Two best friends dare to cross the boundaries of friendship and plunge headfirst into the tempestuous waters of love. Spanning over 15 years, these star-crossed lovers’ lives diverge and intersect, perpetually finding themselves out of sync with destiny's plans.
Hunter, battling inner demons and societal expectations, starts a journey of self-discovery as he grapples with his evolving sexuality. His struggle to come to terms with his desires and identity leads him down a path filled with introspection, acceptance, and the pursuit of authentic love.
Logan, once the epitome of problematic recklessness, finds himself at a crossroads. Faced with new responsibilities, the weight of adulthood pulls him away from the uninhibited adventures of their youth, setting him on a course that may either sever or redefine his connection with Hunter.
Gritty and raw, this novel doesn't shy away from exploring the complex themes of homosexuality, bisexuality, and polyamory, offering a candid and realistic portrayal of the intricacies of love and relationships in the modern world.
Kussy Gonzalez is an Afro-Latina author born in the Dominican Republic and raised in Brooklyn, NY. Holding a Master’s in Software Engineering and an MBA, she’s a manager at a Big Tech company, but dreams of quitting her job to write all day.
Brooklyn>Buffalo>Maryland>D.C>Seattle>Atlanta.
In the meantime, she lives with her husband, Jamie, and their two children Samara, and Harrison. She enjoys gaming, gardening, and writing.
I’ve been obsessed with writing since childhood, filling up notebook after notebook like Harriet the Spy. Writing is the one constant in my life. When I’m not writing, I’m thinking about writing. If someone else enjoys it, it’s a plus. Publishing has been a lifetime goal I’ve put off time and time again. *Diversity in Fiction advocate.*
Updated to reflect that another reviewer has mentioned the author is giving them a hard time about a poor rating.
Authors need to stop doing this, all it does is draw attention to the reviews and the author's behavior. I won't be reading anything else by this author.
It's especially not a smart move for a debut book!
Not everyone is going to enjoy every book, if you can't handle it, don't read reviews.
DNF - Another college-age MC book where the women they date and fuck are treated and discussed like trash.
I forgot about the underage sex, I was distracted by the other stuff.
Hunter thinks it's cute/funny to get Logan riled up about having sex with L's younger sister, who IS IN highschool. She was 16 and he was 18.
• “She’s a senior this year, isn’t she?” Hunter stuck his tongue out between his teeth in jest.
• Stacy, Logan’s younger sister by two years, hooked up with Hunter in secret the summer before their first year of college. A massive blowout ensued when Logan found out, leading to a physical fight between the two of them, followed by three weeks of no contact.
• The relationship with Stacy seemingly ended when Hunter and Logan left for college. However, Logan didn’t know that Hunter and Stacy would hook up in secret now and then during breaks. They lived just a few blocks away from each other. Occasionally, Stacy sent Hunter nude videos of herself in bed or showering. She saved herself in his phone as Goddess.
Logan has a girlfriend and Hunter finds her annoying, for existing I guess? But even if she's annoying, getting head from her is fine, especially when her bf just shoves her at him? What's attractive or enticing about reading this? Because the two MCs are making eye contact. This is a tiring trend in books.
Amazon freebie. Did not enjoy the writing style either. Do not recommend.
I’m kinda pissed right now, so I don’t know how coherent this review is gonna be. Bear with me. Let’s start from the beginning. Spoilers ahead.
This promised ache and heartbreak right from the start, and it definitely delivered on that front. Watching Hunter and Logan discover new parts of themselves, explore their sexuality and their relationship was raw and real and I loved how imperfect they were, how flawed all the characters were. I loved how they were in the beginning — the lingering touches, the longing stares, the secret and intimate moments. I fell in love with them and seeing them go from dumb young adults to grown men was lovely and touching. Seeing them overcome so many difficulties that life threw at them was, again, real and relatable.
The problem was that there was too much hurt, and not enough happiness and good emotions going through me while reading this. I was in a constant state of anxiety, just hoping that this time would be the time they found each other again, that this time they wouldn’t be idiots. This is why I don’t read sad endings, ‘cause my heart can’t take it. And this wasn’t a sad ending per se, but it also was too much of a struggle, too much push and pull, too many years going by for this to be happy.
Every time I had to read two years later my heart broke just a little more, every time they would find a new person and seemingly move on, every new obstacle the author would throw in their path. My heart is in shambles. And the ending didn’t make up for all the pain. After all those years, that ending was just not enough.
Their relationship felt on the edge of toxic. Hunter at one point says “I hate myself for loving you”. How is this a healthy relationship? When you are so codependent on the other person? When every other relationship is tainted by this mystical first love that no one can live up to? Maybe my problem is I see myself too much in these characters. Yikes. Moving on.
Objectively, this was an amazing piece and I loved how the author portrayed all these characters. They were full of life, and as you can see I was invested. Too invested. That’s why I’m giving it a three. Emotionally though, I did not enjoy it as much as I wished. Please do better than I did and take care of yourself if you have triggers.
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.
CW and tropes (spoilers): - Friends to lovers - Second chance - On page relationships with others - Threesomes - Double queer awakening - Loss/Grief - Mild racism - Mild drug use - Sexism/misogyny - Cheating/adultery - Mild violence - Manipulation/gaslighting - Homophobia - Use of homophobic slur - Depression and anxiety - Mental illness - Mild somnophilia - Rimming - Snowballing - 69 - Strict top/bottom
I received a message from the author Kussy Gonzalez because she was mad that I just did a star rating and not a written review (which I think is rude AF). I wasn't going to write a physical review because I didn't want to deter anyone from reading the book more than I had to. So here it is....
I didn't vibe with anything in this book; not the writing style, not the characters and felt no sympathy for anyone, and not the story line. I dragged myself through the entire book, and I felt so bored the entire time. I wanted to like it, but I couldn't get into the story at all. Anyways her book still has a 4.44 despite my 1 star review.
To clarify: the ARC review site I got this book is booksirens, and if you give anything below a 3 star, then you don't need to write a written review. Because I had no useful info and what I thought to be changed in the book, then I decided not to write a review until she messaged me. I did read the entire book, so I wanted to get it on my goodreads so I would count as my yearly reading goal, and my 1 star was honest. Arc readers are free, so they are doing reviews without obligation, so an author pressuring a reviewer is unprofessional.
Chasms Between Us - Kussy Gonzales Chasms Between Us, is the story of two best friends, Hunter Richardson and Logan Parker from their time at kindergarten until they are full grown men. Both sets of parents socialise together, despite the fact that the Richardsons are very wealthy compared to the Parkers. The Parker’s are a happy, loving family and Hunter loves spending time there as much as he can. His own parents are hell to live with, both are independently rich and claim to be crazy about each other. Yep, crazy and delusional more like. Mrs. Richardson is usually drunk and her husband is a cold man. Truth is, they hate each other and each of them is cheating on a regular basis. Hunter would love to leave but he can’t bear to leave his friend Logan. Recently Hunter and Logan’s friendship has ratchet up a few notches when on a visit to the cinema, hands touching in a box of popcorn, escalating to hugging and kissing and forgetting the movie. OMG they are so cute and shy.
Hunter’s family has booked 3 cabins for a week long vacation in Aspen, all expenses paid for both families, Hunter and Logan are looking forward to spending so much time together. Alas and alack, Mrs and Mr. Richardson have a huge humdinger of a fight a day before departure and over the next day, they overhear both sets of parents, owning up to their ‘extra curricular activities’. Logan was shocked.
Hoping to spend the night before departure at Logan’s house, Hunter goes there and sees Logan kissing a girl in a car parked in the driveway. Nursing a shattered feeling in his chest he heads home, only for Logan to come running after him. Continuing home alone, he calls up a current female friend and so commences a game of ‘anything you can do, I can do too’. This started a pattern throughout their upgraded friendship.
Geez, I hated seeing this happening between them, they had been so happy with the new aspect of their friendship. However, over the next 2 days even more disclosures were made between both families. This was heading towards a vacation from hell and a romance running on icy rails.
I liked both these MC a lot in the beginning but Hunter began to get on my nerves especially when he was so reluctant, even adamant, that he would never give to Logan what he needed in their relationship yet still wanted him all to himself. Then when they raised the angst between them by sharing, then Hunter dating females and declaring he wasn’t gay, and Logan, owning his bisexual leanings, but only for Hunter, having different girlfriends, every week, I just lost a bit of empathy for their relationship, and for what was happening in their respective families.
I felt gut punched with each chapter, my heart torn out and stomped on, watching these two guys hurt each other so much, and eventually others as well. Yet, they still confessed to still loving each other. There are several important side characters in ‘Chasms Between Us’ some family, work colleagues and various intermittent sex partners.
This was good storytelling with no holes barred from an author, Kussy Gonzalez, who I hadn’t read before. She sure put it all out there in ‘Chasms Between Us’. Even though I found it tough going, it definitely gave me huge emotional punches and that rates highly in my ‘enjoyment’ of a book.
To avoid spoilers, I’ll just recommend this 5 Star read to those who like angst and emotional turmoil, that are rivers deep and mountain high. Read Authors TW at start, there are many of them.
I received an ARC from BookSirens and this is my honest review, freely given.
I haven’t wrote a hate review in years but this book summoned my energy. God riddance.
The book cover is way too gritty and pretty for how ridiculous this book was.
Summary of the plot: Everyone is fucking each other. Everyone is cheating. Every. One.
Was it even relevant to the storyline? There wasn’t a storyline to begin with, just a bunch of underage kids fucking everyone (spoiler: including grown ass adults)
I do not like giving bad reviews so please do not view this as such.
This simply was not my type of book. I usually like to go into books blind therefore I had no idea what to expect. I did not enjoy the POV. The writing was messy in my opinion and hard to follow. New characters were frequently added and taken away. There wasn’t any real structure or plot. It jumped from one event to another. It was confusing and all in all not enjoyable for me.
I honestly can’t even describe the emotional impact this book had on me. It felt so real and raw that it was like I was watching my friends go through everything that Logan and Hunter went through. I can’t believe this is a debut from Kussy Gonzalez. It was quite possibly the hardest earned HEA I’ve ever read. This one will stick with me for a long time.
I received an ARC of Chasms Between Us and I could not recommend it more. I will be adding this to my favorites and Kussy Gonzalez is now an autoread for me.
This was such a fast paced, spicy, romantic and traumatic read. The spice levels were a 5, and the scenes were very well written.
The plot and the storyline were cohesive and allowed me to just absorb the characters like they were people that I knew. Hunter & Logan’s story was so heavy. Their escapades, them learning themselves and each other, their dealings with their family members and what rock bottom looked like for both of them.
I screamed, cried, yearned, felt disappointed, heartache and more.
Chasms between us was such a damn good book. I’d read it again and again and again.
I volunteered to read a copy of this ARC through BookSirens
I wouldn’t classify this strictly as a romance, although the love story between Logan and Hunter is a central theme, solely because the story explores much more than that. There are so many books out there that focus on the first few months, maybe a year or two, of the couple’s lives, but not Chasms Between Us. This follows not just Hunter and Logan’s coming of age, but well into their adulthood as well, letting us bear witness as they come together, drift apart and form OTHER relationships, only to gravitate toward one another over and over again.
And boy howdy do these boys GROW. Mistakes are made, apologies are given and not always accepted, and people around Hunter and Logan are affected DEEPLY. This book does NOT flinch away from reality, as hard it is to swallow reality even when it’s our own. This includes adultery, heartbreak, and the ways our decisions permanently alter and change people—characters such as Grayson and Maxine come to mind, each standing on their own.
There is DRAMA—so much drama and conflict, enough that it makes to impossible to look away. To call this a romance would be falling short, although there is plenty of romance. This is an examination of what happens when two troubled and flawed young men grapple with internalized homophobia and the experimentations many of us stumble into during our early twenties, the ripples felt years later in their careers, households, and future families.
Chasms Between Us is a one of a kind story, and I’m beyond excited to read what the author writes next.
Chasms Between Us is a touching story about love, friendship, and finding yourself. The characters feel real, and the story keeps you interested while tackling tough topics. If you like stories about love and personal growth, or ones that challenge typical romance, you should definitely give this book a try. It's the kind of story that stays with you long after you finish it. I couldn't stop reading because I was so invested in Logan and Hunter's love story. I even shed a tear or two because I felt such a strong connection to the characters. Kussy Gonzalez's writing makes you feel like you really know the boys. I highly recommend it!
As soon as I read in the blurb that this is a story spanning over 15 years I wanted to read it and the friends to lovers trope only made it better.
Logan and Hunter begin a relationship when they're still pretty young so it goes through a lot of changes as the years pass.
Eventually, they fall out of each other's lives and they lose contact. They go on to pursue different relationships and move on.
As the years pass, they find and lose the other until they're ready for their forever.
The lost years because of a badly timed text and a selfish side character didn't help and their back and forth toward the end lessened their connection and their feelings somewhat.
Some parts were angsty, I'll admit that, but I expected much more angst. I wasn't disappointed by what I got in the end, don't get me wrong, I was just expecting something a little different.
Wow, I don't want to spoil anything, but I may have shouted and cried while reading this. Kussy, I don't know how you did it.
Words cannot capture the range of emotions this book brought out for me. Every character in this book had a reason or a purpose that impacted the overall story. Life is often passing us by, but the people we met or loved along the way impacted our outcomes more than we realize. To be cheesy and say, "It's about the journey, not the destination," feels accurate for this novel. The love we give is often reflective of the love we receive and give ourselves. Hunter and Logan... these two are mess. The journey to their end was astounding. I couldn't put this novel down. If you enjoy multiple POV, angst, friends to lovers (or maybe not), and amazing side characters; I definitely recommend picking this up.
Also, the 🌶 was fantastic 👌
Kussy will be an autoread author for me going forward.
*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own*
While I was a newcomer to the M/M genre, this book instantly captivated me with its unique approach. The characters' emotional depth and complexity were masterfully portrayed, drawing me into their journey in a way I hadn't experienced before.
Chasms Between Us is not just a love story; it's a raw and honest exploration of human emotions, desires, and the complexities of relationships. Kussy's storytelling is compelling and gripping, weaving a narrative that keeps you on the edge of your seat, eager to know what happens next.
The chemistry between Hunter and Logan is palpable, their love both intense and tumultuous. Kussy doesn't shy away from portraying the challenges and struggles that come with being in a same-sex relationship, but she does so with sensitivity and authenticity.
What sets this book apart is the depth of character development and the emotional resonance of the story. Hunter and Logan are flawed and imperfect, yet their love for each other is undeniable. It's a love story that is both heartbreaking and heartwarming, leaving you with a mix of emotions long after you've turned the last page.
Wow, Kussy Gonzalez's debut book Chasms Between Us is phenomenal. I believe it is one of the most authentic stories I've ever read. It was fast paced, it contained smoking hot sex scenes. Non traditional relationship and it was delightfully messy. It wasn't a cookie cutter happily ever after. It was perfectly imperfect because that is what people are. She nailed the characters, the angst and stigma that many men grow up feeling about being gay. I will reread this book again I can tell you that! I loved it and you would be a fool to pass this one up!
F*** I truly enjoyed this book so much more than I expected. For a debut novel it was written so well and it captured my attention instantly. This is not just a romance but also a story about friendship and about finding yourself and accepting your sexuality. This book took me on a wild rollercoaster ride of emotions and had me making comments out loud with each chapter.
Five stars is not enough for this book. Actually, I don’t think there are enough stars that can properly rate this book. Chasms Between Us by Kussy Gonzalez was so much of a rollercoaster that I will do my best to do justice to this book and put my review in words. But honestly, I don’t think there are any words to precisely describe how incredible this book was.
Every single character in this book was caught in the crossfire and hurt in some way. They also did the hurting at some point, so this was just an entire emotional, chaotic, and explosive book. The journey was so heartbreaking and raw, it will take me time to recover. People left and the hurt in your chest was real because the characters were written to be real. The angst in this book is so painful and yet so addicting that you want to stop reading and cry, but then you find yourself still reading while crying.
Hunter. My heart ached for this sweet boy from the very beginning. I was #TeamLogan in the first few (like very few) pages, then immediately switched to #TeamHunter and never switched back. How Hunter went through so much and stuck it all out just astonishes me. It was so painful to read about how his mind played tricks on him and just made him so afraid. Like his mind already knew what is ultimately going to happen and wanted to protect his heart.
Logan. I wanted to so badly understand why he was the way he was. In every turn, he just hurt so many people but came from great and understanding parents. The reason I stayed #TeamHunter is because this dude put Hunter through so much and was so toxic. His openness was *chefs kiss* but gosh, he was so so toxic. You want to feel for him but when the ***PLOT TWIST*** happens, you realize just how many people he’s willing to burn.
I can’t give away too much from this book but read it as soon as it comes out on May 30th. There are so many plot twists and turns that you don’t know what will happen to the characters. Gonzalez keeps you guessing the entire time. This is a story that felt real because the decisions are ones that a realistic human would make. It dives into discovering who you are and the journey of love and heartbreak. I will never not get enough of this book. Kussy, major kudos to you. This book is fantastic and beautifully written. Also, are you okay? lol.
Captivating from the first page-I was so intrigued by Logan and Hunter’s story; I couldn’t put this book down. The characters are so real and relatable, making it impossible not to root for their love to triumph. This novel is full of heartwarming moments, but also touched on the complexities that come with identity and acceptance. An absolute must read!
I mean this with the deepest love from the bottom of my heart… this is one of the smuttiest books I’ve ever read. AND I LOVE IT!!! Aside from that, I love how this books showcases the fluidity of sexuality and how it’s ok to experiment to discover who you are. It’s such a raw and real life story and the characters felt so real I could have easily felt like I could call them or text them in between chapters and be like, “omg I can’t believe so and so did that!” Character development and stories surround actual and found family are always at the top of my list and this book has all three. Prepare to feel things in your heart and maybe in your privates. But above all, prepare to have your mind blown by this EPIC debut from Kussy!
Wow, wow wow!!! This book was amazing!! Left my panties soaked and my heart yearning for more love!!! I want more of Hunter, Logan, and Maxine!! I can't believe this is Kussy's Debut novel! 🥵
Chasms Between Us is a story between two friends who have so much love between each other, but it just so happens that they are both male, which made it harder for them to truly show their love to one another in private and publicly.
This was truly a coming of age story that took years, while also being true to their soul that their attraction to one another grew in more ways than just being best friends.
The struggles they feel with their insurmountable love, desires, and sexual needs was perfectly written showing how difficult it is to admit to not only ypur family, the world, but with THEMSELVES; that ypu are not attracted to the societal norm of heterosexuality, but rather having feelings of love and sexual desire and arousal from the same sex. Bit such is life and chasms between Logan and Hunter grew as the years pass by them. I was at the edge of my seat , with every turned page, every new chapter I wanted MORE of the angst, the drama, the sex!!! So many twists surface, between the characters, even their family ! The plot and story is just genius!
This book is fast faced, lots of hot and sexy parts in the book--things I didn't even know turned me on! Definitely a must read! 👌 🥵🥵🥵🥵
This was an awesome book! I got so engrossed in it that I couldn’t bear to stop reading it to make supper. Chasms Between Us is as described: toxic, raw, and gritty. And so much more. This story takes you on an emotional journey filled with struggle, wounds from the past, misunderstanding, miscommunication, estrangement, and false beliefs about what others think. At the heart, the book is the love story of Hunter and Logan, best friends beginning in second grade, until they are thirty-three years old. They were as close as could be through college, and then their lives took diverging paths. They shared many life experiences; some they didn’t understand until reviewed retrospectively as adults. Not all of these experiences were good, some tearing them apart, others bringing them back together, all while seemingly out of synch for many of the years. It took both of them reaching rock bottom for them to find themselves before they could find their way back to each other. Both main characters were written with many layers to them, and I enjoyed getting to know them.
As advertised, the book does discuss sexuality in many forms, but it is done respectfully. The chemistry between Logan and Hunter crackles. The story took me through many emotions. I was laughing, smiling, angry, and sometimes crying. This is one of those stories that you will still be thinking about days later. I definitely recommend this emotional mm romance story and look forward to reading more by this author.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
WOW. This story literally captivated me in the best way possible!! It made me laugh, cry, worry, swooned because Logan and Hunter?? A deadly combo😮💨😫
I really like how their life was told throughout this book so you could see how their love for each other developed from the very beginning. They both kept fighting each other and filling the void, but this goes to show you that you’ll always end up where you need to be. It’s crazy how 2 people that are meant for each other finds themselves on so many different paths, only to end up either each other at the end. DEFINITELY true love🥹
This is a story about finding your identity while navigating true love with what life has in store for you, and I think this was written so well! This story was raw, emotional and is very needed in the world we live in today.
So. freaking. Good!!! Oh my gosh, where do I even begin… from the very first chapter, I was hooked. I was ready to go on this journey with Hunter and Logan. Reading this made me think I was in a romance movie where every time you think they’ll finally be together, something happens. Logan and Hunter are two very really characters brought to life on the page, and I absolutely loved reading this story.
I was very fortunate to get an arc copy of this book and let me tell you! This book put me THROUGH IT but in the best possible way. It was so beautiful and messy but in the best way 🤣🙈 it’s at times uncomfortable to read but there are important messages throughout the book that truly make you want to keep reading! Really addictive writing but make sure to check your TW’s bc there are some heavy topics!
I do not want to give away any parts of the book, so I am going to keep it short and sweet.
I am not a reader, I usually listen to books, and I had the honor to be an ARC, and I promise you I could not put it down.
This book was definitely a rollercoaster ride from the start to the very end, and it had some very hot scenes, and just when you thought you knew what was going to happen next boom.... you don't!
Definitely a MUST READ; however, there is a trigger warning page just so you know what is in the book. Not to offend people... just keep that little detail in mind 😌
CThis is a compelling story about the complexities of sexuality, friendship, family and the barriers that can come between them.
The story is told in the separate POVs of Hunter, Logan, Stacy, Maxine, and Grayson- although, the main characters are best friends, Hunter and Logan.
From the very first chapter, I was thrown into the tension and awkwardness between Hunter and Logan through the author's vivid descriptions and great storytelling. I really couldn't stop reading once I started because I just had to know what was going to happen next! And once we really got in the thick of things, the x-rated scenes really got their time to shine because Kussy Gonzalez can write a spicy scene! OMG...And she wrote MULTIPLE!
Overall, what I'm saying is that this is no doubt a 5 star read and it will keep readers wanting more stories, in this same vein, from Mrs. Gonzalez.
**I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
They have been friends for years and they are going to try to become a couple. This follows them over 15 years and will chart their ups and down. How will it all go? Can they have the happiness they deserve? See how they get on
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. A book about self discovery. Exciting & heartbreaking at the same time. Well worth the read. Story flowed well and was hard to put down.
Don’t make it an “if” because it should be a “when” you read this expect many audible gasps as you embark on a rollercoaster story about Hunter and Logan. As a total newbie to this genre I entered with zero expectations but I was completely engrossed in the story of these two - and all they met along the way!
Kussy has us invested in not only the chapter you’re reading, but the chapters you cannot wait to get too.
A perfect blend of subtle hints, big drama and all of the emotions this book will have the reader on the edge of their seat waiting to find out what’s happens next. There is no lull in this book, it continues to deliver through each page turn.
Congratulations Mrs Gonzalez, I’m looking forward to your future work!
It has been difficult to rate this book. In my opinion it has both negative and positive aspects.
Among the positive aspects, if you like drama, this is the book for you. It has plot twists, so it is not boring.
On the negative side, I didn't particularly like the writing style. I found it difficult to follow the action because of this. It probably won't be a book for me.