What do you think?
Rate this book
Dire Straights
Maddox - As a freshman at BBU, I have my pick of parties and girls, but I still feel pretty stressed and unfulfilled. I can't stand my moronic teammates on the swim team, and devoting so much of my time to swimming is starting to take a toll on me. I'm over everything, until I get paired with this socially awkward dweeb named Ren Suzuki in one of my classes. He follows me around like a puppy and wants to show me off to his weird friends. I feel protective over him, like I'd fight anyone who looks at him wrong, but I don't like guys that way. But then why do I feel jealous when he talks to other people? And why do I want to spend all my time with him?
Ren - It's hard for me to believe that someone like Maddox Holmes likes hanging out with me. He's cool and athletic and looks like one of those male models on a magazine cover. Jocks have never been nice to me, but I know right away that he's different. I've never liked a guy before, but I can't help but develop a crush on someone like him. And even though my evil ex-girlfriend drilled it into my head that I'm too weird and annoying for anyone to like, I'm pretty sure he's starting to feel the same way. Does he like me enough to make this a real thing, even if coming out as bi will make everything harder for him?
Dire Straights is a guaranteed HEA dual 1st POV college romance featuring double bi-awakening, jock/nerd, grumpy/sunshine, lots of fluff and spice, and an oddball group of friends. Content warnings include brief use of homophobic language, emotionally manipulative behavior from an ex, parental divorce, and brief depiction of underage drinking.
Ren - It's hard for me to believe that someone like Maddox Holmes likes hanging out with me. He's cool and athletic and looks like one of those male models on a magazine cover. Jocks have never been nice to me, but I know right away that he's different. I've never liked a guy before, but I can't help but develop a crush on someone like him. And even though my evil ex-girlfriend drilled it into my head that I'm too weird and annoying for anyone to like, I'm pretty sure he's starting to feel the same way. Does he like me enough to make this a real thing, even if coming out as bi will make everything harder for him?
Dire Straights is a guaranteed HEA dual 1st POV college romance featuring double bi-awakening, jock/nerd, grumpy/sunshine, lots of fluff and spice, and an oddball group of friends. Content warnings include brief use of homophobic language, emotionally manipulative behavior from an ex, parental divorce, and brief depiction of underage drinking.
279 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 22, 2024
92 people are currently reading
352 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews
December 14, 2025
He stayed perfectly still while I leaned in. I thought it would probably be like kissing a girl. I’d take the lead, and he’d be passive and let me tease his lips a little before we worked up to making out. But as soon as it started, he flipped it on me, slipping his hand behind my neck to hold my head in place. When his tongue slipped into my mouth, the little moan I let out was insanely embarrassing. I hadn’t kissed anyone in months, and the pressure of his tongue on mine felt so fucking good.
Group work... the ultimate relationship builder 😂. After being paired up together on a creative writing assignment, classmates Ren and Maddox form an unlikely friendship. Ren is an introverted software engineering student who likes video games and hanging out with his friends. Maddox is a bit of a loner who spends most of his time trying to keep his grades up, staying out of his divorced parents' drama and swimming on the Byron Bay swim team. Dire Straights has a really good amount of spice in it, along with some tropes that I am a complete sucker for: grumpy jock/sunshine nerd, sex toys, found family vibes with their friends/roommates, virgin MC and double bi-awakening.
“What is it?” I asked. He averted his gaze from me, looking into an empty corner.
“I don’t really want to label everything right now, and… I don’t exactly know what I want, but…”
“But?”
“But don’t do this with anyone else. Only me.”
My eyes widened, and I felt my mouth tug up into a smile. I definitely hadn’t expected that.
“Only with you, Maddy.” Like I’d even bother looking at anyone else.
Although they likely never would have met if not for the group writing assignment, they start to look forward to spending time together. Maddox is protective of Ren, and encourages him to feel comfortable being who he is, while Ren encourages Maddox to stand up for himself and set healthy boundaries. I love the way L.A. changed up the stereotypical jock/nerd relationship by making Ren (the nerd) more assertive in the bedroom. Both guys were surprised at how Ren took control, which was really fun to read. The relationship has great nuance and balance with the way they each have their moments where they stand up for or support the other. Maddy gets to let go of his stress and just enjoy the way Ren makes him feel, and Ren gets to explore that side of himself without being forced to be someone he isn't or criticized by his partner. On the other hand, I liked seeing Maddy support Ren in social situations where Ren felt uncomfortable. Both characters experience a lot of growth without it being overdone or repetitive to read. Seriously, these two are relationship goals! I loved the way the relationship between the two characters developed throughout the book, and how their zany friend group was incorporated into the mix. The interactions with Maddy's roommates were some of my favourite parts, especially the scene-stealing Caelyx. I love his snark and hope he gets his own book because I love him almost as much as Maddy and Ren! 🥰🥰 .
“Sometimes, lately, I feel like if you weren’t here… I don’t know what I would do. You’re like an anchor for me now. You keep me feeling kind of grounded.” It was so odd, letting that kind of confession come out. But it felt good to be honest about it.
“I don’t think anyone’s ever felt that way about me before,” he responded softly. “I never knew how good it felt to… Be needed, I guess.”
L.A. Lambert lured me in with his first book (dragons... IYKYK) and I have been happily reading every book since then because I like the way he writes compelling characters. I'm looking forward to BBU #2 and I won't spoil anything but I am feral for the next couple!! The set-up for their book is *chef's kiss* and I need it immediately please!!!!
Rating: 5 stars
Angst: 2/5
Steam: 3.5/5
I received an advance copy of this book and this is my honest review.
October 16, 2025
⭐️ 3.5/5 — Outside the bedroom: grumpy jock falls for sunshine nerd (and loses all control 💘🫢)
🌶 3/5 — Inside the bedroom: surprise! the sunshine nerd’s the one doing the wrecking 😏🔥
💭 My Rambling 💭
I was just minding my own business, looking for something cute and spicy to heal my brain cells... and then I saw this "jock meets nerd." Obviously, I had no choice but to read it. 😌
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ The MCs 🏊🏻♂️👨🏻💻
Ren — The certified nerd who can trip over air and his own words. The human equivalent of a sugar rush — too nice, too pure, too damn precious for this messy-ass world. He’s that kind of guy who’ll compliment the rain for “trying its best.” 🥹 He’s got major golden-retriever energy — always eager, always glowing, and always smiling, even when life (and his ex) decided to be a total dumpster fire. His ex-girlfriend? A walking red-flag collection. 🚩 That girl shredded his confidence like it was a group project, but baby boy still manages to sparkle like a damn cupcake-eating unicorn. 🐶🧁
Maddox — The swim-team jock who’s running on fumes and been living life on autopilot. He’s been pushed from baseball to football to swimming because apparently saying “no” to his dad isn’t in his vocabulary. The man’s whole life is one long “sure, whatever you say, Dad” moment. 😩 Add in divorced parents who can’t go five minutes without arguing, and you’ve got a front-row seat to the emotional circus that shaped him. 🎪 No wonder he walks around with that "don’t mess with me" face — it’s not attitude, it’s self-defense. He’s emotionally locked down, half-numb, and completely out of touch with what he actually wants. 🥺😭
💘🤓 The Dork and The Grump 😠💘
Quote:
Maddox: “You’re so fucking cute. And you make me so happy.”
Ren: “Oh. That’s good. I’m glad.”
Maddox: “And your cock is so big and so fucking thick. I love it.”
Ren: “Thanks. I grew it myself.”
Maddox: “Dork.”
Ren: “But I’m your dork. And I’m really cute and I make you happy.”
Maddox: “Definitely.”
💭 I swear this exchange lives rent-free in my head 😭 it’s equal parts soft and stupid in the best way. Ren’s out here dropping the world’s greatest one-liner like “yeah, I grew it myself” while Maddox is just done — completely whipped, gone, finished. 💀💞 Their banter is the perfect little cherry on top of all that tension: playful, flirty, and domestic as hell. This right here? Peak boyfriend energy. The way they tease each other like they’re both still blushing idiots in love? Ugh. Inject it straight into my veins, please. 🥹💋💫
💞 The Dynamics 💞
☀️ Outside the Bedroom: Sparks and Stumbles 😆
Quote:
Maddox: “You’re going to forgive me, just like that!?”
Ren: “Um, yeah. It’s fine.”
Maddox: “It is not fine. Stand up for yourself. Tell me I’m an asshole, and that if I do it again you’re not going to put up with it.”
Ren: “You’re an asshole.”
Maddox: “And?”
Ren: “I’m sorry, I don’t really think that.”
Maddox: (sigh)
💭 Ugh, these two! 🤣 The emotional tension between them is chef’s kiss — awkward, adorable, and lowkey unhinged in the best way. 😂 Ren’s out here melting like butter under Maddox’s grumpy glare, while Maddox is trying so damn hard to force some backbone into him like, “please, for the love of God, yell at me.” 🤣🤣🤣
The power dynamic outside the bedroom is all soft chaos — Maddox barking orders he doesn’t mean and Ren apologizing for breathing too loud. It’s a hilarious mess of “I don’t know how to handle emotions” meets “I just wanna be liked.” 😭💞 But somehow it works, because they balance each other — one’s all sharp edges, the other’s pure sunshine, and together they create the most confusing yet magnetic energy ever. 😍✨
🛏 Inside the Bedroom: The Power Flip 🔥
Quote:
Maddox: “You really missed me, huh?”
Ren: “Very much. And then you come in here like this, after I spent all break missing you.”
Maddox: “Ah, I… Um. I didn’t know you were in here, so…”
Ren: “And I think you missed me a lot too, right, Maddy?”
Maddox: “You know I did.” Holy fucking shit, what was he doing to me?
Ren: “Did you miss this part of me?” He asked, grasping my wrist with his free hand and pulling so my palm was pressed against the thick outline of his cock in his jeans.
Maddox: “Yeah.”
Ren: “I think you should show me how badly you missed me. Get it really wet, okay, Maddy?”
He ended the sentence like it was a question, but it didn’t feel like one. It felt like an order, one I wouldn’t even think about disobeying.
💭 Whew. WHEW. Somebody call the fire department because holy shit — the switch flipped, the temperature skyrocketed, and I stopped breathing halfway through this scene 😩🔥 Outside the bedroom, Maddox is the bossy, emotionally constipated jock; inside, Ren’s got him on his knees (literally 😏), voice all low and commanding, like he’s been holding that power in all along. The way Ren takes control? Effortless. The confidence just oozes out of him the second the clothes start flying. And Maddox? He melts. Completely. It’s wild seeing that shift. The dominance swap is addictive, sexy, and so goddamn satisfying. 🫦🔥
🌡 Blood Pressure: EXPLODED 💥
😡 Gwen — Ren’s toxic ex (yeah, the nightmare who won’t stay buried)
Ugh, Gwen. The book carted her out of the closet way too many times and I’m tired of being dragged through her mess. She’s emotionally abusive, constantly shredded Ren’s confidence, and then pops up uninvited to ruin Maddox’s birthday? Hell no. I wanted to scream at the pages until my throat gave out. She’s a nasty piece of work and the book leaned on her bullying far more than I wanted. 🤦♀️🖕🏻🤬
🤢 The Swim Team — homophobic assholes (coach included)
Gross. The locker-room garbage — bragging about conquests, sneering at queer people, the whole vile macho act — showed up hard and ugly. These guys (and yes, even the coach) were loud, ignorant, and exhausting to read. The clichés about toxic masculinity and homophobia were served up raw, and it made me want to hurl. This crew can absolutely choke. 😤🖕🏻🤮
📝 TLDR 📝
What this book is all about:
✨ Nerd x Jock college romance (with a side of chaos and charm)
💞 Awkward sunshine meets emotionally constipated grump
🥺 One sweet boy who just wants to be loved and one lost boy learning how to love
🔥 Power-switch dynamic — soft outside, filthy inside
📚 Learning about yourself and plenty of banter that’ll make you giggle and blush
😤 Family drama, emotional burnout, and learning to say no
🚫 Homophobia, and one ex you’ll wanna throat-punch
-
Quotes: ⚠️ Spoilers ⛔️
“You just don’t know me that well yet. Believe me, I can be a dick.”
“Well, I don’t mind. I’m used to it.”
“Don’t,” he said firmly. When I just stared at him, confused, he went on. “Don’t be used to it. If someone is a dick to you, call them out. That includes me, too.”
-
He was like a puppy that liked to follow me so closely behind me that I had to be careful not to step on him.
-
He was too innocent to be mad at. Like a fluffy marshmallow that would melt if exposed to any amount of criticism.
-
“You’re not going to get mad if I eat, like, a corn dog, are you?” I asked.
He looked confused by my question, then when he understood my joke, he scoffed, shaking his head.
“You know I can kick your ass, right?”
“Totally,” I answered, but I couldn’t stop snickering at his expression. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t help it.”
“As long as you don’t deep throat it, I think we’ll be fine,” he finally said, laughing a little now, too.
-
“Your moans are really cute, Maddy.”
Maddy? Who the fuck was Maddy? Maddy wasn’t a name for someone like me. But here I was … On my back, with a guy between my legs. Moaning like a whore. And what the fuck had happened to the nervous, insecure dweeb who needed me to reassure him at every turn?
-
I briefly considered hanging myself from the shower rod, but decided it was too melodramatic.
-
Now that I’d been ensnared in the sticky web of big stupid glasses and nervous stuttering and terminally delighted exclamations, I was done for. And it was my stupid, moronic, idiotic fault I wasn’t with him now.
-
“You want to suck my cock, Maddy?” I asked, rifling my fingers through his soft locks of brown hair. He nodded slowly, cheeks pink. When his tongue darted out to wet his perfect, pink lips, I groaned a little. I’d almost never gotten taken care of in this way. Dragging my zipper down, I lifted my hips so I could tug my jeans and boxer briefs down my thighs a little.
When my cock sprang free, his eyes widened, locking onto it.
“Jesus, Ren.” He blinked, looking both turned on and a little apprehensive. “Your dick is huge.”
“Uh, well, I’m above average, yeah.”
“That’s kind of an understatement,” he said, sounding out of breath.
-
“What is it?” I asked. He averted his gaze from me, looking into an empty corner.
“I don’t really want to label everything right now, and… I don’t exactly know what I want, but…”
“But?”
“But don’t do this with anyone else. Only me.”
My eyes widened, and I felt my mouth tug up into a smile. I definitely hadn’t expected that.
“Only with you, Maddy.” Like I’d even bother looking at anyone else.
-
I wasn’t sure what gift to expect from Ren. He really didn’t have to get me anything. His existence and how much peace and happiness he brought me was probably enough, but it’s not like I could say that out loud.
-
“I feel kind of lame saying this, but I just didn’t really know how cool it would feel to have someone really like me.”
“I didn’t know how cool it would feel to actually really like someone,” I responded, which made him laugh really hard for some reason.
“I think we’re perfect for each other.”
“Seems like we might be,” I agreed. And I was pretty sure it was true. I’d never wanted to be around anyone as much as Ren, and that feeling had not come anywhere close to fading away.
He was funny, sweet, and took care of me in all the ways I’d never even realized I needed to be cared for. I’d only lived on the planet for 19 years, but I was pretty certain Ren Suzuki was completely one of a kind. And there was no way in hell I was letting anyone else have him.
-
“Don’t look in here,” I said, with as much of a commanding, authoritarian tone as I could muster, even though that kind of thing only seemed to work on him when we were naked. When we weren’t having sex, he was pretty much in charge. We were both pretty fond of that dynamic.
-
“There’s something I want to say first. But I’m really fucking nervous.”
“You don’t have to be nervous with me. Whatever it is, you can say it.”
“Um, it’s just that… I’ve been thinking about everything between us and… You know, when I wake up you’re the first person I think about and you’re the last person I think about when I go to sleep. And when I see something funny, you’re the one I want to tell about it, and all that lame shit. You know?”
“Yeah. Me, too.”
“And so I just… I just figured that because of all that, and because I’m so happy with you and I just love spending every second with you that I can, and when I’m not with you, you’re all I’m thinking about, so… That probably means that… I love you.”
“Oh, thank god. I love you too, Maddy. A lot.”
-
“I still feel in awe every time I look at you and remember you’re mine.”
“Stop. You’re going to make me horny all over again if you keep saying stuff like that.”
“We’re kind of stuck in a horny loop. Everything we say to each other just restarts the cycle, but if we don’t talk then we’ll start making out, and that also restarts it. I think we might be trapped together.”
“I’m okay with being trapped, as long as it’s with you.”
“I’m okay with anything, as long as it’s with you.”
-
⚠️ Detailed spoilers below ⛔️
RC and MCs:
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ MM, strict top/bottom
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ Ren Suzuki 19yo and Maddox Holmes 19yo
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ Ren: A freshman at BBU (Byron Bay University). Software engineering major. Japanese descent.
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ Maddox: A freshman at BBU (Byron Bay University). Part of the swim team. Sports medicine major.
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ Ren: Top, brown eyes, black hair, 6ft/183cm, lean and toned, prominent cheekbones
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ Maddox: Bottom, blue eyes, brown hair, 6ft/183cm, swimmer's build body, lightly tanned complexion
Genre and tropes:
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ MM contemporary romance
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ New adult
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ College romance
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ Jock/nerd (Maddox/Ren)
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ Grumpy/sunshine (Maddox/Ren)
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ Opposites attract
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ Double bi-awakening
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ First times
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ Black cat/golden retriever (Maddox/Ren)
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ Virgin, touch-starved MC (Maddox)
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ Mild D/s dynamics (only in the bedroom)
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ Pet names: Maddy
Safety info:
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ Angst: Low to medium
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ OPD: Ren's ex-girlfriend (Gwen) keeps harassing him, and asking him to get back together even though she's the one who broke up with him.
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ Cheating/sharing: No
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ Third act breakup: No
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ Ending: HFN
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ Epilogue: Yes (2 months later)
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ POV: Dual, 1st person
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ Series structure: Interconnected standalone. Boys of BBU series #1.
Spice and kinks:
Dry humping to completion (only Maddy came), come in pants, marking (hickey), solo jerking off, blowjob, frotting, solo anal masturbation, sex toys (dildos), coming hands-free, anal sex (with condom), virtual mutual masturbation, rimming, bareback
CW/TW:
Explicit sexual content, homophobic language and behavior, underage/teen drinking, emotional manipulation from an ex, family divorce, and hate/bullying on the swim team, emotional conflicts (insecurities, jealousy), internal conflict (coming to one's sexuality)
🌶 3/5 — Inside the bedroom: surprise! the sunshine nerd’s the one doing the wrecking 😏🔥
💭 My Rambling 💭
I was just minding my own business, looking for something cute and spicy to heal my brain cells... and then I saw this "jock meets nerd." Obviously, I had no choice but to read it. 😌
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ The MCs 🏊🏻♂️👨🏻💻
Ren — The certified nerd who can trip over air and his own words. The human equivalent of a sugar rush — too nice, too pure, too damn precious for this messy-ass world. He’s that kind of guy who’ll compliment the rain for “trying its best.” 🥹 He’s got major golden-retriever energy — always eager, always glowing, and always smiling, even when life (and his ex) decided to be a total dumpster fire. His ex-girlfriend? A walking red-flag collection. 🚩 That girl shredded his confidence like it was a group project, but baby boy still manages to sparkle like a damn cupcake-eating unicorn. 🐶🧁
Maddox — The swim-team jock who’s running on fumes and been living life on autopilot. He’s been pushed from baseball to football to swimming because apparently saying “no” to his dad isn’t in his vocabulary. The man’s whole life is one long “sure, whatever you say, Dad” moment. 😩 Add in divorced parents who can’t go five minutes without arguing, and you’ve got a front-row seat to the emotional circus that shaped him. 🎪 No wonder he walks around with that "don’t mess with me" face — it’s not attitude, it’s self-defense. He’s emotionally locked down, half-numb, and completely out of touch with what he actually wants. 🥺😭
💘🤓 The Dork and The Grump 😠💘
Quote:
Maddox: “You’re so fucking cute. And you make me so happy.”
Ren: “Oh. That’s good. I’m glad.”
Maddox: “And your cock is so big and so fucking thick. I love it.”
Ren: “Thanks. I grew it myself.”
Maddox: “Dork.”
Ren: “But I’m your dork. And I’m really cute and I make you happy.”
Maddox: “Definitely.”
💭 I swear this exchange lives rent-free in my head 😭 it’s equal parts soft and stupid in the best way. Ren’s out here dropping the world’s greatest one-liner like “yeah, I grew it myself” while Maddox is just done — completely whipped, gone, finished. 💀💞 Their banter is the perfect little cherry on top of all that tension: playful, flirty, and domestic as hell. This right here? Peak boyfriend energy. The way they tease each other like they’re both still blushing idiots in love? Ugh. Inject it straight into my veins, please. 🥹💋💫
💞 The Dynamics 💞
☀️ Outside the Bedroom: Sparks and Stumbles 😆
Quote:
Maddox: “You’re going to forgive me, just like that!?”
Ren: “Um, yeah. It’s fine.”
Maddox: “It is not fine. Stand up for yourself. Tell me I’m an asshole, and that if I do it again you’re not going to put up with it.”
Ren: “You’re an asshole.”
Maddox: “And?”
Ren: “I’m sorry, I don’t really think that.”
Maddox: (sigh)
💭 Ugh, these two! 🤣 The emotional tension between them is chef’s kiss — awkward, adorable, and lowkey unhinged in the best way. 😂 Ren’s out here melting like butter under Maddox’s grumpy glare, while Maddox is trying so damn hard to force some backbone into him like, “please, for the love of God, yell at me.” 🤣🤣🤣
The power dynamic outside the bedroom is all soft chaos — Maddox barking orders he doesn’t mean and Ren apologizing for breathing too loud. It’s a hilarious mess of “I don’t know how to handle emotions” meets “I just wanna be liked.” 😭💞 But somehow it works, because they balance each other — one’s all sharp edges, the other’s pure sunshine, and together they create the most confusing yet magnetic energy ever. 😍✨
🛏 Inside the Bedroom: The Power Flip 🔥
Quote:
Maddox: “You really missed me, huh?”
Ren: “Very much. And then you come in here like this, after I spent all break missing you.”
Maddox: “Ah, I… Um. I didn’t know you were in here, so…”
Ren: “And I think you missed me a lot too, right, Maddy?”
Maddox: “You know I did.” Holy fucking shit, what was he doing to me?
Ren: “Did you miss this part of me?” He asked, grasping my wrist with his free hand and pulling so my palm was pressed against the thick outline of his cock in his jeans.
Maddox: “Yeah.”
Ren: “I think you should show me how badly you missed me. Get it really wet, okay, Maddy?”
He ended the sentence like it was a question, but it didn’t feel like one. It felt like an order, one I wouldn’t even think about disobeying.
💭 Whew. WHEW. Somebody call the fire department because holy shit — the switch flipped, the temperature skyrocketed, and I stopped breathing halfway through this scene 😩🔥 Outside the bedroom, Maddox is the bossy, emotionally constipated jock; inside, Ren’s got him on his knees (literally 😏), voice all low and commanding, like he’s been holding that power in all along. The way Ren takes control? Effortless. The confidence just oozes out of him the second the clothes start flying. And Maddox? He melts. Completely. It’s wild seeing that shift. The dominance swap is addictive, sexy, and so goddamn satisfying. 🫦🔥
🌡 Blood Pressure: EXPLODED 💥
😡 Gwen — Ren’s toxic ex (yeah, the nightmare who won’t stay buried)
Ugh, Gwen. The book carted her out of the closet way too many times and I’m tired of being dragged through her mess. She’s emotionally abusive, constantly shredded Ren’s confidence, and then pops up uninvited to ruin Maddox’s birthday? Hell no. I wanted to scream at the pages until my throat gave out. She’s a nasty piece of work and the book leaned on her bullying far more than I wanted. 🤦♀️🖕🏻🤬
🤢 The Swim Team — homophobic assholes (coach included)
Gross. The locker-room garbage — bragging about conquests, sneering at queer people, the whole vile macho act — showed up hard and ugly. These guys (and yes, even the coach) were loud, ignorant, and exhausting to read. The clichés about toxic masculinity and homophobia were served up raw, and it made me want to hurl. This crew can absolutely choke. 😤🖕🏻🤮
📝 TLDR 📝
What this book is all about:
✨ Nerd x Jock college romance (with a side of chaos and charm)
💞 Awkward sunshine meets emotionally constipated grump
🥺 One sweet boy who just wants to be loved and one lost boy learning how to love
🔥 Power-switch dynamic — soft outside, filthy inside
📚 Learning about yourself and plenty of banter that’ll make you giggle and blush
😤 Family drama, emotional burnout, and learning to say no
🚫 Homophobia, and one ex you’ll wanna throat-punch
-
Quotes: ⚠️ Spoilers ⛔️
“You just don’t know me that well yet. Believe me, I can be a dick.”
“Well, I don’t mind. I’m used to it.”
“Don’t,” he said firmly. When I just stared at him, confused, he went on. “Don’t be used to it. If someone is a dick to you, call them out. That includes me, too.”
-
He was like a puppy that liked to follow me so closely behind me that I had to be careful not to step on him.
-
He was too innocent to be mad at. Like a fluffy marshmallow that would melt if exposed to any amount of criticism.
-
“You’re not going to get mad if I eat, like, a corn dog, are you?” I asked.
He looked confused by my question, then when he understood my joke, he scoffed, shaking his head.
“You know I can kick your ass, right?”
“Totally,” I answered, but I couldn’t stop snickering at his expression. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t help it.”
“As long as you don’t deep throat it, I think we’ll be fine,” he finally said, laughing a little now, too.
-
“Your moans are really cute, Maddy.”
Maddy? Who the fuck was Maddy? Maddy wasn’t a name for someone like me. But here I was … On my back, with a guy between my legs. Moaning like a whore. And what the fuck had happened to the nervous, insecure dweeb who needed me to reassure him at every turn?
-
I briefly considered hanging myself from the shower rod, but decided it was too melodramatic.
-
Now that I’d been ensnared in the sticky web of big stupid glasses and nervous stuttering and terminally delighted exclamations, I was done for. And it was my stupid, moronic, idiotic fault I wasn’t with him now.
-
“You want to suck my cock, Maddy?” I asked, rifling my fingers through his soft locks of brown hair. He nodded slowly, cheeks pink. When his tongue darted out to wet his perfect, pink lips, I groaned a little. I’d almost never gotten taken care of in this way. Dragging my zipper down, I lifted my hips so I could tug my jeans and boxer briefs down my thighs a little.
When my cock sprang free, his eyes widened, locking onto it.
“Jesus, Ren.” He blinked, looking both turned on and a little apprehensive. “Your dick is huge.”
“Uh, well, I’m above average, yeah.”
“That’s kind of an understatement,” he said, sounding out of breath.
-
“What is it?” I asked. He averted his gaze from me, looking into an empty corner.
“I don’t really want to label everything right now, and… I don’t exactly know what I want, but…”
“But?”
“But don’t do this with anyone else. Only me.”
My eyes widened, and I felt my mouth tug up into a smile. I definitely hadn’t expected that.
“Only with you, Maddy.” Like I’d even bother looking at anyone else.
-
I wasn’t sure what gift to expect from Ren. He really didn’t have to get me anything. His existence and how much peace and happiness he brought me was probably enough, but it’s not like I could say that out loud.
-
“I feel kind of lame saying this, but I just didn’t really know how cool it would feel to have someone really like me.”
“I didn’t know how cool it would feel to actually really like someone,” I responded, which made him laugh really hard for some reason.
“I think we’re perfect for each other.”
“Seems like we might be,” I agreed. And I was pretty sure it was true. I’d never wanted to be around anyone as much as Ren, and that feeling had not come anywhere close to fading away.
He was funny, sweet, and took care of me in all the ways I’d never even realized I needed to be cared for. I’d only lived on the planet for 19 years, but I was pretty certain Ren Suzuki was completely one of a kind. And there was no way in hell I was letting anyone else have him.
-
“Don’t look in here,” I said, with as much of a commanding, authoritarian tone as I could muster, even though that kind of thing only seemed to work on him when we were naked. When we weren’t having sex, he was pretty much in charge. We were both pretty fond of that dynamic.
-
“There’s something I want to say first. But I’m really fucking nervous.”
“You don’t have to be nervous with me. Whatever it is, you can say it.”
“Um, it’s just that… I’ve been thinking about everything between us and… You know, when I wake up you’re the first person I think about and you’re the last person I think about when I go to sleep. And when I see something funny, you’re the one I want to tell about it, and all that lame shit. You know?”
“Yeah. Me, too.”
“And so I just… I just figured that because of all that, and because I’m so happy with you and I just love spending every second with you that I can, and when I’m not with you, you’re all I’m thinking about, so… That probably means that… I love you.”
“Oh, thank god. I love you too, Maddy. A lot.”
-
“I still feel in awe every time I look at you and remember you’re mine.”
“Stop. You’re going to make me horny all over again if you keep saying stuff like that.”
“We’re kind of stuck in a horny loop. Everything we say to each other just restarts the cycle, but if we don’t talk then we’ll start making out, and that also restarts it. I think we might be trapped together.”
“I’m okay with being trapped, as long as it’s with you.”
“I’m okay with anything, as long as it’s with you.”
-
⚠️ Detailed spoilers below ⛔️
RC and MCs:
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ MM, strict top/bottom
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ Ren Suzuki 19yo and Maddox Holmes 19yo
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ Ren: A freshman at BBU (Byron Bay University). Software engineering major. Japanese descent.
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ Maddox: A freshman at BBU (Byron Bay University). Part of the swim team. Sports medicine major.
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ Ren: Top, brown eyes, black hair, 6ft/183cm, lean and toned, prominent cheekbones
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ Maddox: Bottom, blue eyes, brown hair, 6ft/183cm, swimmer's build body, lightly tanned complexion
Genre and tropes:
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ MM contemporary romance
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ New adult
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ College romance
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ Jock/nerd (Maddox/Ren)
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ Grumpy/sunshine (Maddox/Ren)
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ Opposites attract
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ Double bi-awakening
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ First times
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ Black cat/golden retriever (Maddox/Ren)
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ Virgin, touch-starved MC (Maddox)
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ Mild D/s dynamics (only in the bedroom)
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ Pet names: Maddy
Safety info:
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ Angst: Low to medium
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ OPD: Ren's ex-girlfriend (Gwen) keeps harassing him, and asking him to get back together even though she's the one who broke up with him.
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ Cheating/sharing: No
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ Third act breakup: No
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ Ending: HFN
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ Epilogue: Yes (2 months later)
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ POV: Dual, 1st person
👨🏻💻🏊🏻♂️ Series structure: Interconnected standalone. Boys of BBU series #1.
Spice and kinks:
Dry humping to completion (only Maddy came), come in pants, marking (hickey), solo jerking off, blowjob, frotting, solo anal masturbation, sex toys (dildos), coming hands-free, anal sex (with condom), virtual mutual masturbation, rimming, bareback
CW/TW:
Explicit sexual content, homophobic language and behavior, underage/teen drinking, emotional manipulation from an ex, family divorce, and hate/bullying on the swim team, emotional conflicts (insecurities, jealousy), internal conflict (coming to one's sexuality)
July 16, 2025
Don't you just love when the taciturn jock is totally not gay at all and he can't believe that weird dweeb seems to be into him for no reason(BECAUSE HE'S NOT GAY) only for him to end up being the neediest bottom to ever do it?
Loved these two adorable sweethearts. Yes, even the time Maddox flipped out on Ren and accused him of trying to turn him gay by being around him all the time and trying to ensnare him by taking him on undercover dates to ensure Maddox couldn't stop thinking about him.
💀Really told on himself in that scene.
Gagged that a few working days later this same man was so overwhelmed by Ren's dick that he developed a recurrent premature ejaculation problem 😂
And when I say RECURRENT!!!!
Even more gagged that the more internalized homophobia he seemed to have, the louder his moans got every time they had sex. The closet was glass. And has no soundproofing. Came equipped with the opposite of it, actually. Anyone who could feasibly hear them, heard them. No ears left unmolested. No friends left in doubt.
Moaned and groaned and babbled so loudly he had people start referring to Ren as 'Sir' because that man was clearly putting in the WORK.
Gave real time performance appraisals, too. Spoiler alert: he loves Ren's dick and everything it's capable of.
💀
Loved their changing dynamic where Ren was the geeky dweeb who couldn't BELIEVE he'd landed a hottie during day and Maddox 'Maddy' the hot guy on the swim team but at night?
Yeah, Ren was HANDLING business at night. And our Maddy was the LOUD AF can't get enough zero chill bottom.
Whole time Ren was thinking to himself 'Sure you're in 'the closet' but nobody that hears me have a go at you is left in any doubt whatsoever.'💀💀💀
Diabolical nerd. Won't out you but will give you all the tools necessary to out yourself.
Also loved how there was no pretense that Ren wasn't a nerdy socially awkward MC. No makeovers necessary. No sudden realizations that he'd been 'cool all along'.
Maddox is emotionally constipated so he mostly 'me too's a lot of what Ren says but the time Ren told him he's a vision of hotness and coolness to him and he went 'you're that kind of vision to me, too' and Ren was all, 'you think I'm cool?' and Maddy just couldn't lie to him about THAT so he went, “Uh… You make up for it in other ways.”
Oh, I'm sure.
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
I appreciated the honesty, though.
“So I know everyone’s always like I’m not saying this so that you’ll say it back but if you don’t say it back, I’m actually going to be really pissed off.”
Maddox started this with an unfazed demeanor but ended it with no chill whatsoever. Loved that for Ren(who by the way, STILL couldn't believe he'd landed the hot guy).
They both couldn't believe their luck. Loved that for them.
L. A. Lambert.... I was not familiar with your game. Don't you just love when you read a book by a new to you author and it just hits like crack?
Loved these two adorable sweethearts. Yes, even the time Maddox flipped out on Ren and accused him of trying to turn him gay by being around him all the time and trying to ensnare him by taking him on undercover dates to ensure Maddox couldn't stop thinking about him.
💀Really told on himself in that scene.
Gagged that a few working days later this same man was so overwhelmed by Ren's dick that he developed a recurrent premature ejaculation problem 😂
And when I say RECURRENT!!!!
Even more gagged that the more internalized homophobia he seemed to have, the louder his moans got every time they had sex. The closet was glass. And has no soundproofing. Came equipped with the opposite of it, actually. Anyone who could feasibly hear them, heard them. No ears left unmolested. No friends left in doubt.
Moaned and groaned and babbled so loudly he had people start referring to Ren as 'Sir' because that man was clearly putting in the WORK.
Gave real time performance appraisals, too. Spoiler alert: he loves Ren's dick and everything it's capable of.
💀
Loved their changing dynamic where Ren was the geeky dweeb who couldn't BELIEVE he'd landed a hottie during day and Maddox 'Maddy' the hot guy on the swim team but at night?
Yeah, Ren was HANDLING business at night. And our Maddy was the LOUD AF can't get enough zero chill bottom.
Whole time Ren was thinking to himself 'Sure you're in 'the closet' but nobody that hears me have a go at you is left in any doubt whatsoever.'💀💀💀
Diabolical nerd. Won't out you but will give you all the tools necessary to out yourself.
Also loved how there was no pretense that Ren wasn't a nerdy socially awkward MC. No makeovers necessary. No sudden realizations that he'd been 'cool all along'.
Maddox is emotionally constipated so he mostly 'me too's a lot of what Ren says but the time Ren told him he's a vision of hotness and coolness to him and he went 'you're that kind of vision to me, too' and Ren was all, 'you think I'm cool?' and Maddy just couldn't lie to him about THAT so he went, “Uh… You make up for it in other ways.”
Oh, I'm sure.
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
I appreciated the honesty, though.
“So I know everyone’s always like I’m not saying this so that you’ll say it back but if you don’t say it back, I’m actually going to be really pissed off.”
Maddox started this with an unfazed demeanor but ended it with no chill whatsoever. Loved that for Ren(who by the way, STILL couldn't believe he'd landed the hot guy).
They both couldn't believe their luck. Loved that for them.
L. A. Lambert.... I was not familiar with your game. Don't you just love when you read a book by a new to you author and it just hits like crack?
October 7, 2025
I really, really was not expecting to like this book so much. I am going to be perfectly honest and admit I may have judged it too early because the title is a bit weird, but I saw the blurb and thought it sounded fun, so I decided, Why not? Worst-case scenario, it would just be a palate-cleanser book.
I was pleasantly surprised when I started the book, and I found it to be all kinds of silly and fun, in a good way, of course. It is not just a book about a jock and a nerd, I mean, it is that, but also, it has a great group of supportive friends, self-acceptance, parents who actually apologize and actively try to stop being shitty and a lot of sexy times that are both fun and very hot. I am very happy past-me decided to read this book.
This was just fun and good vibes and warm feelings. 10/10 recommend for when you want to read something nice and low-angst. I will definitely be reading more from this author in the future.
I was pleasantly surprised when I started the book, and I found it to be all kinds of silly and fun, in a good way, of course. It is not just a book about a jock and a nerd, I mean, it is that, but also, it has a great group of supportive friends, self-acceptance, parents who actually apologize and actively try to stop being shitty and a lot of sexy times that are both fun and very hot. I am very happy past-me decided to read this book.
This was just fun and good vibes and warm feelings. 10/10 recommend for when you want to read something nice and low-angst. I will definitely be reading more from this author in the future.
January 11, 2025
A college mm friends to lovers romance with a double bi-awakening between the endearingly dorky Ren and the stoic athlete Maddox.
Their relationship had a cute beginning. Maddox falling for Ren’s awkwardness in social settings and eagerness for friendship was sweet to read.
The main redeeming quality of this book was Ren and Maddox’s friend group. They were cute and funny and all had distinctive personalities that meshed well together. There was set-up for future books involving their friend group and for that reason I might have to give this author another try.
My main gripes, however, are the book feeling juvenile and failing to hold my attention for long. The character’s actions felt odd given their age, like Maddox getting upset his divorced dad is getting married to someone new. And some of the scenes did not feel fitting for a college setting, like them playing spin the bottle at a party. Throw in some generic crazy ex-girlfriend drama and you’re left with conflicts that just aren’t that interesting.
Their relationship had a cute beginning. Maddox falling for Ren’s awkwardness in social settings and eagerness for friendship was sweet to read.
The main redeeming quality of this book was Ren and Maddox’s friend group. They were cute and funny and all had distinctive personalities that meshed well together. There was set-up for future books involving their friend group and for that reason I might have to give this author another try.
My main gripes, however, are the book feeling juvenile and failing to hold my attention for long. The character’s actions felt odd given their age, like Maddox getting upset his divorced dad is getting married to someone new. And some of the scenes did not feel fitting for a college setting, like them playing spin the bottle at a party. Throw in some generic crazy ex-girlfriend drama and you’re left with conflicts that just aren’t that interesting.
December 21, 2024
This is probably more of 4.25 because I really enjoyed it!! When I finished, I realized I had read a book by this author before and I really liked that one as well.
The writing took a minute to get into though and there was a really big inconsistency at the beginning of the book. One of the MCs was going to his room, he took of his shirt and laid on the bed and then the next sentence he was in class. That took me out of the book a little bit. Anyway…
This one was super cute. We have Maddox (Maddy) who is the athletic swimmer and Ren the “computer nerd” or dweeb as Maddy so affectionately calls him. They end up being partners for a class they have together and they are complete opposites. It was kind of a grumpy/sunshine trope because Maddy is kind of an asshole and Ren is just such a sweet baby!!
I loved Ren so much!! I loved everything about his character. He didn’t annoy me one single time during this whole book. He was surprisingly really funny as well. Maddy had to grow on me a little. There was two times where he said something really mean to Ren and then would ignore him for days because he couldn’t process how he felt about him. It was clear Maddy was pretty enamored with Ren from the start but he didn’t like feeling that way since it was new for him.
I loved the scene where they were still just friends and they are all playing spin the bottle and Maddy knocks over a candle just so Ren doesn’t have to kiss the girl the bottle landed on. He was jealous and it should have been clear to him then how much he liked Ren lol.
I appreciated them getting together early on so we can see most of the book with them as a couple. Ren definitely brought out the best in Maddy. He helped open him up to expressing his feelings and it was nice to see the growth.
I also love the non stereotypical role of the guys. The “nerd” was the more dominant one in the relationship and oh man I was not expecting him to have such a dirty mouth!! I loved it! Also I was surprised that Maddy was a virgin!!! There were a lot of things that he said that made it seem like he’s been with a bunch of girls before but then we find out he’s a virgin and I was like oh! Okay!
I’m thinking the next book will be aspen and Caelyx or whatever his name is. I got the vibe that one of the books will be established couple Arie and Che bringing in one of their friends as a third. I’m selfishly hoping that’s not the case because I’m not a fan of MMM and when I do read it on rare occasions I don’t like MMM with established couples already. It just always feels like an imbalance in the relationship to me. But just my opinion. But I did love the secondary characters.
Only OP drama is Ren’s psychotic ex gf trying to get back with him but she only wanted him back so she could keep treating him horribly. He has no interest in her at all.
NO CHEATING
NO REAL OP DRAMA
NO THIRD ACT BREAK UP
VIRGIN MC
INTERRACIAL COUPLE (Ren is Japanese)
HOMOPHOBIC SLURS
HFN (I love yous exchanged)
The writing took a minute to get into though and there was a really big inconsistency at the beginning of the book. One of the MCs was going to his room, he took of his shirt and laid on the bed and then the next sentence he was in class. That took me out of the book a little bit. Anyway…
This one was super cute. We have Maddox (Maddy) who is the athletic swimmer and Ren the “computer nerd” or dweeb as Maddy so affectionately calls him. They end up being partners for a class they have together and they are complete opposites. It was kind of a grumpy/sunshine trope because Maddy is kind of an asshole and Ren is just such a sweet baby!!
I loved Ren so much!! I loved everything about his character. He didn’t annoy me one single time during this whole book. He was surprisingly really funny as well. Maddy had to grow on me a little. There was two times where he said something really mean to Ren and then would ignore him for days because he couldn’t process how he felt about him. It was clear Maddy was pretty enamored with Ren from the start but he didn’t like feeling that way since it was new for him.
I loved the scene where they were still just friends and they are all playing spin the bottle and Maddy knocks over a candle just so Ren doesn’t have to kiss the girl the bottle landed on. He was jealous and it should have been clear to him then how much he liked Ren lol.
I appreciated them getting together early on so we can see most of the book with them as a couple. Ren definitely brought out the best in Maddy. He helped open him up to expressing his feelings and it was nice to see the growth.
I also love the non stereotypical role of the guys. The “nerd” was the more dominant one in the relationship and oh man I was not expecting him to have such a dirty mouth!! I loved it! Also I was surprised that Maddy was a virgin!!! There were a lot of things that he said that made it seem like he’s been with a bunch of girls before but then we find out he’s a virgin and I was like oh! Okay!
I’m thinking the next book will be aspen and Caelyx or whatever his name is. I got the vibe that one of the books will be established couple Arie and Che bringing in one of their friends as a third. I’m selfishly hoping that’s not the case because I’m not a fan of MMM and when I do read it on rare occasions I don’t like MMM with established couples already. It just always feels like an imbalance in the relationship to me. But just my opinion. But I did love the secondary characters.
Only OP drama is Ren’s psychotic ex gf trying to get back with him but she only wanted him back so she could keep treating him horribly. He has no interest in her at all.
NO CHEATING
NO REAL OP DRAMA
NO THIRD ACT BREAK UP
VIRGIN MC
INTERRACIAL COUPLE (Ren is Japanese)
HOMOPHOBIC SLURS
HFN (I love yous exchanged)
November 26, 2024
Rating: 3.5 stars
Maddox is a grumpy jock loner who's only on the college swim team because his dad has certain sports-related expectations of him, and at least swimming isn't a very teamy team sport. Meanwhile Ren is your stereotypical nerdboy - into anime and video games and with a very colorful, wacky friend group (whom I ADORE.) Tropes include a double bi-awakening, jock/nerd, and grumpy/sunshine.
I kind of love the way Maddox and Ren just instantly click. It's instalove, but with two college boys who think they're straight so they don't realize that's even a possibility that's what this feeling is. Shenanigans ensue. While their environment might be something of a sh*t show, Maddox and Ren pretty instantly click and are so supportive of each other - well, at least while Maddox isn't having a diva moment and running away sulking.
The only thing that frustrated me is I couldn't get my arms around the timing of events. They meet in class where they get a group assignment, and class is only 2 days a week. They agree to meet up on Wednesday before next Friday's class, so it must be a Monday class? But I swear there's a weekend in there before their Wednesday meetup... Or are Tuesday night parties just a *thing* in college now? (Have they always been a thing and I'm just not cool enough to know? Possibly.) Anyway, there were several times where I went "What the heck day of the week is it?!" and it pulled me out of the story enough to make me have frowny-face and knock off a star.
This is the first book in the Boys of BBU series and can be read as a standalone. I'll definitely be coming back for what I'm hoping are Ren's friends' stories! Gonna need Caelyx and (...Aspen? I'm so bad at names) and I need to go dig and see if (bright color twink whose name starts with an A but I can't remember it) and his boyfriend (pastel goth/emo boy whose name maybe starts with a C...) have a book. (Look, ADHD and remembering names are not friends.) And if they don't already have a book, I'm gonna need one please, L.A. Lambert!
Maddox is a grumpy jock loner who's only on the college swim team because his dad has certain sports-related expectations of him, and at least swimming isn't a very teamy team sport. Meanwhile Ren is your stereotypical nerdboy - into anime and video games and with a very colorful, wacky friend group (whom I ADORE.) Tropes include a double bi-awakening, jock/nerd, and grumpy/sunshine.
I kind of love the way Maddox and Ren just instantly click. It's instalove, but with two college boys who think they're straight so they don't realize that's even a possibility that's what this feeling is. Shenanigans ensue. While their environment might be something of a sh*t show, Maddox and Ren pretty instantly click and are so supportive of each other - well, at least while Maddox isn't having a diva moment and running away sulking.
The only thing that frustrated me is I couldn't get my arms around the timing of events. They meet in class where they get a group assignment, and class is only 2 days a week. They agree to meet up on Wednesday before next Friday's class, so it must be a Monday class? But I swear there's a weekend in there before their Wednesday meetup... Or are Tuesday night parties just a *thing* in college now? (Have they always been a thing and I'm just not cool enough to know? Possibly.) Anyway, there were several times where I went "What the heck day of the week is it?!" and it pulled me out of the story enough to make me have frowny-face and knock off a star.
This is the first book in the Boys of BBU series and can be read as a standalone. I'll definitely be coming back for what I'm hoping are Ren's friends' stories! Gonna need Caelyx and (...Aspen? I'm so bad at names) and I need to go dig and see if (bright color twink whose name starts with an A but I can't remember it) and his boyfriend (pastel goth/emo boy whose name maybe starts with a C...) have a book. (Look, ADHD and remembering names are not friends.) And if they don't already have a book, I'm gonna need one please, L.A. Lambert!
December 18, 2024
I love these two
They have such an unexpected dynamic but It really worked for them both I'm really glad all the unnecessary Angts get resolved quicker and I'm happy there's a healthy communication being set up Ren to Maddox and both of them grew together as a person and within their relationship.
They have such an unexpected dynamic but It really worked for them both I'm really glad all the unnecessary Angts get resolved quicker and I'm happy there's a healthy communication being set up Ren to Maddox and both of them grew together as a person and within their relationship.
November 26, 2024
Loved it
This was overall low angst, a double bi-awakening between a jock swimmer and a nerd. Ren and Maddox are absolutely adorable together. I loved the secondary characters, who were fairly well developed, with room to learn more in future books. I need Che and Arie and Caelyx and Aspen!!
This was overall low angst, a double bi-awakening between a jock swimmer and a nerd. Ren and Maddox are absolutely adorable together. I loved the secondary characters, who were fairly well developed, with room to learn more in future books. I need Che and Arie and Caelyx and Aspen!!
November 24, 2024
4☆
ᔑᑭᏆᑕᗴ: 🔥🔥🔥
しᗩᑌᏀᕼᔑ: 🤣🤣
Ꭲᗴᗩᖇᔑ:🥲
ᗰᑕᔑ: Maddox Holmes, Ren Suzuki.
ᑭᝪᐯ: 1st dual
Ꭲᖇᝪᑭᗴᔑ: Double Bi-awakening, College Romance, Nerd/Jock.
Este libro ha sido una sorpresa enorme nunca habia leído a la Autora y definitivamente continuare esta serie Ren y Maddox son la cosa mas perfecta, tierna, adorable, y no hay manera de olvidarlos. Una historia sencilla y realista en muchos aspectos donde el dinero, lujo y demas no es algo necesario entros los protas, solo aceptarse y quererse y encontrar su lugar...
ᔑᑭᏆᑕᗴ: 🔥🔥🔥
しᗩᑌᏀᕼᔑ: 🤣🤣
Ꭲᗴᗩᖇᔑ:🥲
ᗰᑕᔑ: Maddox Holmes, Ren Suzuki.
ᑭᝪᐯ: 1st dual
Ꭲᖇᝪᑭᗴᔑ: Double Bi-awakening, College Romance, Nerd/Jock.
Este libro ha sido una sorpresa enorme nunca habia leído a la Autora y definitivamente continuare esta serie Ren y Maddox son la cosa mas perfecta, tierna, adorable, y no hay manera de olvidarlos. Una historia sencilla y realista en muchos aspectos donde el dinero, lujo y demas no es algo necesario entros los protas, solo aceptarse y quererse y encontrar su lugar...
November 3, 2024
This is my first book by this author and I must admit I was lured in by the blurbs promise of a nerd/jock romance. The jacked dude on the cover didn't hurt either, but as I've stated before I pick my reads based on blurbs rather than covers the vast majority of the time. Never judge a book by it's cover is a lesson I've learned as a big reader over the years. Needless to say, I'm glad I took a chance on a new to me author since I really enjoyed Maddox and Ren's story!
I really loved how these two started off as friends. I don't know if they ever would have become friends if they hadn't been paired on a writing project in their Creative Writing class, a class neither of them enjoyed by the way. Ren is the exuberant, nerdy type so he's not expecting Maddox to be thrilled to partner with him. He's well aware his personality isn't for everyone. Well wasn't he pleasantly surprised when Maddox assured him that he had no issues with his personality and he shouldn't let other people make him feel bad about it either. This was the start of an unexpected, yet beautiful friendship.
Maddox comes off as the strong, silent type so it was really fun seeing him interact with Ren's colorful friends. I adored how he never judged them or made them feel uncomfortable about their sexuality or antics. It made me smile seeing them all realize Maddox isn't like other jocks and slowly accept him as part of their group. It was made even more great when we got to know Maddox's roommates better and the two groups sort of combined.
During all this friendship bonding, a different kind of bonding was going on between Maddox and Ren. As both boys identified as straight previously, it was initially difficult for them to navigate their changing feelings. Maddox isn't exactly one to talk about his feelings so it took Ren's bravery to truly get them communicating where they needed to be. Once their barriers came down though, these two couldn't keep their hands off each other. Their dynamic was unforeseen on my part, yet HOT when it came to bedroom shenanigans.
I wouldn't classify this as an angsty story, but there was some drama that needed to be handled and dealt with. I was glad how things turned out in the end because I think it made for a much healthier balance in Maddox's life, while also making Ren happy. I'm glad that this book is a start of a series because I am definitely looking forward to more of the group of friends bagging their man. And I don't think I'm the only one who will have noticed the vibes between the two twinky roommates of MCs!
I really loved how these two started off as friends. I don't know if they ever would have become friends if they hadn't been paired on a writing project in their Creative Writing class, a class neither of them enjoyed by the way. Ren is the exuberant, nerdy type so he's not expecting Maddox to be thrilled to partner with him. He's well aware his personality isn't for everyone. Well wasn't he pleasantly surprised when Maddox assured him that he had no issues with his personality and he shouldn't let other people make him feel bad about it either. This was the start of an unexpected, yet beautiful friendship.
Maddox comes off as the strong, silent type so it was really fun seeing him interact with Ren's colorful friends. I adored how he never judged them or made them feel uncomfortable about their sexuality or antics. It made me smile seeing them all realize Maddox isn't like other jocks and slowly accept him as part of their group. It was made even more great when we got to know Maddox's roommates better and the two groups sort of combined.
During all this friendship bonding, a different kind of bonding was going on between Maddox and Ren. As both boys identified as straight previously, it was initially difficult for them to navigate their changing feelings. Maddox isn't exactly one to talk about his feelings so it took Ren's bravery to truly get them communicating where they needed to be. Once their barriers came down though, these two couldn't keep their hands off each other. Their dynamic was unforeseen on my part, yet HOT when it came to bedroom shenanigans.
I wouldn't classify this as an angsty story, but there was some drama that needed to be handled and dealt with. I was glad how things turned out in the end because I think it made for a much healthier balance in Maddox's life, while also making Ren happy. I'm glad that this book is a start of a series because I am definitely looking forward to more of the group of friends bagging their man. And I don't think I'm the only one who will have noticed the vibes between the two twinky roommates of MCs!
November 2, 2024
✨️ARC Review✨️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶.8
Mild angst
Bi awakening (is my jam)
Dual first person POV
Strict top/bottom
College age
Jock/"dweeb" (you'll see why I chose that word)
Ren and Maddox (Maddy) had such a sweet relationship dynamic between them. I enjoyed their witty repartee. And the inner monologs were 🧑🍳💋. This book gave me many literal moments where I laughed out loud (looking at you, Maddox, having a Regina George meltdown at the pizza parlor 👀). The cast of characters/friend group was racially diverse, which I loved to see! There were some dark humor moments, which I also highly enjoyed. This is my first book by L.A. Lambert, and it will not be my last! I highly enjoyed the writing, and Dire Straights is the first book set in the BBU Universe. I look forward to the continuation!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶.8
Mild angst
Bi awakening (is my jam)
Dual first person POV
Strict top/bottom
College age
Jock/"dweeb" (you'll see why I chose that word)
Ren and Maddox (Maddy) had such a sweet relationship dynamic between them. I enjoyed their witty repartee. And the inner monologs were 🧑🍳💋. This book gave me many literal moments where I laughed out loud (looking at you, Maddox, having a Regina George meltdown at the pizza parlor 👀). The cast of characters/friend group was racially diverse, which I loved to see! There were some dark humor moments, which I also highly enjoyed. This is my first book by L.A. Lambert, and it will not be my last! I highly enjoyed the writing, and Dire Straights is the first book set in the BBU Universe. I look forward to the continuation!
November 3, 2024
When two total opposites get put together because of an assignment, they do not only find comfort in each other but also feelings that feel foreign but welcoming all at the same time.
Maddy is a grumpy jock who always follows what his father wants of him. In the midst of feeling close to his breaking point, or rather, at the peak of his whateverness, his life gets completely shaken by a antisocial yet surprisingly assertive (wink wink nudge nudge) nerd.
Ren, the nerd, is just utterly overjoyed to have someone not think he is weird or annoying. He is so patient with Maddy (like what the heck) and handles situations a lot better than Maddy (no offense).
This was an amazingly intriguing book.
I loved how the author changed up the typical jock/nerd troupe and made it their own. The secondhand embrassment really had me counting stars for real. And the other characters (the friend group) had me crackling. They just fit each other so much.
Dire Straights features an easily spooked MC and a patient MC who compliment each other so well, grumpy/sunshine, size difference, awkward moments, secondhand embrassment, boys in speedos, kinky toys and so much more.
//ARC Review//
Maddy is a grumpy jock who always follows what his father wants of him. In the midst of feeling close to his breaking point, or rather, at the peak of his whateverness, his life gets completely shaken by a antisocial yet surprisingly assertive (wink wink nudge nudge) nerd.
Ren, the nerd, is just utterly overjoyed to have someone not think he is weird or annoying. He is so patient with Maddy (like what the heck) and handles situations a lot better than Maddy (no offense).
This was an amazingly intriguing book.
I loved how the author changed up the typical jock/nerd troupe and made it their own. The secondhand embrassment really had me counting stars for real. And the other characters (the friend group) had me crackling. They just fit each other so much.
Dire Straights features an easily spooked MC and a patient MC who compliment each other so well, grumpy/sunshine, size difference, awkward moments, secondhand embrassment, boys in speedos, kinky toys and so much more.
//ARC Review//
November 4, 2024
I have to say I didn't like Maddox at the start of the book. But I just had to remind myself he's 18, and that this will get better. And it did. When his background and what was going with him got explained, his attitude made more sense.
I liked Ren from the start, especially how supportive and understanding he was.
And I loved how their dynamic changed after things heated up.
This book is a definition of find your own kind of weirdos. And I'm here for it!
I liked Ren from the start, especially how supportive and understanding he was.
And I loved how their dynamic changed after things heated up.
This book is a definition of find your own kind of weirdos. And I'm here for it!
November 29, 2024
A well written book !
The romance was IT. I loved reading their development.
The romance was IT. I loved reading their development.
December 9, 2024
Ren and Maddox ❤️
3.5 Stars ⭐️
Sweet, fun, bi-awakening. The relationship build was really cute between these two and the secondary characters were the best! I'm looking forward to what's next for this crew.
* I received an ARC from GRR, this is my open and honest review *
3.5 Stars ⭐️
Sweet, fun, bi-awakening. The relationship build was really cute between these two and the secondary characters were the best! I'm looking forward to what's next for this crew.
* I received an ARC from GRR, this is my open and honest review *
November 24, 2024
They are 19year olds. The things said and done in this book are justified.
They are baby bi's navigating new feelings and exploring new things.
Thoughts as reading:
This is a surprise. In the first few chapters, it felt a little weak, commonplace. But as the story develops , the nuances get more complex as does character development... And then it stops and they both feel like cardboard🙄
*Things happening off page as if the author is describing a tv episode so we can catch up.
*Points off for too much use of the word dweeb😐
Almost 80% in and they just feel like fckbuddies, no feelings. Yeah , they said they like-like each other but they're (especially Maddox) are so stiff.
And then after the build up everything just happens and it's a bit anticlimactic. So all in all this is a pretty low angst story even though it deals with and hits on, real life issues.
It touches on all the points that new bi people have to deal with at some point. From parents to coaches, to coming out of the closet, to coming to terms of your own self-awareness and acceptance, to coming to terms with how these opposites attract, to semi bad parenting, to old (bad)girlfriends, slight mental health issues, bad teammate/coach behavior, bigotry. This book has it all.
They are baby bi's navigating new feelings and exploring new things.
Thoughts as reading:
This is a surprise. In the first few chapters, it felt a little weak, commonplace. But as the story develops , the nuances get more complex as does character development... And then it stops and they both feel like cardboard🙄
*Things happening off page as if the author is describing a tv episode so we can catch up.
*Points off for too much use of the word dweeb😐
Almost 80% in and they just feel like fckbuddies, no feelings. Yeah , they said they like-like each other but they're (especially Maddox) are so stiff.
And then after the build up everything just happens and it's a bit anticlimactic. So all in all this is a pretty low angst story even though it deals with and hits on, real life issues.
It touches on all the points that new bi people have to deal with at some point. From parents to coaches, to coming out of the closet, to coming to terms of your own self-awareness and acceptance, to coming to terms with how these opposites attract, to semi bad parenting, to old (bad)girlfriends, slight mental health issues, bad teammate/coach behavior, bigotry. This book has it all.
November 6, 2024
I really really liked this story. The storyline was simple but good, the angst perfect for the atmosphere and the cast of characters - main and secondary, were distinctly different, with the exception of one or two. I did keep confusing certain characters, mostly because the similarity in names, but that's just me. The spicy scenes were 5/5, and there are a lot of them 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
We have Maddox, a college guy on the swim team who was super popular in high school and has played different sports all of his life. He naturally excels in sports, but he's mostly kept up with them because his dad wants him to. He comes from an upper-middle-class, average family, with the only major issue being the sloppy divorce his parents had, where he, as the oldest child, feels stuck between the feuding parents who constantly shit-talk each other. While popular in high school, he doesn't have many friends in college, and he can't stand the main core of his swim team. He considers himself straight and has never entertained the idea of him being anything other than that.
Next, we have Ren, a nerdy college guy majoring in software engineering. He's rather excitable, talkative and dorky in a cute way, but his ex-girlfriend pointed these flaws out to him regularly, which now makes him very self-deprecating about it. He's got a great group of misfit friends, mostly part of the LGBTQIA+ nerdy community. These secondary characters are great, I really enjoyed them. With the way they are well-fleshed out, I'm guessing they will be written about in future books.
Ren is also from an average upper-middle-class family. His mom is nosy and likes to interfere with his life - specifically with his ex-girlfriend, who she keeps pushing back onto Ren, not realizing how the ex-girlfriend had treated him. He also considers himself straight.
After being put together as partners for a creative writing assignment, they find that they enjoy each other's company despite their being complete opposites. Maddox feels frustrated with how people treat Ren (as a nerd) and with how self-deprecating he can be, and he continually stresses to Ren that he's fine the way he is. Ren, on the other hand, draws Maddox into his little group of friends (who don't trust him at first, jock and all that jazz), noticing that he doesn't seem to hang out with anyone outside his swim practice, which he doesn't even really seem to like. Their strengths and weaknesses complement each other.
There are a lot of stereotypical issues here, such as the whole "nerds don't trust jocks" and the obligatory homophobic athletes. One thing I liked, is that both MC's were from very similar backgrounds-- there weren't any "class imbalances" like a lot of stories tend to focus on. Even the fact that Ren and Maddox are different racially/culturally (Ren is Japanese-American), doesn't have a big part in the story. Aside from some passing racist comments at the beginning of the story, it isn't even really brought up.
I don't know how many other books are planned for the series, but I'll definitely read them!
An ARC was provided so that I could give an honest review. All opinions are my own!
We have Maddox, a college guy on the swim team who was super popular in high school and has played different sports all of his life. He naturally excels in sports, but he's mostly kept up with them because his dad wants him to. He comes from an upper-middle-class, average family, with the only major issue being the sloppy divorce his parents had, where he, as the oldest child, feels stuck between the feuding parents who constantly shit-talk each other. While popular in high school, he doesn't have many friends in college, and he can't stand the main core of his swim team. He considers himself straight and has never entertained the idea of him being anything other than that.
Next, we have Ren, a nerdy college guy majoring in software engineering. He's rather excitable, talkative and dorky in a cute way, but his ex-girlfriend pointed these flaws out to him regularly, which now makes him very self-deprecating about it. He's got a great group of misfit friends, mostly part of the LGBTQIA+ nerdy community. These secondary characters are great, I really enjoyed them. With the way they are well-fleshed out, I'm guessing they will be written about in future books.
Ren is also from an average upper-middle-class family. His mom is nosy and likes to interfere with his life - specifically with his ex-girlfriend, who she keeps pushing back onto Ren, not realizing how the ex-girlfriend had treated him. He also considers himself straight.
After being put together as partners for a creative writing assignment, they find that they enjoy each other's company despite their being complete opposites. Maddox feels frustrated with how people treat Ren (as a nerd) and with how self-deprecating he can be, and he continually stresses to Ren that he's fine the way he is. Ren, on the other hand, draws Maddox into his little group of friends (who don't trust him at first, jock and all that jazz), noticing that he doesn't seem to hang out with anyone outside his swim practice, which he doesn't even really seem to like. Their strengths and weaknesses complement each other.
There are a lot of stereotypical issues here, such as the whole "nerds don't trust jocks" and the obligatory homophobic athletes. One thing I liked, is that both MC's were from very similar backgrounds-- there weren't any "class imbalances" like a lot of stories tend to focus on. Even the fact that Ren and Maddox are different racially/culturally (Ren is Japanese-American), doesn't have a big part in the story. Aside from some passing racist comments at the beginning of the story, it isn't even really brought up.
I don't know how many other books are planned for the series, but I'll definitely read them!
An ARC was provided so that I could give an honest review. All opinions are my own!
November 6, 2024
I have been a fan of L.A. Lambert since their debut novel of Honey and Starlight. I really love the Honey and Starlight series, when I saw this latest was a contemporary collegiate MM sport romance though, I was a bit hesitant. Due to the fact that collegiate level MM stories are often about first times, and some sort of school conflict that I no longer find relatable at my age. But I decided to give it a try because I have faith.
They wrote an outstanding collegiate story that was not your typical college MM romance, sure it had the same old elements, like toxic masculinity in team sports, and nerd/jock combo, but they delivered the drama in an unique way.
The tone of this story was a perfect blend of light sweet romance, with splashes of dirty talk thrown in, like sweet and innocent in the streets, but dirty and domineering in the sheets. So if that’s what you’re looking for, definitely pick this up!
While this is suppose to be book 1, there is no actual for sure that there will be book 2, so I’m kinda glad the author didn’t really make promises about what the second book of the series will be. I mean there are hints in the book, but nothing explicit is said. However I would be interested in a story about Aspen and Caelyx.
They wrote an outstanding collegiate story that was not your typical college MM romance, sure it had the same old elements, like toxic masculinity in team sports, and nerd/jock combo, but they delivered the drama in an unique way.
The tone of this story was a perfect blend of light sweet romance, with splashes of dirty talk thrown in, like sweet and innocent in the streets, but dirty and domineering in the sheets. So if that’s what you’re looking for, definitely pick this up!
While this is suppose to be book 1, there is no actual for sure that there will be book 2, so I’m kinda glad the author didn’t really make promises about what the second book of the series will be. I mean there are hints in the book, but nothing explicit is said. However I would be interested in a story about Aspen and Caelyx.
November 14, 2024
This is a love story of two college men, lovingly told.
College swimming team standout Maddox Holmes gets paired in a creative writing class with geeky Ren Suzuki. The two have to collaboratively write something they both conquer. L. A. Lambert crafts circumstances and reasons for the two to be together where they explore each other's lives.
Swimmer Maddox has a regimen of rising early and practicing in the swim tank as well as a lot of workouts. Gamer and future software engineer Ren lives in a dorm with a roommate who is a friend of someone who lives where Maddox lives in an off-campus house. While standoffish, the two bond but never seem to get to work on their assignment. Still, this well-written novel puts the two in some self-evaluation and eventually in love.
The two 'get' each other; Maddox is a caring friend to Ren, and Ren introduces him to others who help to fill out his circle of friends. Clearly the two are meant for each other, with Maddox having an awakening to desires to be even closer with Ren. Their journey is enjoyable, with some low-level angst and immaturity-imposed separations, which only intensify their desire to be together.
This reader is not left with the frustration of having to wade through pages of barriers to their final state. Instead, there are touching pieces that journal a trip to Maddox's home, where his divorced dad surprises him with an announcement of marriage to another woman.
There are some detailed versions of their sexual journey and some frustrating but necessary pieces about the harassment Maddox endures on the swim team and the homophobic slurs and demeaning actions some of the swim team members exhibit to women, which contribute to their bad behavior reputation. That subject is outed in a full coliseum as part of a climax to this novel, and before the Happy Ever After is presented.
This was a fast read for me, as it kept me entertained and not dragged by unnecessary angsty plot changes. As this is the first in a series about the college the two men attend, it's very likely that I'll read more of L.A. Lambert in the future.
College swimming team standout Maddox Holmes gets paired in a creative writing class with geeky Ren Suzuki. The two have to collaboratively write something they both conquer. L. A. Lambert crafts circumstances and reasons for the two to be together where they explore each other's lives.
Swimmer Maddox has a regimen of rising early and practicing in the swim tank as well as a lot of workouts. Gamer and future software engineer Ren lives in a dorm with a roommate who is a friend of someone who lives where Maddox lives in an off-campus house. While standoffish, the two bond but never seem to get to work on their assignment. Still, this well-written novel puts the two in some self-evaluation and eventually in love.
The two 'get' each other; Maddox is a caring friend to Ren, and Ren introduces him to others who help to fill out his circle of friends. Clearly the two are meant for each other, with Maddox having an awakening to desires to be even closer with Ren. Their journey is enjoyable, with some low-level angst and immaturity-imposed separations, which only intensify their desire to be together.
This reader is not left with the frustration of having to wade through pages of barriers to their final state. Instead, there are touching pieces that journal a trip to Maddox's home, where his divorced dad surprises him with an announcement of marriage to another woman.
There are some detailed versions of their sexual journey and some frustrating but necessary pieces about the harassment Maddox endures on the swim team and the homophobic slurs and demeaning actions some of the swim team members exhibit to women, which contribute to their bad behavior reputation. That subject is outed in a full coliseum as part of a climax to this novel, and before the Happy Ever After is presented.
This was a fast read for me, as it kept me entertained and not dragged by unnecessary angsty plot changes. As this is the first in a series about the college the two men attend, it's very likely that I'll read more of L.A. Lambert in the future.
November 30, 2024
This was an enjoyable story about 2 college students and their awakening. I enjoyed Ren and Maddox as main characters, but I wasn't a huge fan of how Maddox thought about Ren at the start and in certain parts of the book. I felt like they acted very realistically for their age, Ren was the type to try and talk things through, while Maddox ran away from those situations, which for 19 year olds seems very spot on. Maddox struggled with emotions and how to talk about them, but it was nice to see him lean on Ren in these situations, but also learn from Ren to feel them and talk about them. I really enjoyed their dynamic and found them cute together.
I really disliked Ren's ex, who we also got to know. I would have liked for Ren to have more self respect, but I understand that he's also only 19 and also that his ex really didn't help with the things she was telling him and complaining about while they were together.
I felt like this was a good first book in a new series, we got to know the college and their friends, who I'm sure we'll see more of in upcoming books. I would have enjoyed more romantic moments, but I also understand that due to their young age, they might not have the right words and actions for the big gestures. I'm excited to see where this series goes and I'm excited to see more of Ren and Maddox.
I received a free copy of this book via Indie Author Creative and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I really disliked Ren's ex, who we also got to know. I would have liked for Ren to have more self respect, but I understand that he's also only 19 and also that his ex really didn't help with the things she was telling him and complaining about while they were together.
I felt like this was a good first book in a new series, we got to know the college and their friends, who I'm sure we'll see more of in upcoming books. I would have enjoyed more romantic moments, but I also understand that due to their young age, they might not have the right words and actions for the big gestures. I'm excited to see where this series goes and I'm excited to see more of Ren and Maddox.
I received a free copy of this book via Indie Author Creative and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 27, 2024
FRIENDS TO LOVERS NERD/JOCK ROMANCE!💕
When a book engages you as reader from the beginning chapter then you know it is going to be a seriously good read!
This new to me author surprised me with the first book of the Boys of BBU series!
Two total opposites were paired off for a Biology project and became fast friends…
There was laughter and smiles when swim jock Maddox Holmes showed his possessive, jealous side towards anybody who tried to kiss nerd Bio Engineering student Ren Suzuki at a party they separately attended…
They both identified as straight but as the title says they both were in need of each other and it was a pleasure seeing how their attraction grew from day to day and exploded into something so intense and passionate!
Their dynamic was surprisingly good and their friends got along really well which leads to the next couple in the friend group…
There’s a few homophobic slurs revolving around Maddox and his swim team which forms part of the storyline with an explosive end!
A toxic ex of Ren will try to stir the pot by manipulation and outing them which adds to the angst…
I loved their parents and how supportive they were towards Maddox and Ren!
They were just so cute together and were boyfriend goals without realising it!
I look forward to the next book of the series!
I voluntarily received an ARC from GRR for an honest non biased review.
When a book engages you as reader from the beginning chapter then you know it is going to be a seriously good read!
This new to me author surprised me with the first book of the Boys of BBU series!
Two total opposites were paired off for a Biology project and became fast friends…
There was laughter and smiles when swim jock Maddox Holmes showed his possessive, jealous side towards anybody who tried to kiss nerd Bio Engineering student Ren Suzuki at a party they separately attended…
They both identified as straight but as the title says they both were in need of each other and it was a pleasure seeing how their attraction grew from day to day and exploded into something so intense and passionate!
Their dynamic was surprisingly good and their friends got along really well which leads to the next couple in the friend group…
There’s a few homophobic slurs revolving around Maddox and his swim team which forms part of the storyline with an explosive end!
A toxic ex of Ren will try to stir the pot by manipulation and outing them which adds to the angst…
I loved their parents and how supportive they were towards Maddox and Ren!
They were just so cute together and were boyfriend goals without realising it!
I look forward to the next book of the series!
I voluntarily received an ARC from GRR for an honest non biased review.
December 10, 2024
I picked up this book and pretty quickly lost interest when Maddox started thinking of Ren as an awkward dweeb, I just wasn't in the mood for that. Luckily, I found time to come back to it and actually really enjoyed reading their story.
Maddox is a college jock on the swim team. He is not like the others on his team who make bigoted comments and jokes and are just generally nasty people. He stays away from them and is only on the swim team in the first place thanks to parental pressure.
Ren is a sunshiny nerd with an amazing group of friends (I love them) who welcome Maddox into their fold. Neither guy has been attracted to another man before so it takes some time for them to figure out what they are feeling. Their development is spicy 😍 and also so sweet as they create a really deep bond and become each other's safe space.
We get to see their friendship turn into so much more and you can't help but want the best for them. They support each other through toxic exes, parents, bullying from peers and coaches 😡 that one made me SO angry. It is hard enough to stand up for yourself, report damaging behaviour and to ask for help. What his coach did, I wanted to reach into that book and torture that guy and then kill him SLOWLY 🔪
I definitely recommend this book and it was wonderful to see them get their well deserved HEA. I will be back for the rest of the stories!
Maddox is a college jock on the swim team. He is not like the others on his team who make bigoted comments and jokes and are just generally nasty people. He stays away from them and is only on the swim team in the first place thanks to parental pressure.
Ren is a sunshiny nerd with an amazing group of friends (I love them) who welcome Maddox into their fold. Neither guy has been attracted to another man before so it takes some time for them to figure out what they are feeling. Their development is spicy 😍 and also so sweet as they create a really deep bond and become each other's safe space.
We get to see their friendship turn into so much more and you can't help but want the best for them. They support each other through toxic exes, parents, bullying from peers and coaches 😡 that one made me SO angry. It is hard enough to stand up for yourself, report damaging behaviour and to ask for help. What his coach did, I wanted to reach into that book and torture that guy and then kill him SLOWLY 🔪
I definitely recommend this book and it was wonderful to see them get their well deserved HEA. I will be back for the rest of the stories!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 3, 2024
This book was a combination of some of my absolute favorite tropes, and I completely adored it! We follow sweet and nerdy Ren, who is a cinnamon roll of a human being, and a grumpy jock named Maddox who only melts for his nerd. Their relationship was an absolute joy to follow, and I personally really appreciate when the conflict of the novel is external to the relationship. We get to be along for the ride as these two boys learn to open up, rely on each other, and ultimately fall in love. I'm keeping this series on my radar to not only check in on these two again, but to hopefully see what comes of the potential pairings that were hinted at.
An ARC was provided by the author.
An ARC was provided by the author.
November 24, 2024
I really enjoyed watching these two go from friends, to both realizing they have feelings, to exploring to being in love. It was a rollercoaster for them for sure but I feel like it made their relationship stronger.
I absolutely loved the friend group and the found family aspect of them and the support they all gave.
When Maddox finally took a stance again the swim coach and certain members of the team, I was so happy!
This was a first read from this author and first in a new series. I liked these two and can't wait for more of this series.
I absolutely loved the friend group and the found family aspect of them and the support they all gave.
When Maddox finally took a stance again the swim coach and certain members of the team, I was so happy!
This was a first read from this author and first in a new series. I liked these two and can't wait for more of this series.
December 8, 2024
This was great! I love a bi-awakening with minimal internalised homophobia and low angst, and these two were really sweet together.
Maybe a couple things felt a little odd or forced, like being told repeatedly that Ren is socially awkward when he really just interacts with people quite normally and Maddox’s weird prolonged commitment to a swim team that he literally hates and doesn’t need to be on? But really those are just small things that didn’t bother me much at all and overall this is a great read.
Looking forward to the next book in the series!
Maybe a couple things felt a little odd or forced, like being told repeatedly that Ren is socially awkward when he really just interacts with people quite normally and Maddox’s weird prolonged commitment to a swim team that he literally hates and doesn’t need to be on? But really those are just small things that didn’t bother me much at all and overall this is a great read.
Looking forward to the next book in the series!
November 16, 2024
Nerd meets swim jock in this double bi-awakening that is absolutely adorable. I loved both Maddox and Ren, their chemistry was sickeningly sweet, even though it took poor Maddox so long to accept it. I loved all their friends and you can see the possible relationship starting between Aspen and Caelyx. I'm really hoping their story gets written!!! There is homophobic language but those people gets their just desserts at the end. There were so many cute scenes and the spice was so hot!!
November 29, 2024
Finding your place
Maddox is floundering and trying to find what works for him.
Ren is an awkward cutie, and Maddox begins to feel protective of him.
They begin a friendship even though they're complete opposites, and it slowly becomes something much more.
These two were so cute together, and even though they're dealing with some heavy issues, it's dealt with in a healthy and realistic manner.
I loved the found family aspect, and I can't wait for more from this series.
Maddox is floundering and trying to find what works for him.
Ren is an awkward cutie, and Maddox begins to feel protective of him.
They begin a friendship even though they're complete opposites, and it slowly becomes something much more.
These two were so cute together, and even though they're dealing with some heavy issues, it's dealt with in a healthy and realistic manner.
I loved the found family aspect, and I can't wait for more from this series.
November 29, 2024
Maddox is a college swim team jock who gets paired with future software engineer Ren to write a paper for a class. It's a mutual bi-awakening with lots of angst on Maddy's part while laid back Ren takes it all in stride. Maddy has to deal with bias and his own parental issues but their steamy activities helps him accept that Ren's the one for him. I received a copy of this book through Booksprout and this is my voluntary opinion.
November 11, 2024
This was such a cute book from a new-to-me author.
I loved the nerd/jock pairing, and Ren was just so adorable. The story is relatively low-angst but it still explores themes of masculinity, homophobia, and self-acceptance... most of the angst is outside the relationship. Watching Ren support and ground his jock was beautiful. The found family trope was well-executed, and most of the characters were incredibly likable. Maddox and Ren were just the cutest! The book has some steam, and it was refreshing to read a dynamic that didn’t rely on stereotypes in the bedroom—something I always appreciate in MM romances.
What didn’t work as well for me were the female characters (who mostly fell flat), the lack of communication between the MCs at times, and certain humor choices around one particular side character. I know it was meant to show him in a negative light, but I still found myself rolling my eyes a bit. Plus, Maddox's initial thoughts of Ren as "dweeb" seemed really mean for a guy he just met.
𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘎𝘢𝘺 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸.
I loved the nerd/jock pairing, and Ren was just so adorable. The story is relatively low-angst but it still explores themes of masculinity, homophobia, and self-acceptance... most of the angst is outside the relationship. Watching Ren support and ground his jock was beautiful. The found family trope was well-executed, and most of the characters were incredibly likable. Maddox and Ren were just the cutest! The book has some steam, and it was refreshing to read a dynamic that didn’t rely on stereotypes in the bedroom—something I always appreciate in MM romances.
What didn’t work as well for me were the female characters (who mostly fell flat), the lack of communication between the MCs at times, and certain humor choices around one particular side character. I know it was meant to show him in a negative light, but I still found myself rolling my eyes a bit. Plus, Maddox's initial thoughts of Ren as "dweeb" seemed really mean for a guy he just met.
𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘎𝘢𝘺 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews