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A Kind of Stories #1
A Kind of Truth
A Kind of Story
Rand O’Malley dreams of superstardom. He hopes to one day sing the blues like a rock god. Moving to New York City and hiring a new manager are steps to make his dreams a reality. But nothing moves as fast as Rand would like, and everyone has opinions, for example that he should keep certain pieces of himself quiet if he plans on making it in the Big Apple. Like his bisexuality.
Will Sanders is a gifted musician who dazzles Rand with his ability to coax gorgeous notes from an electric guitar one moment and play the piano like a professional the next. He’s a geek, but Rand isn’t concerned about Will’s pressed exterior clashing with his tattoos. His focus is music. Yet there’s something about Will that makes Rand think there’s much more to the quiet college student than he lets on. As Rand’s dreams begin to materialize, he’s forced to reconsider his priorities and find his own kind of truth. One that might include Will.
Rand O’Malley dreams of superstardom. He hopes to one day sing the blues like a rock god. Moving to New York City and hiring a new manager are steps to make his dreams a reality. But nothing moves as fast as Rand would like, and everyone has opinions, for example that he should keep certain pieces of himself quiet if he plans on making it in the Big Apple. Like his bisexuality.
Will Sanders is a gifted musician who dazzles Rand with his ability to coax gorgeous notes from an electric guitar one moment and play the piano like a professional the next. He’s a geek, but Rand isn’t concerned about Will’s pressed exterior clashing with his tattoos. His focus is music. Yet there’s something about Will that makes Rand think there’s much more to the quiet college student than he lets on. As Rand’s dreams begin to materialize, he’s forced to reconsider his priorities and find his own kind of truth. One that might include Will.
230 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 8, 2016
154 people are currently reading
1316 people want to read
About the author
Lane Hayes
105 books1,717 followersLane Hayes loves a good romance! She’s the bestselling author of the Out in College, Starting From, Better Than, A Kind Of, Right and Wrong, and Leaning Into Series! Lane loves red wine, chocolate and travel (in no particular order). All things she can find in sunny SoCal where she lives with her amazing husband in a not quite empty nest.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 304 reviews
January 30, 2016
4.5 fishnet stockings~glitter~and~music stars
Rand, the son of hippie parents, is at once volatile and constant, controlled and mellow.
Hiding his gay side in an attempt to make it as a musician in New York City, Rand is not prepared for the force that is Will.
William Sanders is a beautiful enigma, a musical geeky genius with freckles and glasses who only feels free when he transforms himself with makeup, a wig, and sexy high heels. Will is such a complex character, dressing up to hide, creating music to live.
Rand doesn't want a boyfriend. He's all about his band. But Will calls to him.
Rand and Will are a true opposites-attract couple, but they fit like puzzle pieces.
When Will agrees to play with Rand's band for the summer, neither man expects the political firestorm coming their way.
There are secrets, petty jealousies, and betrayals. But there is also passion, a "dangerous kind of music," and love.
I love men who embrace their feminine side, so Will's gender bending really worked for me. The scene with the fishnet stockings ... so damn HOT. Will is no shy virgin in bed. He gives as good as he gets.
I didn't like Rand in Better Than Safe. He came off as manipulative and clingy, wanting Seth all to himself. But this book is told from Rand's first-person perspective, and I really got him.
Rand is intense and can't sit still; his mind is always going. But he's loyal and incredibly good to Will.
There were times I found Will frustrating. He doesn't like to let down his guard and is slow to trust. And maybe Rand makes mistakes, but in the end he chooses Will. Only Will.
I loathed Leah, the blogger/publicist. She wanted Rand for herself, and Rand should have told her to fuck off sooner. Much sooner.
Likewise, Will's mother and his "benefactor" are disgusting human being, never mind Will's dad who controls from afar and uses his son as a pawn.
Thankfully, both men are brave & honest; in the end, the simplest truths matter most.
This is a very (very!) sexy, well-written book with two remarkable & remarkably REAL MCs and a lovely HEA. I am so looking forward to more books in this series.
Rand, the son of hippie parents, is at once volatile and constant, controlled and mellow.
Hiding his gay side in an attempt to make it as a musician in New York City, Rand is not prepared for the force that is Will.
William Sanders is a beautiful enigma, a musical geeky genius with freckles and glasses who only feels free when he transforms himself with makeup, a wig, and sexy high heels. Will is such a complex character, dressing up to hide, creating music to live.
Rand doesn't want a boyfriend. He's all about his band. But Will calls to him.
Music gives me wings, but Will shows me how to fly.
Rand and Will are a true opposites-attract couple, but they fit like puzzle pieces.
When Will agrees to play with Rand's band for the summer, neither man expects the political firestorm coming their way.
There are secrets, petty jealousies, and betrayals. But there is also passion, a "dangerous kind of music," and love.
"You're inside me now. I can live without fame or fortune, Will. But I don't want to live without you."
I love men who embrace their feminine side, so Will's gender bending really worked for me. The scene with the fishnet stockings ... so damn HOT. Will is no shy virgin in bed. He gives as good as he gets.
I didn't like Rand in Better Than Safe. He came off as manipulative and clingy, wanting Seth all to himself. But this book is told from Rand's first-person perspective, and I really got him.
Rand is intense and can't sit still; his mind is always going. But he's loyal and incredibly good to Will.
There were times I found Will frustrating. He doesn't like to let down his guard and is slow to trust. And maybe Rand makes mistakes, but in the end he chooses Will. Only Will.
I loathed Leah, the blogger/publicist. She wanted Rand for herself, and Rand should have told her to fuck off sooner. Much sooner.
Likewise, Will's mother and his "benefactor" are disgusting human being, never mind Will's dad who controls from afar and uses his son as a pawn.
Thankfully, both men are brave & honest; in the end, the simplest truths matter most.
This is a very (very!) sexy, well-written book with two remarkable & remarkably REAL MCs and a lovely HEA. I am so looking forward to more books in this series.
January 17, 2016
4 Stars!!
Moving to New York was a big deal to Rand. His dream is his rock bad to become popular, to hear his songs on the radio, to become a success. He knows for his dreams to become reality he has to keep his sexuality a secret and he’s more than ok with that especially since he doesn’t want to be involved in any kind of relationship. But when he meets a geek musician who makes him want more than success, Rand starts to question everything he wants and desire. William ‘Will’ is a musical genius. He’s a music major and he has his own dreams – he hopes to get accepted to the MFA program for musical theater writing. Talented and shy, with freckles and glasses, Will loves music, but unlike Rand he doesn’t want to be in a band or to be known to the public. Will is gay, but his family doesn't accept his sexual orientation very well.
From the moment Rand meets Will he’s intrigued by him – by his shyness, by his fragility and surprisingly by his geekiness. Even if they come from two different worlds and the love for music is the only thing they have in common, Rand and Will start a tentative friendship. As time passes by, they become something more, something neither of them is really ready for, but the attraction between them is too strong to deny it. Despite the fact they are so different, they are perfect for each other and they seem to know it. Everything gets complicated when Will accepts to play with Rand’s band for the summer and everyone finds out about their relationship and also about Will’s ‘secret’.
I really enjoyed this one. In fact, this one was my favorite book by this author. The entire book was told from Rand’s perspective and surprisingly I really liked only a single POV. Rand was a great narrator. His voice was fun, honest and also entertaining at times.
Both Rand and Will were endearing characters, well developed, colorful and I liked them both from the beginning. I loved Rand’s passion and also his determination to become a rock star. Will was sweet, innocent and cute as a button. You cannot help but fall in love with him from the start. I think what I liked the most about him was how brave he was at some point. You should know there is some crossdressing since Will likes from time to time to wear women’s clothes, glitter and make-up. Unlike some readers I wasn’t bothered by this aspect of the story. Actually, I think it was done pretty well and the author handled this subject with care.
I loved how Rand and Will’s relationship progressed. Nothing felt rushed and everything seemed so natural. The transition from friends to lovers was really well done, it was believable and I loved them together. They were sweet and so good for each other. They completed each other in every way. The steam factor was fantastically done. The sex scenes were hot as hell, well written and their connection in and out of bed was tangible.
There’s some drama and angst, but nothing felt overwhelming.
Overall, a great enjoyable read!
Moving to New York was a big deal to Rand. His dream is his rock bad to become popular, to hear his songs on the radio, to become a success. He knows for his dreams to become reality he has to keep his sexuality a secret and he’s more than ok with that especially since he doesn’t want to be involved in any kind of relationship. But when he meets a geek musician who makes him want more than success, Rand starts to question everything he wants and desire. William ‘Will’ is a musical genius. He’s a music major and he has his own dreams – he hopes to get accepted to the MFA program for musical theater writing. Talented and shy, with freckles and glasses, Will loves music, but unlike Rand he doesn’t want to be in a band or to be known to the public. Will is gay, but his family doesn't accept his sexual orientation very well.
From the moment Rand meets Will he’s intrigued by him – by his shyness, by his fragility and surprisingly by his geekiness. Even if they come from two different worlds and the love for music is the only thing they have in common, Rand and Will start a tentative friendship. As time passes by, they become something more, something neither of them is really ready for, but the attraction between them is too strong to deny it. Despite the fact they are so different, they are perfect for each other and they seem to know it. Everything gets complicated when Will accepts to play with Rand’s band for the summer and everyone finds out about their relationship and also about Will’s ‘secret’.
I really enjoyed this one. In fact, this one was my favorite book by this author. The entire book was told from Rand’s perspective and surprisingly I really liked only a single POV. Rand was a great narrator. His voice was fun, honest and also entertaining at times.
Both Rand and Will were endearing characters, well developed, colorful and I liked them both from the beginning. I loved Rand’s passion and also his determination to become a rock star. Will was sweet, innocent and cute as a button. You cannot help but fall in love with him from the start. I think what I liked the most about him was how brave he was at some point. You should know there is some crossdressing since Will likes from time to time to wear women’s clothes, glitter and make-up. Unlike some readers I wasn’t bothered by this aspect of the story. Actually, I think it was done pretty well and the author handled this subject with care.
I loved how Rand and Will’s relationship progressed. Nothing felt rushed and everything seemed so natural. The transition from friends to lovers was really well done, it was believable and I loved them together. They were sweet and so good for each other. They completed each other in every way. The steam factor was fantastically done. The sex scenes were hot as hell, well written and their connection in and out of bed was tangible.
There’s some drama and angst, but nothing felt overwhelming.
Overall, a great enjoyable read!
March 1, 2016
I am literally the only person to not like this book, and it is KILLING ME that I can't give this book more stars.
First of all, I really like Lane Hayes, and I have a good track record with her. So blame it on what you will; the fact that I don't usually love rock-star books, my inconsistent record with new adult, whatever you want. I mean, if EVERYONE else loves it, it must just be me, right?
But, honestly, this book was murder for me to finish, and I started skimming at about 70%. I was really interested in the whole cross-dressing aspect, but that sort of fizzled and was a bust. Instead, what I got was a whole lot of drama and baddy bad guys. There were characters that made little to no sense to me (Leah?? Terry??), and the virginity trope (which I normally LOVE) was just underwhelming. Everyone from Will's mom to the other band members seemed two-dimensional to me.
I had a hard time caring about Rand and Will's relationship, and I thought that it was a lot of telling and little showing there. I mean, the idea of them together was hot but I felt blah about the whole thing.
Who knows? Maybe I had an off day, maybe it was wrong book, wrong time, however this book will not be something that will stick with me a few days from now. Sorry, friends.
**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
First of all, I really like Lane Hayes, and I have a good track record with her. So blame it on what you will; the fact that I don't usually love rock-star books, my inconsistent record with new adult, whatever you want. I mean, if EVERYONE else loves it, it must just be me, right?
But, honestly, this book was murder for me to finish, and I started skimming at about 70%. I was really interested in the whole cross-dressing aspect, but that sort of fizzled and was a bust. Instead, what I got was a whole lot of drama and baddy bad guys. There were characters that made little to no sense to me (Leah?? Terry??), and the virginity trope (which I normally LOVE) was just underwhelming. Everyone from Will's mom to the other band members seemed two-dimensional to me.
I had a hard time caring about Rand and Will's relationship, and I thought that it was a lot of telling and little showing there. I mean, the idea of them together was hot but I felt blah about the whole thing.
Who knows? Maybe I had an off day, maybe it was wrong book, wrong time, however this book will not be something that will stick with me a few days from now. Sorry, friends.
**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
January 30, 2016
4.5 Stars!
Oh man, loved this one! Loved!
Loved nerdy Will with his kinky side.
Loved Rand's sense of humor (it's probably a good thing I don't remember him much from Seth's book).
Somewhat of a rockstar plot without all of the drama that comes with rockstars! There was minor angst, but it was handled well.
Super HOT! *See note above about Will's kinky side*
.5 deduction for that bitch Leah!
Definitely my favorite Lane Hayes book to date!
Oh man, loved this one! Loved!
Loved nerdy Will with his kinky side.
Loved Rand's sense of humor (it's probably a good thing I don't remember him much from Seth's book).
Somewhat of a rockstar plot without all of the drama that comes with rockstars! There was minor angst, but it was handled well.
Super HOT! *See note above about Will's kinky side*
.5 deduction for that bitch Leah!
Definitely my favorite Lane Hayes book to date!
January 8, 2016
I think this is my fav Lane book yet—and that's a feat, man. I love her writing SO much. But Rand & Will, yo. This was prob my fav contemporary I've read in a while. Def saved me from the book slump I've been in for a while. So much win.
June 4, 2017
Reread- June 2017- still the same reaction! I ADORE this book!
Review
That was just sooooo wonderful and sweet and heart pounding and... and... *sqqquueeee*
Rand and Will are sooo wonderful together!! First off, what is hotter than a tatted rock star together with a sweet freckled geek with glasses? NOTHING!
This relationship felt real, I loved the conversations they had, they complimented each other sooo well. Rand was kind of goofy but had this dominant side which he used to protect what he loved and was also hot as fuck and Will was sweet and down-to-earth but had a fierce side that wasn't going to be trodden on.
“I think you’re like a caterpillar outgrowing his cocoon. You have these wings you know how to use, but you don’t, because the bright colors make you nervous. You’ll figure out on your own that you’re the one who’s kinda like magic.”
These two both wanted to make a relationship that had so many obstacles in the way work, so they talked about their feelings and let the relationship progress as it could naturally. Their only issue was they were surrounded by some seriously fucked up people with fucked up world views *insert ragey face here*.
Perfect amount of love, sex and angst and no stupid decisions or knee-jerk reactions to bad situations. There were some bad situations, obviously (hence the angst) but I thought they were handled quite realistically.
The sex was smmooookkking hot!!! like I said Rand has a dominant side and IT.IS.SEXY.AS.FUCK!
Also not a huge amount of focus on all the music jargon, which was nice, just a few shows which were amazing to read about, but the focus of the book was definitely Will and Rand!
The geek and the rock-star wannabe. The loudmouth and the quiet soul who speaks through music. He is my measure of peace when I get away from myself… and maybe I’m his catalyst to encourage him to share his magic with the world.
Review
That was just sooooo wonderful and sweet and heart pounding and... and... *sqqquueeee*
Rand and Will are sooo wonderful together!! First off, what is hotter than a tatted rock star together with a sweet freckled geek with glasses? NOTHING!
This relationship felt real, I loved the conversations they had, they complimented each other sooo well. Rand was kind of goofy but had this dominant side which he used to protect what he loved and was also hot as fuck and Will was sweet and down-to-earth but had a fierce side that wasn't going to be trodden on.
“I think you’re like a caterpillar outgrowing his cocoon. You have these wings you know how to use, but you don’t, because the bright colors make you nervous. You’ll figure out on your own that you’re the one who’s kinda like magic.”
These two both wanted to make a relationship that had so many obstacles in the way work, so they talked about their feelings and let the relationship progress as it could naturally. Their only issue was they were surrounded by some seriously fucked up people with fucked up world views *insert ragey face here*.
Perfect amount of love, sex and angst and no stupid decisions or knee-jerk reactions to bad situations. There were some bad situations, obviously (hence the angst) but I thought they were handled quite realistically.
The sex was smmooookkking hot!!! like I said Rand has a dominant side and IT.IS.SEXY.AS.FUCK!
Also not a huge amount of focus on all the music jargon, which was nice, just a few shows which were amazing to read about, but the focus of the book was definitely Will and Rand!
The geek and the rock-star wannabe. The loudmouth and the quiet soul who speaks through music. He is my measure of peace when I get away from myself… and maybe I’m his catalyst to encourage him to share his magic with the world.
January 9, 2016
So far this is one of my favorite books of Lane Hayes. I have yet to read "Better than safe", so I didn't know who Rand was. Some people said he was an ass in the previous boom, but he certainly wasn't one in this book. I really liked Rand...I also loved Will. They were both very nice and real characters.
Now..after reading a few reviews, I was a bit nervous about reading this, because it has crossdressing in it, and to be honest..that's not really my thing. I don't have anything against it, but it doesn't push my buttons either. I have to admit it was very nicely done in this book. I loved Will and his fishnets ;)
There was some really nice steam, better than the other books I've read so far ;)
Ofcourse we also get our villains. I hated Leah from the beginning and I didn't really see the point of her being in the storyline. I would have enjoyed her part more if she would have been delt with...but that bitch just got of to easy...Will's family was just fucked up. What a bunch of assholeness !! At least they were delt with...in some way !!
4 stars from me....Will and Rand were really cute together :))
Now..after reading a few reviews, I was a bit nervous about reading this, because it has crossdressing in it, and to be honest..that's not really my thing. I don't have anything against it, but it doesn't push my buttons either. I have to admit it was very nicely done in this book. I loved Will and his fishnets ;)
There was some really nice steam, better than the other books I've read so far ;)
Ofcourse we also get our villains. I hated Leah from the beginning and I didn't really see the point of her being in the storyline. I would have enjoyed her part more if she would have been delt with...but that bitch just got of to easy...Will's family was just fucked up. What a bunch of assholeness !! At least they were delt with...in some way !!
4 stars from me....Will and Rand were really cute together :))
back-burner-for-now
January 22, 2016
Click for the cover! YAY!
February 22, 2016
One word to describe this book:
It was real and honest. As much as I love Lane Hayes (she’s an auto-buy author for me) I sometimes gripe that I wish she wrote her stories from an alternating POV. NOT HERE- Rand was an amazing narrator, and it was a delight to be in his head. I was not a huge fan of his in her previous book, Better Than Safe, but she not only changed my thoughts on him- she made me fall in love with him. He has been added to my Book Boyfriends List. And William, was his perfect match in every way.
My highlights:
*The main characters. They were well thought out, and she took her time developing and making them grow. I loved Rand’s passion, drive, and loyalty. William is, at first, shy and timid, but his bravery shines through. I loved the complexity of his character.
*Their relationship development from tutor and student to friends to lovers. Their chemistry is palpable on every page. Some of the best I’ve read.
*The villains of the story. I enjoy simple slice of life storylines and get annoyed when there are “bad guys” thrown into books. I often find it unnecessary, but they worked for me here. As much as I wanted them to burn in hell they added to the story.
*The steam. FREAKING HELL LANE HAYES! It is incredibly well written and sizzling hot.
*The flow of the story is smooth and effortless.
*The story had the perfect mix of sweetness and angst.
*The end. These men are in it for the long haul, and I believed in their happily ever after.
I can’t recommend this story enough- it left me with a book high. This book is one of Lane Hayes’s best- if not her best. It’s got this raw honesty, with complex characters, yet still manages to carry a feel good vibe. 5+ Stars.
*ARC kindly provided to Gay Book Reviews for an honest review.
January 12, 2016
There isn't much I can add to all these great reviews. I agree with all of them.
Rand is an amazing narrator and I didn't mind at all not having Will's POV. Sometimes he is immature or goofy. At other times, he's angry at the unfairness and the ugliness of society. But most times, he's completely ad utterly in love with Will. Even when he panics, even when he's afraid to admit it. In other words, very real for a guy in his twenties.
The cross-dressing theme was perfectly done in my opinion. I love me some manties, but here, the cross-dressing wasn't just a kink. It was a part of Will's and a different side of his character. At first, it was just to hide, but later it became something he was proud of. Bravo to Lane Hayes for this.
The ending was magnificent and so much more than I expected it to be.
There was just one thing I didn't like. All the drama with Leah, the PR manager seemed OTT and contrived after a while. It was fine at first and totally understandable, but after a while...it just wasn't.
It would have made more sense to me if
Despite these niggles, I really engoyed this book and I'm looking forward to the next in the series. Recommended!
May 13, 2016
This is the first one I've read by Lane Hayes and I loved it. I got both, the Kindle book and the Audible narration.
Top notch narration by Seth Clayton. As much as I enjoyed listening to him though, the story got it's hooks in me early on and I continued it on my eReader instead of waiting for my next road trip.
I honestly couldn't put it down. This is an m/m contemporary romance with a rock star theme. I like reading any book with a music theme. I'm usually disappointed in the lack of authenticity and detail in most of those stories. This one happily surprised me in detailing enough aspects of the music part of the theme to make it feel authentic.
I loved Will and Rand. The mystique surrounding Will kept me guessing and intrigued. I felt like the suspense kept ramping up and up until at about 70% I was almost holding my breath to see what would happen.
There were a couple of things that didn't resolve the way I imagined them. I would have also liked Will's family characters and situation expanded on. But, I'm always asking for books to be longer because I'm greedy that way. ;-)
4.5 stars
Top notch narration by Seth Clayton. As much as I enjoyed listening to him though, the story got it's hooks in me early on and I continued it on my eReader instead of waiting for my next road trip.
I honestly couldn't put it down. This is an m/m contemporary romance with a rock star theme. I like reading any book with a music theme. I'm usually disappointed in the lack of authenticity and detail in most of those stories. This one happily surprised me in detailing enough aspects of the music part of the theme to make it feel authentic.
I loved Will and Rand. The mystique surrounding Will kept me guessing and intrigued. I felt like the suspense kept ramping up and up until at about 70% I was almost holding my breath to see what would happen.
There were a couple of things that didn't resolve the way I imagined them. I would have also liked Will's family characters and situation expanded on. But, I'm always asking for books to be longer because I'm greedy that way. ;-)
4.5 stars
June 13, 2017
$0.99 TODAY ON AMAZON!!! 6/13/17
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Rand was a fun character. I loved that he did and said what wanted and that he was honest 99% of the time. I liked that he wasn't scared of his feelings and expressed them freely. I liked how quirky and random his personality was. But mostly I loved how he was with, William.
William is a musical genius with glasses and freckles. He's geek and an adorable one at that. He comes off as shy and seems to hide behind his music. But when he puts on makeup some glitter and sometimes even some heels and a dress, the shy William becomes the fearless, Billie. I adored him.
Rand doesn't know what's happening to him. He is all about his band and making it big but all of sudden there's this guy he can't stop thinking about. A guy he wants to spend all his time with. A guy he can't stop writing songs about. A guy who is becoming more important then his band and it is throwing him for a loop.
William is quite innocent in a lot of ways when it comes to sex so he wants to experience all he can with Rand before he puts himself back in the closet for his parents. But the more time he spends with Rand the harder he is falling. His choice to please his family isn't looking so clear anymore.
Loved this book and the characters. I even enjoyed some side characters but was glad that the story mostly focused on the MC's.
Great book definitely recommend it to any one of my fellow MM lovers. Happy reading dolls! xx
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Rand was a fun character. I loved that he did and said what wanted and that he was honest 99% of the time. I liked that he wasn't scared of his feelings and expressed them freely. I liked how quirky and random his personality was. But mostly I loved how he was with, William.
William is a musical genius with glasses and freckles. He's geek and an adorable one at that. He comes off as shy and seems to hide behind his music. But when he puts on makeup some glitter and sometimes even some heels and a dress, the shy William becomes the fearless, Billie. I adored him.
Rand doesn't know what's happening to him. He is all about his band and making it big but all of sudden there's this guy he can't stop thinking about. A guy he wants to spend all his time with. A guy he can't stop writing songs about. A guy who is becoming more important then his band and it is throwing him for a loop.
William is quite innocent in a lot of ways when it comes to sex so he wants to experience all he can with Rand before he puts himself back in the closet for his parents. But the more time he spends with Rand the harder he is falling. His choice to please his family isn't looking so clear anymore.
Loved this book and the characters. I even enjoyed some side characters but was glad that the story mostly focused on the MC's.
Great book definitely recommend it to any one of my fellow MM lovers. Happy reading dolls! xx
November 4, 2018
This book was really.....fun? Intense? Both. I definitely felt like I couldn't put it down and read it within 24 hours of it being in my hands. It's Lane Hayes, whose writing I ADORE, so I knew it would be good. Time would tell if it would be GREAT.
There was a lot that worked really well and could have easily made this a 5 star read for me. Unfortunately, there were enough niggles that irked me enough to make it a 4.
Rand O'Malley is the rock band member and Seth's best friend whom we met briefly in Better Than Safe. He is a dichotomy. He's the perfect mix of instant gratification, selfish, bad boy and kind, sweet boyfriend. He's intense, and I liked him a lot!
Will Sanders is a music prodigy college student at NYU. These two meet and bond and flirt over music, and this really spoke to me. I'm a music fanatic, and all the talk of lyrics, chords, and my crank was turned!
There was such a sweet, tentative friendship formed between them as they had this shared love of music in common. I loved this buildup we all got to see coming of WHEN will the friends-to-lovers part happen. And when it happened? It was more of an arrangement than a relationship. So, that was a pretty big letdown for me as a reader. I don't even think it was necessary to the story. (not spoilery - that's pretty much near the beginning).
As these two, with their "arrangement," continue to see each other, Rand's band continues to have success in the local market, and pretty soon they are being scouted by record execs. And we get to know the secondary characters too. Rand's bandmates are very cool overall (except douchebag Terry), and we get to meet Benny, a student friend of Will's. Unfortunately, there's a shark of a bitch named Leah, in charge of the band's PR, who decides she's going to have Will, no matter the cost.
What didn't work for me and caused the rating to drop to 4:
I'm not going to spoiler tag this because I honestly believe this should've been tagged in the blurb. It's something a lot of readers would want to know. There is some significant cross-dressing in this book. Not my cuppa.
Issues with Leah the shark. All of that drama would've been solved by just opening your mouth, Rand! I understand not wanting to piss off the person in charge of your PR, but you have a whole team of people in your corner now. Just open your mouth! I don't like OTT unnecessary drama.
Otherwise, this was a really well-written story that I honestly couldn't put down. The relationship between Rand and Will is sizzling and sweet! Another great story from Hayes that kick starts a new series. I hope Isaac and Benny are next!
There was a lot that worked really well and could have easily made this a 5 star read for me. Unfortunately, there were enough niggles that irked me enough to make it a 4.
Rand O'Malley is the rock band member and Seth's best friend whom we met briefly in Better Than Safe. He is a dichotomy. He's the perfect mix of instant gratification, selfish, bad boy and kind, sweet boyfriend. He's intense, and I liked him a lot!
Will Sanders is a music prodigy college student at NYU. These two meet and bond and flirt over music, and this really spoke to me. I'm a music fanatic, and all the talk of lyrics, chords, and my crank was turned!
There was such a sweet, tentative friendship formed between them as they had this shared love of music in common. I loved this buildup we all got to see coming of WHEN will the friends-to-lovers part happen. And when it happened? It was more of an arrangement than a relationship. So, that was a pretty big letdown for me as a reader. I don't even think it was necessary to the story. (not spoilery - that's pretty much near the beginning).
As these two, with their "arrangement," continue to see each other, Rand's band continues to have success in the local market, and pretty soon they are being scouted by record execs. And we get to know the secondary characters too. Rand's bandmates are very cool overall (except douchebag Terry), and we get to meet Benny, a student friend of Will's. Unfortunately, there's a shark of a bitch named Leah, in charge of the band's PR, who decides she's going to have Will, no matter the cost.
What didn't work for me and caused the rating to drop to 4:
I'm not going to spoiler tag this because I honestly believe this should've been tagged in the blurb. It's something a lot of readers would want to know. There is some significant cross-dressing in this book. Not my cuppa.
Issues with Leah the shark. All of that drama would've been solved by just opening your mouth, Rand! I understand not wanting to piss off the person in charge of your PR, but you have a whole team of people in your corner now. Just open your mouth! I don't like OTT unnecessary drama.
Otherwise, this was a really well-written story that I honestly couldn't put down. The relationship between Rand and Will is sizzling and sweet! Another great story from Hayes that kick starts a new series. I hope Isaac and Benny are next!
September 25, 2024
***As I really enjoyed this story, I also recently bought and listened to the audio book. Superb, and the narrator Seth Clayton is a relative newcomer to audio books, but he was great and even sang at one point. Made me fall in love with Will and Rand even more <3***
Wow!! 5 ‘knocked it out of the park’ stars for this one.
This one had it all. Hot rockers, gay closeted cross dressers, vile bigoted parents with a holier than thou attitude, vindictive slutty bloggers, sacked drunken guitarists out for revenge AND bagel makers who give great advice. I absolutely LOVED it, and I can only hope Lane considers giving Benny a story of his own…he deserves it. Rand and Will, I <3 you!! Thanks Lane!!
Wow!! 5 ‘knocked it out of the park’ stars for this one.
This one had it all. Hot rockers, gay closeted cross dressers, vile bigoted parents with a holier than thou attitude, vindictive slutty bloggers, sacked drunken guitarists out for revenge AND bagel makers who give great advice. I absolutely LOVED it, and I can only hope Lane considers giving Benny a story of his own…he deserves it. Rand and Will, I <3 you!! Thanks Lane!!
May 26, 2016
Welcome to a world where "Lipstick, fishnets, and sequins [are] optional.” As Lane Hayes takes you on an amazing journey and gives you a fantastic story! This is the first story in a new series by Ms. Hayes, the series is perfectly called "A Kind of" and this book focuses on several "Kind of Truth's".
Rand O'Malley is a character we met back in a previous series when he was a support character and Seth's best-friend. We didn't get to learn much about him back in Better Than Safe other than he had a band and appeared a bit high strung. Well now we get the full scoop and wow, what a story it is - Rand is a very complex guy with a dream of being a Rockstar and a plan in place to make his dreams come true. What he doesn't plan for his meeting William who literally rocks his world.
William "Will" Sanders / Billie Sanders is a self proclaimed band geek and if you didn't know better by the amount of names he has you might think he has multiple personalities. He doesn't. What he does have a several aspects of his life neatly compartmentalized -- so much that when the parts start to mesh, Will has trouble dealing with the consequences. William is a prodigy in music, he can make multiple instruments do his bidding and bend notes and harmonies to create unique musical masterpieces. When Rand is in need of emergency guitar lessons, Will is recommended - and as soon as Rand meets Will he is enamored and drawn to him, causing him to act like a bit of a spazz at times as he works his way into Wills heart.
When Rand is out at a local club one night after a show and sees a man in a blonde wig, fishnet stockings, makeup and a sexy dress - he can't believe his eyes when he realizes the sexy man dressed in drag is his guitar tutor. This also brings out a bit of a protective side to Rand as he asserts his claim on Will - ends up literally following Will home and then passing out in Wills cramped apartment. From that moment on, things are never the same.
I loved this story! It was the perfect mix of humor, angst, romance, passion, hot sex, innocence, rebellion, and drama while watching two characters find themselves and each other and fall in love. Perfection! An awesome start to a new series and I cannot wait for the next book! I highly recommend this book. As for the audio, wow! I loved the narrator. Seth Clayton did a fantastic job bringing life to this story, he gave personality and nuances to each character that added another layer of perfection to the story! I truly hope he will be narrating all the stories in this series!
I leave you with a conversation between Rand and Will that I loved:
“You’re missing the point that the glitter and eyeliner is what got me here. It’s why you’re in my bed now, Rand. The part of me you like the most isn’t the real me.”
“I think you’re like a caterpillar outgrowing his cocoon. You have these wings you know how to use, but you don’t, because the bright colors make you nervous. You’ll figure out on your own that you’re the one who’s kinda like magic.”
Review Copy of A Kind of Truth provided by the Publisher, Dreamspinner Press for an honest Review.
Rand O'Malley is a character we met back in a previous series when he was a support character and Seth's best-friend. We didn't get to learn much about him back in Better Than Safe other than he had a band and appeared a bit high strung. Well now we get the full scoop and wow, what a story it is - Rand is a very complex guy with a dream of being a Rockstar and a plan in place to make his dreams come true. What he doesn't plan for his meeting William who literally rocks his world.
William "Will" Sanders / Billie Sanders is a self proclaimed band geek and if you didn't know better by the amount of names he has you might think he has multiple personalities. He doesn't. What he does have a several aspects of his life neatly compartmentalized -- so much that when the parts start to mesh, Will has trouble dealing with the consequences. William is a prodigy in music, he can make multiple instruments do his bidding and bend notes and harmonies to create unique musical masterpieces. When Rand is in need of emergency guitar lessons, Will is recommended - and as soon as Rand meets Will he is enamored and drawn to him, causing him to act like a bit of a spazz at times as he works his way into Wills heart.
When Rand is out at a local club one night after a show and sees a man in a blonde wig, fishnet stockings, makeup and a sexy dress - he can't believe his eyes when he realizes the sexy man dressed in drag is his guitar tutor. This also brings out a bit of a protective side to Rand as he asserts his claim on Will - ends up literally following Will home and then passing out in Wills cramped apartment. From that moment on, things are never the same.
I loved this story! It was the perfect mix of humor, angst, romance, passion, hot sex, innocence, rebellion, and drama while watching two characters find themselves and each other and fall in love. Perfection! An awesome start to a new series and I cannot wait for the next book! I highly recommend this book. As for the audio, wow! I loved the narrator. Seth Clayton did a fantastic job bringing life to this story, he gave personality and nuances to each character that added another layer of perfection to the story! I truly hope he will be narrating all the stories in this series!
I leave you with a conversation between Rand and Will that I loved:
“You’re missing the point that the glitter and eyeliner is what got me here. It’s why you’re in my bed now, Rand. The part of me you like the most isn’t the real me.”
“I think you’re like a caterpillar outgrowing his cocoon. You have these wings you know how to use, but you don’t, because the bright colors make you nervous. You’ll figure out on your own that you’re the one who’s kinda like magic.”
Review Copy of A Kind of Truth provided by the Publisher, Dreamspinner Press for an honest Review.
February 4, 2020
Love Lane Hayes and really liked this book. Sort of went about it "bass-ackwards" in that I read the second book first, the first book second, and then the 3rd book.
Visit my blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
Visit my blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
November 8, 2018
Re-read and STILL fun, though Rand irritated me, at times, with his pushy-ness, but not enough for me to change my rating or my review.
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This one has been on my Kindle forever, and it just hadn't caught my attention. That is until the third book in this series came out, and everybody was singing it's praises.
*hint hint* 'Get your ass in gear Line, and find out what the fuzz is about...'
And the fuzz was FUN, SEXY and GREAT MCs.
So Rand is this FORCE of nature. He is brash, but in a fun way, he's confident and he's the driving force behind their band Spiral.
Spiral has moved to New York to try and make it. Cory, Tim and Rand are the core-members but they need a new lead-guitarist, since Rand needs to concentrate on what he is good at, mainly singing and being all-over-the-place.
In a round-about way fate brings them Will, and Will is a freaking gifted musician, but he's shy and he has secrets coming out the wazoo.
Rand decides to take lessons from Will, since Will will not join their band, and slowly but surely they develop a friendship.
Rand is 'interested' in Will, since Will has so many facets, and I really, truly loved Rand's battering ram-methods. Also he was GREAT fun.
Will was just a freaking sweetheart. Man did my heart break for him a time or two, but when it came down to it, he was no one's doormat, and I was cheering for him and his development through-out!
I have no clue why I waited so long. This book was so much fun. Rand was a great, brash MC and Will and all of his secrets, and his development was a great tether for Rand.
The smex was freaking SMOKIN' and I loved the surrounding characters.
The reason this was not a 5-star read was the crisis around 70-80% and Leah.
Jeebus waterskiing christ, she was annoying, and IMO she was too much, and it really rubbed me the wrong way me that we never got the 'end' to her actions.
But the rest, the rest was a great fun romance, and this book will be read again!
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This one has been on my Kindle forever, and it just hadn't caught my attention. That is until the third book in this series came out, and everybody was singing it's praises.
*hint hint* 'Get your ass in gear Line, and find out what the fuzz is about...'
And the fuzz was FUN, SEXY and GREAT MCs.
So Rand is this FORCE of nature. He is brash, but in a fun way, he's confident and he's the driving force behind their band Spiral.
Spiral has moved to New York to try and make it. Cory, Tim and Rand are the core-members but they need a new lead-guitarist, since Rand needs to concentrate on what he is good at, mainly singing and being all-over-the-place.
In a round-about way fate brings them Will, and Will is a freaking gifted musician, but he's shy and he has secrets coming out the wazoo.
Rand decides to take lessons from Will, since Will will not join their band, and slowly but surely they develop a friendship.
Rand is 'interested' in Will, since Will has so many facets, and I really, truly loved Rand's battering ram-methods. Also he was GREAT fun.
Will was just a freaking sweetheart. Man did my heart break for him a time or two, but when it came down to it, he was no one's doormat, and I was cheering for him and his development through-out!
I have no clue why I waited so long. This book was so much fun. Rand was a great, brash MC and Will and all of his secrets, and his development was a great tether for Rand.
The smex was freaking SMOKIN' and I loved the surrounding characters.
The reason this was not a 5-star read was the crisis around 70-80% and Leah.
Jeebus waterskiing christ, she was annoying, and IMO she was too much, and it really rubbed me the wrong way me that we never got the 'end' to her actions.
But the rest, the rest was a great fun romance, and this book will be read again!
February 28, 2018
I've been a sucker for rockers since I bought my first two cassettes, Bon Jovi and Poison, so I've always been a sucker for rocker romances.
I loved Will and Rand, I thought they meshed well together. What I didn't love was how much extra drama was introduced. Will having a bad family was bad enough, but dragging in the politics angle, and then the stuff with the lousy guitarist, Terry, and blogger/PR person Leah just felt like too much. The story just didn't need all those extra bits, and it just dragged everything out. (and must every homophobic, family values politician come from Indiana these days? I know, with Pence, it's kind of a gimme, but I've seen at two, maybe three books with lousy politicians from Indy lately)
I loved how Will really came alive when he played, and the confidence dressing differently gave him. It was nice, seeing him grow, and man, was this a hot one!
I loved Will and Rand, I thought they meshed well together. What I didn't love was how much extra drama was introduced. Will having a bad family was bad enough, but dragging in the politics angle, and then the stuff with the lousy guitarist, Terry, and blogger/PR person Leah just felt like too much. The story just didn't need all those extra bits, and it just dragged everything out. (and must every homophobic, family values politician come from Indiana these days? I know, with Pence, it's kind of a gimme, but I've seen at two, maybe three books with lousy politicians from Indy lately)
I loved how Will really came alive when he played, and the confidence dressing differently gave him. It was nice, seeing him grow, and man, was this a hot one!
January 31, 2016
Glitter and fishnet-stockings? Yay!
Liked the story and especially William, the music geek with glasses and freckles… and a drawer full of make-up. Will definitely read the following books.
January 25, 2016
** 2,5 drama stars **
This book started so well and I was getting a really good vibe off aspiring rock star and his geeky guitar teacher. But the story just fell apart bit by bit.
I was really excited to uncover Will had a secret passion for cross dressing, because dressing up made him feel good and grow more confident. So far so good, right?
But then it turns out Uhm, right..
So Rand thinks it's cool that Will likes to dress up. (Yay!) However, the only time Will is in drag is the instance above when Will finds out. Will dresses up for shows later, but he only wears a wig, eye liner and glitter. So I feel like this "drag trope" was just a way for me to take the bait and buy this book. Will only There's a pretty big jump between cross dressing and dressing up. Isn't there? I would have loved there to more about Will and his love of actually dressing up.
Also, the whole character of Leah pissed me off. And Terry Talk about added drama! All I ask for is putting in a sentence where she tripped and lands face first in dog poop, or something. Or burn in Hell. Or anything in between.
Then there was the whole issue with Will parents. I mean, can we add more unnecessary drama? Oh, you remember the "family friend"? Turns out
So I'm just writing down thoughts right after finishing the book. I hope it makes sense. It sounds horrible when summing it up like this! Did I actually read all this? ^^
I did like somethings, though. I liked that Rand and Will fell for each other. I liked that Rand was Wills first in every way. I liked seeing their relationship develop. I liked the descriptions of their love for music. I liked that Rand was bisexual and not straight-curious or GFY. I liked that Will I liked that they
However. My issues above coupled with the authors tendency to tell and not show the important part and a lovely in the epilogue, this didn't work out for me at all.
Such a bummer and a missed opportunity! And it started out so well! *wails*
I need a drink.
Buddy Read with Teo.
April 19, 2018
**3.4 stars**
It took me awhile to get into this book. I wasn’t feeling it. Maybe it was the writing, maybe it was me. Whatever the case, I decided to set it aside for a few days. When I picked it up, however, I was quickly sucked into the story Lane Hayes laid out for us.
Some of the side character proved quite unlikeable, but those were their roles since they played the foil to our MCs.
Our MCs, Rand and Will were set up as an unlikely pair. Rand is loud, brash, and tattooed, looking for his big break in the music business. Will is quiet, preppy, and seemingly reserved working his way through NYU School of Music. Will agrees to tutor Rand on his guitar work. Soon, Rand is tutoring Will in more personal matters.
While I got a good idea of who Will was as a character, I can’t say the same about Rand. I got to know him as the bisexual frontman for a band, but little else. Will was a much more interesting character with layers full of glitter and sparkle beneath his Oxford shirts and khakis.
The sex was pretty hot, I wish we could have played a bit more with Will’s glam side in the bedroom. I really wanted Rand to rip a hole in the fishnets Will was wearing, but that scene will have to live in my mind instead. Too bad.
I enjoyed this, it didn’t blow me away, but I liked the chemistry between the two men; and I truly loved Will’s journey.
It took me awhile to get into this book. I wasn’t feeling it. Maybe it was the writing, maybe it was me. Whatever the case, I decided to set it aside for a few days. When I picked it up, however, I was quickly sucked into the story Lane Hayes laid out for us.
Some of the side character proved quite unlikeable, but those were their roles since they played the foil to our MCs.
Our MCs, Rand and Will were set up as an unlikely pair. Rand is loud, brash, and tattooed, looking for his big break in the music business. Will is quiet, preppy, and seemingly reserved working his way through NYU School of Music. Will agrees to tutor Rand on his guitar work. Soon, Rand is tutoring Will in more personal matters.
While I got a good idea of who Will was as a character, I can’t say the same about Rand. I got to know him as the bisexual frontman for a band, but little else. Will was a much more interesting character with layers full of glitter and sparkle beneath his Oxford shirts and khakis.
The sex was pretty hot, I wish we could have played a bit more with Will’s glam side in the bedroom. I really wanted Rand to rip a hole in the fishnets Will was wearing, but that scene will have to live in my mind instead. Too bad.
I enjoyed this, it didn’t blow me away, but I liked the chemistry between the two men; and I truly loved Will’s journey.
July 5, 2016
4 stars for this sweet story
I loved this couple! I finished the book in one standing.
Rand was not afraid to speak his mind and Will was a shy geek but he was so cute. They were awesome together! From the start I could feel their attraction! They felt so real.
At first I was a little sad we didn't get both POV but having Rand's POV was pretty amazing! He was so talented and all he wanted was to become successful with his rock band - Spiral.
I really loved the way this story was revealed, I connected to the characters and felt their fears and their frustration.
The end of the book made me smile A LOT! In your face, MOM!
March 5, 2016
4 Stars
June 2, 2019
Yep, this was a big win for me. I loved these guys right from the start and never wanted to stop. I can't wait to jump in to book 2. Rand doesn't care so much about being famous and making millions of dollars with his music. He wants to be able to perform and share his music with the masses, the fame and fortune are a great side benefit so he can afford to live and produce more music. It's a great message. And Will is a shy man who is hiding who he is because his parents don't approve. When Will and Rand get together, parts of each other rub off on the other and it changes them to both me stronger, braver, more open and ready to change their life if it means being with the other.
I can't say enough good things about this and highly recommend it to everyone. 4.5 stars
I can't say enough good things about this and highly recommend it to everyone. 4.5 stars
June 8, 2016
4.25 stars
I liked this a lot! So many things about Rand and Will, and their relationship, felt fresh to me. Rand was great, especially the way he would just dive into everything and never hold back. And his love of making music and dedication to making the band a success. I particularly loved having the first person POV from Rand's perspective and getting to see Will from his eyes. Will was awesome. I really enjoyed the juxtaposition of both his geeky music major side with his cross-dressing side, and his shyness with his inner core of steel. I also loved the relatively slow development of their relationship. These guys were perfect together.
Some of the plot points in the last half (like everything to do with Leah) were a little annoying. And the thing with Will's family? I feel like I've seen the same thing too many times in m/m over the last year or so. Other than those quibbles, this was a great read.
I liked this a lot! So many things about Rand and Will, and their relationship, felt fresh to me. Rand was great, especially the way he would just dive into everything and never hold back. And his love of making music and dedication to making the band a success. I particularly loved having the first person POV from Rand's perspective and getting to see Will from his eyes. Will was awesome. I really enjoyed the juxtaposition of both his geeky music major side with his cross-dressing side, and his shyness with his inner core of steel. I also loved the relatively slow development of their relationship. These guys were perfect together.
Some of the plot points in the last half (like everything to do with Leah) were a little annoying. And the thing with Will's family? I feel like I've seen the same thing too many times in m/m over the last year or so. Other than those quibbles, this was a great read.
Want to read
January 3, 2020free through January 3 - 10, 2020: https://claims.prolificworks.com/free...
May 17, 2016
I can totally see why so many love this story. It's got a sweet core and plenty of heat. I just wish I would have connected a little more to the characters.
Told entirely from rock band frontman, Rand O’Malley's, POV, A Kind of Truth follows the relationship between Rand, who's a bit of a dichotomy and Will Sanders, a gifted, but shy, musician.
What I liked most about the story was Rand's devotion to Will and getting to hear their relationship unfold. While I would have loved to have gotten Will's POV too, Rand provides such color it was certainly entertaining just being inside his head.
The story hit some snags for me in terms of flow, and I didn't care for a couple of the side storylines (Terry and Leah, I'm looking at you) and the unnecessary drama that came with those characters, but ultimately the love between Rand and Will won me over and I loved their HEA.
New-to-me narrator Seth Clayton did a wonderful job overall with the character voices and narration. I could tell Clayton was having a great time with the story, which certainly made for a more pleasurable listening experience. Ultimately, it was very easy to listen to him and I would easily recommend the audio.
Audio copy of A Kind of Truth (A Kind of Stories #1) provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange of an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
October 25, 2016
I enjoyed this book, especially the first half, with a rising rock star and a serious music student. I liked that Rand was kind of a pushy jerk, and he didn't completely reform through the book. He still thought he knew what was best and determinedly bulled ahead at it. He wasn't very perceptive of others. The relationship started fast, but it felt okay with the way the immediate attraction was portrayed.
I was a bit disappointed with the resolution - although the relationship was sweet, the most interesting parts of the book to me were going to be the bits that presumably happened between the last chapter and the epilogue. There was the potential for some emotional and messy family and business and professional and financial dynamics to occur. I'd have loved to have seen that on page. The cross-dressing aspect also didn't come into play in the way it might have, and
Still, the book kept my attention, and made for a fast read. The characters were interesting, especially the dichotomy (or maybe I should say multiple layers) of Will. Despite not seeing all those aspects come into play in the potential mess we missed out on at the end, I enjoyed watching Will blow cool, hot and confusing. And added bonus for Rand actually being bisexual.
I was a bit disappointed with the resolution - although the relationship was sweet, the most interesting parts of the book to me were going to be the bits that presumably happened between the last chapter and the epilogue. There was the potential for some emotional and messy family and business and professional and financial dynamics to occur. I'd have loved to have seen that on page. The cross-dressing aspect also didn't come into play in the way it might have, and
Still, the book kept my attention, and made for a fast read. The characters were interesting, especially the dichotomy (or maybe I should say multiple layers) of Will. Despite not seeing all those aspects come into play in the potential mess we missed out on at the end, I enjoyed watching Will blow cool, hot and confusing. And added bonus for Rand actually being bisexual.
June 13, 2016
3.75 stars rounded up
This was good -- definitely better than the last three Lane Hayes's books that I read (they were all read last year, by the way). It was pretty straight-forward romance, I liked the main MC, Rand, of being bisexual, and didn't exactly follow some typical reactions of being a musician who needs to suppress his sexuality for the contract/fame.
BUT, despite the sole narrator being Rand, I found myself being in love with Will instead. I thought he rocked!! I loved his strength and his integrity. I loved that he didn't cower down to his family's demands of being in the closet because of their bigotry. Even if everything about him I knew from Rand's perspective, Will was the super star in this book for me. He brought the story home, and I guess I enjoyed the book so much because of him.
I could've done less with another woman as bitchy villain though. That one was getting old. In fact, I thought the villains here were pretty cliché and rather two-dimensional (Leah, Terry, Will's father). Oh, and the whole baby endearment (personal pet peeve, of course) URGH BLECH (thank God for delete function).
This was good -- definitely better than the last three Lane Hayes's books that I read (they were all read last year, by the way). It was pretty straight-forward romance, I liked the main MC, Rand, of being bisexual, and didn't exactly follow some typical reactions of being a musician who needs to suppress his sexuality for the contract/fame.
BUT, despite the sole narrator being Rand, I found myself being in love with Will instead. I thought he rocked!! I loved his strength and his integrity. I loved that he didn't cower down to his family's demands of being in the closet because of their bigotry. Even if everything about him I knew from Rand's perspective, Will was the super star in this book for me. He brought the story home, and I guess I enjoyed the book so much because of him.
I could've done less with another woman as bitchy villain though. That one was getting old. In fact, I thought the villains here were pretty cliché and rather two-dimensional (Leah, Terry, Will's father). Oh, and the whole baby endearment (personal pet peeve, of course) URGH BLECH (thank God for delete function).
October 11, 2018
Again, I'm late to the party as this was the first Lane Hayes book I read.
Opposites attract here, though Rand and William's love of music brings them together. Aside from the obstacles each bring to the relationship, Rand hiding that he is bi-sexual for the good of his up and coming career and William out, but maybe giving up that freedom for a return to his family, there is trouble coming from the outside. You can see the trouble coming from the moment the villainous characters are introduced (and really so can Rand) and are just waiting to see how it all plays out.
I really enjoyed being with Rand and William. Rand is more outgoing and impulsive while William is a quiet, seemingly straight-arrow nerd with a killer musical ability. William has a few surprises in store for Rand and the readers and I appreciated his personality as he opened up to Rand. I wish some aspects of it were developed a bit more, but I was glad to see he didn't let himself be completely steamrolled by Rand. Rand is mostly focussed on his band as they are on the cusp of making a name for themselves on the NYC club circuit. When Will comes along he is thrown by his attraction and his decision to keep his attraction to men on the DL for the sake of the band is tested, along with just how much of himself he is willing to hide in his quest for success.
I really liked Lane Hayes's writing style. I was immersed in the story and the relationship from the start. The villains were bad, the friends supportive (for the most part) and the romance was lovely with a nice dose of steam. There were a few things that stopped me from adding the final star. Personally, I wanted to see some things that were told as a recap or skipped over at the end .
Despite the few quibbles, it was a story I didn't want to put down and I've already downloaded the next. I would love to see these guys in the future with William realizing his dreams as well.
Opposites attract here, though Rand and William's love of music brings them together. Aside from the obstacles each bring to the relationship, Rand hiding that he is bi-sexual for the good of his up and coming career and William out, but maybe giving up that freedom for a return to his family, there is trouble coming from the outside. You can see the trouble coming from the moment the villainous characters are introduced (and really so can Rand) and are just waiting to see how it all plays out.
I really enjoyed being with Rand and William. Rand is more outgoing and impulsive while William is a quiet, seemingly straight-arrow nerd with a killer musical ability. William has a few surprises in store for Rand and the readers and I appreciated his personality as he opened up to Rand. I wish some aspects of it were developed a bit more, but I was glad to see he didn't let himself be completely steamrolled by Rand. Rand is mostly focussed on his band as they are on the cusp of making a name for themselves on the NYC club circuit. When Will comes along he is thrown by his attraction and his decision to keep his attraction to men on the DL for the sake of the band is tested, along with just how much of himself he is willing to hide in his quest for success.
I really liked Lane Hayes's writing style. I was immersed in the story and the relationship from the start. The villains were bad, the friends supportive (for the most part) and the romance was lovely with a nice dose of steam. There were a few things that stopped me from adding the final star. Personally, I wanted to see some things that were told as a recap or skipped over at the end .
Despite the few quibbles, it was a story I didn't want to put down and I've already downloaded the next. I would love to see these guys in the future with William realizing his dreams as well.
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