Pippin & Nacho

Alpha's Rejects #2

by Courtney W. Dixon

This is not a shifter/Omegaverse romance

He was my very survival. Without him, I was nothing.

Pippin (Sampson)

I’m broken, hiding my pain behind fake smiles and pretend joy. Inside, I’m a mental mess between being tossed into conversion therapy and foster care as a kid. I struggle to focus and suffer anxiety, panic attacks, and nightmares. My passions for skateboarding and bartending make me happy enough. But only Nate, my former foster brother and best friend, calms me and keeps me going forward. I’m not sure what I would do without him. Even worse, I secretly love him. Loving him could mean losing him.

Nacho (Nate)

I’d been in and out of foster care for as long as I could remember. My last home was with Sam. We quickly became friends, and I instantly went into protective mode. After Sam got hurt by our foster father, I took Sam out of there and watched over him for two years while living on the streets. When you spend a lifetime not being wanted by anyone, you crave being needed, and Sam needs me. But I secretly love him. I’ve told my friends I don’t want to ruin my friendship with Sam. The truth is if we don’t work out, I won’t be there to take care of him. Sam’s needs are more important than my feelings.

This book is the second in a series, but like all my books, it can be read as a standalone.

Please read the triggers before picking up this book.

CW: Conversion therapy (abusive and sexual assault), foster care, abuse, runaways, suicidal ideations, panic attacks, anxiety, PTSD, iatrophobia (intense fear of doctors), abandonment, co-dependency, homelessness, poverty, smoking, mental health.

⭐ Best Friends to Lovers
⭐ Neurodivergent/ADHD
⭐ Urban Romance
⭐ Skater Boys
⭐ Found Family
⭐ Hurt/Comfort
⭐ Foster Brothers
⭐ First Time for Both MCs
⭐ Smaller Top
⭐ Mental Health Rep
⭐ Co-Dependency
⭐ Mutual Pining

Genres: M M Romance, Friends To Lovers, Romance, Mental Health, Found Family, Abuse, Dark

291 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 28, 2024

About the author

Courtney W. Dixon loves to write steamy hurt/comfort romance, giving her characters challenges, struggles, and sometimes trauma... Fine, a LOT of trauma. Her team teases her about charging her for their therapy bills after reading one of her books.

She loves to add variety and multiple tropes in her stories along with different types of dynamics/relationships. And she writes her characters as having flaws, imperfections, and who don't always do the right thing. Humans are sometimes frustrating, never perfect, and make a lot of mistakes in their lives. Courtney enjoys pushing her characters, making their HEAs so much more worth it when they get there. Mental health is a big feature in her books.

She loves her coffee ice cream and popcorn a little too much. And her cat, Olly, is her co-writer, where he sleeps on an ottoman under her desk as her muse. Actually, he's rather useless, but he's adorable.

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Reviews

[readingwithmiaa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reread

♾️ STARS!⭐️
3🌶️



OMG! If Y’all Haven’t Read The Alpha’s Rejects Series Yet, What The Freak Are Y’all Doing, READ THIS SERIES! Nate And Sam Are Just My EVERYTHING AND MORE! I Absolutely Love Them With My Whole Mind Body And Soul Until The Day I Die And They Will ALWAYS Be One Of My Favorite MM Couples EVER! They Are Just SO Perfect For Each Other In Every Way Shape And Form And You Can Argue With Me To A Wall Because I’m Not Listening If You Don’t Agree😂 And I’m SO MEGA EXCITED For Book 3 Blaze And Ajax’s Book. I LITERALLY Need It Like Air I Need To Breath, I’m Not Joking😂 Anyways, READ THIS SERIES NOW! THANK ME LATER!💕🫶











5 Stars!⭐️
3.25🌶️



Y’ALL, Tbis Book Was EVERYTHING! I AM IN LOVE. Nate And Sam Are DARLINGS! They Are Soulmates FOR LIFE! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THEM SO FREAKING MUCH! I Also Loved The ADHD And Neurodivergent Representation In Here, It Was Done SO WELL. Also, LOVED Seeing Damien And Nico Again, My Other Babies And Alpha, Love His Character SM! Cannot Wait For His Book And Also Cueball, Loved Him Also. So Interested To See Where His Character Goes. BUT GUYS, Ajax And Blaze, There Books Next And……… I NEED IT SO FUCKING BAD! IM SO OBSESSED WITH THEM! Whenever We Get A Release Date And Once We Can Sigh Up For Archs, I’m Signing Up ASAP! HIGHLY RECOMMEND This Series Y’all, SUCH A Good Series And I Cannot Wait To See Where It Goes. Courtney, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE U! 💕💕💕

[Emna · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️
Perfect husbands??? Huh???? Eskusmi
????
OOk well my heart needs to process that .[RTC]

[A.E. Jensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

🛹 ARC REVIEW 💞 Pippin & Nacho 🛹 by Courtney W. Dixon 💞

I’ve been looking forward to the story of best buds, Pippin and Nacho aka Sam and Nate since I read “the end” in Stix & Stone.

And these precious, gorgeous boys now have a forever place in my heart. Because Wow. Just Wow. This was a heartbreakingly intense ride but I wouldn’t have been without it. This was a heavy book but yet so filled with hope and compassion.

You guys know that I’m a huge fan of hurt/comfort and Courtney does an amazing job at weaving the past and the present together in this story. Especially Sam carries the trauma of the past with him on a daily basis. It controls him, consumes him and limits him in every way.

There’s only one constant in his life that will always be there for him. His Polaris. His Northern star. His Nate. And still, he always fears that one day it will be too much even for his best friend.

The book is written with such sensitivity and respect of Sam’s ADHD and his traumatic past. It makes me so HAPPY when authors go the extra length to write with authenticity and mindfulness. And Courtney is one of the absolute best. 🥹💞 I felt the pain and the comfort and these boys story touched me beyond words.

Found family is one of my favorite tropes and combined with the sexual awakening of these two best friends, there was just the right amount of sweetness and softness to balance out the dark parts. I loved all of Pippin and Nacho’s firsts. It was beautiful and moving.

An absolute must-read but check the TWs. Courtney once again shows us why she is one of the most valid and important voices in this genre 🥹💞

💞 Pippin & Nacho is out in 4 days so go grab it! 🛹

And FYI, I’m repulsed by the fact that conversion therapy is not under a national ban in the US but up to the individual states. It’s disgusting that you can destroy lives like that and then call yourself a civilized country. I really hope that every American thinks long and hard when they vote in the near future.

[Monikat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a smooth story but an important one. The love was already there they just needed to realize it. An extraordinary found family, because strength comes from all their feelings for each other and not necessarily in their place in society. All of them are broken and all of them are getting stronger together. Sam's mental health issues are very important and it's very heartening that they found a solution for how to help him. A beautiful book, low angst with a whole lot of love in it.

[Whitney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nate (Nacho) and Sam (Pippin) are true soulmates. They started out as foster brothers and ended up each other's everything. Just sweet broken boys who were meant to be.
Even after overcoming homelessness together as teens and living on the streets for years, neither of them knew how the other felt. As two twenty-somethings, they were both still saving themselves for each other, even down to their first kiss...


****Possible spoilers on tropes and triggers below



Tropes:
Best friends to lovers
Virgin MCs
Protector
Hurt/comfort
Codependency
Smaller top
Strict roles
Skater boys

TWs:
Conversion therapy
Trauma
Abandonment issues
Abusive parents/guardians
Homelessness
Poverty
Smoking

[Bookish Meag 🩵 · Rating 5 out of 5]

~ ARC Review ~
Pippin & Nacho
By: Courtney W. Dixon

This book will have you in a flood of emotions. It tears down your walls and pulls at your heart strings. Courtney you did such an amazing job with this one.

Pippin aka Sam is such a sweet soul. I just wanted to bundle him up, hug him and protect him from all harm. When he was a young child his parents put him in conversion therapy long before he ever told anyone he was gay, somehow they just knew.

Sam is neurodivergent and has ADHD. With his issues after conversion therapy, the world is extra hard for him. He struggles to remember things and focus.

Nacho aka Nate, is such a sweet golden retriever type (only for Sam) with abandonment issues. He has the heart of a caregiver, while being fiercely protective over Sam. When it comes to Sam, he has some touch him and die vibes.

Sam and Nate met in foster care, and they ran away after their foster dad kept hurting Sam. Nate’s need to keep Sam safe outweighed them being homeless.

These two, are hugely co-dependent on each other. They’ve both held in for seven years that they wanted to be together, secretly pining for one another. When Nate, thinks Sam is asleep, he lightly kisses him, then has to come clean, confessing his truly feelings.

Nate tries his hardest to be everything Sam needs, to the extent, he takes care of everything. He does everything he can to make sure his Sam loves him. He does so much, that Sam barely does for himself. (Courtney, I’m so glad you included a therapist for them, to help them be healthier and make the relationship healthier.)

This is a true show of bravery, trust, unconditional love, best friends to lovers, a very protective MC, hurt/comfort, pining and two soulmates finally discovering what it’s like when they learn the truth of each others need to be together. Courtney wrote this to the extent it has some real world vibes. The struggle these two endured, it was so connecting and was made them realistic.

Courtney thank you so much for trusting me with this story, I love reading ARC’s for you. Pippin & Nacho are so special, this was such a beautiful sweet story. I hope I did you justice with this review. This is my honest opinion.

[E.L. Ough · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahh these two boys! They had me from page one!

Natcho aka Nate is first and foremost the best friend anyone could have. He’s caring, patient and so full of love for his friend. Despite his own upbringing in foster care once he met Sam, he becomes his priority and his needs always come second. But we all need a helping hand sometimes, and caring for someone with so much trauma is hard work and weighs heavy on your own well being.

Sam aka Pippin has had it rough, his trauma is one I’d like to see abolished. He’s full of anxiety and to top it off he has ADHD, so his everyday life is affected by his mental health. It’s so hard for him to trust people but he gives his trust freely to Natcho who has been his saviour since the day they met.

I love Sam so much, I saw so much of myself in him and it’s always great when a neurodivergent rep is done well! I love how Natcho is smaller than Sam yet he’s the one who is the main care giver, the hard worker and the one who takes control. Not that Sam doesn’t pull his weight, he does the best he can. If you’re neuro spicy then you’ll understand that even when you’re doing your best you still don’t think it’s good enough.

I loved seeing all the gang, Stix and Stone and the found family at Alpha rejects. I can’t wait for the next book!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

🤍Best Friends to Lovers
🩷Neurodivergent/ADHD
🤍Urban Romance
🩷Skater Boys
🤍Found Family
🩷Hurt/Comfort
🤍Foster Brothers
🩷First Time for Both MCs
🤍Smaller Top
🩷Mental Health Rep
🤍Co-Dependency
🩷Mutual Pining

[❀ Alex ❀ [Hiatus] · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 5/5
Spice: 2/5

This book had me in a chokehold. I've been craving a good "friends to lovers" story for ages, and I'm glad I dropped everything to dive into this one, cause it was sooo worth it.

First off, Pippin/Sam completely broke me. While reading the first book, I never imagined him enduring so much pain and trauma. It was heart-wrenching to see him struggle and witness his inner turmoil. He's the kind of character you just wanna wrap up in a blanket and shield from the world.

Thankfully, Nacho/Nate steps up perfectly to that role. He's the ultimate caretaker. The way he loves Sam, selflessly cares for him, and fiercely protects him, even at the cost of his own well-being, melted my heart, even though it was a bit unhealthy at times. Nate has his own battles and abandonment issues, but he sets them aside to be there for Sam.

Usually, in "friends to lovers" stories, characters pine for each other for ages until the big confession and finally getting together. But here, they become boyfriends fairly quickly. And the rest of the book explores how they function as a couple and how their codependency affects their relationship, holding them back individually from overcoming their fears and trauma.

And just like book 1, this book was also very realistic. By the end, they're both in a much better place thanks to therapy, but everything isn't magically fixed overnight.

All in all this ticked off all the boxes for me in terms of a good friends to lovers and I highly recommend to give this one a go.

📃Tropes/Triggers📃
BFFs to lovers
Neurodivergent/ADHD
Mental health rep
Hurt/Comfort
Found family
Skater boys
First times for both MCs
Smaller Top
Co-dependency
Mutual pining

[Christina Sturgill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4/5 🌟
Spice: 3/5 🌶️
Characters: Nate and Sam

[Books_withtish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second book In the reject Series, it was a good read very sweet loveable pining best friends who eventually become lovers.. nate & Sam are very co dependant on each other both coming from traumatic backgrounds they work on their issues to better for each other and both explore their sexual desires together as they are both virgin mmcs which I loved it was cute! Very good read!

[user · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dnf 70% I love this author so much. But this book wasn’t for me. I loved the start because it was so traumatic and sad and I loved Nate and Sam. By the time I hit 35% I started to find Sam insufferable.

Nate is basically a dad to Sam. The relationship simply isn’t equal. Not to mention after they confess their love for eachother 27% they say it over and over again. Every few paragraphs and they are saying they love each other. And I believe them ofc cuz they have been pining since they were kids. But I haven’t known them since they were kids. So for me it feels insta lovey.

Sam is a full time job and not at all somebody I would want to be in a relationship with. He stressed me out. I genuinely feel like I was reading about a romance between a grown man and a 12 year old. Because that’s how Sam acts.

The scene that made me absolutely despise Sam. Was when Nate gave him a grocery list to go shopping and he still spent over that. At some point we just have to think that maybe it’s weaponized incompetence 🤷🏽‍♀️.

I know he could also be autistic. So I’m trying to be kind to him. Because if that’s the case then none of this is truly his fault. But regardless he’s annoying and needy.

Everything’s about Sam in this book. Nate has to seek out talking to other people because Sam is a full time job and he can’t talk to him.

I understand Sams trauma. I can’t imagine going through the shit he went through. But as somebody who has very little patience I can understand why people were so annoyed by him. Not that it excuses any of the abuse he went through

I just think Nate needs an adult partner and Sam could just be his little brother or something.

Not to mention pippin being bigger than nacho is pretty fucking laughable. Because I assumed Sam was smaller this entire time. I assumed he was a tiny little thing. But Nate needing to step on his tiptoes to kiss Sam?!?

Also Sam continuously messaging Nate while he’s at work over and over. As if Nate doesn’t work two jobs. All day long. And then he still has to come home and cook because Sam forgot. I honestly just felt so bad for Nate. He latched onto Sam because they both were alone. He needed somebody to love. This isn’t really a love story to me. Just co dependency. And it’s not cute at all.

Overall I love Courtney’s writing style. And it was really hard to dnf this book because of it. But best friends to lovers and childlike MMCs just aren’t for me.

[bookdiaryofyana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book!
It was different than what I normally read because it so "light" - there are some hard topics though so read the TW.
But the best friends to lovers is so cute.
They really explore everything together and it's just so lovely to see them learning everything and trying to see what they both enjoy!
They are perfect for each other!

It is not the best book i've read and it's an overall vibe with this whole series. But i don't know what it is but i do want to read all the books because i want to know all the characters stories!

[Oceans · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Being with you like this isn’t hard. Making love to you is as easy as breathing. You pull me out of my head and teach me the rightness of us and how we’ve always belonged together.”


"Pippin & Nacho" is the second entry in Courtney W. Dixon's Alpha’s Rejects series. If you haven't read book one, "Stix & Stone", I would recommend you do so to fully appreciate the cameos and established relationships. However, it can definitely still be read as a standalone. 


This book follows besties and former foster brothers Sam and Nate as they struggle to make it day-by-day, skating and working just to make it through. Even though Nate is smaller and younger, he's always been the leader in their friendship, taking charge and caring for Sam in the darkest of times. Sam, to his credit, is amazing just for surviving every day. His biological parents had him tortured through conversion therapy as a child before he even understood his own sexuality. As a result, Sam struggles with some pretty severe mental health disorders including iatrophobia (fear of doctors) that keeps from getting the help he needs. 


One of his main struggles is ADHD. As an AuDHDer myself (and having close loved ones with severe ADHD) it was nice to know that Courtney took Sam's condition so seriously. She researched on her own but also met with people who have ADHD to get their firsthand experiences. This helped with the authenticity of Sam's depiction. I think the representation was respectful and accurate. 


I loved the themes of mutual pining, co-dependency, and hurt/comfort. We start off the book with one of my favorite tropes, comforting someone after a nightmare. Swoon. Nate is the type of best friend everyone should have. He's fiercely loving and protective and just wants to give Sam a better life. He has his own thorns in his side from poverty, stress, and trauma, but he keeps Sam front and center in his life. Their story is heartbreaking, but beautiful because, in the end, they have each other and their amazing group of friends. 


Please heed the trigger warnings on this one. This book contains some pretty heavy scenes. 


Overall I really enjoyed this book. I would recommend it to anyone in search of a best friends-to-lovers romance with a young skater vibe and mental health rep.

[Dea Farrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sam and Nate met when they were in the same foster care home. It was there that they became best friends, and Nate became Sam's protector. After their foster father hurt Sam one night, Nate packed them up, and they both ran away. They lived together on the streets for two years while Nate protected them both. Sam suffers from anxiety and panic attacks, and it's hard for him to focus, but Nate keeps him grounded and makes him feel safe. What neither of them know is that  they are both secretly in love with each other but are too afraid to admit it and risk losing their friendship.

Wow! I'm just going to say that these two boys are going to stick with me for some time. Sam and Nate were best friends who met in the foster care system. They grew a deep-rooted relationship and became very codependent on each other. Sam was dealing with some mental health issues and relied a lot on Nate to help him through them. From the day Nate met Sam, he automatically took on the role of protector. They found their roles comfortable. They loved their relationship together but secretly wanted more than friendship. The whole time I was reading, I just wanted them to tell each other how they felt, and when they finally did, it was just perfection personified. I was never so happy for two characters to share a first kiss as I was for Sam & Nate. These two boys deserved a HEA after the hell they've lived through. Please be aware that there are some very heavy topics in this book, so please read the trigger warnings if you have any triggers.

[Laura Lou · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pippin & Nacho is book two in Alpha’s Rejects series. This MM best friends to lovers urban romance story is about Pippin and Nacho.

Sam (Pippin) and Nate (Nacho) refer to each other by their real names while their friends call them by their nicknames. Sam and Nate were foster brothers that escaped an abusive foster home together and survived living on the streets together for a couple years. They were best friends that pined for each other, but neither of them knew how the other felt. Sam had ADHD among other mental health issues. My heart went out to him with everything he experienced in his traumatic past. Nate had his own personal demons and abandonment issues.

Sam and Nate were extremely codependent. Sam relied on Nate to do almost everything for him, and Nate depended on Sam for his own self worth. I was excited to see how they would finally reveal their feelings for each other, but unfortunately I had a hard time with how it happened. And during this scene, Sam revealed something that made me think he should have gotten therapy way sooner.

I did like how they were both virgins and had saved themselves for each other. I also loved the scene where we get to see Nate ask Stone for some sexual advice. I will say when it came to their sexual dynamic, it just wasn’t for me.

I am a big fan of friends to lovers romance stories, but this one was just okay for me personally. I did think Sam and Nate were sweet together in the end, and I am happy they wanted to work on their issues to have a healthy and loving relationship.

[Giulia’s bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC

I’m on a beautiful book streak and I love it!
This is Alpha’s Rejects book 2 and I’m really bummed about not having read book 1, but I will cause I fell in love with Stix and Stone in this one and they deserve their own time in my life🥰

ANYWAYS.
Nate (aka Nacho) and Sam (aka Pippin) are one of the cutest codependent friends-to-lovers I’ve ever read.
After going through so much during their childhood and trying to survive his fear of rejection, Nacho glues himself to Pippin and falls in love, silently and quietly… but the secret is becoming a burden.
Sam… baby😭 his trauma is too much! Abandoned, forced into conversion therapy from a very young age, abused physically and mentally… he finds Nate and, even though he’s a couple of years younger, he feels like he found his safe place✨

These two have an absolutely beautiful friendship, they’ve been pining for each other in secret for years in fear of rejection and of losing their other half… but their bond is so strong and loving, they are clearly each other’s forever🥹

I don’t usually love the friends-to-lovers trope but when it’s written this well? Yeah, I too melt a little🫠🥹

“Maybe there was no such thing, but I believed in soul mates. Sam was mine. We existed for each other”

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was full of many wholesome moments but at the same time touched sensitive subjecs, so I'll always recommend checking TW just in case.

I don't think I'll be far from saying that these two are a definition of hurt and comfort. From the moment we met them in book one, it was obvious that they were meant to be. The question was, how long will they be scared to take that final step and confess to thier feelings. How could they not sense the mutual longing they have towards each other? I guess with the insecurities running through your head and mental health playing a big role in decision making, it can be easy to miss the obvious signs that were clear to their friends.

We go into Sam's (Pippin) past, which was truly heartbreaking, but also we understand Nate's (Nacho) abandonment issues a bit better learning his story. When you have a full picture of their backgrounds, you start to understand the extreme codependency they have. They are each others everything, simple as that. Their love is sweet and pure but also healing for both of them. There will be a lot of lessons for them to learn, and we can clearly see that they are in a much better place mentally by the end of the book.

If friends to lovers trope is something you like, it would suggest checking this one 😊
Now let's get to know Blaze & Ajax better 💚

[Jenni · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was sweet and spicy, not that heavy on the plot. Codependency trope is one of my favourites and this book delivered on that and I love how devoted Nate and Sam are to each other. I like how the guys from Alfa's rejects gradually form deeper friendships with each other.

However, I couldn't take this book entirely seriously; I found the writing a bit juvenile-ish. It was perhaps a little too sweet for my taste. Nate and Sam had many cute moments, but at times the sappiness was a bit excessive. The book also contained a lot of overreactions and dramatization. These are, of course, just my own opinions and are based on my own preferences.

I'm not entirely convinced by the book series based on this, but I'm interested in giving it another chance by reading another book from the series.

Harley Chase did good job with the narration, especially plus points for the spicy scenes 👏🏼😮‍💨

[Cara · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I adore Sam and Nate. Two broken men , friends since they met in a foster home, Nate has always taken care of Sam.

It is a sweet story of mutual pining.

I say they are both broken, although Sam shows it more, because he has been through abusive situations. I think he is on the autistic spectrum, and no one, when I was in charge of adults, knew how to see it.

Nate is also broken, because he was abandoned by his parents, he didn't fit in any foster home, until he found Sam and decided that the two of them should go their own way outside the system.

Check out the TW because it deals with some tough issues.

I look forward to reading the next one, which promises an enemies to lovers.

[Paulina | bitofabookcase · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my heart!

I loved two broken and struggling boys so much. Even codependency thing that runs strong here.
I'm beyond happy how realistic Sam and Nate were, especially with their exploring. They weren't perfect by any means and that awkwardness was so real, so thank you for that, Courtney. In the world of virgin sex gods we need more babies like Pippin & Nacho, period.

Please check TWs before reading it, though. The book is heavy on some themes and it's not a lighty light read emotionally.

[peoniesandmm · Rating 4 out of 5]

wow. i don’t know what else to say…

this story tore my heart apart & put it back together. they are literally the sweetest couple. this was so beautifully written, but grab your tissues… i was boohooing. lol.

i’m a BIG codependency girly so this was definitely my cup of tea & i love that there is no third act breakup (because i can’t stand those).
first times all around 🔥
amazing mental health & adhd rep
best friends to lovers >>

[mm_spice_reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story y'all! This is the epitome of best friends to lovers and it was done so well! Nate and Sam were foster brothers, turned to best friends. They individually have had rough lives, Nate (Nacho) has a lot of abandonment issues after going from one foster family to another. Sam (Pippin) was sent to conversion therapy as a young teen, and then ran from his family and ended up in the system. These two eventually end up in the same foster house, but Nate takes Sam away when he learns Sam was being abused there. They spent 2 years homeless until they met Alpha.

Nate is such a protector, and is so understanding of the issues Sam experiences. Sam also has undiagnosed ADHD but his extreme fear of doctors keeps him from getting help. The author did a great job of portraying ADHD and the multitude of things a person experiences with this. These two are absolutely adorable, but both have pretty severe codependency issues. They are both virgins, and their first time together was incredibly sweet.

The biggest thing I have loved in this series is the element of found family. All the boys in "Alpha's Rejects" are so supportive of each other and it's so beautiful to witness! Each couple so far in this series has been portrayed so well, and I can't wait for the next one!

[xxBooksILovexx · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saw a glimpse of Pippin & Nacho in Stix and Stone and couldn’t wait to listen to their story. Two very sweet, very broken boys whose were best friends. And one day they figured out that they both had feelings for each other. Their past broke my heart. But love their love for each other. Amazing narration by Harley Chase.

[Pyro Aleksandr · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series has this strange hold on me, each book has me craving for the next one, the next couple.

My heart absolutely broke for Pippin (Sam) his story well wasn’t nice and I’d read TW before jumping into it.

Nacho (Nate) again not the best up bringing but my god is he something else.

These rejects mental health rep is so damn strong in those, the found family is everything.

These rejects, are perfect as they are.

[Magui · Rating 5 out of 5]

puedo decir que sali de mi bloqueo lector gracias a este libro!! y encima es un 5 estrellas no tenia ganas de leer nada y leo este libro en un dia !! me encanto esta pareja y su grupo de amigos voy seguir con las demas histrorias dspues ❤

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pippin and Nacho continue the story of the alpha rejects. This is a book 2 in that series. This is a best friends to lovers book. This book does have some heavy topics so please read the trigger warnings. This book made me laugh, cry and want to throw my Kindle all in the same chapter. Pippin struggles with daily life tasks and nacho is there to keep him on track. Both struggle individually as well as together this book will show you there road to their hard fought for happy ever after.

[Niabookreviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nate and Sam are two beautiful humans, I just want to give a big hug to. Courtney did an amazing job capturing the emotional turmoil in which people with ADHD struggle with daily and how difficult it is as an adult to manage untreated. As someone who has ADHD I really related to Sam’s struggles; rejection sensitivity is no joke and Nate was an absolute sweetheart in assisting and reassuring Sam, even when navigating the negative sides of ADHD with patience most don’t have.
This was a friends to lovers, first times, with Mental health Rep and a HEA.

I will continue recommending this series to everyone!

[Miss S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

“We’re all broken one way or another, Sam. That doesn’t make you weak.”

❥ Dual POV
❥ MM Romance
❥ Urban Romance
❥ Best Friends to Lovers
❥ Foster Brothers
❥ Hurt/Comfort
❥ Mutual Pining
❥ Virgin MCs
❥ Mental Health REP
❥ Skater Boys
❥ Found Family
❥ Codependency

Sam’s (Pippin) story is heartbreakingly sad, and the fact that it could be a true story, just breaks my heart even further.

Sam and Nate are best friends, and have been since they met each other in foster care. They’re also secretly in love with each other, but scared to take the next step.

Nate also has a sad story and his own issues, but he always put Sam first, protecting him, taking care of him, making sure Sam is always happy, no matter the costs for Nate himself. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book with such a strong bond of co-dependency before, and it really gave me an “eek” feeling, but not really, because it’s a big part of the story and how Nate and Sam cope with their issues and how their whole relationship is.

Despite the nightmares they’ve been through, especially Sam, and despite Sam struggling a lot with his mental health, these two still manage to build a life together. Just like Stix & Stone (the first book), this is not just a book about romance, it’s also a book about healing (imo), and it was sad, raw and beautiful. I did cry a few times, sad and happy tears, because while it all sounds very sad, their story is also very heartwarming and the ending makes up for everything ♥

I love found family, and it really came to show in this book. The support from everyone when our broken boys needed it was just what my heart needed ♥

I loved seeing all the other “rejects” again, and I’m really curious about the next books!

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Read the full review on my blog here.

[Taylar Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Nate was no longer my one true star, but a fucking galaxy as soon as his mouth pressed to mine.”

Pippin + Nacho (ARC)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
🌶️🌶️.5

Goodness, I just wish I could give Nate + Sam the biggest hugs 😩
These poor boys went through so much and had to grow up so quickly.

These co-dependent foster brothers/best friends have been dealt a shitty hand, but have started to get their lives together with a solid apartment, stable jobs and a good routine. They’ve both had feelings for the other their whole friendship, but are they willing to risk losing each other if the other doesn’t feel the same?

This one was both heavy, but sweet. You truly felt for both these boys. This was a hard earned HEA ♥️
I really enjoyed how love wasn’t enough to “fix” things. They both had to put in the work to improve. I’m excited to see more from this series!

• Best Friends to Lovers
• Virgin MC’s
• Found Family
• Hurt/Comfort
• ADHD/PTSD/Neurodivergent MC
• Co-Dependency
• Conversion Therapy (TW)