Tempting Tristan by Melissa Foster

Sep 30, 2016 The Book Fairy Reviews rated it it was amazing

Need a book that will steal your heart, then this is the book for you. Fist we have schmexy, loving and perfect specimen of a Man Tristan who is on a break from men. A break, from giving his heart to men that will take and not give him the love and respect that he dreams of having.
Then we have brawny, military, artist scarred and beautiful inside and out Alex. This is the man that is looking for the family and acceptance that he never had growing up. Stability was only found when he spent time w ...more

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Nov 20, 2019 Shile rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: 2019, lgbtqiap, dnf, mm, audiobook-narrator-amazing, disappointed, sometimes-shit-happens, i-buy-i-have-a-right-to-rant

Time of death at 52%

It's me, not the book!

description

That cover should have been my first warning, those abs are too perfect, just like one of our Mcs Alex. Everyone especially women keep drooling over him but guess what he doesn't notice, coz he got eyes for only Tristan. Yay!

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The story is Insta. The real INSTA! bam! boom! day one and they each have found the one.

Told in dual POV but i felt they sounded the same.

And thinking a guy's smile is sweet/beautiful doesn't make you a "pussy" and "look like a g ...more

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Oct 19, 2016 Rachael Hellicar rated it it was amazing

A beautifully written story that just happens to be about 2 males. This is the least important fact in the book. Melissa has crafted a beautiful story about 2 people who have lots of emotional scars, and together they prove that love conquers all. You may be a little nervous about reading a same sex story, do yourself a favour and give it a go, you will be pleasantly surprised

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Oct 08, 2016 Julie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

This is the first Melissa Foster book that I've ever read, and I will definitely be reading more from her ASAP. I loved this one. Tempting Tristan is the third book in her Harborside Nights series. Each book can be read as a stand alone, but contains characters from previous stories. I actually picked up book #1 in the series because I loved this one so much.

Tristan recently single and has decided that he is on a break from men for a while. He doesn't trust his judgement when it comes to finding ...more

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Aug 06, 2019 Lyn❤Loves❤Listening #AUDIOBOOKADDICT rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: ott-insta, swoonworthy-couple, mmr-contemporary, because-of-the-narrator, lgbtq, teddy-hamilton-narrates, had-me-rolling-my-eyes, great-feelz, hurt-comfort, favorite-couple

Audio - 4.5 stars
Story - 3 Swoon as well as eye-roll inducing Stars!

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Oct 21, 2016 Barbara➰ rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: new-reads-2016, military-fire-police, lgbtq, mm, contemporary, book-boyfriend

Very low angst mm read with LOTS of hot scenes but there was just something missing for me. I feel like I missed all the build up into their relationship. They met then the next minute they are a couple. I also got annoyed with both of them and their hangups. But overall, pretty decent.

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Sep 25, 2016 Socially Book Nerd rated it it was amazing

This book, I... am in Awe. The best book by far in the series. An M/M romance that all other Authors who write M/M should stand up take note. Such emotion it's gut renching. You laugh, cry and struggle along with Alex. As he works to chase the demons of War, Death, and Heroism away, and Tristan how he puches him to be the man he knows he can be. Tristian is such a dependable, strong, A loving Friend, Son, Brother, he deserves a future/partner who supports him as he has supported everyone around ...more

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Sep 24, 2016 Gigi rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mm-healing-comfort, arc, gay-book-reviews, mm-military

Hurt/healing/comfort with a military man? My crack! I can't get enough. And Alex is having a tough time with his PTSD and physical injuries. A Really tough time. Enter Tristan! Sweet and funny and sexy and perfect. He has Alex's number and works his healing/comfort charm all over the man. Delightful.

But, let's talk about insta-love for a minute. Insta-love really really works for me in paranormal shifter/mate books. The heroes lock eyes and smell their mate's pheromones and they are off to the r ...more

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Sep 12, 2016 Kazza rated it it was amazing

Shelves: sexy-romance, emotional, contemporary, arc

The author doesn't usually write "MM" books, and you can see some stylistic differences - if that's mostly what you read. But, gee, I really liked this book. I really liked the characters, primary and secondary, and the sex was hot. I'm also all for writers embracing different kinds of love.

description

Review going up on the blog soon but, bottom line, if you enjoy contemporary romance with two guys having some issues, not OTT in the angst department by any means, just enough to make you really feel for th ...more

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Oct 14, 2016 Jay rated it it was ok

Shelves: mm-romance, dnf

2 stars -- Caveat first: DNF @ 59%

Tempting Tristan is my first exposure to Melissa Foster, and I honestly couldn't finish it. I liked it at first, but then I started having issues, which I'll get to in a bit, and I kept waiting for something to happen that would grab me back from rating this book so badly, but the eyerolls won out.

Though I have more than this, here's the three biggest issues I have with the book:

1. I admit that insta-love in particular, and insta-lust even to a lesser degree, is 2 stars -- Caveat first: DNF @ 59%

Tempting Tristan is my first exposure to Melissa Foster, and I honestly couldn't finish it. I liked it at first, but then I started having issues, which I'll get to in a bit, and I kept waiting for something to happen that would grab me back from rating this book so badly, but the eyerolls won out.

Though I have more than this, here's the three biggest issues I have with the book:

1. I admit that insta-love in particular, and insta-lust even to a lesser degree, is not one of my favorite tropes, but this book brings it to a whole other level. It is insta-relationship-level-12 practically the moment Tristan and Alex have their first real conversation. This has the big problem that it's hard to show any real growth between them as a couple when they're practically one step away from popping the marry-me question right off the bat.

2. The novel is written in alternating-first-person point of view. That's not the problem, per se. Unless Alex was talking/thinking about his military experience, his injury, his grandmother, or something else that was uniquely him, I had a difficult time distinguishing his voice from Tristan's. Compound that with the fact that the chapters are short, and in almost every chapter both characters have a section from their point of view, and I often found myself confused about who I was hearing in my head. Hard to fall in love with characters when you can't tell them apart.

3. It didn't feel like there was much plot development going on because the majority of the chapters were set up as a variation of the following theme: some issue (usually something Alex is dealing with related to his past) comes up that gets resolved within the same chapter. Even resolution is too strong a word here, because as much as there should be conflict between Alex and Tristan over these things, there never is. Instead, we end up hearing "he's so perfect" all the time, but it isn't growth for the relationship. Nothing ever feels like a setback because there's no conflict. After the first few times, I couldn't keep myself from thinking "Oh, jeez... again?" and rolling my eyes.

I'm sure there will be a good many readers who love this tale about a broken alpha who gets just the sort of comfort he needs from just the right place. Normally I would too, but this one? It's just too much nothing for me to enjoy.

The author generously provided me a complimentary copy of Tempting Tristan in exchange for this fair and honest review. ...more

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Oct 13, 2016 Amanda rated it liked it

Shelves: m-m, arc-netgalley, contemporary-romance, handicap-scarred-hero, ex-army-military

Tempting Tristan has the classic scarred ex-military hero and a down to earth bartender. Alex, the ex-military who came back to Harborside after his leg was busted, got in touch with Tristan, the local bartender who used to befriended his late grandmother.

Alex has some hang up about his condition. He still pretty much exude masculinity and sexuality, but showing his leg to someone is not something he want to do. While, Tristan is a really nice guy, is sounds like he acted like a total doormat i ...more

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Nov 08, 2016 Elle aka Leftie aka Shoebelle rated it liked it

Shelves: series-standalone, netgalley, char-man-in-uniform-law-enforcement, blog-tour, genre-mm, feels-hothothot

*ARC received from publisher as part of blog tour*

3.5 ★

Aww shucks, was that sweet or what!

This is a first Melissa read for me even though I have her other books in my kindle shelf. Before I picked this up, I’m aware she’s a well established contemp rom writer but that’s about it. I guess I forgot why I signed up for an ARC for this, so imagine my surprise, delightful at that, when I started reading and realized it was m/m.

It’s the 3rd book in the series but a complete standalone; Tristan who me ...more

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Oct 01, 2016 Kim rated it really liked it

Shelves: 4-stars

Tristan Brewer is supposed to be on a hiatus from men after another bad break up that left him feeling ignored and unappreciated. He is a bartender at the Taproom run by his friends. He is fully immersed in the community of Harborside and has great friends and support system, but his radar for decent men seems broken. He is caring, nurturing, and tender-hearted.

Alex Wells walks into the bar and immediately begins turning heads, including Tristan's. But Tristan is shocked when he is the one that
Tristan Brewer is supposed to be on a hiatus from men after another bad break up that left him feeling ignored and unappreciated. He is a bartender at the Taproom run by his friends. He is fully immersed in the community of Harborside and has great friends and support system, but his radar for decent men seems broken. He is caring, nurturing, and tender-hearted.

Alex Wells walks into the bar and immediately begins turning heads, including Tristan's. But Tristan is shocked when he is the one that Alex seems drawn to. Alex is restarting his life after the military and serious war injury. He has relocated to his grandmother's old house in Harborside after her death. He is alpha, hot, built, but guarded and closed off. He is significantly scarred both inside and out and locked down by guilt, loss, and insecurities. He believes in respect, loyalty, and family. After living with not full acceptance in the military so long, he wants to be true to himself but still finds it hard to lose the military mind-set in certain situations.

They connect easily and have a great rapport, humor, and chemistry. They both have their baggage from their pasts to deal with, and they slowly begin to trust and open up. Tristan does not want to be taken for granted or ignored. Alex pushes him to trust and understand his insecurities, but still encourages him to stand up for himself and admit what he needs. Tristan challenges Alex to to face his demons, be vulnerable, and to become part of a larger community. Alex is realizing that he can't keep his pain buried and it is cathartic to share it with someone. But sometimes his past comes back to haunt him and determines his actions in certain settings. It is not always easy and they have their challenges and set backs. But overall it is a journey for both of them to truly trust, gain confidence, let go of past pain, and try to move forward.

This is a story of hope, healing, and finding a home. Their connection, chemistry, and attachment were pretty quick to develop and their rapport was easy-going. A little insta-lust and insta-relationship even before labeling it. It was sweet and fun, but also passionate and all consuming. But they both had personal demons to face individually and together giving the story more depth and feeling.

This is my first Melissa Foster book so there were a lot of interesting side characters from other stories, but their circumstances were explained enough that I was able to keep up with them and it can easily be read as a stand-alone. It just added to sense of home and community. I really liked both of these amazing guys who had such big hearts and such a strong bond despite their complex issues. I loved how they tried so hard to battle their insecurities to be the man the other deserved. They were both works in progress and required time, reassurance, and understanding. It was not always easy, but they were committed to the cause. This was an engaging, touching, and steamy M/M love story with an emotional punch. I would not hesitate to read more by this author. I am actually looking forward to Brandon's story.

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.
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...more

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Oct 20, 2016 Ezinwanyi Chinyere rated it liked it

Shelves: gay-romance, disability, review-books-completed, contemporary-romance, military

3.5 stars

Tristan Brewer was a bartender, working hard to move on from a bad break up when a mystery man came riding in on a bike. Once the biker Alex Wells spoke to Tristan, it was clear that Tristan’s current vow of staying away from men would not last
I like this story but it didn’t move me like I expected. It’s a story about two men struggling to heal from past wounds and find wholeness again. Tristan and Alex had some esteem issues that kept them from letting the other in, but as both guys re ...more

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Sep 25, 2016 Annie (Under the Covers Book Blog) rated it really liked it

Shelves: author-melissa-foster, arc, review-requests, ebooks, lgbt, genre-lgbt, read-in-2016, man-love, series-harborside-nights

In the third book of the Harbornights series, Melissa Foster tackles a M/M couple. Not surprisingly, it’s a good book. I feel like Foster is able to take on any genre she wishes and excel at it. As an avid M/M Romance reader, I know I can be a little bit picky when authors who typically write heterosexual romances try their luck at M/M but Foster pens a believable and sexy story for Tristan and Alex.

I really, really loved T. He’s very easy to like and fall in love with. I think within the f ...more

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Nov 20, 2016 Jo rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: mine, gr2016, book-boyfriend, 4-5-stars, feel-good-read, m-m, sugarland

“I always lead with my heart, and hearts are not nearly as smart as heads.”

Tristan Brewer is done with risking his heart. After another bad relationship leaves him hurt and angry, he needs a break from dating. And everything is going so well, until the sexy alpha Alex Wells walks into his bar.

You and me, T. I want this. For the first time in my life, I went looking, and I found you.”

Alex has just returned from spending months in the hospital, after being away for eight years in the milit

“I always lead with my heart, and hearts are not nearly as smart as heads.”

Tristan Brewer is done with risking his heart. After another bad relationship leaves him hurt and angry, he needs a break from dating. And everything is going so well, until the sexy alpha Alex Wells walks into his bar.

You and me, T. I want this. For the first time in my life, I went looking, and I found you.”

Alex has just returned from spending months in the hospital, after being away for eight years in the military. He’s not in a good place, he’s damaged inside and out, suffocating beneath the guilt and anger, and definitely not ready to accept the Silver Star that almost cost him his life. All he wants is to stop hiding his sexual identity, to live the life he’s always wanted, one of honesty, honor and hopefully a family someday. And to meet and thank the man his grandmother talked so much about in her letters to him.

“Tristan, baby, you own me.”

Neither expected the intense chemistry that exploded as soon as they met, and the more time they spend together, the deeper their feelings become. But Alex has so many demons to conquer, and Tristan is so afraid of falling for the wrong man again. Are their feelings strong enough to overcome the obstacles they still have to face?

“Everything with Alex feels amplified, like all the men before him were practice, gearing me up for the man who would challenge my every move. Preparing me for him.

Tristan was wonderful. He has had his heart broken so many times by falling for guys who never appreciates him, and he was so afraid to risk his heart again, but he had no defence against Alex and the intense connection between them. I loved how he pushed Alex to confront his demons, to realise that he’s not a broken man like he thinks he is, but that Tristan sees the real him, the sexy and wonderful man he is.

“Now that I’ve tasted you? The thought of any other man’s mouth on yours makes me want to beat someone to a pulp. I’ve never felt that before.”

I loved Alex and how instantly he pursued Tristan, seeing how honest and kind Tristan was, and knowing that’s the kind of guy he’s always wanted. For years he’s been hiding who he was, his sexuality when he was in the military, and I loved that he refused to hide anymore. I loved how open he was with his affection for Tristan, how he was always touching and kissing him, and it was fantastic how much he loved him, how determined he was to banish his demons so that he could be the man Tristan and he himself deserved.

It’s crazy how the right person can change your whole world. When I walked into the Taproom that very first night, hoping to meet Tristan, I never imagined falling madly, deeply in love with him. And now I can’t imagine my life without him.

I ADORED the romance. They are so different from each other, Alex so cautious and guarded with other people, while Tristan is so charming, so easy with others, and it just made them perfect for each other. I loved the instant attraction between them, how sweet and sexy their romance was. But it definitely wasn’t just smooth sailing. Both have deep hurts, Tristan who is so scared of losing his heart to another guy who will just crush it, and Alex who has spent years denying who he is, and the war changed him so much, and I loved how hard both fought for their relationship, to overcome their fears so that they could have a future together.

This is my second book by this author and once again she made me completely swoon and so very happy. I really hope all her books are as fantastic, and I can’t wait to find out. Another amazing m/m romance to add to my collection. If you’re looking for sweet and sexy romances, look no further than Melissa Foster. Highly recommended.

...more

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Oct 06, 2017 Tpagirl Loves Romance rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 300-399-pages, genre-erotic-ie-descriptive-sex, genre-mm

Tempting Tristan was the third book in the Harborside Nights series by Melissa Foster, and was also a part of the Love and Bloom series.

We met Tristan Brewer in the previous books as a favorite. He was the gorgeous and loyal bartender at Wyatt and Delilah's inherited bar. He was in the middle of a relationship where his current boyfriend treated him poorly. Tempting Tristan began with Tristan single again and devoted to staying single for awhile. But the temptation was too great.

Alex Wells embod Tempting Tristan was the third book in the Harborside Nights series by Melissa Foster, and was also a part of the Love and Bloom series.

We met Tristan Brewer in the previous books as a favorite. He was the gorgeous and loyal bartender at Wyatt and Delilah's inherited bar. He was in the middle of a relationship where his current boyfriend treated him poorly. Tempting Tristan began with Tristan single again and devoted to staying single for awhile. But the temptation was too great.

Alex Wells embodied gorgeous, strength and confidence. He was totally an alpha military persona but he had a soft gentle side that was shown only to Tristan or his close friends. He valued family, loyalty and honesty and he lived it. He suffered an injury where he tragically lost many men in his unit and ended his military career. Alex was always gay but had to hide it during the eight years he served. He was still experiencing baggage not only from his injury but from the secret life.

Tempting Tristan was told in a dual POV. I loved both Tristan and Alex; and I loved the relationship building. I also loved that they were both alpha and dominated for dominance, in a good way. Additionally, I loved their genuine acceptance of each other and how Tristan was able to get Alex through his demons from his military tragedy. It was emotional and a real connection. It was a true journey that Foster depicted on paper for us to experience alongside them.

Furthermore, I liked the conversations about Alex's furniture making and Tristan's rock gardens. The detail Foster utilized provided depth and dimension to the storyline. I also enjoyed Alex's perspective regarding being a gay man in the military. He was out of the military, but the impact and effects of hiding were long lasting and deep rooted struggles.

True to Foster's style, the same wonderful Harborside gang that we've come to love played a large role in the saga. The loyalty and bond shined through completely. We don't know the exact mate for Charlie, yet, but the stage was set for her story next with hopefully Brandon's following shortly after.

As final thoughts, Tempting Tristan was not my normal genre. I generally prefer having at least one female in the mix, regardless of the number of males. In fact, I had purposely skipped this in the series - not opposed to it and not my first, just not what I typically gravitate to and had it on my bookshelf for a future possibility. However, I thoroughly enjoyed Tristan and Alex's journey and was glad I ventured it now. I look forward to watching their continued development and seeing where Foster takes us next. ...more

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Oct 26, 2016 Mandi Schreiner rated it liked it

This is the first I've read of this series and it works well as a stand alone. I believe the first two books are m/f, and this one is m/m.

Both Tristan and Alex are dealing with their own issues. Tristan works in a popular bar in his hometown of Harborside and has recently gotten out of a troubled relationship. His ex would never fully commit and always had a wandering eye. This has caused Tristan pain and to have low self-esteem. He has decided he isn't going to dive into anymore relationships - This is the first I've read of this series and it works well as a stand alone. I believe the first two books are m/f, and this one is m/m.

Both Tristan and Alex are dealing with their own issues. Tristan works in a popular bar in his hometown of Harborside and has recently gotten out of a troubled relationship. His ex would never fully commit and always had a wandering eye. This has caused Tristan pain and to have low self-esteem. He has decided he isn't going to dive into anymore relationships - he will take everything slow.

When working at the bar one day he sees a very sexy man walk in and order a beer. Alex is grieving the loss of his grandmother and recently inherited her house in Harborside. He was overseas in the military when he badly injured his leg - leaving a lot of rehab and physical scarring. When he was in the hospital, his grandmother died., and Alex is still having a hard time accepting she is gone. Alex makes furniture from driftwood or glass or whatever washes up on the beach. He is also very embarrassed by the scars on his leg and is terrified for people to see them. Having been gay in the military for nine years, he is ready to not have to hide anymore and he is looking to date someone out in the open. When he makes eyes with Tristan, there is an immediate connection.

These two fall fast and hard for each other. It's really hot and they have a lot of chemistry.

Tristan holds his ground, lifts his chin. His jaw tightens, and his eyes go impossibly darker. He's so fucking hot I want to take him against the wall.

"I can't." His voice is strained with unmistakable hunger, heightening my ache for him.

"Can't or won't?"

His jaw clenches repeatedly. "Both, I guess."

I shift my hips forward, brushing against his cock, hoping to tempt him into tasting what I'm certain will be unfuckingbelievable. "Because...?"

There's a war going on behind his eyes. He doesn't know me and I don't know him, but we're both caught up in the inferno.

"Damn it," he growls, and grabs my head.

Our mouths crash together, and my first taste of him unravels me.

Although they both have very strong feelings for each other, it's a push and pull to start as Tristan doesn't want to rush into something and Alex is afraid to show Tristan his scars.

While I enjoyed the entire book, I do think the first half is much stronger. Alex and Tristan getting to know one another, their lust for each other is presented well - they are two very likable guys. They are sweet and romantic with each other, but also intense and lusty. But by the second half, the book loses a little steam. Still sweet and sexy, but I guess with the explosive way they throw themselves at each other in the beginning, by the end I was a little bored. Overall though, a sweet story.

Grade: B- ...more

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Jun 08, 2016 Lynn Mullan rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy. It's been a while since the last Harborside Nights book, but this one is well worth waiting for.
Tristan has a kind, loving heart and would do anything for his friends. He just wants a relationship where someone will love him back as deeply as he loves, with no abandon. He was burned by his ex, Ian, so has sworn off of guys for a while...
Enter Alex...these guys are in lust from first sight, but will that be enough? I won't say any more as I don't want to give away spoilers ...more

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Jan 30, 2020 Ambriehl Khalil rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 4-stars, lgbtqia

⭐️ [4/5 Stars] ⭐️

I’m gonna be real honest the only reasons I picked this up were 1.) because the audiobook is narrated by two of my favourite narrators aka Teddy Hamilton and Jacob Morgan (drool 🤤) and 2.) because it’s M/M and I can never seem to find a decent M/M book.

This was really sweet and I liked it but everything happened really quickly especially when it came to their feelings for each other. I definitely think instant attraction is a thing but this was a bit too much on the insta-love s ...more

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Jul 17, 2020 Riley rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2020, angst, hurt-comfort, m-m-relationship, romance, flawed-characters, kindle-unlimited-read, mental-illness, hopeless-romantic, alpha-males

4 stars!

I had a very nice review and then I walked away to get something to drink. I come back and my computer decided to update and ....

bye bye review.

Now....where was I.... let's see if I can remember this....

so, Alex is new to Harborside. He was honorably discharged after being injured, dealing with PTSD and all the baggage that comes with being gay in the military. He's inherited his grandmother's home and decided to come to Harborside because of how much she loved the town and his love fo 4 stars!

I had a very nice review and then I walked away to get something to drink. I come back and my computer decided to update and ....

bye bye review.

Now....where was I.... let's see if I can remember this....

so, Alex is new to Harborside. He was honorably discharged after being injured, dealing with PTSD and all the baggage that comes with being gay in the military. He's inherited his grandmother's home and decided to come to Harborside because of how much she loved the town and his love for her. He seeks out Tristan because she spoke of him with such adoration.

Enter Tristan. Tristan is a bartender at a local bar called The Taproom. He works there with several friends he's made over the years. After a bad breakup, he has sworn off any men for the forseeable future so that he can heal the heart he gives away too easily. And then one night he meets a sexy customer named Alex, and that plan? Well, it pretty much goes out the window.

When Alex and Tristan meet, sparks fly and they have great chemistry. There's a bit of insta-something. Love, lust, all of the above? Eh, a little annoying, but I got over it pretty quickly. I am usually a very forgiving reader. I prefer my instalove to remain in the paranormal world where it's usually a little more plausible depending on the storyline, but whatever. They are two alpha males who are very hot together, and the romance was sweet.

That said, they were not without their issues. Alex really struggles with his self-image and worth after an injury mangles his leg and body, his PTSD and dealing with the guilt of losing his grandmother and being unable to make it to her funeral since he was in the hospital. These events come to a head because of an event in the book, and it upsets Tristan. While I do feel like he had the right to be hurt, I also feel like he reacted with more self-righteousness and indignation than necessary rather than the compassion and understanding that he should have had given all that Alex had been dealing with at the time. They talked about it though and worked through it, so it wasn't all bad. At least we didn't have some contrived separation over the dreaded misunderstanding. So, props to the author for that.

The story is told in dual first-person point of view. Every once and a while, I lost track of who was narrating at the time. Sometimes the voices of the MCs were too similar and I had to go back a few pages to see who's section I was reading.

Not as good as my first review but, meh. this is as good as you're going to get. So, all in all, despite it's issues, I actually did enjoy this one.

Now I want to read Brandon's book. I think he was an interesting character in this one. Hopefully, he will have his own story. ...more

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Oct 14, 2016 Pianka *call me PIU* rated it liked it

Shelves: romance, broken-souls, sizzling-hot, m-m, standalone

3.5 STARS

“Tempting Tristan” by Melissa Foster is a broken/damaged hero romance. This is my first venture into this author’s writing and overlooking a few plot wise issues I really enjoyed this story. It is emotional, passionate, healing and all over a really nice example of a contemporary romance.

Tristan has bad luck in men. He always leads with his heart rather than his head. That’s just the way he is but it makes him vulnerable to assholes, who take advantage of his giving heart and leave him ...more

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Sep 29, 2016 Tiffany Willams rated it it was amazing

"Who are you?"
"I'm the guy you deserve."

Oh, buddy!
Holy cow!!

This book!! *praise hands*
I love me a good M/M book, and this one has made its way to one of my favorites!!

I fell in love with Tristan in the previous books within this series. He wears his heart on sleeve and can't seem to find the one man that he can trust to carry it. He wanted to take a break from all things love, but he didn't know fate was a funny thing.

Along comes Alex. My goodness.
This beautifully broken man grabbed my heart an ...more

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Oct 17, 2016 Alisa rated it liked it

Shelves: artists, military-guys-read, zz-2016, m-m-read

2.5-3 stars

This wasn't bad but it wasn't great either. It started off super good and the plot was really promising. Unfortunately the author didn't take the time to really development the plot she'd set up. She skirted over some very serious issues and instead had the guys jump into insta-love and into the trope of "the love of a good man will heal all of your problems." I wish she would have spent more time showing them falling in love and more time showing them working through their issues. It 2.5-3 stars

This wasn't bad but it wasn't great either. It started off super good and the plot was really promising. Unfortunately the author didn't take the time to really development the plot she'd set up. She skirted over some very serious issues and instead had the guys jump into insta-love and into the trope of "the love of a good man will heal all of your problems." I wish she would have spent more time showing them falling in love and more time showing them working through their issues. It all happened really fast and most of the book was sex scenes or them expressing how great the other was. While the sex scenes were smoking hot it felt like filler to me. I would personally much rather read a book w/ just a scene or three and have more time spent on plot and characters.

There was one ongoing issue that really got on my nerves. The fact that if one MC or the other expressed feelings and/or emotions they referred to themselves and each other as "girls" or "pussies". Gah...I HATE this. I wish authors would stop doing this. First off men can and do have emotions and can and do express them to each other. Secondly when is being female a bad thing? Why is my gender used as an insult? I know a lot of people say this stuff in real life but I think it's crap and I hate it and it's always going to peeve me if I read it in a book. If it had just been said one time I would have overlooked it but it was excessive. (I'm too lazy to go back and count but it happened at least 10x.)

The good things were that it was sweet and low angst. It was an easy read w/no unnecessary drama. The two MC's made an effort to communicate when they had problems (which rocked). It was pretty smexy. It also had couples of various orientations which was nice to see; straight couples, a lesbian couple, a gay couple and a bi-sexual character (not yet partnered up).

While this is part of a series it can be read as a standalone. I have not read any of the other books and was able to follow along fine. There were a lot of supporting cast members I imagine I would have known had I read the rest of the series. Unfortunately this type of storytelling isn't really my thing so I won't be checking out anymore of the series. ...more

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Oct 27, 2016 1-Click Addict Support Group rated it really liked it

Please note: We had two reviewers read this book, and their opinions differed somewhat. Our star rating is an approximate average of the two, so read on to see what they thought. That's books, right?!

Old habits really are hard to break, right? Take Tristan Brewer, for example. Tristan is on a break from men—he’s still reeling from his last relationship and break-up. He’s always lead with his heart—freely giving it to those that aren’t so deserving. But just when Tristan has finally started ...more

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Oct 18, 2016 Sharon Martin rated it it was amazing

Shelves: beck-valley-book-tours, books-christmas-advent-2016

Two beautiful characters, both sensitive, damaged from past traumas and experiences find themselves falling hard for each other. They are both so supportive and considerate to each other's needs even though their passion is overwhelming them. This is a story full of love, hope, understanding and the strength to move on.

Alex arrives in Harborside after his grandmother dies, he is fighting against his own fears, guilt and the deep pain, both mentally and physically, from his traumatic past. Trista Two beautiful characters, both sensitive, damaged from past traumas and experiences find themselves falling hard for each other. They are both so supportive and considerate to each other's needs even though their passion is overwhelming them. This is a story full of love, hope, understanding and the strength to move on.

Alex arrives in Harborside after his grandmother dies, he is fighting against his own fears, guilt and the deep pain, both mentally and physically, from his traumatic past. Tristan, who was very close to Alex's grandmother, has been so hurt in the past from previous relationships is unsure of making another commitment. Yet fate has a way of bringing these two sensitive souls together and they are instantly attracted to each other, love at first sight, their love helps each other to move on, along with the love and shared fondness they felt for Alex's grandmother.

The story swaps between Tristan's and Alex's thoughts and points of view giving you the whole picture. I loved following their emotional and heart warming story as they grew closer and closer, it was so moving and really touched me. One minute I found myself choked with emotion the next laughing or smiling at their words of love. Their passion was off the scales hot intensifying their love and confirming how they truly felt for each other.

This was my very first male/male romance read, one that was seriously hot too, all I can say is that it fills your heart with joy.

I absolutely loved going back to my Harborside crew of fictional friends, they have such a special bond between them and are always there for each other. I was looking forward to Tristan's story after reading Discovering Delilah where I saw a glimpse of his lovely character. Melissa's writing really brings out the characters soul to the reader so the connection you feel is beautifully deep, there's a softness you feel when reading her books that makes you want to read more and more.

It shows the enormous lengths you can go to change or improve when you have the love and support behind you. ...more

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Oct 27, 2016 Suzi (Obsessive Reading Disorder) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This is the first in the series that I have read but I really enjoyed meeting all of the characters. Tristan and Alex are so incredibly sweet together. They have some demons to battle but ultimately love wins!

Would have loved to have met Arty myself. What a great person she was and a great grandma to everyone. Lovely read!!

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Jul 30, 2018 Jenn rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: m-m, alphas, 2018-popsugar-challenge

I don't know; this was all right.

Tristan and Alex were cute enough characters, and both of them were likable in their own way. I'm just so picky about certain things, and Alex continuously calling Tristan "T" was enough to drive me up the wall. But I have specific reasons for that. 1.) my aunt makes her grandchildren call her that instead of grandma; and 2.) that's what my friend calls her dog.

Aside from that, the author really hammered in the point that Alex's military background is essential ...more

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May 25, 2020 ~BookNeeds~ rated it liked it

I loathe books when one or both mc’s are all “I’m never gonna reveal my true self” or entire life they keep everyone at a distance and then boom it’s insta love. At least this book felt that way to me. The story was good and their connection was awesome, but I don’t know something just didn’t quite hit the make for me.

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Oct 26, 2016 Jessica Alcazar rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2016-blog-tour-read, reviewed-amazon, foster-melissa, romance-mm, pr-tasty-book-tours, library-bingo-challenge

OH how I was looking forward to Tristan's story. I love a good M/M romance and Melissa Foster can always deliver on a good story-line with likeable and relatable characters. That didn't change with Tempting Tristan: Tristan Brewer but it also didn't quite hit the mark for me.

This is what I like to refer to as a sexually driven story. It means our leads are connected by their sexual attraction more than their intellectual one. Tristan and Alex jumped on their attraction almost immediately. While ...more

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