Rebuilding Charlie

Black Dog Inn #1

by Kris T. Bethke, Tia Fielding

One day at a time, one cupcake at a time, I was determined to win him over.

Charlie Caldwell has hit a breaking point. With more than just his mental health on the line, he makes the decision to move across the country to work for his best friend, leaving his brother and niblings behind. A new start isn’t going to fix him. His dysmorphia isn’t going to magically go away. But his hope is that being in a new place and going no contact with his toxic mother will at least allow him to breathe.

Teague Mulligan might look like a lumberjack, but he’s really a marshmallow. And he likes it that way. He’s a doer, a fixer, and his wide shoulders are big enough to handle any problem. He’s always going to put himself between the world and the people he loves. But when he first meets Charlie, Teague doesn’t make a great first impression. Fortunately, he gets a chance to apologize and explain. Though Teague is immediately attracted to Charlie, he recognizes the other man has built walls around himself. Teague vows to go at Charlie’s pace, even if friendship is the only thing he can have.

The more they get to know each other, the more the attraction blooms. But Charlie’s past trauma keeps him from leaping. As much as he likes Teague, he knows the road blocks his mental health puts in the way. But Teague is as patient as he is kind, and as the days go on, trust is built. Slowly and surely, Charlie lets Teague in. Neither Charlie nor Teague were looking for love, but day by day, and cupcake by cupcake, love is exactly what they find.

Check out the preview for content warnings.

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, Contemporary, Found Family, Abuse, Gay, Mental Health

318 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 21, 2024

About the author

Kris T. Bethke has been a voracious reader for pretty much her entire life and has been writing stories for nearly as long. An avid and prolific daydreamer, she always has a story in her head. She spends most of her free time reading, writing, or knitting/crocheting her latest project. Her biggest desire is to find a way to accomplish all three tasks at one time. A classic muscle car will always turn her head and weekend naps are one of her greatest guilty pleasures. She lives in a converted attic with an aquarium full of tropical fish and the voices in her head. She’ll tell you she thinks that’s a pretty good deal.

Reviews

[Elise H · Rating 5 out of 5]

1st read 03/24
Reread 02/25

4,75⭐️

That was so sweet, and yet so sad 🥺

Charlie’s broken, his parents never loved him, his mother said things so horrible to him he doesn’t have a shred of self esteem left 💔 And men use him because he’s pretty and too kind.
He hates himself and his body so much, and I understand it a little too well. It broke my heart, I had tears in my eyes from the first chapter 🥺

Teague is just perfect, a real cinnamon roll of a man. 💕 the way he tries from the beginning to understand Charlie, to help and protect him, is just adorable. He listen to him, he wants to understand him, always doing his best to not frighten him, to make him feel safe 💕

Teague’s a protector. With his nephew Oak, with Charlie, he just want to be there for the people he cares about. And Charlie, while being skittish and afraid, needs it. He needs someone who will put him first, who will love him as he is no matter what.
Together, they’re safe, they’re happy. For the first time of his life, Charlie found somewhere, and someone, he belongs to 💕💕💕

« I’m happy we’re us »

It was so soft, so sweet (even the smut scenes were so well written, so soft, it made my eyes tear up).
Charlie’s issues won’t disappear like magic, but finding a man who loves him helped him, so much. Because love’s a great way to heal ❤️

I hope the next book of the serie will be about Oak (and Felix) because this gentle soul needs some loving too, his story is a heart breaking one too… and that we’ll see more of Teague and Charlie in it.

« He trusted me, and I trusted him, and while life would never be perfect, it wasn’t meant to be. We were together, safe, and loved. I couldn’t imagine a better place to be. »

[Dynesha Dixon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a sweet story. A little sweeter than I typically like, but it wasn’t bad. Charlie was a beautifully complex character that was able to learn to be just a little more comfortable with himself when placed in the right environment. Teague was the perfect cinnamon roll who chose his target and didn’t let up even after he got what he wanted. Both of these wonderful men deserved each other.

There were a few things with the writing style that annoyed me a bit. In the first half of the book, each chapter seemed to be giving the same scene but from each POV and that delayed the story moving forward for me. Some things that were stated seemed redundant and didn’t need to be said. These are really just personal preferences that don’t impact the story that much though.

[Dani (Daniiireads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

So emotional but sweet. Get you a man like Teague Mulligan 🥹

[caffeinated.crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Talk about a story that blew me away! I chose it on a whim... and I'm so glad I did!

REBUILDING CHARLIE is an amazing story. It's a love story, a found family story, and a survivor's story with amazing mental health representation. I ate this one up, y'all!

Charlie moves across the country where his college best friend and her wife are renovating and operating a motel - The Black Dog Inn. Charlie seems to be doing a little bit of everything there while trying to live in his newly nontoxic environment.

Teague is a gentle giant of a man. But he has a bad meet-disaster with Charlie *who he is immediately taken with.*

While Charlie and Teague maneuver around misunderstandings and boundries all while getting to know each other, and eat a monstrous amount of cupcakes - we get to know all these great side characters, and the doggos, and assorted relatives & neighbors. We also learn a little bit about Charlie's body dysmorphia, and even though it isn't strictly mentioned, the man also has PTSD.

Learning about Charlie's brain and boundaries was wonderful and terrible because his brain and his body are not fun places to be. But Charlie is a WONDERFUL main character, and all I wanted was for him to find some happiness.

Teague wasn't a perfect man, but he was perfect for Charlie. His patience and kindness, and sense of humor were exactly what Charlie needed. I liked how even in his thoughts, Teague wasn't expecting their LOVE to heal Charlie's mental health issues. He just loved and respected Charlie. The tenderness and affection he doted on Charlie with was Chef's kiss!

Honestly, what a dreamboat.

This book was great. I absolutely loved it. It's available now, and so is book two... which I plan to read soon. Probably tomorrow 😂

REBUILDING CHARLIE was an absolute banger of a book. If you're looking for smut, this isn't really gonna meet that mark. But the storytelling is great, and the characters will drag me back to this series because I wanna see how they all are doing. Absolutely recommend!

[Susan]

DNF at 34%

OMG, could this book have been any slower...

[Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was 2.5 stars rounded up. It was ok, not great. Kind of like the overly fancy cupcakes at overpriced bakeries that don’t taste nearly the $15 each they cost?

Anyway this book bugged me because I felt like it was a constant lecture. I couldn’t connect to the MCs at all.

It’s cute and fluffy and has spice and no stupid 3rd act breakup but goddamn it was preachy.

[els✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

for a book that had such heavy themes it was one of the sweetest books i’ve ever fucking read (i can’t decide if i needed to see Charlie in therapy with a GOOD therapist tho)

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

i will admit, i had a rough start with the first half of this book for a couple reasons. anyways…

the blurb is basically the plot. no twists and turns lol.

teague was a solid love interest for charlie, being patient & keeping his boundaries in check, not rushing charlie into anything. the daily cupcakes were cute. asking about his favorite food & the date night was super cute. the second half of the book was simply ‘cute’.

the couple of issues i had were the rehashing of the same events from each pov and charlie’s conflicts weren’t really resolved. at least if somehow the dusty ex made it to the motel and teague defended his man’s honor i would have been all over it lol.

ehhhhh probably gonna skip law & oak’s book. sort of inclined to check out felix’s book a bit later.

2.5 rounded up.

thank you to grr for the copy!

[Lillian Francis]

DNF'd 45%

Authors wrote several scenes from both MCs POV which slowed the story down for me.

[Ashley | adhdandread · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rebuilding Charlie by Kris T. Bethke and Tia Fielding
Black Dog Inn #1
Length: 318 pages
Source: Gay Romance Reviews eARC
Publication date: March 25, 2025

3 ⭐️
2 🌶️

Summary
Charlie Caldwell is building a new life on the other side of the country from where he grew up, now far away from his abusive mother but also from his beloved older brother, nieces, and nephew. His body dysmorphia affects every aspect of his life, as much as he wishes it didn’t, and that includes meeting new people. Teague Mulligan, a Viking on the outside and marshmallow on the inside, always has the best of intentions, even when his mouth gets away from him. Their first meeting isn’t exactly the stuff that lifelong romance is made of, but Rebuilding Charlie tells their story with all its bumps and bruises.

My Thoughts
I’m not a fan of dual-POV stories that have one chapter in MC #1’s voice followed by a chapter in MC #2’s voice that basically re-tells the exact same scene. For me, that takes up a lot of time and makes the story drag. Fortunately, Charlie and Teague were charming enough—and the supporting characters interesting enough—for me to push through reading.

The two men are both flawed but constantly willing to try, communicate, and figure out a way forward. The love story is emotional and touching, especially the ways they court one another with bakery items and movie dates. That being said, it sometimes felt like Teague bent over backward to not trigger Charlie, which sounds ideal but not at all realistic. No matter how well-intentioned and understanding the non-dysmorphic partner is, surely there’s a frustrated comment in the heat of the moment about not being able to stare at the other person’s attractiveness, compliment how they look that day, etc. Also, and perhaps I missed this or it happens off-page, but Charlie seems dedicated to addressing his dysmorphia, and for him to have tried therapy once, have it not work, and never go back and try with a better therapist didn’t ring true to the work he wanted to put into improving his thought patterns.

What to expect:
MM romance
Protective MMC
Found family
Sloooow burn

Definitely check the complete list of content warnings, as they include body dysmorphia, mental and emotional abuse by a parent, suicidal ideation and self-harm (mentioned, off-page), and religious trauma.

— A

Thanks to Gay Romance Reviews, Kris T. Bethke, and Tia Fielding for an eARC of this book. All opinions are mine.

[Tara Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

MY OPINION: This book takes a hard look at body dysmorphia and its impact on a person’s life, as well as the lives of their partners and potential partners.

Charlie’s—one of our main characters—trauma is a direct result of emotional abuse by his mother, and by extension, his father. The twist on this is that Charlie is a cis man, which I had not seen addressed before. I really liked this story and this couple. Witnessing Charlie navigate his disorder while falling in love is heartwarming.

Teague is a warm, caring, teddy bear of a man, and he is drawn to Charlie, who is incredibly attractive. The only problem is that looking at him triggers Charlie. It is lovely to see how Teague adapts to Charlie’s needs, understanding what he needs and accepting that about him.

The love between these men is beautiful, it’s slow and steady with so much kindness. This is a great romance book with some wonderful meaning. There are a few notable secondary characters that you want to know more about. I am, of course, hoping to see some of their stories told. I have to say Oakley kinda stole the story for me, and I really hope he gets his HEA. The next book is about his brother, and I can’t wait to see how he finds his love. There are some intimate moments that are sweet and loving, but this is really a slow-burn love story with two great guys. The secondary characters are nice, but you don’t get to know them well. I cheered for them the entire time, and I think you will too.

[Debby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charlie Caldwell has some mental health issues and has reached his limit. Something needs to change if he is to survive. His brother encourages him to move cross country and work for his bestie. Teague Mulligan looks big and tough but is really a marshmallow. While his first meeting with Charlie did not go well, Teague is delighted to have a chance to explain. He realizes that Charlie needs time to build up trust and he is more than willing to give him that time and more if he needs a brake. Slowly, the trust comes and so does Charlie. Cupcakes, animals, and patience are just what is needs. Teague can do that.

Charlie’s mother was the definitions of toxic. His parent’s treatment of Charlie led to his dysmorphia and other issues. His brother was his savior. Meeting Teague was difficult at first, but Teague was determined. The road to the finish line was slow and steady. These two will surely touch your heart and find a home there. There are others introduced that need their own story. We also meet some amazing animals. Law, Charlie’s brother, is the next story. His story should be as satisfying as this one. Pick up Rebuilding Charlie. You will be glad you did, but review the triggers first.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and this is my very own opinion.

[Theodore · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF @ 49%

Definitely not fluffy, especially with Charlie's struggles with his mental health + Teague's nephew's situation, but I still found myself sort of bored with the whole story.

I really liked the authors' explicit inclusion of different sexual orientations (trans character FTW) and Charlie's body dysmorphia felt like it was handled very respectfully, showing his struggles with it and how it wasn't just a simple issue.

I wasn't at all gripped by the story though. There was almost no romantic tension since nearly every single romance scene was sandwiched very heavily between Charlie's mental health struggles, which while absolutely fair, also absolutely stifled any enjoyment the romance could've had. It was hard to find the fun in Teague's attempts to court Charlie (by wearing more flattering clothes and accessories) when the chapter before was focused on Charlie's depression regarding his past and the next chapter was focused on Charlie's depression regarding his future.

We never got to the fun and games part of the romance because all the fun gets drowned out by mental health, which again is a very heavy subject, but I feel like there could've been some room here to let a bit of tension and romance shine through.

Also, was not a fan of how we get multiple chapters seeing the same thing but from the other POV. It breaks continuity and feels very awkward.

[Fernanda Fatio · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked how the authors portrayed Charlie and his mental struggles. Teagan is patient and recognizes when he says or does something that triggers Charlie and tries to fix his mistakes. I absolutely loved the dogs and their adoptive son - a cat. The found family was interesting to see and I can tell there’s more to see with Felix and Noah, and perhaps Regan with Dana and Nic.
A couple of things I feel it could help was if there was a bigger emphasis getting professional help, and finding a good therapist. Especially when Charlie recognizes it’s an issue he will deal with his whole life. Although he has good mental tools to work his thoughts, I feel it’s important to show how counselling is not a time-limited resource and finding a good counselor who will help yoi go through the hurdles is important. Teagan mentions Oak doing therapy but when/if he wants. Again, Oak had a different kind of abuse which resulted in different kind of trauma from Charlie, but it would be important to see he actively working them instead of expecting that just time and family support would be enough.
All in all, it was a good romance, no-angst and no third-act breakups or complicated ex-boyfriends/problematic family drama. There’s something at the end of book, but not big enough to be an issue.

[Sophie ARGINTARU · Rating 5 out of 5]

J'avoue que je ne connaissais pas le syndrôme psychiatrique de la dysphorie, avant de lire ce roman. C'est donc une anxiété qui vire à la dépression avec la sensation terriblement perturbante de ne pas se sentir à l'aise dans son corps. C'est de ce trouble qu'est atteint Charlie, qui ne peut même pas supporter de se retrouver devant un miroir, et ne parlons pas de son ressenti lorsqu'on le regarde droit dans les yeux même pour l'admirer. Kris T. Bethke et Tia Fielding vont avoir la très bonne idée de le placer en présence de Teague, une sorte de bucheron "nounours" qui parle souvent trop vite en mettant les pieds dans le plat ! Avec beaucoup de compréhension, de patience, et de tolérance, ils vont peu à peu approfondir leur relation, surmontant les obstacles les uns après les autres.

C'est une très belle et très émouvante histoire d'amour... avec des chiens, des chats, des amis complices, une famille aimante, mais qui parle aussi d'abus et d'intolérance. Je suis tombée totalement sous le charme, chacun de nos deux héros ayant beaucoup à apporter à l'autre. De timides gestes deviennent ici de tendres attentions... Une histoire parfaitement réussie et très prometteuse sur les futurs héros de cette série "small town" attendrissante à souhait !

[Jennifer O'Malley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love love love and can't wait until the second book!

Poor Charlie, I just wanted to squish him. Thankfully, he had Teague for that! And after all he went through at the hands of his parents, especially his mom, he deserved the big marshmallow he got when he finally let his walls start to come down a bit for Teague.

I will say, that due to Charlie's trauma and body dysmorphia, he wanted to take things really slow with Teague. Though, things didn't really end up that way. But I'm glad that he felt comfortable and safe enough to move at a quicker pace than might be expected.

Although, be aware, if this is something you deal with or find triggering, he does seem to get over things maybe too quick. I'm not saying it's bad or even maybe not realistic for some.But there is kind of this notion that the right person and love heals some of that trauma. Which, again, can be valid and I'm sure that does help for some people.

It was a cute love story, with a man who doesn't feel comfortable in his skin and a man who can be seen as intimidating due to his size but wouldn't hurt a flea. They sure do make a pair. And I do love them.

I love the found family vibe projected throughout the book as well.

Great read. And can't wait for book two!

[Elizabeth D · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 I liked Charlie and Teague a lot. This is one of the first MCs with body dysmorphia that I’ve read, and it was very interesting to see Charlie’s struggles and watch how he and Teague adapted their relationship to make it work. I loved how accepting Teague was, and how Charlie was finally in the right place with the right people. The surrounding friends were great, and Steve, Cricket, and Salem were amazing.

Occasionally, the switch between POVs threw me off when the next chapter ended up giving a chunk of the previous content in the next MCs POV. It wasn’t super repetitive (no repeat dialogue or anything like that), but at least once, it took me pages to realise we’d gone back in time rather than continuing on from the previous chapter ending. This didn’t always happen; often, the chapter POV changes just continued on from the new point forward. It wasn’t the end of the world, but I found it a bit jarring at times.

I really enjoyed all the found family and finding the place you belong, and I’m looking forward to the series continuing.

I received an ARC from GRR. This is my honest review.

[Pontiki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charlie has body dysmorphia, rooted in the terrible treatment by his parents, his Mom in particular. His brother Blue advises him to leave and go work for some friends who own a motel in a quiet town across the country.

Being with his good friends makes a difference, but he has some hiccups when he meets Teague, who runs a firewood mill with his Dad.

Teague is trying to help his nephew, who also left his home because of strict parents who are Mormons. He loses his cool with his brother in law, in front of Charlie.

But, from the very start Teague wants to get closer to Charlie, learning about dysmorphia and finding ways to make Charlie comfortable. Eventually they start dating and become boyfriends, with Charlie learning to trust Teague, but also seeing his own worth to the people who love him.

Great story about the struggles of a mental health issue, about patience and love, and about family being a lot more than blood relations.

I received this ARC for free, and am providing my honest review with much thanks.

[Amy Weller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely phenomenal!

I loved this book! While the story of Charlie and Teague is filled with more than a few bumps, the way the two find their way to each other is absolutely amazing! Charlie has been sent to live with his best friend in New York by his brother Law, away from their parents who have not been kind to Charlie. His first meeting with Teague doesn’t go well but Teague’s determination to apologize to Charlie makes him instantly loveable. Charlie has some issues that he deals with and I love how patient Teague is with him as they grow closer. Ever respectful of Charlie’s boundaries and needs, the two fall in love slowly and sweetly. A setback for Charlie will have Teague worried but in the end, Teague gives Charlie the comfort he needs. This tale is filled with wonderful friends, great family, crazy kids, adorable animals and lots of Unicorn Farts and is an absolute must read! I can’t wait to read what comes next!

I read an ARC copy of this book and am volunteering my honest review.

[S.B. Barnes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rebuilding Charlie follows Charlie, who leaves his parents' home to work at his best friends' motel and recover from the intense dysphoria caused by his parents' treatment, and Teague, who falls in love with him

What worked for me:
-cute cat adoption
-the background polyamory story was super interesting
-Teague was very sweet and patient
-Lots of local color in the setting, good hooks for follow-up books. Especially interested in Oakley.

What worked less for me:
-Fairly cut and dried love story, which in general I like, but there wasn't much by way of plot otherwise to hold my interest
-On that note I felt the story could have used a confrontation with Charlie's parents for closure
-Teague has basically no character development. Just a solid dude who falls in love. Good love interest, not especially interesting POV character
-Charlie's story starts in a very dark, intense place that imo is not really paid off in the rest of the story.

I received an ARC from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review.

[bubblegumpopper · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's definitely some dark themes and possible triggers in this, but the authors do a really great job of walking the line between those heavy themes and keeping it a positive, affirming story. Normally I like stories that jump a little more quickly into the sexy times, but this one took a little more time to get there and I think that was definitely the right choice, because it felt important to give Charlie time to feel more comfortable and settled in his new home.

I don't have any personal experience with the type of trauma and dysmorphia that Charlie was experiencing, so I can't speak to whether it was accurate in its portrayal, but it read as very honest and relatable and made me empathise easily with him. I LOVED how thoughtful Teague was with Charlie's mental health issues, while also not always getting it 100% right. That felt very accurate and realistic to me.

I've already started book 2 in the series and I can't wait to read them all!

***

I was provided with an ARC from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an emotionally charged book...
A dysfuntional family who puts religion above their own children.
Set against the example of a truly loving family who accepts others into their home.

Charlie, a young man who flees from the indoctrination of his Mormon parents...even though that means he has to sever ties with his siblings.
Luckily his best friend and her wife welcome him to their B&B so he has stability to start a new life.

He meets Teague when he rescues a kitten and Charlie immediately feels a connections to him but is hesitant to act on it.

You'll fall in love with Teague's parents, Regan, Dana and Nic, and especially Oak who finds his own welcome after losing his home.

This is a wonderful book. You'll most likely learn something about body dysmorphia as well as the tasty ways cupcakes build connections with others.

I received an ARC from GRR. Thank you so much!

[L H · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was tough as it is so sad to have to cope with having to battle the people who are supposed to love you unconditionally. Charlie had a toxic mother but a loving brother who loved him enough to encourage him to get away and friends who offered him a place to land. He winds up in upstate New York where he meets and after a few missteps builds a life with Teague who learns how to be respectful of Charlie's at times crippling body dysmorphia. As they build their bond they also make space to welcome in Teague's nephew who needs to get away from his hyper religious parents. This was a lovely story about the power of caring and acceptance and finding those who will support and not harm you as you are. It was emotional and hopeful even. It was also a study in the way patience and growth can help you build the world and relationships that you need.
I received an ARC from GRR and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Libros y Citas]

It was really necessary the traditional half way to the book sex scene? I don’t thinks so, even less in the middle of such a conversation.
Charlie’s chapters going back in time were confusing at the beginning and annoying later. It’d probably be much better if chapters mixed both points of view, on chap 17 Charlie wast talking to Oak, then there is chapter 18 from Teague’s perspective and then chap 19 continues exactly where chapter 17 ended. Really confusing.
It’s cute and fluffy, I just didn’t really connect with the couple, specially Charlie, I don’t think there’re really explained the issues with his mother. He was premature, but he survived, what happened to merit such strong rejection and hatred?. It’s said a couple of thing here and there, I’d have need more context though, I don’t really get it.
Oh, and for a slow burn there’s a lot of sex scenes going on.

«I didn’t even have the energy to hug myself. But then who would want to hug me anyway?» 😢

[Brit_ta_ny · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️

This was a slow, very sweet burn with one MC seriously struggling with his mental health and the other doing his best to understand limits and trigger. I found both Charlie and Teague super likeable and really enjoyed their pairing.

Charlie’s struggles were hard to read at times, so definitely mind the TWs before reading this story. I appreciated Teague acknowledging that he wasn’t going to magically “fix” Charlie and that having sex didn’t make his mental health issues go away.

Occasionally there was a lot of repetition and I had to double check I hadn’t started reading the same paragraph. This made some moments feel a bit clunky, but for the most part it was pretty well-written. I’m excited about books in the series to come, there’s a bunch of super interesting side characters I’m looking forward to getting to know better!

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I’ve read by these authors; they do an excellent job of bringing out the emotions. We all know that saying you can pick your friends but not your family. This story is the cherry on top of a messy sundae. I felt that both MCs were solid.

You have one with parents who hate him but a brother who loves and protects him. Then you have another one who is patient with people but also word-vomits his thoughts and is now caring for his nephew. With the strength that is pulled from their found family, friends, and even some loving four-legged friends, a budding relationship starts to grow. You do go on a bit of a rollercoaster ride. You’ll frown, smile, and laugh throughout the story, and the ride is so well worth it.
I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.

I received a free advance review copy from GRR and am leaving this review voluntarily.

Monica

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up because it's just too long.

This is a very slow-moving book. To an extent, I understand that Charlie has a lot to work through, but I wouldn't have minded writing that showed him doing so without it being all on page. Some authors can achieve that, but not all.
Still, it is a good representation of someone with body dysmorphia that has nothing to do with their gender identity. At least it felt like it to me. I would have liked a little more about how his parents were a part of that, though, because it seemed like they were at fault, but it never explained how they were at fault. It never felt like that was resolved, but maybe that's more realistic.
Teague was amazing, anyone would be lucky to have a Teague in their lives.
A very sweet story that was just too long for me, but I'm still glad I read it. I may look for Felix's book.

[Melita Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Body dysphoria and crappy families

I'm glad I spotted this book. I've read books by both authors before and enjoyed them.

Teague has a happy life working with his dad in a small town in upstate NY. Well, except for his sister who converted to a strict religion. His nephew, Oak, shows up after being threatened with conversion camp.

Meanwhile, Charlie was encouraged by his brother to accept a job with his best friend and her wife and get the heck away from his soul-destroying parents. Charlie suffers from body dysphoria. After a few missteps, Teague begins to become friends with Charlie while respecting his boundaries.

Lots of interesting characters and plenty of opportunities for more books!

[Robert Fontenot · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can’t with this. There is an interesting idea at the heart of this novel, but the writing is ham fisted, lackluster, overly sugary, and desperately twee. It’s giving serious Midwestern mom vibes and that’s just not what I’m looking for in my M/M romance. I also don’t know a single gay man who is going to be so into something called a unicorn fart. That’s mostly for tween girls and desperate to be cool moms. The tone just doesn’t work with its story of falling for a man with mental health issues. On top of that, there are several sequences where we repeat the exact same scene just from different POVs, a choice that makes the book feel padded while also stopping the momentum in it tracks. This is my first book by these authors, and I will not be returning.

[Tim]

Charlie's got issues, body dysmorphia, anxiety, trauma from his mother's verbal abuse. So he decides to leave his family behind and move to New York and help his best friend and her wife run their inn. Teague is the guy who takes one look at him and falls hard for him. There's some bumps and bruises along the way but it got boring about 40% in. Besides Charlie's growing confidence in himself and developing a healthy relationship with Teague, there's another sub plot involving Teague's nephew Oakley who escapes his parent's super-fundamentalist Mormon cult life after being outed. Honestly, the most developed and interesting characters were the dogs, Cricket and Steve.

DNF at 51%... Nothing bad but it was insta-love, saccharine, and incredibly frothy.