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Hazardverse: Sidetracks #4
The Kiss Principle
Keep it simple, stupid.
After spending his whole life taking care of his family, Fernando Lopez is ready for simple. His younger brothers have grown up and moved out of the house. His mom is stable—or as close to stable as she’s ever going to get. He’s even got a shot at his dream job if he can just play his cards right.
Everything is going great until one morning, Fer finds a baby in his kitchen. And not just any baby—his brother Chuy’s infant daughter. With Chuy nowhere to be found, Fer finds himself back in the role of caregiver.
Determined not to let the new arrival disrupt his plans, Fer hires a manny to help him, and he gets more than he bargained for. Zé is sweet, patient, and…hot. Which is definitely not something Fer was prepared to deal with. Worse, Zé seems determined to show Fer that simpler isn’t necessarily better, and that there are some things in life worth fighting for. But for Fer, saying yes to Zé might mean saying no to his family—and Fer has never said no to his family.
After spending his whole life taking care of his family, Fernando Lopez is ready for simple. His younger brothers have grown up and moved out of the house. His mom is stable—or as close to stable as she’s ever going to get. He’s even got a shot at his dream job if he can just play his cards right.
Everything is going great until one morning, Fer finds a baby in his kitchen. And not just any baby—his brother Chuy’s infant daughter. With Chuy nowhere to be found, Fer finds himself back in the role of caregiver.
Determined not to let the new arrival disrupt his plans, Fer hires a manny to help him, and he gets more than he bargained for. Zé is sweet, patient, and…hot. Which is definitely not something Fer was prepared to deal with. Worse, Zé seems determined to show Fer that simpler isn’t necessarily better, and that there are some things in life worth fighting for. But for Fer, saying yes to Zé might mean saying no to his family—and Fer has never said no to his family.
255 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 11, 2024
15 people are currently reading
217 people want to read
About the author
Gregory Ashe
135 books1,801 followersI'm a long-time Midwesterner. I've lived in Chicago, Bloomington (IN), and Saint Louis, my current home. Aside from reading and writing (which take up a lot of my time), I'm an educator.
While I enjoy reading across many genres, my two main loves are mystery and speculative fiction. I used to keep a list of favorite books, but it changes so frequently that I've given up. I'm always looking for recommendations, though, so please drop me a line if you have something in mind!
My big goal right now is one day to be responsible enough to get a dog.
While I enjoy reading across many genres, my two main loves are mystery and speculative fiction. I used to keep a list of favorite books, but it changes so frequently that I've given up. I'm always looking for recommendations, though, so please drop me a line if you have something in mind!
My big goal right now is one day to be responsible enough to get a dog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
January 31, 2025
🎧 Happy audiobook release! We can finally realize the dream of hearing Fer’s colorful swears in his voice (narrated by Liam Lambert): https://www.audible.com/pd/B0DVJB3HLQ
This book is my happy place.
A sentence I never thought I would say of Fer, the man with the foulest mouth in all of the Hazardverse realm, as he navigates his first true shot at love. In this never-before-seen contemporary romance from Sir Gregory Ashe, I felt all the butterflies, the flutters, the squeezing of my chest, the nerves of first times, the melting of my heart.
That’s right, no murders. Not a single dead body in sight - but what is a GA story without one? Don’t worry. Buckle up and sit tight, because you’ll be pleasantly surprised. And if you’ve been needing a break from thousand-book-long slow burns, be at peace knowing the desired outcome is patiently waiting for you at the other end of the rainbow 🌈
You may have already met Fer, Auggie’s big brother, in The First Quarto. I won’t deny understanding the lengths Fer has gone and will go for his family, no matter how low they stoop and how toxic they become, is integral to his character arc. That said, it’s not necessarily impossible to be up to speed (for the most part) with this book alone. You’ll see soon enough what he deals with on the daily, and my gosh, it’s truly too heavy a load for anyone to carry, let alone someone who’s kept the Lopez household afloat on his own two shoulders from as early as he can remember. So when unexpected guests enter his life and disrupt the fragile balance he’s only barely managed to maintain (if it could even be called that), he’s forced to make a choice he’s never dared to before.
I’ve loved this overprotective brutish hero of a guy since his first on-page cuss. His deep love for Auggie and desire to protect his youngest brother from the ugliness of their family touched me with an almost painful soreness. Their bond genuinely means the world to me. Greg’s ability to write a familial / platonic relationship like theirs in this manner stuns me to the core.
Fer’s long overdue for happiness he can call his own, so I can’t wait for y’all to read it come November 11! (To clarify, I read this story during its serialization on GA’s patronage site from May to Oct.)
Oh, did I forget to mention it’s not only a contemporary romance, but one with A MANNY?!!!
Suggested reading order: best read after The First Quarto (starts with They Told Me I Was Everything). The short story “I Wanted to Tell You Something" (Fer visits Auggie and Theo) in Tangents: Volume 1 chronologically takes place after but can be read anytime.
This book is my happy place.
A sentence I never thought I would say of Fer, the man with the foulest mouth in all of the Hazardverse realm, as he navigates his first true shot at love. In this never-before-seen contemporary romance from Sir Gregory Ashe, I felt all the butterflies, the flutters, the squeezing of my chest, the nerves of first times, the melting of my heart.
That’s right, no murders. Not a single dead body in sight - but what is a GA story without one? Don’t worry. Buckle up and sit tight, because you’ll be pleasantly surprised. And if you’ve been needing a break from thousand-book-long slow burns, be at peace knowing the desired outcome is patiently waiting for you at the other end of the rainbow 🌈
You may have already met Fer, Auggie’s big brother, in The First Quarto. I won’t deny understanding the lengths Fer has gone and will go for his family, no matter how low they stoop and how toxic they become, is integral to his character arc. That said, it’s not necessarily impossible to be up to speed (for the most part) with this book alone. You’ll see soon enough what he deals with on the daily, and my gosh, it’s truly too heavy a load for anyone to carry, let alone someone who’s kept the Lopez household afloat on his own two shoulders from as early as he can remember. So when unexpected guests enter his life and disrupt the fragile balance he’s only barely managed to maintain (if it could even be called that), he’s forced to make a choice he’s never dared to before.
I’ve loved this overprotective brutish hero of a guy since his first on-page cuss. His deep love for Auggie and desire to protect his youngest brother from the ugliness of their family touched me with an almost painful soreness. Their bond genuinely means the world to me. Greg’s ability to write a familial / platonic relationship like theirs in this manner stuns me to the core.
Fer’s long overdue for happiness he can call his own, so I can’t wait for y’all to read it come November 11! (To clarify, I read this story during its serialization on GA’s patronage site from May to Oct.)
Oh, did I forget to mention it’s not only a contemporary romance, but one with A MANNY?!!!
Suggested reading order: best read after The First Quarto (starts with They Told Me I Was Everything). The short story “I Wanted to Tell You Something" (Fer visits Auggie and Theo) in Tangents: Volume 1 chronologically takes place after but can be read anytime.
November 13, 2024
4,25 stars.
This was an emotional roller coaster. My first book by this author. I knew this was a spin-off and not really a standalone, but I never felt lost.
Fer was an awesome character, always there for his family, but he was essentially constantly taken advantage of. His mad swearing and cursing and name calling was so OTT it was nearly endearing (although I did not get used to it until the end, I admit). We get his pov (first person past tense) only, and it really worked for me.
Zé was perfection. Such a complex and lovely character. He was hurt, damaged, stubborn and needed to prove he could stand on his own. But he was there for Fer and Igz, was patient and understanding, and I loved him for it.
I loved how Fer and Zé slowly fell in love. I especially loved how they talked about things that mattered, how both addressed issues that needed to be addressed, even if the other didn't want to. Their relationship as friends felt very balanced and genuine, slowly progressing to something more.
I loved how both needed the other to know how important their happiness was.
I hated Fer's mother with a passion, her manipulative behaviour and emotional abuse were hard to read, she was one of the most awful parents of a MC I've come across in a romance novel.
I liked how the plot progressed, how things played out, even if it sometimes hurt reading how Fer and Zé struggled.
The sex scenes felt real and I liked that there weren't more.
Sooner or later I'll reread this and I'm sure I'll love it again, maybe I won't even mind Fer's name calling.
This was an emotional roller coaster. My first book by this author. I knew this was a spin-off and not really a standalone, but I never felt lost.
Fer was an awesome character, always there for his family, but he was essentially constantly taken advantage of. His mad swearing and cursing and name calling was so OTT it was nearly endearing (although I did not get used to it until the end, I admit). We get his pov (first person past tense) only, and it really worked for me.
Zé was perfection. Such a complex and lovely character. He was hurt, damaged, stubborn and needed to prove he could stand on his own. But he was there for Fer and Igz, was patient and understanding, and I loved him for it.
I loved how Fer and Zé slowly fell in love. I especially loved how they talked about things that mattered, how both addressed issues that needed to be addressed, even if the other didn't want to. Their relationship as friends felt very balanced and genuine, slowly progressing to something more.
I loved how both needed the other to know how important their happiness was.
I hated Fer's mother with a passion, her manipulative behaviour and emotional abuse were hard to read, she was one of the most awful parents of a MC I've come across in a romance novel.
I liked how the plot progressed, how things played out, even if it sometimes hurt reading how Fer and Zé struggled.
The sex scenes felt real and I liked that there weren't more.
Sooner or later I'll reread this and I'm sure I'll love it again, maybe I won't even mind Fer's name calling.
January 17, 2025
4.5***** stars
First, I really hope Gregory Ashe does this again. Dabbling in contemporary romance. Because this was great and like one hundred percent less frustrating than what romance readers have to put with with his other books. (I mean, there was even sex on page. Twice! *lol)
But boy, this was still Gregory Ashe writing this so his characters as well as the readers had to go through a lot. It was a ride. An emotional rollercoaster I rarely experience, even when reading more intense romances.
If you met Fer before, as Auggie’s big brother in GA’s The First Quarto series, you know his special brand of rudeness. That is not only hilarious (when you know him) but also seems to be his love language. The more creative he gets with his expletives the more he cares about you.
I wanted something good happening for Fer since I met him but getting the full picture of what he endured and sacrificed for his family I mostly wanted to start a go fund me so he would finally get a fucking break —for at least two weeks.
Loved seeing Auggie and Fer. *sniff
I know, I’ve been focussing on Fer and his fucked-up life here but believe me, the romance was a good one. A very good one. I knew GA could do it if he only wanted!
And although I think it is way more realistic to not end this book on a cloud where our love birds achieved everything they wanted and were happy without struggles I still wished I could’ve seen that.
They both, Fer as well as Zé, deserve to have it all.
I loved this book and I loved Fer finding happiness, maybe for the first time in his life. ♡
**************
Hazardverse: Sidetracks Series
Book 1 - Tangents: Volume 1
Book 2 - Follows with Intent
Book 3 - Tangents: Volume 2
Book 4 - The Kiss Principle - 4.5 stars
First, I really hope Gregory Ashe does this again. Dabbling in contemporary romance. Because this was great and like one hundred percent less frustrating than what romance readers have to put with with his other books. (I mean, there was even sex on page. Twice! *lol)
But boy, this was still Gregory Ashe writing this so his characters as well as the readers had to go through a lot. It was a ride. An emotional rollercoaster I rarely experience, even when reading more intense romances.
If you met Fer before, as Auggie’s big brother in GA’s The First Quarto series, you know his special brand of rudeness. That is not only hilarious (when you know him) but also seems to be his love language. The more creative he gets with his expletives the more he cares about you.
I wanted something good happening for Fer since I met him but getting the full picture of what he endured and sacrificed for his family I mostly wanted to start a go fund me so he would finally get a fucking break —for at least two weeks.
“I’m sorry,” Augustus said, [...] “that I messed up your life.”
I snorted, but it was, admittedly, a wet snort. “Give me a fucking break. You’re my baby. You love being my baby. I love that you’re my baby. God, Augustus, I love you so much I would pull off my own skin for you. I didn’t even complain when you turned out to have a raging dick addiction.”
Loved seeing Auggie and Fer. *sniff
I know, I’ve been focussing on Fer and his fucked-up life here but believe me, the romance was a good one. A very good one. I knew GA could do it if he only wanted!
And although I think it is way more realistic to not end this book on a cloud where our love birds achieved everything they wanted and were happy without struggles I still wished I could’ve seen that.
They both, Fer as well as Zé, deserve to have it all.
I loved this book and I loved Fer finding happiness, maybe for the first time in his life. ♡
**************
Hazardverse: Sidetracks Series
Book 1 - Tangents: Volume 1
Book 2 - Follows with Intent
Book 3 - Tangents: Volume 2
Book 4 - The Kiss Principle - 4.5 stars
March 7, 2025
Audiobook Re-read (March 2025)
It's only been a few months since my first read, so it's a bit sooner than I usually do a re-read, but the audiobook came out and I couldn't resist another go with my beloved Fer 🥹 I don't think I have much to add to my original review at this point, but I will say I loved the book just as much the second time around! I will never tire of Fer getting his much-deserved HEA 💙 He deserves the world and more just for dealing with his trash bag of a mother, not to mention everything else.
As for the audiobook itself, I'm going to be honest, it took me a while to even warm to the idea of it not being narrated by JF Harding. I had so much disappointment over him not narrating I wasn't even sure I wanted to listen to the audiobook. Liam Lambert was a new to me narrator, and I wasn't sure I would like his version of Fer. It took me a while to warm to his voice, but in the end, I was okay with it. He honestly did a great job, but he wasn't JF Harding. It's never easy to switch narrators for an established character, especially when that narrator is one of your favorites. It's not really a fair comparison, but it is what it is 😅
That being said, on his own merit, Liam Lambert was a fine narrator. He had decent variety in his voices, and I would certainly listen to other audiobooks narrated by him. Overall, his voice was pretty easy on the ears. The only thing that threw me off though was at times he sounded a bit too much like the narrator's voice in A Christmas Story 🙈 I love that movie, so the voice is embedded in my brain, and I couldn't not hear it. It wasn't bad per se, but it was weird at times and took me out of the book. I feel like this is a me thing though, so I wouldn't worry too much about it 🤣
Original Review (November 2024)
This book was a dream come true ✨😌✨ I finished it in one day and wanted to re-read it as soon as I finished. It was that good.
Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined my beloved, foul-mouthed Fer would get his own novel, or that it would come in the form of a contemporary romance 😍 Seriously, there was no torture, no murder, no one was stabbed or bludgeoned, or tied to a chair and held against their will. It was almost hard to believe it was a Gregory Ashe novel based on those factors alone 😂
I almost said no threats or long-suffering, but then I took a beat and realized there was actually a lot of that because I think it would be impossible to have book about Fer and not have those. I mean, seriously, Fer is the longest of the long-suffering. That man has done everything in his power to keep his family going since the beginning of time 😭 And threats? I think about half of the things that come out of Fer's mouth are threats. The other half are insults. Just because Fer found Zé and fell in love didn't mean those would stop. Nope. Even Fer's love came wrapped in insults. I expected nothing less and I loved every minute of it.
If you had asked me what kind of partner would be a match for Fer, I don't think I could have come up with a good answer. Fer is so completely unique it was hard to imagine what kind of person would mesh well with his personality. Ashe did it though. He created someone that fit so well with Fer I couldn't picture them not together by the end of the book.
There's about a million more things I could say I loved about this book, but if I start writing them all, this will get ridiculously long and no one will even read it 🙃 It would be a better use of time to start reading this book instead, but before you do, go read The First Quarto. I think you can enjoy The Kiss Principle as a standalone, but to get the full Fer experience, you really need to read The First Quarto. Besides, Theo and Auggie are amazing, and you'll love them too, especially if you want some of that murdering and mayhem mentioned above 🥂
It's only been a few months since my first read, so it's a bit sooner than I usually do a re-read, but the audiobook came out and I couldn't resist another go with my beloved Fer 🥹 I don't think I have much to add to my original review at this point, but I will say I loved the book just as much the second time around! I will never tire of Fer getting his much-deserved HEA 💙 He deserves the world and more just for dealing with his trash bag of a mother, not to mention everything else.
As for the audiobook itself, I'm going to be honest, it took me a while to even warm to the idea of it not being narrated by JF Harding. I had so much disappointment over him not narrating I wasn't even sure I wanted to listen to the audiobook. Liam Lambert was a new to me narrator, and I wasn't sure I would like his version of Fer. It took me a while to warm to his voice, but in the end, I was okay with it. He honestly did a great job, but he wasn't JF Harding. It's never easy to switch narrators for an established character, especially when that narrator is one of your favorites. It's not really a fair comparison, but it is what it is 😅
That being said, on his own merit, Liam Lambert was a fine narrator. He had decent variety in his voices, and I would certainly listen to other audiobooks narrated by him. Overall, his voice was pretty easy on the ears. The only thing that threw me off though was at times he sounded a bit too much like the narrator's voice in A Christmas Story 🙈 I love that movie, so the voice is embedded in my brain, and I couldn't not hear it. It wasn't bad per se, but it was weird at times and took me out of the book. I feel like this is a me thing though, so I wouldn't worry too much about it 🤣
Original Review (November 2024)
This book was a dream come true ✨😌✨ I finished it in one day and wanted to re-read it as soon as I finished. It was that good.
Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined my beloved, foul-mouthed Fer would get his own novel, or that it would come in the form of a contemporary romance 😍 Seriously, there was no torture, no murder, no one was stabbed or bludgeoned, or tied to a chair and held against their will. It was almost hard to believe it was a Gregory Ashe novel based on those factors alone 😂
I almost said no threats or long-suffering, but then I took a beat and realized there was actually a lot of that because I think it would be impossible to have book about Fer and not have those. I mean, seriously, Fer is the longest of the long-suffering. That man has done everything in his power to keep his family going since the beginning of time 😭 And threats? I think about half of the things that come out of Fer's mouth are threats. The other half are insults. Just because Fer found Zé and fell in love didn't mean those would stop. Nope. Even Fer's love came wrapped in insults. I expected nothing less and I loved every minute of it.
If you had asked me what kind of partner would be a match for Fer, I don't think I could have come up with a good answer. Fer is so completely unique it was hard to imagine what kind of person would mesh well with his personality. Ashe did it though. He created someone that fit so well with Fer I couldn't picture them not together by the end of the book.
There's about a million more things I could say I loved about this book, but if I start writing them all, this will get ridiculously long and no one will even read it 🙃 It would be a better use of time to start reading this book instead, but before you do, go read The First Quarto. I think you can enjoy The Kiss Principle as a standalone, but to get the full Fer experience, you really need to read The First Quarto. Besides, Theo and Auggie are amazing, and you'll love them too, especially if you want some of that murdering and mayhem mentioned above 🥂
December 23, 2024
Having only read First Quarto and suffered through the hellish torment of four books (because of all the angst and frustration), I was not ready for this absolute gem—adorable, heartwarming, ridiculously funny, but also so frustrating and infuriating (mainly because of the mother and Chuy).
Fer’s journey was everything I wanted it to be, and even with the over-the-top opening and the fast burn, this book hit me right in the feels. His foul mouth is like a third MC and i Love it! He has the most imaginative, disturbing and creepy swearing i've ever read, seriously. I'm so happy he was able to relax and be happy... leave all the toxicity he was living in and focus on himself. And Zé… oh, Zé. What a beautiful character, so full of peace and calm, just perfection. Also, GA writes quality smut, super intimate but also super hot! Thank you baby Zé!
Chuy... selfish bastard. The mother... god... I'm sorry GA didn't give that person closure... to be alone and not be a manipulative bitch. She's to blame for that shitty environment those 3 kids had to grow up in... Scary...
The scenes with Igz—his sweet little moments with that precious baby—absolutely melted me, the way he grounded him was life changing. And the crying on Auggie sholder? Broke my heart***
It's been a long time since I've devoured a book and this one I just couldn't put down or think that sleeping and eating were basic needs that I should take into consideration! Just.Read.
Fer’s journey was everything I wanted it to be, and even with the over-the-top opening and the fast burn, this book hit me right in the feels. His foul mouth is like a third MC and i Love it! He has the most imaginative, disturbing and creepy swearing i've ever read, seriously. I'm so happy he was able to relax and be happy... leave all the toxicity he was living in and focus on himself. And Zé… oh, Zé. What a beautiful character, so full of peace and calm, just perfection. Also, GA writes quality smut, super intimate but also super hot! Thank you baby Zé!
Chuy... selfish bastard. The mother... god... I'm sorry GA didn't give that person closure... to be alone and not be a manipulative bitch. She's to blame for that shitty environment those 3 kids had to grow up in... Scary...
The scenes with Igz—his sweet little moments with that precious baby—absolutely melted me, the way he grounded him was life changing. And the crying on Auggie sholder? Broke my heart***
It's been a long time since I've devoured a book and this one I just couldn't put down or think that sleeping and eating were basic needs that I should take into consideration! Just.Read.
May 21, 2025
I need more of Fer, Ze and Igz right away please and thank you!!
Oh my gosh this was emotional! Totally different tone to the usual Hazardverse books but the angst and the complicated relationships were still the core of the story.
My heart broke for Fer, he even made me cry!! I loved the shift in his relationship with Auggie too, but I need Auggie's reaction to Fer having a boyfriend 😂 I feel cheated!!
I do feel like this definitely isn't the end of Fer and Ze's story though, it's a HFN not a HEA. I want to know if that cunt bucket Chuy comes back or if they get to adopt Igz. I want to see Fer's mum do him a favour and take her drama elsewhere! I want to see Fer truly happy so badly!!
Oh my gosh this was emotional! Totally different tone to the usual Hazardverse books but the angst and the complicated relationships were still the core of the story.
My heart broke for Fer, he even made me cry!! I loved the shift in his relationship with Auggie too, but I need Auggie's reaction to Fer having a boyfriend 😂 I feel cheated!!
I do feel like this definitely isn't the end of Fer and Ze's story though, it's a HFN not a HEA. I want to know if that cunt bucket Chuy comes back or if they get to adopt Igz. I want to see Fer's mum do him a favour and take her drama elsewhere! I want to see Fer truly happy so badly!!
October 30, 2024
After a spate of cozies, it was really nice to get back to Hazardverse-adjacent territory. Fer is Auggie's protective, foul-mouthed older brother/ father figure; he pops up throughout the First Quarto books, and is revealed to have a (male) partner in one of the follow-up collected stories. This was quite a twist: first, because Fer had theretofore always identified as straight; and second, because Fer's (over-) commitment to providing for his family -- not just Auggie but also middle brother Chuy, who struggles with addiction, and their manipulative, selfish mother -- meant that he never had the time or energy to devote to his own life and needs. Auggie's gradual transition to a functioning adult lightens Fer's load somewhat, but he is an incessant worrier and, more distressingly, unable to recognize or admit that his relationship with their mother, in particular, is one of decades-long emotional and financial abuse.
So that's the backstory, and then the blurb lays out the rest: unexpected baby (Chuy's) for which Fer takes responsibility; chaos; and then enter salvation in the form of a down on his luck, hot, chill manny, Zé. Unlike most of Ashe's work, this is not romantic suspense: it is pure contemporary romance with dueling tragic backstories, hurt/ comfort, biawakening, didn't-know-we-were-dating, and even a touch of daddy teasing. There is gut-churning tension and anticipation, but it rests entirely in Fer and Zé's emotional arcs, and particularly Zé's struggle to help Fer see and push back against his mother's toxic manipulations. Fer is a frustrating character at times, because he takes so much abuse that it can seem unbelievable; but he is also just self-aware enough to realize that he's being mistreated, even if he can't draw and enforce the boundaries he needs to stop it. And Zé is a real delight, whose own painful experiences enable him to say and do the things that Fer can't -- until he can.
One thing that niggled at me was that there was not, to my mind, adequate closure with the mom issue. I didn't realize that Fer, Zé, and Igz were living in their own place at the end; this wasn't made adequately clear in the text, and I actually (and uncharacteristically) reached out to GA about it (because it was freaking me out), who clarified that they do get their own place. For me, that makes a HUGE difference for Fer and Zé's HEA -- I simply couldn't imagine them (and Igz) living happily together under the same roof as the mom. Unfortunately, it could be that that clarification doesn't make it into the final text, but at least we know this is the case. I have receipts!
Another thing that is mostly a me-thing but that I raise in the spirit of content notes: Fer has some body unhappiness relating to his weight and fitness level -- nothing that rises to the level of dysmorphia or ED, but general self-esteem stuff -- and Zé is a yoga and health-food nut, who, by taking over the cooking, essentially puts Fer on a diet. This isn't presented as coercive, but there are comments about Zé throwing out junk food, about Fer being "allowed" to eat greasy tacos, and other diet culture-type remarks. Fer grumbles about it but does not seem to feel that it is controlling (there are also comments to the effect that he is pleased by the ensuing weight loss). As someone super sensitive to any content that touches on controlling others' food intake, this definitely pinged for me; but I suspect for people less attuned to that kind of thing, it's more about contrasting Zé's form of caretaking with Fer's. But yeah, beware of diet culture content.
In general, though, this was a good, quick story that, while hard to read at times, really delivered on the Fer-feels.
I got an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
So that's the backstory, and then the blurb lays out the rest: unexpected baby (Chuy's) for which Fer takes responsibility; chaos; and then enter salvation in the form of a down on his luck, hot, chill manny, Zé. Unlike most of Ashe's work, this is not romantic suspense: it is pure contemporary romance with dueling tragic backstories, hurt/ comfort, biawakening, didn't-know-we-were-dating, and even a touch of daddy teasing. There is gut-churning tension and anticipation, but it rests entirely in Fer and Zé's emotional arcs, and particularly Zé's struggle to help Fer see and push back against his mother's toxic manipulations. Fer is a frustrating character at times, because he takes so much abuse that it can seem unbelievable; but he is also just self-aware enough to realize that he's being mistreated, even if he can't draw and enforce the boundaries he needs to stop it. And Zé is a real delight, whose own painful experiences enable him to say and do the things that Fer can't -- until he can.
One thing that niggled at me was that there was not, to my mind, adequate closure with the mom issue. I didn't realize that Fer, Zé, and Igz were living in their own place at the end; this wasn't made adequately clear in the text, and I actually (and uncharacteristically) reached out to GA about it (because it was freaking me out), who clarified that they do get their own place. For me, that makes a HUGE difference for Fer and Zé's HEA -- I simply couldn't imagine them (and Igz) living happily together under the same roof as the mom. Unfortunately, it could be that that clarification doesn't make it into the final text, but at least we know this is the case. I have receipts!
Another thing that is mostly a me-thing but that I raise in the spirit of content notes: Fer has some body unhappiness relating to his weight and fitness level -- nothing that rises to the level of dysmorphia or ED, but general self-esteem stuff -- and Zé is a yoga and health-food nut, who, by taking over the cooking, essentially puts Fer on a diet. This isn't presented as coercive, but there are comments about Zé throwing out junk food, about Fer being "allowed" to eat greasy tacos, and other diet culture-type remarks. Fer grumbles about it but does not seem to feel that it is controlling (there are also comments to the effect that he is pleased by the ensuing weight loss). As someone super sensitive to any content that touches on controlling others' food intake, this definitely pinged for me; but I suspect for people less attuned to that kind of thing, it's more about contrasting Zé's form of caretaking with Fer's. But yeah, beware of diet culture content.
In general, though, this was a good, quick story that, while hard to read at times, really delivered on the Fer-feels.
I got an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
March 1, 2025
4.0 ⭐️
March 8, 2025
What a great audiobook!! Contemporary romance, manny, 😍😍 I LOVED getting to see Fer close-up and personal, and finally, in love.
December 9, 2024
B+ / 4.5 stars
Gregory Ashe is primarily known for writing intricate, gritty mysteries with romantic sub-plots featuring complex but flawed characters who fall in love (usually very slowly!) while solving said mysteries, but of late, he’s been flexing his writing muscles and exploring different genres. Earlier this year, he embarked on The Last Picks series of cosy mysteries and published a romantic suspense novel, Follows with Intent , which features two popular secondary characters from the Hazardverse – Nico Flores and Jadon Reck (from the Hazard and Somerset and Borealis books respectively). Now the author has turned his hand to contemporary romance – there’s not a dead body in sight! – in The Kiss Principle, which stars fan-favourite Fernando Lopez, older brother of Auggie ( The First Quarto ), whose amazingly inventive swearing and top quality snark hides a massively big, kind heart.
Readers of The First Quarto will already know that Fer has been the lynchpin of his dysfunctional family ever since he was a child himself. The three Lopez brothers all have different dads, and their mother is a self-obsessed drama queen who doesn’t give a shit about any of her sons (other than about what they can do for her) and who has a different - younger - man in tow (also out for what he can get) every few months. Ever since he was a kid and taking care of his baby brother because there was nobody else to do it, Fer has shouldered all the responsibilites of his family. He’s paid for everything – the house, the car, Chuy’s stints in rehab, his mother’s debts, college for Auggie, everything – but in that never-ending cycle of looking after everyone else, he’s neglected himself to the point he just doesn’t have a life. His job as a rep for a pharma company pays the bills, but he doesn’t enjoy it; he drinks too much, eats too many of the wrong things and smokes too much weed just so he can make it all go away for a while.
When The Kiss Principle begins, Fer is planning a visit to Wahredua to see Auggie and his “pet dinosaur” (Auggie’s partner, Theo, is a decade older), but that is suddenly derailed when Chuy, who has been in recovery and living at home, bolts suddenly – and leaves behind his baby daughter. After the initial shock of finding a squalling infant in his kitchen wears off, Fer realises he’s going to need help – he’s got a great new job opportunity lined up which means he’ll be away more – and starts searching for a nanny.
The search is more difficult than expected, although one agency has managed to line up someone on a temporary basis. He’s rushing out of the house on the way to an appointment and opens the door to find a young man standing on the doorstep – tall, athletic, dark eyes and a perfect mess of windswept dark hair - who must be the nanny. Manny. Whatever. Excellent. Fer dumps the baby (he’s named her Isabela) into the man’s arms, reels off some quick instructions and emergency contact details and heads out.
He’s still driving when the nanny agency calls to apologise for the fact that their candidate hadn’t been able to make it that morning. Stunned and fiercely berating himself, Fer he turns the car around and rushes home – only to find the not-manny sitting on the couch, rocking and singing quietly to the sleeping baby.
Huh.
José Teixeira - who goes by Zé – is twenty-five and was a professional surfer until he injured his knee. Three expensive surgeries later, he’s just about getting by, and tries not to seem to desperate when he suggests that he could work for Fer and look after Isabela – but Fer can see it in his eyes and decides to give him a chance.
As the days and weeks pass, Fer and Zé settle into a comfortable routine. Zé is goofy and sweet, he’s great with Isabela (Igz), he isn’t fazed by Fer’s potty mouth – he actually seems amused by it – and he’s just… easy to be around. He’s also seriously hot, which is not something Fer was prepared for. Sure, he was the one who told Auggie about sexuality being like a buffet where you could sample a bit of everything, but he’s always stuck to one side of the table – apart from a couple of horny teenaged fumblings with a friend – and has been perfectly happy with that. Until now. There’s something about Zé that draws Fer in and captivates him – he’s gorgeous, yes, but there’s so much more to him than that. The chemistry between them crackles from the start – the author really knows how to create the most fabulous sexual tension - and their romance is filled with good-humour and geniune affection.
The story is told entirely from Fer’s PoV, so we’re treated to the full smorgasboard of the truly creative invective of which he is capable, and I take my figurative hat off to Mr. Ashe for some of the outlandish stuff that comes out of Fer’s mouth! But we also go behind the foul-mouthed tough-guy act to see a more vulnerable Fer than we’ve seen so far, one who is unhappy, exhausted and terribly alone, and who can’t seem to break out of the soul-destroying pattern his life has followed for so many years.
We don’t get into Zé’s head, but we do learn that life hasn’t been kind to him and that one of the reasons he’s able to see Fer’s situation so clearly is because he’s had to deal with family issues himself. He’s very good for Fer – he’s upbeat and kind and funny, he doesn’t take any crap, he doesn’t like Fer putting himself down, and isn’t afraid to tell him some home truths, even when it might not go well for him. He might come across as just a little too perfect sometimes, but he’s perfect for Fer, giving him space to be himself and helping him to see that he’s allowed to want good things for himself.
The Kiss Principle is an emotional and heartfelt love story, and watching Fer, who has sacrificed so much of himself to care for others, finding love with someone who really gets him and appreciates him for everything he is is a real treat. But one of the best scenes in the entire book is one towards the end, between Fer and Auggie, which features one of the most beautiful declarations of love I’ve ever read. Fer seeing his baby brother as a strong, independent young man for almost the first time – and realising that he played an important part in that - brought a lump to my throat, as did Auggie being so wise, being there for Fer at a difficult time, getting angry on his behalf and, most importantly, reminding Fer that he deserves a life of his own, that he deserves to be happy and that there comes a point when you have to accept that there are some things you just can’t change… it’s poignant, filled with so much love and deep affection, and utterly perfect.
If Gregory Ashe ever gets bored with writing mysteries, he’s got a great future ahead of him as a romance writer ;) The single dad and the gorgeous manny who fits into his life perfectly and prompts some long-overdue questions about his sexuality is an oft-used trope, but I’ve rarely (if ever) some across it done so well. Funny, sexy, emotional and insightful, The Kiss Principle is a great read and I’m more than happy to recommend it to fans of the genre.
Note: This book was originally published in weekly instalments on the author’s patronage platform, and while it can probably stand alone, some elements might be confusing or unclear if you aren’t familiar with at least some of The First Quarto books.
Gregory Ashe is primarily known for writing intricate, gritty mysteries with romantic sub-plots featuring complex but flawed characters who fall in love (usually very slowly!) while solving said mysteries, but of late, he’s been flexing his writing muscles and exploring different genres. Earlier this year, he embarked on The Last Picks series of cosy mysteries and published a romantic suspense novel, Follows with Intent , which features two popular secondary characters from the Hazardverse – Nico Flores and Jadon Reck (from the Hazard and Somerset and Borealis books respectively). Now the author has turned his hand to contemporary romance – there’s not a dead body in sight! – in The Kiss Principle, which stars fan-favourite Fernando Lopez, older brother of Auggie ( The First Quarto ), whose amazingly inventive swearing and top quality snark hides a massively big, kind heart.
Readers of The First Quarto will already know that Fer has been the lynchpin of his dysfunctional family ever since he was a child himself. The three Lopez brothers all have different dads, and their mother is a self-obsessed drama queen who doesn’t give a shit about any of her sons (other than about what they can do for her) and who has a different - younger - man in tow (also out for what he can get) every few months. Ever since he was a kid and taking care of his baby brother because there was nobody else to do it, Fer has shouldered all the responsibilites of his family. He’s paid for everything – the house, the car, Chuy’s stints in rehab, his mother’s debts, college for Auggie, everything – but in that never-ending cycle of looking after everyone else, he’s neglected himself to the point he just doesn’t have a life. His job as a rep for a pharma company pays the bills, but he doesn’t enjoy it; he drinks too much, eats too many of the wrong things and smokes too much weed just so he can make it all go away for a while.
When The Kiss Principle begins, Fer is planning a visit to Wahredua to see Auggie and his “pet dinosaur” (Auggie’s partner, Theo, is a decade older), but that is suddenly derailed when Chuy, who has been in recovery and living at home, bolts suddenly – and leaves behind his baby daughter. After the initial shock of finding a squalling infant in his kitchen wears off, Fer realises he’s going to need help – he’s got a great new job opportunity lined up which means he’ll be away more – and starts searching for a nanny.
The search is more difficult than expected, although one agency has managed to line up someone on a temporary basis. He’s rushing out of the house on the way to an appointment and opens the door to find a young man standing on the doorstep – tall, athletic, dark eyes and a perfect mess of windswept dark hair - who must be the nanny. Manny. Whatever. Excellent. Fer dumps the baby (he’s named her Isabela) into the man’s arms, reels off some quick instructions and emergency contact details and heads out.
He’s still driving when the nanny agency calls to apologise for the fact that their candidate hadn’t been able to make it that morning. Stunned and fiercely berating himself, Fer he turns the car around and rushes home – only to find the not-manny sitting on the couch, rocking and singing quietly to the sleeping baby.
Huh.
José Teixeira - who goes by Zé – is twenty-five and was a professional surfer until he injured his knee. Three expensive surgeries later, he’s just about getting by, and tries not to seem to desperate when he suggests that he could work for Fer and look after Isabela – but Fer can see it in his eyes and decides to give him a chance.
As the days and weeks pass, Fer and Zé settle into a comfortable routine. Zé is goofy and sweet, he’s great with Isabela (Igz), he isn’t fazed by Fer’s potty mouth – he actually seems amused by it – and he’s just… easy to be around. He’s also seriously hot, which is not something Fer was prepared for. Sure, he was the one who told Auggie about sexuality being like a buffet where you could sample a bit of everything, but he’s always stuck to one side of the table – apart from a couple of horny teenaged fumblings with a friend – and has been perfectly happy with that. Until now. There’s something about Zé that draws Fer in and captivates him – he’s gorgeous, yes, but there’s so much more to him than that. The chemistry between them crackles from the start – the author really knows how to create the most fabulous sexual tension - and their romance is filled with good-humour and geniune affection.
The story is told entirely from Fer’s PoV, so we’re treated to the full smorgasboard of the truly creative invective of which he is capable, and I take my figurative hat off to Mr. Ashe for some of the outlandish stuff that comes out of Fer’s mouth! But we also go behind the foul-mouthed tough-guy act to see a more vulnerable Fer than we’ve seen so far, one who is unhappy, exhausted and terribly alone, and who can’t seem to break out of the soul-destroying pattern his life has followed for so many years.
We don’t get into Zé’s head, but we do learn that life hasn’t been kind to him and that one of the reasons he’s able to see Fer’s situation so clearly is because he’s had to deal with family issues himself. He’s very good for Fer – he’s upbeat and kind and funny, he doesn’t take any crap, he doesn’t like Fer putting himself down, and isn’t afraid to tell him some home truths, even when it might not go well for him. He might come across as just a little too perfect sometimes, but he’s perfect for Fer, giving him space to be himself and helping him to see that he’s allowed to want good things for himself.
The Kiss Principle is an emotional and heartfelt love story, and watching Fer, who has sacrificed so much of himself to care for others, finding love with someone who really gets him and appreciates him for everything he is is a real treat. But one of the best scenes in the entire book is one towards the end, between Fer and Auggie, which features one of the most beautiful declarations of love I’ve ever read. Fer seeing his baby brother as a strong, independent young man for almost the first time – and realising that he played an important part in that - brought a lump to my throat, as did Auggie being so wise, being there for Fer at a difficult time, getting angry on his behalf and, most importantly, reminding Fer that he deserves a life of his own, that he deserves to be happy and that there comes a point when you have to accept that there are some things you just can’t change… it’s poignant, filled with so much love and deep affection, and utterly perfect.
If Gregory Ashe ever gets bored with writing mysteries, he’s got a great future ahead of him as a romance writer ;) The single dad and the gorgeous manny who fits into his life perfectly and prompts some long-overdue questions about his sexuality is an oft-used trope, but I’ve rarely (if ever) some across it done so well. Funny, sexy, emotional and insightful, The Kiss Principle is a great read and I’m more than happy to recommend it to fans of the genre.
Note: This book was originally published in weekly instalments on the author’s patronage platform, and while it can probably stand alone, some elements might be confusing or unclear if you aren’t familiar with at least some of The First Quarto books.
November 12, 2024
Filthy mouthed Fer ends up with a baby dropped in his lap and falls for the “manny” (male nanny) Zé that takes the position. Somehow incredibly full of genital-based unique swears but incredibly wholesome.
Fer was a parentified child forced to help raise his younger siblings and continue to stretch himself thin codependently supporting his mom and middle brother, and Isabela (the baby) and Zé coming into his life shake it all up.
Incredibly funny and warm, it deals with growth both Fer and Zé need to do as individuals to be happy and healthy together, and gives a very satisfying happy ending. The spicy scenes are few in nature but more explicit than in his mysteries and you the sexual tension and mutual affection is palpable up both before and after things get official.
Definitely recommend, just be prepared for far more swears than you’re used to for something people keep describing as wholesome in reviews!
Note: Fer was originally a side character that mostly appeared on the phone calling his younger brother Auggie, one of the two leads in The First Quarto series. You can enjoy it without reading those novels as it takes place in a different area and years later, but those of us that were already fans were extra excited for Fer to get a book.
I received an ARC and this is my honest enthusiastic opinion.
Fer was a parentified child forced to help raise his younger siblings and continue to stretch himself thin codependently supporting his mom and middle brother, and Isabela (the baby) and Zé coming into his life shake it all up.
Incredibly funny and warm, it deals with growth both Fer and Zé need to do as individuals to be happy and healthy together, and gives a very satisfying happy ending. The spicy scenes are few in nature but more explicit than in his mysteries and you the sexual tension and mutual affection is palpable up both before and after things get official.
Definitely recommend, just be prepared for far more swears than you’re used to for something people keep describing as wholesome in reviews!
Note: Fer was originally a side character that mostly appeared on the phone calling his younger brother Auggie, one of the two leads in The First Quarto series. You can enjoy it without reading those novels as it takes place in a different area and years later, but those of us that were already fans were extra excited for Fer to get a book.
I received an ARC and this is my honest enthusiastic opinion.
December 2, 2024
4.25 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Everyone should be scared if Greg Ashe ever decided to do a full pivot to contemporary romance. Like my GOD his incredible gift of characterization, intense (but real!) emotion, and effortless writing…no one would stand a chance! I’ve been in the slump of slumps and this fully pulled me out of it.
This story follows 33 yr old Fer, aka Fernando, Auggie’s big brother who has been a recurring character in The First Quarto series. I think there’s enough background given in this story you could read as a standalone, but it’s definitely a must read if you’ve read Theo and Auggie’s story. Fer who has been saddled in life as the patriarch of his family, as well as the only parent to his two younger brothers and selfish mother, is saddled once again when his drug addicted brother Chuy drops his newborn daughter in the house and splits. Fer immensely overwhelmed hires 25 yr old Zé, aka José, to be baby Igz manny. Over the course of the book the two form a tentative friendship which turns into so much more.
I LOVED Zé. Truly not enough heart eyes in the world to describe this incredibly kind, warm, and loving person. His relationship with Fer developed so beautifully and organically. Also Ashe has been holding out on us because the sex was 🔥👀 Fer was his typical slightly insane but loving self, and my heart broke for him so many times. What else can I say other than this was brilliant, funny, frustrating, heartbreaking, and heartwarming in equal measure. I wasn’t kidding when I said I need 100 more of these 🤲🏼🤲🏼🤲🏼
Everyone should be scared if Greg Ashe ever decided to do a full pivot to contemporary romance. Like my GOD his incredible gift of characterization, intense (but real!) emotion, and effortless writing…no one would stand a chance! I’ve been in the slump of slumps and this fully pulled me out of it.
This story follows 33 yr old Fer, aka Fernando, Auggie’s big brother who has been a recurring character in The First Quarto series. I think there’s enough background given in this story you could read as a standalone, but it’s definitely a must read if you’ve read Theo and Auggie’s story. Fer who has been saddled in life as the patriarch of his family, as well as the only parent to his two younger brothers and selfish mother, is saddled once again when his drug addicted brother Chuy drops his newborn daughter in the house and splits. Fer immensely overwhelmed hires 25 yr old Zé, aka José, to be baby Igz manny. Over the course of the book the two form a tentative friendship which turns into so much more.
I LOVED Zé. Truly not enough heart eyes in the world to describe this incredibly kind, warm, and loving person. His relationship with Fer developed so beautifully and organically. Also Ashe has been holding out on us because the sex was 🔥👀 Fer was his typical slightly insane but loving self, and my heart broke for him so many times. What else can I say other than this was brilliant, funny, frustrating, heartbreaking, and heartwarming in equal measure. I wasn’t kidding when I said I need 100 more of these 🤲🏼🤲🏼🤲🏼
February 14, 2025
5⭐️ I didn’t know what to expect from a GA book with no mystery plot, but i absolutely loved this!
So funny and sweet! The hurt/comfort was so intense. I loved Fer as much as I’d hoped I would. The slow-burn build of his relationship with Ze was everything.
It’s been a while since I’ve read bi-awakening but this one was done so well. The fumbling vulnerability and realism in the spice scenes mixed with great communication and deep emotions.
So funny and sweet! The hurt/comfort was so intense. I loved Fer as much as I’d hoped I would. The slow-burn build of his relationship with Ze was everything.
It’s been a while since I’ve read bi-awakening but this one was done so well. The fumbling vulnerability and realism in the spice scenes mixed with great communication and deep emotions.
November 11, 2024
Ohh Fer 🥰
Loved it
In The First Quarto, Fer quickly became a favorite of mine as Auggie’s caring, foul-mouthed, and sometimes overbearing older brother. Although he can be rough with Auggie, his fierce love always shines through. He loves that kid so deeply and does everything in his power for him. In this book, their interactions were a standout for me. Their bond and love for each other truly warmed my heart, and seeing Auggie step up to support Fer in his time of need was incredibly touching.
This: 🥲🥲
“Give me a fucking break. You’re my baby. You love being my baby. I love that you’re my baby. God, Augustus, I love you so much I would pull off my own skin for you. I didn’t even complain when you turned out to have a raging dick addiction.”
(…)
“I have never, not once, wished you weren’t in my life or that a single fucking thing with you had been different. I’m so fucking proud of you. I’m so grateful I get to be your brother.”
Fer is a character who has been carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders, constantly sacrificing his own happiness and freedom for the sake of his family. In this book, we finally see him coming to some important realizations and taking the steps to untangle himself from the overwhelming obligations that have defined his life.
Then there’s Zé—a beautiful, kind, and thoughtful soul who gradually finds his way into Fer’s heart. Zé is like a ray of sunshine, bringing warmth and light when Fer needs it most. Seeing them find happiness together made me so happy for both of them.
I don’t want to spoil the book, so I won’t go into the plot details, but let’s just say it completely melted my heart.
And seriously, someone needs to free these men from their toxic, abusive, and downright awful mother.
Loved it
In The First Quarto, Fer quickly became a favorite of mine as Auggie’s caring, foul-mouthed, and sometimes overbearing older brother. Although he can be rough with Auggie, his fierce love always shines through. He loves that kid so deeply and does everything in his power for him. In this book, their interactions were a standout for me. Their bond and love for each other truly warmed my heart, and seeing Auggie step up to support Fer in his time of need was incredibly touching.
This: 🥲🥲
“Give me a fucking break. You’re my baby. You love being my baby. I love that you’re my baby. God, Augustus, I love you so much I would pull off my own skin for you. I didn’t even complain when you turned out to have a raging dick addiction.”
(…)
“I have never, not once, wished you weren’t in my life or that a single fucking thing with you had been different. I’m so fucking proud of you. I’m so grateful I get to be your brother.”
Fer is a character who has been carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders, constantly sacrificing his own happiness and freedom for the sake of his family. In this book, we finally see him coming to some important realizations and taking the steps to untangle himself from the overwhelming obligations that have defined his life.
Then there’s Zé—a beautiful, kind, and thoughtful soul who gradually finds his way into Fer’s heart. Zé is like a ray of sunshine, bringing warmth and light when Fer needs it most. Seeing them find happiness together made me so happy for both of them.
I don’t want to spoil the book, so I won’t go into the plot details, but let’s just say it completely melted my heart.
And seriously, someone needs to free these men from their toxic, abusive, and downright awful mother.
December 11, 2024
Fuck it, nut rabbits--
that cum bucket Ashe don't need
jizz dripping crime, just love.
that cum bucket Ashe don't need
jizz dripping crime, just love.
November 20, 2024
”Didn’t your family ever teach you not to talk about your emotions? Good Christ, Zé. We’re supposed to play mind games, go full psych ops, have a million different misunderstandings and be absolutely fucking miserable because that is still better than being totally, fully emotionally available and vulnerable and all that fucking shit.“
“Just want to check: did you tell me you love me?”
“I said I think I love you!”
“Just want to check: did you tell me you love me?”
“I said I think I love you!”
February 6, 2025
Audio review-
It took me a moment to get into the audio but once I did …😍 the narration is a perfect compliment to this story.
I didn’t think I could love Fer anymore than I already did but every time he appears on page I just love him that little more.
Gosh this was so wholesome !
If you’d told me at the beginning of our introduction to Fer that he would end up being one of the sweetest characters in the Hazardverse I would have laughed but alas …he is the best big brother, father and boyfriend 🥹🥹
This was awesome .
It took me a moment to get into the audio but once I did …😍 the narration is a perfect compliment to this story.
I didn’t think I could love Fer anymore than I already did but every time he appears on page I just love him that little more.
Gosh this was so wholesome !
If you’d told me at the beginning of our introduction to Fer that he would end up being one of the sweetest characters in the Hazardverse I would have laughed but alas …he is the best big brother, father and boyfriend 🥹🥹
This was awesome .
January 13, 2025
Fer has been a a favorite secondary character of mine in the Hazardverse and I am more than thrilled to get an entire M-M romance starring this potty-mouthed hunk with an over-parentified sense of familial care and responsibility. 4.5 stars.
November 4, 2024
Never in a million years did I think Fer, Auggie's foul-mouthed older brother from The First Quarto series, would be the star of a romance novel, but I am so happy GA decided to go this route.
Fer's sacrificed so much for his family and it was high time he found some happiness of his own. His cluelessness in the realm of romance was endearing, and his interactions with Zé were so sweet. I originally read this when it was serialized for patrons, and it was a sweet form of torture to see the chemistry and tension building from week to week. I guess technically this wouldn't fall into the cozy genre, but this book did feel very cozy to me because of how it's centered on Fer and Zé building their own family (even when they're not aware that that's what they're doing).
I can't wait to see them again in future short stories and Hazardverse novels, and I'm also looking forward to reading more contemporary romance from Gregory Ashe!
Fer's sacrificed so much for his family and it was high time he found some happiness of his own. His cluelessness in the realm of romance was endearing, and his interactions with Zé were so sweet. I originally read this when it was serialized for patrons, and it was a sweet form of torture to see the chemistry and tension building from week to week. I guess technically this wouldn't fall into the cozy genre, but this book did feel very cozy to me because of how it's centered on Fer and Zé building their own family (even when they're not aware that that's what they're doing).
I can't wait to see them again in future short stories and Hazardverse novels, and I'm also looking forward to reading more contemporary romance from Gregory Ashe!
January 29, 2025
Fer is an absolute delight who gets all the best, most profane dialogue, & this rare non-mystery from GA proves he can do it all. It is sweet but not without its darkness, & I was quite amazed by GA’s surfer vocab 😂😂
January 30, 2025
reread via audio i love them so much
originally read 11/2024 i’m sick and it’s 3:30am so maybe that’s partially why i’m sitting here close to sobbing but goddamn i loved this fucking book so much
originally read 11/2024 i’m sick and it’s 3:30am so maybe that’s partially why i’m sitting here close to sobbing but goddamn i loved this fucking book so much
December 20, 2024
I really enjoyed this. At some point I read almost everything Gregory Ashe had put out, but then I never went back to read his newer books. That’s because the universe inside his books is quite intense, so I can’t face going back. This book was an antidote since the intensity worked great for the romance that emerges between Fer and Ze, providing a relatable backdrop for their lives as well, but I didn’t have to face criminals and mysteries too. I really didn’t want to put it down. I had only read the first book that Augie is in, so it works great as a standalone.
November 15, 2024
Ferrr!! I love that ass leaking monkey fuckrr
October 20, 2024
If someone had told me two years ago that Fer's story would not only be a contemporary romance but one of the sweetest and most wholesome I'd ever read, I would have probably laughed. But here we are!
For anyone unfamiliar, Fer was originally introduced as Auggie's big brother in Greg's series The First Quarto. Foul-mouthed, loud, and overprotective, he quickly captured the hearts of readers. As the series went on, it became more and more apparent just how much Fer had sacrificed for his family and how lonely he was. I don't think it's necessary to have read The First Quarto to enjoy The Kiss Principle, because Greg does a good job of weaving in backstory and highlighting on page just what Fer is dealing with. But, as one of my favorite series, I would highly recommend you check it out after you're done with this one. ;)
If you've read GA before... well, you may be surprised to find out that this is truly just a romance. No murders in sight! And as what I believe was GA's first ever foray into the contemporary romance genre, it was amazing and sweet. There were moments I wanted to shake Fer, but it is a Gregory Ashe book, so of course that was bound to happen at least once.
Zé was... well, perfect might be a little stretching it because nobody is perfect. But maybe perfect for Fer? Guess you'll have to read it to find out!
This book was first serialized on GA's patron site, Advanced Ashochism, from May until October, so I read it during that period. Having to wait a week for every chapter was sometimes torture but it made Sunday not quite so rough! If you aren't already a member, I highly recommend checking it out because you'll get some fun bonus stuff like art from this story and others, as well as a whole bunch of other bonus content/flash fiction from all of GA's books.
(swiped from Alyssa)
Suggested reading order: best read after The First Quarto (starts with They Told Me I Was EverythingThey Told Me I Was Everything). The short story “I Wanted to Tell You Something" (Fer visits Auggie and Theo) in Tangents: Volume 1Tangents: Volume 1 chronologically takes place after but can be read anytime.
For anyone unfamiliar, Fer was originally introduced as Auggie's big brother in Greg's series The First Quarto. Foul-mouthed, loud, and overprotective, he quickly captured the hearts of readers. As the series went on, it became more and more apparent just how much Fer had sacrificed for his family and how lonely he was. I don't think it's necessary to have read The First Quarto to enjoy The Kiss Principle, because Greg does a good job of weaving in backstory and highlighting on page just what Fer is dealing with. But, as one of my favorite series, I would highly recommend you check it out after you're done with this one. ;)
If you've read GA before... well, you may be surprised to find out that this is truly just a romance. No murders in sight! And as what I believe was GA's first ever foray into the contemporary romance genre, it was amazing and sweet. There were moments I wanted to shake Fer, but it is a Gregory Ashe book, so of course that was bound to happen at least once.
Zé was... well, perfect might be a little stretching it because nobody is perfect. But maybe perfect for Fer? Guess you'll have to read it to find out!
This book was first serialized on GA's patron site, Advanced Ashochism, from May until October, so I read it during that period. Having to wait a week for every chapter was sometimes torture but it made Sunday not quite so rough! If you aren't already a member, I highly recommend checking it out because you'll get some fun bonus stuff like art from this story and others, as well as a whole bunch of other bonus content/flash fiction from all of GA's books.
(swiped from Alyssa)
Suggested reading order: best read after The First Quarto (starts with They Told Me I Was EverythingThey Told Me I Was Everything). The short story “I Wanted to Tell You Something" (Fer visits Auggie and Theo) in Tangents: Volume 1Tangents: Volume 1 chronologically takes place after but can be read anytime.
October 29, 2024
If you’d have told me that Gregory Ashe was going to write a contemporary romance with neither a murder mystery or paranormal element, I’d have given you a funny look. And yet, here we are, and I’ve just finished one of the most heartwarming, charming, endearing love stories I’ve ever read.
I was thrilled when I learned that Fer was getting his own story. He’s one of my favourite supporting roles in the Hazardverse and with each cameo appearance he’s proved himself an indelible character. He’s a quick-witted, thick-headed smart ass with the mouth of a sailor and a heart of gold. Watching him discover his sexuality fully and fall in love for the first time was beautiful.
Apart from being artfully written, The Kiss Principle has two main characters who are POC, and has positive and accurate representations of both differently abled bodies, unhoused people, and various mental illnesses. Not only are the above tackled sensitively and with care, but never are they the soul focus of a character’s purpose or personality. This was wonderfully refreshing as, sometimes, I think authors can get bogged down with the heavy and forget about the light. This is not the case with Gregory Ashe.
It was especially fun to be in Fer’s POV. He has a sharp tongue and a sweet soul and it was fun watching the two collide. It was also fun watching him try to curtail his cursing around baby Igz, and then —later on— watching him give up on that altogether. More than anything though, it was exceptionally lovely to watch Fer fall head-over-heels in love with Zé. Of course, with it being a Gregory Ashe novel, he really makes you work for that slow burn romance, but when the match strikes it is glorious.
The Kiss Principle hits some extremely high highs and some devastatingly low lows as Fer (and the reader) is put through the emotional wringer. But for the reader who has been with Fer since his first appearance in The First Quarto, it has been an incredibly cathartic experience seeing him discover himself, and his sexuality, and his first love. Finally, he has gotten every good thing he deserves and I couldn’t be happier for him.
A tearfully happy five stars!
I was thrilled when I learned that Fer was getting his own story. He’s one of my favourite supporting roles in the Hazardverse and with each cameo appearance he’s proved himself an indelible character. He’s a quick-witted, thick-headed smart ass with the mouth of a sailor and a heart of gold. Watching him discover his sexuality fully and fall in love for the first time was beautiful.
Apart from being artfully written, The Kiss Principle has two main characters who are POC, and has positive and accurate representations of both differently abled bodies, unhoused people, and various mental illnesses. Not only are the above tackled sensitively and with care, but never are they the soul focus of a character’s purpose or personality. This was wonderfully refreshing as, sometimes, I think authors can get bogged down with the heavy and forget about the light. This is not the case with Gregory Ashe.
It was especially fun to be in Fer’s POV. He has a sharp tongue and a sweet soul and it was fun watching the two collide. It was also fun watching him try to curtail his cursing around baby Igz, and then —later on— watching him give up on that altogether. More than anything though, it was exceptionally lovely to watch Fer fall head-over-heels in love with Zé. Of course, with it being a Gregory Ashe novel, he really makes you work for that slow burn romance, but when the match strikes it is glorious.
The Kiss Principle hits some extremely high highs and some devastatingly low lows as Fer (and the reader) is put through the emotional wringer. But for the reader who has been with Fer since his first appearance in The First Quarto, it has been an incredibly cathartic experience seeing him discover himself, and his sexuality, and his first love. Finally, he has gotten every good thing he deserves and I couldn’t be happier for him.
A tearfully happy five stars!
November 4, 2024
I knew I was excited about Fer getting a book, but omg I didn’t realize how much I would love it. Without any kind of mystery plot, it’s different for Greg, but it was perfect. My freaking heart 😭
I will definitely need more of Fer and Zé in my life.
-Age gap (though I don’t think we know exactly how much)
-hurt/comfort
-bi awakening
-manny for hire
-family trauma
-grumpy/sunshine
It should be said this could actually be read as a standalone without any problems, but I’m glad to have read The First Quarto first so I knew Fer, Auggie and about their family life first. It’s also set after that, but there’s not really any big spoilers for TFQ.
I will definitely need more of Fer and Zé in my life.
-Age gap (though I don’t think we know exactly how much)
-hurt/comfort
-bi awakening
-manny for hire
-family trauma
-grumpy/sunshine
It should be said this could actually be read as a standalone without any problems, but I’m glad to have read The First Quarto first so I knew Fer, Auggie and about their family life first. It’s also set after that, but there’s not really any big spoilers for TFQ.
October 19, 2024
We all know (or have been) the person who takes care of their family members, no matter their pathology, to the point of excess. I’ve had a soft spot for Fer ever since I first read his approach to parenting Auggie (from the First Quarto) and LOVED watching him finally being open to taking care of himself AND accepting care from someone else.
This is a beautiful and very real story, and one that kept me smiling throughout. Wonderful lessons in boundaries, honestly, sacrifice, and self-care abound. And every time Fer smiled, so did I.
A joyful read about parenting, family, passion, and love. Bravo!
This is a beautiful and very real story, and one that kept me smiling throughout. Wonderful lessons in boundaries, honestly, sacrifice, and self-care abound. And every time Fer smiled, so did I.
A joyful read about parenting, family, passion, and love. Bravo!
May 26, 2025
♾️♾️♾️♾️
I FLIPPING ADORE THE SHIT OUTTA FERNANDO AND EVERYTHING HE SAYS IS HILARIOUS
loved him in the first Quatro series and then he got a book and i was damn happy about it and this did not disappoint, I could read this and more forever
fer really just deserves all the happiness in the world and all his sad moments and everything he's been thru made me so emotional but I'm glad he finally found some peace 🥰🥰
I FLIPPING ADORE THE SHIT OUTTA FERNANDO AND EVERYTHING HE SAYS IS HILARIOUS
loved him in the first Quatro series and then he got a book and i was damn happy about it and this did not disappoint, I could read this and more forever
fer really just deserves all the happiness in the world and all his sad moments and everything he's been thru made me so emotional but I'm glad he finally found some peace 🥰🥰
November 18, 2025
De todos los personajes secundarios del Hazardverse, nunca pensé que el libro de Fer entraría en mis favoritos.
El libro fue muy conmovedor y lloré más veces de las que debería estar permitido. Algún día Gregory Ashe dejará de atacarme emocionalmente.
Fer y Zé son adorables y solo espero lo mejor para el resto de sus vidas.
El libro fue muy conmovedor y lloré más veces de las que debería estar permitido. Algún día Gregory Ashe dejará de atacarme emocionalmente.
Fer y Zé son adorables y solo espero lo mejor para el resto de sus vidas.
April 17, 2025
I guess my first questions are whether there will be more books in the First Quarto series for Auggie/Theo or more books for Fer? Because I think if there were, that could possibly save this book for me. But as it stands, this is currently my least favorite Gregory Ashe book I’ve ever read. This is a departure from his usual books in that this contains no murder mystery to solve and it is basically a contemporary romance. I’m not sure how well this works as a true standalone if you’ve never read Gregory Ashe’s books that introduced these characters to you beforehand but this does not spoil the First Quarto books if that’s something you’re worried about.
I’m so glad I read this out of order and opted to read Nico/Jadon’s story first in Follows with Intent because if I read this back-to-back after the Iron on Iron series, I would severely question whether I still liked the Hazardverse books.
Content warnings includes body dysmorphia, drug addiction/drug use, career ending injury, emotional abuse, homelessness, mentions of attempted suicide, and mentions of a drug overdose.
Yes, I’m actually happy Fer finds his man and has someone to share his burdens with, but my god does nothing get answered or resolved in this book and I am just overall not a fan of the direction this book went. I think I’m alone in this since the ratings for this book are quite high, but these are my opinions and I’m quite upset.
We first met Fernando “Fer” Lopez as the eldest brother who basically raised youngest half brother August “Auggie” in the First Quarto series. In this book, Auggie has already long moved out - first for college and then in with Theo in Missouri. Fer is still stuck in California with their narcissistic mother and their drug addicted other half brother (the one in the middle), Chuy. Fer has been raising and taking care of this family since he was eight. EIGHT.
That was when Auggie was born and god forbid their mother actually care about anyone other than herself. Fer had been a child tasked with raising 2 children (once of which had been a newborn baby) AND a wreck of a mother. Fer is finally now in a place where he can try to have something for himself for a change - a new job and be free of his family’s antics. But one morning, he discovers that Chuy has run away and left a baby behind. With no one else to take care of the baby, the responsibility falls to Fer. Again.
And that’s the theme of Fer’s life, isn’t it? He’s constantly having to look and care for his family and he’s hanging on by a thread. There’s no one to take care of HIM. I hate that when he’s now in a better place where we can be free, that he just gets dragged down again and has to care for a baby that’s not even his. He can’t catch a break and I HATE it. I just want him to not have to be the responsible one and have fun for ONCE in his life. Maybe it’s because I am also the eldest sibling in my family (thankfully though, without Fer’s responsibilities) but I am so upset by his storyline. I feel for him and this whole book gave me anxiety.
I will say, the baby is cute though. Fer named her Isabella and she’s referred to as Igz as a nickname. I don’t know what I excepted (maybe pronounced “Iz”??) but the audiobook narration does pronounce her name “eggs”. So.
Because Fer can’t go to work (he’s in pharmaceutical sales) AND look after a newborn baby, he hires a nanny. Or he tries to. Then a surfer looking guy named José “Zé” Teixeira, knocks on his front door one day and Fer accidentally mistakes him for the nanny the agency sent out and some things happen, but Fer ultimately hires Zé as the nanny, or manny if you will.
This book is told entirely from Fer’s point-of-view in first-person. The author’s Hollow Folk series was similar in that we had only one POV in first-person if I remember correctly and it worked for me there because there were multiple books, you know? This is just one standalone book and I still feel like at the end of this that I don’t have a good sense of Zé. I can see he cares for Fer and Igz and that he’s overall a nice guy, but it’s not the same as a dual POV book where we can be inside his head and his thoughts.
This book does not address the power imbalance between Fer being Zé’s employer AND that Zé was basically homeless and now lives with Fer as the live-in nanny for his employment and what that means if they start a relationship. We do go into Zé being uncomfortable with Fer trying to gift him things because of Zé’s own past and hangups but the employer/employee relationship is basically just not pointed out one bit even after they start having feelings for each other. And I thought that was weird to not address it since I JUST finished rereading Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert and it is addressed in that book very well. Sure, this is a standalone that started as a serial book but it’s not like the author hasn’t written longer books and could fit it in if he wanted to. I think we don’t address toxic power imbalances very well (see also: the Flint and Tinder series).
I don’t know if it’s been said whether or not we get more First Quarto books but I do find it odd that 1) Fer never tells Auggie that he’s dating Zé WITHIN THIS BOOK and there’s 2) still no real resolution with Chuy who has gone AWOL again by the end of this book.
Are we getting a Chuy book where he finally hits rock bottom and we see him get better? I’m glad he’s not dead but I’m as tired as Fer with having to worry about him for many books now. Also, what’s the point of Auggie showing up in this book if Fer never even tells Auggie he’s seeing someone and that he’s bi. That’s such a weirdly, unresolved plot line in this book and I had to go digging after reading this book only to find out it’s kinda/sorta addressed in the short story collection Tangents Vol. 1, “I Wanted to Tell You Something”.
We do, at least, kind of get something of a start with Fer setting boundaries with their mother because that plot line has always upset me. Their mother is emotionally abusive, most of all to Fer and keeps messing up his life and I’m glad he’s finally learning how to put his foot down. I’d rather he cut her out of his life entirely but maybe that’s too much to hope for. But if you’re also looking for a clean cut resolution here with his mom, it does not exist. This is why I don’t like that this is a standalone book because there’s really no satisfying ending with Fer’s life. Apparently Fer does move out and doesn’t live with his mother at the end of this (although he’s the one paying the mortgage so how much money DOES Fer have saved up because they’re in California and he was paying for Auggie’s schooling too). But it’s not obvious in the text and I had to find out from another review that this happened at all.
He’s finds love, but at what cost? His home life with his family is basically still a wreck outside of Auggie and, unless I missed it, he’s still at his dead-end sales job that he absolutely hates instead of at his dream job (that he got screwed over) at the weed farm where he wanted to work. He still has a whole new child he has to take care of. How am I supposed to be happy after reading this book when Fer’s life is still a jumbled mess?
There’s also significant body dysmorphia and dieting stuff in this book that might not sit well with everyone. It’s not unlike what’s in the Hazard and Somerset, and Borealis books (what with the controlling what your partner eats by throwing away their junk food and having to eat healthy), but it is very present in this book so do note that is a part of this story and it’s not written well.
There’s discussions about injuries and continued pain - Fer’s back and Zé’s leg and I don’t know why Fer is so insistent on Zé getting his physical therapy in when he does nothing for his own stress and back. That’s also left unresolved.
The audiobook narrator, Liam Lambert, is new-to-me. He was okay. I did actually like him as Fer’s voice and he does all the creative swearing and everything great as Fer. He does an accent for Zé that I wasn’t loving as much (without spoilers, the backstory is that Zé is Brazilian and moved to the United States as a teenager). I didn’t love the voice the narrator chooses to use for Auggie, Theo, Lana, or Fer’s mother but maybe I have gotten used to J.F. Harding for their voices. So overall, I guess my thoughts are that the narration was fine but not my favorite.
There is a lot of sex scenes in this book? Or at least compared to other Gregory Ashe books as of late so it felt like a lot, or at least super drawn out. I could take or leave it, but this book is higher heat than his usual if anyone was wondering about that.
I’m glad Fer finds a boyfriend and Zé is a great guy, but this story was not it for me. Maybe if there were more books to help resolve Fer’s job and his mother and Chuy’s storylines, MAYBE that would’ve helped a lot so I could rate this book higher. But as a standalone on its own merits, I just really didn’t care for this story at all. Follows with Intent with Nico/Jadon was at least a satisfying standalone story for them to find their own HEAs and I am looking forward to Dulac’s story in the book Body Count. But Fer’s is unfortunately my least favorite Sidetracks story at the moment.
I’m so glad I read this out of order and opted to read Nico/Jadon’s story first in Follows with Intent because if I read this back-to-back after the Iron on Iron series, I would severely question whether I still liked the Hazardverse books.
Content warnings includes body dysmorphia, drug addiction/drug use, career ending injury, emotional abuse, homelessness, mentions of attempted suicide, and mentions of a drug overdose.
Yes, I’m actually happy Fer finds his man and has someone to share his burdens with, but my god does nothing get answered or resolved in this book and I am just overall not a fan of the direction this book went. I think I’m alone in this since the ratings for this book are quite high, but these are my opinions and I’m quite upset.
We first met Fernando “Fer” Lopez as the eldest brother who basically raised youngest half brother August “Auggie” in the First Quarto series. In this book, Auggie has already long moved out - first for college and then in with Theo in Missouri. Fer is still stuck in California with their narcissistic mother and their drug addicted other half brother (the one in the middle), Chuy. Fer has been raising and taking care of this family since he was eight. EIGHT.
That was when Auggie was born and god forbid their mother actually care about anyone other than herself. Fer had been a child tasked with raising 2 children (once of which had been a newborn baby) AND a wreck of a mother. Fer is finally now in a place where he can try to have something for himself for a change - a new job and be free of his family’s antics. But one morning, he discovers that Chuy has run away and left a baby behind. With no one else to take care of the baby, the responsibility falls to Fer. Again.
And that’s the theme of Fer’s life, isn’t it? He’s constantly having to look and care for his family and he’s hanging on by a thread. There’s no one to take care of HIM. I hate that when he’s now in a better place where we can be free, that he just gets dragged down again and has to care for a baby that’s not even his. He can’t catch a break and I HATE it. I just want him to not have to be the responsible one and have fun for ONCE in his life. Maybe it’s because I am also the eldest sibling in my family (thankfully though, without Fer’s responsibilities) but I am so upset by his storyline. I feel for him and this whole book gave me anxiety.
I will say, the baby is cute though. Fer named her Isabella and she’s referred to as Igz as a nickname. I don’t know what I excepted (maybe pronounced “Iz”??) but the audiobook narration does pronounce her name “eggs”. So.
Because Fer can’t go to work (he’s in pharmaceutical sales) AND look after a newborn baby, he hires a nanny. Or he tries to. Then a surfer looking guy named José “Zé” Teixeira, knocks on his front door one day and Fer accidentally mistakes him for the nanny the agency sent out and some things happen, but Fer ultimately hires Zé as the nanny, or manny if you will.
This book is told entirely from Fer’s point-of-view in first-person. The author’s Hollow Folk series was similar in that we had only one POV in first-person if I remember correctly and it worked for me there because there were multiple books, you know? This is just one standalone book and I still feel like at the end of this that I don’t have a good sense of Zé. I can see he cares for Fer and Igz and that he’s overall a nice guy, but it’s not the same as a dual POV book where we can be inside his head and his thoughts.
This book does not address the power imbalance between Fer being Zé’s employer AND that Zé was basically homeless and now lives with Fer as the live-in nanny for his employment and what that means if they start a relationship. We do go into Zé being uncomfortable with Fer trying to gift him things because of Zé’s own past and hangups but the employer/employee relationship is basically just not pointed out one bit even after they start having feelings for each other. And I thought that was weird to not address it since I JUST finished rereading Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert and it is addressed in that book very well. Sure, this is a standalone that started as a serial book but it’s not like the author hasn’t written longer books and could fit it in if he wanted to. I think we don’t address toxic power imbalances very well (see also: the Flint and Tinder series).
I don’t know if it’s been said whether or not we get more First Quarto books but I do find it odd that 1) Fer never tells Auggie that he’s dating Zé WITHIN THIS BOOK and there’s 2) still no real resolution with Chuy who has gone AWOL again by the end of this book.
Are we getting a Chuy book where he finally hits rock bottom and we see him get better? I’m glad he’s not dead but I’m as tired as Fer with having to worry about him for many books now. Also, what’s the point of Auggie showing up in this book if Fer never even tells Auggie he’s seeing someone and that he’s bi. That’s such a weirdly, unresolved plot line in this book and I had to go digging after reading this book only to find out it’s kinda/sorta addressed in the short story collection Tangents Vol. 1, “I Wanted to Tell You Something”.
We do, at least, kind of get something of a start with Fer setting boundaries with their mother because that plot line has always upset me. Their mother is emotionally abusive, most of all to Fer and keeps messing up his life and I’m glad he’s finally learning how to put his foot down. I’d rather he cut her out of his life entirely but maybe that’s too much to hope for. But if you’re also looking for a clean cut resolution here with his mom, it does not exist. This is why I don’t like that this is a standalone book because there’s really no satisfying ending with Fer’s life. Apparently Fer does move out and doesn’t live with his mother at the end of this (although he’s the one paying the mortgage so how much money DOES Fer have saved up because they’re in California and he was paying for Auggie’s schooling too). But it’s not obvious in the text and I had to find out from another review that this happened at all.
He’s finds love, but at what cost? His home life with his family is basically still a wreck outside of Auggie and, unless I missed it, he’s still at his dead-end sales job that he absolutely hates instead of at his dream job (that he got screwed over) at the weed farm where he wanted to work. He still has a whole new child he has to take care of. How am I supposed to be happy after reading this book when Fer’s life is still a jumbled mess?
There’s also significant body dysmorphia and dieting stuff in this book that might not sit well with everyone. It’s not unlike what’s in the Hazard and Somerset, and Borealis books (what with the controlling what your partner eats by throwing away their junk food and having to eat healthy), but it is very present in this book so do note that is a part of this story and it’s not written well.
There’s discussions about injuries and continued pain - Fer’s back and Zé’s leg and I don’t know why Fer is so insistent on Zé getting his physical therapy in when he does nothing for his own stress and back. That’s also left unresolved.
The audiobook narrator, Liam Lambert, is new-to-me. He was okay. I did actually like him as Fer’s voice and he does all the creative swearing and everything great as Fer. He does an accent for Zé that I wasn’t loving as much (without spoilers, the backstory is that Zé is Brazilian and moved to the United States as a teenager). I didn’t love the voice the narrator chooses to use for Auggie, Theo, Lana, or Fer’s mother but maybe I have gotten used to J.F. Harding for their voices. So overall, I guess my thoughts are that the narration was fine but not my favorite.
There is a lot of sex scenes in this book? Or at least compared to other Gregory Ashe books as of late so it felt like a lot, or at least super drawn out. I could take or leave it, but this book is higher heat than his usual if anyone was wondering about that.
I’m glad Fer finds a boyfriend and Zé is a great guy, but this story was not it for me. Maybe if there were more books to help resolve Fer’s job and his mother and Chuy’s storylines, MAYBE that would’ve helped a lot so I could rate this book higher. But as a standalone on its own merits, I just really didn’t care for this story at all. Follows with Intent with Nico/Jadon was at least a satisfying standalone story for them to find their own HEAs and I am looking forward to Dulac’s story in the book Body Count. But Fer’s is unfortunately my least favorite Sidetracks story at the moment.
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