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Hawksview U #1
Shattered Ice
This is an interconnected standalone. To get a better back story for Bohdi, I suggest reading my Lost & Found Duet. However, this is not a requirement.
What happens when two broken souls collide?
Do the damaged pieces have the power to make each other complete
Or is their fate to be shattered?
What happens when two broken souls collide?
Do the damaged pieces have the power to make each other complete
Or is their fate to be shattered?
392 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 30, 2024
445 people are currently reading
2035 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 282 reviews
October 7, 2024
❝ If you want me to fuck you, you gotta come sit on it. ❞
I lean back, my arms mirroring the way Brayden's was, and I push my hips forward, my dick bouncing and slapping against my stomach.
❝ If you want it, fucking ride me, ❞ I taunt him.
This book choked the life out of me, I fear. I wasn't simply ready for the greatness. This a forbidden romance between this hot 40 year old new teacher and his barely legal hockey student. Listen, I may have open my legs to other genres but mm romances will always be that girl. The IT girl. The girl we all bow down too. And this book is that embodiment. Almost mother status/rating once again but there was this one scene in this book that I'm not sure I can vibe with. Great storyline with rootable characters. I wish there were more sex scenes because the chemistry and the tension between Bohdi and Brayden are overflowing. My mouth is foaming. My skin is burning. My eyes are goddamn rolling to the back my head. PS Black, I'm on the watch out for the other books in this series!
October 27, 2024
3.5**** stars
Intense story. Forbidden student/teacher romance. Major struggles, loss and grief. Best friends who support you, always. And the one person that alway got you. And man I loved the endling. *ugly cry
Looking forward to the next book that hopefully reveals if Brayden will make it big in hockey one day.
⇢ mediocre rating mainly for the amount of unedited typos. Because they suck!
*****************
Hawksview U Series
Book 1 - Shattered Ice - 3.5 stars
Book 2 - Shattered Hate - release Spring 2025
“To everyone else, you’re a quake—a force to be reckoned with. But to me, you’re my calm amid the storm.”
␥
I’m going to stand by him each day and even if I have to watch him grieve and there’s nothing I can do. I want him to know he doesn’t have to use any strength because I’m going to carry him through it.
Intense story. Forbidden student/teacher romance. Major struggles, loss and grief. Best friends who support you, always. And the one person that alway got you. And man I loved the endling. *ugly cry
Looking forward to the next book that hopefully reveals if Brayden will make it big in hockey one day.
⇢ mediocre rating mainly for the amount of unedited typos. Because they suck!
*****************
Hawksview U Series
Book 1 - Shattered Ice - 3.5 stars
Book 2 - Shattered Hate - release Spring 2025
September 30, 2024
An unexpected love story. Wow, this book hit hard and I loved every second of it. So much trauma and healing and I loved Bohdi and Brayden. One thing I did NOT love is all the weird names. I give authors 1-2 weird names before I start eye rolling and this book exceeded those limits but I forgive them because this book was heartbreakingly sweet. IDK why PS Black has to tear my heart to shreds like this but the healing is worth it. Not only is this book sweet but it is seductive and sad and swoony. I can't wait to read the next one in the series.
The author's note at the beginning of this book states "This is an interconnected standalone. To get a better back story for Bohdi, I suggest reading the Lost & Found Duet. However, this is not a requirement." I wholly agree with this statement. No, you don't need to read it but it gives so much backstory and character to Bohdi.
Thank you to Love Notes PR for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Pub Date: 9/30/24
The author's note at the beginning of this book states "This is an interconnected standalone. To get a better back story for Bohdi, I suggest reading the Lost & Found Duet. However, this is not a requirement." I wholly agree with this statement. No, you don't need to read it but it gives so much backstory and character to Bohdi.
Thank you to Love Notes PR for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Pub Date: 9/30/24
November 2, 2024
Well, that was awkward. Dnf @ 33%. Mostly vague disturbing scenarios and character actions/reactions/emotions/thoughts conveyed are redundant and repetitive writing. Too many characters read the same because they share similar behavioural traits andor personalities. I find it distracting and boring.
The well written forbidden May/December (older H, not h) is one of my favourite tropes.
My shelves are testament to that.
As long as it’s tastefully done: non icky, no abuse of power, no grooming, no older-should-know-better MC drawn to young immature broken MC.
This straight 40 year old baggage-laden hero, Bohdi, is a walking talking red flag.
The well written forbidden May/December (older H, not h) is one of my favourite tropes.
My shelves are testament to that.
As long as it’s tastefully done: non icky, no abuse of power, no grooming, no older-should-know-better MC drawn to young immature broken MC.
This straight 40 year old baggage-laden hero, Bohdi, is a walking talking red flag.
![Profile Image for Megan [Cottage Vibes].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1634561405i%2F25103878._UY200_CR50%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
February 7, 2026
MM Romance
Age Gap 19/40 Student/Teacher
2 Stars ⭐️
DNF @ 92%
This is a super dramatic DNF but I haven’t picked this book up for a month so I’m not going back to it, let’s be honest. I actually really loved it at the start but after the twin brother died, the teacher started acting like he was the 19 year old and I don’t know I just wasn’t feeling it at all. Plus I kept thinking about how he realized he liked his student due to the fact his eyes reminded him of his dead nephews and it felt weird.
That said I actually wanted to read book 2 more because it’s extreme hate to love but I read I should start here and I guess I’m glad I did because now I know why the hatred is there but I have no desire to finish this book. 🤷🏻♀️
Age Gap 19/40 Student/Teacher
2 Stars ⭐️
DNF @ 92%
This is a super dramatic DNF but I haven’t picked this book up for a month so I’m not going back to it, let’s be honest. I actually really loved it at the start but after the twin brother died, the teacher started acting like he was the 19 year old and I don’t know I just wasn’t feeling it at all. Plus I kept thinking about how he realized he liked his student due to the fact his eyes reminded him of his dead nephews and it felt weird.
That said I actually wanted to read book 2 more because it’s extreme hate to love but I read I should start here and I guess I’m glad I did because now I know why the hatred is there but I have no desire to finish this book. 🤷🏻♀️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 31, 2024
Tropes: age gap, teacher/student, hurt/comfort, forbidden relationship
Feels: 2.5/5
Steam*: 2.75/5
Kinks: sex in risky places
Angst: high
HEA: yes
Pairing: MM
Triggers/potential icks/content warnings: child abuse, addiction, overdose, death, extreme grief
3.5 stars (I'm giving it this rating because the angst made me cry so clearly it was doing something right, but there was a lot of problematic stuff and the typos were egregious! So I'm rounding down)
This book is about a 40 year old college professor named Bohdi (author spelled his name wrong multiple times - dur!). He has always identified as straight, he's never had a thing for men before. A year ago he lost his nephew Jace who was in his twenties. They were very close and he's been suffering intense grief since then. He moved to a new town and started teaching at a new college to try to shake himself out of his grief. When Brayden walks in to one of his classrooms, he can't stop obsessing over Brayden. For the first time in his life he's attracted to a man, but it would be forbidden, so he fights it.
Brayden is 19, gay, plays college hockey and wants to make it to the NHL. He's a twin. His brother Bexley protected him as they were growing up from their rough surroundings. Their mother is an addict, they lived in a trailer park surrounded by drugs and bad influences. Their mother was neglectful. Bexley got into dealing drugs at age 12 and he became addicted to drugs himself at age 15. Bexley started out being very protective and putting Brayden above everything else, but he's so far into his addiction that the drugs come first and it's killing the both of them. Brayden wants to help Bexley get clean, but is it too little too late?
Brayden is an intense personality and he's attracted to Bohdi too. Bohdi's there for him when he needs him and their relationship becomes something deep.
I like a book with a possessive character. And Bohdi was possessive so that was good. I don't typically like angst, if I'd known how much angst there was in this book I probably wouldn't have read it. But the angst made me cry so the author must have been doing something right. Brayden was a nice enough character.
Things I didn't like:
- There were over 40 typos, spelling mistakes, grammar mistakes, wrong word choices! At first, I was giving the author a lot of grace and benefit of the doubt on some of the word choices. The author is new to me. But after a while I started highlighting typos when I saw them, which is my usual while reading. I literally wanted to stop because there were multiple typos in a page at times, but then I got pissed off over the typos and wanted to make a point of counting them. I don't want to throw accusations around, but I legit wonder if the author was using AI writing this book. Some of the grammar errors and wrong word choices would almost make sense if they happened because the author ran the book through AI to try to tweak the language. Because at times it was like a thesaurus had been used to replace a word, but the thesaurus wasn't smart enough to know that that word in that context did not have the same meaning. Some typo examples: "my body scatters in goosebumps", "you're mine, the meaning in every sense", "“I know I failed to miss out that Jace’s dad, my brother, is now getting married to Rylee.".
- In addition to the countless typos, the author writes in a style that is almost run-on sentences. The sentences are jam-packed with multiple different thoughts separated by commas and the sentence structure seems to flip and the author changes her mind about where she was going with it mid sentence. The book was extremely tedious for me to read through and follow along with because of the typos and writing style. I almost dnf'd the book because I felt like my ears were bleeding while reading it, but I'm too OCD and I needed to know how it ended.
- I didn't like Bohdi. He made some stupid choices at times. He should be smarter given he's a 40-year-old man and in academia. He came off as a creeper with the way he went about his initial obsession with Brayden. Things that weren't hot: his stalking, jerking off, tucking in his boner, calling women girls even though he's 40, calling the woman he almost dated Ms. Banksy instead of her first name, his lack of professionalism and brains at times.
- I felt like the author took too long to get rid of Lance. Lance is a repeat f*** buddy of Brayden's. He was around too long and described in such positive terms by Brayden, where he could have been thought to be the MMC during the first 30%.
- I didn't believe Brayden and Bohdi's feelings early on. All of a sudden they were really deep about each other even though their relationship was still superficial and they didn't really know each other well. It seemed more like obsession or a crush. Eventually, once they lived through some deep s*** together, they found comfort in each other, so deep feelings started to make sense then.
Some notable moments:
"Honestly, I’m confident that if I told Tray I needed his help in robbing a bank, he wouldn’t question it and would simply ask about my mask preference."
"I hear my phone make a sound and I take it out to find an Instagram direct message. As I read the message, the butterflies that had settled down come back to life. @thestilestman: If you touch a single inch of skin on that kid, I swear I will make you regret it. I don’t share."
"“Do you love him?” Cash’s question hangs heavy in the air. “More than anything,” I reply, my voice unwavering. “I’ll marry him, Cash. Mark my words, I’ll have a ring on that finger within the next two years. Although I’m going to try for one sooner.”"
*FYI about steam: I rate steam based on a combination of quality & quantity. I note kink separate from steam because I don't want to underrate steamy reads that don't have much kink.
**Note about spoilers: I like to comment on the plot of a book in reviews, so I almost always mark my reviews as containing spoilers. But I try to avoid spoiling the big dramatic moments! As a reader, I personally like to know what I'm getting into before I read a book so I know more about the content and if it's to my taste/mood, so I try to give that information in my reviews for myself when I'm considering rereading and also for other readers.
Feels: 2.5/5
Steam*: 2.75/5
Kinks: sex in risky places
Angst: high
HEA: yes
Pairing: MM
Triggers/potential icks/content warnings: child abuse, addiction, overdose, death, extreme grief
3.5 stars (I'm giving it this rating because the angst made me cry so clearly it was doing something right, but there was a lot of problematic stuff and the typos were egregious! So I'm rounding down)
This book is about a 40 year old college professor named Bohdi (author spelled his name wrong multiple times - dur!). He has always identified as straight, he's never had a thing for men before. A year ago he lost his nephew Jace who was in his twenties. They were very close and he's been suffering intense grief since then. He moved to a new town and started teaching at a new college to try to shake himself out of his grief. When Brayden walks in to one of his classrooms, he can't stop obsessing over Brayden. For the first time in his life he's attracted to a man, but it would be forbidden, so he fights it.
Brayden is 19, gay, plays college hockey and wants to make it to the NHL. He's a twin. His brother Bexley protected him as they were growing up from their rough surroundings. Their mother is an addict, they lived in a trailer park surrounded by drugs and bad influences. Their mother was neglectful. Bexley got into dealing drugs at age 12 and he became addicted to drugs himself at age 15. Bexley started out being very protective and putting Brayden above everything else, but he's so far into his addiction that the drugs come first and it's killing the both of them. Brayden wants to help Bexley get clean, but is it too little too late?
Brayden is an intense personality and he's attracted to Bohdi too. Bohdi's there for him when he needs him and their relationship becomes something deep.
I like a book with a possessive character. And Bohdi was possessive so that was good. I don't typically like angst, if I'd known how much angst there was in this book I probably wouldn't have read it. But the angst made me cry so the author must have been doing something right. Brayden was a nice enough character.
Things I didn't like:
- There were over 40 typos, spelling mistakes, grammar mistakes, wrong word choices! At first, I was giving the author a lot of grace and benefit of the doubt on some of the word choices. The author is new to me. But after a while I started highlighting typos when I saw them, which is my usual while reading. I literally wanted to stop because there were multiple typos in a page at times, but then I got pissed off over the typos and wanted to make a point of counting them. I don't want to throw accusations around, but I legit wonder if the author was using AI writing this book. Some of the grammar errors and wrong word choices would almost make sense if they happened because the author ran the book through AI to try to tweak the language. Because at times it was like a thesaurus had been used to replace a word, but the thesaurus wasn't smart enough to know that that word in that context did not have the same meaning. Some typo examples: "my body scatters in goosebumps", "you're mine, the meaning in every sense", "“I know I failed to miss out that Jace’s dad, my brother, is now getting married to Rylee.".
- In addition to the countless typos, the author writes in a style that is almost run-on sentences. The sentences are jam-packed with multiple different thoughts separated by commas and the sentence structure seems to flip and the author changes her mind about where she was going with it mid sentence. The book was extremely tedious for me to read through and follow along with because of the typos and writing style. I almost dnf'd the book because I felt like my ears were bleeding while reading it, but I'm too OCD and I needed to know how it ended.
- I didn't like Bohdi. He made some stupid choices at times. He should be smarter given he's a 40-year-old man and in academia. He came off as a creeper with the way he went about his initial obsession with Brayden. Things that weren't hot: his stalking, jerking off, tucking in his boner, calling women girls even though he's 40, calling the woman he almost dated Ms. Banksy instead of her first name, his lack of professionalism and brains at times.
- I felt like the author took too long to get rid of Lance. Lance is a repeat f*** buddy of Brayden's. He was around too long and described in such positive terms by Brayden, where he could have been thought to be the MMC during the first 30%.
- I didn't believe Brayden and Bohdi's feelings early on. All of a sudden they were really deep about each other even though their relationship was still superficial and they didn't really know each other well. It seemed more like obsession or a crush. Eventually, once they lived through some deep s*** together, they found comfort in each other, so deep feelings started to make sense then.
Some notable moments:
"Honestly, I’m confident that if I told Tray I needed his help in robbing a bank, he wouldn’t question it and would simply ask about my mask preference."
"I hear my phone make a sound and I take it out to find an Instagram direct message. As I read the message, the butterflies that had settled down come back to life. @thestilestman: If you touch a single inch of skin on that kid, I swear I will make you regret it. I don’t share."
"“Do you love him?” Cash’s question hangs heavy in the air. “More than anything,” I reply, my voice unwavering. “I’ll marry him, Cash. Mark my words, I’ll have a ring on that finger within the next two years. Although I’m going to try for one sooner.”"
*FYI about steam: I rate steam based on a combination of quality & quantity. I note kink separate from steam because I don't want to underrate steamy reads that don't have much kink.
**Note about spoilers: I like to comment on the plot of a book in reviews, so I almost always mark my reviews as containing spoilers. But I try to avoid spoiling the big dramatic moments! As a reader, I personally like to know what I'm getting into before I read a book so I know more about the content and if it's to my taste/mood, so I try to give that information in my reviews for myself when I'm considering rereading and also for other readers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 6, 2024
After his nephew passed away Bohdi decides to move to Lansing to start a new job in need of a fresh start. This is when he comes across Brayden, his student and feels like he has a connection with him and is eager to know what’s going on with Brayden. It was quite a rollercoaster reading this book, there were many heavy topics like child neglect and drug addiction/abuse, abusive parents, etc so do check the trigger warnings. I loved the storylines between Bexley & Brayden the way they took care of each other despite Bexley was also addicted to drugs, you could feel they love each other a lot and Bexley was trying to get better. I had read this one as an arc i found some little mistakes in the book but it didn’t bother me at all because the story was so good. Thank you Love notes for letting me read this one.
October 6, 2024
Damn, this book. It was so emotional, way more than I thought it would be.
Both men had been through something in their lives that made them feel broken. But when they were together, they felt complete, that the darkness wasn't so bad, as long as they had each other. They tried to resist their feelings but there was no use, love had them firmly in its grasp.
Bohdi wasn't afraid to show his emotions or his love for Brayden. He was there for him, no matter what.
Brayden was a sweet boy that lost everything in a blink of an eye. It wasn't easy and with the help of Bohdi, he learned to live with that pain and move forward.
They needed each other and there was that
Both men had been through something in their lives that made them feel broken. But when they were together, they felt complete, that the darkness wasn't so bad, as long as they had each other. They tried to resist their feelings but there was no use, love had them firmly in its grasp.
Bohdi wasn't afraid to show his emotions or his love for Brayden. He was there for him, no matter what.
Brayden was a sweet boy that lost everything in a blink of an eye. It wasn't easy and with the help of Bohdi, he learned to live with that pain and move forward.
They needed each other and there was that
October 9, 2024
ARC REVIEW
5/5⭐️ 3/5🌶️
I haven’t read many MM books this year but this is definitely my favorite so far 😍🥵
Im obsessed with the Student/Teacher trope and throw in Age Gap and I’m IM LOVE!!
Bodhi and Brayden had some of the best emotional chemistry together and I could tell right away that they had so much love for one another. Brayden needed someone in his life to be there for him and love him unconditionally and Bohdi was always there to be that person. It was definitely an emotional roller coaster but in the best way. I wanted to jump in and hug Brayden and Bexley every time they were together.
I was not prepared for how good the spice was… WOW!! They’re first kiss was one of my favorite scenes 🫠🥰
If you love…
-Teacher/Student
-Age Gap
-College Sports Romance
-MM Romance
-Possessive MCs
READ THIS BOOK!!!
Thank you P.S. Black for the ARC! Absolutely devoured this!!
5/5⭐️ 3/5🌶️
I haven’t read many MM books this year but this is definitely my favorite so far 😍🥵
Im obsessed with the Student/Teacher trope and throw in Age Gap and I’m IM LOVE!!
Bodhi and Brayden had some of the best emotional chemistry together and I could tell right away that they had so much love for one another. Brayden needed someone in his life to be there for him and love him unconditionally and Bohdi was always there to be that person. It was definitely an emotional roller coaster but in the best way. I wanted to jump in and hug Brayden and Bexley every time they were together.
I was not prepared for how good the spice was… WOW!! They’re first kiss was one of my favorite scenes 🫠🥰
If you love…
-Teacher/Student
-Age Gap
-College Sports Romance
-MM Romance
-Possessive MCs
READ THIS BOOK!!!
Thank you P.S. Black for the ARC! Absolutely devoured this!!
September 24, 2024
This book emotionally destroys you 😭 when I say I want to read a Hurt/Comfort book this is the emotional trauma I want. Honestly this book has you giggling at the cuteness overload one minute and then sobbing the next. My heart broke for Brayden reading this, his up bringing, his love for his brother, trying to get a better life for himself and his brother, while also dealing with the struggles of watching someone you love suffer with addiction. And in the middle of it all you have this love story between two people who help each other through their darkest, most vulnerable moments. Brayden and Brohdi save each other in every way they needed saving. It’s a raw, emotional read, that’s gonna stick with me for a long while.
Thank you to LoveNotes PR and PS Black for the ARC (and emotional damage😭🙃)
Thank you to LoveNotes PR and PS Black for the ARC (and emotional damage😭🙃)
October 6, 2024
4.25⭐️
Still grieving the loss of his nephew and in need of a fresh start, Bohdi moves to Lansing to start a new job where he doesn't know people and isn't reminded of his loss every time he sees his family. This is when he comes across Brayden, who is his student, and he immediately feels a pull towards him, watching his own pain being reflected in him, and Bohdi finds himself eager to know more about what's going on with Brayden for him to behave the way he did.
This was one emotional rollercoaster. There were so many moments that I got really emotional for these characters and had to take a moment before continuing. The book deals with some heavy topics such as child neglect, dealing with addiction, and loss of a loved one (on and off page), among others, so do check the TWs. These topics were well dealt with and go into depth about how grief and addiction affect the family members.
The curiosity to know more about Brayden and what he was dealing with initially pulls Bohdi in because he recognizes the signs from his own experience and can't help but want to reach out to help him out. He doesn't understand why he feels this way, but as the story goes on, Bohdi realizes that he might also have some romantic feelings growing for Brayden.
It took a while for Bohdi to make sense of these new feelings he was feeling, and there was a lot of conflict he felt given how Brayden was his student and the 21-year age gap. He tries to deny and fight these feelings, coming up with excuses to stop it from going any further, but the tension only keeps growing between them until Bohdi can no longer keep his distance and decides that he doesn't want to.
My heart shattered for Brayden and everything he had gone through and was currently dealing with when it came to his brother. Initially he came off as rude and arrogant, but when we dive deeper into his story, we see how much he was hurting but turned that hurt into anger so no one could see him vulnerable. He keeps people out, and even with his best friends, there is still a line that he doesn't cross when it comes to sharing his deepest feelings. But Bohdi was persistent and gave Brayden a sense of calm and safety, and he found himself sharing parts of himself with him.
The bond between Bexley and Brayden was so precious and makes you wish there was a way to reach out to these two and help them out of their situation. You could feel the anger, frustration, helplessness, hope, guilt, heartbreak, and defeat that Brayden felt dealing with what his brother was going through and how it all took a toll on him.
Bexley gave his all for the sake of his twin brother, and reading everything he did and sacrificed for years so Brayden could lead a better life made me feel so helpless. The situation he was in and how much he tried to fight for Brayden's sake but was sucked into a life that he couldn't get out of makes you feel angry at the unfairness of it all. Watching Brayden try to help his brother and get through to him and do everything in his power to get him back like before was truly heartbreaking.
When it comes to the romance, there was some back and forth between them, both unsure if they were reading the signs right from the other and whether they should cross the line they couldn't come back from, but eventually they gave in and their relationship grew.
This book really showed us that we can't choose who we love, and sometimes we just love who we love. There can be a lot of reasons why everyone feels the relationship between Bohdi and Brayden was wrong, given their roles as teacher and student and also given the age gap. But these two were exactly who the other needed, and even though many didn't get it, the thing that mattered was that they knew what they felt and wanted from each other. I liked that Bohdi didn't try explaining himself to anyone and just said, "I love this man, and it doesn't matter who understands that, but it doesn't change what I feel for him." And he proved that with the way he was protective and careful with Brayden from the start and with the way he helped and gave Brayden what he needed even when he didn't know it himself towards the end.
The book gets a whole lot more emotional after the 55-60% mark, and I was stunned and heartbroken. It was a difficult journey for the characters.
Bohdi stood by Brayden's side and was truly his rock when his world completely fell apart. He supported Brayden through everything, never letting him bottle up his pain, and gave him the space to feel everything he needed to in order to process it all at his own pace by always being his constant and loving him exactly the way he needed. Even when Brayden's emotions got the best of him, Bohdi stayed strong for the both of them, and he helped him with his grief, knowing what kind of toll such a loss can take on a person.
Kay and Trayton were absolutely the best kind of friends a person needs, and I loved how much they loved and stood by Brayden throughout. They covered, defended, protected, and fought for him. Their bond was really something else.
I loved the hockey games that were included and how these matches throughout the book hold your attention and you are rooting for the Devil Hawks to win.
That entire epilogue had me sobbing hard at 2am and made me love Bohdi more.
The reason for not rating this 5 star was that
Thank you to PS. Black and Love Notes PR for providing me with the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Still grieving the loss of his nephew and in need of a fresh start, Bohdi moves to Lansing to start a new job where he doesn't know people and isn't reminded of his loss every time he sees his family. This is when he comes across Brayden, who is his student, and he immediately feels a pull towards him, watching his own pain being reflected in him, and Bohdi finds himself eager to know more about what's going on with Brayden for him to behave the way he did.
This was one emotional rollercoaster. There were so many moments that I got really emotional for these characters and had to take a moment before continuing. The book deals with some heavy topics such as child neglect, dealing with addiction, and loss of a loved one (on and off page), among others, so do check the TWs. These topics were well dealt with and go into depth about how grief and addiction affect the family members.
The curiosity to know more about Brayden and what he was dealing with initially pulls Bohdi in because he recognizes the signs from his own experience and can't help but want to reach out to help him out. He doesn't understand why he feels this way, but as the story goes on, Bohdi realizes that he might also have some romantic feelings growing for Brayden.
It took a while for Bohdi to make sense of these new feelings he was feeling, and there was a lot of conflict he felt given how Brayden was his student and the 21-year age gap. He tries to deny and fight these feelings, coming up with excuses to stop it from going any further, but the tension only keeps growing between them until Bohdi can no longer keep his distance and decides that he doesn't want to.
My heart shattered for Brayden and everything he had gone through and was currently dealing with when it came to his brother. Initially he came off as rude and arrogant, but when we dive deeper into his story, we see how much he was hurting but turned that hurt into anger so no one could see him vulnerable. He keeps people out, and even with his best friends, there is still a line that he doesn't cross when it comes to sharing his deepest feelings. But Bohdi was persistent and gave Brayden a sense of calm and safety, and he found himself sharing parts of himself with him.
The bond between Bexley and Brayden was so precious and makes you wish there was a way to reach out to these two and help them out of their situation. You could feel the anger, frustration, helplessness, hope, guilt, heartbreak, and defeat that Brayden felt dealing with what his brother was going through and how it all took a toll on him.
Bexley gave his all for the sake of his twin brother, and reading everything he did and sacrificed for years so Brayden could lead a better life made me feel so helpless. The situation he was in and how much he tried to fight for Brayden's sake but was sucked into a life that he couldn't get out of makes you feel angry at the unfairness of it all. Watching Brayden try to help his brother and get through to him and do everything in his power to get him back like before was truly heartbreaking.
When it comes to the romance, there was some back and forth between them, both unsure if they were reading the signs right from the other and whether they should cross the line they couldn't come back from, but eventually they gave in and their relationship grew.
This book really showed us that we can't choose who we love, and sometimes we just love who we love. There can be a lot of reasons why everyone feels the relationship between Bohdi and Brayden was wrong, given their roles as teacher and student and also given the age gap. But these two were exactly who the other needed, and even though many didn't get it, the thing that mattered was that they knew what they felt and wanted from each other. I liked that Bohdi didn't try explaining himself to anyone and just said, "I love this man, and it doesn't matter who understands that, but it doesn't change what I feel for him." And he proved that with the way he was protective and careful with Brayden from the start and with the way he helped and gave Brayden what he needed even when he didn't know it himself towards the end.
The book gets a whole lot more emotional after the 55-60% mark, and I was stunned and heartbroken. It was a difficult journey for the characters.
Bohdi stood by Brayden's side and was truly his rock when his world completely fell apart. He supported Brayden through everything, never letting him bottle up his pain, and gave him the space to feel everything he needed to in order to process it all at his own pace by always being his constant and loving him exactly the way he needed. Even when Brayden's emotions got the best of him, Bohdi stayed strong for the both of them, and he helped him with his grief, knowing what kind of toll such a loss can take on a person.
Kay and Trayton were absolutely the best kind of friends a person needs, and I loved how much they loved and stood by Brayden throughout. They covered, defended, protected, and fought for him. Their bond was really something else.
I loved the hockey games that were included and how these matches throughout the book hold your attention and you are rooting for the Devil Hawks to win.
That entire epilogue had me sobbing hard at 2am and made me love Bohdi more.
The reason for not rating this 5 star was that
Thank you to PS. Black and Love Notes PR for providing me with the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 24, 2024
I read this book in 4 days. I don’t read many MM Romance books but. I loved this one so much. I’m excited for the next one.
September 27, 2024
Thank you Lovenotes PR and PS Black for the ARC in exchange for an honest review
let's talk about the good first
This book was filled with grief. man, i hadn't prepared for that when i picked it up but man oh man did it grab me by the arm. it was very well done, for sure because it was only 400 somewhat pages.
the characters felt real, their troubles felt real. the side character weren't carbon copies of the same person different name. overall a very hard hitting story that a lot of people would relate to, for sure if you just lost someone. i don't know how accurate the representation is here but as far i could see it was very well done!
the thing that annoyed me so much though....
the typos
the grammatical errors
some sentences were hussled or repeated
it kept bringing me out of the story. and i get that this is an arc but these were first draft errors, not arc draft errors.
i sincerely hope there will be another draft of spellchecking and just an editor who looks over it because it would be a real shame if it got published like this
without the spelling errors this was a solid 4,5!
read if you like:
-angsty mm romances
-teacher x student
-age gap
-grief
-addiction rep
-found family
-----------------------
Rtc (probably tomorrow)
release date 30 september
let's talk about the good first
This book was filled with grief. man, i hadn't prepared for that when i picked it up but man oh man did it grab me by the arm. it was very well done, for sure because it was only 400 somewhat pages.
the characters felt real, their troubles felt real. the side character weren't carbon copies of the same person different name. overall a very hard hitting story that a lot of people would relate to, for sure if you just lost someone. i don't know how accurate the representation is here but as far i could see it was very well done!
the thing that annoyed me so much though....
the typos
the grammatical errors
some sentences were hussled or repeated
it kept bringing me out of the story. and i get that this is an arc but these were first draft errors, not arc draft errors.
i sincerely hope there will be another draft of spellchecking and just an editor who looks over it because it would be a real shame if it got published like this
without the spelling errors this was a solid 4,5!
read if you like:
-angsty mm romances
-teacher x student
-age gap
-grief
-addiction rep
-found family
-----------------------
Rtc (probably tomorrow)
release date 30 september
September 20, 2024
I have no words. Not often does that happen. This book is a masterpiece that's the only way to describe it. Probably one of my top reads of the year. If not ever.
The rawness, the hurt, the pain. All of it. Even thinking about it now hurts my heart. And makes me well up.
The way Bohdi and Brayden cared and loved for each other was so beautiful. They have the best relationship ever and were eachothers light in the darkness. The tension and angst was spot on. The side characters were also amazing and really supported Bray when he needed it.
Ignoring the spice (it was so fucking hot btw) above all else this was a beautiful love story, full of acceptance, care, love, grief, pain and ultimately finding that person! I loved it!
The rawness, the hurt, the pain. All of it. Even thinking about it now hurts my heart. And makes me well up.
The way Bohdi and Brayden cared and loved for each other was so beautiful. They have the best relationship ever and were eachothers light in the darkness. The tension and angst was spot on. The side characters were also amazing and really supported Bray when he needed it.
Ignoring the spice (it was so fucking hot btw) above all else this was a beautiful love story, full of acceptance, care, love, grief, pain and ultimately finding that person! I loved it!
November 25, 2024
5/5⭐️
- Teacher/Student
- Age Gap (40,19)
- College Sports Romance
- MM Romance
- Possessive MCs
I have no words right now. This book is a masterpiece!
Probably one of my top books.
They have the best relationship and was each other’s light in the darkness.
I cannot tell you how amount of times my heart broke for Brayden. I love him so much.
Their story was a rollercoaster, the rawness, the hurt, the pain. I can’t describe how much times I cried.
Bodhi and Brayden.. I’m obsessed with them.
Brayden has the tough guy act , he was just a broken boy. He was distraught over the life his brother had chosen.
Bodhi was dealing with his nephew’s lost, he was a “straight” man. Until he found Brayden and he brought him out of the darkness.
I love this book. This book has to be one of my favorite MM romance I’ve ever read.
some quotes:
~ "I don’t know how I got so lucky to meet you, but to be loved by you is one of the most magical things to ever happen to me."
~ “do you love him?”
“More than anything.”
~ “You stepped into my darkness, Bray. Taught me it’s OK to smile, to feel something other than grief. A shared glance, a stolen laugh——they became a lifelines.”
~ “he’s so fucking addicting. All I want to do is kissing him all day.”
- Teacher/Student
- Age Gap (40,19)
- College Sports Romance
- MM Romance
- Possessive MCs
I have no words right now. This book is a masterpiece!
Probably one of my top books.
They have the best relationship and was each other’s light in the darkness.
I cannot tell you how amount of times my heart broke for Brayden. I love him so much.
Their story was a rollercoaster, the rawness, the hurt, the pain. I can’t describe how much times I cried.
Bodhi and Brayden.. I’m obsessed with them.
Brayden has the tough guy act , he was just a broken boy. He was distraught over the life his brother had chosen.
Bodhi was dealing with his nephew’s lost, he was a “straight” man. Until he found Brayden and he brought him out of the darkness.
I love this book. This book has to be one of my favorite MM romance I’ve ever read.
some quotes:
~ "I don’t know how I got so lucky to meet you, but to be loved by you is one of the most magical things to ever happen to me."
~ “do you love him?”
“More than anything.”
~ “You stepped into my darkness, Bray. Taught me it’s OK to smile, to feel something other than grief. A shared glance, a stolen laugh——they became a lifelines.”
~ “he’s so fucking addicting. All I want to do is kissing him all day.”
December 27, 2025
Yet another book that made me emotional.
I devoured this book in one sitting. There was no way I was going to bed until I finished this beauty. This story had so much trauma and heartbreak—two broken men who found love with each other. I loved the natural chemistry between Bohdi and Brayden. The way their relationship developed felt so true and unrushed; they both tried to deny their attraction, but they were exactly what the other needed. I loved all the side characters, and I can't wait to read book two in the series.
I devoured this book in one sitting. There was no way I was going to bed until I finished this beauty. This story had so much trauma and heartbreak—two broken men who found love with each other. I loved the natural chemistry between Bohdi and Brayden. The way their relationship developed felt so true and unrushed; they both tried to deny their attraction, but they were exactly what the other needed. I loved all the side characters, and I can't wait to read book two in the series.
September 22, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
TeacherXStudent
Age Gap
MM romance
Taboo
Loss&Grief
Ok. Wow.
This spicy MM romance was so freaking good!
I cannot tell you the amount of times my heart broke for Brayden, and the tears fell too.
Such an emotional rollercoaster of a story. Some heavy topics featured but they were done so well. It really got your brain thinking.
Bodhi and Brayden. Well what can I say. I am obsessed with this couple.
Is there a massive age gap? Yes.
Did it fell creepy in anyway? No.
Brayden had this tough guy act he put on for everyone but inside he was broken. He was distraught over the life his brother had chosen.
Bodhi was dealing with a lot of grief when he met Brayden. He was a ‘straight’ man who started fantasising about a boy.
Things escalated from there.
You could feel the tension leaking through the page when these two interacted.
I love LOVE of all kinds. This book has to be one of my favourite MM romances I’ve ever read.
Received as an ARC from Book Babes PR
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
TeacherXStudent
Age Gap
MM romance
Taboo
Loss&Grief
Ok. Wow.
This spicy MM romance was so freaking good!
I cannot tell you the amount of times my heart broke for Brayden, and the tears fell too.
Such an emotional rollercoaster of a story. Some heavy topics featured but they were done so well. It really got your brain thinking.
Bodhi and Brayden. Well what can I say. I am obsessed with this couple.
Is there a massive age gap? Yes.
Did it fell creepy in anyway? No.
Brayden had this tough guy act he put on for everyone but inside he was broken. He was distraught over the life his brother had chosen.
Bodhi was dealing with a lot of grief when he met Brayden. He was a ‘straight’ man who started fantasising about a boy.
Things escalated from there.
You could feel the tension leaking through the page when these two interacted.
I love LOVE of all kinds. This book has to be one of my favourite MM romances I’ve ever read.
Received as an ARC from Book Babes PR
Did not finish
January 16, 2026No Rating - DNF at 23%
January Buddy Read
This one wasn't for me. My bad, as the blurb as pretty non existent and I should have read the labels before picking it up
I can read all types of books from Dub Con to Non Con and dark as, but Student/Teacher books do not work for me at all unless the student is Mature age.
I didn't like either of the MC's
Bodhi came across as the creepy older man, stalking the student and Brayden needs a lot of help. His anger issues are well out of control and not right in any sense, but the problem was he was so unlikeable I didn't care why he was like he was.
Usually I'd come up with all these reasons why I should continue, (It's a buddy read, I bought it, It has get better, etc) but this year I'm being kind to myself, putting all the reasons aside and moving on.
January Buddy Read
This one wasn't for me. My bad, as the blurb as pretty non existent and I should have read the labels before picking it up
I can read all types of books from Dub Con to Non Con and dark as, but Student/Teacher books do not work for me at all unless the student is Mature age.
I didn't like either of the MC's
Bodhi came across as the creepy older man, stalking the student and Brayden needs a lot of help. His anger issues are well out of control and not right in any sense, but the problem was he was so unlikeable I didn't care why he was like he was.
Usually I'd come up with all these reasons why I should continue, (It's a buddy read, I bought it, It has get better, etc) but this year I'm being kind to myself, putting all the reasons aside and moving on.
September 26, 2024
This book had such a huge amount of potential but some poor editing made it feel entirely too long. There was a lot of redundant sentences and unrealistic dialogue that distracted from the story which was incredibly moving.
The story itself centering around Bohdi and Brayden was full of angst and passion. Both MMCs are struggling with incredibly traumatic pasts and find comfort in each other and that itself was beautiful. The story was truly wonderful and showed healing through grief not by ignoring it but by living in it and having someone by your side to hold your hand in the dark.
There is on page death of a side character and I honestly was not expecting it. It hit incredibly hard having watched a loved one struggle through addiction.
It is obvious that the author is not from the United States where the book takes place. There are a lot of terms and phrases that are very UK sounding. Run on sentences distract from the story and I found myself skimming past things when the same sentiments were described & rephrased over and over using too many adjectives.
The story itself is powerful and important. In my opinion the execution was lacking.
The story itself centering around Bohdi and Brayden was full of angst and passion. Both MMCs are struggling with incredibly traumatic pasts and find comfort in each other and that itself was beautiful. The story was truly wonderful and showed healing through grief not by ignoring it but by living in it and having someone by your side to hold your hand in the dark.
There is on page death of a side character and I honestly was not expecting it. It hit incredibly hard having watched a loved one struggle through addiction.
It is obvious that the author is not from the United States where the book takes place. There are a lot of terms and phrases that are very UK sounding. Run on sentences distract from the story and I found myself skimming past things when the same sentiments were described & rephrased over and over using too many adjectives.
The story itself is powerful and important. In my opinion the execution was lacking.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 7, 2024
Bohdi, still grieving over his nephew decides to make a fresh start in Michigan as a professor. This is where he comes across Brayden, hot shot hockey player with a chip on his shoulder. Brayden is his student but he has this incredible pull towards him. And Bohdi wants to get to know his student more and delve into why Brayden is the way he is.
This book was an emotional rollercoaster, but I knew it would be going in. From Brayden and his twin brother, to Bohdi trying to work his own feelings in regard to his family drama, these two begin to lean on each other. My heart really shattered for Brayden and what he was dealing with. At first he was a rude and arrogant jock but we soon find out about his home life. A junkie mom, and a brother he so desperately wants to help and protect, and in return forces everyone around him out of his life. Bohdi is persistent and determined to break through and help him.
The bond between Bexley and Brayden was so precious. You really felt the helplessness and frustrations Brayden was feeling towards his brother. Reading how Brayden was trying everything he could to help his brother was so heartbreaking.
I really adored this book, and it really showed how you can’t help who you love and that’s exactly how Bohdi and Brayden’s relationship resembles. I really appreciate how Bohdi was simple with his feelings around other people. He didn’t feel like he needed to explain, he just knew he loved Brayden and that was that.
This book was emotional, and check triggers. Thank you for the ARC and destroying my heart and putting it back together in the end.
This book was an emotional rollercoaster, but I knew it would be going in. From Brayden and his twin brother, to Bohdi trying to work his own feelings in regard to his family drama, these two begin to lean on each other. My heart really shattered for Brayden and what he was dealing with. At first he was a rude and arrogant jock but we soon find out about his home life. A junkie mom, and a brother he so desperately wants to help and protect, and in return forces everyone around him out of his life. Bohdi is persistent and determined to break through and help him.
The bond between Bexley and Brayden was so precious. You really felt the helplessness and frustrations Brayden was feeling towards his brother. Reading how Brayden was trying everything he could to help his brother was so heartbreaking.
I really adored this book, and it really showed how you can’t help who you love and that’s exactly how Bohdi and Brayden’s relationship resembles. I really appreciate how Bohdi was simple with his feelings around other people. He didn’t feel like he needed to explain, he just knew he loved Brayden and that was that.
This book was emotional, and check triggers. Thank you for the ARC and destroying my heart and putting it back together in the end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 8, 2024
Wow.. 4.75 ⭐️
.
.
This was such an emotional book. I really loved Boh and Bray. Im not much of an ista love kinda person, but it worked for these two. My heart hurt for both of them going through what they did. The way Boh cared for Bray was amazing. Bray could be a bit of a brat, but it fit him well. I really enjoyed the secondary characters as well. Brays' best friends really looked out for him. And don't get me started on Bray's twin brother Bex. Oh, poor Bex. The sadness I felt for him. I felt like I was there in all the moments they shared, and it hits you right in the heart. I really loved the diary they they kept with each other. I loved the book for Boh and Bray, but my heart was in the relationship that Bray and Bex shared. The love was written so beautifully. Be prepared to cry. I only gave it 4.75 because the names weren't my favorite, and I wish we got more of Boh and Bray.
.
.
This was such an emotional book. I really loved Boh and Bray. Im not much of an ista love kinda person, but it worked for these two. My heart hurt for both of them going through what they did. The way Boh cared for Bray was amazing. Bray could be a bit of a brat, but it fit him well. I really enjoyed the secondary characters as well. Brays' best friends really looked out for him. And don't get me started on Bray's twin brother Bex. Oh, poor Bex. The sadness I felt for him. I felt like I was there in all the moments they shared, and it hits you right in the heart. I really loved the diary they they kept with each other. I loved the book for Boh and Bray, but my heart was in the relationship that Bray and Bex shared. The love was written so beautifully. Be prepared to cry. I only gave it 4.75 because the names weren't my favorite, and I wish we got more of Boh and Bray.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 30, 2024
Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Brayden and Bohdi! There is trauma, grief, healing and so much love!! Oh and spice lots of spice!!
Bohdi lost his best friend and his grief causes him to move to Michigan to become a professor. There he meets Brayden, star hockey player and his student.
He sees the similarity in grief and darkness in his eyes and cannot resist the pull. But there is so much they have to battle to be together.
#shatteredice #psblack
#mmromance #steamy #mm #romancereader #books #bookworm #booktok #booksta #bookstagram #trauma #loveislove #booklover
#booklover #romancereview #toread #reader #lovetoread
@lovenotes.pr
Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Brayden and Bohdi! There is trauma, grief, healing and so much love!! Oh and spice lots of spice!!
Bohdi lost his best friend and his grief causes him to move to Michigan to become a professor. There he meets Brayden, star hockey player and his student.
He sees the similarity in grief and darkness in his eyes and cannot resist the pull. But there is so much they have to battle to be together.
#shatteredice #psblack
#mmromance #steamy #mm #romancereader #books #bookworm #booktok #booksta #bookstagram #trauma #loveislove #booklover
#booklover #romancereview #toread #reader #lovetoread
@lovenotes.pr
April 28, 2025
First book by this author and WOW! This is going to be a long review because of the amount of quotes I want to highlight from this book. Amazing writing style, the way this author wrote the characters' words felt very poetic.
This book broke my heart, it made me cry so much. I know that it is a romance book and yes, Bray's relationship with Bohi (despite being a teacher-student trope, which if I am being honest is not my favorite because I feel like it is the same in all the books in this trope) I found it to be something different, I really liked them together, that first kiss OMG I felt the lust and need they had for each other, so even though I usually don't like this trope, I loved this one.
But what killed me, like actually destroyed my heart was Brays and Bex relationship. I mean "BB for life" it was so freaking sad, I wanted it to not be real. The love Bray had for his twin brother and the sad end for him. i really hoped that he was going to get out of that life and it actually hurt when he died because you could see that Bex loved Bray and that he really wanted to get better for them both, but addiction is a bitch, and WOW IT HURT!
“When your heart stilled, mine fractured. Our laughter, that once brought me peace, now echoes and haunts me each day. I search for you in every gust of wind, every raindrop that trickles down my skin. Perhaps you’re there, whispering secrets in the rustling leaves, urging me to find comfort in memories.”
“Bex, my twin, my missing half. I cry for the life we should have lived, the adventures we should have shared. Our souls were tangled, and now mine flutters, unleashed, searching for you in every shadow.”
“Here’s to you, Bex,” I say, raising the nerd rope like a toast. “To all the dreams we had, and all the ones I’ll keep alive for you.”
I also liked the friendship between Kal, Tray and bray. That is a deep, honest and full of love relationship that I admire.
I really loved this one! it made me feel so much and i love that we don't only get the romance and spice but also the complications of family, addiction and how two people with similar experience can help each other and be the light in each other's darkness.
“I’m staying with you in the darkness.”
“Thank you for stitching me back together, one memory at a time.”
This book broke my heart, it made me cry so much. I know that it is a romance book and yes, Bray's relationship with Bohi (despite being a teacher-student trope, which if I am being honest is not my favorite because I feel like it is the same in all the books in this trope) I found it to be something different, I really liked them together, that first kiss OMG I felt the lust and need they had for each other, so even though I usually don't like this trope, I loved this one.
But what killed me, like actually destroyed my heart was Brays and Bex relationship. I mean "BB for life" it was so freaking sad, I wanted it to not be real. The love Bray had for his twin brother and the sad end for him. i really hoped that he was going to get out of that life and it actually hurt when he died because you could see that Bex loved Bray and that he really wanted to get better for them both, but addiction is a bitch, and WOW IT HURT!
“When your heart stilled, mine fractured. Our laughter, that once brought me peace, now echoes and haunts me each day. I search for you in every gust of wind, every raindrop that trickles down my skin. Perhaps you’re there, whispering secrets in the rustling leaves, urging me to find comfort in memories.”
“Bex, my twin, my missing half. I cry for the life we should have lived, the adventures we should have shared. Our souls were tangled, and now mine flutters, unleashed, searching for you in every shadow.”
“Here’s to you, Bex,” I say, raising the nerd rope like a toast. “To all the dreams we had, and all the ones I’ll keep alive for you.”
I also liked the friendship between Kal, Tray and bray. That is a deep, honest and full of love relationship that I admire.
I really loved this one! it made me feel so much and i love that we don't only get the romance and spice but also the complications of family, addiction and how two people with similar experience can help each other and be the light in each other's darkness.
“I’m staying with you in the darkness.”
“Thank you for stitching me back together, one memory at a time.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 14, 2024
3.5🌟. I can’t even lie the stars were repeatedly increasing and reducing until I decided to stick to 3.5🌟. I went into this book blindly and am glad I did. I love how it was focused on addiction and how it hurt the addicted and those around them.
The things I didn’t like~ Bohdi possessiveness sometimes threw me off, it was wild.
~Fucking in the classroom immediately after class, they couldn’t wait?
~ Bohdi had every opportunity to resign immediately he knew that was what he wanted but no, he just had to take his precious time and lance got there before him.
~ the constant description of sex with Lance. I got it, don’t remind me 24/7
Over All the book was good and I’m glad I read it. 💖
The things I didn’t like~ Bohdi possessiveness sometimes threw me off, it was wild.
~Fucking in the classroom immediately after class, they couldn’t wait?
~ Bohdi had every opportunity to resign immediately he knew that was what he wanted but no, he just had to take his precious time and lance got there before him.
~ the constant description of sex with Lance. I got it, don’t remind me 24/7
Over All the book was good and I’m glad I read it. 💖
August 29, 2025
I hate dramas that don't add anything to the story
May 3, 2025
this was so good & also heartbreaking????
literally was sobbing at some points and I wasn’t expecting that (in a good way).
the smut was also on POINT. ☺️
literally was sobbing at some points and I wasn’t expecting that (in a good way).
the smut was also on POINT. ☺️
October 20, 2025
“You’re so fucking hot, Brayden. I could kiss you until the end of time, and it still wouldn’t be enough.”
^ Page 195.
This book was shit. (Read the entire review)
The first thing is that there is no access to the trigger warnings on kindle. It kept asking for my emails so it could download it to my device? No thanks. So you're kind of left with no choice but to go in blind. This is a bad thing considering there's literally grieving the entire book and suicide/overdose.
The second thing is that Bohdi's nephew (Jace) died a year before the prologue begins. Jace's girlfriend is dating Jace's dad and has been for a while! If your son dies regardless of your feelings for his girlfriend, you wouldn't move in on her WITHIN A YEAR! As for the girlfriend who claimed she was obsessed and dating Jace for 6 years? Does that suddenly mean nothing now he's dead?
The third thing is that Bohdi (40 year old teacher) finds Brayden's (19 year old student) Instagram account and immediately looks at his stories. He stalks him through this and screenshots photos of him. Brayden finds out and he's doesn't give a fuck at all! None of them liked each other at this point.
The fourth thing? Relationship pacing. You're telling me Bohdi is a straight man, sees Brayden and is like "fuck it I'm bi/gay now" - not entirely how it works. So the pacing? Chapter 24 he announces he's got a date with Ms Banksy (this teacher doesn't even get a name). Chapter 25 he walks into the gym after stalking Brayden again and sees him angry for going on the date. He's like "oh yeah i cancelled it cos I'm actually in love with you" (obviously more words than that). So Brayden's in shock and Bohdi's like "you gonna kiss me or what?" Brayden doesn't move as he's in shock so Bohdi kisses him and says that if Brayden ever touches another person again, he'll regret it??
Ah yes because kissing someone and all of a sudden being obsessed with him out of nowhere gives him that right to claim him.
The fifth thing? Bexley. (Brayden's twin) He sacrificed his entire life to get involved in county lines and drugs, etc so Brayden could have a good life. I get that he started it at 12 (we're told his story in almost every chapter) but I did think it was selfish of Brayden to not once try and help him or volunteer to step into his place to get him out of it. By 33% I was like "he's gonna kill himself" and guess who was right? Page 278 he's confirmed dead.
The rest of the book is just grieving and a million time skips. It was so long winded and for what? The characters were shit. The only plot was that they go to college and hockey with Bexley slowly killing himself until he does. Bohdi was more of a creep rather than a 40 year old man.
Denny (coach) should've been more involved. He claims to love the hockey lot like his own kids and he started off strong with monitoring Brayden's attendance and grades. But then he makes no effort to do anything about it. He doesn't investigate his home life. - extra point if any of the teachers as kids, dean, coach, or Bohdi actually took this seriously Bexley would still be alive and both twins could've had a better shot at life!
Also Bohdi adds an extra class to his and Brayden's timetable in the evening to teach him as a class of one. Do we see much of this? No. We only see one session where he's like "just continue with my other classwork you got and merge it".
Safe to say, won't be reading this author again and I don't believe all of these 5* reviews saying that they had them in tears. It just felt like an overdramatic sob story with a creep who wanted to fuck a 19 year old.
^ Page 195.
This book was shit. (Read the entire review)
The first thing is that there is no access to the trigger warnings on kindle. It kept asking for my emails so it could download it to my device? No thanks. So you're kind of left with no choice but to go in blind. This is a bad thing considering there's literally grieving the entire book and suicide/overdose.
The second thing is that Bohdi's nephew (Jace) died a year before the prologue begins. Jace's girlfriend is dating Jace's dad and has been for a while! If your son dies regardless of your feelings for his girlfriend, you wouldn't move in on her WITHIN A YEAR! As for the girlfriend who claimed she was obsessed and dating Jace for 6 years? Does that suddenly mean nothing now he's dead?
The third thing is that Bohdi (40 year old teacher) finds Brayden's (19 year old student) Instagram account and immediately looks at his stories. He stalks him through this and screenshots photos of him. Brayden finds out and he's doesn't give a fuck at all! None of them liked each other at this point.
The fourth thing? Relationship pacing. You're telling me Bohdi is a straight man, sees Brayden and is like "fuck it I'm bi/gay now" - not entirely how it works. So the pacing? Chapter 24 he announces he's got a date with Ms Banksy (this teacher doesn't even get a name). Chapter 25 he walks into the gym after stalking Brayden again and sees him angry for going on the date. He's like "oh yeah i cancelled it cos I'm actually in love with you" (obviously more words than that). So Brayden's in shock and Bohdi's like "you gonna kiss me or what?" Brayden doesn't move as he's in shock so Bohdi kisses him and says that if Brayden ever touches another person again, he'll regret it??
Ah yes because kissing someone and all of a sudden being obsessed with him out of nowhere gives him that right to claim him.
The fifth thing? Bexley. (Brayden's twin) He sacrificed his entire life to get involved in county lines and drugs, etc so Brayden could have a good life. I get that he started it at 12 (we're told his story in almost every chapter) but I did think it was selfish of Brayden to not once try and help him or volunteer to step into his place to get him out of it. By 33% I was like "he's gonna kill himself" and guess who was right? Page 278 he's confirmed dead.
The rest of the book is just grieving and a million time skips. It was so long winded and for what? The characters were shit. The only plot was that they go to college and hockey with Bexley slowly killing himself until he does. Bohdi was more of a creep rather than a 40 year old man.
Denny (coach) should've been more involved. He claims to love the hockey lot like his own kids and he started off strong with monitoring Brayden's attendance and grades. But then he makes no effort to do anything about it. He doesn't investigate his home life. - extra point if any of the teachers as kids, dean, coach, or Bohdi actually took this seriously Bexley would still be alive and both twins could've had a better shot at life!
Also Bohdi adds an extra class to his and Brayden's timetable in the evening to teach him as a class of one. Do we see much of this? No. We only see one session where he's like "just continue with my other classwork you got and merge it".
Safe to say, won't be reading this author again and I don't believe all of these 5* reviews saying that they had them in tears. It just felt like an overdramatic sob story with a creep who wanted to fuck a 19 year old.
April 22, 2025
2.5 ⭐️
i was excited to read this, but it definitely missed the mark.
i found the dialogue to be extremely unrealistic, as well as some of the plot points/events in the story. for example, why would a college professor teach an entire class to one student three days out of the week? the book didn’t say anything about him getting paid either, so that didn’t sit right with me. i also hated the fact that “professor” wasn’t used, only “teacher”. in college, theyre professors or instructors, not teachers. i know this is inconsequential in the grand scheme of things, but it really bothered me.
this honestly didn’t feel like a romance at all. it felt very one-sided up until a certain point, but the entire story just felt like one of the mmc’s was telling his story about having a family member who is an addict. the romance fell flat and honestly was pushed to the side in my opinion. i also can’t get over the fact that the professor (a 40 year old man, mind you) took to dm’ing his student (the other mmc) instead of, i don’t know, emailing him? this felt so gross and parasocial to me.
the formatting and writing style weren’t my favourite, either. there were really huge paragraphs thrown in, especially between dialogue pieces, that i ended up just skipping over because they were way too long. i actually ended up skipping pages due to this, i just couldn’t deal with the length of the paragraphs anymore.
i’m an avid spice enjoyer, so the fact that i skipped over a lot of the spicy scenes really said something. there was either too much dialogue, not enough dialogue, or i found them really cringe and unrealistic. i also found character names to be really cringe and unrealistic, and i could hardly take them seriously at certain points in the book because of this.
i did enjoy the idea of this book in theory, but the execution wasn’t there at all.
i was excited to read this, but it definitely missed the mark.
i found the dialogue to be extremely unrealistic, as well as some of the plot points/events in the story. for example, why would a college professor teach an entire class to one student three days out of the week? the book didn’t say anything about him getting paid either, so that didn’t sit right with me. i also hated the fact that “professor” wasn’t used, only “teacher”. in college, theyre professors or instructors, not teachers. i know this is inconsequential in the grand scheme of things, but it really bothered me.
this honestly didn’t feel like a romance at all. it felt very one-sided up until a certain point, but the entire story just felt like one of the mmc’s was telling his story about having a family member who is an addict. the romance fell flat and honestly was pushed to the side in my opinion. i also can’t get over the fact that the professor (a 40 year old man, mind you) took to dm’ing his student (the other mmc) instead of, i don’t know, emailing him? this felt so gross and parasocial to me.
the formatting and writing style weren’t my favourite, either. there were really huge paragraphs thrown in, especially between dialogue pieces, that i ended up just skipping over because they were way too long. i actually ended up skipping pages due to this, i just couldn’t deal with the length of the paragraphs anymore.
i’m an avid spice enjoyer, so the fact that i skipped over a lot of the spicy scenes really said something. there was either too much dialogue, not enough dialogue, or i found them really cringe and unrealistic. i also found character names to be really cringe and unrealistic, and i could hardly take them seriously at certain points in the book because of this.
i did enjoy the idea of this book in theory, but the execution wasn’t there at all.
April 21, 2025
3.5 rounded up!
The bromance was great. I loved the relationship between Bray, Kal, and Tray
Bray is a cocky mf with an attitude problem and trauma for days. But my heart shattered for him. The life he’s living and the past he has should never be that of a 19-year-old; he’s been through too much. It’s a little weird that the first thing Bhodi thought was “oh my nephew” when seeing Bray, but I guess grief affects people differently. I also wished Bray had been 21 or 22 and not 19, but it wasn't too bad, and the only icky part was how long it took for him to stop calling Bhodi 'sir' and 'Mr. Stiles' outside of class.
The moment both start to stalk Instagram and want to know more about the other, WHILE being physically attracted to the other, is when you know the story starts getting good.
Grieving someone that’s still alive is the worst thing ever, but having to grieve them while they get your hopes up time and again it’s worse. I knew where we were headed, but it still hurt when it happened. Poor Bray couldn’t catch a break.
The moment of the love confession was beautiful and raw, so so painful but so needed.
Once Bhodi was in, he was aaaaaaall in. It was a forever thing, and nothing would get in his way.
It was sad and a dive into grief, loss, and love after that. A beautiful love story, but it read less like a romance and more like a 'love in grief' or 'sad story with a hint of romance' than a full-on romance.
Quotes:
"Who the fuck did this to you?"
The only skin my fingers will touch are yours.
I never truly understood what feelings felt like until I tasted Mr. Stiles.
"Put this mouth to good use instead of talking shit for once,"
"I love when you beg me."
The bromance was great. I loved the relationship between Bray, Kal, and Tray
Bray is a cocky mf with an attitude problem and trauma for days. But my heart shattered for him. The life he’s living and the past he has should never be that of a 19-year-old; he’s been through too much. It’s a little weird that the first thing Bhodi thought was “oh my nephew” when seeing Bray, but I guess grief affects people differently. I also wished Bray had been 21 or 22 and not 19, but it wasn't too bad, and the only icky part was how long it took for him to stop calling Bhodi 'sir' and 'Mr. Stiles' outside of class.
The moment both start to stalk Instagram and want to know more about the other, WHILE being physically attracted to the other, is when you know the story starts getting good.
Grieving someone that’s still alive is the worst thing ever, but having to grieve them while they get your hopes up time and again it’s worse. I knew where we were headed, but it still hurt when it happened. Poor Bray couldn’t catch a break.
The moment of the love confession was beautiful and raw, so so painful but so needed.
Once Bhodi was in, he was aaaaaaall in. It was a forever thing, and nothing would get in his way.
It was sad and a dive into grief, loss, and love after that. A beautiful love story, but it read less like a romance and more like a 'love in grief' or 'sad story with a hint of romance' than a full-on romance.
Quotes:
"Who the fuck did this to you?"
The only skin my fingers will touch are yours.
I never truly understood what feelings felt like until I tasted Mr. Stiles.
"Put this mouth to good use instead of talking shit for once,"
"I love when you beg me."
May 7, 2025
I I really thought this book could be it. I’m not gonna lie—it actually pulled me out of a reading slump, and at first, I was hooked. But after 30%, things started to go downhill.
The only character I truly liked was Lance. He was adorable with his glasses and the little crush he had on Brayden. Honestly, I wish he had been the love interest. It made me sad to see him pushed to the side like that.
Also, I didn’t understand why Brayden was the top at the beginning and then randomly became the bottom. I just wish the author had kept it consistent. That switch didn’t seem to fit naturally into the story.
I ended up DNF’ing this at 65%. I tried to stick with it, but I just couldn’t anymore. The banter between the characters didn’t feel natural, and Brandon constantly calling him “sir”—even during sex scenes—felt uncomfortable to read. I get that it might be someone’s kink, but it really wasn’t for me. It made me want to gouge my eyes out🫠
Bohdi’s sudden obsession with Brayden didn’t feel earned either. He literally said he was “so obsessed” with him and felt a strong connection—but they barely spent time together. There was no real development between them, and the timeline felt off. Brayden said “I love you” before they were even officially together, and Bohdi asked him to move in without them ever going on a proper date. It felt rushed and unrealistic.
One small thing that also bugged me—the author kept writing “OK” instead of spelling it out. It might seem minor, but it pulled me out of the story a few times.
This book had so much potential, which makes it even more disappointing how it turned out. Hopefully, book 2 is an improvement
The only character I truly liked was Lance. He was adorable with his glasses and the little crush he had on Brayden. Honestly, I wish he had been the love interest. It made me sad to see him pushed to the side like that.
Also, I didn’t understand why Brayden was the top at the beginning and then randomly became the bottom. I just wish the author had kept it consistent. That switch didn’t seem to fit naturally into the story.
I ended up DNF’ing this at 65%. I tried to stick with it, but I just couldn’t anymore. The banter between the characters didn’t feel natural, and Brandon constantly calling him “sir”—even during sex scenes—felt uncomfortable to read. I get that it might be someone’s kink, but it really wasn’t for me. It made me want to gouge my eyes out🫠
Bohdi’s sudden obsession with Brayden didn’t feel earned either. He literally said he was “so obsessed” with him and felt a strong connection—but they barely spent time together. There was no real development between them, and the timeline felt off. Brayden said “I love you” before they were even officially together, and Bohdi asked him to move in without them ever going on a proper date. It felt rushed and unrealistic.
One small thing that also bugged me—the author kept writing “OK” instead of spelling it out. It might seem minor, but it pulled me out of the story a few times.
This book had so much potential, which makes it even more disappointing how it turned out. Hopefully, book 2 is an improvement
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