Always

Indigo Falls #1

by Loren Leigh

I avoid him.

Every time Kepler Quinn steps into a room, I get the hell out.

He does . . . something to me. When those discerning gray eyes flick towards me, his brow rising in a silent greeting, there’s a tightening of my abs. A zapping hum quivering low along my spine.

There are about a million reasons it shouldn’t be what the little voice in the back of my head insists . . . a crush.

Because Kepler isn’t just some random guy. He’s my brother’s best friend. He’s also my TA for physics this semester. And also . . . a guy. I’ve never held strongly onto being straight, but I’ve also never had this sun-scorching need for another guy before.

But I can’t avoid him when we’re suddenly in the back stacks of the library—alone—nothing but the smell of old books and softly falling dust around us. And instead of walking away from him, I let out the two words that burn in my throat:

“Kiss me."

Always is a swoony M/M college romance with a bisexual awakening and sizzling chemistry. It’s the first in the Indigo Falls College series, a standalone, and features a happy ending.

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, College, Contemporary, Friends To Lovers, LGBT, College Romance

338 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 28, 2022

About the author

Loren's characters want nothing more than to fall in love--wholeheartedly, deeply and wildly--and they're ready to take you on the journey with them.


Loren writes contemporary m/m romance, spanning from college romance to romantic suspense, with characters who jump off the page and chemistry that's burning hot.


Join Loren's Facebook readers group here:
www.facebook.com/groups/lorenstarlights/

Reviews

[Snjez · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Loved:
- Jin and Kepler as characters
- the romance between them was the sweetest
- Jin's POV – I loved learning about Kepler little by little
- Jin's friends Dex and London

On the fence about:
- Jin's brother Shin
- being inside Jin's head was overwhelming at times, because he could only think of Kepler
- the story got a bit dramatic towards the end

Didn't like:
- the whole subplot with Jin's mum – I have zero patience for characters like her and from the moment we meet her, I knew what would happen eventually. It only made me hate her more.

[nark · Rating 3 out of 5]

“you don’t know how many firsts you’ve given me.”
“name one.”
“love.” 🖤

this was pretty good, especially for a debut novel. possibly needed one more editing session though. i found a couple of mistakes here and there, but it wasn't a BIG deal. didn't hinder my enjoyment too much.

interesting and unique characters (both the main and the side characters), some nice tension and build-up. didn't love the overwhelming amount of plotlines going on at the same time. the whole Fender thing, the mother's addiction, the brother, the charity event, the finger toucher, etc, etc... it was too much in my opinion. i wasn't that invested in any of those sub plots, i personally only really cared about the romance between Kepler and Jae.

with all of that said, i will definitely check out the other books Loren Leigh releases. i see a lot of potential for sure, and i feel like this author will have a lot of success with this series, because while there are SO fucking many MM college romances out there, this somehow managed to have a whole different vibe to it. i liked it.

[moonlight ☾ [semi-hiatus] · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars ☆

He huffs out a laugh that becomes a white cloud. ❝You don't know how many firsts you've given me.❞
❝Name one,❞ I challenge him.
He picks up his toast, bites the corner, chews slowly, then swallows. ❝Love.❞

✧ this was such a cute and sweet romance!! although there was pining in the beginning, i loved how the romance developed naturally. there was nothing dramatic or OTT about this and the plot was quite simple, but i loved Jin and Kepler's chemistry and they were just...CUTE. 🥺 however, i felt like the break up scene was unnecessary and they could have found a different way to solve the situation without actually breaking up, but ehh.
✧ side characters. it seems like this is going to be a series and i already have a few side characters in mind i'd love to see stories of: Shin, London/Vain (possibly??) and Dex. 👀
✧ the entire scene with Jin, Kepler, Adelard and Flora was so precious. it truly felt like they were a family and Kepler was introducing Jin to his "parents". 🥺

overall, i adored this book! if you love brother's best friend, secret relationship, pining, bi-awakening and cute shit, i would recommend this book. 😌

[Mariam, · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simkung. It’s Korean for that throb you get in your chest with some people.
It definitely describes whatever this fucking response is to Kepler Quinn.

[First Reread: 9/6/2022] Loren is a fucking natural! 💌💞

.
.
.
Honestly? I hate reading arcs. I don't like accepting them because (not only have I been severely BURNED by them) but I always feel like, what could've been different in the final copy? What parts could've been edited out? What dialogue had been redacted? Had anything been rewritten? These thoughts plagued me which is why I'm extremely selective on reading arcs.

So one day, I was bored and looking to read something and the cover of this book and it's title drew to me.

And then I saw the tropes:
✨ Brother's Best Friend ✨
🤚 Forbidden romance 🤚
❣️ TA (Teacher assistant) and his Student
❣️ College Romance
🙏 The Dirty Talk 🙏
😩 The Pining 😩

Like c'mon. If my fellow friends DON'T ADD THIS BOOK TO THEIR TBR, I'll be offended 🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚

(lol. Jokies. I'm scared of y'all 🤣)

I’m not unaffected. I’m hard as fuck, my breath is uneven. But there’s only one person who is rolling through my thoughts. It's not her.
He’s like a monster under my bed. Roaring into my brain the second I try not to think about him.

And I just needed this book after the emotional trainwreck I read before this. So I started chapter one on an absolute whim and I was like: OH 👀 This is good.

And then it got really good.

AND THEN THE GOOD GOT GREATER BECAUSE THE FUCKING FEELS THIS BOOK HAS IS WORTHY OF THIS EMOJI 🤌🤌🤌🤌🤌🤌🤌🤌🤌🤌🤌🤌🤌🤌🤌🤌 and that's gold standard right there.

Then I find another freaking KEPLER Post-it on my door Thursday morning.
He’s definitely fucking with me.

It was the way Kepler reserved his smile for Jin. When he gave him the softest of brushes, against his hand or against their lips. It was the way Kepler supporter Jin so wholeheartedly.

And it was the way I felt how Jin's soul sang in the presence of Kepler. How his heart and his mind and his body just... echoed of Kepler. It was the way he stood strong for Kepler, it was the way he believed in him, it was the way he was in awe of him: of Kepler's strength and intelligence and for his genuine kindness.

I rake a hand through my hair, turn away from Kepler, and then turn back again. “Why isn’t shit ever simple?”
“I don’t know,” he says quietly. “Maybe because truly caring about someone is never uncomplicated.”

These two were so heads over heels for each other, so much so that I felt their pining and I felt how love spoke in their eyes. It was the way this book showed two characters SUPPORTING EACH OTHER through the thick and thin. It was how Kepler was just... there for Jin, in way that made my twisted ass heart melt and sob.

⭐ How Kepler loved Jin so silently yet so fiercely. It was the way Jin melted in his presence, in the way he was ever so carefree in Kepler's presence. It was the way Jin and Kepler had loved each other since Always.

Here in his TA office. We shouldn’t be here, but right now, I don’t give one single fuck.
Because it’s Kepler Quinn. And that trumps everything.

The thing that surprised me most was that: I WAS EXPECTING that our MCs would clash. That Kepler was just too good to be true and he was hiding something that will create a gap in their relationship. That Jin would have too much issues that and he couldn't choose Jin over those issues. And I swear those thought gave me more ANXIETY than this damn book. I was waiting for something bad to happen, because it's a romance book, right? SOMETHING BAD ALWAYS HAPPENS.

No spoilers but... If this is the style of this author's writing... THEN I NEED MORE!!!!🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤

There’s always been someone else. Even if I haven’t been able to admit it. I don’t know when it began for me with Kepler, but it’s always been there like my own heartbeat, my own breath, the stars above—ever present. And always drawing my attention in the same way that my eyes want to draw down to the lecture well right now.

SO. To conclude;

I adore this book and I can't wait to read more about the side characters and their novels. I'm excited for this author and what she brings next.


Some things that I wished more of this book:

🙏🏼 I NEEDED Kepler's POV TOO 🙏🏼 I loved seeing the adoration in his eyes but I'm a hoe and I've been spoiled with Dual POVs that not reading the other romantic of interest didn't feel right

🥲 MAKE. THIS. LONGER!!! 🥲 I need MORE of Kepler and Jin! Like ugk, this is for purely selfish reason. I want more blood sugar from these two. This author's writing is addicting and Kepler and Jin's romance was intoxicating to read about. I NEED A NOVELLA!!!!!!! I will sign a damn petition over it. WATCH ME.


→😌 Just laying it out there because even if this is an arc review, the integrity and honestly of my reviews will remain #1 because I swear I have ZERO TRUST over Arc reviewers cus they too BURN ME [although is it really integrity when I say CHOKE ME DADDY in my reviews? 🤷]


UPDATE: March 7, 2022.
→ I just realized that this book was a fucking debut. A FUCKING DEBUT??!!!! OMG 🤌🤌🤌🤌🤌🤧🤧🤧🤧🤧🤌🤌🤌🤌🤌🍆🍆🍆🍆🤌🤌🤌🤌🤌🤌🤌



*arc received through GRR: Gay Romance Reviews

[Mila · Rating 4 out of 5]

***4.0 rating***

"So, ‘how long has it been going on?’ I’ll just distill it down to one word.” His eyes warm to a light gray. “Always.” 💕💖

Usually when I see so many positive reviews for a book, I am a bit skeptical, surely not everyone is in love with a specific book? Pessimistic? Perhaps lol. But with this book, I am happy to say that the reviews lived up to the hype. So mates, thank you for convincing me to read this gem.

Brief Summary:

Always is a debut novel for Loren Leigh. A very charming sweet M/M college romance book with an intriguing bisexual awakening and in the author's own words "sizzling chemistry" between the mains.

The story begins with one of the mains Jae-Jin or as my darling Kepler calls him "Jin" at a college party. Kepler is the only one that calls him that 😏. He is "Jae" to everyone else. Jae-Jin is Korean-American and is a college student. I wasn't sure if he is an undergraduate student or a grad student, because he is according to the author only 3 years younger than Kepler. Anyways, Jin is according to the author a handsome Korean guy with piercing and tattoos. Swoon worthy? yes. lol. Jin is at a college party with his bestie Dex, and so is the main attraction, Kepler Quinn 😏, Jin's brother, Shin's bestfriend. Kepler is supposedly off limits but their eye-fucking says otherwise. Jin is there with a girl and is not aware of yet what his attraction to Kepler means. His attraction to Kepler or men in general seems to be an uncharted territory. However, Jin who is often lost in his own thoughts, is lost in all that is Kepler😏.

Can we say attraction?

It seems at the party, that the attraction is mutual. Kepler eye-fucks Jin too, even when Jin is hooking up with another chick at the party😏. It is from this point on in the story that a spark of attraction ignites between the mains.

Coincidentally, Kepler is also Jin's TA. LOL. Jin cannot seem to focus on anything that isn't Kepler. It's this attraction that slowly lets our boy Jin know that he isn't as "straight" as he thought. Just when Jin thought he could ignore his "crush" to a man that is not only his TA but also his brother's bestie, life seems to have other plans.

Constantly drawn to each other, it is hard for these two (especially Jin) to avoid each other. So when they finally hook up, I wasn't surprised. Even a blind Sunday school teacher could tell that these two have an intense sexual/emotional chemistry.

However, not all is dandy in Jin's life or in this new "romance". There is Shin, Jin's mother who comes with her own baggage (she is an addict), and Kepler's colleague who is another obstacle in their new blossoming romance.

Can they overcome all of that?

Well, you gotta read the story to find out.😏

My thoughts on this book:

I think it's fair to say that I loved this book. Granted, it was not perfect. It had its flaws but to me, it was charming and sweet. What I really loved about this book was the relationship between the main characters. The relationship development, the sexual chemistry and the tension was perfection.

Jin:



I loved this character. Even though he seemed to be absentminded at times and in his own thoughts. His desire to have a better relationship with his brother who he seems to have grown apart from is admirable. Jin deeply wants a better relationship with his brother and is determined not give up on his mother who became an addict long after Jin's father passed away. Naïve? perhaps but she is his mother and he just tried so hard to be there for her, even though she was underserving of it. Family dilemma aside, I really loved how despite he wasn't aware of his sexuality yet, Jin always longed, and pined for Kepler. So much so that he lost all focus at times. Cheesy? Maybe but it made the character's desire, sexual tension, longing, and attraction that much more obvious and enjoyable to read about.


Kepler Quinn:



Ah Kepler. My fave from this book, He is Shin's bestie and Jin's love interest. I loved Kepler and Jin together. It was obvious that Jin was into our boy. But Kepler's constant desire to get closer to Jin and how he always longed for him was not only surprising but also endearing. These two were solely into each other and I loved that. I loved that there were no third parties in this relationship, just them. Their relationship development was so sweet and smexy. They went from eye-fucking each other, to kissing each other (the library scene/Office scene I LOVED), to eventually hooking up, and to becoming lovers. I loved that the desire and longing was mutual and not only one-sided. The sexual tension and chemistry was also off the charts. This is how you do a well done relationship development. I usually hate when its only one character longing in the whole story and out of nowhere the love interest is suddenly "in love" with the main. With these two luckily that was not the case.

I also adored how Kepler was always there for Shin and Jin. This man, he was truly ready to risk it all for Jin and he did.

However, while there is so much that I loved about this book, I do wish that we had a dual perspective. It would have been nice to have Kepler's thoughts and perspective as well. He is such an intriguing character. Would have loved to see his side on things.

I thought the breaking up scene was unnecessary because these two had such a strong bond and I feel that the break up was predictable and didn't add much to the story. Sorry.

The family drama? meh I didn't care for Jin's mama drama. She was an annoying character who put her son in a dangerous situation. I didn't care for her if I am being honest.

I also didn't care for Fender or whatever that man's name was or Smith. These two were super annoying.

I know not everyone is a fan of Shin's but I would like to know more about him and the other interesting side characters that we were introduced to in this book. I am sure they will all (hopefully) have their own books. I look forward to reading about them.

That pretty much sums up my thoughts on this book. I really liked this one and I think that if you are a fan of pining, eye-fucking, brother's bestfriend trope, college romance, then this book is for you.

A great debut for Loren Leigh. Excited to read more from this author.

[Jan]

DNF 67%

Curiosity killed the cat. Allow me to blame the high rates.😬
For the life of me, I cannot connect with this.

It's one of those cases I feel like I am reading the wrong edition.

[lakshmi · Rating 3 out of 5]

@Mariam is a goddess for recommending this book

making this quick because uni is kicking my ass.

i totally see why my friends loved this because I genuinely had a hard time putting this down and that’s not a good thing when you’re trying to pass a new semester. But I liked the characters even if they would get a little basic from time to time

“To me,” he says quietly, “it feels like I’m the most obvious person in the world. I leave you Post-its because I selfishly want you to think about me.”




I think my issues with this book mainly centred around the fact that Jin could only think about Kepler. Like all the time. Every minute of every day. It got to a point where he would constantly space out and get distracted over and over again.

“Corporate responsibility in developing countries,” he concludes.
I laugh, shaking my head. “I didn’t think Kepler was particularly interested in that.”
“He’s not.” He harrumphs as he picks up the crossword. “He’s interested in you.”

Beside that the book was pretty decent imo.

•a lil OTT
•unbelievably cheesy dialogues at times
•sweet characters who found each other
•amazing secondary characters
•should’ve been taboo/ forbidden but the tone of the book didn’t give that vibe
•it felt slow burn though it wasn’t
•brothers best friend without the brothers best friend drama. Iykyk

“I love you to the depth of my ability to love.”



so three stars for me🙂

[Corina · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

OMG what a gem!!!!!

This was so unexpectedly good!!!

Loved the story, the couple, and especially the writing!! I couldn't put the book down. There were so many amazing scenes. Loved that there were no misunderstandings, just two people who know each other pretty well, after a childhood of knowing each other. This book was such a pleasure to read.

Also loved the supporting cast, and can see so many great novels coming out of Indigo Falls.
And since I'm a huge fan of college MM romances, this book checked quite a few of my favorite tropes.

Can't wait to read more by this author.

[ivy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author nailed this debut

I feel so gushy about it that I can’t form sentences. I might have hugged the book when I finished it. Here are some random thoughts/things I loved that crossed my mind while reading:

Jin Lee (main character/narrator)
Kepler Quinn (love interest)
Keplers post it notes
Kepler
Characterization/mannerisms
Dex and London
Kepler
Building of anticipation that gave me butterflies
Beautiful succinct writing
Sizzling chemistry
Moons and stars
Subtly sexy
Kepler ♥️

[Layla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This debute book got me out of a slump.

A solid 4 stars.

Loved, loved loved Kempler. He was simply #BoyfriendGoals. His total devotion and love for Jin was a thing of beauty.

Loved Jon as well. He eas self aware and just a good person all around. He was emotional and lovely.

Loved the side characters and I am intrigued with what the author will deliver for them.

What a great debut! I applaud the author. This was beautiful 😍

Don't get me wrong, it's not a perfect book. It has places were it needed more oomph or more details but all in all, for a book to get me out of a 3 week book slump? It was awesome!

[Leslie]

DNF. Time of death: 53%

I’m sadly tapping out of this one.

I was liking this at the beginning. Then it began to not work for me. I felt exhausted being in Jin’s head. Every thought was about Kepler or lead to Kepler. He could be grocery shopping and then go on some inner monologue about Kepler. (Not an actual example.) It got tiring. And I didn’t really feel the connection or understand it, despite being told about it.

Now I understand this is a new author. I want to say the writing style was really lovely. I would be willing to try another book by them in the future because authors change and evolve and I’d like to see if another one worked more for me. But this one did not.

[magic_of_darkness_and_books · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, to me at least, was a love letter to learning you're not alone.

This book WARMED my whole heart. It felt like a warm blanket wrapped around me during the whole time I was reading. Honestly, I'm not sure I'll be able to put all the feelings and thoughts into words.

Always made me feel good and touched me in a way not a lot of books have ever succeeded. I can literally name all the names of these books (trust me, they are not many). So this speaks volumes about how much I loved this book. I love the Korean language (I studied Korean philology), Korean culture, everything about the stars, astronomy… and this book had it all!!!!! All the feelings in this book! Just WOW!!!!!!

I don't know when it began for me with Kepler, but it's always been there like my own heartbeat, my own breath, the stars above—ever-present.

I wasn't sure what I was getting into when I started this book. I only knew it was forbidden love, brother's best friend and that Jin is Korean-American. And I can't believe this is a debut novel... if I didn't know, I would have never guessed! Our main characters: Jae-Jin and Quinn – I LOVE both of them!

The relationship: It was so beautiful and touching! We didn't understand Quinn in the beginning (because the book is from Jin's POV). Still, we get glimpses of him little by little, and the way Jin learned to read him, the little shows of how Quinn was worried about him, how he felt for him… it wrecked me in the best possible way!!! Quinn was EVERYTHING!!! The things he said, I CAN'T EXPRESS how much it warmed me and how it made my heart clench at times!

The way Jin reacted to Quinn whenever he was close… was PERFECTION! I was like, holy shit, what am I reading? I couldn't believe how the author portrayed it! It was so unique, beautiful, different, and exciting!

Their relationship was sweet, lovely, warm, breathtaking, and supporting. I loved the way they CHERISHED each other! I could relate to how Jin was feeling at times, which made his character take a special place in my heart!

I couldn't stop reading! Jin and Quinn - their feelings, insecurities, fears, scars (not physical) that Jin didn't let anyone see he had, all the warmth, the sweetness, the love, the support, the little moments only between the two of them… it was all BEAUTIFUL and felt REAL to me. And don't let me get started on the smut! 🥵🥵🥵

But this book wasn't just a forbidden romance, it was more (at least to me):
Have you ever tried your hardest to hold your life, yourself, and your family together? Have you ever put walls around yourself, not letting anyone else in, not even a glimpse… because it's too much, just too much? For years Jin has built walls around himself, trying to deal with everything alone and at the same time feeling like he is genuinely ALONE. This book is not just a romance. It's so much more. It's about how hard a person fights when everything falls apart around him. It's about how hard it is to see someone you love struggle with addiction. It shows it's not only the one who has an addiction but also his family members who struggle. It is about admitting that you need help and can't do it alone. And the most beautiful part - it's about learning... and allowing yourself to... (what exactly you'll know when you read the epilogue).

“You’re not alone.”

Also, I want to add that I found myself laughing hard at some scenes!

He gives me a look like I just told him I've got a trip to the moon planned for this weekend.

I loved the side characters and the interaction between them and Jin. It didn't take away from the love story. It made the whole book so much better!!! 👏

Some additional things:

1. I'm going to go into Korean philologist mode here for a second: 😂
I LOVED how the author used the Korean language in this book, and I'm impressed how she didn't shy away from using it! It made my heart so full!! Especially when I understood what Jin was saying before I read the translation. Honestly, I didn't think I would read anything in Korean, but I was shocked and impressed by Loren Leigh's usage! ❤️👏

But the reason I'm pointing this out is more ' it's me, not the book' . First, as someone speaking Korean, it's way more complicated for me to read the romanization (transcription) than when it's spelled with the Korean alphabet. Of course, I know it's not possible in the book because people who don't speak Korean won't be able to read the pronunciation. When transcription is used, it's hard to understand the words used in Korean because they can be written differently. This is why people who studied Korean hate reading the romanization of a word. (Important: all of the phrases in Korean are translated into English. I make a comment about this as someone who speaks Korean because I understand the meaning before the translation.)

Example: 친형 (chinhyeong) = older brother. It was spelled separately in the book (chin hyeong), making me think it was the wrong spelling of Shin(신), Jin's older brother's name. It took me some time to realize it was older brother because of the transcription. (even though it was translated, my brain kept going back to how it will be written in Korean and thinking it was not right. This is the philologist in me speaking.) Also, you don't say chin when addressing your older brother in Korea. Hyoung is enough.

2. I NEED QUINN'S POINT OF VIEW. 🥺❤️ I want a whole book from his point of view or a short story or a novella. Just something, anything really! I so need it!!!!!!!!

Overall, I loved this book so much! I will reread it soon (and I don't usually do rereads). I can't wait for the following books in this series, and I'm genuinely impressed by the writing of this author!!! I can already feel she will become one of my favorite authors!

P.S. THANK YOU, Mariam, for recommending this book to me!!! You're the best bestie! Friends trust me, you don't want to read ALL the spam I send Mariam (it will take a long time to read all of it) while I read this book! And all the screaming at some scenes and feelings!
I recommend this book to all of my friends who want to read a book full of warmth, so many emotions, a forbidden love, brother's best friend. ❤️ Also, you should totally dm me when you read this book if you want to speak about it. I NEED to speak about this book and so many scenes that I wanted to mention in this review, but I don't want to give spoilers. ❤️

[Simona · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good! Best friend's brother, great bi awakening and a good plot.
I also hope to read more about some other characters ;)

[Cyndi (hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm jealous of everyone who hasn't read this book yet because I would give up a non-essential digit to experience this again for the first time. I'm not even sure if I can put into words why I feel that way, I just know that my entire body was riddled with butterflies throughout 80% of the interactions between Jin and Kepler. The other 20% was spent holding my breath as they pined so hard for each other. And the way that pining was described - geezus. The way Jin's body reacted when Kepler was in his general vicinity. The way Kepler's eyes were always on Jin and the way he craved his attention. Ugh, sheer perfection.

Since this was entirely in Jin's POV, it was hard to get a read on Kepler at first. Not only weren't we privy to his thoughts, but he was a pretty guarded person in general. While I would have loved to know what he was thinking and feeling, the mystery of Kepler kind of added to his allure. I wanted to get into his head just as much as Jin did. Every drop of information, every small truth and large declaration felt imperative. His words held weight because he didn't use them flippantly and he so obviously meant every single one of them. He was direct and honest and knew exactly what he wanted and what he was willing to sacrifice to have and keep it.

The other downfall of a single POV story is being stuck in the head of someone annoying and not allowed out. That was not the case with Jin. I loved the conversational tone of his inner monologue. His actions and reactions felt authentic. He was also smart, interesting and fiercely loyal, even when he knew it would hurt. The way he treated other people was admirable. He was not only a good friend, son and brother, but a good person in general. Add in the fact that he was a hotty-pants with tattoos and piercings and he definitely had my attention.

Together these two men were spark and boom. They were the perfect blend of hot and sweet, but also so much more. They supported each other and cheered each other on. And did I mention Kepler? I don't know that I've ever read a character quite like him. In terms of book boyfriends, I think he might put every single one of them to shame - he was that amazing.

There was just so much to like about this book. That's really the crux of how I feel about it. The writing was beautiful and it took me on an emotional journey that I wanted to continue on. I can't wait to read the next book in this series. Knowing what I know about London and Vain, I can't even imagine how that's going to work out.

I listened to Troye Sivan's "WILD" a lot while reading this. It fit so well with Jin and Kepler's story and now I'll always think of them when I listen to it.

[Cat the bookworm (semi hiatus ish) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, but with a few niggles.

You know that famous crack in the wall, that - once you’ve noticed it- always pops back into focus? That’s what happened to me here with the “he touched his nape/neck”. I should count the number of times either MC touched/rubbed his neck, it felt like they did it every other page 😂 ( just checked: THE NECK was touched/felt/rubbed/clutched 59 TIMES!!!)

But I digress, let’s start from the beginning.

It’s the story of Jin, a college student with Korean roots, who realizes he’s falling for Kepler, his brother’s best friend.

And that’s one of the things I loved most about this book: having an Asian MC, with the occasional brush of Korean culture. It was… different. I could easily picture him, with his dark hair, the tattoos, and the slightly closed off demeanor.

Kepler on the other hand… he didn’t feel so real for me, that’s why my rating isn’t as high as it could have been. I mean- being in love with your best friend’s brother for years, but jacking off with your friend? (B…but they didn’t kiss, so it obviously didn’t count…). And he’s keeping an eye on him, but he’s not making a move, just to suddenly start stalking him.

Pining for FIVE YEARS without even talking to him.

The side plot with Jin’s mum didn’t feel fleshed out, either. Why was Fender obsessed with Jin, even damaging his car, and beating him up when he tried getting his mother out of Fender’s house?

So as I said - it wasn’t bad at all, but it didn’t overwhelm me. Perfect if you need a feel good book with low to medium angst 😊

[mads (on hiatus from reading and reviews) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I 👏🏻 have 👏🏻 no 👏🏻 words 👏🏻

lmao, jk—i always have words 😜😌

Easily one of my fav reads of 2022.

What I loved:
-The author’s use of metaphor
-Keplen’s mystique really intersected well with the author imagery, leading to a lowkey magical realism vibe through the first ~30% of the book (in particular). Additionally, I think that first 30% really helped the rest of the book feel suspended in time and space. Like I wish this non existant Colorado town existed, I would go there and fall in love.
-Korean-American rep—love to see it!!
-The artistry of laying the ground work for future novels. The seeds have been planted Loren and I wanna see them grow ASAP!! 😂😂
-The word definitions sprinkled throughout were cute af!!
-Only having one POV, I know that’s not some ppls thing and really informed their rating but I think only hearing J’s side of things really helped elevate the magic of the whole story.
-ALL THE LIBRARY SCENES 🥵🥵🥵🥵

Other thoughts:
-Keplen’s financial situation really had me working hard to suspend my disbelief. Like if you have no financial stresses and don’t need to worry about money, it really changes what’s important to focus on in your PhD (eg being a ta where you get very unfair pay isn’t one of them bc you gotta grind to get those peer reviewed publications)
-That mom is a hawt mess and I do not buy that wrap up but w/e
-HONESTLY, I would have been FINE if the majority of the book was the slow burn build up of their relationship. I didn’t need the second half of the book story, I was fine just vining w them under the tree.

[Drusilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Debut? my ass!!! How can someone publish such a well-written first work. I am green with envy.
swooning. short of breath. my heart pounding so hard for Jin.
This is a truly beautifully written story. In between all the drama that forms the background, it is marvelous how Kepler, after years of loving Jin, finally allows it and how he is there for him at all times, putting everything on the line for Jin. Amusing and endearing how Jin is constantly lost in thought. Sad 😔 how he does not allow his dreams for so long and considers them too unimportant. Unfortunately, the ending is a bit too tight. I would have liked reading more about Jin, about how he finally starts to care more about his own life, and how the love story with Kepler can unfold.

[D.L. Howe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one took me a little while to get into. At points I found the plot strange and the inner monologue too wordy. I really didn’t understand J’s aversion to Quinn, even if he was confused about his feelings. Especially after he agreed to go on the date with London.

But then Quinn opened his heart and put himself out there, listing everything he wanted and I was engrossed.

I love how simple he is, everything he wants to show Jin, everywhere he wants to take him so that Jin can see the little things he loves. Because sometimes the little things add up to everything.

Then of course we hit that forbidden aspect, the fact that Quinn is not only his brother’s best friend but also his TA. We all enjoy skirting the edge of danger and they do it beautifully if not a bit clumsy.

I kind of hate J’s mom. I understand that addiction is a disease but it doesn’t take away how selfish she feels. He’s the son, the younger one at that, I wish he didn’t feel so responsible for her. But at the same time, his loyalty and love is a few of his best attributes.

Fuck me! This one hits a little too close to home. I know what it’s like to cut my evenings short because my mother needed me. God J, I feel so bad for you.

I kinda hate that the first 20% wasn’t as good to me because the rest was magic. Jin and Kepler together was everything I could’ve possibly wanted and more.

[Kati *☆･ﾟ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25*** stars


Mhm… I kinda loved it and I kinda didn’t. Somehow the storytelling felt a bit off. I had the feeling the author wanted to tell too much, in too many strings of the story. I asked myself a few times why this or that was relevant for this story or if it was just to introduce us more to certain side characters. But I think, there was too much going on and I was missing a smooth flow in the narrative way. And some things felt a bit forced towards the dramatic side.

This is what we had along the way:

➤ the main love story
➤ the forbidden part of the love story (student/TA)
➤ other college and future stuff
➤ a best friend and a fund raiser to plan and execute
➤ another best friend pining for yet another guy we meet
➤ family issues with Jin’s brother and their mother
➤ and other issues with the mom and her scary hunk of a "boyfriend“

This is a lot of stuff to digest in a book that only has a few more than 300 pages.


But other than that I liked the love story between Jin and his brother’s best friend Kepler. Even though Kepler felt a bit creepy to me with how he was onto Jin. But they were cute and hot af together. And I adored their shared love for astronomy ♡



There were two major bummers that nearly knocked me off my feet.
The second has nothing to do with this story in particular but I hope it’s pointing to a future book I will definitely read!


********
Even though the story telling was not all that great imo the storyline itself was captivating and sounds promising for the series’ future. According to the author's note at the end London and Van's book "Never" is next in the series. Can't wait for their story!

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a 3,5 star read, to be honest.

There is so much going on, the romance felt like I’ve started reading it in the middle of a series or the book. The angst with the school, the mom, the brother and the other teacher. Bah.
Still it held my attention and I finished it, what’s a big deal nowadays. The smut was really - really good! The love between them too, and I liked the characters, despite they are collage age, and usually I don’t have patience for them. I think I would read the next book in the series.

[Karla · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars**

[alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

[3.5] learned the Korean word 심쿵 (simkung), that feeling of your heart squeezing or skipping a beat, and feeling very cultured 😌

the pining and buildup at the start captured my attention right away, and a few written descriptions were vividly beautiful; i just wish we had gotten even a single chapter from Kepler’s POV to better understand his obsession with Jin.

i was fully expecting the heavy layering of drama to reach a crescendo in the third act, but i wasn’t a fan of how much those sideplots took over: you have the mother’s addiction, the strained relationship with his brother, the charity event prep with his best friend, trouble with the other TA, etc.—it was simultaneously overwhelming as well as superficial in execution. but there’s no denying that this was a solid debut from a new mm author, and i’m excited to see what else she has in store!

[⋆ allyson. · Rating 5 out of 5]

: ̗̀➛ 5 stars.

❝And then he's standing there. He's really fucking beautiful. ❞

i am on my knees. this is the first book in a while that i've read with excellent characterization and it was BARE of fetishization of gay men. miss lauren really did what she had to do.

i have not read a book with fantastic writing like this in a long time. i was in love with the couple themselves and obsessed with how they interacted. the characters were developed and did not read like wattpad characters rebranded.

i'm so obsessed with how the complexities of addiction and how they affect those around them was expanded upon and explored. This, coupled with the excellent use of someone's home language, had me screaming and wailing and gagging. It truly was a beautiful book and i am begging for the second book in this series because i can't handle the waiting period.

this was tender and soft and everything i really needed right now because life has been shit to be honest. my only ick point was jae-jin calling his brother "bro" or "brother" whenever they interacted. babe, we don't talk to our siblings like that LMAO. but everything else was just perfect.

❝Because it's Kepler Quinn. And that trumps everything. ❞

[Cassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

So this book…. I wasn’t expecting it to be so good!
The feelings are raw, and they grip you. I can honestly say that I felt different reading this book. The writing style felt strong. I know that’s an unusual description for me, but it’s the best I have. The story was heavy and emotions were strong. It’s a typical college romance, but I felt like the author wrote it with a ton a strong feelings.
I’m repeating myself at this point but I can’t quite find the right words.
Read the book, I hope everyone gets the same powerful feelings I did.

[Gabi]

dnf @45%

I had enough of the simkung. -.-
The author was definitely going for sensory overload. From describing the heat to Jin's feelings towards Kepler, the details are abundant.
It's a good book, just nothing I haven't read before.

[Evelyn220 · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️ Absolutely beautiful story. Definitely one of my favorites of the year!
The writing almost feels ethereal and poetic. I adored all the celestial references.
Jin and Kepler’s love is so pure and magical. This is romance at it’s best.

I loved the slow build-up, all the tension and pining.

I didn’t mind that we didn’t get Kepler’s POV. I always appreciate a bit of mystery in my romance and when Kepler spoke, I swooned.

I loved all the side characters and the hurt/comfort vibes. The alcoholic mother hit me right in the feels.

I can’t wait for more from this author!

[Ellie ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loren Leigh has magic in her hands, she really knows how to write great stories. Always is such a refreshing college romance. There is no immature drama or wild parties, just two people falling in love in the most genuine way. I absolutely loved every moment!

Jin and Kepler’s relationship is just so pure and beautiful. It’s full of passion, honesty and real love. They both love astronomy and stargazing and that makes their bond feel even more romantic. Even though they weren’t super close before, it’s like deep down, they’ve always understood each other. Watching their connection grow was beautiful and I felt every emotion right alongside them. They’re the kind of couple that leaves you smiling, they’re great.

The family drama hit me hard. Kepler is Jin’s brother’s best friend, which causes some tension, but the hardest part is Jin dealing with his mom’s addiction. After his dad passed away, Jin had to take care of his mom and it was so heartbreaking to see him struggle. He’s hurting but still tries to be there for her. Loren Leigh wrote it all so well, I found myself crying a few times because I felt so much for Jin.

The ending was so sweet and I can’t wait to return to Indigo Falls. I already love all the secondary characters and can’t wait to read their stories too.

[Rosabel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this is a first book so, that's promising. 🥰

I liked a lot of things about this book and I didn't understand a lot of things too, but I enjoyed it.

What I liked:
- The writing was good.
- The setting of the story also was.
- The Asian representation and his character was wonderful.

What made go huh?:
- Kepler, didn't understand the guy, when Jin told him: "I don't understand", I was right with him, I feel the author tried to make him a sexy brooding character but I was just confused.
- What the fuck with the simkung thing? It is a thing, but it was mentioned so much it got annoying.
- What the fuck with the brother thing, that's incest, and Quinn being: it will be OK. I'm like: what the fuck is gonna be ok? That ain't normal boy.

So yeah, fun but needed something else for me to love it. 🥰

[Jennifer☠Pher☠ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am always drawn to books like this. I see a new high school or college romance come across my feed and I get so excited. They never seem to measure up to what I think they'll be or what I'm really looking for though.

It hurts.

This was pretty much a let down to me. There were moments that I enjoyed, I really did, but there were more that I didn’t. Add to that the inconsistencies and information without any real explanation and well, this just was not for me.

Oh, and who is that guy on the cover supposed to be?

I’ll leave it at that, everyone else seems to be in love with it so what do I know? HAHA!

[yaishin · Rating 3 out of 5]

i read the sample for this book some time ago and I really wasn't a fan but I'm glad I took a chance and read the whole thing anyway.