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The Pointe of Love #1
Addicted
An older man. A forbidden workplace romance. And secrets that could destroy everything.
Liam Gray is a mess. Still grieving over a tragedy, he’s shut himself off from life. All he has left is his job at The Pointe wedding hall. Lucky him - he gets to watch other people’s happily ever afters when he’ll never have his own.
And then his new boss - a dangerously tempting old crush - turns everything upside down.
Owen Parker has lost it all. Coming out has cost him his career, his marriage, and even his son. When he gets an offer to manage The Pointe, he’s thrilled to run into Liam again - the troubled and alluring young man he’s been fixated on for years.
But Liam isn’t so thrilled. He’s overwhelmed with feelings he doesn’t want and it pushes him over the edge, making him turn to pills to escape his pain.
As the two of them work together night after night, their attraction grows - along with Liam’s addiction. Both fight their desire, trying to remain professional as they battle cranky clients, nosy staff, and their own demons but, as the lines between them start to blur, secrets are revealed that may cost them their only chance at love.
Will Liam and Owen be able to overcome the scars of loss, heal the things they’ve kept hidden, and find their way to happiness together?
Addicted is the 120K first book in The Pointe of Love series. It contains an age-gap, workplace romance with hurt/comfort, wedding hall shenanigans, bad dad jokes, grilled cheese sandwiches, high-heat scenes that will scorch your kindle, and an HEA with no cliffhangers.
All books in The Pointe of Love series can be read as standalones, as they each follow a different couple, but they’re much more fun when read together.
There are topics in this book that may be difficult for some people. Please check the forward for content warnings.
Liam Gray is a mess. Still grieving over a tragedy, he’s shut himself off from life. All he has left is his job at The Pointe wedding hall. Lucky him - he gets to watch other people’s happily ever afters when he’ll never have his own.
And then his new boss - a dangerously tempting old crush - turns everything upside down.
Owen Parker has lost it all. Coming out has cost him his career, his marriage, and even his son. When he gets an offer to manage The Pointe, he’s thrilled to run into Liam again - the troubled and alluring young man he’s been fixated on for years.
But Liam isn’t so thrilled. He’s overwhelmed with feelings he doesn’t want and it pushes him over the edge, making him turn to pills to escape his pain.
As the two of them work together night after night, their attraction grows - along with Liam’s addiction. Both fight their desire, trying to remain professional as they battle cranky clients, nosy staff, and their own demons but, as the lines between them start to blur, secrets are revealed that may cost them their only chance at love.
Will Liam and Owen be able to overcome the scars of loss, heal the things they’ve kept hidden, and find their way to happiness together?
Addicted is the 120K first book in The Pointe of Love series. It contains an age-gap, workplace romance with hurt/comfort, wedding hall shenanigans, bad dad jokes, grilled cheese sandwiches, high-heat scenes that will scorch your kindle, and an HEA with no cliffhangers.
All books in The Pointe of Love series can be read as standalones, as they each follow a different couple, but they’re much more fun when read together.
There are topics in this book that may be difficult for some people. Please check the forward for content warnings.
- GenresM M RomanceRomance
358 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 14, 2023
11 people are currently reading
122 people want to read
About the author
Sonia Blue
6 books20 followersMM author. Likes spicy potato chips.
Find me & my books here: https://linktr.ee/soniablue
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Get free stories and bonus content right now by joining my newsletter: http://eepurl.com/cPzADf
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
June 19, 2023
⭐︎
4.75 Wow Filled Debut Novel Stars!
⭐︎
Wow.
What a journey this book takes you on.
A debut novel by this author - although she has some shorts that I haven't read yet - and it did not disappoint.
Liam is seemingly a happy, sweet and content 18 year old, a few months off from graduating high school and about to go off to college. He has wonderful parents and a long lasting crush on his next door neighbor, Owen, who is a dad 12 years older than Liam and seemingly straight.
Knowing that hasn't stopped him from crushing on this seemingly perfect man next door.
But we get past the prologue and we see that quickly things turned to shit, for both of them, in different ways.
Liam lost both of his parents in a car crash about a month from his graduation, and 3 years later at 21, Liam is still in a very depressed, grieving state.
After he lost them, Liam left town, selling his parents house and moving into a sad, decrepit apartment about an hour or so away from his old town.
He's been barely living since then. He has a job as a waiter at the Pointe, a wedding reception hall, but it's a struggle for him to just get through the day to day, and he even goes into the storage room to cry and break down alone, to just get through his shifts. His coworkers even think he has a stomach problem, because the last manager of the Pointe found him throwing up in the bathroom assumed he did, and Liam uses it as a convenient excuse for if he looks a little worse for wear, or if he has to take days off when the grief gets so bad, he can't get out of bed.
Things are bad for him, he's barely holding on. And when it turns out Owen is the new manager after the last one left, his whole world is turned upside down.
He had a crush on Owen (as he thought of him at the time, Mr. Parker), and he's so scared that working with Owen will just bring all these memories back to before, and he won't be able to handle it. Especially after Owen asks him to be assistant, as the last few managers left the place in such a state that there was a lot to do to get things in working order.
Before this, at a bar, some seedy asshole offers Liam some Vicodin, and Liam isn't planning to take them, as he's never done anything more than weed before, but with Owen back in his life and all his worries surrounding him, and everything just reaching a breaking point, Liam turns to the drugs.
And that's what the asshole, Zach, was praying on. He saw how vulnerable Liam was and manipulated him into becoming a drug addict so he could get money from him. Because as Liam takes them, they at first, of course, make him feel positive, almost normal, back to his old self almost, and so he takes more. But as he takes more, as it can happen with these drugs, he needs more and more and with shorter intervals between taking them, as he becomes reliant on them, and Zach was counting on that.
Because Liam has to go back to Zach more and more, the more addicted he gets, and pay more and more for the pills.
Liam thinks he won't become addicted, that he can just stop after he stops being Owen's assistant - and so would go back to being a waiter, hardly around Owen at all, so no worry about losing his shit anymore by being around Owen and all the resurfacing memories - but of course that's not what happens. It starts a sad, scary spiral as he gets deeper and deeper in with the drugs.
Hindsight is 20/20, because as Liam gets to know the real Owen, and he and Owen become closer and closer, as Liam feels how happy Owen makes him, as he feels what it's like to truly fall in love, he starts to realize that it wasn't a bad thing, being around Owen. But it's already too late by the time he realizes that.
As for Owen, he's dealing with his own drama. He's going through a divorce with his soon-to-be ex-wife, who we never meet on page, but who we get enough of a picture of. She seemed, in some ways, abusive. Not physically, but emotionally and verbally. She treated Owen like crap and didn't give a shit about their son, Michael. But she still took off with him anyway, and has kept Michael away from Owen for about 7 or 8 months, and he hasn't been able to see his 8 year old son for that long, and it's devastating for Owen.
So Owen is in a long, drawn out custody battle with her, and it's taking a toll on him. Although he tries his best to be a positive force at work, and to Liam. He sees that there's more going on with Liam than Liam is letting on, but he's not exactly sure what beyond his grief over losing his parents. He isn't even sure if it's more than that.
I really loved these two together. It really took it's time to have these two fall in love for real, as real people and not an ideal as Liam used to see Owen before.
The chemistry was really good too. Even though it takes a long time to get to the sex, once we get it was really, really good.
And I didn't mind the long wait. Because as Liam got deeper and deeper into his addiction, not telling anyone about it, I didn't want Liam and Owen to go further with each other. I wanted it out the open and for Liam to get better so they could have a healthy, loving relationship. That wasn't going to happen as long as Liam was on drugs.
Also I really liked how the book depicted his addiction. How it seemed to come on gradually but quickly at the same time. This all takes place over a few months, but Liam seemingly is doing okay, but it starts to slowly get worse and worse, as the drugs take affect and make him more and more reliant on them. First he could take one and it would last almost the whole day, but then it gets to the point where he's taking 4 or 5 just to get through his shifts.
I did give .25 off, but mostly just because this as advertised as a 'forbidden workplace romance' type of thing and there is no forbidden aspect in this at all. There's worry from Owen about being 12 years older and Liam's boss, but in the end it really isn't that big of a deal, as there isn't any rule against anyone being together at the Pointe. Many coworkers there have apparently hooked up before.
Also the 'boss' - he owns the place and all, but he doesn't care about actually being there and running it. Which is what Owen does instead - John couldn't care less.
So I don't think that needed to be advertised as that is not what this story is, and there is really no forbidden aspect to it. Owen also only gains feelings for Liam when they meet up again when Liam is 21, an adult, so while they have a history of knowing each other ever since Liam was 12, there was no romantic or sexual aspect for Owen until he's an adult.
So I gave a little bit off for that, but ultimately not much because I didn't mind too much in the end, as the story was just so good and well done and engaging.
I couldn't put this down unless it was for sleep, and this was over 400 pages, so I read this in a short amount of time, unwilling to put it down unless I had to.
This was definitely a very strong debut novel and I highly recommend it. It also does an amazing job of tying up all loose ends to both of their storylines, and at the very end, setting up the next couple, which will be Finn, Owen's best friend, and Ollie, a friend of Liam's from high school who he's just recently reconnected with and becomes close friends with after Liam has started recovering from his addiction.
This was just so beautiful done. I almost cried at one point, as Liam's grief and despair was just so much and done so well. He loved his parents so much, and losing all your family who you love in one fell swoop would devastate anyone. He does have an aunt, but she isn't great and we find out why as the story goes on.
Also, Liam just having turned 18, makes it all harder, as just as he was about to leave the nest, his safety net of love and support just as he would go off to learn how to be adult was ripped away from him, and I don't think he really got to get to a more mature, adult place where he would be able to deal with the death of his parents in a more healthy way. If he'd been older, say his 30's or so, more mature and settled as an adult, I think he would have been able to deal with their deaths a little better, not turning to drugs at the very least.
His thought processes sometimes almost frustrated me, but it was understandable in the throes of his addiction and his grieving mental state. He was basically stuck there for 3 years, and seeing him blossom from hitting rock bottom near the end, so he and Owen could have their HEA was so beautiful.
The hardships, the pain and angst these two go through makes their HEA all the sweeter. It makes reading the hard parts worth it, to see them so happy and in love and settled at the end.
Definitely pick up this debut novel when you can. It is definitely worth it. And I can't wait to read Finn and Ollie's love story! (Which, while I'm sure will be angsty, hopefully not quite the level of drug addiction angsty🤞) Can't wait!
Onto the next!
I think I found a new author to love, potentially? We'll have to see how Finn and Ollie's book goes to determine that, but I'm very hopeful 😍🥰😘
Wow.
What a journey this book takes you on.
A debut novel by this author - although she has some shorts that I haven't read yet - and it did not disappoint.
Liam is seemingly a happy, sweet and content 18 year old, a few months off from graduating high school and about to go off to college. He has wonderful parents and a long lasting crush on his next door neighbor, Owen, who is a dad 12 years older than Liam and seemingly straight.
Knowing that hasn't stopped him from crushing on this seemingly perfect man next door.
But we get past the prologue and we see that quickly things turned to shit, for both of them, in different ways.
Liam lost both of his parents in a car crash about a month from his graduation, and 3 years later at 21, Liam is still in a very depressed, grieving state.
After he lost them, Liam left town, selling his parents house and moving into a sad, decrepit apartment about an hour or so away from his old town.
He's been barely living since then. He has a job as a waiter at the Pointe, a wedding reception hall, but it's a struggle for him to just get through the day to day, and he even goes into the storage room to cry and break down alone, to just get through his shifts. His coworkers even think he has a stomach problem, because the last manager of the Pointe found him throwing up in the bathroom assumed he did, and Liam uses it as a convenient excuse for if he looks a little worse for wear, or if he has to take days off when the grief gets so bad, he can't get out of bed.
Things are bad for him, he's barely holding on. And when it turns out Owen is the new manager after the last one left, his whole world is turned upside down.
He had a crush on Owen (as he thought of him at the time, Mr. Parker), and he's so scared that working with Owen will just bring all these memories back to before, and he won't be able to handle it. Especially after Owen asks him to be assistant, as the last few managers left the place in such a state that there was a lot to do to get things in working order.
Before this, at a bar, some seedy asshole offers Liam some Vicodin, and Liam isn't planning to take them, as he's never done anything more than weed before, but with Owen back in his life and all his worries surrounding him, and everything just reaching a breaking point, Liam turns to the drugs.
And that's what the asshole, Zach, was praying on. He saw how vulnerable Liam was and manipulated him into becoming a drug addict so he could get money from him. Because as Liam takes them, they at first, of course, make him feel positive, almost normal, back to his old self almost, and so he takes more. But as he takes more, as it can happen with these drugs, he needs more and more and with shorter intervals between taking them, as he becomes reliant on them, and Zach was counting on that.
Because Liam has to go back to Zach more and more, the more addicted he gets, and pay more and more for the pills.
Liam thinks he won't become addicted, that he can just stop after he stops being Owen's assistant - and so would go back to being a waiter, hardly around Owen at all, so no worry about losing his shit anymore by being around Owen and all the resurfacing memories - but of course that's not what happens. It starts a sad, scary spiral as he gets deeper and deeper in with the drugs.
Hindsight is 20/20, because as Liam gets to know the real Owen, and he and Owen become closer and closer, as Liam feels how happy Owen makes him, as he feels what it's like to truly fall in love, he starts to realize that it wasn't a bad thing, being around Owen. But it's already too late by the time he realizes that.
As for Owen, he's dealing with his own drama. He's going through a divorce with his soon-to-be ex-wife, who we never meet on page, but who we get enough of a picture of. She seemed, in some ways, abusive. Not physically, but emotionally and verbally. She treated Owen like crap and didn't give a shit about their son, Michael. But she still took off with him anyway, and has kept Michael away from Owen for about 7 or 8 months, and he hasn't been able to see his 8 year old son for that long, and it's devastating for Owen.
So Owen is in a long, drawn out custody battle with her, and it's taking a toll on him. Although he tries his best to be a positive force at work, and to Liam. He sees that there's more going on with Liam than Liam is letting on, but he's not exactly sure what beyond his grief over losing his parents. He isn't even sure if it's more than that.
I really loved these two together. It really took it's time to have these two fall in love for real, as real people and not an ideal as Liam used to see Owen before.
The chemistry was really good too. Even though it takes a long time to get to the sex, once we get it was really, really good.
And I didn't mind the long wait. Because as Liam got deeper and deeper into his addiction, not telling anyone about it, I didn't want Liam and Owen to go further with each other. I wanted it out the open and for Liam to get better so they could have a healthy, loving relationship. That wasn't going to happen as long as Liam was on drugs.
Also I really liked how the book depicted his addiction. How it seemed to come on gradually but quickly at the same time. This all takes place over a few months, but Liam seemingly is doing okay, but it starts to slowly get worse and worse, as the drugs take affect and make him more and more reliant on them. First he could take one and it would last almost the whole day, but then it gets to the point where he's taking 4 or 5 just to get through his shifts.
I did give .25 off, but mostly just because this as advertised as a 'forbidden workplace romance' type of thing and there is no forbidden aspect in this at all. There's worry from Owen about being 12 years older and Liam's boss, but in the end it really isn't that big of a deal, as there isn't any rule against anyone being together at the Pointe. Many coworkers there have apparently hooked up before.
Also the 'boss' - he owns the place and all, but he doesn't care about actually being there and running it. Which is what Owen does instead - John couldn't care less.
So I don't think that needed to be advertised as that is not what this story is, and there is really no forbidden aspect to it. Owen also only gains feelings for Liam when they meet up again when Liam is 21, an adult, so while they have a history of knowing each other ever since Liam was 12, there was no romantic or sexual aspect for Owen until he's an adult.
So I gave a little bit off for that, but ultimately not much because I didn't mind too much in the end, as the story was just so good and well done and engaging.
I couldn't put this down unless it was for sleep, and this was over 400 pages, so I read this in a short amount of time, unwilling to put it down unless I had to.
This was definitely a very strong debut novel and I highly recommend it. It also does an amazing job of tying up all loose ends to both of their storylines, and at the very end, setting up the next couple, which will be Finn, Owen's best friend, and Ollie, a friend of Liam's from high school who he's just recently reconnected with and becomes close friends with after Liam has started recovering from his addiction.
This was just so beautiful done. I almost cried at one point, as Liam's grief and despair was just so much and done so well. He loved his parents so much, and losing all your family who you love in one fell swoop would devastate anyone. He does have an aunt, but she isn't great and we find out why as the story goes on.
Also, Liam just having turned 18, makes it all harder, as just as he was about to leave the nest, his safety net of love and support just as he would go off to learn how to be adult was ripped away from him, and I don't think he really got to get to a more mature, adult place where he would be able to deal with the death of his parents in a more healthy way. If he'd been older, say his 30's or so, more mature and settled as an adult, I think he would have been able to deal with their deaths a little better, not turning to drugs at the very least.
His thought processes sometimes almost frustrated me, but it was understandable in the throes of his addiction and his grieving mental state. He was basically stuck there for 3 years, and seeing him blossom from hitting rock bottom near the end, so he and Owen could have their HEA was so beautiful.
The hardships, the pain and angst these two go through makes their HEA all the sweeter. It makes reading the hard parts worth it, to see them so happy and in love and settled at the end.
Definitely pick up this debut novel when you can. It is definitely worth it. And I can't wait to read Finn and Ollie's love story! (Which, while I'm sure will be angsty, hopefully not quite the level of drug addiction angsty🤞) Can't wait!
Onto the next!
I think I found a new author to love, potentially? We'll have to see how Finn and Ollie's book goes to determine that, but I'm very hopeful 😍🥰😘
September 6, 2023
4.5 stars for a loooong book. It is a first read for this author for me, and a beautifully written story.
A great start as Liam is gifted a car as he’s about to embark on going away to college. But things changed shortly after that day for Liam forever.
Fast forward three years, Liam, 21, is working at The Point, a hall venue, as a 2 IC manager. They badly needed a venue manager as he’s hanging on by a thread and mourning the loss of his parents as another anniversary rolls around.
Owen, 33 years old, badly wanted the job as he was progressing through a messy divorce and was trying to get custody of his son Michael.
A great first meeting as they recognised each other as past neighbours three years ago. Liam was crushing on Owen back then and still had feelings for the older man.
Grief is still enormous for Liam as he starts with the drugs to make his life a little easier for a while. Violence and talk of suicide as Liam is in deep trouble.
The book Addiction is well written, and I could feel their emotions in this story with the circumstances they were dealing with.
It is a book with emotions, comfort and healing, boss and employee, age gap, I suspected there were several twists included, which I was right. I would have loved this book to have been shorter as it dragged in the middle of the story. Addicted was a very well-titled book for the author to have written.
A great start as Liam is gifted a car as he’s about to embark on going away to college. But things changed shortly after that day for Liam forever.
Fast forward three years, Liam, 21, is working at The Point, a hall venue, as a 2 IC manager. They badly needed a venue manager as he’s hanging on by a thread and mourning the loss of his parents as another anniversary rolls around.
Owen, 33 years old, badly wanted the job as he was progressing through a messy divorce and was trying to get custody of his son Michael.
A great first meeting as they recognised each other as past neighbours three years ago. Liam was crushing on Owen back then and still had feelings for the older man.
Grief is still enormous for Liam as he starts with the drugs to make his life a little easier for a while. Violence and talk of suicide as Liam is in deep trouble.
The book Addiction is well written, and I could feel their emotions in this story with the circumstances they were dealing with.
It is a book with emotions, comfort and healing, boss and employee, age gap, I suspected there were several twists included, which I was right. I would have loved this book to have been shorter as it dragged in the middle of the story. Addicted was a very well-titled book for the author to have written.
June 29, 2023
A Joyfully Jay review.
4 stars
This book lives up to its title as it brings us front and center to Liam’s downward spiral. He had a great life and was truly happy, then see him three years later living in a rundown apartment where he is physically and mentally trying to hold himself together. He has a job, but his life is so far off track from where he was supposed to be and his trauma is swallowing him. He’s alone and drowning in grief and truly has no idea how to move forward. Liam stays mostly to himself, but he reluctantly agrees to go out for drinks after work with coworkers and it’s the catalyst for insurmountable problems.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
4 stars
This book lives up to its title as it brings us front and center to Liam’s downward spiral. He had a great life and was truly happy, then see him three years later living in a rundown apartment where he is physically and mentally trying to hold himself together. He has a job, but his life is so far off track from where he was supposed to be and his trauma is swallowing him. He’s alone and drowning in grief and truly has no idea how to move forward. Liam stays mostly to himself, but he reluctantly agrees to go out for drinks after work with coworkers and it’s the catalyst for insurmountable problems.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
June 7, 2024
This book is incredible. You go on such a journey with these two guys, and it is wonderful. The love and support they have for each other is beautiful. I cried both happy and sad tears. I can’t wait to see them in future books in this series.
June 19, 2023
Liam and Owen ❤️
4.5 Stars ⭐️
✅Age Gap
✅Hurt/comfort
✅Addiction
✅Slow Burn
Let's just say WOW! This book took me by surprise in the best way. I don't know where to begin but to say this was such a tough story to read. The pain of loss was extremely palpable and you couldn't help but feel it for Liam, geez warn a girl before you make her cry. This book made me so emotional and the author did such a wonderful job bringing this story to life. You have two broken men with a history that is so extremely complicated but not at all. This relationship build was so beautiful, these two were connected as much as Liam tried to fight his attraction to Owen and memories it stirred it was inevitable, they were each others home, it took a while for them to realize but they got there and it was a truly sweet yet emotional journey. I would most definitely recommend this read, it was sad at times yet healing as well, spice was there once they got there and the love was heartwarming.
* I received an ARC from GRR, this is my open and honest review *
4.5 Stars ⭐️
✅Age Gap
✅Hurt/comfort
✅Addiction
✅Slow Burn
Let's just say WOW! This book took me by surprise in the best way. I don't know where to begin but to say this was such a tough story to read. The pain of loss was extremely palpable and you couldn't help but feel it for Liam, geez warn a girl before you make her cry. This book made me so emotional and the author did such a wonderful job bringing this story to life. You have two broken men with a history that is so extremely complicated but not at all. This relationship build was so beautiful, these two were connected as much as Liam tried to fight his attraction to Owen and memories it stirred it was inevitable, they were each others home, it took a while for them to realize but they got there and it was a truly sweet yet emotional journey. I would most definitely recommend this read, it was sad at times yet healing as well, spice was there once they got there and the love was heartwarming.
* I received an ARC from GRR, this is my open and honest review *
June 15, 2023
4.5 stars. A very moving story with buckets full of double hurt/comfort. The first part, which was meant to start a series (so more detail and minor character depth than a standalone) as well as give all the background on the MCs, did drag a little at times but the last part was excellent. The ending was super sweet. All the characters were really enjoyable.
I received a complimentary copy of this book and am happy to leave a voluntary review.
I received a complimentary copy of this book and am happy to leave a voluntary review.
May 31, 2025
Characterization started off great, with Liam's depression and poor coping mechanisms along with Owen's guilt mixed with uncertain attraction. I liked amount of time the book spends showing us how Liam was barely functioning and how Owen was fighting hard for his son.
Owen's conversations with his best friend, Finn, were a great way of debriefing the situation in a way thatv didn't seem awkward or too obvious. Having them talk about Owen's problems helped keep things on context while they developed (always keeping the original big picture of Owen's divorce and finding his son on our minds while his attraction to Liam started). Finn and Owen's therapist also really highlighted Owen's strong support structure which contrasted against Liam's lack of one (doing a great job of showing the importance of one)
Liam's descent into addiction was also particularly well done imo. Showing he was aware of it, but lacking the power to fight against it was both extremely sad but believable. I don't often read about the start of addiction in characters, so seeing it done for a sympathetic reason (trying to feel better against his grief) was refreshing in a very solemn way.
A criticism I have is that I felt like the story dragged on far too long between big plot developments. Even though seeing Liam's addiction develop on page was nice, it still not coming out after Owen's birthday on top of the other compounding plot conflicts not being developed (like his Aunt stealing money from him, Owen's divorce + custody fight) really really made things a slog to read. Having so many heavy conflicts not develop was annoying and the pacing needed to be better because nothing interesting was really happening from like 45% to 60%. Liam was getting more dependent on the vicodin, but we already know that's a problem and it didn't change his situation. There wasn't any updates for Owen's problems other than things went badly, but again, that was already the case before. Things got technically worse, but nothing really changed as far as the plot was concerned.
I will say, Liam giving Owen that picture of them back then felt a bit icky considering Liam was very much underage then (which touches on the grey area of their relationship. Like it's fine now because they're both adults, but a picture of them together from the past treads a bit too close to problematic in my eyes)
When Liam's addiction finally did come out, I was a little shocked at how he ended up thinking suicide was the way out though. Yeah, he wasn't thinking clearly, but to suddenly want to end things without any hint of it prior was jarring.
Everything that came afterwards was fine, but never really recovered from the slowness of the start for me I think. It was nice to see all of the conflicts get wrapped up, but If already lost too much engagement to really feel super happy about the windfalls.
The side characters ended up being generally good. Marci being the big sister, Dylan the cool dude, Finn the best friend, John ending up being a really stand up (but annoying) guy.
TL;DR: Great start and setup betrayed by a very very boring middle that lost me towards the end. I'll put the next story in the backlog for now.
Owen's conversations with his best friend, Finn, were a great way of debriefing the situation in a way thatv didn't seem awkward or too obvious. Having them talk about Owen's problems helped keep things on context while they developed (always keeping the original big picture of Owen's divorce and finding his son on our minds while his attraction to Liam started). Finn and Owen's therapist also really highlighted Owen's strong support structure which contrasted against Liam's lack of one (doing a great job of showing the importance of one)
Liam's descent into addiction was also particularly well done imo. Showing he was aware of it, but lacking the power to fight against it was both extremely sad but believable. I don't often read about the start of addiction in characters, so seeing it done for a sympathetic reason (trying to feel better against his grief) was refreshing in a very solemn way.
A criticism I have is that I felt like the story dragged on far too long between big plot developments. Even though seeing Liam's addiction develop on page was nice, it still not coming out after Owen's birthday on top of the other compounding plot conflicts not being developed (like his Aunt stealing money from him, Owen's divorce + custody fight) really really made things a slog to read. Having so many heavy conflicts not develop was annoying and the pacing needed to be better because nothing interesting was really happening from like 45% to 60%. Liam was getting more dependent on the vicodin, but we already know that's a problem and it didn't change his situation. There wasn't any updates for Owen's problems other than things went badly, but again, that was already the case before. Things got technically worse, but nothing really changed as far as the plot was concerned.
I will say, Liam giving Owen that picture of them back then felt a bit icky considering Liam was very much underage then (which touches on the grey area of their relationship. Like it's fine now because they're both adults, but a picture of them together from the past treads a bit too close to problematic in my eyes)
When Liam's addiction finally did come out, I was a little shocked at how he ended up thinking suicide was the way out though. Yeah, he wasn't thinking clearly, but to suddenly want to end things without any hint of it prior was jarring.
Everything that came afterwards was fine, but never really recovered from the slowness of the start for me I think. It was nice to see all of the conflicts get wrapped up, but If already lost too much engagement to really feel super happy about the windfalls.
The side characters ended up being generally good. Marci being the big sister, Dylan the cool dude, Finn the best friend, John ending up being a really stand up (but annoying) guy.
TL;DR: Great start and setup betrayed by a very very boring middle that lost me towards the end. I'll put the next story in the backlog for now.
June 18, 2023
This book made me cry!!!!
Do you know that feeling after you've finished a good series and you instantly start to crave some fan-made content, like fanart or fanfiction or even some forum discussion? Well, after I finished this book, I was instantly itching for more and, to my great despair, realized that there WAS no fanfiction or fandom for this book because it's currently TOO NEW to have any!!!!!
ADDICTED is an awe-inspiring, heartstrings pulling, tear jerking story between two people who have reunited after going through awful events in their personal lives. The two main characters (Liam and Owen), as well as its ensemble cast, feel like real people you could meet at any point in your life, which made for such believability that it almost felt like I had actually met some of them. The story starts off at a wonderful highlight at one of Liam's happiest moments in his youth with his parents and their visiting neighbor Owen, and then immediately fast forwards to the present day in the thick of Liam's depression and misery where the trajectory of his life clearly came to some sort of horribly traumatic shift. Owen also comes into the story at an equally miserable state in his life, and eventually, the two reunite in an exciting yet nerve-wracking turn of events. While Owen is delighted to find Liam again, Liam is terrified of the kind of pain this reunion could bring with memories of the past.
The way this story pieces itself together is utterly satisfying as each reveal comes through like a racing star tearing its way through the sky in a brilliant flash of hair-raising stakes. It is rich in its nuance of real-life issues and understanding of how interpersonal relationships work between friendships, families, clients, and co-workers. The struggle, the push and pull, the (both sexual and non-sexual) tension, and the journey to healing were all amazing to witness in a story, and I was invested within minutes of digging in and all the way until the end. You will find yourself rooting for the characters to fight and find their way to peace and happiness (especially Liam!) as they make their way through the tangled messes of multi-layered complications, and you will not be disappointed by the results.
I think one big thing that I feel I must mention (because I appreciate this so much) is that Sonia Blue clearly understands that drug addiction is not a mark of a bad person, nor does drug addiction make people less worthy of love and dignity than anyone else. These are not descriptors that had been explicitly stated in the story. Rather, she has demonstrates this by her treatment of her characters and the way the characters treat each other - in other words, she doesn't *tell* you that addiction doesn't make someone a bad person, she *shows* you throughout the book. And because this book has such a down-to-earth realism to it, you can't help but realize how true that is. And that is some good storytelling.
I absolutely cannot wait for the next book in this series. Give yourself the opportunity to enrich your life by reading this book!
Do you know that feeling after you've finished a good series and you instantly start to crave some fan-made content, like fanart or fanfiction or even some forum discussion? Well, after I finished this book, I was instantly itching for more and, to my great despair, realized that there WAS no fanfiction or fandom for this book because it's currently TOO NEW to have any!!!!!
ADDICTED is an awe-inspiring, heartstrings pulling, tear jerking story between two people who have reunited after going through awful events in their personal lives. The two main characters (Liam and Owen), as well as its ensemble cast, feel like real people you could meet at any point in your life, which made for such believability that it almost felt like I had actually met some of them. The story starts off at a wonderful highlight at one of Liam's happiest moments in his youth with his parents and their visiting neighbor Owen, and then immediately fast forwards to the present day in the thick of Liam's depression and misery where the trajectory of his life clearly came to some sort of horribly traumatic shift. Owen also comes into the story at an equally miserable state in his life, and eventually, the two reunite in an exciting yet nerve-wracking turn of events. While Owen is delighted to find Liam again, Liam is terrified of the kind of pain this reunion could bring with memories of the past.
The way this story pieces itself together is utterly satisfying as each reveal comes through like a racing star tearing its way through the sky in a brilliant flash of hair-raising stakes. It is rich in its nuance of real-life issues and understanding of how interpersonal relationships work between friendships, families, clients, and co-workers. The struggle, the push and pull, the (both sexual and non-sexual) tension, and the journey to healing were all amazing to witness in a story, and I was invested within minutes of digging in and all the way until the end. You will find yourself rooting for the characters to fight and find their way to peace and happiness (especially Liam!) as they make their way through the tangled messes of multi-layered complications, and you will not be disappointed by the results.
I think one big thing that I feel I must mention (because I appreciate this so much) is that Sonia Blue clearly understands that drug addiction is not a mark of a bad person, nor does drug addiction make people less worthy of love and dignity than anyone else. These are not descriptors that had been explicitly stated in the story. Rather, she has demonstrates this by her treatment of her characters and the way the characters treat each other - in other words, she doesn't *tell* you that addiction doesn't make someone a bad person, she *shows* you throughout the book. And because this book has such a down-to-earth realism to it, you can't help but realize how true that is. And that is some good storytelling.
I absolutely cannot wait for the next book in this series. Give yourself the opportunity to enrich your life by reading this book!
May 4, 2025
3.5 stars. Liam is a 21 year old who lost both of his parents in a car accident when he was 18. His father died instantly and Liam was the one who had to make the decision to take his mother off of life support. He had never processed the grief and was stuck in a cycle of depression and loneliness. He worked at a catering hall as a waiter. He went to work and went home to a small dingy apartment that mirrored his emotional state. His life was basically on hold.
Owen, Liam's next door neighbor growing up and on whom he had a major crush, found out his wife Sharon was cheating on him and she filed for divorce. She took his son away from him and left him nothing. He had worked as a financial advisor at a firm run by Sharon's best friend. Sharon had him fired. One of his clients, however, ran the catering hall where his former neighbor happened to work. Jim hired Owen as the new manager.
Owen hadn't seen Liam in the three years since his parents died. Sharon was very controlling and didn't allow Owen to really say anything to Liam after their deaths. I'm not sure if he even went to the funerals. The author didn't say.
Liam freaks out when he finds out that Owen, the man he used to fantasize about in the shower, is his new boss. He starts spiraling and really hits rock bottom. He decides that taking drugs will help. This is completely out of the blue since he has no history of drug or alcohol abuse up to this point. When you're at your lowest, even the worst ideas seem pretty good.
He's able to hide it for a while. During this time, he and Owen become close. Owen doesn't notice the change in Liam, but his best friend Finn and the head wait person Marci both do. They confront Owen with the information, but he refuses to believe that the man he is falling in love with is a drug addict.
Owen eventually finds evidence of Liam's drug use. A bag of Vicodins fall out of his pants pocket at Owen's apartment. Liam freaks and runs out. Eventually, Owen catches up to him, with the help of Finn and Marci. Liam comes clean and tells him that he was going to try and go off the drugs on his own. Owen convinces him to go into out-patient rehab. Liam hates hospitals due to his mother dying in one.
We get some plot twists that I won't spoil, and these are the best parts of the book. I really didn't like Liam at first. His entire identity centered on his grief. The pills were just a stupid mistake on his part. He was intelligent and even did research on them before taking them. He knew he was going to get addicted, and he still took them! Everything worked out for the best though.
Owen was suffering himself because of the loss of his son Michael. His ex-wife wouldn’t let him see him during the divorce proceedings and he lost any chance of custody because one of the plot twists. The author knows how to write twists and that’s what really saved this book for me.
Owen, Liam's next door neighbor growing up and on whom he had a major crush, found out his wife Sharon was cheating on him and she filed for divorce. She took his son away from him and left him nothing. He had worked as a financial advisor at a firm run by Sharon's best friend. Sharon had him fired. One of his clients, however, ran the catering hall where his former neighbor happened to work. Jim hired Owen as the new manager.
Owen hadn't seen Liam in the three years since his parents died. Sharon was very controlling and didn't allow Owen to really say anything to Liam after their deaths. I'm not sure if he even went to the funerals. The author didn't say.
Liam freaks out when he finds out that Owen, the man he used to fantasize about in the shower, is his new boss. He starts spiraling and really hits rock bottom. He decides that taking drugs will help. This is completely out of the blue since he has no history of drug or alcohol abuse up to this point. When you're at your lowest, even the worst ideas seem pretty good.
He's able to hide it for a while. During this time, he and Owen become close. Owen doesn't notice the change in Liam, but his best friend Finn and the head wait person Marci both do. They confront Owen with the information, but he refuses to believe that the man he is falling in love with is a drug addict.
Owen eventually finds evidence of Liam's drug use. A bag of Vicodins fall out of his pants pocket at Owen's apartment. Liam freaks and runs out. Eventually, Owen catches up to him, with the help of Finn and Marci. Liam comes clean and tells him that he was going to try and go off the drugs on his own. Owen convinces him to go into out-patient rehab. Liam hates hospitals due to his mother dying in one.
We get some plot twists that I won't spoil, and these are the best parts of the book. I really didn't like Liam at first. His entire identity centered on his grief. The pills were just a stupid mistake on his part. He was intelligent and even did research on them before taking them. He knew he was going to get addicted, and he still took them! Everything worked out for the best though.
Owen was suffering himself because of the loss of his son Michael. His ex-wife wouldn’t let him see him during the divorce proceedings and he lost any chance of custody because one of the plot twists. The author knows how to write twists and that’s what really saved this book for me.
June 24, 2023
Liam is young, 21, gay, he lost his parents in an accident three years ago and cannot get past the grief which has consumed him since it happened. The only thing preventing him from curling up in his nest and staying there forever, but getting him out of his rundown apartment, is his job at a wedding venue, The Pointe. There, he gets food, he interacts with others, and he has people who care for him. His life changes when the venue’s new manager arrives, a man Liam has had a crush on since he was twelve.
Owen is in his thirties, going through a contentious divorce and custody battle over his son, barely dealing with his totally upturned life, gay, and by the way, Liam’s neighbor as Liam was growing up. Owen has always felt guilty about not being more helpful to Liam when his parents were killed, and has thought about him over the years. He is excited to find Liam again, working at the same place.
As Owen settles in to his new job, he discovers previous managers have left the paperwork side of the business in chaos and he needs help from staff to sort things out over time. Liam ends up as his PA, working through the mess with calm and efficiency, and the two fall into an easy friendship, slowly moving to attraction and more. As the relationship develops, Liam is facing personal challenges as he tries to battle his grief, and it eventually creates a crisis in the relationship. Owen is also facing challenges as the custody battle continues. As the two try to work their way through the challenges they face, an additional challenge from Liam’s past adds more to what both are facing. Through perseverance and love, they work on things together, reaching the conclusion which had me in tears, but very satisfied.
Both characters are very relatable and the development of the relationship seems very realistic, as do the cares, concerns, and emotions of both. Good supporting characters definitely add layers to the background, and offer possibilities for future books. An engaging read which held my interest throughout, keeping me invested in the relationship between Liam and Owen.
Owen is in his thirties, going through a contentious divorce and custody battle over his son, barely dealing with his totally upturned life, gay, and by the way, Liam’s neighbor as Liam was growing up. Owen has always felt guilty about not being more helpful to Liam when his parents were killed, and has thought about him over the years. He is excited to find Liam again, working at the same place.
As Owen settles in to his new job, he discovers previous managers have left the paperwork side of the business in chaos and he needs help from staff to sort things out over time. Liam ends up as his PA, working through the mess with calm and efficiency, and the two fall into an easy friendship, slowly moving to attraction and more. As the relationship develops, Liam is facing personal challenges as he tries to battle his grief, and it eventually creates a crisis in the relationship. Owen is also facing challenges as the custody battle continues. As the two try to work their way through the challenges they face, an additional challenge from Liam’s past adds more to what both are facing. Through perseverance and love, they work on things together, reaching the conclusion which had me in tears, but very satisfied.
Both characters are very relatable and the development of the relationship seems very realistic, as do the cares, concerns, and emotions of both. Good supporting characters definitely add layers to the background, and offer possibilities for future books. An engaging read which held my interest throughout, keeping me invested in the relationship between Liam and Owen.
May 27, 2024
Oh my poor heart. This was my first – but definitely not my last – book by Sonia Blue. I feel like she owes me a hug after everything I went through reading this book. Heartbreak upon heartbreak. It’s not a secret that I’m a crybaby, but this book… I WAS SOBBING!
Both Liam and Owen were such interesting characters, both deep, troubled and scarred, but also extremely lovable.
Liam was so young but had already been through so much pain, and his newfound happiness with life during the book was bittersweet to read as it was accompanied with an addiction to pills to keep the grief he was carrying at bay.
Owen had his own problems to deal with. He was trying to navigate life while still struggling with his divorce and the custody battle of his son, and let me just tell you… major heartbreak incoming. Yet he still managed to be such a huge support to Liam, and it was beautiful.
The book is not all heartbreak though. Liam and Owen’s growing feelings towards each other after they started working together was sizzling, and the pining was making me pine too. Owen’s dad jokes managed to lighten up the otherwise gloomy subjects, and I was laughing out loud several times. There is no way that Owen wont capture your heart the same way he did Liam’s.
It was way past my bedtime when everything collided, so, obviously, I was up most of the night finishing the book, in tears. What I loved the most was that you don’t just get all the bad stuff and then “3 months later” and everything is good and they’re getting married or whatever, no, in this book you get to see the healing too, and I’m so glad because it gave me time to mend my heart as well.
The side characters were extremely lovable as well, and the found family feels made my heart happy. I’m very much looking forward to seeing them all again in the next book.
It was such a emotional and heartbreaking story, but the HEA makes up for everything.
What to expect:
❥ Dual POV
❥ MM Romance
❥ Found Family
❥ Age Gap
❥ Workplace Romance
❥ Hurt/Comfort
❥ Size Difference
❥ Tears ❥ Swoons ❥ Spice
I was so lucky to receive this ARC to review with my honest opinion.
Read the full review on my blog here.
Both Liam and Owen were such interesting characters, both deep, troubled and scarred, but also extremely lovable.
Liam was so young but had already been through so much pain, and his newfound happiness with life during the book was bittersweet to read as it was accompanied with an addiction to pills to keep the grief he was carrying at bay.
Owen had his own problems to deal with. He was trying to navigate life while still struggling with his divorce and the custody battle of his son, and let me just tell you… major heartbreak incoming. Yet he still managed to be such a huge support to Liam, and it was beautiful.
The book is not all heartbreak though. Liam and Owen’s growing feelings towards each other after they started working together was sizzling, and the pining was making me pine too. Owen’s dad jokes managed to lighten up the otherwise gloomy subjects, and I was laughing out loud several times. There is no way that Owen wont capture your heart the same way he did Liam’s.
It was way past my bedtime when everything collided, so, obviously, I was up most of the night finishing the book, in tears. What I loved the most was that you don’t just get all the bad stuff and then “3 months later” and everything is good and they’re getting married or whatever, no, in this book you get to see the healing too, and I’m so glad because it gave me time to mend my heart as well.
The side characters were extremely lovable as well, and the found family feels made my heart happy. I’m very much looking forward to seeing them all again in the next book.
It was such a emotional and heartbreaking story, but the HEA makes up for everything.
What to expect:
❥ Dual POV
❥ MM Romance
❥ Found Family
❥ Age Gap
❥ Workplace Romance
❥ Hurt/Comfort
❥ Size Difference
❥ Tears ❥ Swoons ❥ Spice
I was so lucky to receive this ARC to review with my honest opinion.
Read the full review on my blog here.
May 29, 2024
They used to be neighbours, Liam the happy son of two adoring parents, about to go off to college in his brand new, first car; Owen the dilf next door, apparently happily married with a young son. They lose touch after Liam is orphaned and moves away, and when Owen gets a new job three years later, after his life imploded due to a bitter divorce and custody battle, they reconnect.
Liam's grief is visceral and completely overwhelming, so when he is offered vicodin by a friendly but sketchy bar tender, he is desperate enough to try it. His addiction slowly becomes unmanageable, even as he and Owen grow closer.
On the surface, Owen holds it together, even though he is desperate to see his 8 year old son again, and his soon to be ex-wife is hell-bent on keeping him away from him. Owen enlists Liam's help to organise and modernise the chaos behind the scenes at the wedding venue Owen is now managing, giving the project his all, despite struggling with the loss of his son.
I love all the supporting characters (some of whom will be getting their story told in the next book). I wasn't a huge fan of Owen's endless puns and dad jokes, and revealing his sexuality to the reader could have done with a little more foreshadowing so it didn't feel so out of the blue, but these are really minor gripes.
I love the angst, the sensitivity in the way Liam's addiction is portrayed, and that time and space are held for Owen's own mental health issues. A little more time dedicated to their recoveries would add balance, but by that point the characters have earned their HEA, so I don't begrudge them that.
There's a world of differences between erotica and romance, and Addicted is definitely the latter. Although the romance genre guarantees a HEA, the characters of Liam and Owen go through a lot to get there, and their HEA feels out of reach for most of the book. There is open door spice, but the angst was the real appeal for me.
Definitely recommend.
Liam's grief is visceral and completely overwhelming, so when he is offered vicodin by a friendly but sketchy bar tender, he is desperate enough to try it. His addiction slowly becomes unmanageable, even as he and Owen grow closer.
On the surface, Owen holds it together, even though he is desperate to see his 8 year old son again, and his soon to be ex-wife is hell-bent on keeping him away from him. Owen enlists Liam's help to organise and modernise the chaos behind the scenes at the wedding venue Owen is now managing, giving the project his all, despite struggling with the loss of his son.
I love all the supporting characters (some of whom will be getting their story told in the next book). I wasn't a huge fan of Owen's endless puns and dad jokes, and revealing his sexuality to the reader could have done with a little more foreshadowing so it didn't feel so out of the blue, but these are really minor gripes.
I love the angst, the sensitivity in the way Liam's addiction is portrayed, and that time and space are held for Owen's own mental health issues. A little more time dedicated to their recoveries would add balance, but by that point the characters have earned their HEA, so I don't begrudge them that.
There's a world of differences between erotica and romance, and Addicted is definitely the latter. Although the romance genre guarantees a HEA, the characters of Liam and Owen go through a lot to get there, and their HEA feels out of reach for most of the book. There is open door spice, but the angst was the real appeal for me.
Definitely recommend.
June 5, 2024
ADDICTED BY SONIA BLUE (THE POINTE OF LOVE #1)
Nobody prepares for a crushing loss. When Liam loses his loving parents at the end of his senior year of high school, he finds himself lost in grief for three years. Memories of what his life was and fantasies about what it could have been keep him trapped in his grief. Those thoughts kept bringing him back to the sexy neighbor he left behind.
When the hot neighbor finds his life turned upside down. He finds he made mistakes like denying his sexuality. When his marriage ends, and his son is taken from him, the only bright spot is he reunites with the son of his neighbor, who is no longer a boy. He is now a man, a very attractive man. Maybe they can help each other through the pain they suffer.
OPINION: This book is very well written. You get to know the MCs pretty well, and their story of coming together is sweet. There is a lot of angst written into the story, and sometimes I had that stinging behind my eyes. You need to make sure to read the trigger warnings. The path that Liam goes through to get to the other side is a tough one and can, for sure, be a bit much for people. These two deserve a break, especially Liam; time was lost in his grief, but finding Owen and being supported was a great story and created a nice happily ever after. I think I would have liked a little more depth in the other plots, specifically the situation with his Aunt and the situation with the son. I feel like it was all rushed together at the end, but it doesn’t take away from the story I just wanted to know more. It’s a great story, and you won’t be disappointed reading it.
SPICE: There are some very sweet sexy moments between these MCs. You find yourself happy that they get their intimate moments amongst all the drama.
June 14, 2024
𝑨𝒅𝒅𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 Overall Rating
🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶/5 Spice Rating
Owen and Liam's Story
💙 What to Expect 💙:
*MM romance 🏳️🌈
*Grief and Trauma Bonding
*Age Gap
*Friends to Lovers
*Boss x Employee
*Addiction to Narcotics
*Single Father
*Death of family members
*Vindictive Ex-wife
*High Level Angst 😭
*Cute Dad jokes 🤓
*HEA🎊
💙 Things I loved 💙:
🤍 The exploration of grief was painful and raw but both Owen and Liam overcome their plights and find an eternal true love with each other.
🤍 The dad jokes that Owen cracks were needed, bringing a sense of comfort to many scenes, and they endeared the character to me throughout the novel.
🤍 Liam's innocence and vulnerability led him into dark places, but it made me root for him to find peace and love and security.
🤍 The lovability of the characters! Even John is a gem to me. He's got rough edges but has a generous heart. 😆
🤍 The intimate scenes were well-written and enhanced and buoyed the love story between Owen and Liam. I love how in love and lust they are. 🤗🔥
🎀 A Quote that Stuck With Me 🎀:
"While Ollie looked like an angel, Liam was an angel, a divine being who had descended from the heavens to bless Owen’s life."
I recommend this book to people who want a look into the psyche of two people who are grieving losses, love mm romance, and want a satisfying and beautiful HEA. 🙌😊
Now on to Finn and Ollie's love story next 👀🤭
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 Overall Rating
🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶/5 Spice Rating
Owen and Liam's Story
💙 What to Expect 💙:
*MM romance 🏳️🌈
*Grief and Trauma Bonding
*Age Gap
*Friends to Lovers
*Boss x Employee
*Addiction to Narcotics
*Single Father
*Death of family members
*Vindictive Ex-wife
*High Level Angst 😭
*Cute Dad jokes 🤓
*HEA🎊
💙 Things I loved 💙:
🤍 The exploration of grief was painful and raw but both Owen and Liam overcome their plights and find an eternal true love with each other.
🤍 The dad jokes that Owen cracks were needed, bringing a sense of comfort to many scenes, and they endeared the character to me throughout the novel.
🤍 Liam's innocence and vulnerability led him into dark places, but it made me root for him to find peace and love and security.
🤍 The lovability of the characters! Even John is a gem to me. He's got rough edges but has a generous heart. 😆
🤍 The intimate scenes were well-written and enhanced and buoyed the love story between Owen and Liam. I love how in love and lust they are. 🤗🔥
🎀 A Quote that Stuck With Me 🎀:
"While Ollie looked like an angel, Liam was an angel, a divine being who had descended from the heavens to bless Owen’s life."
I recommend this book to people who want a look into the psyche of two people who are grieving losses, love mm romance, and want a satisfying and beautiful HEA. 🙌😊
Now on to Finn and Ollie's love story next 👀🤭
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 14, 2023
‼️I was given an ARC before official release, bought my own copy either way‼️
•
Happy release day! I’m very happy for Blue to have published her first Novel 🎉 I’ve read her previous short stories and some fics of hers before so I was excited to be able to read the book— not only cause she’s given me fantastic book recommendations over the years.
Now onto the book. I had actually only skimmed over the synopsis to I went into the book somewhat blind. Have to say I really enjoyed Liam and Owen’s characters and actually cared about them (which I can’t say about all the recent books I’ve read). I even cared to want to know about supporting characters like Marci or Dylan (even John lol).
So that I was invested in the story and wanted to know what will happen amazing, not only cause it was very easy to read and not have me stumble over parts that might’ve been unclear.
Surprisingly enough I learned new things about grills and smokers which I definitely didn’t expect. The puns Owen was making were quite funny— a lot which I’ve never come across before especially having a good friend who loves their puns 😂
I’m happy that this couple has gotten closure at the end so the new couple— Finn and Ollie— can have their story told.
Again, congratulations on your first release and I can’t wait to support your upcoming books!
•
Happy release day! I’m very happy for Blue to have published her first Novel 🎉 I’ve read her previous short stories and some fics of hers before so I was excited to be able to read the book— not only cause she’s given me fantastic book recommendations over the years.
Now onto the book. I had actually only skimmed over the synopsis to I went into the book somewhat blind. Have to say I really enjoyed Liam and Owen’s characters and actually cared about them (which I can’t say about all the recent books I’ve read). I even cared to want to know about supporting characters like Marci or Dylan (even John lol).
So that I was invested in the story and wanted to know what will happen amazing, not only cause it was very easy to read and not have me stumble over parts that might’ve been unclear.
Surprisingly enough I learned new things about grills and smokers which I definitely didn’t expect. The puns Owen was making were quite funny— a lot which I’ve never come across before especially having a good friend who loves their puns 😂
I’m happy that this couple has gotten closure at the end so the new couple— Finn and Ollie— can have their story told.
Again, congratulations on your first release and I can’t wait to support your upcoming books!
June 18, 2023
Liam Gray has spent the last three years lost to grief. All he really has is his job at The Pointe wedding hall and a cheap apartment. He is barely living. Then Owen Parker arrives and is delighted to be offered a job at The Pointe. He is even happier to find Liam there, someone he never forgot. They had been neighbors until both their lives imploded. Owen lost his wife, his job and his son when he came out as gay. He is struggling but Liam has always had a crush on Owen and now his emotions are just too much. He turns to pills to help him cope. As the two work together, their attraction grows as does Liam’s addiction to his pills.
Liam had no one to really help him when tragedy struck. Barely eighteen, he has nothing but his grief to keep him company. While everyone’s story is different, his fall into addiction clearly shows how easy someone can become addicted and how he had help getting there. He really felt he had nothing else. Own did have some support but even with support, his issues weighed him down. The two needed each other in more ways than one. This beautiful story will leave you with a smile after crying in some parts. The two main characters show strength when one is weak. This is an excellent story but please take note of the triggers. Sonia Blue’s writing will capture you and keep you glued to the pages.
Liam had no one to really help him when tragedy struck. Barely eighteen, he has nothing but his grief to keep him company. While everyone’s story is different, his fall into addiction clearly shows how easy someone can become addicted and how he had help getting there. He really felt he had nothing else. Own did have some support but even with support, his issues weighed him down. The two needed each other in more ways than one. This beautiful story will leave you with a smile after crying in some parts. The two main characters show strength when one is weak. This is an excellent story but please take note of the triggers. Sonia Blue’s writing will capture you and keep you glued to the pages.
July 18, 2023
As a fan of BL I was sure I would like this book, but I didn’t expect I would like it that much. Liam and Owen are likable, charismatic and you can’t help but rooting for them. We get to see Liam’s life turn upside down after a tragedy, and it’s hard to see how miserable he became after that. You can empathize with him so much that sometimes you’ll wish you could go into the book and save him from all his bad decisions.
Meanwhile, Owen is the perfect man. You’ll fall for him almost as hard as Liam. His personal life is a nightmare, but he is still able to throw dad jokes around and cheer all the people around him. Geez, he should exist in real life.
This story is about them trying to reach happiness despite everything. It's two people who find comfort in each other, trying to become better people along the way. This book made me laugh, and at the same time smacked me across the face. You’ll probably be upset with some of Liam’s actions, but if you know someone struggling with an addiction, you’ll certainly understand what he’s going through. The honesty and maturity of their relationship is admirable, and everything happens so naturally that you get butterflies in your stomach when the first kiss happens.
What else can I say? I’m more than excited for the next one.
Thank you for this wonderful book, I definitely recommend it.
Meanwhile, Owen is the perfect man. You’ll fall for him almost as hard as Liam. His personal life is a nightmare, but he is still able to throw dad jokes around and cheer all the people around him. Geez, he should exist in real life.
This story is about them trying to reach happiness despite everything. It's two people who find comfort in each other, trying to become better people along the way. This book made me laugh, and at the same time smacked me across the face. You’ll probably be upset with some of Liam’s actions, but if you know someone struggling with an addiction, you’ll certainly understand what he’s going through. The honesty and maturity of their relationship is admirable, and everything happens so naturally that you get butterflies in your stomach when the first kiss happens.
What else can I say? I’m more than excited for the next one.
Thank you for this wonderful book, I definitely recommend it.
June 7, 2024
A GRIPPING, EMOTIONAL READ!💕
This was a tough book to get into but once you do it grips you around the heart and squeezes for all that it’s worth!
This new to me author depicts physical and emotional addiction in various forms and ways..
The way that Liam Grey tried to get over the loneliness and grief of losing his parents at such a young age of 18 and three years later his childhood crush and neighbour Mr. Parker turns up being his boss at The Pointe hits the boiling point where it is showcased by him starting using Vicodin to relieve the anxiety and pain he endures but…
Owen Parker is also suffering… from the threat of losing his son through an emotional soul crushing custody battle and divorce and this is where they were meant to meet again at this time in their lives to help each other navigate through the pain to find trust, shelter, protection and love!
With the help of a loving, caring man and a found family at The Pointe he navigates the stormy waters of addiction that left him vulnerable to greedy, slimy drug dealers and con artists!
A moving, gripping story that will open your eyes to what loneliness and grief can do….
Next up is Finn and Ollie…
I voluntarily received an ARC from GRR for an honest review.
This was a tough book to get into but once you do it grips you around the heart and squeezes for all that it’s worth!
This new to me author depicts physical and emotional addiction in various forms and ways..
The way that Liam Grey tried to get over the loneliness and grief of losing his parents at such a young age of 18 and three years later his childhood crush and neighbour Mr. Parker turns up being his boss at The Pointe hits the boiling point where it is showcased by him starting using Vicodin to relieve the anxiety and pain he endures but…
Owen Parker is also suffering… from the threat of losing his son through an emotional soul crushing custody battle and divorce and this is where they were meant to meet again at this time in their lives to help each other navigate through the pain to find trust, shelter, protection and love!
With the help of a loving, caring man and a found family at The Pointe he navigates the stormy waters of addiction that left him vulnerable to greedy, slimy drug dealers and con artists!
A moving, gripping story that will open your eyes to what loneliness and grief can do….
Next up is Finn and Ollie…
I voluntarily received an ARC from GRR for an honest review.
May 4, 2025
Addicted by Sonia Blue is book 1 in The Pointe of Love series. Liam lost his parents during his senior year of high school in an accident. For the past three years, he has been in a deep depression barely surviving. He did not graduate from high school and barely makes it at work. He works for the Pointe setting up for weddings and other events. He struggles to see families so happy.
His former neighbor, Owen Parker, was Liam’s gay awakening, but they lost touch after Liam’s moved away. Owen is suffering in his own way from a contentious divorce and not being able to see his son for almost a year. Owen moves to Liam’s town and takes a job at the Pointe. It leads to the two reconnecting, but also leads to Liam discovering Vicodin and becoming addicted to how ‘normal’ it makes him feel. I actually really loved these two together. Liam just needed someone to love him, to be there for him, to give him something that he had lost. Owen needed someone to truly love him as well, to offer him solace and softness. The relationship was a slow burn and I really appreciated that. These two needed to see how amazing they could be together. I am so excited to read more in this series.
I received an ARC from GRR for my honest review>
His former neighbor, Owen Parker, was Liam’s gay awakening, but they lost touch after Liam’s moved away. Owen is suffering in his own way from a contentious divorce and not being able to see his son for almost a year. Owen moves to Liam’s town and takes a job at the Pointe. It leads to the two reconnecting, but also leads to Liam discovering Vicodin and becoming addicted to how ‘normal’ it makes him feel. I actually really loved these two together. Liam just needed someone to love him, to be there for him, to give him something that he had lost. Owen needed someone to truly love him as well, to offer him solace and softness. The relationship was a slow burn and I really appreciated that. These two needed to see how amazing they could be together. I am so excited to read more in this series.
I received an ARC from GRR for my honest review>
June 7, 2024
I was not prepared..
I knew there were triggers..
This one hit so damn hard.
How do you go on when you lose everything?
Liam & Owens story is simply heartbreaking.
Both have suffered through immense pain and have come out the other side of it a shell of who they used to be.
This isn't a review like I normally do, this one is subdued because this is a book that needs to be read to be understood and I cant do my normal review style without spoiling this book.
This book was a really really hard one for me to get through but not in a bad way at all. It was a flashback of sorts at certain parts for me and it hit so hard in the chest that I had to stop and take a break.
There is very tough triggering themes in this book so please make note of that before going into this book. It is a rough, hard, heartbreaking journey but it is worth it in the end. I promise.
Liam & Owen had me in tears, had me smiling and then crying again. The best books can do this to you and this is one I will remember.
Truly a great read.
This is my first by Sonia but it will not be my last especially for an author to get that type of reaction out of me. It's an author to remember.
I knew there were triggers..
This one hit so damn hard.
How do you go on when you lose everything?
Liam & Owens story is simply heartbreaking.
Both have suffered through immense pain and have come out the other side of it a shell of who they used to be.
This isn't a review like I normally do, this one is subdued because this is a book that needs to be read to be understood and I cant do my normal review style without spoiling this book.
This book was a really really hard one for me to get through but not in a bad way at all. It was a flashback of sorts at certain parts for me and it hit so hard in the chest that I had to stop and take a break.
There is very tough triggering themes in this book so please make note of that before going into this book. It is a rough, hard, heartbreaking journey but it is worth it in the end. I promise.
Liam & Owen had me in tears, had me smiling and then crying again. The best books can do this to you and this is one I will remember.
Truly a great read.
This is my first by Sonia but it will not be my last especially for an author to get that type of reaction out of me. It's an author to remember.
May 2, 2025
Liam and Owen are a beautifully written couple. They go through so much—both individually and together—and the way they support each other through the darkest moments is deeply moving. Their reconnection felt genuine and incredibly relatable, and the author does an outstanding job portraying the vulnerability and strength it takes to open up again.
Liam’s grief is palpable on every page. His trauma and the ways he copes with it are painful to witness, but watching him slowly find his way back to life and love brought me to tears—happy ones.
Owen, meanwhile, is the emotional anchor of the story. Despite carrying his own pain, he remains a steady, unwavering support for Liam. And when Liam is finally ready to give back, their dynamic becomes even more powerful.
The story isn’t just about the romance—it’s about connection. The side characters form a beautiful found family, offering love, acceptance, and hope when it's needed most. They truly enriched the story, and I can't wait to read more about them in the upcoming books.
This is a deeply touching, healing story that will stay with me for a long time.
Liam’s grief is palpable on every page. His trauma and the ways he copes with it are painful to witness, but watching him slowly find his way back to life and love brought me to tears—happy ones.
Owen, meanwhile, is the emotional anchor of the story. Despite carrying his own pain, he remains a steady, unwavering support for Liam. And when Liam is finally ready to give back, their dynamic becomes even more powerful.
The story isn’t just about the romance—it’s about connection. The side characters form a beautiful found family, offering love, acceptance, and hope when it's needed most. They truly enriched the story, and I can't wait to read more about them in the upcoming books.
This is a deeply touching, healing story that will stay with me for a long time.
June 18, 2023
Addicted was my first Sonia Blue read, and I doubt it will be my last. Not only am I curious about other books by the author, but I am eager to see what is in store for the future of The Pointe of Love series.
Addicted was a story that easily had me hooked, desperate to see how all the pieces would come together. I will be honest and say that for the first half (more than that, if I’m being honest) the book seemed to move slowly, to the point where it seemed to drag at times, yet there were a lot of moving parts that kept me curious. There were heavy topics involved and I was eager to see how things would develop, hooked on what would come next for the characters. While there were never any surprises with this one, the emotional investment ensured I could not put it down.
All in all, Addicted was a great start to the series. It was a powerful read that kept me turning the pages, and I have high hopes that the future books in the series will be even stronger.
Addicted was a story that easily had me hooked, desperate to see how all the pieces would come together. I will be honest and say that for the first half (more than that, if I’m being honest) the book seemed to move slowly, to the point where it seemed to drag at times, yet there were a lot of moving parts that kept me curious. There were heavy topics involved and I was eager to see how things would develop, hooked on what would come next for the characters. While there were never any surprises with this one, the emotional investment ensured I could not put it down.
All in all, Addicted was a great start to the series. It was a powerful read that kept me turning the pages, and I have high hopes that the future books in the series will be even stronger.
May 28, 2024
Liam is 21 years old and his life stopped the minute his parents were torn away from him 3 years ago. Drowning in grief, Liam can't find a single good thing about his life other than his job at the Pointe, a wedding venue. But seeing happy families day in and day out hurts as much as it helps. When a new venue manager starts at the Pointe, Liam is shocked to discover that it's Owen, his old neighbor and first crush. Owen is going through his own personal hell -but Liam quickly becomes a bright spot in his life as he comes to terms with his sexuality and begins building an authentic life for himself.
This was the first book I've read by Sonia Blue and it packs on heck of a wallop. Dealing with grief, depression, addiction, and parental rights it manages to walk that fine line between being depressing, while still being hopeful about the future and family we can build for ourselves. I loved seeing these two great characters get their much deserved HEA!
This was the first book I've read by Sonia Blue and it packs on heck of a wallop. Dealing with grief, depression, addiction, and parental rights it manages to walk that fine line between being depressing, while still being hopeful about the future and family we can build for ourselves. I loved seeing these two great characters get their much deserved HEA!
June 5, 2023
Addicted is a novel about love, of the romantic but also of the self kind... what I mean to say is that it is a journey on self-healing, growing up, evolving and finding love within and without. One can see this in the development of the characters, their backstories and how they deal with what life trows at them and what happened to them in the past. I think my favourite character was Marci as well as Finn, they are secondary characters in this one but key to the development of both protagonists, and one can see how they accompany both Liam and Owen in this journey, even if Liam thinks he's alone most of the time.
If you'd like to read about this journey and the process that goes on in the minds and hearts of the characters I strongly recommend you buy this book.
Thanks Sonia, I'll be waiting for the next installment!
If you'd like to read about this journey and the process that goes on in the minds and hearts of the characters I strongly recommend you buy this book.
Thanks Sonia, I'll be waiting for the next installment!
June 18, 2023
There are plenty of things done very well in this story. First, the two main characters are very real and feel grounded. Their struggles with guilt, grief, and addiction are very beautifully explored. So, it is an excellent setup for a well done hurt/comfort romance. I also loved the setting and the side characters, it’s a promising start to a series as The Pointe is full of interesting people you want to get to know better. It did feel a little long, while I loved the characters and the story, it dragged a bit for me. I’ve not read this author before, but they have a real gift with character development, I am looking forward to more from this series. Excellent, full of feelings, wonderful characters and a beautiful ending for Owen and Liam.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
July 4, 2023
The book was well-written and had genuine emotion and connection. The characters were well-developed, likable, and relatable. Liam was beautifully broken and only his job helped him get through the day. Owen was ready for a change after his life fell apart when he came out. They needed each other to work through their respective messes as each of the characters had issues and trauma to overcome, and the story had me on the edge of my seat waiting for the conclusion. The steamy scenes were well-written and had me enthralled. I enjoyed the dynamics between them and watching their romance blossom over time. It was a rollercoaster of passionate emotions and it was bittersweet when it was finally over. I am very much looking forward to the next book in the series.
I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 8, 2023
I fell in love with this story! It is a great pairing of the hurt/comfort and age gap tropes. Liam is destroyed after loosing his parents to a vehicle accident. He is alone, swamped by grief and unable to move on. The only thing solid he has is his job as a server at The Pointe. Owen was Liam's neighbor when he was younger and lost contact after he moved following his parent's death. His discovery about his sexuality blew up his marriage and he has found himself without a job, friends and fighting for any contact with his son. A former client offers him a spot as a manager at his wedding hall and the men meeting tips Liam into experimenting with pills to maintain the illusion that he is doing well. I was captivated reading about not only Liam's slide into addiction but Owen's determination to be the pillar of strength at all costs.
June 19, 2023
This is going to be a wonderful series if this first book is any indication. I enjoyed all the activity at The Pointe wedding venue and it's going to be fun seeing the dramas that unfold there in the background of our main stories. Here, the characters of Liam and Owen are beautifully developed as are their backstories. We know what's happened with Owen but at the beginning, it's clear we have much more to learn about what happened in the past with Liam, why despite the relationship he and Liam are developing he's so scared and reluctant that he finds a way to self-medicate to ease the pain. The revelations and the bumps in the road of this relationship were well thought out and presented in ways that made you feel the characters' pain, love and hope.
May 5, 2025
This was sadder than I expected
I was drawn in by Liam from the start, his life so sad and then things went even more downhill. I wanted to wrap him up in a never-ending hug, bless his poor wounded soul. Owen's life has also been upended and I felt for him too.
Liam's addiction was portrayed sensitively. Sonia didn't sugarcoat it, nor did she dramatise it, just made his growing dependence realistic and so sad.
The breakdown and fallout of Owen's marriage was also treated with care, and I felt his despair as much I felt Liam's.
Their story was one of hope when all seemed lost, finding each other their light in the dark. The ending was lovely.
I loved the ending and am off the read the next one now.
I was drawn in by Liam from the start, his life so sad and then things went even more downhill. I wanted to wrap him up in a never-ending hug, bless his poor wounded soul. Owen's life has also been upended and I felt for him too.
Liam's addiction was portrayed sensitively. Sonia didn't sugarcoat it, nor did she dramatise it, just made his growing dependence realistic and so sad.
The breakdown and fallout of Owen's marriage was also treated with care, and I felt his despair as much I felt Liam's.
Their story was one of hope when all seemed lost, finding each other their light in the dark. The ending was lovely.
I loved the ending and am off the read the next one now.
May 31, 2023
Liam and Owen are both dealing with trauma/grieving but handling it in two very different ways when they come back together as co-workers. I think the author did a very good job with depicting depression and addiction and what that might look like in this instance. This author is new to me and I did like the story and characters (some seemed to come on strong to me but were obviously meant to be well meaning to Owen and Liam), but it did drag quite a bit until about 55% which is likely due to backstory. Other than that this is a good read.
I received a ARC in exchange for my honest review from GRR.
I received a ARC in exchange for my honest review from GRR.
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