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Best Bros Forever #1
The Bro Pact: Special Edition
Kyle
I had my entire future mapped out, which is exactly how I prefer things—organized and predictable. Law school, marriage, two-point-five kids, and a white picket fence. Nothing extravagant, just a little family of my own, and a place to call home.
But life has other plans when my long-term girlfriend dumps me at the end of freshman year, and I’m left feeling empty and rejected.
Luckily, my best friend, Warren, is there—like he always is—to make me smile and laugh, distracting me with his latest wild idea. And this one might just take the cake.
He proposes a pact—no girls this summer. Just bros for three whole months.
And I accept.
Warren
When my best friend and I find ourselves burned by the opposite sex and moping around a bonfire in his parents’ backyard, I take it upon myself to better our situation.
I fix up an old RV, and we start the summer with an epic road trip to the Pacific that I’m hoping will repair his broken heart. But Kyle keeps creeping on me, stealing shy glances that roam my body and make me feel things I shouldn’t.
It turns out this bro pact is a lot harder than either of us anticipated, and it’s pushing us together in ways we never imagined. Ways that have us questioning just how deep our bromance truly goes.
The Bro Pact is book one in the Best Bros Forever Series, a collection of standalone contemporary gay romances. You can expect best-friends-to-lovers, bi-awakening, gay for you, and forced proximity. This novel is intended for 18+ readers and touches on some sensitive subjects.
I had my entire future mapped out, which is exactly how I prefer things—organized and predictable. Law school, marriage, two-point-five kids, and a white picket fence. Nothing extravagant, just a little family of my own, and a place to call home.
But life has other plans when my long-term girlfriend dumps me at the end of freshman year, and I’m left feeling empty and rejected.
Luckily, my best friend, Warren, is there—like he always is—to make me smile and laugh, distracting me with his latest wild idea. And this one might just take the cake.
He proposes a pact—no girls this summer. Just bros for three whole months.
And I accept.
Warren
When my best friend and I find ourselves burned by the opposite sex and moping around a bonfire in his parents’ backyard, I take it upon myself to better our situation.
I fix up an old RV, and we start the summer with an epic road trip to the Pacific that I’m hoping will repair his broken heart. But Kyle keeps creeping on me, stealing shy glances that roam my body and make me feel things I shouldn’t.
It turns out this bro pact is a lot harder than either of us anticipated, and it’s pushing us together in ways we never imagined. Ways that have us questioning just how deep our bromance truly goes.
The Bro Pact is book one in the Best Bros Forever Series, a collection of standalone contemporary gay romances. You can expect best-friends-to-lovers, bi-awakening, gay for you, and forced proximity. This novel is intended for 18+ readers and touches on some sensitive subjects.
348 pages, Paperback
Published November 10, 2024
166 people are currently reading
852 people want to read
About the author
Charli Meadows
7 books393 followersCharli Meadows is an obsessive reader, avid bookstagrammer turned PA, and now an author herself. Lover of all romance, she plans to write a little bit of everything, but make it sweet and spicy.
Living in North Carolina with her husband and young daughter, you can usually find Charli working her boring corporate job or at home playing video games, if she’s not reading, writing or daydreaming about books.
Living in North Carolina with her husband and young daughter, you can usually find Charli working her boring corporate job or at home playing video games, if she’s not reading, writing or daydreaming about books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 198 reviews
August 17, 2024
the way this is written is really shallow….basically we get to see the characters do this, do that, say this, say that, and there’s not much of the deeper inner thoughts that would help build tension or help the reader emotionally connect with the characters or just make it less like reading a tv script…..a tv script with clunky and unrealistic dialogue. also the sexual aspect of the double bi awakening unfolded in such a discordant way….it didn’t feel natural or smooth for the characters.
then there was the third act break up, which made me want to fucking SCREAM bc it was the most made up, contrived bullshit ever…..like they make it back home from their vacay, and ren is offering for kyle to stay the night at his place bc kyle doesn’t have his truck and so ren would have to drive him home but they’re both exhausted….kyle, for some unknown reason, under zero outside pressure, says “I don’t know, Ren. Things are different now that we’re home.” ????? like huh???? y’all literally just got back in town THAT DAY! like ur making shit up!!
then, kyle apparently has some sort of crisis bc his ex gf has been texting and calling, wanting to get back together….oh, you mean the same bitch u weren’t thinking about once on the trip bc u were too busy plowing ur best friend’s ass and falling in love with him??? like what’s there to think about, seriously. he literally contemplates getting back together with her bc he wants a partner (before the trip, he was thinking wife specifically), kids, a house, and a white picket fence when he’s older and she fits those plans…..like WHAT???? you can swap wife for husband and still have all of those things hello🙄 like this is his line of thinking:
“Marissa is the logical choice that lines up with my future and my career plans.
But Warren is the passionate, all-consuming, kiss-you-under-the-stars choice.
I mean, if I was gay. Or bi.
But I’m not.
Right?”
🙄🙄🙄
WTF are u talking about!?! like don’t piss me off….like let’s just recap here, kyle:
✅ you are sexually attracted to your best friend
✅ you have acted on that sexual attraction and have fucked ur bestie seven ways til sunday
✅ you are currently in love with ur bestie
okay now wtf are u talking about i’m not gay or bi😭😭 like ur a man in love with another man, it’s not complicated. and wtf are u doing contemplating a goddamn thing about ur ex rn🙄
then, kyle and ren go to some party and end up making out in the back of the truck. they haven’t had much time to spend together in the weeks since they got back home bc they’ve both been so busy with their individual commitments, but they finally got their schedules aligned. they get interrupted by kyle’s brother coming to check on them and make sure they aren’t driving home bc they’ve both been drinking. after kyle’s brother leaves, kyle thinks to himself:
“I miss the RV, our freedom, and most of all, I realize how much I miss having our own space.
If we can’t find a place to be together or be comfortable in public, then what’s the point of trying to make this work?
Clearly, we aren’t meant to be.”
WHAT????? what the dick are u fucking talking about dude😭 literally this is one of the first times you’ve hung out since y’all have gotten back and you’re already giving up bc ur brother came to check on you, interrupted ur make out sesh for a few minutes and left with no issues???? like how does that make any sense?!?!?🤦♀️🤦♀️ talking bout “the RV was a one time anomaly”….like weren’t y’all just hot and heavy in the back seat???🙄 no fucking sense, i tell u.
then the next day or something, ex gf shows up at kyle’s doorstep and asks kyle to get back together and move in with her, and kyle tells her he’ll think about it, even though he clearly knows he doesn’t want that bc things are different now with ren.
fast forward an hour later and ren comes knocking too about his dad offering ren an apartment over the west garage if ren is willing to fix it up, and ren is like we can live there together:
“It’ll be like our time in the RV except every fucking day. We can finally be together, Kyle. In the real world. Can you believe it?”
omg, just like kyle wanted right?? ren is handing kyle his precious place to be together on a silver platter so now there’s a point for them to try to make this work right?? haha that’d be too easy and logical💀 instead, kyle freaks out and gets overwhelmed bc supposedly he doesn’t know what to choose and his ex just asked him the same thing and he can’t tell ren that bc:
“It would hurt him too much. And I never want to hurt Ren. Ever.”
well, he ends up telling ren pretty much immediately anyway🤣 and kyle is like i don’t know what to do,
and ren is like you don’t want to be with me?,
and kyle is like idk,
and ren is like even after everything we’ve been thru?,
and kyle is like idk,
and ren is like even after last weekend? (making out in the truck),
and kyle is like “I’m not gay, Ren. I’m sorry. I’m just not.”🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄 (like kyle, u need to fucking reevaluate, my god don’t piss me off!!!!!😒)
and then ren goes and confesses that he’s in love with kyle and all kyle has to say to that is don’t, i can’t, i’m not gay. like wtf!!!!! this pissed me off soo bad bc the way kyle works is that he can’t separate love and sex. he KNOWS this about himself!!! he knows if he’s having sex with someone, it’s bc he has a shit ton of feelings for them. if you’re not comfortable with a label yet, okay, but don’t argue with the facts babe!!! you are a man in love with another man, that’s all you need to know😭 it’s so weird, it’s like he doesn’t realize liking more than one gender is a thing that exists???
and then kyle is thinking to himself, the only way to make this hurt less (for ren) is to be even more cruel in return, ren can’t love me, he has to hate me. and then kyle says rude things and bam, 3rd act break up complete. like genuinely, what the actual fuck just happened??? like i can’t even piece together what the thought process was. it was just a bunch of made up bullshit so the author could squeeze their 3rd act break up in🙄 and what happened to never wanting to hurt ren ever??💀 that went to the wayside literally immediately in favor of acting delusional and insane. it just doesn’t make any fucking sense at all, and even worse, it’s ANNOYING AF!!!!! literally crumbled under no pressure🥴
and i could cut kyle some slack if i truly believed he was struggling with his sexuality, but i don’t. i believe he was struggling with the LABEL, but not his sexuality bc babe, lemme tell u…..kyle wasn’t struggling a damn bit fucking ren. or holding his hand in public, kissing him, hugging him, telling people ren is his, falling in damn love with him, etc etc. this is all just some weird ass lead up into kyle finding his label:
“I’ve been doing a lot of research lately regarding sexuality, and I’m starting to grow more and more comfortable with the term demisexual.
But the mere thought of explaining to everyone I know that I’m with a man because I love him, but not actually gay, makes me queasy and sweaty.”
i hate the way this is worded. why is he so afraid of the word “gay”. like i’m getting the vibe that kyle has some weird aversion to it. like sir, u are a demisexual man in a GAY relationship with a bisexual man. it is okay. if you don’t want to explain, don’t. but jesus. also it’s entirely possible to be gay and demi. i mean, kyle is more like pan and demi, but still. the whole “i’m not gay, i’m not gay, i’m not gay” thing was just a whole damn mess.
anyway, circling back to kyle’s whole “wife, kids, a house, and a white picket fence” dream for his future, he ends up admitting he thought his whole future would be void if he chose to be with a man🙄 and i just have to say, ik he’s 19, but that’s just really fucking stupid. i fear it’s common sense that you can have kids, a house, and a white picket fence with anyone you want💀
idk, just everything that happened after kyle and ren came home from the trip pissed me off. there was no set up for drama. all they had to do was exactly what they’d been doing all trip. but somehow kyle sets foot back in colorado and immediately decides to act insane. i blame the author. MY kyle would nevaaaa!!!!!
then there was the third act break up, which made me want to fucking SCREAM bc it was the most made up, contrived bullshit ever…..like they make it back home from their vacay, and ren is offering for kyle to stay the night at his place bc kyle doesn’t have his truck and so ren would have to drive him home but they’re both exhausted….kyle, for some unknown reason, under zero outside pressure, says “I don’t know, Ren. Things are different now that we’re home.” ????? like huh???? y’all literally just got back in town THAT DAY! like ur making shit up!!
then, kyle apparently has some sort of crisis bc his ex gf has been texting and calling, wanting to get back together….oh, you mean the same bitch u weren’t thinking about once on the trip bc u were too busy plowing ur best friend’s ass and falling in love with him??? like what’s there to think about, seriously. he literally contemplates getting back together with her bc he wants a partner (before the trip, he was thinking wife specifically), kids, a house, and a white picket fence when he’s older and she fits those plans…..like WHAT???? you can swap wife for husband and still have all of those things hello🙄 like this is his line of thinking:
“Marissa is the logical choice that lines up with my future and my career plans.
But Warren is the passionate, all-consuming, kiss-you-under-the-stars choice.
I mean, if I was gay. Or bi.
But I’m not.
Right?”
🙄🙄🙄
WTF are u talking about!?! like don’t piss me off….like let’s just recap here, kyle:
✅ you are sexually attracted to your best friend
✅ you have acted on that sexual attraction and have fucked ur bestie seven ways til sunday
✅ you are currently in love with ur bestie
okay now wtf are u talking about i’m not gay or bi😭😭 like ur a man in love with another man, it’s not complicated. and wtf are u doing contemplating a goddamn thing about ur ex rn🙄
then, kyle and ren go to some party and end up making out in the back of the truck. they haven’t had much time to spend together in the weeks since they got back home bc they’ve both been so busy with their individual commitments, but they finally got their schedules aligned. they get interrupted by kyle’s brother coming to check on them and make sure they aren’t driving home bc they’ve both been drinking. after kyle’s brother leaves, kyle thinks to himself:
“I miss the RV, our freedom, and most of all, I realize how much I miss having our own space.
If we can’t find a place to be together or be comfortable in public, then what’s the point of trying to make this work?
Clearly, we aren’t meant to be.”
WHAT????? what the dick are u fucking talking about dude😭 literally this is one of the first times you’ve hung out since y’all have gotten back and you’re already giving up bc ur brother came to check on you, interrupted ur make out sesh for a few minutes and left with no issues???? like how does that make any sense?!?!?🤦♀️🤦♀️ talking bout “the RV was a one time anomaly”….like weren’t y’all just hot and heavy in the back seat???🙄 no fucking sense, i tell u.
then the next day or something, ex gf shows up at kyle’s doorstep and asks kyle to get back together and move in with her, and kyle tells her he’ll think about it, even though he clearly knows he doesn’t want that bc things are different now with ren.
fast forward an hour later and ren comes knocking too about his dad offering ren an apartment over the west garage if ren is willing to fix it up, and ren is like we can live there together:
“It’ll be like our time in the RV except every fucking day. We can finally be together, Kyle. In the real world. Can you believe it?”
omg, just like kyle wanted right?? ren is handing kyle his precious place to be together on a silver platter so now there’s a point for them to try to make this work right?? haha that’d be too easy and logical💀 instead, kyle freaks out and gets overwhelmed bc supposedly he doesn’t know what to choose and his ex just asked him the same thing and he can’t tell ren that bc:
“It would hurt him too much. And I never want to hurt Ren. Ever.”
well, he ends up telling ren pretty much immediately anyway🤣 and kyle is like i don’t know what to do,
and ren is like you don’t want to be with me?,
and kyle is like idk,
and ren is like even after everything we’ve been thru?,
and kyle is like idk,
and ren is like even after last weekend? (making out in the truck),
and kyle is like “I’m not gay, Ren. I’m sorry. I’m just not.”🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄 (like kyle, u need to fucking reevaluate, my god don’t piss me off!!!!!😒)
and then ren goes and confesses that he’s in love with kyle and all kyle has to say to that is don’t, i can’t, i’m not gay. like wtf!!!!! this pissed me off soo bad bc the way kyle works is that he can’t separate love and sex. he KNOWS this about himself!!! he knows if he’s having sex with someone, it’s bc he has a shit ton of feelings for them. if you’re not comfortable with a label yet, okay, but don’t argue with the facts babe!!! you are a man in love with another man, that’s all you need to know😭 it’s so weird, it’s like he doesn’t realize liking more than one gender is a thing that exists???
and then kyle is thinking to himself, the only way to make this hurt less (for ren) is to be even more cruel in return, ren can’t love me, he has to hate me. and then kyle says rude things and bam, 3rd act break up complete. like genuinely, what the actual fuck just happened??? like i can’t even piece together what the thought process was. it was just a bunch of made up bullshit so the author could squeeze their 3rd act break up in🙄 and what happened to never wanting to hurt ren ever??💀 that went to the wayside literally immediately in favor of acting delusional and insane. it just doesn’t make any fucking sense at all, and even worse, it’s ANNOYING AF!!!!! literally crumbled under no pressure🥴
and i could cut kyle some slack if i truly believed he was struggling with his sexuality, but i don’t. i believe he was struggling with the LABEL, but not his sexuality bc babe, lemme tell u…..kyle wasn’t struggling a damn bit fucking ren. or holding his hand in public, kissing him, hugging him, telling people ren is his, falling in damn love with him, etc etc. this is all just some weird ass lead up into kyle finding his label:
“I’ve been doing a lot of research lately regarding sexuality, and I’m starting to grow more and more comfortable with the term demisexual.
But the mere thought of explaining to everyone I know that I’m with a man because I love him, but not actually gay, makes me queasy and sweaty.”
i hate the way this is worded. why is he so afraid of the word “gay”. like i’m getting the vibe that kyle has some weird aversion to it. like sir, u are a demisexual man in a GAY relationship with a bisexual man. it is okay. if you don’t want to explain, don’t. but jesus. also it’s entirely possible to be gay and demi. i mean, kyle is more like pan and demi, but still. the whole “i’m not gay, i’m not gay, i’m not gay” thing was just a whole damn mess.
anyway, circling back to kyle’s whole “wife, kids, a house, and a white picket fence” dream for his future, he ends up admitting he thought his whole future would be void if he chose to be with a man🙄 and i just have to say, ik he’s 19, but that’s just really fucking stupid. i fear it’s common sense that you can have kids, a house, and a white picket fence with anyone you want💀
idk, just everything that happened after kyle and ren came home from the trip pissed me off. there was no set up for drama. all they had to do was exactly what they’d been doing all trip. but somehow kyle sets foot back in colorado and immediately decides to act insane. i blame the author. MY kyle would nevaaaa!!!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 17, 2024
I'm not really sure what to make of this in all honesty.
The only thing that springs to mind is that it was like 'watching' some really bad acting... Everything was so surface level and there was no emotion at all. None of the characters had any real personality and the drama felt forced.
Kyle annoyed me because he was fixated on what he had planned for his life and didn't want to budge even though he was unhappy. He didn't seem to have a valid reason for why he behaved the way he did at any point in the book, so I was confused about why I was supposed to be invested in him.
Ren irritated me because he was a selfish, impulsive dickhead for most of the book. When he 'got his heart broken' it really did feel like bad daytime TV... It was just telling and no showing and I just found I wasn't all that bothered if they ended up together.
Weird one....
The only thing that springs to mind is that it was like 'watching' some really bad acting... Everything was so surface level and there was no emotion at all. None of the characters had any real personality and the drama felt forced.
Kyle annoyed me because he was fixated on what he had planned for his life and didn't want to budge even though he was unhappy. He didn't seem to have a valid reason for why he behaved the way he did at any point in the book, so I was confused about why I was supposed to be invested in him.
Ren irritated me because he was a selfish, impulsive dickhead for most of the book. When he 'got his heart broken' it really did feel like bad daytime TV... It was just telling and no showing and I just found I wasn't all that bothered if they ended up together.
Weird one....
September 4, 2024
⭐️ 3 stars ⭐️
The Bro Pact was a very light and steamy read, and I liked the road trip aspect.
Best friends to lovers is always a treat, but this one did feel a little bland and generic. It was fine, but definitely nothing special.
The third act break up was really unnecessary, clunky and just there to add drama. I get Kyle’s struggle with his sexuality, but hate that they wouldn’t just communicate.
Boys be dumb AF, so at least it felt semi realistic.
Overall cute and sexy, but will probably forget about this entire book by tomorrow.
CW and tropes (spoilers):
- Best friends to lovers
- Queer awakening
- Demi MC? (Kyle prefers not to label himself/doesnt fully know what to label himself)
- Mention of parental abandonment
- Road trip
- Only one bed
- Brojobs
- Frotting
- Rimming
- Coming hands-free
- Strict top/bottom
I can’t believe I just agreed to get off with my best friend.
The Bro Pact was a very light and steamy read, and I liked the road trip aspect.
Best friends to lovers is always a treat, but this one did feel a little bland and generic. It was fine, but definitely nothing special.
The third act break up was really unnecessary, clunky and just there to add drama. I get Kyle’s struggle with his sexuality, but hate that they wouldn’t just communicate.
Boys be dumb AF, so at least it felt semi realistic.
Overall cute and sexy, but will probably forget about this entire book by tomorrow.
How could I ever think there was another choice? It’s Ren. It always has been and always will be.
CW and tropes (spoilers):
- Best friends to lovers
- Queer awakening
- Demi MC? (Kyle prefers not to label himself/doesnt fully know what to label himself)
- Mention of parental abandonment
- Road trip
- Only one bed
- Brojobs
- Frotting
- Rimming
- Coming hands-free
- Strict top/bottom
August 1, 2024
The Bro Pact is a fun low-angst best friends to lovers romance. Kyle and Warren have been best friends forever and after deciding to remain single for an entire summer while traveling across the country both quickly realize their feelings are much more than friends.
I loved the connection and relationship between these two. You can easily see how much they care for one another and are so blinded by their "friendship" to realize the true depth of their feelings.
I also enjoyed the light, breezy atmosphere this book cultivates. It's a relaxing read as you watch these two become closer and more dependent on one another until their realization finally happens.
Overall I loved this story. I loved how these two characters truly fell for one another in a natural and obvious way and this realization only made their bond and connection that much stronger. I cannot wait to read the next entry!!!
*** I reviewed a complimentary copy of this story.***
I loved the connection and relationship between these two. You can easily see how much they care for one another and are so blinded by their "friendship" to realize the true depth of their feelings.
I also enjoyed the light, breezy atmosphere this book cultivates. It's a relaxing read as you watch these two become closer and more dependent on one another until their realization finally happens.
Overall I loved this story. I loved how these two characters truly fell for one another in a natural and obvious way and this realization only made their bond and connection that much stronger. I cannot wait to read the next entry!!!
*** I reviewed a complimentary copy of this story.***
June 2, 2025
THIS WAS SO CUTE!
I love love love a little best friends to lovers where you can clearly tell they’re made for each other and are obviously in love but don’t know it yet. One of the best tropes for any pairing.
I’ll have more to say later about it but still so cute!
I love love love a little best friends to lovers where you can clearly tell they’re made for each other and are obviously in love but don’t know it yet. One of the best tropes for any pairing.
I’ll have more to say later about it but still so cute!
August 6, 2024
Finding themselves dumped right before the summer, best friends Ren and Kyle make a pact to spend the next three months together—no girls, no distractions, just two best bros having the time of their lives.
To kick off the summer, Ren and Kyle head out on a roadtrip to the Pacific, just two bros in a RV coasting down the highway. Somewhere along the way though things between them start to shift, and their epic bromance turns into something more.
Honestly, Ren and Kyle were adorable, and despite how opposite their personalities were, their friendship turned relationship just works with how well they balance each other out.
Plus I’m such a sucker for friends to lovers, and I thought their story was really sweet and fun, even if the third act drama was a bit too easily resolved—Ren should’ve made Kyle work for it just a little before forgiving him, but oh whale!
- besties to lovers
- forced proximity
- one bed
- summer road trip
- queer awakening
To kick off the summer, Ren and Kyle head out on a roadtrip to the Pacific, just two bros in a RV coasting down the highway. Somewhere along the way though things between them start to shift, and their epic bromance turns into something more.
Honestly, Ren and Kyle were adorable, and despite how opposite their personalities were, their friendship turned relationship just works with how well they balance each other out.
Plus I’m such a sucker for friends to lovers, and I thought their story was really sweet and fun, even if the third act drama was a bit too easily resolved—Ren should’ve made Kyle work for it just a little before forgiving him, but oh whale!
- besties to lovers
- forced proximity
- one bed
- summer road trip
- queer awakening
August 7, 2024
Great story! I love friends to lovers books and this one was so good. Warren and Kyle were just so cute together. I love the connection and chemistry these two had. This was definitely a fun summer read.
November 2, 2025
"I’m bent over and touching my toes while Kyle eats my ass."
3.5 ⭐
I don’t know, man — this was okay for me. It’s not a terrible book, but it was just aight. This is one of those typical setups where two friends go on a trip or do something, there’s only one bed, and suddenly their hormones go haywire and they’re fucking and falling in love way too quickly.
We actually get more non-romantic sex scenes than I expected, which is a bonus, but still — it’s not something I’d reach for again. I think it’s a good enough book for a one-time read, but it didn’t leave a lasting impression on me, and honestly, that’s okay.
This felt like a one-and-done story with characters who exist mainly to get two men on the page to fuck, which is fine, but I usually like a little more emotional depth in my books. For me, I’ve got to be in the mood for straight porn-with-plot to rate something higher than 3 stars — and I definitely wasn’t in that mood when I read this.
Still, Charli Meadows keeps me coming back, because there’s something about their writing I enjoy enough to stick with the story, even when I know it’s not going to make my favorites list.
3.5 ⭐
I don’t know, man — this was okay for me. It’s not a terrible book, but it was just aight. This is one of those typical setups where two friends go on a trip or do something, there’s only one bed, and suddenly their hormones go haywire and they’re fucking and falling in love way too quickly.
We actually get more non-romantic sex scenes than I expected, which is a bonus, but still — it’s not something I’d reach for again. I think it’s a good enough book for a one-time read, but it didn’t leave a lasting impression on me, and honestly, that’s okay.
This felt like a one-and-done story with characters who exist mainly to get two men on the page to fuck, which is fine, but I usually like a little more emotional depth in my books. For me, I’ve got to be in the mood for straight porn-with-plot to rate something higher than 3 stars — and I definitely wasn’t in that mood when I read this.
Still, Charli Meadows keeps me coming back, because there’s something about their writing I enjoy enough to stick with the story, even when I know it’s not going to make my favorites list.
August 16, 2024
4.75 ⭐️
August 18, 2024
Kyle (Ky) & Warren (Ren)
Rating: 4.7 ⭐
- Best Friends-to-Lovers
- College Romance
- Bi-Awakening/Demi-Awakening
- Forced Proximity
- One Bed
- Summer Road Trip
- No Girls Pact
- Experimenting
- Sexy Truth or Dare
*RTC*
Verse: No
HEA: Yes
POV: Dual
Breakup: Yes, apart for a few weeks while Kyle comes to terms with his sexuality and change to his life dreams
Cheating: No
OM/OW Drama: Yes, Kyle's ex tries to get him back once she realizes the grass wasn't greener on the other side and her parents want him back.
Ages: 19 & 19
Rating: 4.7 ⭐
- Best Friends-to-Lovers
- College Romance
- Bi-Awakening/Demi-Awakening
- Forced Proximity
- One Bed
- Summer Road Trip
- No Girls Pact
- Experimenting
- Sexy Truth or Dare
*RTC*
Verse: No
HEA: Yes
POV: Dual
Breakup: Yes, apart for a few weeks while Kyle comes to terms with his sexuality and change to his life dreams
Cheating: No
OM/OW Drama: Yes, Kyle's ex tries to get him back once she realizes the grass wasn't greener on the other side and her parents want him back.
Ages: 19 & 19
August 17, 2024
I love this. I thought the road trip was so fun and the way it was written it was like I was there with Ky and Ren having fun along side them. What are 19 years old to do on road trip? Super cute and super hot. The spice was spicy! A really fun summer read!
August 24, 2024
2 Bros - 1 RV - NO GIRLS pact equals one epic road trip and summer read!
Ren and Ky have been best friends since childhood and have been there for each other through thick and thin. Having been dumped by his longtime girlfriend, Ky needs Ren more than ever. Ren's girlfriend also broke up with him recently and he comes up with a brilliant idea: to fix up an RV at his dad's auto shop and take it on a road trip to see the Pacific Ocean, just Ky and him, and hit the reset button.
Along the way, there's all kinds of fun outdoor activities, a spicy game of Truth or Dare, plus the sweet realization that they mean way more to each other than just friends.
This story was just a delight to read - low angst, lots of laughs and sweet moments, and some very spicy ones too. Plus, they had some truly magical moments and their love story gave me so many feels. In short, I loved this book and absolutely cannot wait for the next.
What to Expect:
* Childhood BFFs to lovers
* College boys
* forced proximity
* only one bed
* epic road trip
* No girls
* queer awakening
* HEA
I received an ARC from Chaotic Creatives and this is my honest review
Ren and Ky have been best friends since childhood and have been there for each other through thick and thin. Having been dumped by his longtime girlfriend, Ky needs Ren more than ever. Ren's girlfriend also broke up with him recently and he comes up with a brilliant idea: to fix up an RV at his dad's auto shop and take it on a road trip to see the Pacific Ocean, just Ky and him, and hit the reset button.
Along the way, there's all kinds of fun outdoor activities, a spicy game of Truth or Dare, plus the sweet realization that they mean way more to each other than just friends.
This story was just a delight to read - low angst, lots of laughs and sweet moments, and some very spicy ones too. Plus, they had some truly magical moments and their love story gave me so many feels. In short, I loved this book and absolutely cannot wait for the next.
What to Expect:
* Childhood BFFs to lovers
* College boys
* forced proximity
* only one bed
* epic road trip
* No girls
* queer awakening
* HEA
I received an ARC from Chaotic Creatives and this is my honest review
August 20, 2024
Tropes: forced proximity, friends to lovers
Feels: 3.5/5
Steam*: 3/5
Kinks: n/a
Angst: low
HEA: yes
Pairing: MM
Triggers/potential icks/content warnings: mom left, getting dumped/cheated on (not MCs), third act break up
3.5 stars (really wish we didn't have to decide about rounding up or down because this really doesn't deserve 4 stars but I also don't want to be mean and give it 3)
This story is about Warren and Kyle who have been best friends since childhood. They are 19 years old. Kyle has only ever been with one person, his ex-girlfriend Marissa. They were together for a year and she just broke up with him. Kyle is a real serious dude and a monogamous so this really hit him hard. Warren is the opposite of Kyle and he only does casual, he's been around. But he's been hooking up with a girl regularly recently, and she cheated on him. With both of them single and the summer upon them, they decide to swear off girls for the summer and go on an RV trip for a few weeks. These guys are really close friends, they live in each other's pockets. Warren doesn't have a mom because she walked out when he was a kid, and he's really close to Kyle's mom. Their families are very close because of their friendship.
They go off on their trip and the forced proximity of sharing the RV and the only bed in there leads to them having to confront the fact that they are attracted to each other. They've written off the lingering looks they've given each other over the years but now they're realizing it's sexual attraction and they act on it. Warren is very open to different experiences. Sex is always just been something fun to him. And well he hasn't hooked up with men before, he has jerked off with friends from school. So he accepts his bisexual awakening easier and leans into the feelings a little harder than kyle. Kyle is legitimately confused by what he's feeling. He's never had a high drive before and even with Marissa he took things slow. Kyle's confused by the fact that he has this attraction to Warren and doesn't trust it, because he really doesn't think he's gay and he doesn't think this can last. Kyle eventually comes to identify as demisexual and that makes things make more sense to him.
They spend their trip hooking up all the time and getting really close. Having the time of their lives. But then when the summer trip is over, can they survive as a couple in the real world? Do they want to? There is a third act break up but they get back together quick enough.
This is a pleasant enough story. They are sweet together and they do have an interesting connection. The steam was pretty good. There was good tension between them.
Took me a little while to get into it though. Kyle also wasn't my favorite character, he was a little to much of a jerk accidentally as it were too Warren, internalized homophobia isn't the most likeable of traits and when he also immediately rejected the idea of bottoming himself it icked me. I'm not a huge fan of the flashbacks to Kyle and Warren being kids and talking in kind of baby talk. It's a little much. I know they're trying to show Warren having issues with his mom leaving him when he was a kid. And they're trying to draw parallels to the present where Kyle's mom is making a difference in Warren's life, being a maternal presence for him too. Just a little too much childishness sprinkled in a romance. And also, these guys are so young even in the present, they are 19 and they can't adult and take care of themselves. They're so childish and carefree in their behaviors, I wish they were a little bit more mature. I'm not a huge fan of romances with characters of this age and maturity. I like the couples to have a little bit more maturity to them so that they are more solid in who they are and their feelings and they're happily ever after is more believable and right for them as people. At least the epilogue flipped forward 3 years and you see them a little more solid.
Some notable moments:
"Kyle shakes his head, reading my mind. “I really don’t want to explain to my mom how you were accidentally killed by her cookie sheet.”"
It's not what he thinks, lol. "“Why am I naked with a sore ass?” Ren mumbles groggily into his pillow. “I would have wanted to remember something as monumental as losing my butt virginity.”"
*FYI about steam: I rate steam based on a combination of quality & quantity. I note kink separate from steam because I don't want to underrate steamy reads that don't have much kink.
**Note about spoilers: I like to comment on the plot of a book in reviews, so I almost always mark my reviews as containing spoilers. But I try to avoid spoiling the big dramatic moments! As a reader, I personally like to know what I'm getting into before I read a book so I know more about the content and if it's to my taste/mood, so I try to give that information in my reviews for myself when I'm considering rereading and also for other readers.
Feels: 3.5/5
Steam*: 3/5
Kinks: n/a
Angst: low
HEA: yes
Pairing: MM
Triggers/potential icks/content warnings: mom left, getting dumped/cheated on (not MCs), third act break up
3.5 stars (really wish we didn't have to decide about rounding up or down because this really doesn't deserve 4 stars but I also don't want to be mean and give it 3)
This story is about Warren and Kyle who have been best friends since childhood. They are 19 years old. Kyle has only ever been with one person, his ex-girlfriend Marissa. They were together for a year and she just broke up with him. Kyle is a real serious dude and a monogamous so this really hit him hard. Warren is the opposite of Kyle and he only does casual, he's been around. But he's been hooking up with a girl regularly recently, and she cheated on him. With both of them single and the summer upon them, they decide to swear off girls for the summer and go on an RV trip for a few weeks. These guys are really close friends, they live in each other's pockets. Warren doesn't have a mom because she walked out when he was a kid, and he's really close to Kyle's mom. Their families are very close because of their friendship.
They go off on their trip and the forced proximity of sharing the RV and the only bed in there leads to them having to confront the fact that they are attracted to each other. They've written off the lingering looks they've given each other over the years but now they're realizing it's sexual attraction and they act on it. Warren is very open to different experiences. Sex is always just been something fun to him. And well he hasn't hooked up with men before, he has jerked off with friends from school. So he accepts his bisexual awakening easier and leans into the feelings a little harder than kyle. Kyle is legitimately confused by what he's feeling. He's never had a high drive before and even with Marissa he took things slow. Kyle's confused by the fact that he has this attraction to Warren and doesn't trust it, because he really doesn't think he's gay and he doesn't think this can last. Kyle eventually comes to identify as demisexual and that makes things make more sense to him.
They spend their trip hooking up all the time and getting really close. Having the time of their lives. But then when the summer trip is over, can they survive as a couple in the real world? Do they want to? There is a third act break up but they get back together quick enough.
This is a pleasant enough story. They are sweet together and they do have an interesting connection. The steam was pretty good. There was good tension between them.
Took me a little while to get into it though. Kyle also wasn't my favorite character, he was a little to much of a jerk accidentally as it were too Warren, internalized homophobia isn't the most likeable of traits and when he also immediately rejected the idea of bottoming himself it icked me. I'm not a huge fan of the flashbacks to Kyle and Warren being kids and talking in kind of baby talk. It's a little much. I know they're trying to show Warren having issues with his mom leaving him when he was a kid. And they're trying to draw parallels to the present where Kyle's mom is making a difference in Warren's life, being a maternal presence for him too. Just a little too much childishness sprinkled in a romance. And also, these guys are so young even in the present, they are 19 and they can't adult and take care of themselves. They're so childish and carefree in their behaviors, I wish they were a little bit more mature. I'm not a huge fan of romances with characters of this age and maturity. I like the couples to have a little bit more maturity to them so that they are more solid in who they are and their feelings and they're happily ever after is more believable and right for them as people. At least the epilogue flipped forward 3 years and you see them a little more solid.
Some notable moments:
"Kyle shakes his head, reading my mind. “I really don’t want to explain to my mom how you were accidentally killed by her cookie sheet.”"
It's not what he thinks, lol. "“Why am I naked with a sore ass?” Ren mumbles groggily into his pillow. “I would have wanted to remember something as monumental as losing my butt virginity.”"
*FYI about steam: I rate steam based on a combination of quality & quantity. I note kink separate from steam because I don't want to underrate steamy reads that don't have much kink.
**Note about spoilers: I like to comment on the plot of a book in reviews, so I almost always mark my reviews as containing spoilers. But I try to avoid spoiling the big dramatic moments! As a reader, I personally like to know what I'm getting into before I read a book so I know more about the content and if it's to my taste/mood, so I try to give that information in my reviews for myself when I'm considering rereading and also for other readers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 4, 2024
Oh. My. God.
This book!
I am such a sucker for a good best friends to lovers story, and this book delivered!
Right before freshman year of college ends, Kyle's girlfriend breaks up with him. Being the planning type, this bump in the road to his future confuses and hurts Kyle.
Ren (Warren) is Kyle's bestie. They've been best friends since they were in first grade. Seeing Kyle so miserable is a big no-no for Ren. On a whim, the way Ren works best, he causally mentions the RV his father bought to flip and says ✨️ Let's go on a road trip! No girls for the summer. Just two best friends on an adventure in an rv to the coast ✨️ and it works!
So the stage is set. Kyle and Ren take off in "Carmen" the rv. They go on their adventure and find more than just landmarks and the ocean. They realize they're better together than not.
This story instantly hooked me. Their friendship was amazing, but their chemistry was off the freaking charts. And the spice was spicing 🔥🔥🔥
My absolute favorite parts were the little details that showed just how well they knew each other, and just how much they loved each other - even before they started hooking up. They're each other's person, and I love that.
If you're looking for a story with big moments and sweet little nothings, oblivious best friends, bi and demi - awakenings, an epic road trip, lots of stargazing and outdoor fun with spice... this will be the book for you.
Ren and Kyle were epic, and I can't wait to reread this one. THE BRO PACT was full of amazing characters and a solid love story between two best friends who absolutely belong together.
This book!
I am such a sucker for a good best friends to lovers story, and this book delivered!
Right before freshman year of college ends, Kyle's girlfriend breaks up with him. Being the planning type, this bump in the road to his future confuses and hurts Kyle.
Ren (Warren) is Kyle's bestie. They've been best friends since they were in first grade. Seeing Kyle so miserable is a big no-no for Ren. On a whim, the way Ren works best, he causally mentions the RV his father bought to flip and says ✨️ Let's go on a road trip! No girls for the summer. Just two best friends on an adventure in an rv to the coast ✨️ and it works!
So the stage is set. Kyle and Ren take off in "Carmen" the rv. They go on their adventure and find more than just landmarks and the ocean. They realize they're better together than not.
This story instantly hooked me. Their friendship was amazing, but their chemistry was off the freaking charts. And the spice was spicing 🔥🔥🔥
My absolute favorite parts were the little details that showed just how well they knew each other, and just how much they loved each other - even before they started hooking up. They're each other's person, and I love that.
If you're looking for a story with big moments and sweet little nothings, oblivious best friends, bi and demi - awakenings, an epic road trip, lots of stargazing and outdoor fun with spice... this will be the book for you.
Ren and Kyle were epic, and I can't wait to reread this one. THE BRO PACT was full of amazing characters and a solid love story between two best friends who absolutely belong together.
August 3, 2024
The Bro Pact is book one in the Best Bros Forever series. This MM best friends to lovers romance story is about Kyle and Warren.
Kyle and Warren have been best friends since first grade. They have always been there for each other. They are finishing up their freshman year in college when Kyle reveals his long term girlfriend has broken up with him. Warren wants to cheer him up. He comes up with the idea to take a road trip to the West Coast, and to make a pact of no girls for the summer.
Warren fixes up an old RV, and then they head out to travel across the country. Kyle and Warren take us on an amazing adventure. Warren had so many fun things planned, and I really enjoyed the special moments they shared. I loved seeing these two develop feelings for each other and deepening their bond. Kyle and Warren have always considered themselves straight, but they give into their attraction to each other. Their chemistry was amazing and they were so incredibly hot together.
These boys were having the time of their lives and did not want their road trip to end. When they did finally make it back home, my heart hurt with what happened. Thank goodness it doesn’t last long and Kyle and Warren get the happy ending they deserve. I loved these boys so much and definitely recommend you read The Bro Pact.
I received an advanced copy of this book, and this is my honest review.
Kyle and Warren have been best friends since first grade. They have always been there for each other. They are finishing up their freshman year in college when Kyle reveals his long term girlfriend has broken up with him. Warren wants to cheer him up. He comes up with the idea to take a road trip to the West Coast, and to make a pact of no girls for the summer.
Warren fixes up an old RV, and then they head out to travel across the country. Kyle and Warren take us on an amazing adventure. Warren had so many fun things planned, and I really enjoyed the special moments they shared. I loved seeing these two develop feelings for each other and deepening their bond. Kyle and Warren have always considered themselves straight, but they give into their attraction to each other. Their chemistry was amazing and they were so incredibly hot together.
These boys were having the time of their lives and did not want their road trip to end. When they did finally make it back home, my heart hurt with what happened. Thank goodness it doesn’t last long and Kyle and Warren get the happy ending they deserve. I loved these boys so much and definitely recommend you read The Bro Pact.
I received an advanced copy of this book, and this is my honest review.
September 9, 2024
Sugary sweet cute fun and lighthearted. Great book to break up the routine after reading some dark and heavy books. Excited for book 2!
June 27, 2025
MM - Best Friends to Forever
I was surprised at the strong emotions this book made me feel. Given that both MC’s were only 19 years old I thought it would be light reading and frat boyish. So nice for me then to be taken on a dream trip in a nice RV, something I would also wish for myself.
The wonderfully kind and generous Warren (Ren) has been BFF with Kyle since they first started school. Ren struggled for a while when his mother left him and his sister with their lovely Dad and never came back. It was Kyle’s family who helped him and treated him like another son.
Just when they finish their Freshman year, both Ren and Kyle’s girlfriend’s break up with them so REN’s Dad lets him borrow an old RV from his Sales Lot at the garage and they take off on a 2-week trip to California from their home in Haven Creek, Colorado.
Three days into the journey and something happens that makes this trip unforgettable on many levels and will change their friendship, even their lives, forever.
Tension escalates on their return when an ex insists they want to get back together but the MC is too conflicted about his feelings and sexual identity.
The story has all the dramatics and excitement of young men in love🧡 ❤️ 🥰.
.
I was surprised at the strong emotions this book made me feel. Given that both MC’s were only 19 years old I thought it would be light reading and frat boyish. So nice for me then to be taken on a dream trip in a nice RV, something I would also wish for myself.
The wonderfully kind and generous Warren (Ren) has been BFF with Kyle since they first started school. Ren struggled for a while when his mother left him and his sister with their lovely Dad and never came back. It was Kyle’s family who helped him and treated him like another son.
Just when they finish their Freshman year, both Ren and Kyle’s girlfriend’s break up with them so REN’s Dad lets him borrow an old RV from his Sales Lot at the garage and they take off on a 2-week trip to California from their home in Haven Creek, Colorado.
Three days into the journey and something happens that makes this trip unforgettable on many levels and will change their friendship, even their lives, forever.
Tension escalates on their return when an ex insists they want to get back together but the MC is too conflicted about his feelings and sexual identity.
The story has all the dramatics and excitement of young men in love🧡 ❤️ 🥰.
.
August 21, 2024
⭐︎
3.75 stars rounded up
⭐︎
Overall, a fun story about two best friends, Warren aka Ren, and Kyle, who've been best friends since they were about six years old.
It usually depends, for me, how best friends to lovers, especially childhood best friends to lovers, is done. Sometimes it just doesn't work - a big part of that can be, I feel, that we're just supposed to buy their connection without having seen it be built, and that they're an epic love because of it.
So going into a best friends to lovers book always makes me a tad weary.
For the most part, this was good.
I enjoyed Ren and Kyle together, their chemistry was cute and passionate, and I believe that they had a strong connection.
I think my main problems came from one: I didn't love them enough to really get past the lack of much of a plot. They essentially go on this two week (turned into three week) road trip and aside from them turning their friendship into more, they basically just do...vacation stuff and it wasn't entirely interesting a lot of the time.
It kind of bored me at times, so this took me longer than I would have liked to finish, because boring meant this was slow going for me at times, and their chemistry, dynamic, romance, wasn't good enough, fire enough, to completely make up for that lack of an interesting plot.
I still liked and enjoyed them that this wasn't too bad overall, but at times it wasn't holding my attention as much as it should have, and these two weren't strong enough to hold my attention on their own when the plot was in a boring part.
I did breeze through the last third or so of this book, so points for that. Although I lowered my rating with the there and gone drama near the very end.
Now, I actually don't think the reason for it was bad, or ridiculous, or contrived. But I do think it was glossed over very quickly and was solved very quickly.
Usually the problem itself doesn't feel all that much of a problem, but is made into one for drama. But this was more...Kyle had a problem that kind of made sense for his character - and he is only 19 years old on top of that - but then we're just kinda told "weeks go by" and then Kyle just kinda changes his mind outta nowhere. It wasn't earned and it was a bit confusing. Like why was he so strong in his convictions and then a few weeks later he's like "nevermind"? It made the drama feel absolutely pointless.
At the very least, we should have had more time with Kyle's thoughts, more talks with others perhaps, to see him get to conclusion he came to, ready to be Ren for real. Instead of him just...deciding, actually put in the work to make him get to that place make sense? Because that work wasn't put in and then it was solved so easily, it makes it feel pointless it was even there in the first place.
So all that to say, with this being slow at times and the pointless drama in the end, I lowered my rating to 3.75 stars.
Rounded up because I still enjoyed this overall, and had a good enough time that I didn't feel like this was worth less stars than that. This was still a pretty solid childhood best friends to lovers story (I would have liked a few more scenes of them as kids, though tbh...it would have strengthened their love for each other even more, I think) and they had enough chemistry and romance to keep me invested in their story until the end.
So I recommend this, but I wouldn't expecting anything amazing out of this. Just an enjoyable, kind of run of the mill story, but fun at times nonetheless.
I will be reading the next one in the series too, for sure, and I hope it improves upon this one with a new pair of best friends turned lovers.
Can't wait to see if it does! 😘
Overall, a fun story about two best friends, Warren aka Ren, and Kyle, who've been best friends since they were about six years old.
It usually depends, for me, how best friends to lovers, especially childhood best friends to lovers, is done. Sometimes it just doesn't work - a big part of that can be, I feel, that we're just supposed to buy their connection without having seen it be built, and that they're an epic love because of it.
So going into a best friends to lovers book always makes me a tad weary.
For the most part, this was good.
I enjoyed Ren and Kyle together, their chemistry was cute and passionate, and I believe that they had a strong connection.
I think my main problems came from one: I didn't love them enough to really get past the lack of much of a plot. They essentially go on this two week (turned into three week) road trip and aside from them turning their friendship into more, they basically just do...vacation stuff and it wasn't entirely interesting a lot of the time.
It kind of bored me at times, so this took me longer than I would have liked to finish, because boring meant this was slow going for me at times, and their chemistry, dynamic, romance, wasn't good enough, fire enough, to completely make up for that lack of an interesting plot.
I still liked and enjoyed them that this wasn't too bad overall, but at times it wasn't holding my attention as much as it should have, and these two weren't strong enough to hold my attention on their own when the plot was in a boring part.
I did breeze through the last third or so of this book, so points for that. Although I lowered my rating with the there and gone drama near the very end.
Now, I actually don't think the reason for it was bad, or ridiculous, or contrived. But I do think it was glossed over very quickly and was solved very quickly.
Usually the problem itself doesn't feel all that much of a problem, but is made into one for drama. But this was more...Kyle had a problem that kind of made sense for his character - and he is only 19 years old on top of that - but then we're just kinda told "weeks go by" and then Kyle just kinda changes his mind outta nowhere. It wasn't earned and it was a bit confusing. Like why was he so strong in his convictions and then a few weeks later he's like "nevermind"? It made the drama feel absolutely pointless.
At the very least, we should have had more time with Kyle's thoughts, more talks with others perhaps, to see him get to conclusion he came to, ready to be Ren for real. Instead of him just...deciding, actually put in the work to make him get to that place make sense? Because that work wasn't put in and then it was solved so easily, it makes it feel pointless it was even there in the first place.
So all that to say, with this being slow at times and the pointless drama in the end, I lowered my rating to 3.75 stars.
Rounded up because I still enjoyed this overall, and had a good enough time that I didn't feel like this was worth less stars than that. This was still a pretty solid childhood best friends to lovers story (I would have liked a few more scenes of them as kids, though tbh...it would have strengthened their love for each other even more, I think) and they had enough chemistry and romance to keep me invested in their story until the end.
So I recommend this, but I wouldn't expecting anything amazing out of this. Just an enjoyable, kind of run of the mill story, but fun at times nonetheless.
I will be reading the next one in the series too, for sure, and I hope it improves upon this one with a new pair of best friends turned lovers.
Can't wait to see if it does! 😘
August 4, 2024
Charli Meadows has easily become a favorite author of mine. And no surprise here that I loved her latest book! Kyle and Warren are the best. Best friends since they were kids, they are inseparable. While Kyle is the rule followers, Warren is the daredevil. Yet they balance one another out. Kyle can bring Warren down off the cliff and Warren can get Kyle to take some risks. So after both their girlfriends broke up with them and Warren can see Kyle is a bit more down about it, he decides he needs to cheer him up. His answer? A road trip. So after fixing up an old RV, they hit the road with California on their minds as their final destination. They have two weeks to get out of their heads and of course to make a pact. No girls. Just them two. But the moment they leave, it is clear that the two of them start looking at one another a bit differently. Not used to maybe being attracted to one another, they aren’t sure what to do at first. But then, they take a chance. And now their friendship is slowly turning into so much more. But what happens when the trip ends? Will this be their secret forever? Will they be able to go back to being just friends? Or will they be able to take another leap of faith and turn their lifelong friendship into something so much more? I adored these two. It was clear how much they cared and loved one another. Even before their feelings turned romantic. Warren will do anything to make Kyle smile and vice versa. It was such a sweet story to watch as these two fell in love. You definitely don’t want to miss this story!
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 8, 2025
Kyle Fitzpatrick and Warren Moretti, have been best friends in forever, and decide after both being dumped by their girlfriends they should go on a road trip. To spend the summer with no worries, no girls and having all the fun, with each other.
They borrow an RV from Ren’s dad and call it Carmen, they start to travel, stopping at various places and camp sites. There is only one bed in the RV so they naturally share.
The more time Ky and Ren spend together in close proximity, the more they need a ‘release’. They start to fool around with each other and enjoy it way more than they thought they would, unlocking feelings, neither knew they had.
What will happen when they return to normal life?
This sweet, low angst, childhood friends to lovers romance from Charli Meadows is just wonderfully written, and flows easily. Both Ren and Ky are charming characters and love each other fiercely, both platonically and romantically . This also has spice, quite hot spice too.
This is the first book in the Best Bros Forever series, and I am looking forward to more.
They borrow an RV from Ren’s dad and call it Carmen, they start to travel, stopping at various places and camp sites. There is only one bed in the RV so they naturally share.
The more time Ky and Ren spend together in close proximity, the more they need a ‘release’. They start to fool around with each other and enjoy it way more than they thought they would, unlocking feelings, neither knew they had.
What will happen when they return to normal life?
This sweet, low angst, childhood friends to lovers romance from Charli Meadows is just wonderfully written, and flows easily. Both Ren and Ky are charming characters and love each other fiercely, both platonically and romantically . This also has spice, quite hot spice too.
This is the first book in the Best Bros Forever series, and I am looking forward to more.
August 16, 2024
What a fun summer read!! Warren and Kyle were so cute together and who doesn’t love a friends to lovers trope!
August 19, 2024
My expectations were low, but still not a great one. The writing is not bad, but the whole thing is completely devoid of emotion and reason. Ren is a bit of a daredevil, who apperently already kind of knew he was bisexual just didnt think about it much , and his approach to Kyle felt like "why not?". Kyle is a weird 19 year old with only dreams of getting married. They do stuff (mostly when they are drunk), next they they are normal until they get horny again. At the last quarter of the book they immidiately have super intense emotions all of a sudden. They do everything a bit weird: they decide to live together and sleep together and say I love to each other, than later ask "will you be my boyfriend", and somehow it's a surprise😅 Dont even get me started on chair humping, i got severe second hand embarresment🫣
It's one of those fluffy, weird, using words like 'bro-jobs' (not in an ironic way) books.
Story:⭐️⭐️
Characters: ⭐️⭐️
Chemistry:⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ending:⭐️⭐️⭐️
Angst:⭐️⭐️
Banter:⭐️⭐️
Writing quality:⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice:🌶🌶🌶
It's one of those fluffy, weird, using words like 'bro-jobs' (not in an ironic way) books.
Story:⭐️⭐️
Characters: ⭐️⭐️
Chemistry:⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ending:⭐️⭐️⭐️
Angst:⭐️⭐️
Banter:⭐️⭐️
Writing quality:⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice:🌶🌶🌶
dnf
September 21, 2025We all know I'm a sucker for a good bromance. So "the bro pact", does it get any better? I downloaded the book. I DNFd the book at 10%. Here's some quotes to show you why I knew I personally couldn't read hundreds of pages more:
Quotes and Thoughts
“Done with all females." (3) ugh
"tongue ring," there are no tongue rings...?
"Everything was planned; my future laid out. I wanted to go to law school, get married, have two-point-five kids, and a white picket fence. I thought I found that with Marissa, but I guess I was wrong." very 19 year old bro-esque...totes
Finally a book with cycling? Alas.
No breakfast before cycling (even with a 45 minute drive to the trail), packed protein bars instead of energy, picnic as first calories post ride and hours after getting up (these teens would have already bonked so hard), I can forgive keeping the underwear on under the bib shorts since mountain biking and not that deep in the game... Uff seems good there's not much biking and another thing that can grind my gears in books 👀#petpeeve
Classic first person POV Teenager vocabulary (I'll say it again: if you want to use the "fancy" words stick to third person POV or make it believable your character would be using these words. No teen will think of their bestie having an aristocratic nose or talk about their magnetism...)
Oh god the Dad complaining about his daughter wearing short clothes cause it could distract his men :( Her reacting “snarky” afterwards was not the “feminism” it is supposedly (?) made out to be.
All the cursive thoughts...that are like awkward third person narration?
"Any lingering thoughts about Marissa seem to evaporate from my mind when I’m on this RV. I’m ready to get on the road and leave everything behind for a while." (32)
Quotes and Thoughts
“Done with all females." (3) ugh
"tongue ring," there are no tongue rings...?
"Everything was planned; my future laid out. I wanted to go to law school, get married, have two-point-five kids, and a white picket fence. I thought I found that with Marissa, but I guess I was wrong." very 19 year old bro-esque...totes
Finally a book with cycling? Alas.
No breakfast before cycling (even with a 45 minute drive to the trail), packed protein bars instead of energy, picnic as first calories post ride and hours after getting up (these teens would have already bonked so hard), I can forgive keeping the underwear on under the bib shorts since mountain biking and not that deep in the game... Uff seems good there's not much biking and another thing that can grind my gears in books 👀#petpeeve
Classic first person POV Teenager vocabulary (I'll say it again: if you want to use the "fancy" words stick to third person POV or make it believable your character would be using these words. No teen will think of their bestie having an aristocratic nose or talk about their magnetism...)
Oh god the Dad complaining about his daughter wearing short clothes cause it could distract his men :( Her reacting “snarky” afterwards was not the “feminism” it is supposedly (?) made out to be.
“Put some clothes on for Christ’s sake. You’re distracting my men, and that could cost someone a finger,” Pops says harshly. (29)
All the cursive thoughts...that are like awkward third person narration?
"Any lingering thoughts about Marissa seem to evaporate from my mind when I’m on this RV. I’m ready to get on the road and leave everything behind for a while." (32)
August 15, 2024
4.5/5
This is the cutest best friends to lovers, sexual awakening road trip that anyone could have asked for. What could possibly go wrong when you make a pact with your bestie to swear off girls for the summer and road trip to the coast? What could possibly go wrong putting two 19 year-old men in a small camper van together for weeks when they have sworn off women? Ren and Kyle were so slow and stubborn with their sexual awakenings really made the slow burn enjoyable.
Thank-you to Chaotic Creatives for providing me an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
This is the cutest best friends to lovers, sexual awakening road trip that anyone could have asked for. What could possibly go wrong when you make a pact with your bestie to swear off girls for the summer and road trip to the coast? What could possibly go wrong putting two 19 year-old men in a small camper van together for weeks when they have sworn off women? Ren and Kyle were so slow and stubborn with their sexual awakenings really made the slow burn enjoyable.
Thank-you to Chaotic Creatives for providing me an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 13, 2024
ARC
I love how extremely invested I get every time I read a Charli book!
These two were the cutest, most relatable couple of best friends ever and I totally could see myself getting into a pact like this too😂
Barely 19, Ren and Ky, after breaking up with their girlfriends, decide to go on an adventure for a couple of weeks. Just them. Bros and an RV, an adventure filled journey to see the world and not think about anything other than having fun.
And oh boy the fun they have😏
They’ve been best friends since forever and now they get to know each other a little better, under different circumstances and most of all after a VERY very veeeeery awkward sneaky little jerk off session that didn’t end up being that sneaky 😈👀 *cough cough* eye contact *cough cough*🔥👀
The way their relationship grew and strengthened, how they little by little realized the depth of their feelings for each other and the way they get always more dependent of the other… it was so organic and precious and when they do finally realize the truth behind everything they feel, was really cute to see a little of their youngness shining through. Overall I really enjoyed these two cuties🥹
I love how extremely invested I get every time I read a Charli book!
These two were the cutest, most relatable couple of best friends ever and I totally could see myself getting into a pact like this too😂
Barely 19, Ren and Ky, after breaking up with their girlfriends, decide to go on an adventure for a couple of weeks. Just them. Bros and an RV, an adventure filled journey to see the world and not think about anything other than having fun.
And oh boy the fun they have😏
They’ve been best friends since forever and now they get to know each other a little better, under different circumstances and most of all after a VERY very veeeeery awkward sneaky little jerk off session that didn’t end up being that sneaky 😈👀 *cough cough* eye contact *cough cough*🔥👀
The way their relationship grew and strengthened, how they little by little realized the depth of their feelings for each other and the way they get always more dependent of the other… it was so organic and precious and when they do finally realize the truth behind everything they feel, was really cute to see a little of their youngness shining through. Overall I really enjoyed these two cuties🥹
August 17, 2024
This book was a fun best friends to lovers romance. Ren & Kyle take trip of a life time when they break up with the girlfriends and go on a 3 months girl ban known as the bro pact! They take the Camper van & off they go, I loved the whole Polaroid photo idea on the string lights like that’s something I would do and I loved it! They start to feel things between them some sexual tension shall we say and they start messing around with each other! I liked the fact that the whole trip wasn’t rushed and it felt like you were on the trip with them! Don’t get wrong I was so ready for them to go home to see if they would finally admit they loved Each other ext! And you get that in the last 20%.. all in all they get the Hea and it was nice fun read!
August 16, 2024
I did NOT want this book to end!! This exceeded my expectations and brought me out of a months long reading slump. I love MM Best Friends to Lovers it is my favourite trope this was soo good.
I loved Ren & Kyle’s chemistry & could feel the connection between them the story was sweet & the spice was hot what’s not to love ??
I will be thinking about that game of truth or dare for a long time!! Possibly one of my favourite scenes ever in a book 😱😅
I knocked a star off because I was annoyed at Ren for letting Kyle off the hook so easily he deserved better and definitely more grovelling from Kyle!!
Overall a fun easy read would definitely recommend 💚
I loved Ren & Kyle’s chemistry & could feel the connection between them the story was sweet & the spice was hot what’s not to love ??
I will be thinking about that game of truth or dare for a long time!! Possibly one of my favourite scenes ever in a book 😱😅
I knocked a star off because I was annoyed at Ren for letting Kyle off the hook so easily he deserved better and definitely more grovelling from Kyle!!
Overall a fun easy read would definitely recommend 💚
July 18, 2025
2.5/5 ⭐️
Warren got on my nerves with his immaturity and impulsiveness but he got better towards the end.
Kyle annoyed me with his back wishy-washy attitude towards their relationship.
You could feel their connection towards each other (even tho a clumsy one) but at the same time there was a layer of awkwardness at times that kept pulling me out of the story. I was ready to dnf multiple times but I wanted to see if it got better and it did a little bit
Overall, you could definitely tell they were still teenagers based on their attitudes and the decisions they made.. plus all the drinking no matter the circumstances.
Steam- 3/5 strict roles.
Warren got on my nerves with his immaturity and impulsiveness but he got better towards the end.
Kyle annoyed me with his back wishy-washy attitude towards their relationship.
You could feel their connection towards each other (even tho a clumsy one) but at the same time there was a layer of awkwardness at times that kept pulling me out of the story. I was ready to dnf multiple times but I wanted to see if it got better and it did a little bit
Overall, you could definitely tell they were still teenagers based on their attitudes and the decisions they made.. plus all the drinking no matter the circumstances.
Steam- 3/5 strict roles.
August 18, 2024
4☆
ᔑᑭᏆᑕᗴ: 🔥🔥🔥
しᗩᑌᏀᕼᔑ: 🤣🤣
Ꭲᗴᗩᖇᔑ:😭
ᗰᑕᔑ: Warren(Ren), Kyle.
ᑭᝪᐯ: 1st dual
Ꭲᖇᝪᑭᗴᔑ: Best Friends to Lovers, Road Trip, Only One Bed, Bi-awakening.
Aaaaaah que libro tan bonito.... Charli me ganaste de nuevo aunque no quiera leer más de esta autora decidí darle otra oportunidad y este libro ha sido un total viaje la relación de Ren y Kyle es demasiado genial su amistad, su química y sus interacciones hacen que te los quieras quedar para siempre son geniales en todo sentido el compromiso entre ellos y su atención y cuidado te hace querer tener eso mismo.
ᔑᑭᏆᑕᗴ: 🔥🔥🔥
しᗩᑌᏀᕼᔑ: 🤣🤣
Ꭲᗴᗩᖇᔑ:😭
ᗰᑕᔑ: Warren(Ren), Kyle.
ᑭᝪᐯ: 1st dual
Ꭲᖇᝪᑭᗴᔑ: Best Friends to Lovers, Road Trip, Only One Bed, Bi-awakening.
Aaaaaah que libro tan bonito.... Charli me ganaste de nuevo aunque no quiera leer más de esta autora decidí darle otra oportunidad y este libro ha sido un total viaje la relación de Ren y Kyle es demasiado genial su amistad, su química y sus interacciones hacen que te los quieras quedar para siempre son geniales en todo sentido el compromiso entre ellos y su atención y cuidado te hace querer tener eso mismo.
August 30, 2024
A terrific story. I loved going on adventures with these two and seeing how thoughtful they were of each other. It built up to the sex, laying a foundation first, but then it got as hot as it was sweet. The 11th hour crisis was entirely predictable and a little disappointing because what I loved about the author’s previous books is that they didn’t do that crap. The epilogue was a nice touch. I hope the next book doesn’t have the angst, but I will definitely be reading it.
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