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College Town
Welcome to Eastman, home of the Eastman University Eagles. They’ve got twelve bars, twice as many coffeeshops, and Lawson Granger’s probably going to die behind the counter of Coffee Town, watching all the bright young people in town get their degrees and get on with their lives. He’s not miserable, exactly, but between working retail, writing books that’ll never get published, and helping take care of his infirm father, his life’s running a little short on joy. He has his family, though, and his best friend, Dana, and dreaming about being published is somehow better than accepting that he never will be.
Then the boy who broke his heart twenty years ago walks into the shop one day and throws Lawson’s entire small world into chaos. Tommy Cattaneo grew up handsome. And rich, clearly, judging by his suit, and his watch, and his chauffeured Lincoln. If Lawson’s shocked to see him, Tommy is dumbfounded. Lawson’s happy to pretend they’re strangers, despite the traitorous racing of his heart, but Tommy is adamant that they talk. He wants to explain why he left town suddenly…and returned twenty years later, with a beautiful fiancée, and a mansion, and a wardrobe that costs more than Lawson’s car.
When it becomes clear that Tommy means to stay in town for a while, and that he won’t take no for an answer, Lawson agrees to hear him out. Just once, and then he can lay his old heartache to rest. It’s probably a stupid excuse, anyway. I mean, t’s not like Tommy’s in the mafia…right?
Then the boy who broke his heart twenty years ago walks into the shop one day and throws Lawson’s entire small world into chaos. Tommy Cattaneo grew up handsome. And rich, clearly, judging by his suit, and his watch, and his chauffeured Lincoln. If Lawson’s shocked to see him, Tommy is dumbfounded. Lawson’s happy to pretend they’re strangers, despite the traitorous racing of his heart, but Tommy is adamant that they talk. He wants to explain why he left town suddenly…and returned twenty years later, with a beautiful fiancée, and a mansion, and a wardrobe that costs more than Lawson’s car.
When it becomes clear that Tommy means to stay in town for a while, and that he won’t take no for an answer, Lawson agrees to hear him out. Just once, and then he can lay his old heartache to rest. It’s probably a stupid excuse, anyway. I mean, t’s not like Tommy’s in the mafia…right?
438 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 13, 2024
11 people are currently reading
82 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
September 17, 2025
I am 100% sure that I have read stories with this same premise in fanfictions across half a dozen fandoms and I will, without hesitation, continue to consume every one of them and have the absolute best time whilst doing so.
Lawson Granger meets Tommy Cattaneo when he was 13 and it was inevitable that he would fall deeply and irrevocably in love with him in a way you can only do with your first love, when you are innocent and trusting. Then, when Tommy turns 18, he and his family disappear overnight without a word, leaving Lawson devasted with heart break and with a wound that never really heals. 20 years later, Tommy shows back up in town unexpectedly, except that maybe he's in the mafia now, and maybe he's still loves Lawson and still wants him and maybe, as much as he hates it, Lawson still wants him too.
I thought Lawson was a fantastic character and I caught myself feeling pain when he hurt, and joy when he was happy and I just had so much empathy for him. There is a definite 'failure to fly' element to his character initially that the reader is purposefully positioned to have and it made learning about him and his past so much more rewarding.
Apparently when I picked this up I was in the mood for something to punch me in the heart cause this shit had me tearing up periodically for like the first half. I loved the chemistry Lawson had with Tommy and the emotional scenes they shared were delicious 🤌🏼(I could eat the emotional devastation they both demonstrate when they meet again for breakfast, lunch and dinner). The dominant, confident Mafia boss becoming needy and submissive in bed, because he trusts his partner enough to be vulnerable and honest with him is a dynamic I didn't know would be as delicious as it was) There is brief mentions of both Lawson and Tommy having other sexual partners in the time they've been separated (it's been 20 years after all) but it's very minor and pretty much off page.
I have enjoyed Lauren Gilley's writing in her Drake Chronicles series and was keen to see if it translated to other genres and I'm glad that it does and that I really had the best time reading this book. It's a shame it suffers from the same issue that I've noticed with her other work where a few minor spelling errors seem to slip through. Nothing too gratuitous, but it takes away from the final polish of a very enjoyable piece of escapism.
My one word of warning is to not look up the novella set after this book. I had a look cause I was curious if it focuses on Lawson and Tommy (it does) and the synopsis immediately spoils the ending of this book and I'm not going to lie, after how much I loved this, I'm kind bummed I didn't get to experience the full surprise of the ending myself cause I was not expecting it.
A tremendously fun piece of escapism with yearning, pain, love, drama and action. What more could you want 🫶🏼
Lawson Granger meets Tommy Cattaneo when he was 13 and it was inevitable that he would fall deeply and irrevocably in love with him in a way you can only do with your first love, when you are innocent and trusting. Then, when Tommy turns 18, he and his family disappear overnight without a word, leaving Lawson devasted with heart break and with a wound that never really heals. 20 years later, Tommy shows back up in town unexpectedly, except that maybe he's in the mafia now, and maybe he's still loves Lawson and still wants him and maybe, as much as he hates it, Lawson still wants him too.
I thought Lawson was a fantastic character and I caught myself feeling pain when he hurt, and joy when he was happy and I just had so much empathy for him. There is a definite 'failure to fly' element to his character initially that the reader is purposefully positioned to have and it made learning about him and his past so much more rewarding.
Apparently when I picked this up I was in the mood for something to punch me in the heart cause this shit had me tearing up periodically for like the first half. I loved the chemistry Lawson had with Tommy and the emotional scenes they shared were delicious 🤌🏼(I could eat the emotional devastation they both demonstrate when they meet again for breakfast, lunch and dinner). The dominant, confident Mafia boss becoming needy and submissive in bed, because he trusts his partner enough to be vulnerable and honest with him is a dynamic I didn't know would be as delicious as it was) There is brief mentions of both Lawson and Tommy having other sexual partners in the time they've been separated (it's been 20 years after all) but it's very minor and pretty much off page.
I have enjoyed Lauren Gilley's writing in her Drake Chronicles series and was keen to see if it translated to other genres and I'm glad that it does and that I really had the best time reading this book. It's a shame it suffers from the same issue that I've noticed with her other work where a few minor spelling errors seem to slip through. Nothing too gratuitous, but it takes away from the final polish of a very enjoyable piece of escapism.
My one word of warning is to not look up the novella set after this book. I had a look cause I was curious if it focuses on Lawson and Tommy (it does) and the synopsis immediately spoils the ending of this book and I'm not going to lie, after how much I loved this, I'm kind bummed I didn't get to experience the full surprise of the ending myself cause I was not expecting it.
A tremendously fun piece of escapism with yearning, pain, love, drama and action. What more could you want 🫶🏼
February 27, 2024
This was just horrible. I’ve read Lauren Gilley before and I can’t believe this is the same author. The book started out good and I was invested but once Tommy came back into Lawson’s and all the stuff that happened after that….I really have no words. It was just not good. There were so many errors too, I haven’t read a book in a long time with this many errors. The “twist” at the end is ridiculous too.
I also didn’t get a clear picture of Tommy. He’s described as being so small but then he’s 5’10”, which isn’t short at all. He still read like the child he was in the flashbacks because he was just a memory for Lawson. I couldn’t believe he was this important person as an adult. Then the way he takes Lawson and holds him hostage is cruel, especially since Lawson takes care of his sick father.
I’m disappointed that this didn’t work at all for me.
I also didn’t get a clear picture of Tommy. He’s described as being so small but then he’s 5’10”, which isn’t short at all. He still read like the child he was in the flashbacks because he was just a memory for Lawson. I couldn’t believe he was this important person as an adult. Then the way he takes Lawson and holds him hostage is cruel, especially since Lawson takes care of his sick father.
I’m disappointed that this didn’t work at all for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 19, 2024
I'm so conflicted on how to rate this book or even how I felt about it whilst reading. See, I adore Lauren Gilley's writing and have inhaled everything she's written yet I struggled with College Town. The writing is different from her other works, not saying that's a bad thing just that it didn't really work for me a fair bit of the time. I struggled with the first half, the constant flashbacks every other chapter for the first half kept on taking me out of the suspense she was building in real time. I kept on putting the book down and at times I came *this close* to a DNF.
That said, I'm glad I ploughed through because the second half of the book is fabulous, I started to really get the hidden feels from Tommy who comes across as rather robotic. I loved seeing him with Lawson and his family, seeing him unwind and become more like the sweet boy he was when he was younger.
There was a great plot twist near the end that I didn't see coming and caught me totally off guard.
So, trying to rate this - ALL the stars for the second half but 2 stars for the first. 3.5 stars which I'm going to round up to 4 because 1) bliddy Goodreads not having a half star system and 2) it's way better than most of the 3 star reads I've rated.
That said, I'm glad I ploughed through because the second half of the book is fabulous, I started to really get the hidden feels from Tommy who comes across as rather robotic. I loved seeing him with Lawson and his family, seeing him unwind and become more like the sweet boy he was when he was younger.
There was a great plot twist near the end that I didn't see coming and caught me totally off guard.
So, trying to rate this - ALL the stars for the second half but 2 stars for the first. 3.5 stars which I'm going to round up to 4 because 1) bliddy Goodreads not having a half star system and 2) it's way better than most of the 3 star reads I've rated.
March 10, 2024
Rounding up from 1.5 stars. This really should have been a DNF. I have not idea why I didn’t just quit. It took me fort to finish because just couldn’t care.
For me it was over the top, contrived l, made no sense and all the characters didn’t make any sense. Both in age or life experiences- they came off as HS kids
For me it was over the top, contrived l, made no sense and all the characters didn’t make any sense. Both in age or life experiences- they came off as HS kids
March 8, 2024
Forgot how much I love her stories and writing!
June 19, 2025
3.5 stars rounded up
February 15, 2024
Lauren never fails to put you on the edge of heartbreak, keep you there, then blindside you with a twist you never in a million years would have guessed.
Beautiful book. I loved every second of it.
Beautiful book. I loved every second of it.
February 17, 2024
talk about not judging a book by its cover,my expectations going into this book were relatively low,a cutesy college romance and nothing more but that was my mistake,this was above all so well written and well paced,absolute charm of both of main characters,and a whole lotta heart in everyone and everything else in this book,highly recommend
February 18, 2024
Lauren Gilley's College Town was a roller coaster ride of love and faith and rolled along wrapped in angst and intrigue and finished with one of her iconic twists and surprises. I am already a fan of Ms Gilleys MM storytelling, and this was another great addition to her catalogue, a more sombre and hopeful weaving. She is the mistress of worlds and words. Simply, I loved it, as always.
February 17, 2024
I devoured that. 4.5 stars!
February 17, 2024
4.5
Loved this second chance romance! It has snippets from the past, great best friend characters, and amazing twists and turns!
Loved this second chance romance! It has snippets from the past, great best friend characters, and amazing twists and turns!
April 8, 2024
I started this one night at bedtime, thinking it was going to be a fluffy, second-chance romance ... and wow, not fluffy at all. First, it's a suspense novel as much as it's a romance novel; granted, there are parts of the suspense plot that strike me as far-fetched, but it was enjoyable nonetheless. Second, Gilley's beautiful prose and the intertwining of past and present made this a compelling novel, far better than I'd been anticipating. Unfortunately, Gilley's other novels seem to be of the shifter variety, which I'm mostly not into, but I will keep an eye on her future publications to see if there's another along these lines, which I will certainly read.
February 23, 2024
I loved this book, it reminded me a little of Two Tribes, which is my personal measuring stick for all MM romance. The improbability of the plot would pull me out of the story sometimes, but the characters were so real and relatable it didn't matter. The scene with the photo album feels like something that actually happened to me it was so real, just amazing writing.
February 19, 2024
When I bought this book I wasn't quite sure if it would be a good fit for me. I don't usually do M/M romance, but I love Lauren's writing so I took a chance, and I'm so glad I did.
I loved the characters, and the story was sweet, nicely paced, and hit all the right notes. Well done!
I loved the characters, and the story was sweet, nicely paced, and hit all the right notes. Well done!
February 20, 2024
Not at all what I was expecting in terms of plot which turned out to be even better. Gilley's writing and story telling structure always proves to be top notch. I will read anything this author publishes. College Town was a hit for me.
February 24, 2024
all the twists in this book were wonderful. when i first started reading it, i wasn't very convinced and thought it would be another basic small-town romance but this was pretty plot heavy and i was hooked, absolutely wonderful.
4/5
4/5
February 25, 2024
Amazing.
I love everything Lauren Gilley writes. I loved Lawson and Tommy. I love that her books have such rich characters, not just Tommy and Lawson, every character is real and complete.
I love everything Lauren Gilley writes. I loved Lawson and Tommy. I love that her books have such rich characters, not just Tommy and Lawson, every character is real and complete.
February 19, 2024
So entertaining! Wasn’t expecting the left turn it took near the end!
February 27, 2024
Not a killer like some of the other Lauren Gilley’s books but this was still pretty interesting…
March 9, 2024
sweet.
Lauren Gilley can deliver a story. And she has not gotten greedy and asking stupid prices for her e-books. This is a mm story and has all the feelings.
Happy reading!
Lauren Gilley can deliver a story. And she has not gotten greedy and asking stupid prices for her e-books. This is a mm story and has all the feelings.
Happy reading!
March 27, 2024
3.75 stars. Really liked this one. Good storyline, great cast of supporting characters, good twist at the end. Loved Lawson's sarcasm and sense of humor.
March 31, 2024
i really like Lauren Gilley’s writing.
April 21, 2024
lauren gilley’s writing works so well for me i really enjoyed this
September 29, 2024
3,75/5
Ce roman contemporain de Lauren Gilley me tentait bien, d'autant plus qu'il s'agit d'un one shot !
Dans ce roman, nous suivons Lawson qui travaille dans le café de sa ville natale. On ne peut pas dire que sa vie soit trépidante, mais c'est sa vie, et c'est ainsi, il ne s'en plaint pas. Son rêve d'être publié un jour par une maison d'édition s'éloigne petit à petit, mais son devoir est de rester auprès des siens. Un jour, Tommy déboule dans le café. Tommy, son meilleur ami d'enfance. Tommy, l'amour de sa vie. Tommy qui l'a abandonné du jour au lendemain il y a de longues années.
Alors, je dois dire que je ne m'attendais à ce type d'histoire. Ok, je n'avais pas lu le résumé, mais du coup j'ai été surprise. Tommy n'est pas ce qu'il semble être, et ce, jusqu'au bout.
Il va être question de mafia, d'histoire de famille, de vengeance, et Lawson va être propulsé dans tout ce bazar.
J'aurais aimé un peu plus de développement, c'est un peu tiré par les cheveux par moment, il faut être honnête. La fin arrive comme un cheveu sur la soupe, mais bon, ça passe on va dire, car on a l'effet de surprise.
J'ai aimé le duo formé par Tom et Lawson, certaines choses doivent être dites, même si c'est douloureux. C'est une histoire de seconde chance très sympathique et l'action apporte un certain dynamisme à l'ensemble, même s'il est quelque peu surréaliste, que ce soit dans le déroulement des événements ou dans les comportements des personnages, mais bon, comme je le disais, ça passe. Faut pas chercher à trop réfléchir ^^
J'ai aimé la façon dont l'auteur avait abordé l'histoire familiale de Lawson aussi, c'était très touchant.
Un roman sympathique donc dans l'ensemble !
Ce roman contemporain de Lauren Gilley me tentait bien, d'autant plus qu'il s'agit d'un one shot !
Dans ce roman, nous suivons Lawson qui travaille dans le café de sa ville natale. On ne peut pas dire que sa vie soit trépidante, mais c'est sa vie, et c'est ainsi, il ne s'en plaint pas. Son rêve d'être publié un jour par une maison d'édition s'éloigne petit à petit, mais son devoir est de rester auprès des siens. Un jour, Tommy déboule dans le café. Tommy, son meilleur ami d'enfance. Tommy, l'amour de sa vie. Tommy qui l'a abandonné du jour au lendemain il y a de longues années.
Alors, je dois dire que je ne m'attendais à ce type d'histoire. Ok, je n'avais pas lu le résumé, mais du coup j'ai été surprise. Tommy n'est pas ce qu'il semble être, et ce, jusqu'au bout.
Il va être question de mafia, d'histoire de famille, de vengeance, et Lawson va être propulsé dans tout ce bazar.
J'aurais aimé un peu plus de développement, c'est un peu tiré par les cheveux par moment, il faut être honnête. La fin arrive comme un cheveu sur la soupe, mais bon, ça passe on va dire, car on a l'effet de surprise.
J'ai aimé le duo formé par Tom et Lawson, certaines choses doivent être dites, même si c'est douloureux. C'est une histoire de seconde chance très sympathique et l'action apporte un certain dynamisme à l'ensemble, même s'il est quelque peu surréaliste, que ce soit dans le déroulement des événements ou dans les comportements des personnages, mais bon, comme je le disais, ça passe. Faut pas chercher à trop réfléchir ^^
J'ai aimé la façon dont l'auteur avait abordé l'histoire familiale de Lawson aussi, c'était très touchant.
Un roman sympathique donc dans l'ensemble !
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews