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The Duality of Swans
A male ballet dancer walks into a rural small town…
Liam, a professional ballet dancer from New York City, moves to the tiny town of Swan, Oklahoma, with a mission. Haunted by what he endured as a teenager, he returns as an adult to conquer his fears and challenge the town’s outdated prejudices. He plans to modernize Swan by opening a dance studio and showing its residents that there’s a place for everyone and all should be accepted.
Tate has never traveled beyond the Oklahoma border and knows little of life beyond his small rural town and blue-collar job. Deeply entrenched in secrecy and surrounded by people who’d never accept him if they knew what he hid beneath the surface, he’s resigned to a life of lies and loneliness.
Liam and Tate’s worlds collide a safe distance from Swan, where they form an instant connection but plan to walk away after one night, no matter how much more their encounter leaves them yearning for. Fate, however, has other plans. When Tate shows up for a renovation job at Liam’s new studio, their initial shock gives way to a tentative friendship with complicated emotions.
The pressures of small-town life, narrow-minded family members, and Tate's insecurities threaten their budding connection from day one. Liam is determined to show Tate the beauty of living as his true self, but Tate has seen the consequences of such a life firsthand, and they’ve imprinted on his mind.
As they grapple with their feelings and the harsh realities of Swan, Liam and Tate must decide if love is worth the risk. Can they find a way to be together in a world that seems set against them?
Liam, a professional ballet dancer from New York City, moves to the tiny town of Swan, Oklahoma, with a mission. Haunted by what he endured as a teenager, he returns as an adult to conquer his fears and challenge the town’s outdated prejudices. He plans to modernize Swan by opening a dance studio and showing its residents that there’s a place for everyone and all should be accepted.
Tate has never traveled beyond the Oklahoma border and knows little of life beyond his small rural town and blue-collar job. Deeply entrenched in secrecy and surrounded by people who’d never accept him if they knew what he hid beneath the surface, he’s resigned to a life of lies and loneliness.
Liam and Tate’s worlds collide a safe distance from Swan, where they form an instant connection but plan to walk away after one night, no matter how much more their encounter leaves them yearning for. Fate, however, has other plans. When Tate shows up for a renovation job at Liam’s new studio, their initial shock gives way to a tentative friendship with complicated emotions.
The pressures of small-town life, narrow-minded family members, and Tate's insecurities threaten their budding connection from day one. Liam is determined to show Tate the beauty of living as his true self, but Tate has seen the consequences of such a life firsthand, and they’ve imprinted on his mind.
As they grapple with their feelings and the harsh realities of Swan, Liam and Tate must decide if love is worth the risk. Can they find a way to be together in a world that seems set against them?
307 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 11, 2024
78 people are currently reading
165 people want to read
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July 6, 2024I don't know how to rate this book. It wasn't bad at all, it's very well written and the characters are interesting. It's equal parts sweet and angsty. There's a lovely HEA, and a lot of tender moments.
But.
My big but is homophobia as a plot, both external and internalised. I get it. It happens all the fucking time. It's there, in small towns, in the way someone on the street just looks at you with disgust, how you deny parts of yourself to be accepted. It's a real life thing. But I am so over it as the main dramatic event. For real.
And this story's main thing was that: how a ballet dancer who had been beaten up in a small town went back there 10 years later to prove himself he could turn the town's bigoted views around. I get it 'prove them wrong' and all that. But, my dude, you're under no obligation whatsoever to be a martyr. Not only that, he then goes on to meet a hot trailer park man who is so far in the closet he might as well live in Narnia. And this hunk happens to be the one that saved him 10 years ago from the beating... *rolls eyes and suspends disbelief*
Everyone around hunky Tate is a shitty person. Really really shitty. That's why he won't ever come out of the closet. Or will he?
We get to see Liam and Tate become friends and lovers, have a couple of tense moments, have a lot of sweet ones (Tate can plan a date as if he went to school in Narnia for it). The intimacy is hot and filthy and tender. I loved how Liam became Tate's safe space. But...
I did love Liam's new friends and how Randy came around in the end.
All in all is a beautiful story, and the characters have to fight hard for their HEA. If you ou like a small town romance with both external and internal angst surrounding lgbtqiaphobia, then you'll love this book.
But.
My big but is homophobia as a plot, both external and internalised. I get it. It happens all the fucking time. It's there, in small towns, in the way someone on the street just looks at you with disgust, how you deny parts of yourself to be accepted. It's a real life thing. But I am so over it as the main dramatic event. For real.
And this story's main thing was that: how a ballet dancer who had been beaten up in a small town went back there 10 years later to prove himself he could turn the town's bigoted views around. I get it 'prove them wrong' and all that. But, my dude, you're under no obligation whatsoever to be a martyr. Not only that, he then goes on to meet a hot trailer park man who is so far in the closet he might as well live in Narnia. And this hunk happens to be the one that saved him 10 years ago from the beating... *rolls eyes and suspends disbelief*
Everyone around hunky Tate is a shitty person. Really really shitty. That's why he won't ever come out of the closet. Or will he?
We get to see Liam and Tate become friends and lovers, have a couple of tense moments, have a lot of sweet ones (Tate can plan a date as if he went to school in Narnia for it). The intimacy is hot and filthy and tender. I loved how Liam became Tate's safe space. But...
I did love Liam's new friends and how Randy came around in the end.
All in all is a beautiful story, and the characters have to fight hard for their HEA. If you ou like a small town romance with both external and internal angst surrounding lgbtqiaphobia, then you'll love this book.
July 4, 2024
“𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈’𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞.”
After surviving a horrific assault as a teenager, Liam moves to Swan, Oklahoma, to open up a dance studio like he’s always dreamed of with plans to show the close minded and homophobic townspeople that dance is for all.
Tate is a born and bred Swanian, trapped so deeply in the closet thanks to being surrounded by friends and family members who would kick his ass if he ever spoke the truth about his sexuality.
The pair connect at a gay club in Tulsa and share a heated one off moment, never expecting to see each other again. Fate is an absolute bitch and throws the two together once again when Tate shows up to do the much needed renovations on Liam’s studio.
Despite Tate’s fears of being outed for being associated with a queer man, he cannot resist the pull he feels for Liam, and the pair start a tentative friendship that turns into more.
I wish I could say it was all sunshine and rainbows for Tate and Liam, but their hard earned happy ending was not without hiccups. The pair have to deal with small minded assholes, Tate’s fears, vandalism, and more, but everything works out for them in the end.
I think the only complaint I have is that I wish their story was longer! I would have loved to see more of their life together in the future, but otherwise it was fantastic!
- small town romance
- ballet dancer x blue collar man
- opposites attract
- secret relationship
CW: contains homophobic actions/words by secondary characters against the main characters, violence, vandalism, internalized homophobia
After surviving a horrific assault as a teenager, Liam moves to Swan, Oklahoma, to open up a dance studio like he’s always dreamed of with plans to show the close minded and homophobic townspeople that dance is for all.
Tate is a born and bred Swanian, trapped so deeply in the closet thanks to being surrounded by friends and family members who would kick his ass if he ever spoke the truth about his sexuality.
The pair connect at a gay club in Tulsa and share a heated one off moment, never expecting to see each other again. Fate is an absolute bitch and throws the two together once again when Tate shows up to do the much needed renovations on Liam’s studio.
Despite Tate’s fears of being outed for being associated with a queer man, he cannot resist the pull he feels for Liam, and the pair start a tentative friendship that turns into more.
I wish I could say it was all sunshine and rainbows for Tate and Liam, but their hard earned happy ending was not without hiccups. The pair have to deal with small minded assholes, Tate’s fears, vandalism, and more, but everything works out for them in the end.
I think the only complaint I have is that I wish their story was longer! I would have loved to see more of their life together in the future, but otherwise it was fantastic!
- small town romance
- ballet dancer x blue collar man
- opposites attract
- secret relationship
CW: contains homophobic actions/words by secondary characters against the main characters, violence, vandalism, internalized homophobia
July 13, 2024
Mixed Feelings
I’ve taken a couple of days to think, and frankly I’m still thinking about my feelings about this story. Ms Atlas writes some of my favorite MC books (I also enjoyed her Blue Collar series), including one of my favorite MMF books, one of my favorites in the genre.
I’d like to believe that this story truly did come from the heart, and that Ms Atlas had a true desire to tell it. But it’s important to note that this story contains a lot of pain, so much bigotry and violence. I don’t always believe you have to experience something to be able to write about it it, but it’s a slippery slope when you’re writing about someone else’s identity/culture/experience and the suffering you imagine for them. It’s not like using your imagination to write about being robbed at gunpoint or something. I don’t think this story is all the way exploitative, but at several times it made me wonder why Ms Atlas felt compelled to tell someone else’s story like this.
For example - I’m a black woman married to a white man. While I wish more authors would be brave enough to tackle this trope, I get frustrated when an IR story centers around racism, conflict, and fetishism, like this is the ONLY way to tell a story about an IR couple, rather than treating us like any other couple out there.
So to take Tate and Liam’s story, add in all that violence and pain, and a few weirdly stereotyped characters and details, it leaves kind of an aftertaste to a book that is also clearly thoughtfully researched and written with compassion. Especially because Ms Atlas has written a very thoughtful MMF before with “Screw.” I hope she will continue to push boundaries and explore different worlds, keeping in mind the perspective of the underrepresented characters she’s bringing to life.
I’ve taken a couple of days to think, and frankly I’m still thinking about my feelings about this story. Ms Atlas writes some of my favorite MC books (I also enjoyed her Blue Collar series), including one of my favorite MMF books, one of my favorites in the genre.
I’d like to believe that this story truly did come from the heart, and that Ms Atlas had a true desire to tell it. But it’s important to note that this story contains a lot of pain, so much bigotry and violence. I don’t always believe you have to experience something to be able to write about it it, but it’s a slippery slope when you’re writing about someone else’s identity/culture/experience and the suffering you imagine for them. It’s not like using your imagination to write about being robbed at gunpoint or something. I don’t think this story is all the way exploitative, but at several times it made me wonder why Ms Atlas felt compelled to tell someone else’s story like this.
For example - I’m a black woman married to a white man. While I wish more authors would be brave enough to tackle this trope, I get frustrated when an IR story centers around racism, conflict, and fetishism, like this is the ONLY way to tell a story about an IR couple, rather than treating us like any other couple out there.
So to take Tate and Liam’s story, add in all that violence and pain, and a few weirdly stereotyped characters and details, it leaves kind of an aftertaste to a book that is also clearly thoughtfully researched and written with compassion. Especially because Ms Atlas has written a very thoughtful MMF before with “Screw.” I hope she will continue to push boundaries and explore different worlds, keeping in mind the perspective of the underrepresented characters she’s bringing to life.
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November 11, 2024The content warning for this is NOT nearly sufficient. The book contains a brutal assault, on-page, as well as an actual attempted murder (both because the character is gay). It even references a race-related hate crime. And that's on top of pages upon pages of homophobic slurs. The CW only says that the book has "scenes and discussions of homophobia."
March 14, 2025
Liam and Tate have my heart ❤️
I LOVED this book. Liam and Tate’s story pulled at my heart the whole way through. Definitely recommend to anyone looking for a sexy, angsty, and emotional book.
I LOVED this book. Liam and Tate’s story pulled at my heart the whole way through. Definitely recommend to anyone looking for a sexy, angsty, and emotional book.
July 13, 2024
Tate has lived in Swan, OK all his life in the trailer park with his mother who is a addict and his older brother, Randy who spouts his bigoted views quite freely. When he is 15 years old, he goes to the county fair in town with his brother and his brother's BFF, Daryl, it is there that he sees a stage with people dancing ballet on it and is mesmerized by the male dancer which leads to him realizing that he is gay. Later that evening, he stops 2 men who are viciously beating up that same dancer but runs away when the police arrive. He realizes then how bigoted and vicious some people inches town can be a decides to hide his sexuality. The story then goes forwards 7-8 years and Tate is still in Swan, OK and enjoys his job installing tile even though he works with his brother, Randy, and Daryl, and dreams of opening his own tile business. He goes to a gay club an hour or so away from Swan and he meets a beautiful guy and they hook up. Tate then runs away but is surprised when he shows up to give an estimate for redoing the bathrooms and locker rooms at the town's new dance studio and finds that the owner, Liam, is his hook up from the club. Liam is a out and proud gay man who was a successful professional ballet dancer in New York City. He decided to open a dance studio in Swan, OK to bring dance to everyone and to give others a safe place due to a traumatic incident in his past. Liam quickly realizes that Tate is not out. The two begin a friendship and then a secret relationship. Liam's dance studio is quickly popular in the town but some are not happy about that. Tate continues to be fearful of others finding out about their relationship and after an argument with Liam realizes that while he accepts others for being gay that he has not really accepted it about himself. Some of Tate's fears come true when Randy catches Tate and Liam kissing and beats Tate up. Tate has to decide if his brother or being true to himself and his love for Liam is more important. I really enjoyed this book and how Tate's character came to stand up for and accept himself. It was also interesting to see Tate realize and tell Liam how their pasts are connected. The book also shows while some people in small towns can be closed minded that there are still good and accepting people who will rally around you in a time of need. This author is new to me but I look forwards to reading more of her books.
August 23, 2024
This was an enjoyable small town romance between two likeable characters, which I read in one go. Be warned though, homophobia is a big element of the plot and is listed as one of the triggers at the start of the story.
Liam is a successful principal dancer with the New York City Ballet who retires from professional dancing to move to a fictional small town of Swan in Oklahoma and set up a ballet school there. He falls for Tate, the guy who comes to do the tiling in his new work premises, a gay man who has had to live rigidly in the closet because of the homophobia in his community. Their love story was sweet and poignant, with some steamy scenes.
However, there were a few things that stopped this from being a five-star read for me. It was clear that the author knew next to nothing about ballet, which is a shame as I'm a balletomane and was looking forward to reading a story with a male ballet dancer as a lead character. So for instance, the male lead in Swan Lake is not a swan but Prince Siegfried (unless this is an all-male modern iteration of the ballet, which was not implied in the story). Also, at age 25, it is unlikely that Liam would have been a principal dancer for any great length of time. Ballet dancers start off in the corp de ballet, working their way up to various soloist positions before they finally hit the pinnacle of becoming principals. It was not particularly believable that Liam would quit so young unless forced to by a career-ending injury, nor that he would have amassed enough money to retire and start up a new business (especially with NYC being such an expensive city). These might be nitpicky small details, but they drew me out of the story at times.
Another niggle was with the extent of the homophobia portrayed in this modern-day story. I was willing to suspend my disbelief, but then did raise an eyebrow when one of the most toxically homophobic characters suddenly underwent a conversion at the end and became accepting/friendly towards Liam and Tate. It felt like this was done to secure the HEA at the end, but it was not that believable.
On the whole though, this was a good, page-turning romance, well worth a read.
Liam is a successful principal dancer with the New York City Ballet who retires from professional dancing to move to a fictional small town of Swan in Oklahoma and set up a ballet school there. He falls for Tate, the guy who comes to do the tiling in his new work premises, a gay man who has had to live rigidly in the closet because of the homophobia in his community. Their love story was sweet and poignant, with some steamy scenes.
However, there were a few things that stopped this from being a five-star read for me. It was clear that the author knew next to nothing about ballet, which is a shame as I'm a balletomane and was looking forward to reading a story with a male ballet dancer as a lead character. So for instance, the male lead in Swan Lake is not a swan but Prince Siegfried (unless this is an all-male modern iteration of the ballet, which was not implied in the story). Also, at age 25, it is unlikely that Liam would have been a principal dancer for any great length of time. Ballet dancers start off in the corp de ballet, working their way up to various soloist positions before they finally hit the pinnacle of becoming principals. It was not particularly believable that Liam would quit so young unless forced to by a career-ending injury, nor that he would have amassed enough money to retire and start up a new business (especially with NYC being such an expensive city). These might be nitpicky small details, but they drew me out of the story at times.
Another niggle was with the extent of the homophobia portrayed in this modern-day story. I was willing to suspend my disbelief, but then did raise an eyebrow when one of the most toxically homophobic characters suddenly underwent a conversion at the end and became accepting/friendly towards Liam and Tate. It felt like this was done to secure the HEA at the end, but it was not that believable.
On the whole though, this was a good, page-turning romance, well worth a read.
October 11, 2024
This was a risky book for Ms. Atlas. I have mixed feelings on it because on one hand it was well-written, had the great big city person moving into the small town to meet small town person. We have an opposites attract as well. Liam's a professional dancer, and Tate's a contractor. The sexy scenes were awesome. The characters were well-developed. The plot moved along fantastic. There was so much to like.
However, as I'm reading it, there's this weird feeling like, "Is this book a love story with homophobic elements since it's a small town? Or is this a book about homophobia in a small town with a love story added?" Because the violence overshadows most of the book to the point where I was more worried about what was going to happen to our main characters than their actual love story.
If I went about writing this book, I would have stuck to the opposites attract, Tate's struggle with coming out, and the type of homophobia you expect in a small town like that: slurs, scuffles, and perhaps a boycott of Liam's business. The
But yeah, authors need to be careful. I'm glad she took the risk, but it didn't pan out quite so well as other issues she's tackled. Still, it's not a bad book. Just be aware of what you're getting yourself into. It's got one of those deceiving cartoon covers, so you think it's cutesy and that is the farthest thing from the truth.
However, as I'm reading it, there's this weird feeling like, "Is this book a love story with homophobic elements since it's a small town? Or is this a book about homophobia in a small town with a love story added?" Because the violence overshadows most of the book to the point where I was more worried about what was going to happen to our main characters than their actual love story.
If I went about writing this book, I would have stuck to the opposites attract, Tate's struggle with coming out, and the type of homophobia you expect in a small town like that: slurs, scuffles, and perhaps a boycott of Liam's business. The
But yeah, authors need to be careful. I'm glad she took the risk, but it didn't pan out quite so well as other issues she's tackled. Still, it's not a bad book. Just be aware of what you're getting yourself into. It's got one of those deceiving cartoon covers, so you think it's cutesy and that is the farthest thing from the truth.
January 3, 2025
Was generally an ok read. Homophobia is the main driver of conflict here, so read with caution or skip if that's upsetting.
Tate was a gay man living in an extremely homophobic environment and had to hide his sexuality to keep safe. Thankfully, he seems to have evaded getting outright homophobic tendencies himself (save from some internalized homophobia).
I expected him to wrestle more with it, but he seems to have essentially accepted his attraction to men (which made his weird struggle with saying it outloud to himself feel very weird). Actually, he didn't really have internalized homophobia in general. I mean, he was willing to kiss Liam (even after he had just come off a BJ), was willing to stick up for him, and go on a date w/o any sort of actual fight. His aversion to bottomong was an issue, but I feel lile this was more of a case of the author telling us he was homophobic, as opposed to actually being one. He was definitely scared of being found out a gay, but that was more because he feared for his safety rather than scared of being seen as inferior.
Liam was the paragon of patience in this story. The man was nearly beaten to death and chooses to go back willingly to try and start a freaking dance studio in a proven hostile town. Jesus. The two times he forgave Tate were unbelievable in my eyes and his declaration that he "liked Tate" was so unjustified. Instalove 100%.
The end where Ducky just burns down Liam's studio and Randy has a late aboutface was fine. Still wasn't a fan of Randy, but at least his redemption was given a little thought as opposed to just happening out of nowhere.
As expected, everyone else was either neutral or awful.
The sex was decently spicy and I always appreciate vers MCs.
TL;DR Homophobic town, neither MC actually homophobic though. Tate was fine, Liam was a saint. Story ok, romance was a little too focused on sex as opposed to emotions/getting to know each other. Ok overall.
Tate was a gay man living in an extremely homophobic environment and had to hide his sexuality to keep safe. Thankfully, he seems to have evaded getting outright homophobic tendencies himself (save from some internalized homophobia).
I expected him to wrestle more with it, but he seems to have essentially accepted his attraction to men (which made his weird struggle with saying it outloud to himself feel very weird). Actually, he didn't really have internalized homophobia in general. I mean, he was willing to kiss Liam (even after he had just come off a BJ), was willing to stick up for him, and go on a date w/o any sort of actual fight. His aversion to bottomong was an issue, but I feel lile this was more of a case of the author telling us he was homophobic, as opposed to actually being one. He was definitely scared of being found out a gay, but that was more because he feared for his safety rather than scared of being seen as inferior.
Liam was the paragon of patience in this story. The man was nearly beaten to death and chooses to go back willingly to try and start a freaking dance studio in a proven hostile town. Jesus. The two times he forgave Tate were unbelievable in my eyes and his declaration that he "liked Tate" was so unjustified. Instalove 100%.
The end where Ducky just burns down Liam's studio and Randy has a late aboutface was fine. Still wasn't a fan of Randy, but at least his redemption was given a little thought as opposed to just happening out of nowhere.
As expected, everyone else was either neutral or awful.
The sex was decently spicy and I always appreciate vers MCs.
TL;DR Homophobic town, neither MC actually homophobic though. Tate was fine, Liam was a saint. Story ok, romance was a little too focused on sex as opposed to emotions/getting to know each other. Ok overall.
July 16, 2024
4++ - "When we're together, like this, just the two of us, you're free.....Understand, Tate?"
10 years ago, a teen ballet dancer performed Swan Lake at the county fair in Swan, Ok....and this awakened feelings in the eyes of another teenager who watched him. The events that happened after would changed both of their lives.
Fast forward 10 years when Liam, a ballet dancer from NYC, decides to open a dance studio in Swan, OK in order to bring dance to all. Tate, a hometown tile worker who has never traveled outside of OK, comes to give an estimate for the renovation work for the studio....and they each realize that the hookup from a gay dance club in Tulsa is standing right there.
Liam and Tate start to get to know each other through the course of indulging in secret encounters, since Tate fears the reactions of his friends and family if he were to be outed. Liam becomes a safe space for Tate and emotions between them develop.
The road to their HEA is a rough one, especially given the homophobia and violence exhibited by Liam's family and friends. The way their love grows is beautiful & I may have shed a tear or two in certain heartfelt moments. in so many ways, Liam is the star of this story - he is such a beautiful soul! However, Tate undergoes quite a bit of growth and character development and this boy sure loves hard once he falls.
The Epilogue was sweet....but I wish it were both longer and touched on their future! Sigh...
What To Expect:
* ballet dancer MC + blue collar MC
* out & proud vs closeted
* hurt/comfort
* small town
* rampant homophobia inc. violence against MCs
I received an ARC of this book from GRR and this is my honest opinion.
10 years ago, a teen ballet dancer performed Swan Lake at the county fair in Swan, Ok....and this awakened feelings in the eyes of another teenager who watched him. The events that happened after would changed both of their lives.
Fast forward 10 years when Liam, a ballet dancer from NYC, decides to open a dance studio in Swan, OK in order to bring dance to all. Tate, a hometown tile worker who has never traveled outside of OK, comes to give an estimate for the renovation work for the studio....and they each realize that the hookup from a gay dance club in Tulsa is standing right there.
Liam and Tate start to get to know each other through the course of indulging in secret encounters, since Tate fears the reactions of his friends and family if he were to be outed. Liam becomes a safe space for Tate and emotions between them develop.
The road to their HEA is a rough one, especially given the homophobia and violence exhibited by Liam's family and friends. The way their love grows is beautiful & I may have shed a tear or two in certain heartfelt moments. in so many ways, Liam is the star of this story - he is such a beautiful soul! However, Tate undergoes quite a bit of growth and character development and this boy sure loves hard once he falls.
The Epilogue was sweet....but I wish it were both longer and touched on their future! Sigh...
What To Expect:
* ballet dancer MC + blue collar MC
* out & proud vs closeted
* hurt/comfort
* small town
* rampant homophobia inc. violence against MCs
I received an ARC of this book from GRR and this is my honest opinion.
July 5, 2024
This was such a great story. When a one night stand comes barreling through the door with his bigoted older brother that typically does not equal everlasting love. Tate is in the closet, he in so deep due to an incident from his youth that left him mentally scarred, not to mention his day to day with his family and coworkers. Liam is sunshine after a rainy day but he has one dark cloud that he overcame to become a brilliant ballet dancer. Tate and Liam meet in a club with the intention to explore each other but once things came up completion Tate rushed away as always. Soon even his job brings him through the doors of Liam's studio he's opening in small town Oklahoma. It's soon easy to see and feel the chemistry between the two men. After a handful of bumps in the road they develop an open friendship in the town but it's hard for both men to stop their heart from getting involved. Tate takes his first steps out of the closet and falls in love with this amazing man. As they develop in their love a discovery of a past connection threatens to tear them apart but it actually brings them closer together. But things are not just simply and peachy keen in Swan, OK, there is darkness lurking from family to a dangerous acquaintance. Can these men who just found one another build a love together or will the small town prove too much. Lilly does a great job weaving a week developed story with the perfect amount of heat. I wonder if we'll get a chance to learn more about Liam's new squad over in Culpepper. I'm excited to discover more by this author.
August 10, 2024
4 Stars
This wasn't an easy read at all, and if homophobia (internalized and the kind doled by some horrible characters) is a trigger for you, either skip this book or proceed with caution.
Liam and Tate meet in a very unconventional way in a small town in Oklahoma named Swan. Tate stumbles upon a ballet dance performance at the fair and when he sees Liam dance it's a revelation for Tate, one he isn't willing to share with his brother and their best friend for fear of how they'd react. Later that night, he comes to Liam's aid after some guys jump him and give him a beating. Years later, Liam returns to Swan determined to change the minds of the bigoted Swan citizens, but it won't be an easy task. However, meeting Tate again makes it better, even if Tate is closeted and not willing to come out.
I liked Liam and Tate, they were so sweet together, even if they had a lot of things against them. It wasn't easy for either of them, but even if there were a lot of angsty moments, they worked well together and had a lot of chemistry.
I wasn't sure what to make of Randy, Tate's brother, but he got better in the end, so there's that.
Overall, it was a well-written book, sweet and hot and angsty. I would've preferred not having homophobia play such a big part in the story, and perhaps getting to see more of Tate and Liam in the future. Even so, I have no trouble recommending the book, just be mindful of the triggers.
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure. A review wasn't a requirement. ***
This wasn't an easy read at all, and if homophobia (internalized and the kind doled by some horrible characters) is a trigger for you, either skip this book or proceed with caution.
Liam and Tate meet in a very unconventional way in a small town in Oklahoma named Swan. Tate stumbles upon a ballet dance performance at the fair and when he sees Liam dance it's a revelation for Tate, one he isn't willing to share with his brother and their best friend for fear of how they'd react. Later that night, he comes to Liam's aid after some guys jump him and give him a beating. Years later, Liam returns to Swan determined to change the minds of the bigoted Swan citizens, but it won't be an easy task. However, meeting Tate again makes it better, even if Tate is closeted and not willing to come out.
I liked Liam and Tate, they were so sweet together, even if they had a lot of things against them. It wasn't easy for either of them, but even if there were a lot of angsty moments, they worked well together and had a lot of chemistry.
I wasn't sure what to make of Randy, Tate's brother, but he got better in the end, so there's that.
Overall, it was a well-written book, sweet and hot and angsty. I would've preferred not having homophobia play such a big part in the story, and perhaps getting to see more of Tate and Liam in the future. Even so, I have no trouble recommending the book, just be mindful of the triggers.
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure. A review wasn't a requirement. ***
July 13, 2024
This was my first Lilly Atlas novel and I’m hopeful that she’ll be writing more MM stories in the future! This book handled some tough subjects but had a lot of tender sweet moments between the two MCs.
William (Liam) Brady is a ballet dancer who recently moved to Swan, Oklahoma to open a studio of his own in a place that holds a lot of meaning for him. He’s strong and determined and intent on creating a safe space for people in the small town to be themselves and learn to dance as well. Tate Sutton the sweetest man who is born and bred in Swan and has seen the effects of the town’s homophobia for his entire life, causing him to hide who he really is from everyone around him. But he’s drawn to Liam in a way he can’t explain, forcing him to consider what life could be like if he let people know who he is.
These two meet randomly at a club in Tulsa and find their paths crossing time and time again in Swan. The chemistry between them never fades but with Tate not being out, they have to keep their relationship under wraps. I liked the two of them together - Liam challenged Tate to be better in so many ways and Tate supported Liam every step of the way as he opened his business. I think they were a good match and were incredibly sweet together.
I enjoyed this book so much, but really wish there were a few more chapters to wrap things up - I wanted more of Tate and Liam figuring out how to be a public couple, Tate and Randy working things out, an update on what was happening in the interim with Liam’s dance classes…all of those things and probably more! Also I have to say that I thought Tate and Randy’s mother was an unnecessary addition to the story. Without her, very little would have changed except for one moment that could have happened some other way.
Overall, I’d definitely recommend this book. It’s heavy at times with the small town homophobia and even the internalized homophobia, but the moments between Tate and Liam made all of the heart ache worth it to see them happy together.
William (Liam) Brady is a ballet dancer who recently moved to Swan, Oklahoma to open a studio of his own in a place that holds a lot of meaning for him. He’s strong and determined and intent on creating a safe space for people in the small town to be themselves and learn to dance as well. Tate Sutton the sweetest man who is born and bred in Swan and has seen the effects of the town’s homophobia for his entire life, causing him to hide who he really is from everyone around him. But he’s drawn to Liam in a way he can’t explain, forcing him to consider what life could be like if he let people know who he is.
These two meet randomly at a club in Tulsa and find their paths crossing time and time again in Swan. The chemistry between them never fades but with Tate not being out, they have to keep their relationship under wraps. I liked the two of them together - Liam challenged Tate to be better in so many ways and Tate supported Liam every step of the way as he opened his business. I think they were a good match and were incredibly sweet together.
I enjoyed this book so much, but really wish there were a few more chapters to wrap things up - I wanted more of Tate and Liam figuring out how to be a public couple, Tate and Randy working things out, an update on what was happening in the interim with Liam’s dance classes…all of those things and probably more! Also I have to say that I thought Tate and Randy’s mother was an unnecessary addition to the story. Without her, very little would have changed except for one moment that could have happened some other way.
Overall, I’d definitely recommend this book. It’s heavy at times with the small town homophobia and even the internalized homophobia, but the moments between Tate and Liam made all of the heart ache worth it to see them happy together.
July 16, 2024
The Duality of Swans by Lilly Atlas is a compelling and emotionally charged story set in a small, homophobic town in Oklahoma. It follows the journey of Liam and Tate, each grappling with their own secrets and the challenges of their environment, as they navigate the complexities of love and identity.
The characters are incredibly relatable, each with their own heartfelt struggles and triumphs. The small-town setting adds a significant layer of tension and authenticity, highlighting the real-life obstacles faced by those in similar situations.
Lilly Atlas beautifully explores themes of identity love, and forgiveness, weaving them into the narrative. The characters' personal growth and the evolving dynamics of their relationship are portrayed with realism. The novel delves into the duality of their lives—their public personas versus their private truths—and the courage it takes to reconcile the two.
What sets this book apart is its ability to blend deep emotion with a touch of mystery, keeping readers engaged from start to finish. The struggles of living in a prejudiced environment, the fear of being true to oneself and the redemptive power of love are all explored with nuance and empathy.
If you enjoy character driven stories that resonate on an emotional level and include a hint of intrigue, The Duality of Swans is a must-read.
The characters are incredibly relatable, each with their own heartfelt struggles and triumphs. The small-town setting adds a significant layer of tension and authenticity, highlighting the real-life obstacles faced by those in similar situations.
Lilly Atlas beautifully explores themes of identity love, and forgiveness, weaving them into the narrative. The characters' personal growth and the evolving dynamics of their relationship are portrayed with realism. The novel delves into the duality of their lives—their public personas versus their private truths—and the courage it takes to reconcile the two.
What sets this book apart is its ability to blend deep emotion with a touch of mystery, keeping readers engaged from start to finish. The struggles of living in a prejudiced environment, the fear of being true to oneself and the redemptive power of love are all explored with nuance and empathy.
If you enjoy character driven stories that resonate on an emotional level and include a hint of intrigue, The Duality of Swans is a must-read.
July 15, 2024
4.5⭐️
This was a really strong couple. I loved how they kept getting put in each other’s path, from the carnival assault, to the club, to meeting at Liam’s new dance studio- it was a wonderful set up to a lovely romance. Liam returns to Swan about a decade after an attack that almost cost him his dance career, he’s determined to make something positive of the incident. His studio will offer other kids a safe place to learn to dance and be themselves. It’s very admirable, but I was definitely worried for Liam, as Swan doesn’t seem to have progressed much is the last decade. I really liked Tate as well, he is perfectly rough around the edges and closeted. I loved seeing the changes in Tate as he falls for Liam and starts to allow himself some hopes and dreams of his own. They build a connection that feels strong and enduring, and I was really hoping the town and Tate’s family/friends wouldn’t mess it up. I appreciated how the author treated the Randy character, Tate’s bigoted older brother was allowed to be more interesting and layered than is often the case. This was beautifully written, has excellent spice and genuine emotion, I really loved this couple.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
This was a really strong couple. I loved how they kept getting put in each other’s path, from the carnival assault, to the club, to meeting at Liam’s new dance studio- it was a wonderful set up to a lovely romance. Liam returns to Swan about a decade after an attack that almost cost him his dance career, he’s determined to make something positive of the incident. His studio will offer other kids a safe place to learn to dance and be themselves. It’s very admirable, but I was definitely worried for Liam, as Swan doesn’t seem to have progressed much is the last decade. I really liked Tate as well, he is perfectly rough around the edges and closeted. I loved seeing the changes in Tate as he falls for Liam and starts to allow himself some hopes and dreams of his own. They build a connection that feels strong and enduring, and I was really hoping the town and Tate’s family/friends wouldn’t mess it up. I appreciated how the author treated the Randy character, Tate’s bigoted older brother was allowed to be more interesting and layered than is often the case. This was beautifully written, has excellent spice and genuine emotion, I really loved this couple.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
August 17, 2024
Holy hell, was this one impactful. I'll admit, I was worried going into this book about how upfront the homophobia trigger warning was. Its inclusion was JUST enough to create great, heightened drama while staying authentic to the real world. For anyone wondering if this will be too intense for them, .
Tate and Liam were just magical together. From their first interactions, it was obvious where this was going. Loved how they would do anything to care for each other and keep each other safe. Even if some of those actions didn't have the desired effect, I loved how they saw each others' good intentions and worked to be better in the future.
The family stuff ended up being more important to me as time went on, which surprised me a fair bit. I really enjoyed how realistic the progression of Randy's thoughts were, once Tate came out.
All-in-all, this is a 9/10 recommendation. Despite some VERY dramatic happenings VERY late in the story, I consider this to be a feel-good story that deserves a coveted place on my consistent re-read shelf.
Tate and Liam were just magical together. From their first interactions, it was obvious where this was going. Loved how they would do anything to care for each other and keep each other safe. Even if some of those actions didn't have the desired effect, I loved how they saw each others' good intentions and worked to be better in the future.
The family stuff ended up being more important to me as time went on, which surprised me a fair bit. I really enjoyed how realistic the progression of Randy's thoughts were, once Tate came out.
All-in-all, this is a 9/10 recommendation. Despite some VERY dramatic happenings VERY late in the story, I consider this to be a feel-good story that deserves a coveted place on my consistent re-read shelf.
July 13, 2024
I loved this.
Liam and Tate are the sweetest (and horniest) couple ever and they shall forever live rent-free in my mind.
Liam is a professionally trained ballet dancer who gives up his life in New York to move to a small town in Oklahoma called Swan. Believing he has something to prove to himself and the town, he opens a dance studio there.
Tate lives in a trailer park in Swan with his brother and absent mother. Struggling with his sexuality, Tate hides his attraction to men remembering how a teenage dancer was viciously attacked at a carnival he attended when he was a teenager himself. Seeing firsthand how being gay can be dangerous, Tate plays the part of a hetero man.
Liam and Tate meet in a gay bar in the neighbouring city. The two are drawn together and it becomes impossible to not be in an open relationship. Secretly meeting up to protect Tate proves too difficult as Tate gets easily jealous and Liam doesn't want to take on a man with internal homophobia.
I appreciate people finding this trope one that is often used in LGBT+ romance, but I haven't read that many of them so I didn't find it too frustrating. I found it differed as Tate had to accept his internal homophobia and not just his family and community. I felt Atlas's book showed that it doesn't matter how bleak it may look, there will always be a community where you can feel safe.
I am totally going to read more from Atlas after this read.
Thanks GRR for the ARC for my honest review :)
Liam and Tate are the sweetest (and horniest) couple ever and they shall forever live rent-free in my mind.
Liam is a professionally trained ballet dancer who gives up his life in New York to move to a small town in Oklahoma called Swan. Believing he has something to prove to himself and the town, he opens a dance studio there.
Tate lives in a trailer park in Swan with his brother and absent mother. Struggling with his sexuality, Tate hides his attraction to men remembering how a teenage dancer was viciously attacked at a carnival he attended when he was a teenager himself. Seeing firsthand how being gay can be dangerous, Tate plays the part of a hetero man.
Liam and Tate meet in a gay bar in the neighbouring city. The two are drawn together and it becomes impossible to not be in an open relationship. Secretly meeting up to protect Tate proves too difficult as Tate gets easily jealous and Liam doesn't want to take on a man with internal homophobia.
I appreciate people finding this trope one that is often used in LGBT+ romance, but I haven't read that many of them so I didn't find it too frustrating. I found it differed as Tate had to accept his internal homophobia and not just his family and community. I felt Atlas's book showed that it doesn't matter how bleak it may look, there will always be a community where you can feel safe.
I am totally going to read more from Atlas after this read.
Thanks GRR for the ARC for my honest review :)
September 7, 2024
It’s was decent. The writing is good enough and the narrative is set up nicely. The family drama was nicely done (even if I feel like the brother went from total dipshit, to actual good guy way too quickly).
It just suffered from the classic “TMS Syndrome”, it stands for “too much sex”. I also hate when authors put the switching up scene right after a major milestone is reached, or the character had suddenly gotten over something big. Because no matter how many times the character actually states that he “isnt doing it to prove anything”, it always ends up feeling like he is doing it to prove something. Also scenes in the epilogue feel like such a waste. I wish authors would stop doing it.
Tate and Liam are both actually very hot. I feel like the author did a good job paining their picture.
It just suffered from the classic “TMS Syndrome”, it stands for “too much sex”. I also hate when authors put the switching up scene right after a major milestone is reached, or the character had suddenly gotten over something big. Because no matter how many times the character actually states that he “isnt doing it to prove anything”, it always ends up feeling like he is doing it to prove something. Also scenes in the epilogue feel like such a waste. I wish authors would stop doing it.
Tate and Liam are both actually very hot. I feel like the author did a good job paining their picture.
July 14, 2024
Humor near the beginning of a book, prologue aside, feels like a nice snuggling to me. I know I can settle in for an entertaining read. The Duality of Swans did exactly that. Humor (and snark) was infused throughout the book, which was a wonderful balance for some of the heavier moments.
The characters were well-written. I could feel Tate’s fear and nervousness. It was beautiful to see him step into his true reality. Liam was fabulous. I adore characters who are sassy and snarky, but who also possess steel and strength. These two were surrounded by some interesting secondary characters that enhanced the story. Some rotten and some sweet, but all necessary for the journey.
Liam and Tate share some poignant experiences. They captured my heart in sadness and in joy.
The characters were well-written. I could feel Tate’s fear and nervousness. It was beautiful to see him step into his true reality. Liam was fabulous. I adore characters who are sassy and snarky, but who also possess steel and strength. These two were surrounded by some interesting secondary characters that enhanced the story. Some rotten and some sweet, but all necessary for the journey.
Liam and Tate share some poignant experiences. They captured my heart in sadness and in joy.
July 16, 2024
This is my first book by this author and it was a good read, Liam is back in the small town were he suffered a terrible attack because he was different but he’s determined to change people’s mindsets, he meets Tate on his way there and they have one memorable night together. When Tate walks in as one of the construction workers the pull they felt that night is still strong but Tate’s family and the town as a whole are so bigoted that won’t try but gradually they become friends then more and they have to fight hard to get their Hea but they do eventually succeed and eventually even Tate’s brother Randy accepts them. Good read but does contain a lot of homophobia both externally and internally.
July 18, 2024
This was a hard one for me. I loved the storyline so much and the characters were fantastic but there was just something about the homophobia within a small town that hit a little too close to home for me right now. 🫠 The issues I had with this story were completely my own and had nothing to do with the writing or the story. Despite struggling to get into a book about others in small towns dealing with narrow minded citizens, I loved seeing the relationship grow between Liam and Tate so much. There were so many times when I wanted to give both of these characters a big hug! Once I got into the story, it was so great to see these two working toward a better future together and I loved getting to see a glimpse of that in the epilogue!
July 20, 2024
Liam and Tate ❤️
4.5 Stars ⭐️
Wow!! This was my first read from this author and it definitely will not be my last. I'm going to be vague story wise because IMO this is a must read. I'd like to start by saying that this story was tough to read in spots, there is hateful bigotry and situations that will cause several emotions to stir in the reader, some ugly. Both of these characters were so damn likable, you couldn't help but want to hug them. Their relationship build and love story as a whole was touching and really beautiful to read, again it wasn't an easy road but it was one hell of a hard and beautiful road to a HEA! I would 100% recommend this book.
* I received an ARC from GRR, this is my open and honest review *
4.5 Stars ⭐️
Wow!! This was my first read from this author and it definitely will not be my last. I'm going to be vague story wise because IMO this is a must read. I'd like to start by saying that this story was tough to read in spots, there is hateful bigotry and situations that will cause several emotions to stir in the reader, some ugly. Both of these characters were so damn likable, you couldn't help but want to hug them. Their relationship build and love story as a whole was touching and really beautiful to read, again it wasn't an easy road but it was one hell of a hard and beautiful road to a HEA! I would 100% recommend this book.
* I received an ARC from GRR, this is my open and honest review *
July 11, 2024
There are so many different emotions all packed into this sweet opposites attract read. I was pulled in by the cute cover and the promise of a city boy country boy type of romance and I was very pleased with Liam and Tate's story. Liam is a survivor, and he is determined to open up the minds of others to make even the smallest conservative town more welcoming for everyone. Tate was the one who really needed to make a change and overcome his fears of rejection from his family and friends. Tate was lonely and Liam filled so many voids in Tate's life. These two definitely had to overcome some very real-life odds against them. I think this made the love that grew all that more powerful.
July 20, 2024
This was a fantastic read. I thought the author did a wonderful job of showing truths the characters understood but also things both were naive about. Liam's determination to open the dance studio both to show the town he could stand up to it and to help those like him who needed to see role models and get a chance to be themselves was lovely but Tate while appreciating the nobility of that goal also knew exactly what the town was like and could impart some much needed reality checks. The hard road these two have to travel and the terrible things they have to deal with in Swan along with some pleasant surprises was a great balance of dark and light.
July 10, 2024
The Duality of Swans by Lilly Atlas is a powerful story set in a small, homophobic town in Oklahoma. It follows two men navigating love and secrets while dealing with the challenges of their environment.
The characters are relatable, and their journeys are heartfelt. The setting adds a layer of tension and authenticity, highlighting the struggles they face. The novel masterfully explores themes of identity, love, and forgiveness.
If you enjoy character-driven stories with deep emotion and a touch of mystery, The Duality of Swans is a must-read.
The characters are relatable, and their journeys are heartfelt. The setting adds a layer of tension and authenticity, highlighting the struggles they face. The novel masterfully explores themes of identity, love, and forgiveness.
If you enjoy character-driven stories with deep emotion and a touch of mystery, The Duality of Swans is a must-read.
July 11, 2024
This book was sweet and swoony, and it for sure tugged at my heartstrings. Liam moves to a small town to open his first dance studio, where he meets the gruff yet kind Tate, who has never been open about his sexuality. Their draw to one another is undeniable, and oh it has good spice! There is homophobia and hate among the town/side characters, just to note before heading in. Overall, I enjoyed the characters, their development, and the the story they told.
July 23, 2024
Small towns, small town minds and small town dynamics may sometimes be true but then sometimes change can happen. This book takes you on a journey of homophobia and of change. Terrific characters all make this story pop. An easy reading, sometimes gripping and sometimes emotional adventure about two hearts that belong together amid the chaos and prejudice that surrounds them. The HEA that brings the story to a close is touching and well deserved. I voluntarily reviewed an arc of this book.
July 26, 2024
so freaking unexpectedly good.
I was not prepared for this. Lots of spice and sometimes, for me, it can take away from the emotional aspects of the story. But man, that Adele song scene, *chef’s kiss* perfection.
It also highlighted how terrible it is in parts of the world, where things that happened in this story, I can imagine are very real and that’s just f***ing awful.
Liam and Tate were a couple I didn’t know I’d need.
I was not prepared for this. Lots of spice and sometimes, for me, it can take away from the emotional aspects of the story. But man, that Adele song scene, *chef’s kiss* perfection.
It also highlighted how terrible it is in parts of the world, where things that happened in this story, I can imagine are very real and that’s just f***ing awful.
Liam and Tate were a couple I didn’t know I’d need.
September 10, 2024
I wish the author would edit out about 80% of the occurrence of the word prostate. Also, the story would have been much more impactful with a lot less of the soft porn. There were a couple touching moments when I found myself nearly in tears only to be jolted from the moment by yet another blow-by-blow description of a sexual encounter with additional mentions of the prostate. Who is the intended audience?
July 14, 2024
Wow, what a great story! This one is not an easy read at all, it's pretty angsty! Great story with angst throughout. Be sure to read the trigger/content warnings! There are some great heart tugging moments too,. Overall a great story with engaging characters and a happy ending. I would love a part two! :) I read an advanced copy of this story and this is my unbiased review!
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