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Steele Brothers #2
Un vœu non dit: Les frères Steele, T2
𝙃𝙚’𝙨 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙧𝙪𝙣 𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢.
There’s a long list of things I don’t handle well:
Change.
Relationships.
Breakups.
But there’s one person above everything else I can’t seem to get a handle on.
𝘉𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘞𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦.
In short, he’s perfect. The reality, he scares me.
He’s the opposite of what I usually go for. He’s bigger. Intimidating. He reminds me of someone I’d rather forget.
When I need to find a new place to live, Brody offers me his spare room, but I have no plans on taking him up on the offer. He doesn’t know what happened to me five years ago, and I want to keep it that way.
But with limited options, I find myself outside his apartment holding a full moving box and wondering: How can I do this without exposing the darkest part of my past?
**𝘜𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘝𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭-𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩 𝘔𝘔 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 an 𝘏𝘍𝘕/𝘏𝘌𝘈 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴. 𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳.**
There’s a long list of things I don’t handle well:
Change.
Relationships.
Breakups.
But there’s one person above everything else I can’t seem to get a handle on.
𝘉𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘞𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦.
In short, he’s perfect. The reality, he scares me.
He’s the opposite of what I usually go for. He’s bigger. Intimidating. He reminds me of someone I’d rather forget.
When I need to find a new place to live, Brody offers me his spare room, but I have no plans on taking him up on the offer. He doesn’t know what happened to me five years ago, and I want to keep it that way.
But with limited options, I find myself outside his apartment holding a full moving box and wondering: How can I do this without exposing the darkest part of my past?
**𝘜𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘝𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭-𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩 𝘔𝘔 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 an 𝘏𝘍𝘕/𝘏𝘌𝘈 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴. 𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳.**
366 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 9, 2019
538 people are currently reading
1835 people want to read
About the author
Eden Finley
63 books8,019 followersEden Finley is an Amazon bestselling author who writes steamy contemporary romances that are mostly full of snark and light-hearted fluff.
She lives to create an escape from real life for herself and her readers.
She's also an Australian girl and apologises for her Australianisms that sometimes don't make sense to anyone else.
She lives to create an escape from real life for herself and her readers.
She's also an Australian girl and apologises for her Australianisms that sometimes don't make sense to anyone else.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 559 reviews
June 30, 2019
Gah! With everything that Anders had gone through in the past, this book was completely heartbreaking, but still remained mostly full of hope.
My friends already know that stories centered around mental health issues are faaaaar from my favorite trope.
They tend to be emotionally draining, especially when an MC's issues force a sudden, often long separation, leaving the other MC completely gutted in the process. And that's about the furthest thing from a fun read, IMHO.
But in this story, although being inside Anders' damaged head was very often turbulent and irrational, Eden kept his wallowing in self-pity to as much of a minimum as the subject matter would allow.
[My interpretation of Anders, sans full-on beard...]
She accomplished this by injecting a lot of humor, and with Law and Anders' therapist calling bullshit on the destructive thoughts, brought to the surface by Anders' constant inner voice, when such tough love was very much needed.
Another thing that allowed me to enjoy this story more than your typical angsty, mental health tale was the limited number of major setbacks that Anders had after moving in with Brody. Nothing makes me crazier than reading a story, for enjoyment, where there's one step forward, then five steps back, rinse and repeat until I feel like strangling an author.
[My Brody, sans clothes, sue me...]
Yes, Anders did have a few slip ups and freaked out; however, he truly *wanted* to get better. To live a happy life. With Brody. So he actually put in the work, even if the forward momentum was aided at times by his twin, Law, giving him a firm nudge in the direction he already wanted to go, but found himself stuck before that point.
That angst was kept to an acceptable level, never really feeling forced, and the steamy bits were present, but that's not what this story was about, so that felt realistic to me, too.
The book did end with the guys heading toward their very own HEA, but also admitting that no amount of "Magical Dick" was going to get them to 100% immediately.
Just like any "typical/normal" relationship, theirs was going to take constant work. They'd probably have to put in more effort than most to get there, but neither man had any doubt that they *would* in fact reach that goal.
4.25 stars.
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My ARC copy of the book was provided by the author in exchange for a fair, unbiased review.
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July 11, 2019
Books that center around Mental Health are always a bit of a hit and miss for me. This is because I myself suffer from multiple issues, and so I am not always up to reading about it. Sometimes I just like to pretend I am an ostrich...
Other times I don't mind reading about it because it makes me feel less alone...if you get what I'm saying.
Anyways...I usually try not to let my mood affect my rating because me being in a bad place has nothing to do with the book or the story ;)
In this instance, I really enjoyed the story...it actually made me feel hopeful, which is always a good thing. That said...I still want to point out the triggers to those who do mind reading about mental health.
Anders and Brody were introduced in the previous book and since I didn't know this before I started, I had to go back and read book 1, Unwritten Law. I do advice reading that one first ;)
Now this book may have dealt with some heavy subjects but that doesn't mean it was all heavy and dark. There was definitely light and fun and sweetness.
I had a lot of admiration for Anderson and respect for Brody in how he dealt with everything. Anderson has been through some very traumatic events and is still struggling with the aftermath. He is suffering from a severe case of PTSD, amongst other things. But thankfully he isn't alone... He will find strength in Brody, who I loved dearly ...
Love doesn't solve all your problems, I know this better than anyone...but it sure as hell helps. Having someone to love you, support you and hold you up when you crumble...is everything...
An ARC was provided to
in exchange for an honest review
August 30, 2020
Audiobook - 4stars
Story - 3 stars
Story - 3 stars
June 29, 2019
I'm wordless. This book has essentially left me speechless with just how much justice was done to such a difficult subject.
It can't be read alone, imho. You need to have read Law's story first to have a full understanding of how Anders' life has been one of simply existing for the last five years.
There are trigger warnings, they need paying attention to. Eden Finley deals with some of the harshest forms of mental trauma in this book with a sensitivity that is second to none.
I'm not going to mention much about them, this is a narrative that needs to be experienced alongside Brody's discovery of Anders' past and his issues.
I will say though, it's not a depressing book, there is such hope and love throughout that it really does make your heart sing.
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
It can't be read alone, imho. You need to have read Law's story first to have a full understanding of how Anders' life has been one of simply existing for the last five years.
There are trigger warnings, they need paying attention to. Eden Finley deals with some of the harshest forms of mental trauma in this book with a sensitivity that is second to none.
I'm not going to mention much about them, this is a narrative that needs to be experienced alongside Brody's discovery of Anders' past and his issues.
I will say though, it's not a depressing book, there is such hope and love throughout that it really does make your heart sing.
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
July 11, 2019
Unpopular opinion. This was SO much more hurt/comfort than I imagined. And when I say that's not my cuppa, it's really, really not. I can handle it in certain doses, but this was like drinking from a fire hose.
Also, is there anyone like Brody who is that understanding and perfect? I think I believe in Santa more than him.
Also, is there anyone like Brody who is that understanding and perfect? I think I believe in Santa more than him.
July 12, 2019
NOW LIVE!
Amazon US * Amazon UK
I've been pretty excited to get this story since I first read Unwritten Law and met the Steele Brothers. And especially when I saw that spark between Anders and Brody. I knew their story was going to be amazing and I was absolutely not wrong. There was so much emotion and sexual tension in this book that I just about exploded. And I loved all of it.
Anders is a character that hit pretty close to home for me, but I have to say that I loved how Eden Finley depicted what he was going through. There was a lot of care in how she showed his anxiety, but more than that I really liked how it was shown also from Brody's POV and how it affected Brody as well. It made it very easy to connect to both characters and fall in love with them.
There were a ton of sweet moments between them that had me swooning like crazy and dying to see them together. Not that I didn't also enjoy the sexual tension that sparked between them when Anders was trying avoiding Brody. I also loved that there was humor thrown into the book, especially when it came in the form of a cat named Meatball.
Overall, this is certainly a book that I would recommend. There's so much to enjoy with the sexiness, the emotions swirling around, and the funny scenes that will make keep a smile on your face.
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
Amazon US * Amazon UK
I've been pretty excited to get this story since I first read Unwritten Law and met the Steele Brothers. And especially when I saw that spark between Anders and Brody. I knew their story was going to be amazing and I was absolutely not wrong. There was so much emotion and sexual tension in this book that I just about exploded. And I loved all of it.
Anders is a character that hit pretty close to home for me, but I have to say that I loved how Eden Finley depicted what he was going through. There was a lot of care in how she showed his anxiety, but more than that I really liked how it was shown also from Brody's POV and how it affected Brody as well. It made it very easy to connect to both characters and fall in love with them.
There were a ton of sweet moments between them that had me swooning like crazy and dying to see them together. Not that I didn't also enjoy the sexual tension that sparked between them when Anders was trying avoiding Brody. I also loved that there was humor thrown into the book, especially when it came in the form of a cat named Meatball.
Overall, this is certainly a book that I would recommend. There's so much to enjoy with the sexiness, the emotions swirling around, and the funny scenes that will make keep a smile on your face.
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
July 14, 2019
There are a lot of angsty, hurt/comfort stories that I really enjoyed, but for some reason I couldn't connect emotionally with this one. I liked some parts of the story but as a whole, not as much as I expected.
I found Anders very intriguing in the first book and I really liked him as a character in this one. His story was very touching. Brody was also a lovely character and perfect for Anders, if not too perfect.
However, I feel that right from the start of their relationship, the emphasis was too much on their physical attraction. Nothing wrong with that, but in Anders' case I think it would have been more natural to get to know someone first in order to trust them and be comfortable in their company.
I found Anders very intriguing in the first book and I really liked him as a character in this one. His story was very touching. Brody was also a lovely character and perfect for Anders, if not too perfect.
However, I feel that right from the start of their relationship, the emphasis was too much on their physical attraction. Nothing wrong with that, but in Anders' case I think it would have been more natural to get to know someone first in order to trust them and be comfortable in their company.
July 12, 2019
3.5 stars rounded up because the humor and snark kept this from becoming too dark and depressing.
I didn't know what Anders' story would entail but I was very pleasantly surprised at how much I smiled reading his story. It's because the story is about healing, about strength and about defining your own normal. It's about finding your individual happy.
So overall it felt uplifting and positive. Throw in Finley's trademark dry wit and the characters became as endearing as could be.
I really, really liked this story.
I didn't know what Anders' story would entail but I was very pleasantly surprised at how much I smiled reading his story. It's because the story is about healing, about strength and about defining your own normal. It's about finding your individual happy.
So overall it felt uplifting and positive. Throw in Finley's trademark dry wit and the characters became as endearing as could be.
I really, really liked this story.
July 15, 2019
What happened to me with this book was the complete opposite of the first one. I expected to hate the first book and ended up liking it, and I expected to love this book but I ended up being too frustrated with the drama to fully like it.
This book is all about Anders. Anders was attacked and almost killed by his ex-boyfriend 5 years ago. Now he has PTSD and severe anxiety. He only dates smaller younger guys, but still avoid conflicts at all cost. So he still gets Law to break up with his flings for him.
But now that Lawson has moved out, he needs a new apartment he can afford on his own. When Brody offers him a place to stay, Anders says no. Even though Brody is Reed’s friend, and he is very gentle and sweet, he is also muscular and huge. No way will Anders ever feel safe with him.
But when Anders sees no other way, he accepts Brody’s offer in the hope it will all be okay.
Brody really likes Anders, but he also knows there is something Anders is not telling him. When he finds out Anders was attacked several years ago, he finally gets why Anders is so jumpy around him. Now all Brody needs to do is show Anders that he is no threat….
I was so sure I would love this one. I thought I couldn’t go wrong here. Traumatized character, check. Patient gentle giant, check. Being forced to spend time together because of roommate situation, check. But there were a couple of things that only added to the drama, but added nothing to the plot. And that really frustrated me.
Like how Anders told Brody it was a mugging instead of revealing it was his ex-boyfriend who attacked him. Why was that necessary? Now it added a lot of angst, because Brody was unsure why Anders had such trust issues and Anders purposely held something back from Brody. Their relationship wasn’t quite what I’d hoped it would be because of that.
And while the relationship progressed somewhat, Anders still held back. And when the big drama happened around 75%, I was just rolling my eyes. It was way too much drama for me. And I wasn’t quite sold on the reasoning behind it either. Even though I could understand that it was a shock seeing Brody’s father (who was Anders’ ex’s lawyer), I felt that he used it as an excuse to break up with Brody.
So I had really high hopes for this one, but it turns out I actually liked the first book more.
This book is all about Anders. Anders was attacked and almost killed by his ex-boyfriend 5 years ago. Now he has PTSD and severe anxiety. He only dates smaller younger guys, but still avoid conflicts at all cost. So he still gets Law to break up with his flings for him.
But now that Lawson has moved out, he needs a new apartment he can afford on his own. When Brody offers him a place to stay, Anders says no. Even though Brody is Reed’s friend, and he is very gentle and sweet, he is also muscular and huge. No way will Anders ever feel safe with him.
But when Anders sees no other way, he accepts Brody’s offer in the hope it will all be okay.
Brody really likes Anders, but he also knows there is something Anders is not telling him. When he finds out Anders was attacked several years ago, he finally gets why Anders is so jumpy around him. Now all Brody needs to do is show Anders that he is no threat….
I was so sure I would love this one. I thought I couldn’t go wrong here. Traumatized character, check. Patient gentle giant, check. Being forced to spend time together because of roommate situation, check. But there were a couple of things that only added to the drama, but added nothing to the plot. And that really frustrated me.
Like how Anders told Brody it was a mugging instead of revealing it was his ex-boyfriend who attacked him. Why was that necessary? Now it added a lot of angst, because Brody was unsure why Anders had such trust issues and Anders purposely held something back from Brody. Their relationship wasn’t quite what I’d hoped it would be because of that.
And while the relationship progressed somewhat, Anders still held back. And when the big drama happened around 75%, I was just rolling my eyes. It was way too much drama for me. And I wasn’t quite sold on the reasoning behind it either. Even though I could understand that it was a shock seeing Brody’s father (who was Anders’ ex’s lawyer), I felt that he used it as an excuse to break up with Brody.
So I had really high hopes for this one, but it turns out I actually liked the first book more.
July 14, 2019
This was definitely Eden Finley's angstiest MM book to date. Does that mean it was super duper angsty or even that dark? Nah, I wouldn't say that. It dealt with heavy shit but it didn't go down a dark path like it could have.
At times, yeah, I found Anders' behavior a little frustrating, but ultimately it was very understandable so I was able to get past it. And real shit like trauma and anxiety and PTSD, all that is all hard shit to deal with and not instantly curable so I knew Anders wasn't just going to magically get better just because he was falling for Brody.
At times it got a bit much that this felt like almost all of this was just about Anders dealing with his shit, and I kinda wanted some breaks from it and was bummed we didn't really get it. At least near the end, but it wasn't too bad in the end.
I liked Anders' and Brody's chemistry, although it wasn't as much as I would have liked. Maybe if we'd gotten a little scenes of them getting to know each other, it would have made it all the better. There were a few, but not enough imo.
I do love where these two ended up and how they got to a good place, and I liked how it wasn't all just perfect in the end. It's definitely a fairly strong HFN, but Anders is still healing, still getting better - and he'll probably deal with shit his whole life, but I mean he still isn't 100% comfortable around Brody is certain situations at the end and I appreciated that. It wasn't like Anders got "fixed" so they could be together because real life isn't that simple and easy. And people who've been through shit deserve a chance at happiness and to be with someone they love, even when they aren't 100%.
Overall I was pretty happy with this story and enjoyed it for the most part. By the end I loved these two characters, even with the frustrations Anders sometimes caused. And honestly, I saw others say that Brody was almost too perfect, and in a way...maybe, but I don't think he was perfect. He had moments where he messed up or got upset or angry, he just didn't fly off the handle, which is fine - some people are good at reigning it in. Brody, to me, was the perfect guy for Anders.
So two thumbs up from me, I definitely recommend this. 4 happily given stars! :D
At times, yeah, I found Anders' behavior a little frustrating, but ultimately it was very understandable so I was able to get past it. And real shit like trauma and anxiety and PTSD, all that is all hard shit to deal with and not instantly curable so I knew Anders wasn't just going to magically get better just because he was falling for Brody.
At times it got a bit much that this felt like almost all of this was just about Anders dealing with his shit, and I kinda wanted some breaks from it and was bummed we didn't really get it. At least near the end, but it wasn't too bad in the end.
I liked Anders' and Brody's chemistry, although it wasn't as much as I would have liked. Maybe if we'd gotten a little scenes of them getting to know each other, it would have made it all the better. There were a few, but not enough imo.
I do love where these two ended up and how they got to a good place, and I liked how it wasn't all just perfect in the end. It's definitely a fairly strong HFN, but Anders is still healing, still getting better - and he'll probably deal with shit his whole life, but I mean he still isn't 100% comfortable around Brody is certain situations at the end and I appreciated that. It wasn't like Anders got "fixed" so they could be together because real life isn't that simple and easy. And people who've been through shit deserve a chance at happiness and to be with someone they love, even when they aren't 100%.
Overall I was pretty happy with this story and enjoyed it for the most part. By the end I loved these two characters, even with the frustrations Anders sometimes caused. And honestly, I saw others say that Brody was almost too perfect, and in a way...maybe, but I don't think he was perfect. He had moments where he messed up or got upset or angry, he just didn't fly off the handle, which is fine - some people are good at reigning it in. Brody, to me, was the perfect guy for Anders.
So two thumbs up from me, I definitely recommend this. 4 happily given stars! :D
August 28, 2019
3.25 stars!! 👍💕 Liked it!! I think this was a close one where I almost loved it, but maybe I wasn't really in the right frame of mind to read about a serious mental-issue. Although Ms Finley has done a wonderful job writing about a real issue👍, but having read her other books this felt a little off because the humor didn't quite gel with what Anders was dealing with.
The story was both heartbreaking 💔as well as satisfying at times💗. Anders has severe anxiety and PTSD due to an assault which almost killed him nearly 6 years ago.😭 He deals with panic attacks that can be triggered by anything and anyone that reminds him of his ex (Kyle, who abused and assaulted him) and Brody fits that bill. But what is inexplicable to him is his attraction to Brody despite everything. They share a strong chemistry which is steamy when they are together, but which also leads to severe panic-attacks for Anders😰. How they slowly navigate their growing feelings towards each other and find some stability in their relationship is the crux of the story😍. The path to their HEA is not without setbacks and some secrets coming out, so its not really an HEA but an HFN at the end. But
All is all, still a good book 💖but not like Ms. Finley's other books which are lighter and on the sweet side. I would recommend reading this after Law and Reed's story; since the stories are so inter-connected. 👍😁
The story was both heartbreaking 💔as well as satisfying at times💗. Anders has severe anxiety and PTSD due to an assault which almost killed him nearly 6 years ago.😭 He deals with panic attacks that can be triggered by anything and anyone that reminds him of his ex (Kyle, who abused and assaulted him) and Brody fits that bill. But what is inexplicable to him is his attraction to Brody despite everything. They share a strong chemistry which is steamy when they are together, but which also leads to severe panic-attacks for Anders😰. How they slowly navigate their growing feelings towards each other and find some stability in their relationship is the crux of the story😍. The path to their HEA is not without setbacks and some secrets coming out, so its not really an HEA but an HFN at the end. But
All is all, still a good book 💖but not like Ms. Finley's other books which are lighter and on the sweet side. I would recommend reading this after Law and Reed's story; since the stories are so inter-connected. 👍😁
January 1, 2023
[4.25] broaching mental health in books is already a fine line to walk, so stories that center around the subject can be a huge hit or miss, but Eden Finley creates the perfect balance of the heaviness & darkness of trauma with humor & hope.
Anders' thought processes were frustrating, but more like frustratingly familiar reminders of the unreasonable side of anxiety. it hurts when people believe the only reason you're anxious is because you're simply not trying hard enough to "overcome your fears" when you're fighting every. single. second. just to go about your day.
this story and especially the "Dear Readers" afterword made me feel seen. thank you Eden Finley for your courage in giving voice to Anders's story and for giving us a realistic and hopeful ending. love doesn't magically save the day or erase all our past pain and trauma, but it sure as hell helps when you're trying to heal one step at a time.
now i’ll admit this was a much steamier read than what my recent tastes lean toward, but the integration with Anders’s need for control and security was one i could appreciate.
wishing Anders and Brody the very best and sending the gentlest of pats to Lucky/Meatball the cat <3
Anders' thought processes were frustrating, but more like frustratingly familiar reminders of the unreasonable side of anxiety. it hurts when people believe the only reason you're anxious is because you're simply not trying hard enough to "overcome your fears" when you're fighting every. single. second. just to go about your day.
this story and especially the "Dear Readers" afterword made me feel seen. thank you Eden Finley for your courage in giving voice to Anders's story and for giving us a realistic and hopeful ending. love doesn't magically save the day or erase all our past pain and trauma, but it sure as hell helps when you're trying to heal one step at a time.
now i’ll admit this was a much steamier read than what my recent tastes lean toward, but the integration with Anders’s need for control and security was one i could appreciate.
wishing Anders and Brody the very best and sending the gentlest of pats to Lucky/Meatball the cat <3
June 28, 2019
I’m not even sure my review can do justice to this story. If you read book one, which I strongly suggest that you do, you already know much of what happened to Anders. This is not the heaviest story with PTSD as a central theme that I’ve read. I did get teary when Anders saw himself as never having the life or partner he once thought he’d have. There were many lighter moments of banter and humor and Lucky/Meatball the cat was actually my favorite character. Brody was the kind of guy you wanted to hug but also smack upside the head for working for his dad. Anders’ and Brody’s journey was one step forward and two steps back until it became a whole lot of steps back.
I could not stop reading to find out if Anders would work things out for himself or with Brody. Anders was terribly annoying at times but I could easily empathize with how his mind often worked against him. He was given so much courage, just as Brody found his own. Dual perspectives were excellent in showing the battles in each man’s mind. The majority of my tears came during the author’s “Dear Readers” afterword where she discusses the writing process for this book. As I mentioned above, read Lawson and Reed’s story. It absolutely can be read by itself but I don’t think reading this as a stand-alone would have the same impact. Great characters, angst without needless drama and a plot leavened with laughter alongside the troubles. Recommended!
*An ARC was provided by the author, publisher or a promotional service and I have chosen to publish a fair and honest review*
I could not stop reading to find out if Anders would work things out for himself or with Brody. Anders was terribly annoying at times but I could easily empathize with how his mind often worked against him. He was given so much courage, just as Brody found his own. Dual perspectives were excellent in showing the battles in each man’s mind. The majority of my tears came during the author’s “Dear Readers” afterword where she discusses the writing process for this book. As I mentioned above, read Lawson and Reed’s story. It absolutely can be read by itself but I don’t think reading this as a stand-alone would have the same impact. Great characters, angst without needless drama and a plot leavened with laughter alongside the troubles. Recommended!
*An ARC was provided by the author, publisher or a promotional service and I have chosen to publish a fair and honest review*
February 16, 2022
This book was so full of hope, determination and anguish. Brody and Anders fit together in a way they shouldn't have at first glance. Brody is such a caring person, trying to do whatever he can to make things easier for Anders. You can feel the tension when he fights against his natural instincts. It's difficult to feel anything but sympathy for Anders as he struggles with most aspects of his life, but the thing I didn't feel was pity. He tried so hard to be okay when he knew, and the reader knew that he wasn't, but he wanted so much to climb out of the hole he had dropped into. We only get the aftermath of what happened, and only an idea how bad things have been the other five years. But it's enough. Reed and Law from the first book appear into the story which was a nice touch. They get a nice follow-up near the end. I really, really loved "Lucky", aka "Meatball", Brody’s sisters' cat that she rescued. Why "Meatball" is living with Brody....well it’s complicated...but that's another part of the story. It was a superb touch by the author, adding a bit of humor, while at the same time allowing the characters to touch on the topic of abuse. Overall... it's an emotional, engaging, amazing read that was just about perfect.
March 10, 2021
This book was so full of hope, determination and anguish. Brody and Anders fit together in a way they shouldn't have at first glance.
Brody is such a caring soul, trying to do what ever he can to make things easier for Anders, and you can just feel the tension when he fights against his natural instincts.
It's difficult to feel anything but sympathy for Anders as he struggles with most aspects of his life, but the thing I didn't feel was pity. He tried so hard to be fine, when he wasn't. Wanting so much to climb out of the hole he had dropped in to.
We only get the aftermath of what happened, and only an idea how bad things have been the other five years. But it's enough.
What you are left with after reading this, is that there is hope for change if you open yourself up for it. And that is an uplifting thought.
Brody is such a caring soul, trying to do what ever he can to make things easier for Anders, and you can just feel the tension when he fights against his natural instincts.
It's difficult to feel anything but sympathy for Anders as he struggles with most aspects of his life, but the thing I didn't feel was pity. He tried so hard to be fine, when he wasn't. Wanting so much to climb out of the hole he had dropped in to.
We only get the aftermath of what happened, and only an idea how bad things have been the other five years. But it's enough.
What you are left with after reading this, is that there is hope for change if you open yourself up for it. And that is an uplifting thought.
Read
September 3, 2024Pausing on chapter 9 (25%) again.
Yeah, I don’t think this author is for me, unfortunately.
I’m not sure I’ll ever finish any of these books!
Yeah, I don’t think this author is for me, unfortunately.
I’m not sure I’ll ever finish any of these books!
August 14, 2019
This is the second book in the series and it's about Law's twin brother, Anders, and a gentle giant who wants to get to know him, Brody.
It's not a dark book but it's not a light one either. It deals with imortant and serious issues, which you already know if you read the first book, but in a way that's not overwhelming.
It gives Anders a voice and follows along in his struggle to overcome his past and have a normal life again, but the vibe is mostly positive about the future instead of murky and pessimistic.
Anders had gone through something that left him with scars, both physical and emotional. His physical ones were easier to hide but they were still a reminder of what had happened. His emotional ones were a lot more difficult to ignore or hide and affected his whole life.
The story takes place a few years after his assault and it's an important time for Anders because, as he keeps struggling every day to do even the simplest things, never knowing what might trigger a panic attack or a flashback, his attacker is about to get out of prison already. That knowledge sets Anders back in any progress he had managed to achieve.
When he's in need for somewhere to stay, Brody offers him his spare bedroom and soon a tentative friendship begins. What makes everything more complicated is that Brody,big and intimidating, is very similar to Anders' attacker, even if only physically because their personalities are like day and night.
One thing that bothered me is that for a big part of the book it seemed like Anders wasn't really interested in Brody in particular, but was interested in someone that made him want to move on from the past and that someone just happened to be Brody. I can't fault him for wanting his life back, but I still wish Anders wanted Brody because he was Brody.
Later in the book, though, the way he was thinking changed and he seemed more interested in Brody in particular.
I liked the feeling of this book and I liked that even though it had a serious tone when needed, it was still positive and enjoyable.
*An ARC of this book was kindly provided to me in exchange for an honest review. *
It's not a dark book but it's not a light one either. It deals with imortant and serious issues, which you already know if you read the first book, but in a way that's not overwhelming.
It gives Anders a voice and follows along in his struggle to overcome his past and have a normal life again, but the vibe is mostly positive about the future instead of murky and pessimistic.
Anders had gone through something that left him with scars, both physical and emotional. His physical ones were easier to hide but they were still a reminder of what had happened. His emotional ones were a lot more difficult to ignore or hide and affected his whole life.
The story takes place a few years after his assault and it's an important time for Anders because, as he keeps struggling every day to do even the simplest things, never knowing what might trigger a panic attack or a flashback, his attacker is about to get out of prison already. That knowledge sets Anders back in any progress he had managed to achieve.
When he's in need for somewhere to stay, Brody offers him his spare bedroom and soon a tentative friendship begins. What makes everything more complicated is that Brody,big and intimidating, is very similar to Anders' attacker, even if only physically because their personalities are like day and night.
One thing that bothered me is that for a big part of the book it seemed like Anders wasn't really interested in Brody in particular, but was interested in someone that made him want to move on from the past and that someone just happened to be Brody. I can't fault him for wanting his life back, but I still wish Anders wanted Brody because he was Brody.
Later in the book, though, the way he was thinking changed and he seemed more interested in Brody in particular.
I liked the feeling of this book and I liked that even though it had a serious tone when needed, it was still positive and enjoyable.
*An ARC of this book was kindly provided to me in exchange for an honest review. *
June 30, 2019
Holy Fucking Shitttt!!! I love this book! All of it ! Every single word!! I devoured it!
I don't know what to say. I don't think I have anything to say that's going to make sense. Just like Brody.
Kissing my roommate? Dumb.
Doing it again? Super dumb.
Stopping it from going any further? Dumbest dumb to ever fucking dumb.
So dumb that I’ve got no other word to use than dumb.
Anders makes me not smart.
Clearly.
I love Anders and Brody so much. This book is everything I expected and more. I've been waiting for this since I read the first book. Lucky the furball stole the show! Cats are my absolute favourite.
All I have to say is READ IT!!!! Oh, and heed the trigger warnings.
ARC provided by the author via Foreword PR in exchange for an honest and unbiased review
I don't know what to say. I don't think I have anything to say that's going to make sense. Just like Brody.
Kissing my roommate? Dumb.
Doing it again? Super dumb.
Stopping it from going any further? Dumbest dumb to ever fucking dumb.
So dumb that I’ve got no other word to use than dumb.
Anders makes me not smart.
Clearly.
I love Anders and Brody so much. This book is everything I expected and more. I've been waiting for this since I read the first book. Lucky the furball stole the show! Cats are my absolute favourite.
All I have to say is READ IT!!!! Oh, and heed the trigger warnings.
ARC provided by the author via Foreword PR in exchange for an honest and unbiased review
August 2, 2019
I was so excited when I heard this book was being released, I read the first book when I was all out of EF and surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I though this one was going to be it for me, I did a re-read before and again just adore Law & Reed. Then went right into this one. Don’t get me wrong there was much I did enjoy, the quick humor & banter, and the fact that she didn’t go for the quick fix and it was much truer/real. I just felt Brody was too good to be true at times almost to the point of a doormat. But it could also be my expectations and comparing to book 1.
July 16, 2019
3.5 stars
didnt-finish
September 1, 2020got bored, stopped reading
July 11, 2019
My heart hurt so much for Anders in book one so I was anxious to read his story. This is a darker book than Eden Finley’s other books. It doesn’t shy away from issues like PTSD and anxiety. That being said, it still had plenty of steam and heat! Anders and Brody were made for each other.
February 5, 2026
This was a story of overcoming a traumatic event. I was excited for Anders' story, but unfortunately, it wasn't for me.
I loved that Brody was there for Anders, and he really did everything he could think of to help him. But Anders was his own worst enemy for most of this book. He wasn't listening to his therapist's advice, then we'd have some moments because he didn't listen, and then he just up and leaves instead of dealing with the issues head-on.
This happened throughout the entire book. So much so, that I couldn't buy into the miraculous healing in his head at the 98% mark when he decides he should still give Brody a chance. Now, all of a sudden, it's ok for him to be touched when it wasn't the entire book. Didn't work for me.
The pacing was just off in this one. We spent way too much time on the issues instead of moving the book forward.
I loved that Brody was there for Anders, and he really did everything he could think of to help him. But Anders was his own worst enemy for most of this book. He wasn't listening to his therapist's advice, then we'd have some moments because he didn't listen, and then he just up and leaves instead of dealing with the issues head-on.
This happened throughout the entire book. So much so, that I couldn't buy into the miraculous healing in his head at the 98% mark when he decides he should still give Brody a chance. Now, all of a sudden, it's ok for him to be touched when it wasn't the entire book. Didn't work for me.
The pacing was just off in this one. We spent way too much time on the issues instead of moving the book forward.
July 19, 2019
It took me a good while to read this, and perhaps I’m still not in a mental place where I want to read about these topics. That’s not to say it’s dark, in fact, I think expected darker. However, when you have something traumatizing going on in your real life, you may not want to read a book riddled with anxiety.
I’m not sure what I feel about Brody and Anders. I’m usually all for sex in my books, and physical intimacy is such a huge issue with Anders that I feel you’d have to have scenes to address it, but I think I was missing an emotional intimacy in them. Or maybe they didn’t jive with the surrounding scenes. I’m not sure if I’m making sense, but something felt disjointed. And with Anders altering his truth, it led to such a different experience with Brody. Because how Brody thought and approached him in their interactions was different than if he’d known what really happened. Of course, it’s Anders right to tell what he’s comfortable with or whether to tell at all. It was just difficult for me to wrap my head around opening up that much but withholding such a key aspect - THE key aspect. It was hard for me to believe that Brody could change Anders that easily, that quickly, but he knew an alternate truth. I think I would have enjoyed reading about Anders giving the actual story when he tells him initially OR holding off on explaining much of anything until they truly knew each other & he loved Brody. I think I could have understood Anders reactions & thought processes better. Additionally, I think this is a story I might have preferred solely reading Anders POV. It felt like it was so much his story, his need to overcome his fears and things that were controlling him. It would have heightened the feeling of isolation & panic if I didn’t fully know what Brody was thinking/feeling. I wanted to be swallowed in Anders’ feelings the good and the bad, and I think Brody’s POV hendered that. I think the romance just felt lacking compared to rest of the book.
There is a lot to love here as well. The relationship between Lucky the cat and Anders was written so beautifully. Reading how Anders pushed the cat away just like other humans I got. But even some of the biggest introverts, lonliest, angriest, etc. people can be soft and comforted with a pet. That felt real. This slow acknowledgement that this creature who couldn’t fend for herself and who can’t speak or actually understand him might be something he can just love with thinking about it. Additionally, Brody and Anders are good guys. They are people you can see yourself being friends with and caring for deeply. I’m happy Reed did not tell Brody anything about Anders. I was so happy to see Anders trust again. Not just trust another male, but trust that someone other than his brother who cares for him deeply won’t hurt him.
I’m not sure what I feel about Brody and Anders. I’m usually all for sex in my books, and physical intimacy is such a huge issue with Anders that I feel you’d have to have scenes to address it, but I think I was missing an emotional intimacy in them. Or maybe they didn’t jive with the surrounding scenes. I’m not sure if I’m making sense, but something felt disjointed. And with Anders altering his truth, it led to such a different experience with Brody. Because how Brody thought and approached him in their interactions was different than if he’d known what really happened. Of course, it’s Anders right to tell what he’s comfortable with or whether to tell at all. It was just difficult for me to wrap my head around opening up that much but withholding such a key aspect - THE key aspect. It was hard for me to believe that Brody could change Anders that easily, that quickly, but he knew an alternate truth. I think I would have enjoyed reading about Anders giving the actual story when he tells him initially OR holding off on explaining much of anything until they truly knew each other & he loved Brody. I think I could have understood Anders reactions & thought processes better. Additionally, I think this is a story I might have preferred solely reading Anders POV. It felt like it was so much his story, his need to overcome his fears and things that were controlling him. It would have heightened the feeling of isolation & panic if I didn’t fully know what Brody was thinking/feeling. I wanted to be swallowed in Anders’ feelings the good and the bad, and I think Brody’s POV hendered that. I think the romance just felt lacking compared to rest of the book.
There is a lot to love here as well. The relationship between Lucky the cat and Anders was written so beautifully. Reading how Anders pushed the cat away just like other humans I got. But even some of the biggest introverts, lonliest, angriest, etc. people can be soft and comforted with a pet. That felt real. This slow acknowledgement that this creature who couldn’t fend for herself and who can’t speak or actually understand him might be something he can just love with thinking about it. Additionally, Brody and Anders are good guys. They are people you can see yourself being friends with and caring for deeply. I’m happy Reed did not tell Brody anything about Anders. I was so happy to see Anders trust again. Not just trust another male, but trust that someone other than his brother who cares for him deeply won’t hurt him.
July 16, 2019
This book...bothered me. It's possible that if the issues hadn't poked at me the way they had, I would have been able to enjoy it, but I kept getting bothered.
First off, Anders's therapists were horrible therapists. As human beings, they are certainly going to have their own personal opinions about him and what he does and what he should do. It's going to be really hard to get around that to any degree. But ultimately, Anders gets to make his own decisions and he shouldn't be making those decisions based on whether or not his therapists are going to like it, and he shouldn't feel like he needs to lie about what he's doing. If his therapists are "accusing" him of being attracted to someone (?!), "disapproving" of his decisions," and being "pervy" about his sexuality (?!?!?!?!), that's going to impact his ability to get reasonable therapy. It's going to encourage him to screen what he tells them (or straight-up lie) and it's going to encourage him to not make his own decisions but to do what he thinks this therapist wants (unhealthy dynamic hello!).
I also wasn't sure how I felt about Anders getting over so many of his issues because of, well, magic sex/love. On the one hand, working through your issues does often require taking action, so that might be reasonable, but...there's this mentality in our society that "loves cures all" that I'm really not excited about. Finding someone you're excited about and falling in love isn't a panacea, often it makes things more complicated, and honestly, relying on them to fix you is way too much pressure and putting them in a role that isn't reasonable.
I did, however, adore Lucky/Meatball. Books should have more cats in them. Yay cats!
First off, Anders's therapists were horrible therapists. As human beings, they are certainly going to have their own personal opinions about him and what he does and what he should do. It's going to be really hard to get around that to any degree. But ultimately, Anders gets to make his own decisions and he shouldn't be making those decisions based on whether or not his therapists are going to like it, and he shouldn't feel like he needs to lie about what he's doing. If his therapists are "accusing" him of being attracted to someone (?!), "disapproving" of his decisions," and being "pervy" about his sexuality (?!?!?!?!), that's going to impact his ability to get reasonable therapy. It's going to encourage him to screen what he tells them (or straight-up lie) and it's going to encourage him to not make his own decisions but to do what he thinks this therapist wants (unhealthy dynamic hello!).
I also wasn't sure how I felt about Anders getting over so many of his issues because of, well, magic sex/love. On the one hand, working through your issues does often require taking action, so that might be reasonable, but...there's this mentality in our society that "loves cures all" that I'm really not excited about. Finding someone you're excited about and falling in love isn't a panacea, often it makes things more complicated, and honestly, relying on them to fix you is way too much pressure and putting them in a role that isn't reasonable.
I did, however, adore Lucky/Meatball. Books should have more cats in them. Yay cats!
July 29, 2019
Me ha gustado mucho. Hay drama,uno de los protagonistas ha tenido una experiencia traumática con una antigua pareja y le está costando mucho retomar una vida "normal". Mientras, el otro protagonista le ayuda a que así sea, pero sin caer en el cliché fácil del "amor todo lo cura", los dos construyen una relación de amistad, amor, sabiendo que todo tiene unos pasos, que hay recaídas y que nada es perfecto. Por tanto, sí, hay drama, pero también hay mucha, mucha esperanza. Una historia romántica, pero con un transfondo real.
Historia bonita, con sentimientos, buenos protagonistas. He disfrutado mucho la lectura, mejor que el primero de la serie.
Historia bonita, con sentimientos, buenos protagonistas. He disfrutado mucho la lectura, mejor que el primero de la serie.
January 13, 2021
It took me forever to start this book. I loved the first one and knew that this one would be heavy on both the angst and the hurt comfort. However, Finley did an amazing job balancing the angst and hurt with a really sweet and tender love story. Making it a much easier read than I expected it to be.
October 1, 2021
Not the type of novel I expected of this author, but it surprised me.
I really felt for Anders and loved how supporting Brody was. He was practically a saint because of how he treated and supported Anders with all the bagage he carried around after being almost killed by an ex-lover.
I really felt for Anders and loved how supporting Brody was. He was practically a saint because of how he treated and supported Anders with all the bagage he carried around after being almost killed by an ex-lover.
August 17, 2023
I appreciated this book so much more the 2nd time around. Anders was so complicated because of past trauma and Brady was so patient with him. I loved their relationship, they were so good for each other. The narration was amazing too 🎧
August 12, 2020
Audiobook reviewA few years ago Anders Steele was attacked by his ex-boyfriend and left for dead. It understandably left him with a lot of anxiety and trust issues. Something he was still working on, but still had ways to go. He doesn’t handle change well, or at all, so he’s been putting off finding a new place to live to the very last second and suddenly (or not so suddenly) he finds himself having to choose to live with his brother and his boyfriend, but living two people desperately in love isn’t appealing. Which is why he agrees to move in with said boyfriend’s best friend Brody. A man he’s both attracted to and wary of.
Anders broke my heart. All that pain. But pain wasn’t all there was to him love how much love he had to give, even if he didn’t know it himself. Anders’ his journey was beautiful, how he slowly let Brody in, how Lucky wormed her way into his heart. It was a book of healing, quiet and powerful. Moving.
The relationship between Anders and Brody was a slow-burn one, with setbacks, accidents but also fun times. I loved Brody’s patience and willingness to take things slow and how they both discovered something new and exciting in each other. On the surface it might seem that Anders needed Brody more than Brody needed him. And that might have been true in the immediate situation, but Anders gave so much to Brody as well, things he didn’t know he needed. I also loved Brody’s sister Rachel. She was funny and I can really see her and Anders becoming the greatest of friends – and causing a lot of trouble when they are together.
This book had a dual narration by Antony Ferguson and Joel Leslie and they did such a great job I didn’t want the story to end. Antony Ferguson narrated the parts told from Anders’ POV and he did such a wonderful job capturing this scarred young man. I could feel the anxiety pouring from his words and how much his past still haunted him. He also captured his wits and the odd snarky comment from Anders. They fit.
Joel Leslie portrayed Brody and he too captured him and the moments just right. There were several great moments in this book, sad ones, happy ones and emotional ones that both Ferguson and Leslie just nailed. One that I particularly liked was when Anders met Lucky the cat for the first time, it was downright funny and Leslie made me see the scene before me, how Anders was standing on the couch trying to get away from the moody and scarred cat. Both Ferguson and Leslie enraptured me and they made me fall in love with Anders and Brody.
This series caught me by surprise, I never expected to love it as much as I did. Sometimes great stories just sneak up on you and these have done just that.
A copy of this book was generously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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