What do you think?
Rate this book
Class Act
Abe Cooper is a triple threat.
He's my best friend's father.
He's the football coach at my high school.
And he's a married man.
His marriage is on the rocks and he could lose his job for the way he looks at me.
I could lose my only friend in the world.
I know I should stay away instead of flirt with him.
But all the cons don't outweigh how I feel when I'm with him.
When my home situation gets worse, Abe is there for me. But what we do under his roof when everyone's asleep makes me feel guilty.
Now his daughter, my closest friend, knows he's stepping outside his marriage and she's hellbent to find out who I am.
How long can we keep us a secret and how dare we be happy together when it might hurt the ones we love?
Class Act is a 100k+ stand-alone MM romance between a teacher and a student in senior year of high school. It contains a huge age gap and cheating, but there's no cheating between the MM couple. All characters are 18+.
He's my best friend's father.
He's the football coach at my high school.
And he's a married man.
His marriage is on the rocks and he could lose his job for the way he looks at me.
I could lose my only friend in the world.
I know I should stay away instead of flirt with him.
But all the cons don't outweigh how I feel when I'm with him.
When my home situation gets worse, Abe is there for me. But what we do under his roof when everyone's asleep makes me feel guilty.
Now his daughter, my closest friend, knows he's stepping outside his marriage and she's hellbent to find out who I am.
How long can we keep us a secret and how dare we be happy together when it might hurt the ones we love?
Class Act is a 100k+ stand-alone MM romance between a teacher and a student in senior year of high school. It contains a huge age gap and cheating, but there's no cheating between the MM couple. All characters are 18+.
442 pages, Hardcover
Published May 18, 2023
About the author
Gianni Holmes
108 books1,417 followersGianni Holmes is a romance author who never outgrew her childhood love of stories. She just started writing her own. She penned her first romance novel in seventh grade and never looked back. In high school, she was that girl: ripping pages out of her English exercise books to write her latest love story the old-fashioned way.
She’s best known for her fan-favorite series The Grimm Tales of Smoky Vale and The Taking Care series, two very different worlds, both full of complicated men, emotional moments, and unforgettable love stories.
When she’s not writing, Gianni likes to study foreign languages. You can keep in touch with her in the following places:
Ream: https://reamstories.com/gianniholmes
Newsletter: https://www.gianniholmesauthor.com/ne...
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/giannigems
She’s best known for her fan-favorite series The Grimm Tales of Smoky Vale and The Taking Care series, two very different worlds, both full of complicated men, emotional moments, and unforgettable love stories.
When she’s not writing, Gianni likes to study foreign languages. You can keep in touch with her in the following places:
Ream: https://reamstories.com/gianniholmes
Newsletter: https://www.gianniholmesauthor.com/ne...
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/giannigems
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 372 reviews
![Profile Image for len [ia until december bc of school] ❀ .](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1784431558i/51318038._UX200_CR0,0,200,200_.jpg)
October 25, 2022
I feel like I wasn’t supposed to enjoy this as much as I did.
And I kind of hate that I’m saying that. It makes me feel like I need to justify why I enjoyed this, even though that is one reason I write reviews. But this feels murkier, as if I need to explain to defend the reason I enjoyed something.
It’s ridiculous.
There are three things to know before reading this:
1. There is a huge age gap between our two men. Emery is 19, repeating his senior year of high school, and Abe is 44 (45?), a high school football coach,
2. Abe is Emery’s best friend’s father.
3. Abe is married to a woman. So you know what that means? There’s cheating.
The author warns you of these three things at the beginning of the book, and all three factors are relevant to the story.
I can see how and why some of my friends didn’t like this, but I was glued to every page from the moment I started it. It didn’t feel like 499 pages, and I was flying through it before I knew it. I almost missed the train to work this morning because I only got four hours of sleep after finishing this unexpected gem late. Clearly I was entertained and delighted. It was full of dumb drama; the wife was painted as the villain in a way some people will hate, the cheating was not justified, and the romance could have used some development. The special words, “I love you,” were said a little too early on, so I hear you all on that. But I turned two blind eyes to everything that was wrong happening in this and was in for the ride, and let me tell you, I enjoyed it to the max. If I were less picky, critical, and petty, I probably would rate this five stars for the enjoyment itself, but of course, there were some things I didn’t like that faltered my enjoyment just a little bit. However, I feel like part of the reason I enjoyed this also is that I knew what I was getting into. It’s not to say others didn’t, but after reading a couple of reviews and different perspectives, I had an idea of what the story would be about and how it would progress.
I like the route the author took with this. The characters felt a little refreshing. I loved how Emery was written, and I never found him stereotypical. I can’t tell you how many boys and men in real life can see themselves through him. I liked that he grew a backbone before the novel started. I admired that he stood up for himself and wouldn’t let himself be handled inappropriately without putting up a fight. His dad was homophobic, abusive, and completely negligent, leaving him to fend for himself and find ways to take care of himself. Emery has been on his own for a long time, and even after making progress, they’re still torn to shreds by his kin. I found him to be strong but vulnerable at the same time. He needed someone to help take care of him, and when Abe’s arms started feeling like his new home, he knew he was gone. I like that, as the shallow person I am. I thought it made sense, considering everything Emery was going through. Even though they were both drawn through lust first, I thought their interactions were enough to see the growing feelings between them. I think you can and can find that person in life that makes you see life differently. I don’t believe Emery was “healed,” but he was found, and the new home given to him was a pair of strong arms that loved holding him. Also, I’m a sucker for hugs, which was just a bonus.
As for Abe, I felt bad for him. The author intended to paint his ex-wife as the villain. I know there are those romance books I enjoy where both characters are still friends or get along, even after getting a divorce, and there’s no jealousy or hard feelings between them. But, you know, here and there, I like the drama. Life isn’t perfect. As much as I love fluff, I need some spice sometimes. And I don’t mean it sexual. I mean the life spice, where shit is happening with the characters, and the problems make them make poor and wrong decisions that make them question everything. Why did the author choose to make a female character like Teresa? Beats me. Somehow, it all worked for me. Her aggressive tone, hypocritical standing, and selfish attitude added entertainment to the story. She felt like the evil villains in the novelas my dad used to watch. They were villains and meant to be disliked, and my dad always commented on how much he hated them yet applauded them at the same time for playing their roles so well. Teresa felt that way–the intention was never to like her. Regardless, I liked Abe’s character. As a father, he has a natural desire to protect those he loves, so he naturally started caring for his daughter’s best friend until that care became love, lust, want, and need. I thought he was a wonderful and caring person in Emery’s life. I loved seeing the devotion they had to each other. Emery is 19, so he struggled a lot more with trust issues and communication, but there weren't any issues with their relationship after they talked everything out. Abe acted his age and knew what he was doing. I’m not necessarily defending his actions of cheating, and some may say he should have divorced his wife, but where’s the fun in that?
The relationship is consensual, and I never once thought Abe took advantage of Emery or manipulated him. It always felt like both men knew what they were doing and what risks they were taking. It does get pretty sappy and OTT. There were a few eye-rolling moments, but all those moments had me giggling at them. I love this kind of content, so I’m not surprised to see how it worked so well. The romance was adorable, although difficult for the two men at times. It was never angsty for me, even with the thrilling moments they had to hide.
But, all good things come to an end.
I wish there were a little more drama added to Maddy’s reaction. It didn’t take long for her to accept the relationship, which was a little unrealistic. I would have expected more fights to be put up, but she gave in pretty quickly. I was glad Teresa got out of the picture, though. I also didn’t like how Abe knew what Emery was going through but didn’t do anything about it. I wasn’t buying the “He’s 19, so technically, there’s nothing I can do” bullshit. Even though Emery is and was responsible for his actions and how he lived, Abe had the responsibility as the high school’s coach to report it. It made no sense to me why he let it go for so long and did not do anything about it, despite knowing what Emery was going through. It also didn’t help that he constantly said he cared about Emery yet didn’t do anything to help. Despite how caring and protective he became, this felt a little two-sided as if he needed to pick a side. It did bother me a little but not too much, to the point where I was not too fond of Abe’s character entirely.
I feel like I wasn’t supposed to enjoy this because of the backslash I’ve seen it receive. I was a little hesitant and worried, and I thought I would hate it from early on. Instead, I felt blessed to have read more than 80 pages in one sitting without having anyone or anything bothering me, and I only wanted to continue. As far as I’ve seen, if you enjoyed this, you’re in the minority here, but there are a few of us, so welcome.
I’m not going to go into detail about the story because I feel there isn’t much I can say. Regardless, I enjoyed this, even though I agree with many criticisms some of my friends have made. There were a few issues I wish were addressed more (the cyberbullying, guilt-tripping, Emery’s dad), but as I said, I turned a blind eye to it all. The story is not perfect by any means. As a matter of fact, it’s easier to point out the issues.
Life is short. Enjoy any book you want while you can.
And I kind of hate that I’m saying that. It makes me feel like I need to justify why I enjoyed this, even though that is one reason I write reviews. But this feels murkier, as if I need to explain to defend the reason I enjoyed something.
It’s ridiculous.
There are three things to know before reading this:
1. There is a huge age gap between our two men. Emery is 19, repeating his senior year of high school, and Abe is 44 (45?), a high school football coach,
2. Abe is Emery’s best friend’s father.
3. Abe is married to a woman. So you know what that means? There’s cheating.
The author warns you of these three things at the beginning of the book, and all three factors are relevant to the story.
I can see how and why some of my friends didn’t like this, but I was glued to every page from the moment I started it. It didn’t feel like 499 pages, and I was flying through it before I knew it. I almost missed the train to work this morning because I only got four hours of sleep after finishing this unexpected gem late. Clearly I was entertained and delighted. It was full of dumb drama; the wife was painted as the villain in a way some people will hate, the cheating was not justified, and the romance could have used some development. The special words, “I love you,” were said a little too early on, so I hear you all on that. But I turned two blind eyes to everything that was wrong happening in this and was in for the ride, and let me tell you, I enjoyed it to the max. If I were less picky, critical, and petty, I probably would rate this five stars for the enjoyment itself, but of course, there were some things I didn’t like that faltered my enjoyment just a little bit. However, I feel like part of the reason I enjoyed this also is that I knew what I was getting into. It’s not to say others didn’t, but after reading a couple of reviews and different perspectives, I had an idea of what the story would be about and how it would progress.
I like the route the author took with this. The characters felt a little refreshing. I loved how Emery was written, and I never found him stereotypical. I can’t tell you how many boys and men in real life can see themselves through him. I liked that he grew a backbone before the novel started. I admired that he stood up for himself and wouldn’t let himself be handled inappropriately without putting up a fight. His dad was homophobic, abusive, and completely negligent, leaving him to fend for himself and find ways to take care of himself. Emery has been on his own for a long time, and even after making progress, they’re still torn to shreds by his kin. I found him to be strong but vulnerable at the same time. He needed someone to help take care of him, and when Abe’s arms started feeling like his new home, he knew he was gone. I like that, as the shallow person I am. I thought it made sense, considering everything Emery was going through. Even though they were both drawn through lust first, I thought their interactions were enough to see the growing feelings between them. I think you can and can find that person in life that makes you see life differently. I don’t believe Emery was “healed,” but he was found, and the new home given to him was a pair of strong arms that loved holding him. Also, I’m a sucker for hugs, which was just a bonus.
As for Abe, I felt bad for him. The author intended to paint his ex-wife as the villain. I know there are those romance books I enjoy where both characters are still friends or get along, even after getting a divorce, and there’s no jealousy or hard feelings between them. But, you know, here and there, I like the drama. Life isn’t perfect. As much as I love fluff, I need some spice sometimes. And I don’t mean it sexual. I mean the life spice, where shit is happening with the characters, and the problems make them make poor and wrong decisions that make them question everything. Why did the author choose to make a female character like Teresa? Beats me. Somehow, it all worked for me. Her aggressive tone, hypocritical standing, and selfish attitude added entertainment to the story. She felt like the evil villains in the novelas my dad used to watch. They were villains and meant to be disliked, and my dad always commented on how much he hated them yet applauded them at the same time for playing their roles so well. Teresa felt that way–the intention was never to like her. Regardless, I liked Abe’s character. As a father, he has a natural desire to protect those he loves, so he naturally started caring for his daughter’s best friend until that care became love, lust, want, and need. I thought he was a wonderful and caring person in Emery’s life. I loved seeing the devotion they had to each other. Emery is 19, so he struggled a lot more with trust issues and communication, but there weren't any issues with their relationship after they talked everything out. Abe acted his age and knew what he was doing. I’m not necessarily defending his actions of cheating, and some may say he should have divorced his wife, but where’s the fun in that?
The relationship is consensual, and I never once thought Abe took advantage of Emery or manipulated him. It always felt like both men knew what they were doing and what risks they were taking. It does get pretty sappy and OTT. There were a few eye-rolling moments, but all those moments had me giggling at them. I love this kind of content, so I’m not surprised to see how it worked so well. The romance was adorable, although difficult for the two men at times. It was never angsty for me, even with the thrilling moments they had to hide.
But, all good things come to an end.
I wish there were a little more drama added to Maddy’s reaction. It didn’t take long for her to accept the relationship, which was a little unrealistic. I would have expected more fights to be put up, but she gave in pretty quickly. I was glad Teresa got out of the picture, though. I also didn’t like how Abe knew what Emery was going through but didn’t do anything about it. I wasn’t buying the “He’s 19, so technically, there’s nothing I can do” bullshit. Even though Emery is and was responsible for his actions and how he lived, Abe had the responsibility as the high school’s coach to report it. It made no sense to me why he let it go for so long and did not do anything about it, despite knowing what Emery was going through. It also didn’t help that he constantly said he cared about Emery yet didn’t do anything to help. Despite how caring and protective he became, this felt a little two-sided as if he needed to pick a side. It did bother me a little but not too much, to the point where I was not too fond of Abe’s character entirely.
I feel like I wasn’t supposed to enjoy this because of the backslash I’ve seen it receive. I was a little hesitant and worried, and I thought I would hate it from early on. Instead, I felt blessed to have read more than 80 pages in one sitting without having anyone or anything bothering me, and I only wanted to continue. As far as I’ve seen, if you enjoyed this, you’re in the minority here, but there are a few of us, so welcome.
I’m not going to go into detail about the story because I feel there isn’t much I can say. Regardless, I enjoyed this, even though I agree with many criticisms some of my friends have made. There were a few issues I wish were addressed more (the cyberbullying, guilt-tripping, Emery’s dad), but as I said, I turned a blind eye to it all. The story is not perfect by any means. As a matter of fact, it’s easier to point out the issues.
Life is short. Enjoy any book you want while you can.
October 24, 2022
Sooo I have some opinions on this one. First of all, I’m glad that that’s over! I didn’t really enjoy the writing style. It was very heightened to the point where nobody felt like a real person. Everyone is either cast in the “good guy” or “bad guy” role, and they stay in their respective roles for the whole story. It’s all very simplistic. I guess I’m kind of stalling because I don’t really want to talk about this book. Please allow me to clutch my pearls for a paragraph or two.
Well…
This made me uncomfortable, there’s honestly no reason these characters couldn’t have been in a college setting. Very angsty, really all edge and no point. I know I should’ve been more attentive with reading the blurb. For someone who loves reading, you’d be surprised how many times I skim the “about this book” sections. Honestly, all we end up learning about the coach dude is that he doesn’t respect sex-workers and doesn’t like how his wife makes more money than him (I don’t like his wife either, but she’s so cartoonishly evil that there isn’t anything worth talking about). Also, I’ve also always had a hard time relating to the whole “this teacher saved my life” type of story because every teacher that I’ve ever had has been my arch-nemesis.
The cheating plot-line was odd because the narrative tries very hard to make you feel sorry for the coach, Like, “boohoo the man’s wife cares more about her job than spending time with him.” I think it would have been better to just present the whole thing as is, and stop with all the moralizing. I’d like the coach better if I didn’t feel like the author really wanted me to like him, or felt the need to endlessly justify the premise of the book. Then, at least I could say that this is a book about flawed people. If you need to constantly bend the narrative in a transparent and desperate attempt to make the “forbidden romance” aspect of the story feel justified, then maybe something’s wrong with the narrative. As for whether or not the cheating part bothered me? I’m not sure but I did compile a list of songs about cheating for coach whatever his name was:
• Love’s Train- Con Funk Shun
• Part-Time Lover- Stevie Wonder
• Ivy- Taylor Swift
• Mr. Brightside- The Killers
So, I guess two “not-for-me” stars to this book. Sorry, this is way too long already, but if you really need to know what kind of guy the coach is… here:
“Besides, no one could accuse me of taking advantage of Emery. He was the one who’d actively pursued me. All I’d done was give in.”
(That passage alone makes this win horror book of the year in my opinion.)
Well…
This made me uncomfortable, there’s honestly no reason these characters couldn’t have been in a college setting. Very angsty, really all edge and no point. I know I should’ve been more attentive with reading the blurb. For someone who loves reading, you’d be surprised how many times I skim the “about this book” sections. Honestly, all we end up learning about the coach dude is that he doesn’t respect sex-workers and doesn’t like how his wife makes more money than him (I don’t like his wife either, but she’s so cartoonishly evil that there isn’t anything worth talking about). Also, I’ve also always had a hard time relating to the whole “this teacher saved my life” type of story because every teacher that I’ve ever had has been my arch-nemesis.
The cheating plot-line was odd because the narrative tries very hard to make you feel sorry for the coach, Like, “boohoo the man’s wife cares more about her job than spending time with him.” I think it would have been better to just present the whole thing as is, and stop with all the moralizing. I’d like the coach better if I didn’t feel like the author really wanted me to like him, or felt the need to endlessly justify the premise of the book. Then, at least I could say that this is a book about flawed people. If you need to constantly bend the narrative in a transparent and desperate attempt to make the “forbidden romance” aspect of the story feel justified, then maybe something’s wrong with the narrative. As for whether or not the cheating part bothered me? I’m not sure but I did compile a list of songs about cheating for coach whatever his name was:
• Love’s Train- Con Funk Shun
• Part-Time Lover- Stevie Wonder
• Ivy- Taylor Swift
• Mr. Brightside- The Killers
So, I guess two “not-for-me” stars to this book. Sorry, this is way too long already, but if you really need to know what kind of guy the coach is… here:
“Besides, no one could accuse me of taking advantage of Emery. He was the one who’d actively pursued me. All I’d done was give in.”
(That passage alone makes this win horror book of the year in my opinion.)
October 20, 2022
|| 2.0 stars ||
Maybe I should have seen it coming, but this book did not work for me. And it’s not even because of the cheating: I knew that that would be there, and I felt like the cheating thing could have worked if things had been done differently.
First of all, the relationship between Emery and Abe is very simple and very superficial. Their build-up was practically non-existent with Emery talking about love after basically having talked once or twice. And even then, it was hardly even talking between them. Just.. existing in the same room. I’m not sure what drew these two people together aside from Abe thinking Emery was sexy, and Emery just desperately needing a hug. There is no depth here whatsoever, and in order to condone a cheating trope, you sure need a lot of depth.
The lack of a true connection between Emery and Abe wasn’t the only problem I had with their relationship. Emery is a student at the school Abe works at and Abe is also the father of Emery’s best friend. Emery has a horrible home-life with an abusive father who hits him and a lot of troubles with bullying at school. He basically has no one, and Abe takes complete advantage of that. I don’t care what Abe says, that “Emery was the one to pursue him”, it was still creepy. It was obvious Emery needed affection and love, but that did not need to happen with Abe’s dick in his mouth. It just didn’t. I honestly felt like Emery was a victim. And that’s not to say I felt really bad for Emery, though, because I did not like him much either. Emery was utterly pathetic, completely self-centred and such a giant doormat. He let Abe walk all over him and made due with the tiny scraps of affection he got. I didn’t have much respect for him, but again that does not excuse Abe’s behaviour. Abe takes from Emery, but gives nothing: he doesn’t even help Emery with his home situation. He just continues to let Emery live in that house, knowing he is getting hit, and he doesn’t do a thing. His reputation apparently far exceeded Emery’s needs and care. He was so selfish. I didn’t like his way of thinking either; he made excuses for everything to wash himself clean of any blame, and that did not sit right with me.
The cheating thing was handled very awkwardly. It is clear Abe’s wife is a witchy bitch and I did not feel any remorse on her behalf, but that still doesn’t mean I understand why Abe didn’t just divorce her years ago. I didn’t feel bad that he cheated on her, he had every right to, but the fact that it was with his student and his daughter’s best friend, while said boy was being abused and had absolutely no one else to fall back on: that is what made him a bad guy and an utter creep. The fact that Abe’s wife blamed Emery is what baffles me the most. At least Mandy (Emery’s best friend and Abe’s daughter) got it right: she accused her father of taking advantage of Emery, because, well, he did, and was disgusted with him. Of course Emery then explains that he was the one who pursued Abe, so suddenly that made it okay, and Mandy understands it and supports their love. Blah blah blah. Bullshit.
Long story short, this relationship had zero depth and the whole thing is terribly superficial. There is just way too much sex here and there definitely weren’t enough meaningful interactions. Everything honestly made me a bit uncomfortable. This wasn’t cute, this wasn’t sexy, this wasn’t moving: it was annoying, creepy and actually pretty damn boring too.
Gianni Holmes books:
Miles High - 1.5 stars
‘The Simple Rules’ series - var. ratings
‘A Hitman’s Bait’ series - var. ratings
Daddy’s Adorable Assassin - 2.5 stars
Love in Slow M’Ocean - 3.0 stars
Class Act - 2.0 stars
Maybe I should have seen it coming, but this book did not work for me. And it’s not even because of the cheating: I knew that that would be there, and I felt like the cheating thing could have worked if things had been done differently.
First of all, the relationship between Emery and Abe is very simple and very superficial. Their build-up was practically non-existent with Emery talking about love after basically having talked once or twice. And even then, it was hardly even talking between them. Just.. existing in the same room. I’m not sure what drew these two people together aside from Abe thinking Emery was sexy, and Emery just desperately needing a hug. There is no depth here whatsoever, and in order to condone a cheating trope, you sure need a lot of depth.
The lack of a true connection between Emery and Abe wasn’t the only problem I had with their relationship. Emery is a student at the school Abe works at and Abe is also the father of Emery’s best friend. Emery has a horrible home-life with an abusive father who hits him and a lot of troubles with bullying at school. He basically has no one, and Abe takes complete advantage of that. I don’t care what Abe says, that “Emery was the one to pursue him”, it was still creepy. It was obvious Emery needed affection and love, but that did not need to happen with Abe’s dick in his mouth. It just didn’t. I honestly felt like Emery was a victim. And that’s not to say I felt really bad for Emery, though, because I did not like him much either. Emery was utterly pathetic, completely self-centred and such a giant doormat. He let Abe walk all over him and made due with the tiny scraps of affection he got. I didn’t have much respect for him, but again that does not excuse Abe’s behaviour. Abe takes from Emery, but gives nothing: he doesn’t even help Emery with his home situation. He just continues to let Emery live in that house, knowing he is getting hit, and he doesn’t do a thing. His reputation apparently far exceeded Emery’s needs and care. He was so selfish. I didn’t like his way of thinking either; he made excuses for everything to wash himself clean of any blame, and that did not sit right with me.
“What would I do without you, Emmy?”
“You won’t have to do anything. I swear I’ll never leave you.”
“I hope so. Because everyone might hate me for loving you. I may loose everything I’ve built over the years, but I can take it as long as I have your love. As long as you come home to me every night. As long as we have this.”
The cheating thing was handled very awkwardly. It is clear Abe’s wife is a witchy bitch and I did not feel any remorse on her behalf, but that still doesn’t mean I understand why Abe didn’t just divorce her years ago. I didn’t feel bad that he cheated on her, he had every right to, but the fact that it was with his student and his daughter’s best friend, while said boy was being abused and had absolutely no one else to fall back on: that is what made him a bad guy and an utter creep. The fact that Abe’s wife blamed Emery is what baffles me the most. At least Mandy (Emery’s best friend and Abe’s daughter) got it right: she accused her father of taking advantage of Emery, because, well, he did, and was disgusted with him. Of course Emery then explains that he was the one who pursued Abe, so suddenly that made it okay, and Mandy understands it and supports their love. Blah blah blah. Bullshit.
Long story short, this relationship had zero depth and the whole thing is terribly superficial. There is just way too much sex here and there definitely weren’t enough meaningful interactions. Everything honestly made me a bit uncomfortable. This wasn’t cute, this wasn’t sexy, this wasn’t moving: it was annoying, creepy and actually pretty damn boring too.
Gianni Holmes books:
Miles High - 1.5 stars
‘The Simple Rules’ series - var. ratings
‘A Hitman’s Bait’ series - var. ratings
Daddy’s Adorable Assassin - 2.5 stars
Love in Slow M’Ocean - 3.0 stars
Class Act - 2.0 stars
October 6, 2022
*** I reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.***
Class Act is the perfect age/gap forbidden romance between a high school coach and his student. Emery and Abe are immensely flawed and complicated characters, which adds so many layers to this story. I was captivated by their devotedness and trust in one another, their need to protect the other from any harm added to their intense bond, making for such a strong read.
The forbidden nature of their relationship alongside their own personal struggles creates the perfect for all the perfect elements for a highly addictive story. Abe and Emery are quite messy, but I was able to forgive all of their misdeeds due to their genuinely sweet connection that made for such swoony moments.
Class Act is a complicated forbidden romance that has its fair share of angst, but their intense connection and palpable chemistry makes for a great read. I enjoyed Abe and Emery's journey to their HEA that is difficult at times, but so worth it!
Class Act is the perfect age/gap forbidden romance between a high school coach and his student. Emery and Abe are immensely flawed and complicated characters, which adds so many layers to this story. I was captivated by their devotedness and trust in one another, their need to protect the other from any harm added to their intense bond, making for such a strong read.
The forbidden nature of their relationship alongside their own personal struggles creates the perfect for all the perfect elements for a highly addictive story. Abe and Emery are quite messy, but I was able to forgive all of their misdeeds due to their genuinely sweet connection that made for such swoony moments.
Class Act is a complicated forbidden romance that has its fair share of angst, but their intense connection and palpable chemistry makes for a great read. I enjoyed Abe and Emery's journey to their HEA that is difficult at times, but so worth it!
Did Not Finish
April 6, 2023
DNF @ 34%
Sooooo boring 😪 and things were happening way to fast between them, I was like huh??? I didn’t understand why these two even liked each other and they had no chemistry or connection in my opinion.
Sooooo boring 😪 and things were happening way to fast between them, I was like huh??? I didn’t understand why these two even liked each other and they had no chemistry or connection in my opinion.
![Profile Image for Lilly [Hiatus due to School] .](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1663899589i/10381707._UX200_CR0,0,200,200_.jpg)
October 10, 2022
Please read the author's notes as this story may not be for everyone.
I really enjoyed Emery and Abe's love story. I hate cheating in stories (avoid them like the plague - the only situation I can only forgive it/read it is if the person is in an abusive relationship). Still, the circumstances of Abe's marriage and the chemistry and love between Abe and Emery made me understand their situation, and you end up rooting for their happiness.
I loved Emery. He has been dealt a hard hand in life. He's been bullied, physically abused by his homophobic father, and abandoned by his mother. Despite this, he is true to himself, dressing how he wants and breaking gender binaries. He is strong and resilient despite the challenges he faces. He wants someone to love him and take care of him for once in his life.
Abe is a kind, down-to-earth man who is, unfortunately, in a loveless marriage with his wife. You feel no sympathy towards her as she is not a good person. However, when he meets and falls for Emery, he understands what true and conditional love is. He finds in Emery someone who loves him for him. I love how he wanted to protect and care for Emery. He didn't want to hide him and took responsibility for fighting for their happiness.
It was interesting reading how they navigate their circumstances. These two are flawed. They do not sugar coat or state what they are doing right. They are teacher and student - so Abe's job and reputation are on the line. Emery's best friend is Abe's daughter. So you risk losing your only close friend for Emery and his daughter's trust and love for Abe. If you add the considerable age gap (I think it was 25) and Emery being gay and femme - society will cast a nasty judgment. They understand that they will hurt people and wish they could have met under different circumstances but sometimes, you do not control how things play out.
Their chemistry was off the charts. I loved the sex scenes and the moments of intimacy and care.
I thought these lines from the song Is There Someone Else? by the Weeknd matched perfectly.
Oh (oh), is there someone else or not?
'Cause I wanna keep you close
I don't wanna lose my spot
'Cause I need to know
If you're hurting him, or you're hurting me
If I ain't with you, I don't wanna be
Is there someone else or not?
Ooh, or not
Overall I felt Gianni handled this difficult topic well - the end author's note she address the situation as well it adds another layer of why they wrote the story as they did. It added context and understanding.
I really enjoyed Emery and Abe's love story. I hate cheating in stories (avoid them like the plague - the only situation I can only forgive it/read it is if the person is in an abusive relationship). Still, the circumstances of Abe's marriage and the chemistry and love between Abe and Emery made me understand their situation, and you end up rooting for their happiness.
I loved Emery. He has been dealt a hard hand in life. He's been bullied, physically abused by his homophobic father, and abandoned by his mother. Despite this, he is true to himself, dressing how he wants and breaking gender binaries. He is strong and resilient despite the challenges he faces. He wants someone to love him and take care of him for once in his life.
Abe is a kind, down-to-earth man who is, unfortunately, in a loveless marriage with his wife. You feel no sympathy towards her as she is not a good person. However, when he meets and falls for Emery, he understands what true and conditional love is. He finds in Emery someone who loves him for him. I love how he wanted to protect and care for Emery. He didn't want to hide him and took responsibility for fighting for their happiness.
It was interesting reading how they navigate their circumstances. These two are flawed. They do not sugar coat or state what they are doing right. They are teacher and student - so Abe's job and reputation are on the line. Emery's best friend is Abe's daughter. So you risk losing your only close friend for Emery and his daughter's trust and love for Abe. If you add the considerable age gap (I think it was 25) and Emery being gay and femme - society will cast a nasty judgment. They understand that they will hurt people and wish they could have met under different circumstances but sometimes, you do not control how things play out.
Their chemistry was off the charts. I loved the sex scenes and the moments of intimacy and care.
I thought these lines from the song Is There Someone Else? by the Weeknd matched perfectly.
Oh (oh), is there someone else or not?
'Cause I wanna keep you close
I don't wanna lose my spot
'Cause I need to know
If you're hurting him, or you're hurting me
If I ain't with you, I don't wanna be
Is there someone else or not?
Ooh, or not
Overall I felt Gianni handled this difficult topic well - the end author's note she address the situation as well it adds another layer of why they wrote the story as they did. It added context and understanding.
November 3, 2022
reread 2: august 25, 2023
I love this book so much, adding to my all time fav.
reread 1: May 6-7, 2023
What was supposed to be a:
Oh I just missed the characters and the slutty vibe of this book. Lemme just reread one chapter I bookmarked.
Sike. I bookmarked an early chapter, so it really was a slippery slope since then.
None of my feelings changed, except for how Abe really felt like... me. I feel like, if I was in Abe's position, I would've done the same thing, had the same thought process as him and it was just eye-opening how parallel yet alike we are.
Oh, and I hate his wife. I don't care what she did in the last few chapters. She was a disgusting excuse of a character, and I hate her. Boo hoo.
4.5 stars
I read a lot of mediocre and bad reviews about this book and at first it shocked me (after reading this book) because I was like: WHY🤡 but then I read the authors note and I was like: oh yeahhhh, people don't like cheating (🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡 someone send me a morality please)
I'm not giving it a full five stars because despite this book being damned 500 pages long, I felt like there was something, a tiny bit something but something nonetheless that was missing and I realized when I was taking the shower that I... don't know Abe like... at all. What was his childhood like? Where did he grow up? Where are his fucking parents? Are they dead? I have no backstory on him and that saddens me because he was such, in superficial perspective; a bastard, but when you get to know him and fucking feel the things he felt, it's so tangled and complex and HEARTFELT that I'm kinda sad we didn't explore him as much as we got from Emmy.
YET, regardless of this fact, I enjoyed and more than devoured this book, I couldn't stop reading it and I just adore this book.
And THIS. COVER. Y'ALL. Whoever the cover model is? My heart goes out to his/their partner cus they're in MASSIVE Trouble and are gonna be so fucking smitten.
I love this book so much, adding to my all time fav.
reread 1: May 6-7, 2023
What was supposed to be a:
Oh I just missed the characters and the slutty vibe of this book. Lemme just reread one chapter I bookmarked.
Sike. I bookmarked an early chapter, so it really was a slippery slope since then.
None of my feelings changed, except for how Abe really felt like... me. I feel like, if I was in Abe's position, I would've done the same thing, had the same thought process as him and it was just eye-opening how parallel yet alike we are.
Oh, and I hate his wife. I don't care what she did in the last few chapters. She was a disgusting excuse of a character, and I hate her. Boo hoo.
4.5 stars
I read a lot of mediocre and bad reviews about this book and at first it shocked me (after reading this book) because I was like: WHY🤡 but then I read the authors note and I was like: oh yeahhhh, people don't like cheating (🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡 someone send me a morality please)
And I was so fucking grateful he’d caught me instead of letting me fall.
I'm not giving it a full five stars because despite this book being damned 500 pages long, I felt like there was something, a tiny bit something but something nonetheless that was missing and I realized when I was taking the shower that I... don't know Abe like... at all. What was his childhood like? Where did he grow up? Where are his fucking parents? Are they dead? I have no backstory on him and that saddens me because he was such, in superficial perspective; a bastard, but when you get to know him and fucking feel the things he felt, it's so tangled and complex and HEARTFELT that I'm kinda sad we didn't explore him as much as we got from Emmy.
I sucked in a deep breath, and my heart pounded in my chest. “Yes, because I enjoy hearing it. I like hearing how selfish you are when it comes to me. That you don’t care what anyone will think about us as long as you have me. Until you came along, I’d forgotten what it feels like to be wanted by someone that much for who I am and not what they want me to be.”
YET, regardless of this fact, I enjoyed and more than devoured this book, I couldn't stop reading it and I just adore this book.
And THIS. COVER. Y'ALL. Whoever the cover model is? My heart goes out to his/their partner cus they're in MASSIVE Trouble and are gonna be so fucking smitten.
“I, Emery Cannon, promise to love you, Abe, with all my heart,” he said softly. “I promise to work hard to make you proud and one day take care of you the way you take care of me now.”
October 18, 2022
tw: cheating
my first gianni holmes book and i was gagged from start to finish. no surprise how a story about cheating on your wife with your nineteen year old high school student lover got me hooked. all the secret messages, secret meet ups in the coach's office etc etc were done really well for me. my only issue was how i needed more intensity and more definitely drama in the end especially concerning to mandy. i mean you found out your father is bedding your bestie behind your back.... and she gave only that. she didn't serve. i needed more. if i were her, i would be livid and just downright angry. overall, i didn't loved it but i highly enjoyed it!
I tore my lips away from his and kissed his cheek, then dragged my lips down his neck. Emery tilted his head back, and the way his body curved into mine was utterly sinful. I caught his thigh and ran my hand up under the shirt-my shirt- and found him naked.
my first gianni holmes book and i was gagged from start to finish. no surprise how a story about cheating on your wife with your nineteen year old high school student lover got me hooked. all the secret messages, secret meet ups in the coach's office etc etc were done really well for me. my only issue was how i needed more intensity and more definitely drama in the end especially concerning to mandy. i mean you found out your father is bedding your bestie behind your back.... and she gave only that. she didn't serve. i needed more. if i were her, i would be livid and just downright angry. overall, i didn't loved it but i highly enjoyed it!
January 25, 2023
who’s guilty?
ME! 😙✌🏻
This was not like what I expected. Fucking hell, 400+ pages felt like nothing.
The best way to describe this book is that it is SHOCKING how simple and easy the storyline was, but also intense, fun and addicting altogether. It’s just something about the book 😩 it felt flawed, but perfect HOW? I don’t even know. I just know I enjoyed the hell out of this.
It kept me on my toes, I was so tensed, but I loved how everything unfolds. It didn’t feel as angsty, and I think that’s soooo perfect. I love the flow and the outcome of the story. When everything falls into place, it was so relieving for me. And don’t let me talk about the love they had for each other !!! 😩😩😩😩😩 Damn it, who would have thought I’d love a book with highschool theme ESPECIALLY coach/student romance, but here I am. THIS RIGHT HERE, is definitely an exception!
favourite details for my forgetful ass:
**contains minor spoilers**
- alllll the guilty moments. fucking hurt, made me cry lots of time
- Emery’s love 🥹😭❤️
- The ✨home✨
- Abe’s love 🥹
- Sleeping bag scene :((
- Emery’s independence. I adore him :)
- climax scene 😭😭😭 THAT WAS SO GOOD I WAS SCREAMING!
Thank you Hugo for the rants (I couldn’t bear the climax without you hahahah) and thanks for the push ☹️🥹😙 I really should’ve read this earlier :’))
ME! 😙✌🏻
This was not like what I expected. Fucking hell, 400+ pages felt like nothing.
The best way to describe this book is that it is SHOCKING how simple and easy the storyline was, but also intense, fun and addicting altogether. It’s just something about the book 😩 it felt flawed, but perfect HOW? I don’t even know. I just know I enjoyed the hell out of this.
It kept me on my toes, I was so tensed, but I loved how everything unfolds. It didn’t feel as angsty, and I think that’s soooo perfect. I love the flow and the outcome of the story. When everything falls into place, it was so relieving for me. And don’t let me talk about the love they had for each other !!! 😩😩😩😩😩 Damn it, who would have thought I’d love a book with highschool theme ESPECIALLY coach/student romance, but here I am. THIS RIGHT HERE, is definitely an exception!
favourite details for my forgetful ass:
**contains minor spoilers**
- alllll the guilty moments. fucking hurt, made me cry lots of time
- Emery’s love 🥹😭❤️
- The ✨home✨
- Abe’s love 🥹
- Sleeping bag scene :((
- Emery’s independence. I adore him :)
- climax scene 😭😭😭 THAT WAS SO GOOD I WAS SCREAMING!
Thank you Hugo for the rants (I couldn’t bear the climax without you hahahah) and thanks for the push ☹️🥹😙 I really should’ve read this earlier :’))
November 29, 2024
6 ⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Format: ebook
“I glanced over my shoulder at this man—this married man and my best friend’s dad—slipping his tongue inside my hole and moaning while he did it.”
What I was expecting: forbidden filth, angst, and secret rendezvous. What we got: that, but also such a beautiful and sweet romance with lots of hurt/comfort aspects.
I loved the equal power exchange between the mmc’s, which you don’t always get in an age gap trope. Abe provided a lot of support for Emery, but Emery also became Abe’s safe space in turn. It didn’t feel like Abe was holding all the cards in the relationship just because he was older. Emery was also very independent and grounded. They didn’t necessarily need each other but they complemented one another well.
The spice was nuclear. They did the forbidden trope justice. Their moments hidden away were so hot. And, please, the role-playing. I was obsessed.
The angst was not part of the relationship at all, but the moments where we did get it, it was rough. This book had me sobbing around 80%. I just love these characters so much and their HEA was hard-fought and deserved.
Tell me which Gianni Holmes book to read next!
Bookstagram | Booktok
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Format: ebook
“I glanced over my shoulder at this man—this married man and my best friend’s dad—slipping his tongue inside my hole and moaning while he did it.”
What I was expecting: forbidden filth, angst, and secret rendezvous. What we got: that, but also such a beautiful and sweet romance with lots of hurt/comfort aspects.
I loved the equal power exchange between the mmc’s, which you don’t always get in an age gap trope. Abe provided a lot of support for Emery, but Emery also became Abe’s safe space in turn. It didn’t feel like Abe was holding all the cards in the relationship just because he was older. Emery was also very independent and grounded. They didn’t necessarily need each other but they complemented one another well.
The spice was nuclear. They did the forbidden trope justice. Their moments hidden away were so hot. And, please, the role-playing. I was obsessed.
The angst was not part of the relationship at all, but the moments where we did get it, it was rough. This book had me sobbing around 80%. I just love these characters so much and their HEA was hard-fought and deserved.
Tell me which Gianni Holmes book to read next!
Bookstagram | Booktok
October 19, 2022
⭐️ 3.5 stars ⭐️
A very overly-dramatic forbidden romance, but despite it’s over-the-top style quite entertaining. I had a craving for some cheating, so decided to reread this. Don’t know if it really scratched that itch, though.
The evil wife character was extremely exaggerated, and clearly there just as an excuse for the cheating, but I liked the resolution at the end, how she came around and turned out to not be so evil after all.
Many parts of this book were not necessary, just there to create even more drama on top of the cheating and the age gap. But it was like those dumb soap opera shows, they just kind of pull you in.
Was this a good book? Probably not, but I had fun with it. And it was pretty sexy. Sooo, a win?
CW and NSFW info (spoilers):
- Coach/student
- Best friend’s dad
- Age gap (19 vs 44)
- Cheating (not between MCs)
- Camboy MC
- Physically abusive parent
- Mention of parental abandonment (past)
- Anxiety attacks
- Injury & hospitalization
- Homophobia
- Bullying
- Queer awakening/GFY
- Femme MC
- Panties
- Top/bottom
- Shower sex
- Rimming
- Brief spanking
Oh fucking hell, this was the last thing I needed to happen to me right now. I couldn’t be attracted to my only friend’s married dad.
A very overly-dramatic forbidden romance, but despite it’s over-the-top style quite entertaining. I had a craving for some cheating, so decided to reread this. Don’t know if it really scratched that itch, though.
The evil wife character was extremely exaggerated, and clearly there just as an excuse for the cheating, but I liked the resolution at the end, how she came around and turned out to not be so evil after all.
“I’m just a concerned teacher, helping my daughter’s best friend.” “Good for you.” He frowned. “And I’m just a boy who’s never been loved before, and I think you could love me the way I want to be.”
Many parts of this book were not necessary, just there to create even more drama on top of the cheating and the age gap. But it was like those dumb soap opera shows, they just kind of pull you in.
Was this a good book? Probably not, but I had fun with it. And it was pretty sexy. Sooo, a win?
Who would have thought my best friend’s father would be the one?
CW and NSFW info (spoilers):
- Coach/student
- Best friend’s dad
- Age gap (19 vs 44)
- Cheating (not between MCs)
- Camboy MC
- Physically abusive parent
- Mention of parental abandonment (past)
- Anxiety attacks
- Injury & hospitalization
- Homophobia
- Bullying
- Queer awakening/GFY
- Femme MC
- Panties
- Top/bottom
- Shower sex
- Rimming
- Brief spanking
November 1, 2022
Update: I skimmed till the end. The first half was way better than the second half. 🤷♀️
DNF at 49%
Cheating husband, age gap, teacher-student, best friend’s dad? SIGN ME UP.
Yes it’s creepy. Abe is basically taking advantage of a young guy going through a rough patch, with an abusive dad. And Emery is falling for his saviour, his best friend’s perfect dad.
And all the characters are cliché, especially the evil selfish wife.
But…it was deliciously wrong and I loved it.
Now what? I’m half way though and bored. I don’t care for the drama that’s coming. I just want more sex with some daddy-boy vibes.
DNF at 49%
Cheating husband, age gap, teacher-student, best friend’s dad? SIGN ME UP.
Yes it’s creepy. Abe is basically taking advantage of a young guy going through a rough patch, with an abusive dad. And Emery is falling for his saviour, his best friend’s perfect dad.
And all the characters are cliché, especially the evil selfish wife.
But…it was deliciously wrong and I loved it.
Now what? I’m half way though and bored. I don’t care for the drama that’s coming. I just want more sex with some daddy-boy vibes.
Read
October 16, 2022DNF@ 30%
ETA: This book is a cheap knockoff from CP Harris's The Boy Who Loved Wicked.
Wow this was terrible.
Sloppy writing, unbelievable connection between the MCs, sappy and not in a good way.
Emmery was annoying and Abe was a creep
ETA: This book is a cheap knockoff from CP Harris's The Boy Who Loved Wicked.
Wow this was terrible.
Sloppy writing, unbelievable connection between the MCs, sappy and not in a good way.
Emmery was annoying and Abe was a creep
April 20, 2026
What is the point of dating an older man if he’s going to act like a child and not look out for you???
October 14, 2022
2,5 ⭐
I wish I can say I enjoyed this book more than I did, but I can't.
First, this book contains cheating (not between the main couple). If it's triggering to you it's for the best to skip this book since it's a major part of the story.
The reason I didn't enjoy Class Act wasn't the cheating. It was more "it's me, not the book". I couldn't see the story happening like I usually do while reading. There was also something missing I can't pinpoint exactly what. I loved the beginning, liked the middle, and didn't like the end. In the beginning, the focus was Emery, then it was Emery and Abe, then Abe. That's how I felt. I didn't get enough of them in the end. The focus kept drifting (for me) toward Abe in different ways. I also didn't like how some things were dealt with in this book. (For example, the scene with Em's bully in the classroom and what followed in the chat. Abe's reaction or more lack of one bugged me the wrong way. This wasn't the Abe I knew.) If it wasn't for that one thing and how I wanted the focus to be more on only them at the end I would have rated this book 4 stars.
BUT
I enjoyed a lot of things in this book too. What I loved, contains SPOILERS:
✨ The way Emery dressed
✨ Emery's character
✨ Abe calling him Em, Emmy
✨ The smut
✨ The way both of them loved each other
✨ The hugs in the beginning (I missed them in the end)
✨ The house
✨ All the office scenes
Even though there were a lot of things I didn't like at all it was more me. And it wasn't the cheating. Nonetheless, this was a unique book, it had charm, tension, and sweetness. So, give it a chance and decide for yourself. Hope you enjoy it! 💜
I wish I can say I enjoyed this book more than I did, but I can't.
First, this book contains cheating (not between the main couple). If it's triggering to you it's for the best to skip this book since it's a major part of the story.
The reason I didn't enjoy Class Act wasn't the cheating. It was more "it's me, not the book". I couldn't see the story happening like I usually do while reading. There was also something missing I can't pinpoint exactly what. I loved the beginning, liked the middle, and didn't like the end. In the beginning, the focus was Emery, then it was Emery and Abe, then Abe. That's how I felt. I didn't get enough of them in the end. The focus kept drifting (for me) toward Abe in different ways. I also didn't like how some things were dealt with in this book. (For example, the scene with Em's bully in the classroom and what followed in the chat. Abe's reaction or more lack of one bugged me the wrong way. This wasn't the Abe I knew.) If it wasn't for that one thing and how I wanted the focus to be more on only them at the end I would have rated this book 4 stars.
BUT
I enjoyed a lot of things in this book too. What I loved, contains SPOILERS:
✨ The way Emery dressed
✨ Emery's character
✨ Abe calling him Em, Emmy
✨ The smut
✨ The way both of them loved each other
✨ The hugs in the beginning (I missed them in the end)
✨ The house
✨ All the office scenes
Even though there were a lot of things I didn't like at all it was more me. And it wasn't the cheating. Nonetheless, this was a unique book, it had charm, tension, and sweetness. So, give it a chance and decide for yourself. Hope you enjoy it! 💜
October 12, 2022
2.5 stars - It looks like I'm going to be in the minority on this one and everyone will probably think it's because I was clutching my pearls over the cheating, but I promise you that was not why I struggled with this book. If anything, my opinions on cheating are pretty loose and continue to get looser the older I get. The only issues I found with the cheating in this story were in some of the truly disrespectful decisions Abe made when he allowed and initiated things in his own home while both his wife and daughter were there. It was later acknowledged as wrong, but damn dude. Have the decency to spring for a hotel room.
No, my biggest problem with this book and the thing that kept me at arms length was that I never felt the connection between Emery and Abe. I felt the lust and the need and the attraction, but there weren't many on page interactions between them that didn't either lead to sex (really hot sex, I'll admit) or get tangled up in a bunch of repetitive declarations of love and promises to never leave. Every conversation mirrored the one before and it became exhausting. I very rarely got a glimpse of them getting to know each other, so when those ILY's started flying around, I was floored. With a 25 year age gap, especially when the younger of the two was only 19, I needed a lot more to convince me that what they were building together had the potential to last forever.
This story also took some dramatic turns that had me rolling my eyes. After awhile everything felt contrived and I just wanted the book to end as soon as possible. 424 pages was about 200 pages too long for this story, in my opinion. The reason I'm rounding up to 3 stars is that I liked Emery as a character and truly felt for him. His life had been devoid of love and I was happy that he found what he needed and deserved in Abe. I might not have felt the intellectual connection between them, but it was obvious that they cared for each other and their relationship didn't feel as out of balance as it easily could have. I also appreciated the way Abe didn't go through some kind of existential crisis when he found himself attracted to a man. He never struggled with what it meant about his sexuality or tried to label it, he just followed the attraction wherever it led and didn't make it into a big deal. He was also super supportive of Emery and his means of self expression, which made me like him more than I otherwise would have. I also liked the epilogue, even though I definitely didn't need yet another sex scene. By that point I was more than convinced that they were sexually compatible and didn't need any reassurance that the spark hadn't died.
I'm coming to realize that these taboo/forbidden love stories are a lot more fun for me in a darker context. I don't need to agree with the decisions the MC's make, but I do want to believe the reasons they made them and that's what was missing in this book for me.
*I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review.
No, my biggest problem with this book and the thing that kept me at arms length was that I never felt the connection between Emery and Abe. I felt the lust and the need and the attraction, but there weren't many on page interactions between them that didn't either lead to sex (really hot sex, I'll admit) or get tangled up in a bunch of repetitive declarations of love and promises to never leave. Every conversation mirrored the one before and it became exhausting. I very rarely got a glimpse of them getting to know each other, so when those ILY's started flying around, I was floored. With a 25 year age gap, especially when the younger of the two was only 19, I needed a lot more to convince me that what they were building together had the potential to last forever.
This story also took some dramatic turns that had me rolling my eyes. After awhile everything felt contrived and I just wanted the book to end as soon as possible. 424 pages was about 200 pages too long for this story, in my opinion. The reason I'm rounding up to 3 stars is that I liked Emery as a character and truly felt for him. His life had been devoid of love and I was happy that he found what he needed and deserved in Abe. I might not have felt the intellectual connection between them, but it was obvious that they cared for each other and their relationship didn't feel as out of balance as it easily could have. I also appreciated the way Abe didn't go through some kind of existential crisis when he found himself attracted to a man. He never struggled with what it meant about his sexuality or tried to label it, he just followed the attraction wherever it led and didn't make it into a big deal. He was also super supportive of Emery and his means of self expression, which made me like him more than I otherwise would have. I also liked the epilogue, even though I definitely didn't need yet another sex scene. By that point I was more than convinced that they were sexually compatible and didn't need any reassurance that the spark hadn't died.
I'm coming to realize that these taboo/forbidden love stories are a lot more fun for me in a darker context. I don't need to agree with the decisions the MC's make, but I do want to believe the reasons they made them and that's what was missing in this book for me.
*I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review.
Did Not Finish
June 18, 2023DNF @ 43%
I just thought this was so silly, especially the way Emery acted. Which is fair considering he’s in high school I suppose, but no thanks. I did like the taboo aspect, though. A student/teacher relationship is always so fun.
I just thought this was so silly, especially the way Emery acted. Which is fair considering he’s in high school I suppose, but no thanks. I did like the taboo aspect, though. A student/teacher relationship is always so fun.
July 23, 2025
Soooooooo nothing against Emory (-love the little shit) but Abe was a little TOO eager to leave his marriage and take up with his daughter's 19 year old bestie😂.
Emmie's adorable, though, so I GET why Abe was ready to risk it all.
I STILL think it happened too quickly. Funny how the wife was trying to hook Emory up with her wealthy clients. Joke's on you, boo, he wants your broke ass husband.
Couldn't have happened to a nicer woman lol.
Curious about how the friendship dynamic shifts when your best friend becomes your step dad. Hectic.
Testament to how much mpreg I've been reading because tell me why Emory threw up and I immediately thought - OMG he's pregnant?!
Sigh.
My favorite Emory is ridiculous Emory.
"How dare she hump on the erection I'd given him?"
"I'd rather not risk your wife and daughter walking in on us having sex because I honestly don't know if I'd stop."
Um—SIR!
"Why did she scare me more than my dad did?"
Because you fucked her husband while staying under her roof and now she knows🥰
Hope that explains everything, bestie.
My favorite Abe was Fuck It Abe.
This man legit moved in with a high school kid???
Had him at the table doing homework after movie and cuddles 💀
'If Theresa found out about Emory before we finalized the divorce, I'd be lucky to walk away with even my clothes.'
😂😂😂😂😂I'm so glad he knows his wife.
Minus one star because the big crash outs never really occurred. Mandy was eventually all 'You should have told me right from the start' which....🙄🙄🙄
I understand the sentiment but there's no way she actually thinks she'd have been okay with her bestie being all 'oh, btw, your dad is also my daddy🥵'
Way before Mandy found out, I'd preemptively forgiven her for any future crash out because she was literally confiding in her dad's side piece all her plans to parent trap her parents.
And then.....nothing. I was hoping for some tension with Emory, but she was a lot more worried FOR him. Which was sweet, if a little misguided, but also didn't seem very believable.
The wife......very anticlimactic. I expected fireworks. Theresa let me down. Her get back was high school-esque.
As terrible as it sounds, I really liked Abe. There was really no ping-ponging of decisions here. He was all like okay, so I'm leaving my wife for this high school kid who's been staying with us due to a shitty home situation and is also my daughter's best friend. Okay.
Then he actually did it?
Handled business whenever he could. Loved him vs the dad. Loved him handling the housing crisis. All he needed was to hear the answer to 'Would you still love me if I lost everything?' and nothing else.
Like I said- this man was literally just holding out for a teensy weensy reason to leave his marriage. Falling in love was just a bonus💀
Theresa did NOT have enough smoke for him( I loved him but he is NOT a serious person😂).
Then I listened to the author's afterword and my jaw was literally on the floor. Wdym your former best friend is now married to your ex😭
Gah. Grim reminder that things that are exciting in books are decidedly less so irl.
TW: Cheating, Teacher/Student pairing, big age gap. Definitely keep these in mind because they're not glossed over.
Emmie's adorable, though, so I GET why Abe was ready to risk it all.
I STILL think it happened too quickly. Funny how the wife was trying to hook Emory up with her wealthy clients. Joke's on you, boo, he wants your broke ass husband.
Couldn't have happened to a nicer woman lol.
Curious about how the friendship dynamic shifts when your best friend becomes your step dad. Hectic.
Testament to how much mpreg I've been reading because tell me why Emory threw up and I immediately thought - OMG he's pregnant?!
Sigh.
My favorite Emory is ridiculous Emory.
"How dare she hump on the erection I'd given him?"
"I'd rather not risk your wife and daughter walking in on us having sex because I honestly don't know if I'd stop."
Um—SIR!
"Why did she scare me more than my dad did?"
Because you fucked her husband while staying under her roof and now she knows🥰
Hope that explains everything, bestie.
My favorite Abe was Fuck It Abe.
This man legit moved in with a high school kid???
Had him at the table doing homework after movie and cuddles 💀
'If Theresa found out about Emory before we finalized the divorce, I'd be lucky to walk away with even my clothes.'
😂😂😂😂😂I'm so glad he knows his wife.
Minus one star because the big crash outs never really occurred. Mandy was eventually all 'You should have told me right from the start' which....🙄🙄🙄
I understand the sentiment but there's no way she actually thinks she'd have been okay with her bestie being all 'oh, btw, your dad is also my daddy🥵'
Way before Mandy found out, I'd preemptively forgiven her for any future crash out because she was literally confiding in her dad's side piece all her plans to parent trap her parents.
And then.....nothing. I was hoping for some tension with Emory, but she was a lot more worried FOR him. Which was sweet, if a little misguided, but also didn't seem very believable.
The wife......very anticlimactic. I expected fireworks. Theresa let me down. Her get back was high school-esque.
As terrible as it sounds, I really liked Abe. There was really no ping-ponging of decisions here. He was all like okay, so I'm leaving my wife for this high school kid who's been staying with us due to a shitty home situation and is also my daughter's best friend. Okay.
Then he actually did it?
Handled business whenever he could. Loved him vs the dad. Loved him handling the housing crisis. All he needed was to hear the answer to 'Would you still love me if I lost everything?' and nothing else.
Like I said- this man was literally just holding out for a teensy weensy reason to leave his marriage. Falling in love was just a bonus💀
Theresa did NOT have enough smoke for him( I loved him but he is NOT a serious person😂).
Then I listened to the author's afterword and my jaw was literally on the floor. Wdym your former best friend is now married to your ex😭
Gah. Grim reminder that things that are exciting in books are decidedly less so irl.
TW: Cheating, Teacher/Student pairing, big age gap. Definitely keep these in mind because they're not glossed over.
October 23, 2022
⭐︎
4.5 "Class Act" Stars Rounded Up!
⭐︎
I absolutely fucking loved this.
First of all, if you read the blurb and then read this and then are seemingly shocked by the fact that:
✦ This contains Abe cheating on his wife with Emery
✦ This contains a student-teacher relationship in that Abe is the football coach at the school Emery goes to
✦ That there is a very big age difference with Emery being 19 and Abe being 44
✦ And oh yeah, Emery is still in high school as a super senior, as he failed his senior year the year before due to extreme bullying
Then I don't know what to tell you. I've seen some negative reviews already that hate the cheating, are outraged by Emery and Abe's relationship and call Emery a victim and Abe an abuser, or taking advantage of him, etc etc...
And I'm like...did you not read the blurb and know exactly what you were getting into? Why go into a book that tells you all this shit you seemingly hate is going to happen? lol It literally says in the blurb that Abe is the football coach at Emery's high school.
Anyway. Yes, in real life we'd all think this relationship is fucked up and toxic and wrong and blah blah blah.
But this is fiction and it's fun and hot and sexy. Plus, Emery is a legal adult, even if he is still in high school.
Yeah, it's all very wrong and all that, but it's all fiction and it's hot and the reason I picked this one up lol.
I do think their relationship could have used a little more development before they got to the "I love you" stage, as I really don't think the build up before they were thinking it and then saying it called for it yet. They were on their way, but not quite there yet. But they were chugging along and then all the sudden Emery was thinking about how he loved Abe. And then not long after Abe was just admitting he was in love with Emery.
And this was maybe around 50-ish percent into the book. Maybe even before that. I think a good chunk before that 50% mark. It was just way too fast.
But, after the love confession we spend so much time through the rest of this seeing the love they had for each other that I didn't take off too much for that part.
Plus, their chemistry was way off the charts good. Maybe it was the forbidden trope of it all, which is one of my fave romance tropes, but I was feeling it between these two so much. Made me feel all tingly a few times and the need to fan myself. It takes a lot for sex scenes to make me feel that in novels, honestly. So a book always gets major points when the sex scenes really suck me in.
I came to really love these two by the end. There was some cheesiness here or there, but I didn't mind it, really. I was too into the story to care. And even though their "I love you"s came too fast in my opinion, I got so sucked into their relationship that I didn't care too much by the end of the story. Hence only giving .5 stars off.
And does Abe's crappy marriage condone the cheating? No. Teresa was an asshole and annoying AF - I mean she even fucking slaps Abe, which is not okay - but that never condones cheating, ever. Abe should have told her he wanted that divorce before doing anything with Emery.
But I am glad he said something fairly soon after they started, about 2 weeks. It would have frustrated me if they'd had the affair for months on end. But the cheating, while a big part of this story - and it doesn't just go away after the cheating stops (and Abe is officially separated and getting a divorce from his wife so he and Emery are free to be together) - didn't actually happen for a long time in this. The affects of it linger, but they only do it for a few weeks. Still not okay, but still, it doesn't last forever.
Part of me wishes the whole student/teacher thing would have been focused on a tad more - they keep it a secret, but it eventually comes out when - but I guess it couldn't be that much since they kept it a secret until it didn't need to be a secret anymore - Emery no longer being a student. And Abe getting a job somewhere else.
The cheating thing and Emery being Mandy's best friend were the big scandals focused on most in the book. Teresa is the biggest hold on by the end of this, which I appreciated. I didn't like her, but she was the one cheated on, so I liked that she didn't just readily accept Emery or their relationship and never got to a good place with them. She got to a civil place by the end, but she isn't like crazy supportive or anything by the end either. It felt more realistic for her to act that way and it made things more interesting too, drama wise.
I feel like in romance books with taboo or things that are scandalous, the people around the MC's might have a shocked or outraged reaction at first, but then too easily come around to the relationship and are nice and sweet to them and maybe besties forever again with them or something. Which is fine for some characters, but not ALL of them, ya know? Give me that drama with at least one person still not entirely okay with things. It's so juicy!
So yeah, overall, this was amazing. And makes me want to read more from this author. I read one of their's in the past, but just liked it, didn't love it, so never felt a strong urge to read one of their's again. But this definitely has me jonesing for more from this lovely author.
SO yeah, going into this? Be prepared for: Abe being a 44 year old married high school coach who cheats on his wife with the 19 year old best friend of his daughter who also goes to the high school he works at. These characters don't make the best choices or even good choices. Know what you're getting into when reading this.
Although I also tagged this as no-cheating, because thankfully our MC's don't cheat on each other. But if you can't handle even MC's cheating on others with each other, then this isn't he book for you. Or large age gaps, where one is still in high school although a legal adult. You have been warned.
But for me, this had several elements of forbidden-ness to their relationship and I was all for it. It was so spicy and oh-so-wrong but oh-so-good.
I HIGHLY recommend this, especially if you can get past all the problematic elements in this book and just enjoy the fictional taboo romance.
Definitely two major thumbs up from me! I will be reading more from this author, for sure. Can't wait! 🥰😘😍
I absolutely fucking loved this.
First of all, if you read the blurb and then read this and then are seemingly shocked by the fact that:
✦ This contains Abe cheating on his wife with Emery
✦ This contains a student-teacher relationship in that Abe is the football coach at the school Emery goes to
✦ That there is a very big age difference with Emery being 19 and Abe being 44
✦ And oh yeah, Emery is still in high school as a super senior, as he failed his senior year the year before due to extreme bullying
Then I don't know what to tell you. I've seen some negative reviews already that hate the cheating, are outraged by Emery and Abe's relationship and call Emery a victim and Abe an abuser, or taking advantage of him, etc etc...
And I'm like...did you not read the blurb and know exactly what you were getting into? Why go into a book that tells you all this shit you seemingly hate is going to happen? lol It literally says in the blurb that Abe is the football coach at Emery's high school.
Anyway. Yes, in real life we'd all think this relationship is fucked up and toxic and wrong and blah blah blah.
But this is fiction and it's fun and hot and sexy. Plus, Emery is a legal adult, even if he is still in high school.
Yeah, it's all very wrong and all that, but it's all fiction and it's hot and the reason I picked this one up lol.
I do think their relationship could have used a little more development before they got to the "I love you" stage, as I really don't think the build up before they were thinking it and then saying it called for it yet. They were on their way, but not quite there yet. But they were chugging along and then all the sudden Emery was thinking about how he loved Abe. And then not long after Abe was just admitting he was in love with Emery.
And this was maybe around 50-ish percent into the book. Maybe even before that. I think a good chunk before that 50% mark. It was just way too fast.
But, after the love confession we spend so much time through the rest of this seeing the love they had for each other that I didn't take off too much for that part.
Plus, their chemistry was way off the charts good. Maybe it was the forbidden trope of it all, which is one of my fave romance tropes, but I was feeling it between these two so much. Made me feel all tingly a few times and the need to fan myself. It takes a lot for sex scenes to make me feel that in novels, honestly. So a book always gets major points when the sex scenes really suck me in.
I came to really love these two by the end. There was some cheesiness here or there, but I didn't mind it, really. I was too into the story to care. And even though their "I love you"s came too fast in my opinion, I got so sucked into their relationship that I didn't care too much by the end of the story. Hence only giving .5 stars off.
And does Abe's crappy marriage condone the cheating? No. Teresa was an asshole and annoying AF - I mean she even fucking slaps Abe, which is not okay - but that never condones cheating, ever. Abe should have told her he wanted that divorce before doing anything with Emery.
But I am glad he said something fairly soon after they started, about 2 weeks. It would have frustrated me if they'd had the affair for months on end. But the cheating, while a big part of this story - and it doesn't just go away after the cheating stops (and Abe is officially separated and getting a divorce from his wife so he and Emery are free to be together) - didn't actually happen for a long time in this. The affects of it linger, but they only do it for a few weeks. Still not okay, but still, it doesn't last forever.
Part of me wishes the whole student/teacher thing would have been focused on a tad more - they keep it a secret, but it eventually comes out when - but I guess it couldn't be that much since they kept it a secret until it didn't need to be a secret anymore - Emery no longer being a student. And Abe getting a job somewhere else.
The cheating thing and Emery being Mandy's best friend were the big scandals focused on most in the book. Teresa is the biggest hold on by the end of this, which I appreciated. I didn't like her, but she was the one cheated on, so I liked that she didn't just readily accept Emery or their relationship and never got to a good place with them. She got to a civil place by the end, but she isn't like crazy supportive or anything by the end either. It felt more realistic for her to act that way and it made things more interesting too, drama wise.
I feel like in romance books with taboo or things that are scandalous, the people around the MC's might have a shocked or outraged reaction at first, but then too easily come around to the relationship and are nice and sweet to them and maybe besties forever again with them or something. Which is fine for some characters, but not ALL of them, ya know? Give me that drama with at least one person still not entirely okay with things. It's so juicy!
So yeah, overall, this was amazing. And makes me want to read more from this author. I read one of their's in the past, but just liked it, didn't love it, so never felt a strong urge to read one of their's again. But this definitely has me jonesing for more from this lovely author.
SO yeah, going into this? Be prepared for: Abe being a 44 year old married high school coach who cheats on his wife with the 19 year old best friend of his daughter who also goes to the high school he works at. These characters don't make the best choices or even good choices. Know what you're getting into when reading this.
Although I also tagged this as no-cheating, because thankfully our MC's don't cheat on each other. But if you can't handle even MC's cheating on others with each other, then this isn't he book for you. Or large age gaps, where one is still in high school although a legal adult. You have been warned.
But for me, this had several elements of forbidden-ness to their relationship and I was all for it. It was so spicy and oh-so-wrong but oh-so-good.
I HIGHLY recommend this, especially if you can get past all the problematic elements in this book and just enjoy the fictional taboo romance.
Definitely two major thumbs up from me! I will be reading more from this author, for sure. Can't wait! 🥰😘😍
October 12, 2022
This book is definitely not for everyone. It was a very exhausting read for me. Even though I don't have too much of a problem with the subject of cheating, it is the dominant theme and not something you can just overlook. I completely sympathize with the characters and why it all happens the way it does. However, the people involved are rightly hurt and that gives the whole book a very negative context. Which is not to say that the book was negative for me. Because quite honestly this bitch of a wife didn't deserve it any other way. God how I hated this woman ... And the fear that a huge disaster was about to happen was constantly there. My little heart hurt all the time and I had to read so fast to make sure that everything would be okay, that I could not really enjoy the book. So for me, a re-read is imminent, to let the whole thing calmly take effect again on me.
Because it is despite the severity of the plot a masterpiece.
Emery is an incredible character, the things he has had to suffer and how despite everything he doesn't give up and fights and how he finds the perfect person in Abe who finally gives him safety. 😭😪🤧
Oh my god, no one has really hugged me in years.
As the reality hit me, I broke, and I burrowed deeper into his chest, gasping for air. My heart was beating too fast, and my chest tightened. An irrational fear settled in my bones, and I shook against him. Against this stranger who hadn’t meant to hug me but now was doing just that.
“Hey, I’ve got you. Breathe in slowly,” he said softly. “In and out. In and out.” 🥰🥰🥰
Because it is despite the severity of the plot a masterpiece.
Emery is an incredible character, the things he has had to suffer and how despite everything he doesn't give up and fights and how he finds the perfect person in Abe who finally gives him safety. 😭😪🤧
Oh my god, no one has really hugged me in years.
As the reality hit me, I broke, and I burrowed deeper into his chest, gasping for air. My heart was beating too fast, and my chest tightened. An irrational fear settled in my bones, and I shook against him. Against this stranger who hadn’t meant to hug me but now was doing just that.
“Hey, I’ve got you. Breathe in slowly,” he said softly. “In and out. In and out.” 🥰🥰🥰
![Profile Image for Megan [Jaded AF].](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1634561405i/25103878._UY200_CR50,0,200,200_.jpg)
April 12, 2023
MM Romance
Married Coach/Student
2.5 Stars ⭐️
Before I review this I just want to make it clear that I am not rating this low because of the trope, subject matter or any other taboo aspect of this book. I picked this up after reading this author’s Be Mine Twisted Valentine and was looking for that same kind of depravity because I love it so content is not the reason for a low rating. I actually wish it had been more forbidden than what it was tbh.
I usually don’t read the same author back to back unless it’s a duet or a series that needs to be read in order because I’m almost always disappointed and I wish I’d learn my fucking lesson already 😭 but this author just does the forbidden in a way I adore so I picked it up directly after loving the other one. I liked the concept of this book but I hated the execution and FFS why did this have to be 500 pages? There was no reason for it to be this long and it dragggged in places. I don’t mind an instant connection or even instalove if it’s done well but it was hard to take these two seriously. After spending almost no time together except for Emery organizing Abe’s office and them sharing one kiss, they were in love with each other and it kind of took away the forbidden aspect I wanted them to have. Falling in love is great but it was so soon and I just wanted some hot hookups without all the romanticism. They had some scorching sex scenes but they became repetitive due to the length of this book and I wanted more of this author’s kinky side especially because these two had the perfect set up for daddy/boy. That kink was even mentioned a few times but ultimately it just morphed into coach/student which they already were anyway.
This isn’t a book that is meant to be dissected but I’m going to anyway because it’s part of why this book never revived for me. I didn’t care for how things played out with the wife and daughter. The wife had that cheesy scooby doo villain feeling and the daughter just annoyed me most of the time. I also hated how no one helped Emery with his dad. It was obvious there was abuse and if Abe really loved him, he would have put a stop to it immediately and because he didn’t I just thought Emery could do better. Be the protective I’ll burn the world down for you kind of man instead of whatever this was. It just didn’t work for me for Abe to not stand up for Emery until the very end.
I think it’s safe to say though that best friend’s dad and dad’s best friend is no longer a trope I avoid because this is now the 3rd book I’ve read with it and loved the subject matter even if I didn’t love the actual story. 😂
Married Coach/Student
2.5 Stars ⭐️
Before I review this I just want to make it clear that I am not rating this low because of the trope, subject matter or any other taboo aspect of this book. I picked this up after reading this author’s Be Mine Twisted Valentine and was looking for that same kind of depravity because I love it so content is not the reason for a low rating. I actually wish it had been more forbidden than what it was tbh.
I usually don’t read the same author back to back unless it’s a duet or a series that needs to be read in order because I’m almost always disappointed and I wish I’d learn my fucking lesson already 😭 but this author just does the forbidden in a way I adore so I picked it up directly after loving the other one. I liked the concept of this book but I hated the execution and FFS why did this have to be 500 pages? There was no reason for it to be this long and it dragggged in places. I don’t mind an instant connection or even instalove if it’s done well but it was hard to take these two seriously. After spending almost no time together except for Emery organizing Abe’s office and them sharing one kiss, they were in love with each other and it kind of took away the forbidden aspect I wanted them to have. Falling in love is great but it was so soon and I just wanted some hot hookups without all the romanticism. They had some scorching sex scenes but they became repetitive due to the length of this book and I wanted more of this author’s kinky side especially because these two had the perfect set up for daddy/boy. That kink was even mentioned a few times but ultimately it just morphed into coach/student which they already were anyway.
This isn’t a book that is meant to be dissected but I’m going to anyway because it’s part of why this book never revived for me. I didn’t care for how things played out with the wife and daughter. The wife had that cheesy scooby doo villain feeling and the daughter just annoyed me most of the time. I also hated how no one helped Emery with his dad. It was obvious there was abuse and if Abe really loved him, he would have put a stop to it immediately and because he didn’t I just thought Emery could do better. Be the protective I’ll burn the world down for you kind of man instead of whatever this was. It just didn’t work for me for Abe to not stand up for Emery until the very end.
I think it’s safe to say though that best friend’s dad and dad’s best friend is no longer a trope I avoid because this is now the 3rd book I’ve read with it and loved the subject matter even if I didn’t love the actual story. 😂
December 4, 2022
I felt dirty reading this and i like it
It's risky and inappropriate
I feel like I just seduced someone husband,
I liked how wrong it was and it turn me on.
The sexual tension between them oh God,
I'm worried for them and I was rooting for them to their HEA.
And the bad guy really felt like the villain here like when they come on the scene you just couldn't help but roll your eyes and say "not this bitch again"
Like that feeling you just wanna ripped somebody heads off.
These two mcs just fit well together
Abe and emery oh God their words of love towards each other just tugged my heart.
It felt so real and I just want the best for them.
One thing I loved about them is that
They know they loved each other so much and do everything to earn it and chase it.
Literally it was them against the world.
And the torture this book put me through near the end almost unbearable
I cried lmaoo.
It's risky and inappropriate
I feel like I just seduced someone husband,
I liked how wrong it was and it turn me on.
The sexual tension between them oh God,
I'm worried for them and I was rooting for them to their HEA.
And the bad guy really felt like the villain here like when they come on the scene you just couldn't help but roll your eyes and say "not this bitch again"
Like that feeling you just wanna ripped somebody heads off.
These two mcs just fit well together
Abe and emery oh God their words of love towards each other just tugged my heart.
It felt so real and I just want the best for them.
One thing I loved about them is that
They know they loved each other so much and do everything to earn it and chase it.
Literally it was them against the world.
And the torture this book put me through near the end almost unbearable
I cried lmaoo.
October 14, 2022
3.5 stars. Didn't believe a damn thing about this story.
October 10, 2022
"His words formed a ring around my heart, and unlike the one on my finger, this wasn't so easily removed."
Star Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
POV: Dual
HEA: Yes
Spice Rating: 4/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
"I'm just a boy whose never been loved before, and I think you could love me the way I want to be."
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review
Overall Opinion
This book, oh my word, I am really struggling to put into words exactly how much I enjoyed this work of art. Everything about it caught my attention and the unconventional circumstances both MCs were in had me tight in its grip. I will admit, I do enjoy the cheating trope this book entails and I am aware that is not everyone's forte. In this book, we have Abe who is an unhappily married middle-aged man and coach at his daughter Mandy's school, and we have Emery, Mandy's best friend who defies sociatial norms, and is the son of an horribly abusive man. From the very beginning there was an instant attraction for both Abe and Emery, and while they know not to give into this attraction, they choose to heed this idea and begin a torrid affair with one another. It was so passionate, and emotional and I couldn't help feeling the pull these two had. It was angsty and painful but the love between these two make every step of the way feel worth it and when everything eventually worked out, I felt sad to have to say goodbye to these two. Overall this was an amazing read, and definitely taking a top spot on my favourites list!
Read if you like:
❣️ M/M Romance
❣️ Teacher/Student
❣️ Best Friends Father
❣️ Cheating
❣️ Forbidden Romance
❣️ HEA
Star Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
POV: Dual
HEA: Yes
Spice Rating: 4/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
"I'm just a boy whose never been loved before, and I think you could love me the way I want to be."
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review
Overall Opinion
This book, oh my word, I am really struggling to put into words exactly how much I enjoyed this work of art. Everything about it caught my attention and the unconventional circumstances both MCs were in had me tight in its grip. I will admit, I do enjoy the cheating trope this book entails and I am aware that is not everyone's forte. In this book, we have Abe who is an unhappily married middle-aged man and coach at his daughter Mandy's school, and we have Emery, Mandy's best friend who defies sociatial norms, and is the son of an horribly abusive man. From the very beginning there was an instant attraction for both Abe and Emery, and while they know not to give into this attraction, they choose to heed this idea and begin a torrid affair with one another. It was so passionate, and emotional and I couldn't help feeling the pull these two had. It was angsty and painful but the love between these two make every step of the way feel worth it and when everything eventually worked out, I felt sad to have to say goodbye to these two. Overall this was an amazing read, and definitely taking a top spot on my favourites list!
Read if you like:
❣️ M/M Romance
❣️ Teacher/Student
❣️ Best Friends Father
❣️ Cheating
❣️ Forbidden Romance
❣️ HEA
February 19, 2023
After reading Be mine,Twisted Valentine. I knew I was going to start nudge reading the author’s book.
Thank you to the negative reviews because of cheating. You have a right not to like this book because of it. Personally, it doesn’t bother me depending on how it is written. Cheating does not a core between the main characters.
I adore Emery and am in awe of everything he went through. Abe is the father of Emery’s best friend. Abe is on a horrible marriage with an emotionally abusive wife. Honestly she is horrible and manipulative.
As much as I love the storyline, I just couldn’t connect with Abe. I tried. I didn’t feel his characters emotions.
October 2, 2022
Oh, how much I loved this story of Emery and Abe! Class Act is an MM romance between a teacher/football coach, Abe, and a 19 yr old student/cheerleader senior in high school, Emery. Abe is married, but not happily, taking a backseat to his wife's career. Emery is alone with an abusive, homophobic father, both starved for love and affection. Emery is new to the school and becomes best friends with Abe’s daughter, and they become close through that connection. After a series of events that kept pushing them together, spending more time getting to know each other, they fell in love. Despite the obstacles they had in front of them getting their HEA, they never gave up, and they made me fall in love with them over and over again right up until the very end. This story was so well written, was captivated right from the start, and couldn't put it down, truly loved it. Highly recommend reading it!
Reread via audio and Zachary Zaba's performance was fantastic!
Reread via audio and Zachary Zaba's performance was fantastic!
October 15, 2022
I'm sorry but "I've never had anyone take care of me" meets "let me make you my top priority for life" narratives always slap the hardest you can't tell me otherwise 💯
October 16, 2022
I was so excited for a little coach/student forbidden goodness, especially with the model on the cover giving me sass with those eyes and all of that fierce energy! I was so pumped! But sadly, I'm going to have to put this one to rest, I just 
I think I could have really loved this if were executed better and some very unnecessary drama was excluded and instead more effort placed into developing... the relationship.
We've got Abe, an older, unhappily married man who's in a position of power as the head coach in the school and the father of Emery's best friend. Then we've got Emery- a younger, bold student and best friend of Abe's daughter who likes to dress femme and who also faces being bullied at home and at school.
I should have at least felt SOME sympathy for both of them given their situations, and at times I truly did empathize, but good gracious did they make it difficult (for me👀) to truly LIKE them!!!
I thought it was actually going okay, but then Emery or Abe would say something or think something that would just completely ruin whatever good feelings I could muster and I just didn't feel this as much as I thought I would😭 Maybe it's also how suddenly Emery went from "Ohhh he's kinda hot" to "OMG he's nice to me, I must have him at all costs!" And how Abe was just...hm😒 The man just did not give what needed to be given😴
Ah, and the whole wife thing! Ohmygoodnesswhy???
Now, I'm one of those people who just shovels down insta-love like there's no tomorrow, but here it was just weird. I didn't think it was cute and endearing, and for a book this length some things could have definitely been done better😔 So unfortunately, I can't rate this anything higher.
This is the third book by Gianni that I've not been able to connect to💔 and I think it's about time I walked away from this author as they are just not working for me😔
I think I could have really loved this if were executed better and some very unnecessary drama was excluded and instead more effort placed into developing... the relationship.
We've got Abe, an older, unhappily married man who's in a position of power as the head coach in the school and the father of Emery's best friend. Then we've got Emery- a younger, bold student and best friend of Abe's daughter who likes to dress femme and who also faces being bullied at home and at school.
I should have at least felt SOME sympathy for both of them given their situations, and at times I truly did empathize, but good gracious did they make it difficult (for me👀) to truly LIKE them!!!
I thought it was actually going okay, but then Emery or Abe would say something or think something that would just completely ruin whatever good feelings I could muster and I just didn't feel this as much as I thought I would😭 Maybe it's also how suddenly Emery went from "Ohhh he's kinda hot" to "OMG he's nice to me, I must have him at all costs!" And how Abe was just...hm😒 The man just did not give what needed to be given😴
Ah, and the whole wife thing! Ohmygoodnesswhy???
Now, I'm one of those people who just shovels down insta-love like there's no tomorrow, but here it was just weird. I didn't think it was cute and endearing, and for a book this length some things could have definitely been done better😔 So unfortunately, I can't rate this anything higher.
This is the third book by Gianni that I've not been able to connect to💔 and I think it's about time I walked away from this author as they are just not working for me😔
October 22, 2022
Emery💅
i saw some really bad reviews and i do admit there was some questionable stuff in this but honestly? i would NOT have preferred an author who hadn't taken the risk and instead settled for something tried and true, like most nowadays.
i saw some really bad reviews and i do admit there was some questionable stuff in this but honestly? i would NOT have preferred an author who hadn't taken the risk and instead settled for something tried and true, like most nowadays.
September 9, 2024
I‘m struggling a little bit here, don’t get me wrong I enjoyed this book A LOT!
But there were certain things that annoyed me during the end. Okay so first Abe’s wife for real gave me the chills sometimes, I mean how can you go to an 19 year old boy and tell them to sell yourself and stuff help?! We won’t talk too much about Emerys dad because he sucked so hard he gave me the ick as well.
Another things towards the end when the Abe got hit by a car…well this was just so unnecessary drama and cliché. I don’t know how many books I have read where exactly this towards the end happenes…I wasn’t a fan of this at all, though I have to say I liked the little switch in Teresa’s character (still hated her). And I was also not a fan of the epilogue I just hate epilogues that involves having kids ….I don’t liked this and I don’t want this. But I see why it was that way.
But what I loved was the whole concept, I love teacher/ student tropes and even if I don’t really liked cheating it was something I really enjoyed here. The whole dynamic between Abe and Emery was beautiful even if they both robbed me some nerves with their long on holding relationships hiding. Also their intimate scenes were absolutely my thing I enjoyed them immensely, they were smutty but not cheap and you absolutely could feel their love and passion for each other in there. The end felt a bit rushed tho, I mean they weren’t that long together and Abe already wanted to marry Emery? I mean it’s cute but it definitely felt too rushed…
All in all I’m really glad I read this story but I imagined it a bit differently. I would give it 4 stars but because I had a few things that didn’t really fit with me I will give it 3,5⭐️
But there were certain things that annoyed me during the end. Okay so first Abe’s wife for real gave me the chills sometimes, I mean how can you go to an 19 year old boy and tell them to sell yourself and stuff help?! We won’t talk too much about Emerys dad because he sucked so hard he gave me the ick as well.
Another things towards the end when the Abe got hit by a car…well this was just so unnecessary drama and cliché. I don’t know how many books I have read where exactly this towards the end happenes…I wasn’t a fan of this at all, though I have to say I liked the little switch in Teresa’s character (still hated her). And I was also not a fan of the epilogue I just hate epilogues that involves having kids ….I don’t liked this and I don’t want this. But I see why it was that way.
But what I loved was the whole concept, I love teacher/ student tropes and even if I don’t really liked cheating it was something I really enjoyed here. The whole dynamic between Abe and Emery was beautiful even if they both robbed me some nerves with their long on holding relationships hiding. Also their intimate scenes were absolutely my thing I enjoyed them immensely, they were smutty but not cheap and you absolutely could feel their love and passion for each other in there. The end felt a bit rushed tho, I mean they weren’t that long together and Abe already wanted to marry Emery? I mean it’s cute but it definitely felt too rushed…
All in all I’m really glad I read this story but I imagined it a bit differently. I would give it 4 stars but because I had a few things that didn’t really fit with me I will give it 3,5⭐️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 372 reviews