throwing them together, will Nic decide that Justice might be a keeper after all?
Sailor and charter boat captain Nic Valentine is still reeling from the unexpected death of his father, when the man of his dreams—literally—falls into his lap. He thinks he’ll never see the man again, but fate has other plans. Nic tries to resist the charms of adorably quirky, nervous Justice, because he has no desire to get tangled up with another closet case. But when life keeps throwing them together, will Nic decide that Justice might be a keeper after all?
161 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 19, 2014
15 people are currently reading
521 people want to read
About the author
J.K. Hogan
21 books298 followersJ.K. Hogan is a pan/demi nerd living in North Carolina with her husband, two sons, and their pets. She’s been telling stories for as long as she can remember, beginning with writing character lists and storylines for her toys growing up. In addition to being an author, J.K. is an autist, an artist, and an activist, with a special place in her heart for Star Trek. When she isn’t writing, J.K. can be found designing book covers at Wicked Pixel Designs, creating fiber art and supplies at Earthbound Fiber Arts, watching Hurricanes Hockey and, of course, reading!
For more information, visit www.jkhogan.com
For more information, visit www.jkhogan.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
April 10, 2014
I've been thinking on this review for a few days now and I'm still trying to sort out my feelings about this story.
"I survived Seattle" is a cute debut M/M book from J.K. Hogan. Though the MC suffers from an anxiety disorder and there are some serious issues at play, the book is what I would consider a light, fun read. I found Justice (did NOT like the name, I kept saying "Justin" by accident in my head) to be a very likable MC. He was pretty adorable, all foot-in-mouth and sort of lovably spastic. I instantly gravitated to him and enjoyed the chemistry he has with Nic.
However, a few things about this story didn't quite work for me. I thought the relationship was a little too insta-lovey for my tastes. The feelings were there very quickly between Nic and Justice and I look for a more slow-build romance. For example, .
I also had some issues with the language. I guess some people use words like "adorbs" and "adorkable" but I don't know any of them in real life and it read kind of... junior(?) to me. In addition, I have a pet peeve about eye descriptions (I know, what?). I don't like it when eyes are described over and over again, like calling Nic's eyes, "tidal pool", "crystal blue", and "Caribbean blue gaze" and on and on. That is just a personal pet peeve of mine, and even though it is random, it nags at me.
My last issue is with the character of Rich. I felt like I understood him much more by the end of the story, but I didn't like the way he was portrayed as almost a caricature of a "douche bag".
"Rich sank down on the bar stool next to him, smelling of cheap cigarettes under a thick layer of Emporio Armani. He shrugged a padded shoulder and flicked his hand at the bartender."
I know that Rich's character was created to be someone we weren't supposed to really like, but I wish the author had written him in a way that wasn't so over-the-top. Basically, I would have liked something a bit more subtle and less in-your-face.
My complaints about this book are each pretty minor but when I added them all up in my head, they made this book a solid "like" instead of "really like". It was still an enjoyable read, despite my little issues, and I think most readers would eat this book up. I also think the author set up nicely for the next couple books in the series and I'm really interested to see where she takes this cast of characters.
**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
"I survived Seattle" is a cute debut M/M book from J.K. Hogan. Though the MC suffers from an anxiety disorder and there are some serious issues at play, the book is what I would consider a light, fun read. I found Justice (did NOT like the name, I kept saying "Justin" by accident in my head) to be a very likable MC. He was pretty adorable, all foot-in-mouth and sort of lovably spastic. I instantly gravitated to him and enjoyed the chemistry he has with Nic.
However, a few things about this story didn't quite work for me. I thought the relationship was a little too insta-lovey for my tastes. The feelings were there very quickly between Nic and Justice and I look for a more slow-build romance. For example, .
I also had some issues with the language. I guess some people use words like "adorbs" and "adorkable" but I don't know any of them in real life and it read kind of... junior(?) to me. In addition, I have a pet peeve about eye descriptions (I know, what?). I don't like it when eyes are described over and over again, like calling Nic's eyes, "tidal pool", "crystal blue", and "Caribbean blue gaze" and on and on. That is just a personal pet peeve of mine, and even though it is random, it nags at me.
My last issue is with the character of Rich. I felt like I understood him much more by the end of the story, but I didn't like the way he was portrayed as almost a caricature of a "douche bag".
"Rich sank down on the bar stool next to him, smelling of cheap cigarettes under a thick layer of Emporio Armani. He shrugged a padded shoulder and flicked his hand at the bartender."
I know that Rich's character was created to be someone we weren't supposed to really like, but I wish the author had written him in a way that wasn't so over-the-top. Basically, I would have liked something a bit more subtle and less in-your-face.
My complaints about this book are each pretty minor but when I added them all up in my head, they made this book a solid "like" instead of "really like". It was still an enjoyable read, despite my little issues, and I think most readers would eat this book up. I also think the author set up nicely for the next couple books in the series and I'm really interested to see where she takes this cast of characters.
**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
October 5, 2015
Holy rage, Batman, Justice is a little bitch. He ruined the entire book for me. To be clear, I love stories where one or both of the MCs is battling some kind of emotional or physical issue. Justice has severe anxiety problems, and being able to relate, I was excited to see how Hogan worked this. Imagine my disappointment, then, when Justice turned out not to be a sweet-but-challenged scrapper, but instead a snide, cowardly, misogynistic little asshole.
"...but he did enjoy a man who wasn't afraid to get a little rough with him. He wasn't a chick, he wouldn't break."
"...and Lara was presently chatting with Samara about shoes or makeup, or some other such female thing.
I shouldn't have to point out the unfair heteronormative write-offs in a book about gay men.
"But he also saw a geeky kid getting excited about dissecting a shark in Oceanography class. Somehow, it made him even sexier to Justice, that this perfect, perfect guy wasn't exactly perfect."
At one point, he sneers at a waitress he doesn't even know because she doesn't pull off "Rockabilly" fashion to his standards. It's okay, though, because she turns out to be a total bitch, so his prejudgment was justified. To top it all off, he's more than willing to hurt his "best friend" Rory by pulling out of being his best man just because he's too afraid to come out of the closet. This is because he's afraid Rory will abandon him... Which doesn't make a lick of goddamn sense since Rory has another good friend who's a lesbian!
I fucking hated Justice. A lot. Nic was pretty cool, so I couldn't figure out what he saw in the little twat, plus Hogan's writing suffered the same issues it does in many of her books: tense confusion, spelling errors, malopropisms, and weird sayings like "Drop dead smile".
Gleefully Removed from Kindle.
"...but he did enjoy a man who wasn't afraid to get a little rough with him. He wasn't a chick, he wouldn't break."
"...and Lara was presently chatting with Samara about shoes or makeup, or some other such female thing.
I shouldn't have to point out the unfair heteronormative write-offs in a book about gay men.
"But he also saw a geeky kid getting excited about dissecting a shark in Oceanography class. Somehow, it made him even sexier to Justice, that this perfect, perfect guy wasn't exactly perfect."
At one point, he sneers at a waitress he doesn't even know because she doesn't pull off "Rockabilly" fashion to his standards. It's okay, though, because she turns out to be a total bitch, so his prejudgment was justified. To top it all off, he's more than willing to hurt his "best friend" Rory by pulling out of being his best man just because he's too afraid to come out of the closet. This is because he's afraid Rory will abandon him... Which doesn't make a lick of goddamn sense since Rory has another good friend who's a lesbian!
I fucking hated Justice. A lot. Nic was pretty cool, so I couldn't figure out what he saw in the little twat, plus Hogan's writing suffered the same issues it does in many of her books: tense confusion, spelling errors, malopropisms, and weird sayings like "Drop dead smile".
Gleefully Removed from Kindle.
March 21, 2014
Oh, Justice. Was there ever a more appealing fucked up hero? It's a tough call. Our Justice has issues. A lot of issues. But they make him lovable and real in a way that few characters are. Or perhaps it's just that I share some of those issues and can definitely relate.
True story, I had to leave the wedding of one of my best friends when my panic issues came hurtling down on me. I made it through the ceremony, but only just. The very idea of going to the reception...no. This, even though I knew fully 1/3 of the attendees from work and was comfortable with them, even though I knew how much the bride and groom wanted me to be there. Why did that happen? Well because at the very last minute, my plus one, another of my best friends, wasn't able to come with me, thereby changing the rules at the last minute. It sucks but it's real. By the time I got out of that church (I know, me in a church!), I was a shaking, sweating mess. Luckily for me, this doesn't happen often. But it does for Justice.
I Survived Seattle is a fairly straight-forward romance. Boy meets boy, boy lusts after boy, boy has massive panic attacks repeatedly, boys have hot sex, boy eventually gets his shit (but not his disorders because they're chemical imbalances, goddammit, not just "feelings") together, boys sail off into the sunset. Yet it is so much more than that.
Justice and Nic are drawn together because they share a love of the water, because they're undeniably attracted to each other despite Nic's hesitation over Justice being in the closet. They're like oil and water that have finally found a way to blend, mostly. Simply put, I loved them together and I loved them individually. And when Rory's wedding day came, I ached for both of them. (You'll have to read it to find out why, so get on it.)
Nic's best friend Samara (Sam) cracked me up almost every time she was on the page. I love their interaction, how she called Nic on all of his bullshit and teased him mercilessly.
Oh, and the Seatown Seabar scene? I went from "fucking ew," to "aww," to "hot damn!"
It would be unlike me not to mention that there were a couple of editing issues (because when the fuck isn't there these days?), but these were homophone issues instead of being something major, which was a nice relief.
The cover says Book One. I'm pretty sure I can guess who Book Two is about, but might there be a Book Three also? Oh that would be delicious.
Highly recommended. 5 stars.
True story, I had to leave the wedding of one of my best friends when my panic issues came hurtling down on me. I made it through the ceremony, but only just. The very idea of going to the reception...no. This, even though I knew fully 1/3 of the attendees from work and was comfortable with them, even though I knew how much the bride and groom wanted me to be there. Why did that happen? Well because at the very last minute, my plus one, another of my best friends, wasn't able to come with me, thereby changing the rules at the last minute. It sucks but it's real. By the time I got out of that church (I know, me in a church!), I was a shaking, sweating mess. Luckily for me, this doesn't happen often. But it does for Justice.
I Survived Seattle is a fairly straight-forward romance. Boy meets boy, boy lusts after boy, boy has massive panic attacks repeatedly, boys have hot sex, boy eventually gets his shit (but not his disorders because they're chemical imbalances, goddammit, not just "feelings") together, boys sail off into the sunset. Yet it is so much more than that.
Justice and Nic are drawn together because they share a love of the water, because they're undeniably attracted to each other despite Nic's hesitation over Justice being in the closet. They're like oil and water that have finally found a way to blend, mostly. Simply put, I loved them together and I loved them individually. And when Rory's wedding day came, I ached for both of them. (You'll have to read it to find out why, so get on it.)
Nic's best friend Samara (Sam) cracked me up almost every time she was on the page. I love their interaction, how she called Nic on all of his bullshit and teased him mercilessly.
Oh, and the Seatown Seabar scene? I went from "fucking ew," to "aww," to "hot damn!"
It would be unlike me not to mention that there were a couple of editing issues (because when the fuck isn't there these days?), but these were homophone issues instead of being something major, which was a nice relief.
The cover says Book One. I'm pretty sure I can guess who Book Two is about, but might there be a Book Three also? Oh that would be delicious.
Highly recommended. 5 stars.
March 2, 2017
I dunno.
So I've read this series all out of whack, started with book three and the plan was to read this one and then number two. Well it's a good job I started with Rory because he is the only one of his group worth my time to be honest and I'll tell you what else, I'm shocked he was ever able to sort himself out if the two little shits who are apparently his support system are anything to go by.
See I started out kind of liking Justice, as an anxiety sufferer (although nowhere near as bad as he is) I was really shouting for him and giving him the benefit of the doubt because that whole 'why can't you just get over it?' that people spout at you is tough and I understood the pressure and further anxiety it caused him but my problem with Justice is that he was basically a bit of a douche and he explained away his being a douche on his disorder but we do get to see his douchey behaviour in all it douchey glory without the anxiety, like when he just straight up slated a waitress who apparently wasn't successful in pulling off the style she chose to express herself.
Or how about when he openly disdains women in general like the flight attendant at the beginning of the book or the 'secretary type' women while waiting on word about Nic?
Or how about his general crapness as a friend to Rory and making absolutely EVERYTHING about himself and ignoring all the warning signs that Rory is in over his head?
What saved this book was Nic. I liked him a lot and only through his eyes could I tolerate Justice. And only for him was I delighted with the very sweet and very lovely happy ending.
I can't even talk about fuck face Rich!!
I just can't.
He and his book can just go fuck off. No amount of 'past problems' can excuse the fact that he is a terrible, terrible human being!!
March 19, 2014
I love. Justice pulled me in from his first line. Wanted to hug him. Obvs being a southern kid in Seattle may make me biased but this story really did it for me.
April 2, 2014
Super cute and adorable, funny and sweet. If it hadn't been for a couple of things missed during editing (unphased vs. unfazed, excepting vs accepting, among others), the experience would have been even more enjoyable.
Loved both main characters, loved to hate on Rich (what the hell was his deal?), and loved how well the author described the inner workings of Justice's mind.
Nicely done, new to me author. Gimme another one, yeah? Perhaps the next one could be about Rich, and what's going on with Rory, m'kay?
** I received a free ARC from the publisher. A positive review was not promised in return. A full review will be posted on Booklikes and my blog. **
Loved both main characters, loved to hate on Rich (what the hell was his deal?), and loved how well the author described the inner workings of Justice's mind.
Nicely done, new to me author. Gimme another one, yeah? Perhaps the next one could be about Rich, and what's going on with Rory, m'kay?
** I received a free ARC from the publisher. A positive review was not promised in return. A full review will be posted on Booklikes and my blog. **
April 12, 2014
Question for you- obviously you read boys in your romance, but do you still read het? Do you enjoy the standard m/f romance formula? I do. Honestly I don’t mind girly bits in my books, though I do like my boys better.
Why am I asking? Well, this had a strong undertone of het romance. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, but I found it fairly noticeable. As it happens, I enjoyed this story immensely. But if you are not a fan of the stock recipe of het I’m not sure you’ll say the same.
Justice is a hot mess. I happen to like hot messes.
Nic is a dreamy sailor. I also happen to like seadogs and Mmm mmm he’s got a big boat. Together they are really quite delicious. Their story is fun and sexy with a dash of angst and a dose of reality.
Justice hasn’t had it easy. The first time he came ‘out’ it was a failure of epic proportions. This southern boy never recovered from what he lost that day and he has firmly locked himself back in the closet. He leads an anxiety ridden life to the extent it controls his daily activities. Frankly, he is miserable, lonely, and tumbling down a slippery slope of despair. When his best friend needs him to fly across the country and tortures him with best man duties, he is teetering on the edge of a breakdown. A bright pair of blue eyes brings something out in him, something he’s not sure he can control. Unfortunately, losing control is one of his greatest fears.
Nic’s heart has been broken before and he vowed that he would never make the same mistakes. No more hiding, no more secrets, and absolutely no more settling. So why can’t he follow his shiny new rules when a shy jabbering stranger falls into his lap? He can see the disaster ahead, he knows he’s making a mistake, and yet he willingly forges ahead. Sometimes the prize is worth the risk. He believes Justice is worth fighting for and can only hope he comes out on top (ha, or bottom…he’s not picky).
Between Justice’s internal battles and Nic’s pain, my heart was in a fierce game of tug-o-war. The secondary characters were fun, maybe a touch over the top, but enjoyable nonetheless. There were a few one-liners that were eye rolling cliché at its finest and then some that were simply wonderful.
*whispers* The sex? Yozwa!
The waters got pretty choppy, but I relished in the calm after the storm.
One thing is for sure…count me in for round two of ‘Coming About’.
*3.5 sexy-sinking-save-me stars*
Why am I asking? Well, this had a strong undertone of het romance. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, but I found it fairly noticeable. As it happens, I enjoyed this story immensely. But if you are not a fan of the stock recipe of het I’m not sure you’ll say the same.
Justice is a hot mess. I happen to like hot messes.
Nic is a dreamy sailor. I also happen to like seadogs and Mmm mmm he’s got a big boat. Together they are really quite delicious. Their story is fun and sexy with a dash of angst and a dose of reality.
Justice hasn’t had it easy. The first time he came ‘out’ it was a failure of epic proportions. This southern boy never recovered from what he lost that day and he has firmly locked himself back in the closet. He leads an anxiety ridden life to the extent it controls his daily activities. Frankly, he is miserable, lonely, and tumbling down a slippery slope of despair. When his best friend needs him to fly across the country and tortures him with best man duties, he is teetering on the edge of a breakdown. A bright pair of blue eyes brings something out in him, something he’s not sure he can control. Unfortunately, losing control is one of his greatest fears.
Nic’s heart has been broken before and he vowed that he would never make the same mistakes. No more hiding, no more secrets, and absolutely no more settling. So why can’t he follow his shiny new rules when a shy jabbering stranger falls into his lap? He can see the disaster ahead, he knows he’s making a mistake, and yet he willingly forges ahead. Sometimes the prize is worth the risk. He believes Justice is worth fighting for and can only hope he comes out on top (ha, or bottom…he’s not picky).
Between Justice’s internal battles and Nic’s pain, my heart was in a fierce game of tug-o-war. The secondary characters were fun, maybe a touch over the top, but enjoyable nonetheless. There were a few one-liners that were eye rolling cliché at its finest and then some that were simply wonderful.
*whispers* The sex? Yozwa!
The waters got pretty choppy, but I relished in the calm after the storm.
One thing is for sure…count me in for round two of ‘Coming About’.
*3.5 sexy-sinking-save-me stars*
March 3, 2016
While this was nice, it was nothing like book 3, which I loved.
Not that this one was bad, it just lacked some depth and some events were simply there to create some angst.
Justice is coming to Seattle to be the best man in his best friend’s wedding. It is on the plane that he meets Nic. Sparks fly, but Justice is sure they’ll never see each other again.
Of course faith decides otherwise when Nic is the captain of the boat Justice hired for the bachelor party.
The relationship that develops is not without problems since Justice suffers from anxiety and OCD. And there is of course the fact that Justice isn’t out. But Nic doesn’t want to be a dirty secret again.
I felt as if Justice’s anxiety and OCD could have used a bit more attention in this story. We witness several panic attacks and Justice blames his disorder for the fact he can’t feel comfortable with certain things. But I felt it was more of an excuse than the real reason.
Also Justice’s reasons for being in the closet were…. not that good. It was the big conflict in the story, but it was somewhat unrealistic.
I also really really hate . It creates this artificial angst that I just don’t enjoy.
The next book is about Rich. I am not sure I want to read it. I hate Rich and I don’t think he can redeem what he did to Justice in this book. I don’t care how awful his childhood was. He turned into a very hateful man.
Not that this one was bad, it just lacked some depth and some events were simply there to create some angst.
Justice is coming to Seattle to be the best man in his best friend’s wedding. It is on the plane that he meets Nic. Sparks fly, but Justice is sure they’ll never see each other again.
Of course faith decides otherwise when Nic is the captain of the boat Justice hired for the bachelor party.
The relationship that develops is not without problems since Justice suffers from anxiety and OCD. And there is of course the fact that Justice isn’t out. But Nic doesn’t want to be a dirty secret again.
I felt as if Justice’s anxiety and OCD could have used a bit more attention in this story. We witness several panic attacks and Justice blames his disorder for the fact he can’t feel comfortable with certain things. But I felt it was more of an excuse than the real reason.
Also Justice’s reasons for being in the closet were…. not that good. It was the big conflict in the story, but it was somewhat unrealistic.
I also really really hate . It creates this artificial angst that I just don’t enjoy.
The next book is about Rich. I am not sure I want to read it. I hate Rich and I don’t think he can redeem what he did to Justice in this book. I don’t care how awful his childhood was. He turned into a very hateful man.
April 2, 2014
This is J.K. Hogan's first foray into m/m romance and centers on a deeply closeted gay man living in the South. He also has severe anxiety and has already been forced back into the closet once. It seems like Justice (nice name!) needs some love. Enter charter boat captain Nic Valentine, who is dealing with the death of his father and who can't resist Justice and all his quirkiness. It was fun to read. I really liked Justice and his oddities, and the romance was super sweet.
Bottom line: Quirky, funny and just a hint of spice, a good mix for m/m fans and readers alike.
Head over to the HEA blog to find out JK's favorite couples are as well as the top three books she's looking forward to in 2014 are. http://www.usatoday.com/story/happyev...
Epic one-liner from I Survived Seattle
Life was nothing but a series of choices, and someone had finally chosen him.
Bottom line: Quirky, funny and just a hint of spice, a good mix for m/m fans and readers alike.
Head over to the HEA blog to find out JK's favorite couples are as well as the top three books she's looking forward to in 2014 are. http://www.usatoday.com/story/happyev...
Epic one-liner from I Survived Seattle
Life was nothing but a series of choices, and someone had finally chosen him.
August 21, 2014
2.5 stars
Too much melodrama for my taste. From the insta-love, cartoonish bad guy, to the stupid blackmail stunt, unnecessary last bit of drama, just too much and too shallow.
Too much melodrama for my taste. From the insta-love, cartoonish bad guy, to the stupid blackmail stunt, unnecessary last bit of drama, just too much and too shallow.
October 29, 2014
I loved Nic's heart and passion for life, while Justice made me want to just smack the crap out of him a few times, ala Cher in Moonstruck -- "SNAP OUT OF IT !!!"
I believe that Nick hit a lot of Justice's problems right on the head when he says that Nick is confusing his neuroses with his fear in going for the life that he wants.
The whole "lost at sea" part at the end felt a bit formula to me. "Let's add one last bit of drama" and go out with more of a bang.
And every book out there these days has hopped on the "Let's get hitched" band wagon, which I can personally take or leave in my HEA's.
A lot of times it just feels like jumping on the latest band wagon, but at least most authors have FINALLY, FINALLY, FINALLY moved on to marriage from last years trend of "releasing the breath he didn't know he was holding." If I never read that phrase again, it'll be too soon. ;- )
3.75 stars rounding up, but I do wish Goodreads would allow number ratings vs. whole star ratings for more accurate feedback. It seems like I'm always either slightly under or overrating more than I'd like.
I believe that Nick hit a lot of Justice's problems right on the head when he says that Nick is confusing his neuroses with his fear in going for the life that he wants.
The whole "lost at sea" part at the end felt a bit formula to me. "Let's add one last bit of drama" and go out with more of a bang.
And every book out there these days has hopped on the "Let's get hitched" band wagon, which I can personally take or leave in my HEA's.
A lot of times it just feels like jumping on the latest band wagon, but at least most authors have FINALLY, FINALLY, FINALLY moved on to marriage from last years trend of "releasing the breath he didn't know he was holding." If I never read that phrase again, it'll be too soon. ;- )
3.75 stars rounding up, but I do wish Goodreads would allow number ratings vs. whole star ratings for more accurate feedback. It seems like I'm always either slightly under or overrating more than I'd like.
dnf
May 15, 2016DNF at 43%.
Worst case of insta-lust I've stumbled over in a while. Also, Justice was a jackass.
Worst case of insta-lust I've stumbled over in a while. Also, Justice was a jackass.
April 10, 2014
I Survived Seattle is the first M/M book written by J.K. Hogan and I sure as hell hope it’s not the last one.
Curious how J.K. Hogan would handle this genre I was looking forward to reading her first venture into male romance. Anything that persuades more M/F fans to read M/M has got to be a good thing, right? Well, what a fantastic surprise I got! The romance is very well done and convinced me that quite a few M/F authors can write M/M very well.
Justice, a southern boy who is totally banged up in the closet and suffering from a anxiety disorder, has lost all hope of finding his true love, his soul mate. He’s a fucked up hero par excellence and has allowed his disorder and his troubled past to keep him from taking a chance in finding his true love.
“I want to get my life together. I want to get better. I want to live my life without hiding, I just don’t know how.”
When he flies to Seattle to attend to the wedding of his best friend Rory, sailor and charter boat owner Nic crosses his path. Both men feel the immediate attraction but they think they’ll never see each other again. But life has his own plans…
This book follows the start of a really beautiful relationship. Jus, captured in his anxiety disorder, realises that fighting for someone means so much more than he could have imagined. That it’s worth taking the risk to step out of the closet and leave his past behind. Quirky Justice with all his oddities is such a cute character, he definitely needs some hot man loving.
And there’s Nic, who learns that one shy southern guy is worth fighting for. Justice turns his entire world upside down and Nic learns to embrace every single second of it. He quickly realizes that the water is Justice’s safe place, that his boat is the only place where Jus can relax enough to act on his feelings and simply forget his anxiety attacks. *Sigh* I fell so hard for him. Even when at some point everything seems to break apart he isn’t willing to give up. He wants his southern boy, he is determined to get him and tells him bluntly that hiding doesn’t resolve anything.
“I’d have given you whatever you needed, had you asked, but I’m not going to help you hide from what you’re afraid off. Anxiety and fear are two entirely different animals, Justice. And I think you’re blaming the wrong one here.”
I absolutely loved watching Jus and Nic change as they got closer. It was so hot, watching Nic pursue shy Jus. Once he accepts what is happening between them we get to see a whole other side to him. He is so sexy, confident, curious, possessive and affectionate.
Overall, I Survived Seattle is a super sweet romance and I loved every minute of it. It has the perfect mix of inner struggles, angst, friendship, humour and love.The storyline is complex, the characters lovable and the writing style deeply emotional, powerful and gripping. Each scene is carefully worded to bring every emotion to life, the happiness, the loneliness, and the heartbreak. Justice and Nic’s story is simply amazing! I really enjoyed reading this. I look forward to reading the next instalment of the ‘Coming About’ series.
March 30, 2019
"See, Justice suffered from certain…neuroses - plural. Damn near crippling anxiety was sprinkled with a nice topping of mild to moderate OCD, with the extreme claustrophobia cherry on top. It was like an ice cream sundae made of crazy. As if being a gay man living in the Bible Belt didn't make life difficult enough."
'I Survived Seattle', book one in J.K. Hogan's new series 'Coming About', started off with a bang. First, I should tell you that I love a man with issues. I can't help it. I was sure of that when I fell madly in love with my abnormal psychology class and I just couldn't get enough. Second, I have a deep empathy for any homosexual dealing with the Bible Belt. I dealt with it for eleven years and I'm straight. Unfortunately, they view women not much higher than non-whites and homosexuals. And, third, I lived in Seattle for eleven years, and if you're not prepared for the Pacific Northwest way of life, it can be a little daunting. *grins* So, all in all, before I even opened the book, and my heart, to Justice, I was prepared to fall for him and to thoroughly root for a happy ending.
Lucky for me, Justice was everything I had hoped he'd be. Half of the time I wanted to cuddle and protect him, and the other half I was cheering him on. Unexpectedly, I fell for Nic just as hard. Nic is captain of his yacht cruiser which he takes charter tours on around Lake Washington. Trust me when I say, they are so much fun! A beautiful blue sky day with the water, the mountains and the skyline of Seattle? Not much is more beautiful than that. Nic has just returned from the East Coast and his father’s funeral. In fact, he's on the same flight as Justice, and during a moment of turbulence and due to his increasing anxiety, Justice falls into Nic's lap. Nic is immediately attracted, as is Justice, but assumes he'll never see Justice again. So, you can imagine his surprise when Justice shows up for a bachelor party cruise. Nic, however, is not thrilled to discover that Justice is in the closet. Nic has been there and worse with his ex and he's not going back. Justice is just as stunned to see Nic again and at a loss as to what to do.
Before I go any further, let me just say…holy crap the sparks, the lightning, the flames that these two set off. Man, I was fanning the screen on my iPad worried it might melt, and take me with it. Now, to throw in a little added drama, the author created a scenario where Justice is, basically, forced into coming out. (No, I'm not saying. Read the book.) I adored how wonderfully Nic handled all of Justice's neuroses; with tact, love and support. Justice was given the opportunity to explore outside of some of his comfort areas and it was a beautiful thing to watch. Of course, there came a time when decisions had to be made and there was some drama and some tears, but I got my happy ending.
I fell in love with Justice and Nic and they've been added to my list of favorites. Thank you, J.K., for stepping outside of your comfort zone with this first foray into gay male romance. I sure hope it won't be your last.
NOTE: This book was provided by the publisher for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
'I Survived Seattle', book one in J.K. Hogan's new series 'Coming About', started off with a bang. First, I should tell you that I love a man with issues. I can't help it. I was sure of that when I fell madly in love with my abnormal psychology class and I just couldn't get enough. Second, I have a deep empathy for any homosexual dealing with the Bible Belt. I dealt with it for eleven years and I'm straight. Unfortunately, they view women not much higher than non-whites and homosexuals. And, third, I lived in Seattle for eleven years, and if you're not prepared for the Pacific Northwest way of life, it can be a little daunting. *grins* So, all in all, before I even opened the book, and my heart, to Justice, I was prepared to fall for him and to thoroughly root for a happy ending.
Lucky for me, Justice was everything I had hoped he'd be. Half of the time I wanted to cuddle and protect him, and the other half I was cheering him on. Unexpectedly, I fell for Nic just as hard. Nic is captain of his yacht cruiser which he takes charter tours on around Lake Washington. Trust me when I say, they are so much fun! A beautiful blue sky day with the water, the mountains and the skyline of Seattle? Not much is more beautiful than that. Nic has just returned from the East Coast and his father’s funeral. In fact, he's on the same flight as Justice, and during a moment of turbulence and due to his increasing anxiety, Justice falls into Nic's lap. Nic is immediately attracted, as is Justice, but assumes he'll never see Justice again. So, you can imagine his surprise when Justice shows up for a bachelor party cruise. Nic, however, is not thrilled to discover that Justice is in the closet. Nic has been there and worse with his ex and he's not going back. Justice is just as stunned to see Nic again and at a loss as to what to do.
Before I go any further, let me just say…holy crap the sparks, the lightning, the flames that these two set off. Man, I was fanning the screen on my iPad worried it might melt, and take me with it. Now, to throw in a little added drama, the author created a scenario where Justice is, basically, forced into coming out. (No, I'm not saying. Read the book.) I adored how wonderfully Nic handled all of Justice's neuroses; with tact, love and support. Justice was given the opportunity to explore outside of some of his comfort areas and it was a beautiful thing to watch. Of course, there came a time when decisions had to be made and there was some drama and some tears, but I got my happy ending.
I fell in love with Justice and Nic and they've been added to my list of favorites. Thank you, J.K., for stepping outside of your comfort zone with this first foray into gay male romance. I sure hope it won't be your last.
NOTE: This book was provided by the publisher for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
April 16, 2014
Rosie reviews I Survived Seattle by JK Hogan
http://www.mrsconditreadsbooks.com/?p...
REVIEW: When I read a book, I want to learn something new, doesn’t have to be much, it could be just a “Oh that’s cool” or it can be” wow I didn’t know that” or in the case of I survived Seattle(Coming Out),it was “Ok slow down what was that?”; “Neuroses, crippling anxiety , OCD, situational Tourette’s and let’s not forget extreme claustrophobic. “ And that’s just what Justice was struggling with. I knew I was going to have to pay attention, this story is going to be intense.
As soon as I come to the realization that this was serious reading, the author throws in Snorey McGeezerpants, far-too-chipper ‘sky waitress ‘ and a bonus of a crying lady in the window seat. Snarky humor is what I thought of, and I love snarky humor.
Justice Crawford was flying to Seattle to attend his best friend’s wedding. Rory, his college roommate, asked him to be his best man. And in spite of everything he couldn’t say no to Rory. Justice had had a rough time when he came out to his parents, so in his defense he had kept this from Rory, staying deeply rooted in the closet, not wanting to take a chance that Rory would be disgusted.
Nicolas Valentine was dealing with his own skeletons, when Justice fell into his lap, air turbulence was to blame. Nic was flying back from burying his father and working on moving forward after a bad breakup with his last “in the closet boyfriend”, who of course was cheating on him. The last thing Nic was looking for was another closeted gay man. But for whatever reason, maybe it was the crooked grin and freckles Nic remembered about Justice, Nic could not get him out of his mind and coincidently Justice was having the same problems with forgetting Nic.
Justice has issues; Nic has problems just how is this going to work out? That’s the enjoyable part of the book, it’s not all serious. The story as a nice mixture of characters and events including; a jealous best friend out to blackmail Justice, a Steampunk Masquerade wedding(,how cool would that be!),a boat; no make that two boats, no make that one yacht and one sailboat and some amazing sex and not just a little sex, a bunch of really hot sex with lots of variety. Nice!!!!
This story had everything I liked in a book. I gained new knowledge about anxieties, yachts, sailing boats, and rough man-sex .Yipee!!! The story did end with a happy ending but it was not a straight line to get there. Justice and Nic took lots of turns and ups and downs enough to keep the reader interested to the end.
http://www.mrsconditreadsbooks.com/?p...
REVIEW: When I read a book, I want to learn something new, doesn’t have to be much, it could be just a “Oh that’s cool” or it can be” wow I didn’t know that” or in the case of I survived Seattle(Coming Out),it was “Ok slow down what was that?”; “Neuroses, crippling anxiety , OCD, situational Tourette’s and let’s not forget extreme claustrophobic. “ And that’s just what Justice was struggling with. I knew I was going to have to pay attention, this story is going to be intense.
As soon as I come to the realization that this was serious reading, the author throws in Snorey McGeezerpants, far-too-chipper ‘sky waitress ‘ and a bonus of a crying lady in the window seat. Snarky humor is what I thought of, and I love snarky humor.
Justice Crawford was flying to Seattle to attend his best friend’s wedding. Rory, his college roommate, asked him to be his best man. And in spite of everything he couldn’t say no to Rory. Justice had had a rough time when he came out to his parents, so in his defense he had kept this from Rory, staying deeply rooted in the closet, not wanting to take a chance that Rory would be disgusted.
Nicolas Valentine was dealing with his own skeletons, when Justice fell into his lap, air turbulence was to blame. Nic was flying back from burying his father and working on moving forward after a bad breakup with his last “in the closet boyfriend”, who of course was cheating on him. The last thing Nic was looking for was another closeted gay man. But for whatever reason, maybe it was the crooked grin and freckles Nic remembered about Justice, Nic could not get him out of his mind and coincidently Justice was having the same problems with forgetting Nic.
Justice has issues; Nic has problems just how is this going to work out? That’s the enjoyable part of the book, it’s not all serious. The story as a nice mixture of characters and events including; a jealous best friend out to blackmail Justice, a Steampunk Masquerade wedding(,how cool would that be!),a boat; no make that two boats, no make that one yacht and one sailboat and some amazing sex and not just a little sex, a bunch of really hot sex with lots of variety. Nice!!!!
This story had everything I liked in a book. I gained new knowledge about anxieties, yachts, sailing boats, and rough man-sex .Yipee!!! The story did end with a happy ending but it was not a straight line to get there. Justice and Nic took lots of turns and ups and downs enough to keep the reader interested to the end.
April 30, 2014
3.5 Stars
Very enjoyable read overall. I really appreciated how Justice had to take a break and get his own shit together before he could fully commit to Nic. I hate when the love interest magically fixes all the MCs problems, so I was glad that wasn't the case here.
Their's was a whirlwind romance, but it was believable and felt real. I liked how things turned out with Justice's parents, not too perfect but not overly horrible either, just the right mix of 'life sucks' and hope :)
As for the side characters I loved all of them, specially Sam. Rich on the other hand, not so much. I found him to be just a little too heavy petty, vindictive side. He just came across as incredibly shallow and just plain annoying. Sam, Lara and Rory though were awesome. Loved Sam's outgoing ways and her some style xD
A nice, enjoyable read all around.
Very enjoyable read overall. I really appreciated how Justice had to take a break and get his own shit together before he could fully commit to Nic. I hate when the love interest magically fixes all the MCs problems, so I was glad that wasn't the case here.
Their's was a whirlwind romance, but it was believable and felt real. I liked how things turned out with Justice's parents, not too perfect but not overly horrible either, just the right mix of 'life sucks' and hope :)
As for the side characters I loved all of them, specially Sam. Rich on the other hand, not so much. I found him to be just a little too heavy petty, vindictive side. He just came across as incredibly shallow and just plain annoying. Sam, Lara and Rory though were awesome. Loved Sam's outgoing ways and her some style xD
A nice, enjoyable read all around.
October 16, 2016
3.5 stars
Better than I expected. A sweet, simple story of lust/love at first sight, made interesting by Justice's quirks and his closet status. The fight near the end, would be better off missing, but it was not enough to make me dislike the book or the heroes.
Better than I expected. A sweet, simple story of lust/love at first sight, made interesting by Justice's quirks and his closet status. The fight near the end, would be better off missing, but it was not enough to make me dislike the book or the heroes.
July 27, 2014
3.5 interesting story line & I really liked the characters. Sometimes it felt a little 'throw everything in and the kitchen sink,' even during the sex scenes. But even with all that I enjoyed it.
April 22, 2014
Originally posted at http://smexybooks.com/2014/04/review-...
Justice Crawford has many problems. As a severely closeted gay southern man with a debilitating anxiety disorder, Justice knows his trip to Seattle for his best friends wedding is asking for trouble. Disowned by his family and unable to come out to his friends, Justice has given up on love and foresees his future being nothing more than a series of random meaningless hook ups.
Nic Valentine, a charter boat captain, is grieving the loss of his father when the man of his dreams falls literally into his lap. Nic never expects to see him again but when his boat is rented out for a bachelor party, Nic is surprised and pleased to see Justice again. Nic tries to avoid his attraction to Justice as he spent three years of his life loving a man who would not come out of the closet and has no urge to repeat that experience. But Justice’s looks and quirkiness calls to Nic and before he knows it, he and Justice are exploring their hot and heavy attraction.
Justice adores Nic but he just can’t handle the thought of losing his friends if he comes out. When a situation forces his hand, can Justice handle the fallout? Or will he once again run from the pain and this time lose his heart in the process?
I Survived Seattle is Hogan’s debut M/M contemporary romance and though there were some issues, the overall outcome was a lightweight cute sexy romance with a well developed storyline. The characters are all delightfully quirky and wonderfully flawed with a deep vein of realism running through them. The story is written in an enjoyable conversational style with engaging dialogue that will keep you entertained all the way to the end.
The story itself is pretty straight forward in its delivery. Boy meets boy, attraction forms, conflict is introduced, conflict resolved, the end. While I enjoyed this tale, it’s the characters who breathed life into it and elevate it beyond a simple contemporary romance. Dynamic in development, Hogan gives us real people who react as we might. They are easy to relate to. Their joys, fears, wants, and needs are laid bare and we are allowed to share in their journey as they experience the lessons life hands us. The journey isn’t perfect and both protagonists have issues that need to be resolved. The execution, with alternating points of view, flows smoothly, offering a unique view into their thoughts. It’s a nice way to see what each took away from certain scenes.
Justice and Nic are entertaining protagonists separately and together. Hogan does a wonderful job of introducing them and letting us get to know them as individuals first. Justice’s phobias are revealed in a realistic fashion. I liked he isn’t portrayed as a victim in need of saving. He knows he has issues and throughout the story, he learns that he needs to address the causes behind those issues if he is to live a normal life on his own terms. Nic is utterly delightful. Fun, charismatic, and sexy, he is the perfect match for Justice. He grounds him in a way that offers Justice hope. Their chemistry is explosive and only increases with the storyline. Though there is a strong instant love vibe, it doesn’t take away from the overall enjoyment.
I did have some issues in that our main characters seemed to struggle to define themselves within the story. They would slip into personas that didn’t fit comfortably on them. Justice and Nic would speak and think in terms that didn’t sound natural. For example; ‘adorbs’, ‘bitch please’ and so one. Nic looked into Justine’s anime eyes. Or Nic thought about Justice and ‘chubbed out.” I don’t know anyone who describes their lovers eyes as anime. Most would say large. Also, no man I’ve ever met, gay or straight, has ever described a hard on as ‘chubbing out.’ It smacked a little of stereotyping and you could tell it was a female voice speaking to us through them.
Engaging secondary characters round out the story and add lots of humor and help to carry the story along. The villain is predictably comedic and over the top vile in his need to create problems for Justice. I’m looking forward to seeing if his reasons are what Justice suspects.
The ending is predictable but interesting in how it plays out. I Survived Seattle is a sexy engaging M/M romantic contemporary that will leave you giggling at times as you watch Justice fight his way through his fears to be with the man he loves.
RATING: C+
Justice Crawford has many problems. As a severely closeted gay southern man with a debilitating anxiety disorder, Justice knows his trip to Seattle for his best friends wedding is asking for trouble. Disowned by his family and unable to come out to his friends, Justice has given up on love and foresees his future being nothing more than a series of random meaningless hook ups.
Nic Valentine, a charter boat captain, is grieving the loss of his father when the man of his dreams falls literally into his lap. Nic never expects to see him again but when his boat is rented out for a bachelor party, Nic is surprised and pleased to see Justice again. Nic tries to avoid his attraction to Justice as he spent three years of his life loving a man who would not come out of the closet and has no urge to repeat that experience. But Justice’s looks and quirkiness calls to Nic and before he knows it, he and Justice are exploring their hot and heavy attraction.
Justice adores Nic but he just can’t handle the thought of losing his friends if he comes out. When a situation forces his hand, can Justice handle the fallout? Or will he once again run from the pain and this time lose his heart in the process?
I Survived Seattle is Hogan’s debut M/M contemporary romance and though there were some issues, the overall outcome was a lightweight cute sexy romance with a well developed storyline. The characters are all delightfully quirky and wonderfully flawed with a deep vein of realism running through them. The story is written in an enjoyable conversational style with engaging dialogue that will keep you entertained all the way to the end.
The story itself is pretty straight forward in its delivery. Boy meets boy, attraction forms, conflict is introduced, conflict resolved, the end. While I enjoyed this tale, it’s the characters who breathed life into it and elevate it beyond a simple contemporary romance. Dynamic in development, Hogan gives us real people who react as we might. They are easy to relate to. Their joys, fears, wants, and needs are laid bare and we are allowed to share in their journey as they experience the lessons life hands us. The journey isn’t perfect and both protagonists have issues that need to be resolved. The execution, with alternating points of view, flows smoothly, offering a unique view into their thoughts. It’s a nice way to see what each took away from certain scenes.
Justice and Nic are entertaining protagonists separately and together. Hogan does a wonderful job of introducing them and letting us get to know them as individuals first. Justice’s phobias are revealed in a realistic fashion. I liked he isn’t portrayed as a victim in need of saving. He knows he has issues and throughout the story, he learns that he needs to address the causes behind those issues if he is to live a normal life on his own terms. Nic is utterly delightful. Fun, charismatic, and sexy, he is the perfect match for Justice. He grounds him in a way that offers Justice hope. Their chemistry is explosive and only increases with the storyline. Though there is a strong instant love vibe, it doesn’t take away from the overall enjoyment.
I did have some issues in that our main characters seemed to struggle to define themselves within the story. They would slip into personas that didn’t fit comfortably on them. Justice and Nic would speak and think in terms that didn’t sound natural. For example; ‘adorbs’, ‘bitch please’ and so one. Nic looked into Justine’s anime eyes. Or Nic thought about Justice and ‘chubbed out.” I don’t know anyone who describes their lovers eyes as anime. Most would say large. Also, no man I’ve ever met, gay or straight, has ever described a hard on as ‘chubbing out.’ It smacked a little of stereotyping and you could tell it was a female voice speaking to us through them.
Engaging secondary characters round out the story and add lots of humor and help to carry the story along. The villain is predictably comedic and over the top vile in his need to create problems for Justice. I’m looking forward to seeing if his reasons are what Justice suspects.
The ending is predictable but interesting in how it plays out. I Survived Seattle is a sexy engaging M/M romantic contemporary that will leave you giggling at times as you watch Justice fight his way through his fears to be with the man he loves.
RATING: C+
August 27, 2016
Justice Crawford is the son of Southern Baptist parents who turned their backs on their son when he came out to them at seventeen. Add in the fact that Justice has a pretty severe case of anxiety disorder and we have a man balanced on a delicate edge. An edge that he may topple over as he flies across the country to Seattle to be the best man at his oldest (and one of few) friend’s wedding. Roommates in college, (Justice’s education financed by his grandfather) Rory took all Justice’s tics in stride and for that Justice wants to do well by him. This includes flying “over the Rockies in this flying deathtrap.” Xanax time, Justice.
Justice is just a walking pile of anxiety, living jammed way far back in the closet. When a panic attack begins on the plane, he is unlucky (lucky!) enough to fall into the lap of a sexy surfer-looking guy who is kind, even after Justice has a case of verbal diarrhea going on while sitting on his lap. Justice is adorable, for real. This is the introduction to Nic, on his way home from his dad’s funeral. Nic has some bad romantic history and isn’t a hook up kind of guy, but he’s immediately attracted to the chaos that is Justice but misses his chance on the plane.
Of course he gets another, when it turns out Justice has booked Nic’s charter service for Rory’s bachelor party. Justice and Nic both love the water and really should be a great couple, but there are things (oh, like Justice having his head way up in that closet) that stand in their way. Sam, Nic’s best friend, does her best to get them started but come on Justice!
It’s particularly difficult for Nic because his ex, Colin, was a closet case who really did a number on him. It is while Nic is telling the story to Justice, and giving him compassion about his closet stay, that I wanted to hug Nic. He’s an awesome character. He understands Justice’s need for baby steps and he’s there for him.
Of the secondary characters, Sam is my favorite. She takes every scene she’s in, whether it’s her loyalty, her sympathy or her no bullshit allowed attitude! Maia isn’t out there enough to really get to know her but wow, I felt bad for her. Rich? Well, hmmm. He is so awful through most of the book that I can’t figure out why anyone would talk to him. You get a little insight as to why but he’s very over the top asshat. And Rory, I’m curious to see how that all pans out.
This was a quirky read, particularly Justice. He doesn’t get magically “cured” of any of his issues but he gets someone who’s okay with that
Justice is just a walking pile of anxiety, living jammed way far back in the closet. When a panic attack begins on the plane, he is unlucky (lucky!) enough to fall into the lap of a sexy surfer-looking guy who is kind, even after Justice has a case of verbal diarrhea going on while sitting on his lap. Justice is adorable, for real. This is the introduction to Nic, on his way home from his dad’s funeral. Nic has some bad romantic history and isn’t a hook up kind of guy, but he’s immediately attracted to the chaos that is Justice but misses his chance on the plane.
Of course he gets another, when it turns out Justice has booked Nic’s charter service for Rory’s bachelor party. Justice and Nic both love the water and really should be a great couple, but there are things (oh, like Justice having his head way up in that closet) that stand in their way. Sam, Nic’s best friend, does her best to get them started but come on Justice!
It’s particularly difficult for Nic because his ex, Colin, was a closet case who really did a number on him. It is while Nic is telling the story to Justice, and giving him compassion about his closet stay, that I wanted to hug Nic. He’s an awesome character. He understands Justice’s need for baby steps and he’s there for him.
Of the secondary characters, Sam is my favorite. She takes every scene she’s in, whether it’s her loyalty, her sympathy or her no bullshit allowed attitude! Maia isn’t out there enough to really get to know her but wow, I felt bad for her. Rich? Well, hmmm. He is so awful through most of the book that I can’t figure out why anyone would talk to him. You get a little insight as to why but he’s very over the top asshat. And Rory, I’m curious to see how that all pans out.
This was a quirky read, particularly Justice. He doesn’t get magically “cured” of any of his issues but he gets someone who’s okay with that
October 3, 2015
There was a lot I really liked about this story. I liked the characters for the most part, and I'm pretty sure there's a sequel planned and I know who it will be about, otherwise (major spoiler). I liked how people weren't black and white, that the cliched fences can be mended. I love how panic attacks were explained and I wish my mother who suffers from them would get a lot of what is said here. I think she'd be happier.
But there was way too much sex. There were a lot of info dumps, especially at the beginning. Justice's being closeted from Rory when , is not only ridiculous but selfish. He'd rather be dishonest with his best friend than share something that important? For me being Rory in this same situation, it would not only make me question our friendship, but it would irrevocably impact how close we were in the future. and some critical facts about Seattle were wrong. I appreciate that the author fact checked with someone else living in Seattle but that person must not have seen a final edit or was a transplant because no person living in the city limits thinks Ballard is a city. We don't refer to downtown as "the city"; it's downtown, unless you don't live in Seattle. I do like that the author saw that much of Seattle is like the suburbs. The downtown area is only a small part of Seattle and the truly urbanized areas are also not the majority of the city. Most of the areas were really and then for no reason, an area/city was just made up. Weird.
It was cool that Justice couldn't hear his own accent. It was totally annoying that Nic kept calling him "kid." I loved how they used the bar Neighbors, which is a trendy night club that many straight people go to. The author acknowledged this and then had a character think it's weird that a supposedly straight person was there. But it's a great club and used well in the story.
So while I am interested in the sequel, I can't rate this more than three stars.
But there was way too much sex. There were a lot of info dumps, especially at the beginning. Justice's being closeted from Rory when , is not only ridiculous but selfish. He'd rather be dishonest with his best friend than share something that important? For me being Rory in this same situation, it would not only make me question our friendship, but it would irrevocably impact how close we were in the future. and some critical facts about Seattle were wrong. I appreciate that the author fact checked with someone else living in Seattle but that person must not have seen a final edit or was a transplant because no person living in the city limits thinks Ballard is a city. We don't refer to downtown as "the city"; it's downtown, unless you don't live in Seattle. I do like that the author saw that much of Seattle is like the suburbs. The downtown area is only a small part of Seattle and the truly urbanized areas are also not the majority of the city. Most of the areas were really and then for no reason, an area/city was just made up. Weird.
It was cool that Justice couldn't hear his own accent. It was totally annoying that Nic kept calling him "kid." I loved how they used the bar Neighbors, which is a trendy night club that many straight people go to. The author acknowledged this and then had a character think it's weird that a supposedly straight person was there. But it's a great club and used well in the story.
So while I am interested in the sequel, I can't rate this more than three stars.
April 30, 2014
3.75 Stars. I know not possible, but I liked it better than just 3.5 stars and a little less than 4 :D
It was a very enjoyable book, I loved Justice (the name did not fit him a bit) and I found his foot in the mouth syndrome adorable. He was extremely likable and there's no way to not love him to pieces.
Nic Valentine was a pretty solid character, I loved that he was not hesitant about what he wanted, and that was Justice. He's an alpha male, possessive as hell, versatile in bed and unafraid of commitment, even after what he went through with his ex. I loved him.
There were things that happened towards the end that took away from the book. I wish the whole "lost at sea" never happened. Why does something so drastic have to take place in order for Justice to get his head out of his ass? I wish he went back to Nic before any of that drama took place. It just ruined the happy reunion for me.
And Rich the jackass was way over the top. I understood why he was so annoying, and I also understand we were supposed to dislike him, I just think his whole character could have been more discreet. And Rory...he's a great friend, but how could the book end without us knowing if all is well with him and his new wife? Did they separate already? Is he going to turn gay for Rich? I need answers!!! aka when's the next book getting released?
It was a very enjoyable book, I loved Justice (the name did not fit him a bit) and I found his foot in the mouth syndrome adorable. He was extremely likable and there's no way to not love him to pieces.
Nic Valentine was a pretty solid character, I loved that he was not hesitant about what he wanted, and that was Justice. He's an alpha male, possessive as hell, versatile in bed and unafraid of commitment, even after what he went through with his ex. I loved him.
There were things that happened towards the end that took away from the book. I wish the whole "lost at sea" never happened. Why does something so drastic have to take place in order for Justice to get his head out of his ass? I wish he went back to Nic before any of that drama took place. It just ruined the happy reunion for me.
And Rich the jackass was way over the top. I understood why he was so annoying, and I also understand we were supposed to dislike him, I just think his whole character could have been more discreet. And Rory...he's a great friend, but how could the book end without us knowing if all is well with him and his new wife? Did they separate already? Is he going to turn gay for Rich? I need answers!!! aka when's the next book getting released?
April 9, 2014
I just LOVED Justice…I wanted to hug him and was rooting for him from the very beginning. I thought he and Nic were smokin' together, I loved their chemistry and the progression of their relationship. Yes, it was fast, but it didn't feel contrived or insta-love like for me. And I love the cover!
I knocked off a star for , but this was still a strong 4-4.5 star read for me. I thought this was a great story, and I think her first m/m romance? I look forward to the next story in the series!
I knocked off a star for , but this was still a strong 4-4.5 star read for me. I thought this was a great story, and I think her first m/m romance? I look forward to the next story in the series!
August 18, 2014
I don't quite know what's keeping me from giving this one five stars but I did really love it. So much better than I was expecting. Hot sex, made me weepish, guy in need...all the things I love in a book.
April 8, 2014
Gah .. I soo regret not reading this book the first time I stumbled upon it about a week or so ago!! This book completely had me with a cute clumsy hyperventilating Justice when he fell in Nic's lap with "Well, hello there, sailor."
Aah .. I just loved it! I hope there is more to come!
Aah .. I just loved it! I hope there is more to come!
April 7, 2014
Justice and Nic
Cute book. I liked Justice and his neurosis. There were some things at the end that left the story possibly open for Rory??
Cute book. I liked Justice and his neurosis. There were some things at the end that left the story possibly open for Rory??
October 9, 2014
Two words: boring and cheesy.
April 22, 2014
4.5 Wicked cute! Better than I expected!!
November 29, 2018
I am absolutely in love with Nic and Justice. Justice just tugs at your heartstrings fiercely. His character is so richly written and you can feel everything that he is going through. Dealing with his anxiety issues, along with his fear of "coming out" because of what happened when he told his parents he way gay. He has such a strength to him that really touched me. Him opening himself up to Nic was really beautiful to read about. Then Nic reactions to Justice's problems were amazing. The way he was able to find all of Justice's idiosyncrasies adorable, instead of annoying, was really nice. I enjoyed the way they both really kind of put themselves out there. I really admire how Nic tried to put aside his trepidation about getting involved with someone who wasn't "out", even though he had a bad experience with a past relationship. These are two guys that you are just rooting for throughout the whole story. Brilliant book.
April 3, 2017
This was an amazing story. I loved the characters and the plot
Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews