What do you think?
Rate this book
Rescued Hearts #1
Rescued
Ryder Daniels is all too familiar with rejection. His parents cut off contact because he’s gay and his boyfriend left him, choosing drugs over love. Aside from his rescued pit bull, his only joy is hanging out with his younger brother. Then his mother does the unthinkable and forbids them to see each other, leaving Ryder devastated and alone. His friends urge him to date, but Ryder would rather throw himself into working at the dog rescue and figuring out a way to see his brother again.
When Jason Mallory’s girlfriend gives him an ultimatum to get married, he shocks everyone by breaking up with her instead. He believes he's too busy for a relationship now that the construction company he started with his brother is taking off. When he discovers a group of abandoned pit bulls and calls the local dog rescue group to pick them up, an uncomfortable encounter with Ryder causes Jason to question feelings he’s hidden deep inside for years.
Jason and Ryder build a friendship, until an unexpected kiss sparks the attraction they’ve been fighting. Jason gives Ryder unconditional love and helps him reconnect with his brother while Ryder shows Jason the passion he’s always missed in relationships. Together they must battle through their family differences and ugly prejudices. Only then can they prove that once you find the right person to love, there’s no turning back.
This has been re-edited and revised from the original release of 2014
When Jason Mallory’s girlfriend gives him an ultimatum to get married, he shocks everyone by breaking up with her instead. He believes he's too busy for a relationship now that the construction company he started with his brother is taking off. When he discovers a group of abandoned pit bulls and calls the local dog rescue group to pick them up, an uncomfortable encounter with Ryder causes Jason to question feelings he’s hidden deep inside for years.
Jason and Ryder build a friendship, until an unexpected kiss sparks the attraction they’ve been fighting. Jason gives Ryder unconditional love and helps him reconnect with his brother while Ryder shows Jason the passion he’s always missed in relationships. Together they must battle through their family differences and ugly prejudices. Only then can they prove that once you find the right person to love, there’s no turning back.
This has been re-edited and revised from the original release of 2014
277 pages, ebook
First published August 19, 2014
82 people are currently reading
1088 people want to read
About the author
Felice Stevens
102 books1,701 followersFelice Stevens writes romance because what is better than people falling in love? Her favorite part of a romance novel is that first kiss…sigh. She loves creating stories of hopes and dreams and happily ever afters. Her stories are character-driven, rich with the sights, sounds and flavors of New York City and filled with men who are sometimes deeply flawed but always real.
Felice writes M/M romance because she believes that everyone deserves a happily ever after. Having traveled all over the world, she can safely say that the universal language that unites people is love. Felice has written in a variety of sub-genres, including contemporary, paranormal and has a mystery series as well.
Felice is a two-time Lambda Literary Award nominee and the Lambda award-winner for Best Gay Romance for her book, The Ghost and Charlie Muir, as well as the e-Lit gold medal winner in romance for Broken Silence.
Felice writes M/M romance because she believes that everyone deserves a happily ever after. Having traveled all over the world, she can safely say that the universal language that unites people is love. Felice has written in a variety of sub-genres, including contemporary, paranormal and has a mystery series as well.
Felice is a two-time Lambda Literary Award nominee and the Lambda award-winner for Best Gay Romance for her book, The Ghost and Charlie Muir, as well as the e-Lit gold medal winner in romance for Broken Silence.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 334 reviews
August 21, 2014
Cute boys and puppies! Hand to the bible, I am known as The Crazy Dog Lady to friends and family and irritated neighbors, so I'm just a bit of a pit bull fan. A story about a pit bull rescue organization run by a sweet but lonely gay attorney and his two best friends and the sexually confused construction foreman he falls in love with would have to pretty much suck ass for me not to like it. Luckily, newcomer Felice Stevens knows her shit and killed it with Rescued. This book had everything. Airhead girlfriend's to rolls your eyes at. Drop dead gorgeous men. Kind, understanding family members who support these boys no matter what. An evil, cold hearted mother you'll love to hate. Screen melting, retina scorching man-on-man sex action. And, OMG , the epilogue brought me TO MY FUCKING KNEES PEOPLE. MY KNEES!!!! KNEES!
So. Happy puppies. Hot men. Hotter sex. HEA to the 10th power. Fuck YEAH I recommend this book!
September 2, 2014
3.5 stars
If you're having a sugar craving, skip the cheesecake, do not pass Go, and head straight to Rescued. You may need to floss extra hard, because holy shit, Harry and Louis have nothing on this one.
When love hit these slightly jaded, jilted boys, it burst into FLAMES. There were major declarations of soul-baring, love-you-forever-and-always kind of love on every page.
Also included: the VERY best of best friends; the most evil of all mothers AND ex-girlfriends (but fuck 'em because love conquers all); major changes of heart, because family is the BEST and no one messes with family; and not one but TWO dogs.
This book attempted to be angsty, but it just didn't manage. Major misunderstandings were easily resolved. When Jason decided he was gay, he was all in. No, seriously. ALL IN. *wink, wink*
But I still liked it a whole lot, damn it. There was plenty of heat thrown in with that sugar, and I love me gay first-timers.
You know, the whole, holy fuck, THAT'S my prostate thing? YEAH.
Ryder and Jason were so freaking adorable together, I couldn't begrudge them True Love...and really hawt sex.
We all need a little sugar in our lives. Indulge.
If you're having a sugar craving, skip the cheesecake, do not pass Go, and head straight to Rescued. You may need to floss extra hard, because holy shit, Harry and Louis have nothing on this one.
When love hit these slightly jaded, jilted boys, it burst into FLAMES. There were major declarations of soul-baring, love-you-forever-and-always kind of love on every page.
Also included: the VERY best of best friends; the most evil of all mothers AND ex-girlfriends (but fuck 'em because love conquers all); major changes of heart, because family is the BEST and no one messes with family; and not one but TWO dogs.
This book attempted to be angsty, but it just didn't manage. Major misunderstandings were easily resolved. When Jason decided he was gay, he was all in. No, seriously. ALL IN. *wink, wink*
But I still liked it a whole lot, damn it. There was plenty of heat thrown in with that sugar, and I love me gay first-timers.
You know, the whole, holy fuck, THAT'S my prostate thing? YEAH.
Ryder and Jason were so freaking adorable together, I couldn't begrudge them True Love...and really hawt sex.
We all need a little sugar in our lives. Indulge.
August 23, 2014
GFY by a new author.
For me the real test for reading an author, new or even just new to me, is how the dialogue reads. Choppy unrealistic dialogue just throws me out of story. Happily this wasn't the case here and I found this had a great flow both the dialogue and the storyline that kept me engaged.
There was a sweetness to the characters but also a nice balance with heavier issues. I found it more on the angst light scale with the drama not overwhelming the chemistry between the MCs, Ryder and Jason. I thought they were great men just on their own. They also had some great sex scenes together, really hot actually. The secondary characters didn't overwhelm the main story but they had distinct issues of their own that they had to deal with and resolve.
I did have an issue with Jason near the end:
Other than that, I enjoyed this quite a bit and I'll definitely be grabbing the next book by this author.
For me the real test for reading an author, new or even just new to me, is how the dialogue reads. Choppy unrealistic dialogue just throws me out of story. Happily this wasn't the case here and I found this had a great flow both the dialogue and the storyline that kept me engaged.
There was a sweetness to the characters but also a nice balance with heavier issues. I found it more on the angst light scale with the drama not overwhelming the chemistry between the MCs, Ryder and Jason. I thought they were great men just on their own. They also had some great sex scenes together, really hot actually. The secondary characters didn't overwhelm the main story but they had distinct issues of their own that they had to deal with and resolve.
I did have an issue with Jason near the end:
Other than that, I enjoyed this quite a bit and I'll definitely be grabbing the next book by this author.
September 5, 2014
What a great surprise this book was! I went into this book not have any expectations. I knew it had good feedback but since this is the author's first book- I didn't know if her style of writing would work for me. I'm happy that it was. This was me after I finished:
What I loved about it:
*Friends to lovers story
*Dual POV
*Great chemistry between the two main characters
*Steamy
*Although angsty, it wasn't too much
*Great story flow
*Great side characters
And to be honest- there wasn't anything about the story I didn't enjoy. I have no complaints.
If you're a fan of feel good stories, definitely give this one a try! 4.5 Stars ♥
Read
September 1, 2016The pre-order for Rescued is available at the special release week price of $3.99
Amazon. http://mybook.to/RyderandJason
iTunes:
http://bit.ly/RyderandJason
ARe: http://bit.ly/2bDrIS3
The newly expanded and revised edition of Rescued will be re-released on September 5th. The book contains many new scenes, as well as a sneak peek at the next book in Ryder and Jason's story—Reunited. It will be offered at a lower price for a limited time.
Amazon. http://mybook.to/RyderandJason
iTunes:
http://bit.ly/RyderandJason
ARe: http://bit.ly/2bDrIS3
The newly expanded and revised edition of Rescued will be re-released on September 5th. The book contains many new scenes, as well as a sneak peek at the next book in Ryder and Jason's story—Reunited. It will be offered at a lower price for a limited time.
September 5, 2014
This one is getting rave reviews and top of the best selling gay romance list in Amazon. There are dogs so of course I can't resist. However I am disappointed as it did not work for me. This is the writer’s debut but I have read better writing from first releases. As for the characters and plot, maybe I could like it if I am new to the MM genre. But after so many MM romances later, this one is just meh. Nothing memorable about it. Both plot line and all the characters are very formulaic, just a mixture from other contemporary MM romances. It gets boring after a while and I found myself impatient with the development of the story which has been done so many times. I could not stand the sex scenes which drag and the exchanges between the two MCs are so cheesy that I could not skim fast enough. DO gay men really talk like that during sex, I hope not! As for the two MCs, they are boring because they are just so nice, so vulnerable and so sensitive. Then there is the wicked mother who is so overboard nasty that one wondered how the brilliant lawyer husband and his two sons could tolerate her all these years and not act on it. Come on! The romance between the two MCs are so typical. Ryder has been dumped, afraid to commit but of course quickly fell for Jason. The seemingly straight Jason who recently broke off with his awful pea brained girlfriend of many years of course quickly turned GFY for Ryder. The only part I applaud the writer is her message on saving abused dogs including pit bulls. Even so the dogs featured in the story do not feel real. Seriously I do not understand why the rave reviews..
March 25, 2017
This was a low-angst, fluffy, sweet confection. With really, really hot sex scenes. In fact, I was surprised by how, ahem, hot they were. What can I say? This story just made me happy.
Ryder and Jason are two relatable characters, and Stevens does well engaging the reader with POV from both. I loved the juxtaposition of Jason's supportive family with Ryder's truly cold-ass-bitch mother. I'm telling you now Ryder's mother is definitely a character that you'll love to hate.
The narration for the story is enjoyable, with Charlie David making sure to highlight the more emotional moments well. He has good timing and his tone is good overall, I just wish he'd chosen to do more character voices...all the male voices are really, really similar.
If you're in the mood for a truly sweet, romantic read with a great cast of characters, steamy sex, and a wonderful HEA, you should check this out.
Audio copy of Rescued (Rescued Hearts #1) provided by the author in exchange of an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
September 29, 2016
*** It isn't just the sex for Jason - it's Ryder - the man himself. No one else has ever made him feel like this ! *** Ryder, a lawyer, is alone in the world,
except for his dog, Pearl, and best friends, Emily and Connor.
They run an animal rescue charity. Ryder's folks shunned him and he tries to secretly see his brother, Landon.
Jason owns a construction company with his brother Liam.
They are successful, hard working, and he calls the rescue for help when they find sick animals in a vacant building. When Ryder and Jason see each other - ZING ! The issue? Jason is straight. The guys become friends and hang out, Jason adopts a dog, and their closeness leads to intense desire, super hot sex and first times for Jason.
Many things are melding as we go, with Jason coming out, family and friends are involved, the fund raiser,
Ryder's ex, and Ryder's horrendous mother shows up, and MORE !
I am loving this author's works, great characters, and completely absorbing stories.
The Epilogue is fabulous ! Highly recommended !
ENJOY !
===============
except for his dog, Pearl, and best friends, Emily and Connor.
They run an animal rescue charity. Ryder's folks shunned him and he tries to secretly see his brother, Landon.
Jason owns a construction company with his brother Liam.
They are successful, hard working, and he calls the rescue for help when they find sick animals in a vacant building. When Ryder and Jason see each other - ZING ! The issue? Jason is straight. The guys become friends and hang out, Jason adopts a dog, and their closeness leads to intense desire, super hot sex and first times for Jason.
Many things are melding as we go, with Jason coming out, family and friends are involved, the fund raiser,
Ryder's ex, and Ryder's horrendous mother shows up, and MORE !
I am loving this author's works, great characters, and completely absorbing stories.
The Epilogue is fabulous ! Highly recommended !
ENJOY !
===============
October 31, 2016
Buena elección cuando buscas algo fluffy y azucarado que te ponga de buen humor.
September 7, 2016
This book was so good. From the time Ryder and Jason met the chemistry was great and I loved them together. They were extra hot also. Add in the dogs and the dog rescue it was a hit! I also loved a lot of the secondary characters. They really added to the book. Ryder's mom was a piece of work and I'm being nice with my words ;-) It really was a great read...I'm a fan of Felice Stevens great first book...
*****Update 9/6/16...I read the revised edition and loved it just like the first edition. Love catching up with everyone again. Loved Ryder and Jason, they were so sweet.
*****Update 9/6/16...I read the revised edition and loved it just like the first edition. Love catching up with everyone again. Loved Ryder and Jason, they were so sweet.
August 24, 2014
This was so cute. One of those I'll pick up again when I need a pick-me-up. I was already sold from the blurb. this was that perfect laid back kind of story that didn't make me feel like my teeth were gonna fall out from all the sweet.
September 6, 2016
Stand-alone
HEA:
Cheating:
Trigger:
Felice Stevens is an author I discovered a few months ago with The Arrangement .When I learnt she was re-releasing her first novel Rescued with a brand new cover, I was excited to read more of her characters.
Ryder is a lawyer who's working with his two best friends at Rescue Me, a pit bull rescue association.
Being gay only brought him disregard from his family, his mother in particular. Wanting more than anything to keep a relationship with his younger brother, he suffers so much from the situation his mother put him in.
Never lucky in his love life either, Ryder is bit weary to love the wrong person. He has decided to not trust so easily anymore.
“I didn’t realize how being with the right person could change your world and your outlook on everything, but you have to know you rescued me from myself. You’ve made everything in my life so much better from the moment I met you.”
Jason handles a construction site. Not happy but not in a bad place either, he just ended a three years relationship with his girlfriend. Never entirely satisfied with his love life, he knows there's a missing piece somewhere but he doesn't have time to think about it.
When these two meets, an easy friendship starts and the attraction can't be avoided for long.
Ryder doesn't want to put himself at risk for yet another broken heart. But at the same time, all he needs is for someone to take care of him
"I don’t presume to have all the answers. What I know for certain is that I want you. I need you in my life.”
Rescued was a sweet loving story where one man has to decide to really LOVE for the first time and the other need to BE LOVED for the first time.
What worked less for me was the time frame the story is told. I wanted more situations where I could have felt them fall for each other, more of their time together explicitly explained. In some chapters you jump 2-3 weeks without really knowing of their time together. That led to me having a hard time to read them profess their love, some a bit too cheesy for my taste.
On the other side, I've come to enjoy a lot all the different interactions between the different characters. I would have loved to have a book about Connor& Emily because their love is a beautiful one. And I can't say how much I need more of Landon, Ryder's younger brother. Felice why don't you write some M/F ?
I would suggest Rescue to all M/M lovers . Not much drama, not much angst but lots of sweet moments and torrid sex scenes.
~Arc provided by the author in exchange of an honest review ~
HEA:
Cheating:
Trigger:
Felice Stevens is an author I discovered a few months ago with The Arrangement .When I learnt she was re-releasing her first novel Rescued with a brand new cover, I was excited to read more of her characters.
Ryder is a lawyer who's working with his two best friends at Rescue Me, a pit bull rescue association.
Being gay only brought him disregard from his family, his mother in particular. Wanting more than anything to keep a relationship with his younger brother, he suffers so much from the situation his mother put him in.
Never lucky in his love life either, Ryder is bit weary to love the wrong person. He has decided to not trust so easily anymore.
“I didn’t realize how being with the right person could change your world and your outlook on everything, but you have to know you rescued me from myself. You’ve made everything in my life so much better from the moment I met you.”
Jason handles a construction site. Not happy but not in a bad place either, he just ended a three years relationship with his girlfriend. Never entirely satisfied with his love life, he knows there's a missing piece somewhere but he doesn't have time to think about it.
When these two meets, an easy friendship starts and the attraction can't be avoided for long.
Ryder doesn't want to put himself at risk for yet another broken heart. But at the same time, all he needs is for someone to take care of him
"I don’t presume to have all the answers. What I know for certain is that I want you. I need you in my life.”
Rescued was a sweet loving story where one man has to decide to really LOVE for the first time and the other need to BE LOVED for the first time.
What worked less for me was the time frame the story is told. I wanted more situations where I could have felt them fall for each other, more of their time together explicitly explained. In some chapters you jump 2-3 weeks without really knowing of their time together. That led to me having a hard time to read them profess their love, some a bit too cheesy for my taste.
On the other side, I've come to enjoy a lot all the different interactions between the different characters. I would have loved to have a book about Connor& Emily because their love is a beautiful one. And I can't say how much I need more of Landon, Ryder's younger brother. Felice why don't you write some M/F ?
I would suggest Rescue to all M/M lovers . Not much drama, not much angst but lots of sweet moments and torrid sex scenes.
~Arc provided by the author in exchange of an honest review ~
September 1, 2014
“There comes a point where you become tired of the loneliness and need a human touch, a caress to make you realize you still exist as a person.”
Ryder is a lawyer. He used to work on his father firm until he confessed he's gay. Rejected by his family who thinks he just experiments with his sexuality and humiliated by another men who used him, he needs a fresh start. Ryder works now at "Rescue Me", a pit bull rescue organization with his friends Emily and Cooper.
Jason has a construction site with one of his brothers. He’s straight and he has a relationship with Chloe. When Chloe pressure him to get married, he decides he has enough and anyway he isn’t happy, so he ends the relationship.
Ryder and Jason meet when Jason finds out a group on injured pit bulls on his construction site and he calls "Rescue Me".
They are attracted with each other from the start. Jason doesn’t understand what’s happening, why he is so attracted to Ryder, because of course he’s straight. Back in college he shared a kiss with a guy, but still he doesn’t know what he is exactly, straight, bi, gay..
Ryder and Jason became fast friends, but Jason can’t fight his attraction for the other man. They share a kiss, but Ryder doesn’t want to be with someone straight, he doesn’t want to teach someone to be gay. The relationship between them is tense at first, until Ryder decides Jason is worth it and he is willing to trust a man again. So they start dating…
“I always tell you, you’re fucking mine, but baby, I am fucking yours until the day I die. You own me.”
but they have a problem, Jason’s family doesn’t know he is gay and he has Ryder as his partner.
I love both Ryder and Jason. They truly are perfect for each other. If at first, Ryder wants to be alone because he doesn’t want to suffer anymore, soon Jason wins his heart. They are sweet and caring with each other, supportive and protective and they find in each other their other half.
I really liked how Jason appreciates what Ryder do with "Rescue Me" and how he does anything to see Ryder happy. He helps Ryder see how amazing he is, giving him warmth, passion and most of all hope.
The side characters are great too – Ryder friends Emily and Cooper and Jason’s family. They are not judging, they are caring, supportive no matter what. The storyline is sweet and the dialogue seemed real.
There are some cheesy lines or cheesy moments between the MC but this time they didn’t bother me.
Overall, Rescued was sweet, enjoyable and funny at times. Low in angst and with a little drama, no unnecessary or overwhelming, this book was pretty great.
“My heart was empty and cold until you rescued it, rescued me from the darkness that swallowed me up and consumed me for so long.”
March 30, 2025
This one was pretty good, even with the flowery prose and the insta-love. I really enjoyed the parts with the dogs and kinda wish the story had focused a bit more on the animal rescue aspect of the story. But overall, it was an enjoyable way to spend a couple hours.
August 24, 2014
I'm really surprised by all the 5 stars. The story itself had a great setup and could've been executed well. I especially love the animal rights attorney angle. But then the MCs had to open their mouths during intimate times (and sometimes out of them) and this turned into one big cheesy, love fest.
Spoilers ahead
Ryder and Jason were likeable. And there's nothing wrong with talk during smexy times. Dirty talk is usually hot. Cheesy heartfelt declarations during EVERY intimate time was just off putting. I can't count the number of times I rolled my eyes throughout this book. For example:
"I tried not to think about you and to push you away, but i can't fight it any longer; it's killing me. I want to bury myself deep inside you and make you scream so loud and so hard the walls will come crashing down around us. There, I said it." - that's something you say during one of your first heated make out sessions with the guy you're crushing on, right?
And right before sex with him for the first time, "let me take you the right way. Not hurried and quick on a sofa." And then a few minutes later, "I'm going to mark you, let everyone know this is mine." It's your first time together dude, really?
"Open your eyes when I'm inside you. I need to see you. I need all of you, Ryder, to become all of me." -um, what????
Another smexy time: "Fill me up with your body the way you've filled up my heart."
"Your heart, it's mine, man. I'm going to hold it and make promises to it and love it for as many years as you give it to me." - I keep picturing that literally and it creeped me right the fuck out! And "oh, babe, I'll try and always hold up the sky for you."
All of these were in the middle of smexy times! Sorry, just can't do it. I wanted to vomit. Could've been a good story if we could've gagged the MCs during these scenes. Can't recommend this to anyone.
Spoilers ahead
Ryder and Jason were likeable. And there's nothing wrong with talk during smexy times. Dirty talk is usually hot. Cheesy heartfelt declarations during EVERY intimate time was just off putting. I can't count the number of times I rolled my eyes throughout this book. For example:
"I tried not to think about you and to push you away, but i can't fight it any longer; it's killing me. I want to bury myself deep inside you and make you scream so loud and so hard the walls will come crashing down around us. There, I said it." - that's something you say during one of your first heated make out sessions with the guy you're crushing on, right?
And right before sex with him for the first time, "let me take you the right way. Not hurried and quick on a sofa." And then a few minutes later, "I'm going to mark you, let everyone know this is mine." It's your first time together dude, really?
"Open your eyes when I'm inside you. I need to see you. I need all of you, Ryder, to become all of me." -um, what????
Another smexy time: "Fill me up with your body the way you've filled up my heart."
"Your heart, it's mine, man. I'm going to hold it and make promises to it and love it for as many years as you give it to me." - I keep picturing that literally and it creeped me right the fuck out! And "oh, babe, I'll try and always hold up the sky for you."
All of these were in the middle of smexy times! Sorry, just can't do it. I wanted to vomit. Could've been a good story if we could've gagged the MCs during these scenes. Can't recommend this to anyone.
August 28, 2014
I liked the characters in this story, though I have to admit to rolling my eyes a few times with the plotting. When things were bad for Ryder and Jason, they were REALLY bad and some supporting characters seemed to be nasty out of proportion to me. Then in the last quarter of the book, all the nasties were handled one by one, tick, tick, tick in a REALLY sweet fashion, except for one who could not be redeemed.
I guess what I'm saying is that the authors on my fan list write stories that I never notice the writing or the plotting other than to admire it or be surprised or thrilled by it. In this case I noticed it a lot with sighs, which simply means that with more experience under the author's belt I might be a fan someday.
I guess what I'm saying is that the authors on my fan list write stories that I never notice the writing or the plotting other than to admire it or be surprised or thrilled by it. In this case I noticed it a lot with sighs, which simply means that with more experience under the author's belt I might be a fan someday.
January 1, 2016
This was so sugary sweet, my teeth hurt.
I know I said I wanted something fluffy, but OMG this was a bit much, even for me.
The guys get together around halfway through the book. There is also a lot of I love you going on. Fine by me, but it was a bit too much at times.
There was unnecessary angst, which I hate, for all of 2 pages! And it didn’t contribute anything, so I would have been fiiiiine if it had been left out completely.
This book has a nice GFY and centers a lot around the family and friends of Ryder and Jason.
There was one thing that I really didn’t buy and that was Jason’s brother, Liam. I mean, he turns from a bigoted homophobic into an I-will-support-all-gay-people person with 1 conversation.
Soooo…. this was nice, nothing more.
I know I said I wanted something fluffy, but OMG this was a bit much, even for me.
The guys get together around halfway through the book. There is also a lot of I love you going on. Fine by me, but it was a bit too much at times.
There was unnecessary angst, which I hate, for all of 2 pages! And it didn’t contribute anything, so I would have been fiiiiine if it had been left out completely.
This book has a nice GFY and centers a lot around the family and friends of Ryder and Jason.
There was one thing that I really didn’t buy and that was Jason’s brother, Liam. I mean, he turns from a bigoted homophobic into an I-will-support-all-gay-people person with 1 conversation.
Soooo…. this was nice, nothing more.
November 25, 2016
3.5 stars. Good book, I'm a sucker for dog lovers especially Pit Bulls (I'm a Pitty owner and lover) but....one star off for the random cheesy, purple prose especially when it occurred during the sexy times. Completely ruined the de-virginization of the first time booty lovin. I liked that Jason didn't just fall into his first relationship with a man without taking the time to question or truly think about it which felt more realistic than most GFY books although I didn't like his way of doing it. Also the relationship conflict with Ryder's father ended a bit too easily for me...I would've liked a better explanation from his father. Just seemed a bit too anti-climactic. But overall I enjoyed the characters especially the relationship between Ryder, his brother, Landon and his best friends.
October 10, 2021
Somehow this managed to be both super sweet and quite angsty at the same time and... it kinda worked for me. Maybe it's because it's Felice Stevens, I'm a sucker for her books after all.
January 4, 2016
***3.5 Stars***
Maybe not the smartest thing in the world to write a review about a book that you finished on a plane...on the way to a vacation...where you didn't read anything...for an entire week...and now don't remember much. Oops.
Here's what my mind can put together. This story was sweet and very hot. However, it was a little too "insta" for me once the MC's got together. They moved at lightening speed with their relationship, especially Jason's coming out....I would have liked a little bit more meat to the story in that regard. Oh, and Ryder's mom is the devil.
That's all I've got.
February 23, 2015
3.5 stars
This is my second book by Felice Stevens and I really enjoyed this sweet, feel good romance. I thought Jason and Ryder had great chemistry and I really felt for Ryder's situation. Plenty of family drama, loving friends, bad exes and, for you dog lovers, cute rescued pups, kept the story moving along to a HEA for all involved.
The only minor issues I had with the story were the time jumps early on when the men were getting to know each other as friends and Jason's almost too easy acceptance of his sudden feelings for Ryder. Other than that, this is a perfect read when you want that combination of hot sex and sweet romance that will leave you with a big smile.
This is my second book by Felice Stevens and I really enjoyed this sweet, feel good romance. I thought Jason and Ryder had great chemistry and I really felt for Ryder's situation. Plenty of family drama, loving friends, bad exes and, for you dog lovers, cute rescued pups, kept the story moving along to a HEA for all involved.
The only minor issues I had with the story were the time jumps early on when the men were getting to know each other as friends and Jason's almost too easy acceptance of his sudden feelings for Ryder. Other than that, this is a perfect read when you want that combination of hot sex and sweet romance that will leave you with a big smile.
June 14, 2018
3.6 Stars
September 5, 2016
Wow, this one was steamy. I mean, I expected the fluff (it's a novel about rescue and dogs) but the extremeley descriptive sexy times, not so much. I had a lot of highlights for this book, which usually means it was really good and cute and poetic, or it was really, painfully bad. This has to be the cutest, fluffiest book I've read in a long time.
Ryder was this passionate, caring person who just wanted to rescue dogs and share his life with someone he loved. His history in choosing the wrong people to fill that role left him hurt and feeling empty.
Despite all of his trouble with men, he never had much trouble in the dog department. Ryder loved working at the rescue! He had the opportunity to save lives and bring families together every single day, and that kept him going despite feeling like something was missing from his life.
Jason was the disgruntled construction worker who, despite his initial reaction to Ryder, had convinced himself that he couldn't be gay, because he wasn't that guy. After seeing a cute pitt bull puppy bring rescued from a construction site he was working at, he ended up giving the rescue a call to adopt the puppy.
Ryder, being in charge of making sure the owner and dog are a good fit, and at the invitation of Jason, started spending time with him and his crew at a sports bar. Jason and Ryder got close... fast.
The romance between these two MC's was something like out of a fantasy!
There was so much chemistry that it was almost difficult to read. I just wanted them both to stop being stupid and admit that they had something going on between them. But, Ryder wanted to keep his distance, for a good reason, and Jason seemed too afraid to say anything to spook Ryder, or to screw up their friendship.
I absolutely loved the relationship that these two had, and once they stopped being stubborn, it just got even better.
And the sex was so steamy, oh man. Not what I expected from a book about rescue AT ALL. This was a phenomenal book. Definitely recommended. Please just save yourself some time, pick up a copy, and read it.
Reviewed by Jordan at Alpha Book Club.
Disclaimer: This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are my own and not influenced by the author or the publisher in any way.
Ryder was this passionate, caring person who just wanted to rescue dogs and share his life with someone he loved. His history in choosing the wrong people to fill that role left him hurt and feeling empty.
He wondered if he was ever really in love with Matt, or if he was in love with the idea of being in love.
Despite all of his trouble with men, he never had much trouble in the dog department. Ryder loved working at the rescue! He had the opportunity to save lives and bring families together every single day, and that kept him going despite feeling like something was missing from his life.
I love these dogs. They're so misunderstood, and society would rather throw them away than take care of them. I can relate.
Jason was the disgruntled construction worker who, despite his initial reaction to Ryder, had convinced himself that he couldn't be gay, because he wasn't that guy. After seeing a cute pitt bull puppy bring rescued from a construction site he was working at, he ended up giving the rescue a call to adopt the puppy.
Ryder, being in charge of making sure the owner and dog are a good fit, and at the invitation of Jason, started spending time with him and his crew at a sports bar. Jason and Ryder got close... fast.
The romance between these two MC's was something like out of a fantasy!
This guy has made my brother happier than I've ever seen him. It's like every fucking day is Christmas morning when you see them together.
There was so much chemistry that it was almost difficult to read. I just wanted them both to stop being stupid and admit that they had something going on between them. But, Ryder wanted to keep his distance, for a good reason, and Jason seemed too afraid to say anything to spook Ryder, or to screw up their friendship.
I absolutely loved the relationship that these two had, and once they stopped being stubborn, it just got even better.
His heart twisted, and right then Ryder knew, despite all the walls he'd put up to protect himself, the ship had sailed. He was a goner for this man.
And the sex was so steamy, oh man. Not what I expected from a book about rescue AT ALL. This was a phenomenal book. Definitely recommended. Please just save yourself some time, pick up a copy, and read it.
Reviewed by Jordan at Alpha Book Club.
Disclaimer: This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are my own and not influenced by the author or the publisher in any way.
January 2, 2019
There is, in my mind, nothing better than reading an author's debut novel. Getting the opportunity to hear a new voice is a very exciting thing. I'm thrilled to be able to say that Felice Stevens caught my attention within just a few pages. I'm not talking about the story arc, I'm talking about the writing, the ebb and flow of her words, the syntax, and the dialogue. It was immediately apparent, to me, that I was going to enjoy this maiden voyage.
I absolutely adored Ryder from the moment he appeared. He's had it rough and he's so sad in the beginning. Ryder hasn't seen or spoken to his parents in three months and some days the only thing keeping him sane is his calls and texts with his little brother, Landon. But the chilling call from his mother on the day of thanks, and then his subsequent discovery that she's blocked him from contacting Landon, is almost too much. After being burned pretty badly, twice, Ryder has no intention of ever falling in love again. He has been single for a year, and if it wasn't for his rescued pit bull, Pearl, he doesn't think he'd make it. Ryder, along with his best friends, Connor and Emily, make up the legal heart and soul of Rescue Me, a pit bull rescue which Connor and Emily started. Ryder handles the legal issues, along with Connor, and he also does rescues.
Jason, on the other hand, has been dating a girl for three years and he feels as though he's in a rut. She has no interest in anything other than looking pretty and spending her daddy's money. Jason and his brother are still getting their construction company off the ground and Jason is starting to wonder if any of it is worth it. When she throws the marriage ultimatum at him, Jason says enough is enough. He's done with relationships for awhile and he's not going to listen to the little voice in his head or the memory of a secret desire he keeps pushing down.
After Ryder and Jason meet over the rescue of abused dogs, they slowly become friends, with Ryder hanging at the neighborhood bar with Jason, his brothers, and his friends. When Ryder's mother once again steps in and takes away any chance Ryder has of spending time with his brother, he's devastated. He gets drunk at the bar that night and Jason drives him home. Much to both of their surprise, some kissing and making out happens, but Ryder pushes Jason away. Ryder is tired of always being second choice and he's certainly not going to get involved with a straight guy. But Jason isn't completely straight. Certainly not when he's having dreams about Ryder, and Jason isn't about to give up on these feelings. Of course, coming out can have a lot of repercussions that neither of them counted on.
What a wonderful book! Yes, the story was a little predictable, however, I'll read a slightly predictable story from this new author any day over established writers. Felice Stevens really captured the emotion in a way that struck me as realistic and helped me to enjoy this book even more. The animal rights portion hit home for me and, more than anything, I loved the epilogue. Excellent job, Felice! I'm looking forward to reading more by you.
NOTE: This book was provided by the author for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
I absolutely adored Ryder from the moment he appeared. He's had it rough and he's so sad in the beginning. Ryder hasn't seen or spoken to his parents in three months and some days the only thing keeping him sane is his calls and texts with his little brother, Landon. But the chilling call from his mother on the day of thanks, and then his subsequent discovery that she's blocked him from contacting Landon, is almost too much. After being burned pretty badly, twice, Ryder has no intention of ever falling in love again. He has been single for a year, and if it wasn't for his rescued pit bull, Pearl, he doesn't think he'd make it. Ryder, along with his best friends, Connor and Emily, make up the legal heart and soul of Rescue Me, a pit bull rescue which Connor and Emily started. Ryder handles the legal issues, along with Connor, and he also does rescues.
Jason, on the other hand, has been dating a girl for three years and he feels as though he's in a rut. She has no interest in anything other than looking pretty and spending her daddy's money. Jason and his brother are still getting their construction company off the ground and Jason is starting to wonder if any of it is worth it. When she throws the marriage ultimatum at him, Jason says enough is enough. He's done with relationships for awhile and he's not going to listen to the little voice in his head or the memory of a secret desire he keeps pushing down.
After Ryder and Jason meet over the rescue of abused dogs, they slowly become friends, with Ryder hanging at the neighborhood bar with Jason, his brothers, and his friends. When Ryder's mother once again steps in and takes away any chance Ryder has of spending time with his brother, he's devastated. He gets drunk at the bar that night and Jason drives him home. Much to both of their surprise, some kissing and making out happens, but Ryder pushes Jason away. Ryder is tired of always being second choice and he's certainly not going to get involved with a straight guy. But Jason isn't completely straight. Certainly not when he's having dreams about Ryder, and Jason isn't about to give up on these feelings. Of course, coming out can have a lot of repercussions that neither of them counted on.
What a wonderful book! Yes, the story was a little predictable, however, I'll read a slightly predictable story from this new author any day over established writers. Felice Stevens really captured the emotion in a way that struck me as realistic and helped me to enjoy this book even more. The animal rights portion hit home for me and, more than anything, I loved the epilogue. Excellent job, Felice! I'm looking forward to reading more by you.
NOTE: This book was provided by the author for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
October 22, 2014
This review is posted on Way Too Hot Books.
Adorable puppies, GFY mm romance, raving reviews of friends- I should have loved it, I know, but unfortunately, my feelings about this book are rather mixed. I had trouble even getting into the story at the beginning, mostly because the dialogues didn't have that natural, realistic flow, but more of that this-happens-only-in-a-book flow, but then, after a few chapters the story started to get better and better.
The main reason for that is the sweet, slow-building friends-to-lovers/ GFY relationship between the MCs- Jason & Ryder. Their story begins after Jason adopts one of the dogs Ryder rescued and took to the animal center where he is working along with his two best friends. Their love for animals is what brought them together, but there's also palpable, scorching chemistry since the moment they laid their eyes on each other with one big problem: Jason is straight. Or is he really? Of course he's not, since this is a mm romance book and we all are turning pages and eagerly waiting for that moment when he finally gives in to his secret, deep-buried desires. I'm addictive when it comes to these gay-for-you mm stories, that's indisputable.
My level of tolerance of cheesy lines is getting lower and lower with every next book. This book had some of those, not too much, but still enough for me to roll my eyes a couple of times. I suck at romance, I know. What can I say in my defense is that I prefer deeds, not words when it comes to relationships and romance. If they had been together for a few years I could take it, but to proclaim such deep feelings at the beginning of the relationship- nope, not my thing. There were also some light, not enough developed dramatic situations which solved in the most convenient ways, but those ways were pretty smoking hot, so I didn't mind the drama that much, lol.
All in all, the book had its good and not so good moments. If you are mm romance fan who wants to read a sweet, light & emotional GFY mm romance and have a bigger tolerance for some cheesy content than me, then you should definitely give it a try!
I didn't realize how being with the right person could change your world and your outlook on everything, but you have to know you rescued me from myself. You've made everything in my life so much better from the moment I saw you.
Adorable puppies, GFY mm romance, raving reviews of friends- I should have loved it, I know, but unfortunately, my feelings about this book are rather mixed. I had trouble even getting into the story at the beginning, mostly because the dialogues didn't have that natural, realistic flow, but more of that this-happens-only-in-a-book flow, but then, after a few chapters the story started to get better and better.
The main reason for that is the sweet, slow-building friends-to-lovers/ GFY relationship between the MCs- Jason & Ryder. Their story begins after Jason adopts one of the dogs Ryder rescued and took to the animal center where he is working along with his two best friends. Their love for animals is what brought them together, but there's also palpable, scorching chemistry since the moment they laid their eyes on each other with one big problem: Jason is straight. Or is he really? Of course he's not, since this is a mm romance book and we all are turning pages and eagerly waiting for that moment when he finally gives in to his secret, deep-buried desires. I'm addictive when it comes to these gay-for-you mm stories, that's indisputable.
My level of tolerance of cheesy lines is getting lower and lower with every next book. This book had some of those, not too much, but still enough for me to roll my eyes a couple of times. I suck at romance, I know. What can I say in my defense is that I prefer deeds, not words when it comes to relationships and romance. If they had been together for a few years I could take it, but to proclaim such deep feelings at the beginning of the relationship- nope, not my thing. There were also some light, not enough developed dramatic situations which solved in the most convenient ways, but those ways were pretty smoking hot, so I didn't mind the drama that much, lol.
All in all, the book had its good and not so good moments. If you are mm romance fan who wants to read a sweet, light & emotional GFY mm romance and have a bigger tolerance for some cheesy content than me, then you should definitely give it a try!
September 13, 2014
I needed something light in my life right now, so I read this. I loved it. So sweet. There were a couple of things I didn't buy, but it didn't take away from the overall enjoyment of the story. What? Well, it's here in the spoiler:
There was also a name mixup towards the beginning and it irked me. My biggest pet peeve while reading is the a character name mixup. Fortunately it was only once :)
I LOVED Jason! Seriously loved him. I loved how he handled everything. I do mean EVERYTHING. When he did something he went full force.
Ryder, I liked him for the most part, but there were times I wanted to knock him upside the head. I am sorry, but I've cut my family out of my life for less than what Ryder's family did to him. Does that make me a bad person to just say good riddance to blood because of negativity? I could see Ryder wanting to see Landon, but his parents? Yeah, I would have said 'adios' a long time ago.
This book did want to make run to Stray Rescue and adopt a pittie. But, I can't :( My friend actually does transports and volunteers for Stray Rescue here in STL and has 4 rescued pitties. I loved seeing Trouper and Pearl (and Laurel and Hardy). Wish we could have seen more 'rescues'.
The Epilogue.
November 22, 2017
My 2nd edition read.
This was better because of some additional scenes into the story.
.....
Well I'm really into sweet fluffy story this time. And Ryder and Jason were just fulfilled my needs for some sweets.
I loved how they're met, and I loved how protective Jason when it comes to Ry.
Their relationship is almost perfect. The story is about Ry's issues with his family and Jason with his coming out to his family after so many years dating a horrible woman.
After he met Ry, everything went to one direction, that he's attracted to Ry, as a man, and wanted to become his lover.
And when Jason wants something, he'd do it with full hart. Yeah, baby, Ry deserved everything you offered after all this time.
I loved how Jason's family accepted Ry real good except from Liam. And it's good thing that Liam is redeemable.
Ry and Jason were definitely made for each other, they're so adorable together. Add some puppies and dogs in the family, perfection.)
This one is sweet, and if you're looking for a low angst and feel good book with pets and lots of love in the air, read this one.
Read bonus scene here
This was better because of some additional scenes into the story.
.....
Well I'm really into sweet fluffy story this time. And Ryder and Jason were just fulfilled my needs for some sweets.
I loved how they're met, and I loved how protective Jason when it comes to Ry.
Their relationship is almost perfect. The story is about Ry's issues with his family and Jason with his coming out to his family after so many years dating a horrible woman.
After he met Ry, everything went to one direction, that he's attracted to Ry, as a man, and wanted to become his lover.
And when Jason wants something, he'd do it with full hart. Yeah, baby, Ry deserved everything you offered after all this time.
I loved how Jason's family accepted Ry real good except from Liam. And it's good thing that Liam is redeemable.
Ry and Jason were definitely made for each other, they're so adorable together. Add some puppies and dogs in the family, perfection.)
This one is sweet, and if you're looking for a low angst and feel good book with pets and lots of love in the air, read this one.
Read bonus scene here
March 3, 2015
I liked this story a lot and it's my first read by this author. I'll definitely be reading more. The MC's were great together and I loved what the dogs brought to the story. The author did a great job of showing, so I really didn't need to be 'told' so much. It made it seem like some of the conversations were trying too hard and they didn't need to because the setups were done really well and I would have completely understood where they guys were coming from without them.
Want to read
December 1, 2014Thanks for the gift, Debra!! :D
February 6, 2015
I was lucky enough to have this book as reading material on a lengthy flight home, and boy did it keep me entertained! I was hooked from the very first paragraph, which actually made me laugh out loud. Loved both the MCs - Ryder and Jason are sexy, bright and fun. I loved all the other characters (friends and family, pit bulls). Like any m/m love story, you get the sex scenes... and because you do have a character that is newly gay, you do get some of the first time sex/love talk, which is fun, slightly cheesy and absolutely necessary. And hot. Don't forget hot!
For me this was so enjoyable - a feel good read with ups and downs - smiles, laughter, and yes, some tears. I thought it was great that this was not just a story of the love between Ryder and Jason, but their love of those around them. Great story arcs, great humor, conflict, some angst... and, of course, the blessed HEA. While my sexy MCs and their friends/family got their happy endings (loved the epilogue), it wasn't exactly smooth sailing. There was a healthy dose of reality. We saw that just as in life, because you fall for someone doesn't mean it's going to be easy. Beyond that,you can't change everyone's mind, but those who truly love you, will come around. And I will come around for any book this author decides to write. Way to go, Felice!!!
**Received an ARC for an honest review**
For me this was so enjoyable - a feel good read with ups and downs - smiles, laughter, and yes, some tears. I thought it was great that this was not just a story of the love between Ryder and Jason, but their love of those around them. Great story arcs, great humor, conflict, some angst... and, of course, the blessed HEA. While my sexy MCs and their friends/family got their happy endings (loved the epilogue), it wasn't exactly smooth sailing. There was a healthy dose of reality. We saw that just as in life, because you fall for someone doesn't mean it's going to be easy. Beyond that,you can't change everyone's mind, but those who truly love you, will come around. And I will come around for any book this author decides to write. Way to go, Felice!!!
**Received an ARC for an honest review**
Displaying 1 - 30 of 334 reviews