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Bears of Firefly Valley #1
One Reason to Stay
Welcome to Firefly Valley, where everybody knows your name and your business.
By business, I mean my lack of a boyfriend. Mom demands I get hitched so she can have grandchild. The cribbage crew want to be my wingmen and find me a proper gentleman. Everyone in this town has an opinion on my love life.
When a bear of a man moves to town, the rumor mill jumps into overdrive. Is he a bigwig chef? A single dad from the city? Whatever the reality, folks are plotting to introduce us. Little do they know, we’ve already met, and I’m not convinced he plays for my team. Still, a little flirting never hurt anyone, right?
Famous last words.
Life has gotten hectic. I’m stuck juggling a comic convention for Firefly and a man who gives me butterflies. It only gets more complicated when Simon’s past comes crashing down between us. What are the chances I emerge a hero and escape without a broken heart?
Who knew a small town could be this melodramatic? Me. I knew.
One Reason to Stay is a M/M, snarky romance with an HEA and no cliffhangers. It features the hilarity of small towns and plenty of steam, but not always in that order. This is book one in the Bears of Firefly Valley.
By business, I mean my lack of a boyfriend. Mom demands I get hitched so she can have grandchild. The cribbage crew want to be my wingmen and find me a proper gentleman. Everyone in this town has an opinion on my love life.
When a bear of a man moves to town, the rumor mill jumps into overdrive. Is he a bigwig chef? A single dad from the city? Whatever the reality, folks are plotting to introduce us. Little do they know, we’ve already met, and I’m not convinced he plays for my team. Still, a little flirting never hurt anyone, right?
Famous last words.
Life has gotten hectic. I’m stuck juggling a comic convention for Firefly and a man who gives me butterflies. It only gets more complicated when Simon’s past comes crashing down between us. What are the chances I emerge a hero and escape without a broken heart?
Who knew a small town could be this melodramatic? Me. I knew.
One Reason to Stay is a M/M, snarky romance with an HEA and no cliffhangers. It features the hilarity of small towns and plenty of steam, but not always in that order. This is book one in the Bears of Firefly Valley.
328 pages, Paperback
Published September 8, 2024
204 people are currently reading
2273 people want to read
About the author
Ryder O'Malley
97 books90 followersRyder acts as if he doesn’t watch sappy movies. He won’t admit to daydreaming about ex-boyfriends and asking “What if…” He’s a closet romantic who gets anxious about first dates. In a world filled with turmoil, he’s wants to drown in warm, fuzzy moments that make his heart swell. He loves bringing his chaotic dating life to the forefront. While he calls himself a romance writer, he likes to think of it as fanfic about his life. Someday… it’ll become a reality. Until then, he’ll invent dreamy men that make him tear up at their insistence that love always wins.
Ryder lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, living his happily ever-after. When he’s not writing, he can be found working on book covers (which means he’s admiring huskular bears with more than a little chest hair.)
Ryder lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, living his happily ever-after. When he’s not writing, he can be found working on book covers (which means he’s admiring huskular bears with more than a little chest hair.)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
September 30, 2024
Easy light small town rom com. At first it was cute and I loved the banter but then the MC proved to be incredibly insecure and needy and there was a tone of miscommunication and misunderstandings. The “chummy-cozying” with the other MC’s ex wife was also annoying,OTT and unrealistic. I mean the MC mentioned 100 times what a bombshell was the ex wife. It got exhausting pretty soon. Also, let’s be real, the ex wife could have very well rented something instead of living in her ex’s house. That was weird as hell.
Another irritating thing was their first out of the blue hookup a minute after they met , when they proceeded to have sex without a condom or without at least asking if the other person had a condom or if he was healthy. Not to mention that he assumed the other one was straight and married , with a kid and yet he didn’t care that he was sleeping with a married man.
I have to mention two positive things . The pretty good writing and that hilarious town and its fabulous ppl. The whole comic books theme and the folks in town were the best part of the book. Too bad that the MC was too self absorbed and deep in his pity party to appreciate it. All in all it was a fun fluffy read , it made me laugh at some parts despite the bland romance. Ah, and the title is totally misleading, this is NOT a “gay awakening” .
Another irritating thing was their first out of the blue hookup a minute after they met , when they proceeded to have sex without a condom or without at least asking if the other person had a condom or if he was healthy. Not to mention that he assumed the other one was straight and married , with a kid and yet he didn’t care that he was sleeping with a married man.
I have to mention two positive things . The pretty good writing and that hilarious town and its fabulous ppl. The whole comic books theme and the folks in town were the best part of the book. Too bad that the MC was too self absorbed and deep in his pity party to appreciate it. All in all it was a fun fluffy read , it made me laugh at some parts despite the bland romance. Ah, and the title is totally misleading, this is NOT a “gay awakening” .
September 13, 2024
The afterword got me right in my fucking feelings. Ouch, but also awwww. I just wanna hug the author. That’s still weird for me to say because I’m still not a touch person.
I will also never recover from the Rolodex of local asses comment. My soul left my body for a moment while I caught my breath. There were actually many times where I needed a break to recover from laughing. It was fantastic.
As for the rest of the story, I loved it. I am always going to be here for a good OV story. This one reminded me so much of listening to my friends talk about their relationships and dating lives. Aside from the clearly romanticized bits that border on implausible-to-impossible in all romance books, it was painfully and beautifully accurate to real life. The dialogue, the mechanics of spicy times… it was amazing. The characters were relatable and well developed, I loved Lucas being included instead of used as a plot device and abandoned when unnecessary, and the world that was built left me eager for the next installment so I could keep digging into it.
This is for sure what MM romance should be all the time. Especially the fact that there’s bearS. More than one. In the same pairing. Hella good stuff.
My only gripe would be that the ARC wasn’t a closer-to-final copy, and it got dicey here and there trying to work around the things that will be fixed in the final version. That’s not factoring into the rating, but I’m mentioning it because it just goes to show how much I loved the story. I loved it so much that I had to do some reaching to find anything amiss.
4.5/5. Were there things that didn’t work for me on a personal level? Yes. Of course there were things I wouldn’t vibe with, but that’s just me. And I know what goes on out in the world even if I’m a shut-in with no tangible friends outside of my bestie these days. Will I be recommending this book to all my friends that ask me for OV recs? Absolutely. This book reminded me of the Finn Dixon realness I can’t ever get enough of, and that’s the best kind.
**[I received an ARC from Gay Romance Reviews (GRR). All ratings, reviews, and opinions are my own.]**
I will also never recover from the Rolodex of local asses comment. My soul left my body for a moment while I caught my breath. There were actually many times where I needed a break to recover from laughing. It was fantastic.
As for the rest of the story, I loved it. I am always going to be here for a good OV story. This one reminded me so much of listening to my friends talk about their relationships and dating lives. Aside from the clearly romanticized bits that border on implausible-to-impossible in all romance books, it was painfully and beautifully accurate to real life. The dialogue, the mechanics of spicy times… it was amazing. The characters were relatable and well developed, I loved Lucas being included instead of used as a plot device and abandoned when unnecessary, and the world that was built left me eager for the next installment so I could keep digging into it.
This is for sure what MM romance should be all the time. Especially the fact that there’s bearS. More than one. In the same pairing. Hella good stuff.
My only gripe would be that the ARC wasn’t a closer-to-final copy, and it got dicey here and there trying to work around the things that will be fixed in the final version. That’s not factoring into the rating, but I’m mentioning it because it just goes to show how much I loved the story. I loved it so much that I had to do some reaching to find anything amiss.
4.5/5. Were there things that didn’t work for me on a personal level? Yes. Of course there were things I wouldn’t vibe with, but that’s just me. And I know what goes on out in the world even if I’m a shut-in with no tangible friends outside of my bestie these days. Will I be recommending this book to all my friends that ask me for OV recs? Absolutely. This book reminded me of the Finn Dixon realness I can’t ever get enough of, and that’s the best kind.
**[I received an ARC from Gay Romance Reviews (GRR). All ratings, reviews, and opinions are my own.]**
September 21, 2024
Small town romance between the nerdy comic store owner and the supposedly straight single dad chef Simon. Filled with cute dates, small town shenanigans, an ex-wife who couldn't be more perfect, an kid with a love of superheros, funny mums and best friends and pretty low on angst. And high on heat. Funny, sweet and cosy.
Beware: One pov only, for my 2 pov lovers
Beware: One pov only, for my 2 pov lovers
September 20, 2024
This is a very cute story that I really enjoyed. I love a small town romance and even better when it’s mixed with a single parent. This is small town living to a T, nosy neighbours, complete lack of privacy but everyone having your best interests at heart. Jason is at a crossroads of sorts, he’s not completely happy but does enjoy his life. He’s ready for something more he just isn’t sure what needs to change. Simon has been in a similar position he’s just made his move and is now trying to give his son the best life he can.
Sparks fly at their first meeting, it definitely goes off with a bang!💥 it’s interesting watching their developing friendship blossom into more. Lucas is just wonderful and I love how he interacts with Jason.
The story is packed full of meddling friends and family and I found it all quite amusing. It’s a really fun story and I look forward to reading more.
Sparks fly at their first meeting, it definitely goes off with a bang!💥 it’s interesting watching their developing friendship blossom into more. Lucas is just wonderful and I love how he interacts with Jason.
The story is packed full of meddling friends and family and I found it all quite amusing. It’s a really fun story and I look forward to reading more.
September 22, 2024
It was alright. I didn't love or hate this book. It was just ok. The couple and the townsfolk are fine.
Jason is a mess. I don't think I even like him. Just one conversation would have cleared up his supposed "problem/insecurity". His Mom was right. Normally I like books with 2 POVs but this book would have been even worse that way.
I received a free copy of this book by grr and am voluntarily leaving a review.
angst 1/5
heat 2/5
story 2/5
pov 1 MC
Jason is a mess. I don't think I even like him. Just one conversation would have cleared up his supposed "problem/insecurity". His Mom was right. Normally I like books with 2 POVs but this book would have been even worse that way.
I received a free copy of this book by grr and am voluntarily leaving a review.
angst 1/5
heat 2/5
story 2/5
pov 1 MC
September 23, 2024
I'm a fan of Ryder O'Malley's work and this book did not disappoint. As a geeky gay/bearish man myself, I greatly appreciate seeing myself represented in romance (spicy or no) novels.
One Reason to Stay is a departure from the Super Hero romance novels that first introduced me to the Ryder O'Malley's writing. What the story lacks in super heroic action, it makes up for in heart, humor, and spicy fun. To put it simply, I laughed, I cried, and I finished the book wanting more (in a good way)!
The main character Jason is very relatable in his insecurity and impostor syndrome for me. This is balanced out well with his other character traits. Those help to make the character endearing and help him avoid being one note and annoying (as some other insecure characters can, at times, be written as). I would have liked to see more of Simon, the MC's love interest, maybe a book from his POV would be a fun revisit to this couple in the future. Get more into his head and see how he navigates Firefly, his boyfriend, his son, and his ex.
The spicy bits. Fun, raunchy, and true to actual gay sex (albeit without the annoying prep work which honestly we don't need to read about). It wasn't every other chapter too...which happens a lot in some M/M romance novels. It was placed where it needed to be and well written.
Speaking of his ex.
The secondary and background characters are hilarious. I think this is the funniest book the author has written so far. Defiantly my kind of humor. The ever present theme of the small town rumor mill really plays will with the writers brand of funny.
The writing is strong and clean. There are a few places where a typo or edit was missed, but nothing annoying or unprofessional feeling. I will say, there are points in the dialogue where I have to reread to check who was speaking, but again...nothing annoying or unprofessional feeling. I've seen the same in other books I've read over the years. I think that's just a result of we all read things differently. I've read things that have been published that give me headaches and make me want to throw my e-reader across the room. This isn't one of those. I'm a fan of the authors writing, so that tells you how little this impacts the work overall for me.
10/10 Cant wait for more!!
One Reason to Stay is a departure from the Super Hero romance novels that first introduced me to the Ryder O'Malley's writing. What the story lacks in super heroic action, it makes up for in heart, humor, and spicy fun. To put it simply, I laughed, I cried, and I finished the book wanting more (in a good way)!
The main character Jason is very relatable in his insecurity and impostor syndrome for me. This is balanced out well with his other character traits. Those help to make the character endearing and help him avoid being one note and annoying (as some other insecure characters can, at times, be written as). I would have liked to see more of Simon, the MC's love interest, maybe a book from his POV would be a fun revisit to this couple in the future. Get more into his head and see how he navigates Firefly, his boyfriend, his son, and his ex.
The spicy bits. Fun, raunchy, and true to actual gay sex (albeit without the annoying prep work which honestly we don't need to read about). It wasn't every other chapter too...which happens a lot in some M/M romance novels. It was placed where it needed to be and well written.
Speaking of his ex.
The secondary and background characters are hilarious. I think this is the funniest book the author has written so far. Defiantly my kind of humor. The ever present theme of the small town rumor mill really plays will with the writers brand of funny.
The writing is strong and clean. There are a few places where a typo or edit was missed, but nothing annoying or unprofessional feeling. I will say, there are points in the dialogue where I have to reread to check who was speaking, but again...nothing annoying or unprofessional feeling. I've seen the same in other books I've read over the years. I think that's just a result of we all read things differently. I've read things that have been published that give me headaches and make me want to throw my e-reader across the room. This isn't one of those. I'm a fan of the authors writing, so that tells you how little this impacts the work overall for me.
10/10 Cant wait for more!!
September 22, 2024
This was an absolutely perfect small town, found family, sweet and sexy story with a great balance of geekery. Ryder O'Malley is basically an auto-buy author for me by now. The stories are just excellent and the characters are wonderful.
September 22, 2024
Everyone in town is discussing his lack of a boyfriend, they all want to help. Then a new man comes to move in with a child and everyone wants to set him up. Will it go well? Will it end in disaster? How will they get on? See how it will all go
September 20, 2024
4.25 stars. The most beautifully realistic MCs that I've read in some time. The whole story felt like you could visit and find the people just as they are written. Having two delightful somewhat older bears was particularly appealing. I am however scared of the people in this town, the amount of detail that all of them know about each other is really appalling to a hermit like myself.
September 21, 2024
- small town
- single dad
- older MCs
This is the start of a new series, set in a small town where Jason is attempting to hold the first comic-con, while navigating a new relationship with Simon, a single dad who's just moved to town with his son. I will admit to struggling a little at the start of the story, especially after their first meeting, although it was hot hooking up like that, it just felt ... odd. And then for Jason to continually wonder if Simon was actually gay when the guy was asking him out and them being together, got a little wearing too.
I liked both guys for the most part though, I loved how Jason loved his hometown and wanted to make a go of the convention and his business, and I loved how he rallied the whole town round and got everyone involved. Not that big of a fan of how easily he gave up, though. Both with Simon and with the con when it hit a bump in the road. I did love the town rallying round to support him, and I liked Lucy, the ex-wife too. There was a lovely family dinner at the conclusion too, tying everything together. On the whole I enjoyed this and do look forward to more.
I received an ARC and this is my honest review.
- single dad
- older MCs
This is the start of a new series, set in a small town where Jason is attempting to hold the first comic-con, while navigating a new relationship with Simon, a single dad who's just moved to town with his son. I will admit to struggling a little at the start of the story, especially after their first meeting, although it was hot hooking up like that, it just felt ... odd. And then for Jason to continually wonder if Simon was actually gay when the guy was asking him out and them being together, got a little wearing too.
I liked both guys for the most part though, I loved how Jason loved his hometown and wanted to make a go of the convention and his business, and I loved how he rallied the whole town round and got everyone involved. Not that big of a fan of how easily he gave up, though. Both with Simon and with the con when it hit a bump in the road. I did love the town rallying round to support him, and I liked Lucy, the ex-wife too. There was a lovely family dinner at the conclusion too, tying everything together. On the whole I enjoyed this and do look forward to more.
I received an ARC and this is my honest review.
September 12, 2024
This was a really cozy, low-angst read. Perfect for a cool fall day. I've been reading a lot of books set in small towns and it's really making me contemplate selling my big-city condo and moving to the country. But in practice, I think having this many people all up in your business all the time would probably get real old, real quick! LOL. I really liked how welcoming and accommodating Lucy is in this when she comes back into town. I like seeing stories of people forming healthy, functional coparenting situations like this rather than adversarial, drama-filled ones.
Also, I know this is a very tiny little scene, but at one point Jason ruffles Lucas' hair and he darts away and corrects him, saying "No touching. Dad says you have to ask. I have to give permission." I just love seeing these kind of healthy boundaries and respect for children's bodily autonomy becoming normalized. I don't have children of my own, but I try to remain mindful of stuff like this when I'm interacting with my friends' kids, and it was awesome to see that scene and also the fact that it was a main character that made the mistake and then promptly apologized for crossing Lucas' boundary was great because it shows that even people with good intentions can still learn.
***
I was provided with an ARC from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review.
Also, I know this is a very tiny little scene, but at one point Jason ruffles Lucas' hair and he darts away and corrects him, saying "No touching. Dad says you have to ask. I have to give permission." I just love seeing these kind of healthy boundaries and respect for children's bodily autonomy becoming normalized. I don't have children of my own, but I try to remain mindful of stuff like this when I'm interacting with my friends' kids, and it was awesome to see that scene and also the fact that it was a main character that made the mistake and then promptly apologized for crossing Lucas' boundary was great because it shows that even people with good intentions can still learn.
***
I was provided with an ARC from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review.
December 29, 2025
I liked the small town vibes, the cute cooking scenes and the friendships. The romance part started out rather abruptly and while it was mostly cute, I feel the conflict was a bit forced and could have been solved with a five minute conversation. The fact it wasn't I think is down to the main character being all sorts of wishy washy.
September 7, 2024
This was such a good story. Jason loves his small town but he feels like he needs more. Simon just moved to town with his son Lucas and is looking to settle down and be a dad. These two are looking for answers and happen to find the one thing that compliments them perfectly. This is a sweet and a little spicy romance between two adorable bears who just happen to be perfect for each other. This one left me feeling good after reading it.
December 29, 2025
This was a Stuff Your Kindle Day grab that I was excited about because we can always use more bear rep and body positivity in general, and in that narrow scope, I loved this book for that. Another highlight was Simon's kid, it's super hit or miss whether I'll like the kids that come into a single dad storyline, and Luca was adorable. With that said, there were way more misses than hits here.
First and foremost, the book says it's a gay awakening book. Who was awakened??? Was it the man who, upon meeting someone for the first time, immediately and wordlessly took him to the back room to hook up bareback?? Was it the man whose ex-wife openly knows about the entire man he dated before meeting her that she referred to as his boyfriend?? Like this entire element of the story read like some biphobic nonsense of Jason seeing that Simon has previously been in love with a woman and therefore could not possibly be interested in anything serious with a man. Also while we're on that immediate and wordless bareback hookup (that also didn't use lube or anything of that nature), that probably needed to be a conversation about health statuses first, my god.
And then we're back to the ex-wife, who shows up and right away starts talking like she's trying to get Simon back, which only feeds into Jason's insecurities. Like to be fair, Jason would've thought himself into a problem without her help, but still, she was a menace from the first second she got to town. Only for her to turn around a few chapters later, declare the whole thing and oopsie-doodle, and suddenly be the biggest champion for the relationship? Please pick a side...
I don't think I'm going to continue this series, the writing was very surface level for me, and also the series having a naming convention of "...To Stay" for the books sounds like at least one of the characters in each book is gonna be pulling the whole "but I can't stay in this town" forever storyline, and that's sometimes fun once, but not for a whole series.
First and foremost, the book says it's a gay awakening book. Who was awakened??? Was it the man who, upon meeting someone for the first time, immediately and wordlessly took him to the back room to hook up bareback?? Was it the man whose ex-wife openly knows about the entire man he dated before meeting her that she referred to as his boyfriend?? Like this entire element of the story read like some biphobic nonsense of Jason seeing that Simon has previously been in love with a woman and therefore could not possibly be interested in anything serious with a man. Also while we're on that immediate and wordless bareback hookup (that also didn't use lube or anything of that nature), that probably needed to be a conversation about health statuses first, my god.
And then we're back to the ex-wife, who shows up and right away starts talking like she's trying to get Simon back, which only feeds into Jason's insecurities. Like to be fair, Jason would've thought himself into a problem without her help, but still, she was a menace from the first second she got to town. Only for her to turn around a few chapters later, declare the whole thing and oopsie-doodle, and suddenly be the biggest champion for the relationship? Please pick a side...
I don't think I'm going to continue this series, the writing was very surface level for me, and also the series having a naming convention of "...To Stay" for the books sounds like at least one of the characters in each book is gonna be pulling the whole "but I can't stay in this town" forever storyline, and that's sometimes fun once, but not for a whole series.
October 9, 2024
A Joyfully Jay review.
4 stars
Ryder O’Malley is a new-to-me author, but I’m a sucker for small town romances and this one piqued my interest. It’s the first book in the new Bears of Firefly Valley series. This book has all the classic small town moments, with silliness and nosey, but well meaning, neighbors. I really enjoyed the world that O’Malley created in this quaint little town and the people that inhabit it. I also want to give the author a bit of extra praise for not making the ex-wife evil or mean.
The story is told in first-person POV through Jason’s eyes, and it is his journey. He’s a sweet, lovable guy who loves his small town and wants to do great things.
Read Kris’ review in its entirety here.
4 stars
Ryder O’Malley is a new-to-me author, but I’m a sucker for small town romances and this one piqued my interest. It’s the first book in the new Bears of Firefly Valley series. This book has all the classic small town moments, with silliness and nosey, but well meaning, neighbors. I really enjoyed the world that O’Malley created in this quaint little town and the people that inhabit it. I also want to give the author a bit of extra praise for not making the ex-wife evil or mean.
The story is told in first-person POV through Jason’s eyes, and it is his journey. He’s a sweet, lovable guy who loves his small town and wants to do great things.
Read Kris’ review in its entirety here.
September 22, 2024
This was such a good read. There’s a down to earth realness to it that you don’t see enough of. I especially liked how Jason truly feels about Firefly. I would love a town like that. I can’t wait to get more from the town and see all of the people again.
September 12, 2024
As much as Jason loves his hometown of Firefly, ME, he wonders if he needs a large city to find what he craves. His mother is here along with his best friends Amanda and Jon and an entire town that's all way into his business. That's small town living in a nutshell. Jason is planning the first annual Firefly Comicon and trying to figure out his life when a hot bear moves to town. Maybe he's found one reason to stay.
March 15, 2025
Got to 50% then started skimming. Story was generally fine, if a little fluffy. Characters were alright and distinct enough to keep separate in my head.
Didn't understand the author's insistence that Simon was straight considering he literally hooked up with Jason (no lube or condom either!!!) then asked him out on the next meeting. Like the dude was obviously confident in his sexuality, so having him say later that he was maybe bi was super jarring considering he'd already expressed a very clear attraction to Jason (without any hesitance or confusion)
The idea theat "Simon is a straight guy" sort of sticks around and annoyed the hell out of me, like when Jason lamenting Simon apparently choosing Lucy over him at a bar, he tells the bartender that he'd already had enough straight guys in his life. Again, Simon was very definitely not straight.
I didn’t get the third act breakup thing. Jason and Simon had agreed that Simon would talk to Lucy about their relationship. Jason meets Lucy in his store and she says something about trying to make it work with Simon and that depresses Jason because he thinks that meant that Simon was choosing her? But he never got confirmation directly from Simon? He just assumes, gets sad, and drunk then unloads his spiel at Simon who just sits there and takes it? Why not say something about how he obviously talked to Lucy or was planning on doing it? He knows that Jason is upset about the situation, but he keeps quiet for seemingly no reason other than melodrama. Then time passes and they still don't clear the air for some reason. I don't think the usual "giving him space" could be justified in this situation because it was precisely the lack of information that was causing it. If Simon or Jason had just taken a minute to talk about what was Simon's intentions were with Lucy, then Jason would know definitively if either Simon chose Lucy or he chose him. Sadness if the former and happiness if the latter. Done, and no annoying melodrama.
The fact that it was Lucy who came out and cleared the air just annoyed me even more because it showed that Simon and Lucy already had the stupid conversation but still decided to not tell Jason about it for some reason.
Simon's excuse about not realizing how much his ex-wife was going to affect us" and "forgetting to be a good boyfriend" did not justify anything because how the hell did he not know that Lucy was affecting Jason when they talked about it, the town probably hinted at it, and Jason literally lashed out at him for it. "Forgetting how to be a good boyfriend" also wasn't a satisfying reason considering how obvious the problem and solution was.
TL;DR: Story was fine but a bit too fluffy imo. Conflict in the romance could've 100% been avoided if the MCs just had a conversation though and that's primarily why this gets 2 stars for me.
Didn't understand the author's insistence that Simon was straight considering he literally hooked up with Jason (no lube or condom either!!!) then asked him out on the next meeting. Like the dude was obviously confident in his sexuality, so having him say later that he was maybe bi was super jarring considering he'd already expressed a very clear attraction to Jason (without any hesitance or confusion)
The idea theat "Simon is a straight guy" sort of sticks around and annoyed the hell out of me, like when Jason lamenting Simon apparently choosing Lucy over him at a bar, he tells the bartender that he'd already had enough straight guys in his life. Again, Simon was very definitely not straight.
I didn’t get the third act breakup thing. Jason and Simon had agreed that Simon would talk to Lucy about their relationship. Jason meets Lucy in his store and she says something about trying to make it work with Simon and that depresses Jason because he thinks that meant that Simon was choosing her? But he never got confirmation directly from Simon? He just assumes, gets sad, and drunk then unloads his spiel at Simon who just sits there and takes it? Why not say something about how he obviously talked to Lucy or was planning on doing it? He knows that Jason is upset about the situation, but he keeps quiet for seemingly no reason other than melodrama. Then time passes and they still don't clear the air for some reason. I don't think the usual "giving him space" could be justified in this situation because it was precisely the lack of information that was causing it. If Simon or Jason had just taken a minute to talk about what was Simon's intentions were with Lucy, then Jason would know definitively if either Simon chose Lucy or he chose him. Sadness if the former and happiness if the latter. Done, and no annoying melodrama.
The fact that it was Lucy who came out and cleared the air just annoyed me even more because it showed that Simon and Lucy already had the stupid conversation but still decided to not tell Jason about it for some reason.
Simon's excuse about not realizing how much his ex-wife was going to affect us" and "forgetting to be a good boyfriend" did not justify anything because how the hell did he not know that Lucy was affecting Jason when they talked about it, the town probably hinted at it, and Jason literally lashed out at him for it. "Forgetting how to be a good boyfriend" also wasn't a satisfying reason considering how obvious the problem and solution was.
TL;DR: Story was fine but a bit too fluffy imo. Conflict in the romance could've 100% been avoided if the MCs just had a conversation though and that's primarily why this gets 2 stars for me.
February 13, 2025
This is the first book in a new series set in the small town of Firefly and we get a great low angst story with a small town setting filled with plenty of interfering townsfolk, meddling family and great MCs and side characters. Jason and Simon have great chemistry so great steamy times but also there is also plenty of fun and sweetness as well. Good start and I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.
December 29, 2024
Things that were NOT in the book and seriously?
Safe sex talk
Condoms
Prep
Lube
Things that were in the book and seriously?
Monster cock, ( see above )
The cutest, sweetest, most OTT and unrealistic relationship with the ex wife who looks like a supermodel but is a superhero for working in hospitals in third world countries. Which yes, absolutely, except she left her young son who just got a medical diagnosis and needed her. So yeah.
Safe sex talk
Condoms
Prep
Lube
Things that were in the book and seriously?
Monster cock, ( see above )
The cutest, sweetest, most OTT and unrealistic relationship with the ex wife who looks like a supermodel but is a superhero for working in hospitals in third world countries. Which yes, absolutely, except she left her young son who just got a medical diagnosis and needed her. So yeah.
April 28, 2025
1.5 rounded. I... Look I picked up this book because I was so intrigued by it. And if taken very lightly and unseriously, some could find this one quite enjoyable. Jason really wasn't a very confident person, and sometimes it was frustrating how easily he would give up on himself. But in some ways I didn't hold that against the book at least at the start, just because it's okay (even preferable) to have flawed characters. I did wish we'd seen his confidence growing by the end with Simon but even more with the comic con where he shouldn't have given up on it, especially cause the solution was painfully obvious from the start. And I didn't like how they didn't have any discussion about safety regarding condoms but both just went with it, right from the start after talking for only 2 minutes and then throughout the entire book. I mean if one were to take off the "this is a romance story" glasses, that was really not cool. It'd be sexual assault in the real world.
But all that was fine and could've been ignored as just a part of the story. However. The worst inexcusable offence in my eyes is how this book seemed to suffer of the silent biphobia phenomenon. The book seemed fine with bi people, so long as it wasn't one of the MCs. Like Simon had unprotected sex and rimmed Jason and still Jason was like "is he straight? is he questioning?". He spent so long asking that over and over without even once acknowledging that Simon might be bi, and this is even after he found out about Simon's boyfriend (friends with benefits?) from college. I hate this type of silent bi-erasure. I appreciate that this is very much an own-voices book and I really sympathize with the author's mental health struggles and with his quest to find the love of his life. But all that doesn't excuse this perceived biphobia in the book. The problem too is that anytime I feel like a book is depicting signs of silent biphobia and bi-erasure, I keep questioning if I'm wrong. I don't want to be too reactionary or be reading the situation the wrong way. But I don't think I'm wrong cause the signs were obviously there and I felt what I felt and I did not appreciate this attitude in the book.
But all that was fine and could've been ignored as just a part of the story. However. The worst inexcusable offence in my eyes is how this book seemed to suffer of the silent biphobia phenomenon. The book seemed fine with bi people, so long as it wasn't one of the MCs. Like Simon had unprotected sex and rimmed Jason and still Jason was like "is he straight? is he questioning?". He spent so long asking that over and over without even once acknowledging that Simon might be bi, and this is even after he found out about Simon's boyfriend (friends with benefits?) from college. I hate this type of silent bi-erasure. I appreciate that this is very much an own-voices book and I really sympathize with the author's mental health struggles and with his quest to find the love of his life. But all that doesn't excuse this perceived biphobia in the book. The problem too is that anytime I feel like a book is depicting signs of silent biphobia and bi-erasure, I keep questioning if I'm wrong. I don't want to be too reactionary or be reading the situation the wrong way. But I don't think I'm wrong cause the signs were obviously there and I felt what I felt and I did not appreciate this attitude in the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 12, 2025
Jason Cowan has a lot going on. He's a comic book store owner in his small town of Firefly Valley, Maine, which is located in the boonies. With the help of his best friends, he's planning Firefly Valley's first comic con, a gathering for geeks and fans to congregate. As a mid-30s out and gay man in a small town, he doesn't have a lot of dating options, but that doesn't stop his mother from setting him up on blind dates in her desire for grandchildren. And in Firefly Valley, everyone knows everyone else's business, so everyone in town is full of well-meaning and good intentions to be so helpful in his love life, or lack thereof.
Then one day a stranger walks into the shop. Simon, the hottest daddy bear Jason has ever seen, EVER, throws himself at Jason's mercy. It seems his 8 year old son needs age-appropriate reading material that will foster his interest in reading. Both are definitely interested... and wind up fucking in the back of Jason's store.
Turns out Simon just moved to town, and is the chef/owner of the new bistro cafe down the street. And Jason keeps running into Simon, so he volunteers to help introduce Simon to the town, show him around, and the two men keep having sex. Because Jason is catching feelings for the older man. But the stress of the comic con and then Simon's ex-wife suddenly shows up in town (which threatens Jason's feelings for Simon), and the pressure leads to a third act meltdown.
I liked parts of this. It was predictable, as insta-love stories can only be. There was a large supporting cast of quirky townspeople. The sex scenes were... there, I guess. They did nothing for me. I did question the opening sex act, they have sex without condoms or discussion of protection, which becomes problematic when Simon reveals he's only had sex with a boyfriend in college and his ex-wife. I also felt like as lead characters, both Jason and Simon are caricatures, and never really get developed more fully.
2.5 stars, begrudging rounding to 3 stars.
Then one day a stranger walks into the shop. Simon, the hottest daddy bear Jason has ever seen, EVER, throws himself at Jason's mercy. It seems his 8 year old son needs age-appropriate reading material that will foster his interest in reading. Both are definitely interested... and wind up fucking in the back of Jason's store.
Turns out Simon just moved to town, and is the chef/owner of the new bistro cafe down the street. And Jason keeps running into Simon, so he volunteers to help introduce Simon to the town, show him around, and the two men keep having sex. Because Jason is catching feelings for the older man. But the stress of the comic con and then Simon's ex-wife suddenly shows up in town (which threatens Jason's feelings for Simon), and the pressure leads to a third act meltdown.
I liked parts of this. It was predictable, as insta-love stories can only be. There was a large supporting cast of quirky townspeople. The sex scenes were... there, I guess. They did nothing for me. I did question the opening sex act, they have sex without condoms or discussion of protection, which becomes problematic when Simon reveals he's only had sex with a boyfriend in college and his ex-wife. I also felt like as lead characters, both Jason and Simon are caricatures, and never really get developed more fully.
2.5 stars, begrudging rounding to 3 stars.
September 15, 2024
⭐ 3.5
Oh este fue uno lindo, un poco rápido pero lindo. Los personajes se gustaron desde el primer momento (literal y figurativamente), el pueblo es de lo mas metiche pero a la vez de lo mas encantador (cosa que amo de un buen romance de pueblo pequeño), la historia es sencilla pero llena de muchos lindos sentimientos, Jason y Simon fueron dos osos encantadores (que así mismo lo dice el libro JAJAJA y digamos que esa parte me gusto), todo lo relacionado con los comics y el pueblo uniéndose completamente... es que me gusto, aunque si, hay un pequeño drama que me dejo un poco fuera de base pero de resto es todo lo cozy que puede ser un libro de este tipo.
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📌 I received an e-copy of this book, and this is my honest opinion/review of it.
Oh this was a nice one, a bit fast but nice. The characters liked each other from the first moment (literally and figuratively), the town is very nosy but at the same time very charming (something I love about a good small town romance), the story is simple but full of many cute feelings, Jason and Simon were two charming bears (which is what the book says JAJAJA and let's just say that I liked that part), everything related to the comics and the town coming together completely... I liked it, although yes, there is a little drama that left me a little off base but otherwise it is as cozy as a book of this type can be.
Oh este fue uno lindo, un poco rápido pero lindo. Los personajes se gustaron desde el primer momento (literal y figurativamente), el pueblo es de lo mas metiche pero a la vez de lo mas encantador (cosa que amo de un buen romance de pueblo pequeño), la historia es sencilla pero llena de muchos lindos sentimientos, Jason y Simon fueron dos osos encantadores (que así mismo lo dice el libro JAJAJA y digamos que esa parte me gusto), todo lo relacionado con los comics y el pueblo uniéndose completamente... es que me gusto, aunque si, hay un pequeño drama que me dejo un poco fuera de base pero de resto es todo lo cozy que puede ser un libro de este tipo.
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📌 I received an e-copy of this book, and this is my honest opinion/review of it.
Oh this was a nice one, a bit fast but nice. The characters liked each other from the first moment (literally and figuratively), the town is very nosy but at the same time very charming (something I love about a good small town romance), the story is simple but full of many cute feelings, Jason and Simon were two charming bears (which is what the book says JAJAJA and let's just say that I liked that part), everything related to the comics and the town coming together completely... I liked it, although yes, there is a little drama that left me a little off base but otherwise it is as cozy as a book of this type can be.
September 21, 2024
One Reason to Stay by Ryder O’Malley
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
First of all let's take a minute of silence to admire this beautiful illustrated cover. It’s so pretty, second WOW Ryder this was such an amazing read!!! One Reason to Stay was such a cute and refreshing story to read, plus who doesn't like small town romance. One Reason to Stay tells the story of Jason, he runs Legends Comics. Then we meet Simon, a chef, who has an 8 year old son Lucas. Through the story we see how this small town comes together showing their support in the form of friendship. There is zero privacy, and the neighbors are nosy but they have the best intentions in the world. The chemistry and instant sparks between Simon and Jason, after meeting for the first time were just everything. Ryder did an amazon job of developing a plot full of love for friends, family, and lovers. This was such an enjoyable read, especially seeing the transition between a friendship to more. Definitely a must read story,
Expect:
🍁 Small Town in Northern Maine
🦸 Geeky Main Character
👨🍳Single Dad Love Interest
🧸 Curvy Dad Bods
👨❤️💋👨 Steamy M/M Action
❤️🩹 Gay (re)Awakening
🎉 Strong Themes of Community & Found Family
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
First of all let's take a minute of silence to admire this beautiful illustrated cover. It’s so pretty, second WOW Ryder this was such an amazing read!!! One Reason to Stay was such a cute and refreshing story to read, plus who doesn't like small town romance. One Reason to Stay tells the story of Jason, he runs Legends Comics. Then we meet Simon, a chef, who has an 8 year old son Lucas. Through the story we see how this small town comes together showing their support in the form of friendship. There is zero privacy, and the neighbors are nosy but they have the best intentions in the world. The chemistry and instant sparks between Simon and Jason, after meeting for the first time were just everything. Ryder did an amazon job of developing a plot full of love for friends, family, and lovers. This was such an enjoyable read, especially seeing the transition between a friendship to more. Definitely a must read story,
Expect:
🍁 Small Town in Northern Maine
🦸 Geeky Main Character
👨🍳Single Dad Love Interest
🧸 Curvy Dad Bods
👨❤️💋👨 Steamy M/M Action
❤️🩹 Gay (re)Awakening
🎉 Strong Themes of Community & Found Family
September 22, 2024
Tis the season for cozy small town romance vibes, and this book delivers perfectly!
Jason loves his small hometown in northern Maine, even if it does make having a profitable comic book store a bit difficult. His solution: create a local comic con! His love life in a small town is somehow even more difficult than keeping his business in the black, but when a single dad comes in to buy some comics for his son, things may be looking up there too...assuming the guy isn't straight and is totally over his ex-wife.
Simon and Jason were adorable. I liked that no part of the conflict was about Simon being worried about being seen in public with Jason and perceived as not-straight. I also liked that we saw them doing things together and connecting beyond sexy times as well.
I think the biggest issue with the book I had was the conflict overall. Jason may have jumped to conclusions a little bit, but Simon didn't really do anything to correct that and just kind of disappeared on Jason. I also didn't think Jason would have seriously been so ready to give up on Firefly Falls given how hard he'd worked to make it work there in the first place.
Overall I'd give this a 3.5, I'll round it up because I did have fun with the book overall despite the few nits I did have to pick with it.
Jason loves his small hometown in northern Maine, even if it does make having a profitable comic book store a bit difficult. His solution: create a local comic con! His love life in a small town is somehow even more difficult than keeping his business in the black, but when a single dad comes in to buy some comics for his son, things may be looking up there too...assuming the guy isn't straight and is totally over his ex-wife.
Simon and Jason were adorable. I liked that no part of the conflict was about Simon being worried about being seen in public with Jason and perceived as not-straight. I also liked that we saw them doing things together and connecting beyond sexy times as well.
I think the biggest issue with the book I had was the conflict overall. Jason may have jumped to conclusions a little bit, but Simon didn't really do anything to correct that and just kind of disappeared on Jason. I also didn't think Jason would have seriously been so ready to give up on Firefly Falls given how hard he'd worked to make it work there in the first place.
Overall I'd give this a 3.5, I'll round it up because I did have fun with the book overall despite the few nits I did have to pick with it.
September 23, 2024
There’s something I really enjoy about small town stories and seeing their dynamics and how the main characters function within the town. This was one of those stories where it felt like the town itself was its own character in the book and I loved that aspect of it. They are meddlesome and nosey but they ultimately came together for Jason at the end of the story and seeing that support for him and his vision was wonderful.
The story is told through the 1st POV of Jason and although I would have been interested in Simon’s POV for certain reasons, this really felt like Jason’s story, From his thoughts on living in a small town and dreams of the big city to realizing what he truly means to some people in this town.
The found family ending with everyone coming together has me smiling and a little emotional and was a great way to wrap up this story. This was my first time reading this author and I’m definitely looking forward to more from this series. And hopefully more illustrated covers as I love the artwork for this one. I read a complimentary copy and this is my honest and fair review.
The story is told through the 1st POV of Jason and although I would have been interested in Simon’s POV for certain reasons, this really felt like Jason’s story, From his thoughts on living in a small town and dreams of the big city to realizing what he truly means to some people in this town.
The found family ending with everyone coming together has me smiling and a little emotional and was a great way to wrap up this story. This was my first time reading this author and I’m definitely looking forward to more from this series. And hopefully more illustrated covers as I love the artwork for this one. I read a complimentary copy and this is my honest and fair review.
September 29, 2024
This was a light and easy small town romance with two chubby leads, Jason, a nerdy comic book store owner and Simon, a newly single dad, chef and restaurant owner. Both main characters were lovable and their chemistry made the relationship believable. I really liked the representation of the leads' body types. It was mentioned periodically throughout the story that they were both on the heavier side but it didn’t feel fetishized. The side characters and the comic con plot were what really made this story for me. The town’s people were so funny and supportive of Jason with both his new relationship and with the comic con. A couple of things kept it from being five stars for me. The main reason was the use of the miscommunication/lack of communication trope. Lack of communication should not be an issue when you are the ages of these characters and are actively sleeping with each other on a regular basis, this is my least favorite trope but luckily it is a very small part of the story. The other thing I didn’t like but didn’t really affect the rating was the frequent use of the word gut. This is one of those words that I can’t stand and I don’t have a good reason for it other than I just don’t like it. For some people that word is moist or panties but for me it is gut.
September 17, 2024
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This has everything I love about a quaint small-town romance!
A lovely town that will go above and beyond for one of its own. An out of towner who fits right in. A guy with a dream, but struggling to figure out quite what it is. And really great kid.
Simon and Jason were both really likeable guys. Kind, down-to-earth, and pretty sweet. They are also pretty hot together. That first encounter…damn!
I also really loved the superhero, comic book, comicon narrative. I loved how it highlighted its ability to breach the gap between children and parents; as an entryway to reading, or in this case, bringing a community together. And even if it isn’t your thing, it was super relatable.
Seriously, this one of those warm and cozy stories also made you blush a little!
This has everything I love about a quaint small-town romance!
A lovely town that will go above and beyond for one of its own. An out of towner who fits right in. A guy with a dream, but struggling to figure out quite what it is. And really great kid.
Simon and Jason were both really likeable guys. Kind, down-to-earth, and pretty sweet. They are also pretty hot together. That first encounter…damn!
I also really loved the superhero, comic book, comicon narrative. I loved how it highlighted its ability to breach the gap between children and parents; as an entryway to reading, or in this case, bringing a community together. And even if it isn’t your thing, it was super relatable.
Seriously, this one of those warm and cozy stories also made you blush a little!
September 18, 2024
Lately I have been reading a lot of urban fantasy, so it was a nice change to pick up a small town romance. I always forget how much I laugh when I am reading these books and this book was no different thanks to the busybody side characters, I am talking to you Walter, Abraham and Harvey. I laughed so hard with their antics.
I loved Jason and Simon from the moment I met them. Jason embraced his geek side and you could see the passion he had for comic books and for Firefly. Simon wanted to be a good dad to Lucas and moving to a small town and starting up his own business seemed like a good idea.
This was an easy read for me as I was engrossed in the story. From the moment they met, I like the rest of the town was routing for them, and even when there was an unwanted visitor (well you need a bit of low angst) I was willing Jason to go get his man
I am glad this is the first in the series as I want more from the residents of Firefly
I loved Jason and Simon from the moment I met them. Jason embraced his geek side and you could see the passion he had for comic books and for Firefly. Simon wanted to be a good dad to Lucas and moving to a small town and starting up his own business seemed like a good idea.
This was an easy read for me as I was engrossed in the story. From the moment they met, I like the rest of the town was routing for them, and even when there was an unwanted visitor (well you need a bit of low angst) I was willing Jason to go get his man
I am glad this is the first in the series as I want more from the residents of Firefly
September 19, 2024
One Reason to Stay by Ryder O'Malley is a heartwarming, captivating read that perfectly blends romance, humour, and small-town charm. Jason, the lovable comic geek, falls for Simon, the new bistro chef in town, creating undeniable chemistry between them. The nosy neighbours and constant meddling only add to the endearing small-town vibe of Firefly Valley, making the story even more enjoyable.
The humour throughout had me smiling, while the developing romance between Jason and Simon felt both passionate and realistic. Their journey, filled with relatable insecurities and real-life complications, had a perfect balance of warmth and heat. The book’s setting and chosen family dynamics are strong, making it a delightful read for fans of close-knit communities.
Overall, Jason and Simon’s relationship feels genuine, with a nice mix of adult challenges and emotional depth. This entertaining story will leave readers smiling long after the final page!
The humour throughout had me smiling, while the developing romance between Jason and Simon felt both passionate and realistic. Their journey, filled with relatable insecurities and real-life complications, had a perfect balance of warmth and heat. The book’s setting and chosen family dynamics are strong, making it a delightful read for fans of close-knit communities.
Overall, Jason and Simon’s relationship feels genuine, with a nice mix of adult challenges and emotional depth. This entertaining story will leave readers smiling long after the final page!
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