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Worth It #1
Worth the Wait
It was never over. It was just waiting.
Nathan Carter didn’t return to Worthbridge looking for a second chance. He came back for a roof over his head, a job that pays, and maybe, if he’s lucky, a way to connect with the teenage son he’s barely known. Life in the army taught him how to survive, but not how to be a father… and definitely not how to live with the choices he made the day he walked away from everything. Including Freddie Webb.
PC Freddie Webb never left Worthbridge. Not the town. Not the ghosts. Steady, dependable, the man everyone trusts to hold the line when things fall apart, he’s spent years keeping his head down and his heart locked up tight. But all that control shatters the moment a routine arrest throws him face to face with the boy he once loved… and the son that boy now has.
What started between them as teenagers was messy, intense, and unforgettable. Fifteen years later, it’s no less complicated. Especially with Alfie, Nathan’s angry, guarded son, caught between them and already spiralling toward trouble.
As old desires resurface and old wounds reopen, Nathan and Freddie are pulled back into each other’s orbit. But with the whole town watching, tensions rising, and the past refusing to stay buried, they’ll have to play it safe… or risk everything for the love they never got to finish.
Because in Worthbridge, the past never stays buried.
And some loves are worth every second of the wait.
Nathan Carter didn’t return to Worthbridge looking for a second chance. He came back for a roof over his head, a job that pays, and maybe, if he’s lucky, a way to connect with the teenage son he’s barely known. Life in the army taught him how to survive, but not how to be a father… and definitely not how to live with the choices he made the day he walked away from everything. Including Freddie Webb.
PC Freddie Webb never left Worthbridge. Not the town. Not the ghosts. Steady, dependable, the man everyone trusts to hold the line when things fall apart, he’s spent years keeping his head down and his heart locked up tight. But all that control shatters the moment a routine arrest throws him face to face with the boy he once loved… and the son that boy now has.
What started between them as teenagers was messy, intense, and unforgettable. Fifteen years later, it’s no less complicated. Especially with Alfie, Nathan’s angry, guarded son, caught between them and already spiralling toward trouble.
As old desires resurface and old wounds reopen, Nathan and Freddie are pulled back into each other’s orbit. But with the whole town watching, tensions rising, and the past refusing to stay buried, they’ll have to play it safe… or risk everything for the love they never got to finish.
Because in Worthbridge, the past never stays buried.
And some loves are worth every second of the wait.
343 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 31, 2025
94 people are currently reading
281 people want to read
About the author
C.F. White
39 books240 followersBrought up in a relatively small town in Hertfordshire, C F White managed to do what most other residents try to do and fail—leave.
She eventually settled for pie and mash, cockles and winkles and a bit of Knees Up Mother Brown to live in the East End of London; securing a job and creating a life, a home and a family.
She writes gritty British based stories about imperfect men falling in love against the odds and has been accused of sprinkling a bit of humour into them from time to time too.
She eventually settled for pie and mash, cockles and winkles and a bit of Knees Up Mother Brown to live in the East End of London; securing a job and creating a life, a home and a family.
She writes gritty British based stories about imperfect men falling in love against the odds and has been accused of sprinkling a bit of humour into them from time to time too.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 128 reviews
July 8, 2025
Oh my god, the angst!! I really enjoyed this second chance story. The longing, the years long separation, the emotional trauma...So good!!!
I also love how English this was 😂 The humour, the chippy - I'm so craving a chip roll now, the rundown seaside town that we all recognise...made me feel right at home with these characters.
The county lines plot added tension and I was really rooting for Alfie to come through it.
Nate and Freddie obviously belonged together and seeing them finally having a relationship out in the open just gave me all the feels! Their chemistry was intense, like they're magnetic whenever they're in the same space 😍
I would have loved to see a bit further into their story though. I wanted to see Freddie and Nate really building their life together and having a family with Alfie where he's more settled.
I am super intrigued for Reece and Trent though, and also Jude feels like he's got secrets too. The whole cast of characters were genuinely interesting and I'm looking forward to getting to know more about this town and its residents.
*****
I received an ARC of this book from CF White, and this is my honest review
I also love how English this was 😂 The humour, the chippy - I'm so craving a chip roll now, the rundown seaside town that we all recognise...made me feel right at home with these characters.
The county lines plot added tension and I was really rooting for Alfie to come through it.
Nate and Freddie obviously belonged together and seeing them finally having a relationship out in the open just gave me all the feels! Their chemistry was intense, like they're magnetic whenever they're in the same space 😍
I would have loved to see a bit further into their story though. I wanted to see Freddie and Nate really building their life together and having a family with Alfie where he's more settled.
I am super intrigued for Reece and Trent though, and also Jude feels like he's got secrets too. The whole cast of characters were genuinely interesting and I'm looking forward to getting to know more about this town and its residents.
*****
I received an ARC of this book from CF White, and this is my honest review
September 28, 2025
I don’t feel like writing a winded review. I’ll just say, wow.
October 8, 2025
Well written, gripping, sad, and a romance to boot. I really got to know the characters and was interested to see what happened to them. It's worth a read if you like your stories on the 'call a spade a spade,' gritty side, based on what's going on in some parts of the UK today, especially in some of the run down areas. It reminded me so much of my teaching days, dealing with kids similar to those in the story, so a lot of nostalgia, too.
It's quite a poignant read, which sheds light on the heartbreaking reality of underprivileged children being drawn into the dark world of drug running. I find CF's storytelling so empathetic. It brought to life the struggles and vulnerabilities of these youngsters and how sometimes they feel like they have no choice.
The story is emotional in parts, and Nate trying to connect with his closed off son is both frustrating and sad to watch at times. Also, Nate, having to deal with his bully of a father, made me so angry. He's the perfect example of toxic masculinity and was the cause of many of Nate's problems.
However, against this backdrop, the romance between Freddie and Nate acts as a tiny bit of hope. Their second chance love is like watching a moth to a flame. It's obvious that they can't stay away from each other. I love me a second chance romance, and this is one in spades.
The characters' emotional journeys are authentic and relatable, and their love story is a beautiful testament to the power of redemption and forgiveness. I'm so impatient to read the next book 📚 🙄😉
It's quite a poignant read, which sheds light on the heartbreaking reality of underprivileged children being drawn into the dark world of drug running. I find CF's storytelling so empathetic. It brought to life the struggles and vulnerabilities of these youngsters and how sometimes they feel like they have no choice.
The story is emotional in parts, and Nate trying to connect with his closed off son is both frustrating and sad to watch at times. Also, Nate, having to deal with his bully of a father, made me so angry. He's the perfect example of toxic masculinity and was the cause of many of Nate's problems.
However, against this backdrop, the romance between Freddie and Nate acts as a tiny bit of hope. Their second chance love is like watching a moth to a flame. It's obvious that they can't stay away from each other. I love me a second chance romance, and this is one in spades.
The characters' emotional journeys are authentic and relatable, and their love story is a beautiful testament to the power of redemption and forgiveness. I'm so impatient to read the next book 📚 🙄😉
November 24, 2025
It was dominance without cruelty. Command without a single word. Possession without pressure.
this was pretty good. not like, earth-shattering, but good. second chance romance isn't my most favorite trope ever, but this was pretty solid. i think i kinda feel like some things happened too fast, they weren't rushed by themselves, but i feel we didn't have enough time to dwell on the story as it unfolded? idk.
this was pretty good. not like, earth-shattering, but good. second chance romance isn't my most favorite trope ever, but this was pretty solid. i think i kinda feel like some things happened too fast, they weren't rushed by themselves, but i feel we didn't have enough time to dwell on the story as it unfolded? idk.
July 30, 2025
I adore the way CF White weaves stories, poignant, funny, touching, above all gripping, immersive- so much isn’t explicit, so much subtext, layers of story and history and lives playing out here, revealing missed chances and deep pining, connections surviving years.
This second chance romance is beautifully told, 15 years of pining coalescing with growing up apart and lives lived. But they never forgot and though an unfortunate circumstance brings them back together again it’s like they were never apart. Now there is danger for them both, for Freddie his career and for Nathan his and his son’s life. Scorching slow burn, connection, chemistry and family with a case that might blow open at any minute. It makes for some amazing reading. I can’t wait for the next one. I am also very curious about Reese and Trent.
This second chance romance is beautifully told, 15 years of pining coalescing with growing up apart and lives lived. But they never forgot and though an unfortunate circumstance brings them back together again it’s like they were never apart. Now there is danger for them both, for Freddie his career and for Nathan his and his son’s life. Scorching slow burn, connection, chemistry and family with a case that might blow open at any minute. It makes for some amazing reading. I can’t wait for the next one. I am also very curious about Reese and Trent.
July 31, 2025
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.25 stars
This starts a new series from CF White set in a small town with Nathan and Freddie as the center of this story. They were childhood best friends and their feelings grew to more than friendship. But Worthbridge isn’t the type of town where they felt they could come out and Nathan made some hard and fast choices. Freddie is both shocked to see Nathan back in town and to know that he just arrested Nathan’s son, and Freddie is going to make some questionable decisions.
The town is on the fringes, with violence escalating. There are drugs and trafficking and Freddie’s team has been working this story for a long time.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
4.25 stars
This starts a new series from CF White set in a small town with Nathan and Freddie as the center of this story. They were childhood best friends and their feelings grew to more than friendship. But Worthbridge isn’t the type of town where they felt they could come out and Nathan made some hard and fast choices. Freddie is both shocked to see Nathan back in town and to know that he just arrested Nathan’s son, and Freddie is going to make some questionable decisions.
The town is on the fringes, with violence escalating. There are drugs and trafficking and Freddie’s team has been working this story for a long time.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
August 15, 2025
Good read
I enjoyed this one but it could have been a bit better with more concentration on Alfie I feel and the situation there. I would’ve liked Freddie to be a bit less forgiving to start with too 😂 good read tho
I enjoyed this one but it could have been a bit better with more concentration on Alfie I feel and the situation there. I would’ve liked Freddie to be a bit less forgiving to start with too 😂 good read tho
July 31, 2025
The author keeps wrecking me in the best of ways. I can’t believe how good the books hurt.
Nathan and Freddie were childhood best-friends and were at the cusp of becoming something more when something happened that made Nathan leave town.
Fifteen years later Nathan is back for good and the feelings are still there between them.
There is so much heartache in the book.
We get some glimpses in the past. How they were as friends and how they broke apart.
It hurt so much! I felt every crack in Freddie's heart as Nathan (unintentionally) broke it a little over and over again.
They both never got over each other and while they didn’t talk about it, it showed in how they interacted. They met a few times by “chance” and didn’t know how to be with each other. Nate became a bit possessive of Freddie. Freddie finally accepted that he’d never gotten over Nate.
There is a very natural back and forth. It never felt like the story dragged on or like something was added just to prolong them getting together.
And when they finally came together… It might’ve burned a hole in my kindle.
It was so explosive and with so much feeling, like an unstoppable force!
Unfortunately they can’t enjoy all of that the way they deserve. Nathan’s son gets tangled in something that Freddie is investigating as a police officer. And that brings a whole lot of other problems. It gets kind of closed in this book but the overall arc seems to continue.
CF White has a way of writing that just puts me right in the feelings of the characters. That makes my heart ache, or race. That makes me cry, and laugh with them.
If you like books that stab you in the heart a lot and then slowly piece it back together, this is totally a go to!!
I can’t wait for the next one in the series!
For a second, he wasn’t a copper. Wasn’t anything. Just a man standing outside a room that had cracked open a past he wasn’t ready to face. Then Nathan looked up. Fifteen years of silence shattered in that glance. And the breath Freddie had been holding slipped quietly from his lungs.
Nathan and Freddie were childhood best-friends and were at the cusp of becoming something more when something happened that made Nathan leave town.
Fifteen years later Nathan is back for good and the feelings are still there between them.
Still had those eyes though. Deep brown, intense, but never as unreadable as he liked to think.
There is so much heartache in the book.
We get some glimpses in the past. How they were as friends and how they broke apart.
It hurt so much! I felt every crack in Freddie's heart as Nathan (unintentionally) broke it a little over and over again.
Neither said goodbye. They’d already done that. A lifetime ago.
They both never got over each other and while they didn’t talk about it, it showed in how they interacted. They met a few times by “chance” and didn’t know how to be with each other. Nate became a bit possessive of Freddie. Freddie finally accepted that he’d never gotten over Nate.
There is a very natural back and forth. It never felt like the story dragged on or like something was added just to prolong them getting together.
What could he even say? That the moment he saw Nathan again, his world had shifted off its axis? That the scar he’d spent years pretending didn’t hurt had flared up as if never fully healed?
And when they finally came together… It might’ve burned a hole in my kindle.
It was so explosive and with so much feeling, like an unstoppable force!
It was everything they hadn’t said colliding all at once. Love tangled with lust. Fear knotted tight around want. A desperate, breathless mess of don’t and please, of pushing and pulling and not knowing which one would hurt more.
Unfortunately they can’t enjoy all of that the way they deserve. Nathan’s son gets tangled in something that Freddie is investigating as a police officer. And that brings a whole lot of other problems. It gets kind of closed in this book but the overall arc seems to continue.
And when he spoke, it wasn’t with fanfare or fire. It was soft. Simple. “I love you.” Not a confession. Not even an admission. But truth. One that had always been there, quiet and certain, just waiting for the right moment to fall into place.
CF White has a way of writing that just puts me right in the feelings of the characters. That makes my heart ache, or race. That makes me cry, and laugh with them.
“Even when I hated you for leaving… I still loved you. I always will.”
If you like books that stab you in the heart a lot and then slowly piece it back together, this is totally a go to!!
I can’t wait for the next one in the series!
Because some things aren’t supposed to happen easily. Or meant to happen fast. But the things that matter? They’re always worth the wait.
September 8, 2025
18, after learning Nathan was about to become a father, he suddenly enlisted in the army with little warning. Fifteen years later, Freddy is chasing down a young suspect. When he catches him, something about the boy feels familiar. Freddy arrests him, but it isn’t until he’s called into the interrogation room that the truth hits. This boy is the son of Nathan, Freddy’s childhood best friend and the love of his life. After so many years apart, old feelings come rushing back.
This book is a heartfelt second chance romance. It took Nathan and Freddy fifteen years, but they finally found their way back to each other. I was choked up when Nathan explained to Freddy why he lef.
This was my first book by this author, and I truly enjoyed it. I can’t wait to read book two and see what happens with Reese. Hopefully, he gets his paramedic guy, Trent!
This book is a heartfelt second chance romance. It took Nathan and Freddy fifteen years, but they finally found their way back to each other. I was choked up when Nathan explained to Freddy why he lef.
This was my first book by this author, and I truly enjoyed it. I can’t wait to read book two and see what happens with Reese. Hopefully, he gets his paramedic guy, Trent!
August 11, 2025
3.5* rounded up. This was really good and if felt very real to what life in a lot of UK towns is like at the moment for a lot of teenagers.
I liked both MCs together and their interactions were believable but I think I needed just a bit more of them together as it seems it all happens too quickly.
I have read this author before and loved many of their books, but I can't recall if the use of the 3rd person POV ever bothered me as much as it did in this book. It was hard to keep up in places and I had trouble figuring out in whose head I was in.
Overall, a good book and I look forward to the next one as I'm quite intrigued by the MCs.
I liked both MCs together and their interactions were believable but I think I needed just a bit more of them together as it seems it all happens too quickly.
I have read this author before and loved many of their books, but I can't recall if the use of the 3rd person POV ever bothered me as much as it did in this book. It was hard to keep up in places and I had trouble figuring out in whose head I was in.
Overall, a good book and I look forward to the next one as I'm quite intrigued by the MCs.
September 20, 2025
Worth the Wait by C.F. White is book 1 in the Worth It series. Nate Carter is returning to his hometown with his teenage son in tow. He left behind a broken best friend/boyfriend. Freddie Webb has not been the same since Nate hightailed it out of town. When he arrests Alfie, Nate’s son, the two reconnect. I did enjoy the story and am looking forward to reading the next book to see how the overarching plot continues. I did like Freddie a little more than Nate because Nate was so determined to hide who they really were to each other. But by the end, I was in with both of them. I’m looking forward to Reece’s story, but I’m most intrigued by Jude’s. Why do I have a feeling that his ex may be the big bad of this storyline? Guess we will find out. I do love C.F. White’s writing. It’s so descriptive and emotional. I really feel for these characters.
I received an ARC from GRR for my honest review.
I received an ARC from GRR for my honest review.
January 18, 2026
This took me a bit to get into, the language in the beginning was a bit more "flowery" than I care for, with a healthy dose of metaphor. But alas, once we settled in, I was hooked and excited for the next installment. I am glad that I checked the reviews for the next 2 books, I had misgivings of Jude being shady, and I'm glad that I'm wrong. I like that Roy is coming along but doesn't have an immediate change of heart from being a huge @sshole- the insta-redemption arcs always annoy me.
dual pov
1st P
vers
15yr lapse in seeing one another
no cheating
no b/u, slow burn/get together
faux OM drama (Reese "helping")
dual pov
1st P
vers
15yr lapse in seeing one another
no cheating
no b/u, slow burn/get together
faux OM drama (Reese "helping")
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 30, 2025
I loved everything about this book. The writing, the characters, the pacing, the poetic descriptions. Nathan and Freddie's story was heartbreaking in parts and their reunion was beautiful.
I was sad when this was over.
Highly recommend.
I was sad when this was over.
Highly recommend.
January 2, 2026
I always enjoy C.F. White's novels, regardless if they're sweet and romantic or dark and passionate. Worth the Wait definitely falls into the dark and passionate slot. A second chance, coming out, family drama tale - I can't wait to dive into the next book in the series.
September 24, 2025
Nathan Carter and Freddie Webb have a history that stretches back almost as far as memory allows, nursery school, maybe even earlier. They were inseparable as kids, the kind of best friends who felt more like extensions of each other. Over time, that bond deepened into something more, something tender and electric, shared in quiet, stolen moments that felt both terrifying and right. But then everything shifted.
Life pulled them in different directions. Nathan walked away from Worthbridge and from his best friend and one and only love.
Freddie stayed behind, carrying the weight of everything they never got to finish.
Nate's return to Worthbridge isn’t triumphant, it’s raw, reluctant, and riddled with regret. He’s not the soldier-turned-hero you might expect, but a man trying to salvage something real from the wreckage of his past.
Freddie, now the local police officer and Nathan’s long-lost love, is equally compelling: dependable to a fault, wounded in silence, and carrying the weight of what could have been.
Everything tilts sideways for Freddie the moment he arrests a troubled teenager named Alfie, only to learn the boy is Nathan’s son. The shock barely has time to settle before Freddie steps into the interrogation room and comes face to face with the man he never truly stopped loving. After all these years, Nathan is back in Worthbridge, and with just one look, the flood of buried emotions Freddie’s spent years suppressing crashes over him like a wave.
Nathan didn’t come back to stir up the past, he came because he had nowhere else to go. With his relationship with Alfie on the brink and no better option, he’s returned to his father's house and a steady job at the garage, a roof over their heads, and maybe, just maybe, a chance to reconnect with the son he barely knows. Worthbridge wasn’t meant to be anything more than a landing place. But the past has other plans.
Their reunion isn’t a simple rekindling. It’s messy, hesitant, and painfully real. Their chemistry is loaded with nuance and restraint that every glance, every moment of silence, feels charged. And at the centre of it all is Alfie, Nathan’s estranged teenage son, a brilliant portrayal of adolescent anger, confusion, and vulnerability. This a story not just about rekindled love, but about parenting, healing, and what it means to show up, even when it's hard.
A deeply emotional, exquisitely written story of second chances, fractured families, and a love that time never quite managed to extinguish. From the very first chapter, the novel hooks you with its quiet intensity and frustrating slow burn.
Part of the Worth It Series, a gritty MM romance series set in a small coastal town featuring first responders entangled in a severe criminal case that threatens the community they serve… and the people they love.
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
September 2, 2025
Oh boy, was this one SO GOOD!!
I loved Freddie and Nathan. Their romance was hard won and so deserving. I appreciated the slow burn journey and hard conversations. The work they both had to do individually as well felt important and conveyed well. It felt so realistic.
Enjoyed the overarching criminal/fight for justice plot going on. It was engaging and I didn’t expect some of the turns and enjoyed all the bits.
All of the side characters were great! They kept the plot moving and also gave our main characters a run for their money! And oooh I can’t wait for some of them to have their own books… ;)
Great romance. Great spice. They were ALL IN for each other and I loved it. Unique setting. And a plot that gave so much!
Highly recommend this one.
Read For:
- M/M Romance
- Second Chance Romance
- Single Dad
- Childhood Friends to Lovers
- Small English Seaside Town
I received a complimentary advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review.
I loved Freddie and Nathan. Their romance was hard won and so deserving. I appreciated the slow burn journey and hard conversations. The work they both had to do individually as well felt important and conveyed well. It felt so realistic.
Enjoyed the overarching criminal/fight for justice plot going on. It was engaging and I didn’t expect some of the turns and enjoyed all the bits.
All of the side characters were great! They kept the plot moving and also gave our main characters a run for their money! And oooh I can’t wait for some of them to have their own books… ;)
Great romance. Great spice. They were ALL IN for each other and I loved it. Unique setting. And a plot that gave so much!
Highly recommend this one.
Read For:
- M/M Romance
- Second Chance Romance
- Single Dad
- Childhood Friends to Lovers
- Small English Seaside Town
I received a complimentary advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review.
December 9, 2025
So the list of triggers in the synopsis? Completely unnecessary — all the things mentioned there appear only briefly in the book, without detail or focus.
Basically, the plot is purely romantic. There’s some sort of police investigation mentioned in the background, but it only serves to build the relationship between the two of them.
Even the kid, Alfie, is a side character who exists solely for the romance. There are no touching father–son moments, no scenes where you really feel his concern for his son — just an add-on to the story.
If I had to describe the plot? Two best friends who come from difficult households, but not bad ones. They develop feelings for each other, then there’s drama and they separate for 15 years without talking at all (weird, but okay). They meet again, sleep together, say they love each other, and get a happy ending.
Oh, and in the background there’s a kid and a mafia involved in human trafficking and drugs, but it’s not important.
3 stars.
Basically, the plot is purely romantic. There’s some sort of police investigation mentioned in the background, but it only serves to build the relationship between the two of them.
Even the kid, Alfie, is a side character who exists solely for the romance. There are no touching father–son moments, no scenes where you really feel his concern for his son — just an add-on to the story.
If I had to describe the plot? Two best friends who come from difficult households, but not bad ones. They develop feelings for each other, then there’s drama and they separate for 15 years without talking at all (weird, but okay). They meet again, sleep together, say they love each other, and get a happy ending.
Oh, and in the background there’s a kid and a mafia involved in human trafficking and drugs, but it’s not important.
3 stars.
March 6, 2026
Freddie Webb is a PC (Police Constable – a local cop) in the village of Worthbridge. Freddie has lived in Worthbridge basically his entire life, and can’t really imaging being anywhere else, even though he knows that PCs are often discouraged from working in their hometown (makes it a LOT harder to be professionally impartial). Freddie loves his hometown, and is frustrated about the economic and social downturns he’s been seeing. As a member of law enforcement, he’s fully aware of what’s behind some of the changes, but the department has had a HUGE problem gathering the needed court-admissible evidence to prove what they know to be true.
Nathan Carter is also a Worthbridge local, and actually went to school with Freddie. Nate hadn’t stuck around the way Freddie did, but he’s back now. Nate spent the last 15 years in the British Army, now medically discharged. He’s recently gained custody of his 14-year-old son Alfie and is (at least temporarily) both working for and living with his emotionally-abusive father. Alfie had previously lived with his mother, but as she’s gone down a rabbit hole of drugs and booze, it was time for Nate’s turn to take the reins on raising Alfie. Father and son aren’t exactly close at this point in time; in fact they are virtually strangers.
Nate and Freddie almost became a thing back in the day. The problem was, they were both very young, and besides which just when Nate and Freddie were ready to get started on the whole hopes and dreams thing, Nate found out that his one-night stand with a local girl (“just to know if he was really gay”) had resulted in a pregnancy. Between having a baby on the way and his Dad being a mean piece of work (not to mention a shade homophobic) Nate made the decision to marry the girl and join the army so as to support wife and child.
Today is 15 years down the road from that teenage heartbreak. Freddie has been called to the scene of street scuffle, and has to take one of the participants in to the station for questioning. Freddie has no idea that the boy is his old flame’s son. Today Nate and Freddie will meet again, in an interview room at the police station.
As you can probably tell, I connected with both of these characters right away. I’m also from a small town, though not in the UK. Regardless of which continent though, small towns have one thing in common - everybody knows way more of everyone’s business than they ought to. In the middle of that fishbowl, Freddie and Nate are trying to NOT get to know each other again – lots of scars and water under the bridge, not to mention a kid who is on the verge of going down a MAJORLY wrong road. Wait until you see what happens when Alfie sneaks out of the house, and Nate follows him to a location that is suspected of being a drug house. It turns out to be quite handy that Nate was a highly skilled member of the military.
I won’t tell you any more of the plot, but it’s well-planned. Suffice it to say, the immediate problems of Alfie + Nate and Nate + Freddie do make for some emotionally-satisfying math. This book is the launch of a new series, but the ending won’t have you hanging off a cliff if you choose not to read more of the series.
And on a side-note, a BIG shout-out to the author on the world-building. The first book of a new romance series can be tricky. The author has the dual challenge of directing his or her characters along their merry way while still spending a fair amount of time telling showing you around town and introducing you folks along the way. Personally, because I messed up and actually read the 3rd book of the series prior to reading this one, I got a kick out of each mention or appearance of a side character, knowing (or having a strong suspicion) that the individual in question will be a Main Character in Book 2 or Book 3.
Bottom Line – I’m hooked, 5/5. I’m DEFINITELY going to spending more time in the town of Worthbridge; I’m going straight for Book 2, and then I’ll probably re-read Book 3.
DISCLAIMER - I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I am not being paid or rewarded in any way for this review.
Nathan Carter is also a Worthbridge local, and actually went to school with Freddie. Nate hadn’t stuck around the way Freddie did, but he’s back now. Nate spent the last 15 years in the British Army, now medically discharged. He’s recently gained custody of his 14-year-old son Alfie and is (at least temporarily) both working for and living with his emotionally-abusive father. Alfie had previously lived with his mother, but as she’s gone down a rabbit hole of drugs and booze, it was time for Nate’s turn to take the reins on raising Alfie. Father and son aren’t exactly close at this point in time; in fact they are virtually strangers.
Nate and Freddie almost became a thing back in the day. The problem was, they were both very young, and besides which just when Nate and Freddie were ready to get started on the whole hopes and dreams thing, Nate found out that his one-night stand with a local girl (“just to know if he was really gay”) had resulted in a pregnancy. Between having a baby on the way and his Dad being a mean piece of work (not to mention a shade homophobic) Nate made the decision to marry the girl and join the army so as to support wife and child.
Today is 15 years down the road from that teenage heartbreak. Freddie has been called to the scene of street scuffle, and has to take one of the participants in to the station for questioning. Freddie has no idea that the boy is his old flame’s son. Today Nate and Freddie will meet again, in an interview room at the police station.
As you can probably tell, I connected with both of these characters right away. I’m also from a small town, though not in the UK. Regardless of which continent though, small towns have one thing in common - everybody knows way more of everyone’s business than they ought to. In the middle of that fishbowl, Freddie and Nate are trying to NOT get to know each other again – lots of scars and water under the bridge, not to mention a kid who is on the verge of going down a MAJORLY wrong road. Wait until you see what happens when Alfie sneaks out of the house, and Nate follows him to a location that is suspected of being a drug house. It turns out to be quite handy that Nate was a highly skilled member of the military.
I won’t tell you any more of the plot, but it’s well-planned. Suffice it to say, the immediate problems of Alfie + Nate and Nate + Freddie do make for some emotionally-satisfying math. This book is the launch of a new series, but the ending won’t have you hanging off a cliff if you choose not to read more of the series.
And on a side-note, a BIG shout-out to the author on the world-building. The first book of a new romance series can be tricky. The author has the dual challenge of directing his or her characters along their merry way while still spending a fair amount of time telling showing you around town and introducing you folks along the way. Personally, because I messed up and actually read the 3rd book of the series prior to reading this one, I got a kick out of each mention or appearance of a side character, knowing (or having a strong suspicion) that the individual in question will be a Main Character in Book 2 or Book 3.
Bottom Line – I’m hooked, 5/5. I’m DEFINITELY going to spending more time in the town of Worthbridge; I’m going straight for Book 2, and then I’ll probably re-read Book 3.
DISCLAIMER - I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I am not being paid or rewarded in any way for this review.
August 1, 2025
Worth the Wait is the first book in the, ‘Worth It,’ series. It stars Freddie Webb, a cop, and Nathan Carter, ex-army. It’s told in third person from Freddie and Nathan’s pov.
The blurb does a good job of explaining the basic plot. It revolves around Nathan returning to town, his son Alfie’s involvement with a bad crowd, Freddie who lived his life since eighteen, trying to forget Nathan. And Nathan trying to run away from his life choices but unable to forget Freddie.
I’ve read many of this author’s books, and she’s always been good at writing locations so that I feel like I’m there. Worthbridge is a gritty, forlorn sort of town. A town that feels like it just hanging on, where people exist, but don’t have much hope of life improving. I found the place depressing and could see how young people could become involved in trafficking and drug pushing.
I liked Freddie. He was rough, but he was loyal to his mom, sister, and her kids. He helped support them when he could. He was lucky in that his family loved and supported him. He didn’t have trouble coming out as gay to them. They may not have been rich money wise, but they were in their love for each other. Nathan had an ex-military father, and his mother had died. Nathan was insecure because of his father’s constant criticism. People loved Nate because he was charismatic, good-looking, and good at sports. That’s the only thing he had going for him, because he was weak willed. He wasn’t good to Freddie even though Freddie was loyal to him. Nathan was peer-pressured into sex with a girl while Freddie waited for him at a party, and then Nathan told Freddie about it. Freddie was already in love with Nathan, and Nathan couldn’t admit he loved Freddie or even that he was gay. He couldn’t stand up to peer-pressure, and he ran away when he found out the girl got pregnant. Freddie called Nathan a coward and Freddie is right. I don’t know why Freddie fell for Nathan. Nathan just took, while Freddie gave. Nathan was oblivious to Freddie’s feelings. I can see why Freddie hung on to his feelings after Nathan ran off to join the Army because there was no closure, he was betrayed. Nathan coming back and wanting Freddie again, was pure selfishness. Freddie even put his job and future on the line for Nathan and his son Alfie at one point. That describes Freddie. Nathan ran away from all his responsibilities, while Freddie stayed in town to help his mother, sister, and the town. Nathan didn’t grow-up until he was forced to when Alfie started to get into trouble. I wasn’t thrilled with Freddie getting back with Nathan. Freddie deserved better, but he never fell for the nice guys.
Something I disliked was, there were extensive chapters about scenes from each of Freddie and Nathan’s past. Those scenes did add length to the story, and I suppose they were used to illustrate the history between the two of them, but I didn’t like them. I wanted the present with what was happening with the drug situation and Alfie.
Overall, I liked Freddie, I didn’t like Nathan. I didn’t like the long chapters of their history. I did like the way the author wrote the town’s atmosphere. I give, Worth the Wait, 4 Stars.
I received an ARC from the author. This is my honest and unbiased review.
The blurb does a good job of explaining the basic plot. It revolves around Nathan returning to town, his son Alfie’s involvement with a bad crowd, Freddie who lived his life since eighteen, trying to forget Nathan. And Nathan trying to run away from his life choices but unable to forget Freddie.
I’ve read many of this author’s books, and she’s always been good at writing locations so that I feel like I’m there. Worthbridge is a gritty, forlorn sort of town. A town that feels like it just hanging on, where people exist, but don’t have much hope of life improving. I found the place depressing and could see how young people could become involved in trafficking and drug pushing.
I liked Freddie. He was rough, but he was loyal to his mom, sister, and her kids. He helped support them when he could. He was lucky in that his family loved and supported him. He didn’t have trouble coming out as gay to them. They may not have been rich money wise, but they were in their love for each other. Nathan had an ex-military father, and his mother had died. Nathan was insecure because of his father’s constant criticism. People loved Nate because he was charismatic, good-looking, and good at sports. That’s the only thing he had going for him, because he was weak willed. He wasn’t good to Freddie even though Freddie was loyal to him. Nathan was peer-pressured into sex with a girl while Freddie waited for him at a party, and then Nathan told Freddie about it. Freddie was already in love with Nathan, and Nathan couldn’t admit he loved Freddie or even that he was gay. He couldn’t stand up to peer-pressure, and he ran away when he found out the girl got pregnant. Freddie called Nathan a coward and Freddie is right. I don’t know why Freddie fell for Nathan. Nathan just took, while Freddie gave. Nathan was oblivious to Freddie’s feelings. I can see why Freddie hung on to his feelings after Nathan ran off to join the Army because there was no closure, he was betrayed. Nathan coming back and wanting Freddie again, was pure selfishness. Freddie even put his job and future on the line for Nathan and his son Alfie at one point. That describes Freddie. Nathan ran away from all his responsibilities, while Freddie stayed in town to help his mother, sister, and the town. Nathan didn’t grow-up until he was forced to when Alfie started to get into trouble. I wasn’t thrilled with Freddie getting back with Nathan. Freddie deserved better, but he never fell for the nice guys.
Something I disliked was, there were extensive chapters about scenes from each of Freddie and Nathan’s past. Those scenes did add length to the story, and I suppose they were used to illustrate the history between the two of them, but I didn’t like them. I wanted the present with what was happening with the drug situation and Alfie.
Overall, I liked Freddie, I didn’t like Nathan. I didn’t like the long chapters of their history. I did like the way the author wrote the town’s atmosphere. I give, Worth the Wait, 4 Stars.
I received an ARC from the author. This is my honest and unbiased review.
July 8, 2025
When Nathan and Freddie were young, they were best friends. Then in stolen moments, they became more and as frightening as it was it worked. Then things changed and Nathan left, and Freddie stayed in Worthbridge.
Years have passed when “Worth the Wait” begins. Freddie is settled in his hometown and has become PC Freddie Webb. He’s carved out a good place for himself. He’s good at his job, he has a family he loves, friends who care about him and he’s even found some time to date.
Then everything comes crashing down on his shoulders when he apprehends a young man named Alfie and discovers that same young man is Nathan’s son. When he walks into an interrogation room he is suddenly face to face with Nathan. After years, Nathan has returned, and Freddie is drowned by all the feelings he has been avoiding.
Nathan has returned to Worthbridge with his estranged son because he needs a place to land. Living in his father’s house once more, Nathan knows he can work at the garage, get on his feet and try to build a relationship with his son.
Both men have kept their emotions in check for the years they were apart, but when the see one another again it is intense, emotional and opens old wounds. The pain and longing are unleashed the moment their eyes meet, and both men face different battles within themselves.
As always, C.F. White masterfully navigates the struggles each of the characters is facing. Nathan is trying desperately to reign in all the instincts he had engrained in him during his time in the army. He’s coping with an injury. He still has a fractious relationship with his father even as he is trying to be a better father to his own son.
Freddie comes to face to face with the fact that things were never over between him and Nathan. He must acknowledge that he may not have been moving on after all; he may have just been waiting. He finds himself willing to risk everything he has built up to do what he can to help Nathan.
This is such an emotional story. It’s about love and strength, endurance and courage. It’s about taking a step off the cliff even when you’re not sure what awaits you at the bottom. I absolutely loved these two characters from the moment I met each one.
White also does a fantastic job of capturing the small-town feel of Worthbridge. Everyone knows everyone else, there are few secrets that can be kept for any length of time and there are many entangled lives.
This is a perfectly paced first book in the “Worth It” series. It’s emotional and has such a beautiful ending. This is about as perfect a book as one can get.
Years have passed when “Worth the Wait” begins. Freddie is settled in his hometown and has become PC Freddie Webb. He’s carved out a good place for himself. He’s good at his job, he has a family he loves, friends who care about him and he’s even found some time to date.
Then everything comes crashing down on his shoulders when he apprehends a young man named Alfie and discovers that same young man is Nathan’s son. When he walks into an interrogation room he is suddenly face to face with Nathan. After years, Nathan has returned, and Freddie is drowned by all the feelings he has been avoiding.
Nathan has returned to Worthbridge with his estranged son because he needs a place to land. Living in his father’s house once more, Nathan knows he can work at the garage, get on his feet and try to build a relationship with his son.
Both men have kept their emotions in check for the years they were apart, but when the see one another again it is intense, emotional and opens old wounds. The pain and longing are unleashed the moment their eyes meet, and both men face different battles within themselves.
As always, C.F. White masterfully navigates the struggles each of the characters is facing. Nathan is trying desperately to reign in all the instincts he had engrained in him during his time in the army. He’s coping with an injury. He still has a fractious relationship with his father even as he is trying to be a better father to his own son.
Freddie comes to face to face with the fact that things were never over between him and Nathan. He must acknowledge that he may not have been moving on after all; he may have just been waiting. He finds himself willing to risk everything he has built up to do what he can to help Nathan.
This is such an emotional story. It’s about love and strength, endurance and courage. It’s about taking a step off the cliff even when you’re not sure what awaits you at the bottom. I absolutely loved these two characters from the moment I met each one.
White also does a fantastic job of capturing the small-town feel of Worthbridge. Everyone knows everyone else, there are few secrets that can be kept for any length of time and there are many entangled lives.
This is a perfectly paced first book in the “Worth It” series. It’s emotional and has such a beautiful ending. This is about as perfect a book as one can get.
November 11, 2025
So much angst in the first 20% but the writing did a good job establishing the dour setting and Freddie and Nathan's history without devolving into wordy, boring expo dumps.
But oh my god, I fucking hated teenage Nathan for what he put Freddie through. I understand not knowing his sexuality, but that doesn't make what he did any less palatable. I'm shocked that present Freddie wasn't still angry with how Nathan had left things.
Jude was a fucking saint. I absolutely hope he gets his own HEA somewhere for how nice he was.
By contrast, I despised Alfie. Antagonistic, self destructive teenagers will never be enjoyable characters to read and I wholeheartedly believe that any book would be improved if they simply didn't write such characters into them.
The freaking tension was insane. Both romantically between Freddie and Nathan and the whole "when is the other shoe going to drop" because of Freddie covering up for Nathan and Alfie. While I kind of wish Freddie had been a bit more mad over how Nathan had left things fifteen years ago, their reconciliation was done well enough to justify things. by having had fifteen years pass and showing how strongly they both felt about each other, I was able to buy into their mutual reconciliation without the need for too much groveling (though it definitely still would've been appreciated).
I also really appreciated how Freddie's job didn't end up being a super big antagonistic operation that would've railed on him for breaking procedure (though it certainly wouldn't have been surprising). I liked how his boss still treated Freddie with respect and acknowledged that he was still a good cop who'd made a questionable choice (very happy that this story was not set in the US because then that would be sending a very different message).
Freddie's friend Becca was a goddamn saint here. Loved her support for Freddie but I also understood why she had to give him up because of the higher ups.
And I loved the ending. Despite all the action already having happened, Freddie and Nathan solidifying their relationship and making it official was sweet and well deserved. I loved how Nathan was the one to show affection in public and I loved how we saw his relationship with Alfie improve (even if I still hated Alfie's guts). The light comedy with Freddie's mom at the end there was a nice send-off for an otherwise angsty and heavier story.
TL;DR: Good mix of tension + romance. Freddie and Nathan's second chance was satisfying and believable. Side characters were all good (sans my distaste for Alfie and angsty teens) 4 stars!
Am definitely reading Reece and Trent's story and Jude's after.
But oh my god, I fucking hated teenage Nathan for what he put Freddie through. I understand not knowing his sexuality, but that doesn't make what he did any less palatable. I'm shocked that present Freddie wasn't still angry with how Nathan had left things.
Jude was a fucking saint. I absolutely hope he gets his own HEA somewhere for how nice he was.
By contrast, I despised Alfie. Antagonistic, self destructive teenagers will never be enjoyable characters to read and I wholeheartedly believe that any book would be improved if they simply didn't write such characters into them.
The freaking tension was insane. Both romantically between Freddie and Nathan and the whole "when is the other shoe going to drop" because of Freddie covering up for Nathan and Alfie. While I kind of wish Freddie had been a bit more mad over how Nathan had left things fifteen years ago, their reconciliation was done well enough to justify things. by having had fifteen years pass and showing how strongly they both felt about each other, I was able to buy into their mutual reconciliation without the need for too much groveling (though it definitely still would've been appreciated).
I also really appreciated how Freddie's job didn't end up being a super big antagonistic operation that would've railed on him for breaking procedure (though it certainly wouldn't have been surprising). I liked how his boss still treated Freddie with respect and acknowledged that he was still a good cop who'd made a questionable choice (very happy that this story was not set in the US because then that would be sending a very different message).
Freddie's friend Becca was a goddamn saint here. Loved her support for Freddie but I also understood why she had to give him up because of the higher ups.
And I loved the ending. Despite all the action already having happened, Freddie and Nathan solidifying their relationship and making it official was sweet and well deserved. I loved how Nathan was the one to show affection in public and I loved how we saw his relationship with Alfie improve (even if I still hated Alfie's guts). The light comedy with Freddie's mom at the end there was a nice send-off for an otherwise angsty and heavier story.
TL;DR: Good mix of tension + romance. Freddie and Nathan's second chance was satisfying and believable. Side characters were all good (sans my distaste for Alfie and angsty teens) 4 stars!
Am definitely reading Reece and Trent's story and Jude's after.
December 24, 2025
3.5 stars because of Freddie. I liked the background story, and I’m looking forward to its resolution (hopefully), but for some reason, I disliked Freddie, too much, and I couldn’t get past that dislike. Now, this author is very good at painting complex characters, varied, unique, flawed, and fantastic, but they do such a good job at it, that when you find someone to dislike, it colors the rest of the book! I didn’t like Ron either, but he’s supposed to be mean, and I was confused about Nate and his choices, but things made sense later on. But Freddie..l have no idea what it is, but nobody likes everyone, and in my case, I don’t like Freddie. So I won’t talk about the love story, or how fantastic it is (because I rather have Nathan go for someone not Freddie). But it is well written, it isn’t a HEA done in 5 seconds, it takes time, effort, forgiveness, and a lot of work on all parties involved, and the background story feels so real, so true, it frustrates me to no end! It’s really good, but… I wish it wasn’t so realistic and it had the perfect ending that I wanted. Fortunately, with CF White you get truths, realistic situations, and imperfect endings. But there are more books on this series, and I’m hoping the ending will be more satisfying in those. I just really like this author because the characters are unique and interesting, flawed, and trying to be the best that they can with what they have, and it’s proven to me by how much I dislike Freddie. He isn’t perfect, he isn’t the loyal, patient, faithful love that waits for his doomed love to return or simply pines away. And that was great, I just don’t like him, at to me, it shows how unique each character that this author writes is. The return of a lost love feels like an overused trope, but it isn’t like this at all, and I appreciated it very much. I just dislike Freddie. Yes, I keep repeating myself, but this guys is one of the MCs, so if I have to suffer through disliking the MC throughout the book, I’m going to vent about it. At first I thought I would dislike Nathan more, but no, he felt more human and less “holier than thou, I’m so hurt I’m going to kept everyone at a distance and use everyone because I feel used” vibes that Freddie gives. It’s a good book, well written, and o enjoyed the “mystery” with Alfie. I’m just going to try and read the next, hoping to scrub the dislike that Freddie left behind.
December 18, 2025
Thank you to C.F. White for sending me a copy!
Intro:
This book is an MM romance between Freddie, a police officer in the small town where he grew up and Nathan, an Ex-Army soldier and single dad coming back to his home town for a fresh start with his son
Tropes/Highlights:
-Dual Timeline
-MM
-Second Chance
-Open Door Spice
-Childhood Friends to Lovers
-Single Dad/Cop
-Hurt/Comfort
-British Small Town
-HEA
Likes:
-Compelling storyline, beginning to end
-I love the flashes of the past and how they are melded in with the present
-Character relationships felt real and gritty and were very well developed
-Single dad romances are usually younger kids, I am glad this one was written with an angsty, troubled teen
-The pining and yearning is top tier, also love the slight possessiveness
-Both MCs are very protective of each other and Nathan is a protective dad, which is so sweet
-I love the Alfie drama, his character is so well written and accurately reflects teen behavior
-Hints of side characters who get their own book, already invested
-Passionate reconnection
Quotes:
-"Trying not to let Nathan fucking Carter fill up all the space in his head. It was impossible. Nathan was there anyway. In his lungs. Always had been."
-"Alfie pushed back at everything. Rules. Authority. Expectations. He didn't shrink to fit anyone's mould. He challenged. Snapped. Lit fires to watch them burn."
-"Escape the way this house, this town, shrunk him down to someone he didn't recognise."
-"Unlike me, the feelings never left."
-"Two idiots hiding in the dark. Both doing the exact same stupid thing for the same stupid reason."
-"And god help him, he never wanted anyone else again."
-"But all that pain? All that fear and worry that you've buried so deep that it's part of your wiring? I'm gonna love that shit out of you."
This is the first book I have read from this author and wow. I really enjoyed this story and I am not usually a fan of cop romances/second chance, but this story had me hooked. Emotionally, this book wrecked me just a little bit, but I love tragic, sweet characters. There was action, suspense, yearning, confronting the past and so much more to this story. I recommend giving it a read, especially if you love reading about men in uniform trying to find their way back from the past and it's mistakes.
Intro:
This book is an MM romance between Freddie, a police officer in the small town where he grew up and Nathan, an Ex-Army soldier and single dad coming back to his home town for a fresh start with his son
Tropes/Highlights:
-Dual Timeline
-MM
-Second Chance
-Open Door Spice
-Childhood Friends to Lovers
-Single Dad/Cop
-Hurt/Comfort
-British Small Town
-HEA
Likes:
-Compelling storyline, beginning to end
-I love the flashes of the past and how they are melded in with the present
-Character relationships felt real and gritty and were very well developed
-Single dad romances are usually younger kids, I am glad this one was written with an angsty, troubled teen
-The pining and yearning is top tier, also love the slight possessiveness
-Both MCs are very protective of each other and Nathan is a protective dad, which is so sweet
-I love the Alfie drama, his character is so well written and accurately reflects teen behavior
-Hints of side characters who get their own book, already invested
-Passionate reconnection
Quotes:
-"Trying not to let Nathan fucking Carter fill up all the space in his head. It was impossible. Nathan was there anyway. In his lungs. Always had been."
-"Alfie pushed back at everything. Rules. Authority. Expectations. He didn't shrink to fit anyone's mould. He challenged. Snapped. Lit fires to watch them burn."
-"Escape the way this house, this town, shrunk him down to someone he didn't recognise."
-"Unlike me, the feelings never left."
-"Two idiots hiding in the dark. Both doing the exact same stupid thing for the same stupid reason."
-"And god help him, he never wanted anyone else again."
-"But all that pain? All that fear and worry that you've buried so deep that it's part of your wiring? I'm gonna love that shit out of you."
This is the first book I have read from this author and wow. I really enjoyed this story and I am not usually a fan of cop romances/second chance, but this story had me hooked. Emotionally, this book wrecked me just a little bit, but I love tragic, sweet characters. There was action, suspense, yearning, confronting the past and so much more to this story. I recommend giving it a read, especially if you love reading about men in uniform trying to find their way back from the past and it's mistakes.
July 22, 2025
Fifteen years ago teenage best friends Nathan and Freddie were on the verge of something more when the consequences of Nathan’s youthful actions had him joining the army and leaving town.
Worth the Wait is their angsty, second chance tale and it feels like the universe is throwing every obstacle it can in their way.
PC Freddie doesn’t even know Nathan is back in town until he sees him at the station after bringing in his son for questioning after a fight at the local skate park. It’s not a happy reunion.
Alfie, Nathan’s angry, resentful son is not making good choices. His actions unintentionally put Nathan in danger and have Freddie crossing lines to keep them both safe.
I really liked how these two men tried to take care of their families while slowly reconnecting. They were both such decent men trying their best. Nathan tried to do the right thing, but feels he keeps making a hash of everything. I felt for him, back in a town he couldn’t wait to leave, stuck working in his father’s garage, trying to connect with his teenage son who is spiraling towards the point of no return.
Even as they fight their attraction, you know Nathan and Freddie are inevitable.
It’s a great portrait of a seaside town where bored teenagers are easy pickings for bad guys eager to exploit their naïveté and desire for a little excitement.
On top of that, there’s Nathan’s homophobic dad, Freddie’s flighty sister, and Reece- the ex who likes to stir the pot.
I loved sweet teacher Jude who briefly dated Freddie and tries to help Alfie. I really hope he gets a HEA in a future book.
There is a big bad who doesn’t pay for his crimes, but I think this might be an overarching subplot in future books. (At least I hope so!) A captivating, emotional read.
C. F.’s books deserve more attention. I first discovered her via her soccer-inspired District Line series, then followed with the romantic, globe spanning Flying Into Love, the psychological suspense of To Love A Psycho, and now the gritty realism of life in a coastal town with Worth It. If any of those are your thing, definitely check her out!
Worth the Wait is their angsty, second chance tale and it feels like the universe is throwing every obstacle it can in their way.
PC Freddie doesn’t even know Nathan is back in town until he sees him at the station after bringing in his son for questioning after a fight at the local skate park. It’s not a happy reunion.
Alfie, Nathan’s angry, resentful son is not making good choices. His actions unintentionally put Nathan in danger and have Freddie crossing lines to keep them both safe.
I really liked how these two men tried to take care of their families while slowly reconnecting. They were both such decent men trying their best. Nathan tried to do the right thing, but feels he keeps making a hash of everything. I felt for him, back in a town he couldn’t wait to leave, stuck working in his father’s garage, trying to connect with his teenage son who is spiraling towards the point of no return.
Even as they fight their attraction, you know Nathan and Freddie are inevitable.
It’s a great portrait of a seaside town where bored teenagers are easy pickings for bad guys eager to exploit their naïveté and desire for a little excitement.
On top of that, there’s Nathan’s homophobic dad, Freddie’s flighty sister, and Reece- the ex who likes to stir the pot.
I loved sweet teacher Jude who briefly dated Freddie and tries to help Alfie. I really hope he gets a HEA in a future book.
There is a big bad who doesn’t pay for his crimes, but I think this might be an overarching subplot in future books. (At least I hope so!) A captivating, emotional read.
C. F.’s books deserve more attention. I first discovered her via her soccer-inspired District Line series, then followed with the romantic, globe spanning Flying Into Love, the psychological suspense of To Love A Psycho, and now the gritty realism of life in a coastal town with Worth It. If any of those are your thing, definitely check her out!
July 30, 2025
This book was definitely worthy of 4.5 stars! This is the second ever MM romance book I have read and let me just say it definitely did not dissapoint!
Nate and Freddie have a history together, they have a lot of love for the other but also a lot of heartbreak surrounding the relationship they once had. All of these feelings are depicted so incredibly well through the author's writing and through the overall plot of the story.
This book is full of yearning for the other and what could have been, which I absolutely adored! The 15 year separation these two went through had tension high throughout certian parts of this story and definitely had me feeling all of the emotions of our main characters. I loved that this was also set in a small english town where they were bound to run into each other particularly given the fact that Freddie is a local police officer.
Both of our MMC's are stong characters in their own right which made this story just that little bit better for me personally. As we know Freddie is a police officer and Nate is ex military who now works in his father's garage. Due to Freddie's career, the focus of the book isn't just on the rekindling of their lovestory but also the issues currently occuring in the town which Nate does become intertwined in much to his dismay.
This story was packed with plot twists, english slang referneces, banter, yearning, incredible chemisty and sizzling spice once we got to that point in the story. All of these combined had me wanting to know more immeidately just so that I could see how the story would play out in the end.
The only thing I would have loved to see more of was their relationship in the future. I would have loved to see how Nate's son adjusted to his new life with his dad and now step-dad. I also would have loved to see if they went on to add to their family unit given one of the thought's Nate had in this book.
I absolutely loved this and would definitely recommend! Thank you so much to the author and publishing house for allowing me the opportunity to read this as an early copy. I genuinly had the best time!
Nate and Freddie have a history together, they have a lot of love for the other but also a lot of heartbreak surrounding the relationship they once had. All of these feelings are depicted so incredibly well through the author's writing and through the overall plot of the story.
This book is full of yearning for the other and what could have been, which I absolutely adored! The 15 year separation these two went through had tension high throughout certian parts of this story and definitely had me feeling all of the emotions of our main characters. I loved that this was also set in a small english town where they were bound to run into each other particularly given the fact that Freddie is a local police officer.
Both of our MMC's are stong characters in their own right which made this story just that little bit better for me personally. As we know Freddie is a police officer and Nate is ex military who now works in his father's garage. Due to Freddie's career, the focus of the book isn't just on the rekindling of their lovestory but also the issues currently occuring in the town which Nate does become intertwined in much to his dismay.
This story was packed with plot twists, english slang referneces, banter, yearning, incredible chemisty and sizzling spice once we got to that point in the story. All of these combined had me wanting to know more immeidately just so that I could see how the story would play out in the end.
The only thing I would have loved to see more of was their relationship in the future. I would have loved to see how Nate's son adjusted to his new life with his dad and now step-dad. I also would have loved to see if they went on to add to their family unit given one of the thought's Nate had in this book.
I absolutely loved this and would definitely recommend! Thank you so much to the author and publishing house for allowing me the opportunity to read this as an early copy. I genuinly had the best time!
August 5, 2025
PC Freddie Webb has lived in his small town all his life. Once, in his teens, it was a place of wonder as he and Nathan Carter figured out what they might mean to each other. But then Nathan got a girl pregnant, pulled back, left for the military, and never got in touch again. Freddie joined the police force and he does good work; he likes his town even though drugs and crime are encroaching on it, and he has dated. Men. He's not hiding who he is. But none of them were ever Nathan, with his rough edges and his hurts and his magnetic pull. The schoolteacher Freddie is dating now is sweet and kind, and should be a great boyfriend, but doesn't make Freddie excited about anything.
Nathan Carter comes back to his hometown with the 14-year-old son he now has custody of, hoping for a fresh start. His ex, the boy's mother, fell into drugs and men and apathy, and Nathan, off in the military and mainly sending money home, didn't realize until almost too late what crowd his son Alfie was getting sucked into. He hopes it's only "almost" too late. Because Alfie is angry and closed off and even here, seems immediately drawn to the wrong people.
When Freddie arrests Alfie for fighting, and Nathan is called to the station, it's the reunion the two men have been thinking about since they were eighteen. But it also puts them on opposite sides of the law, with the potential for worse to come.
This book is full of yearning, for Nathan to help his son, for Freddie to reconnect with the man he never forgot, for Nathan to be open to love he figured would never be his lot. The second-chances romance is powerful and the sex is hot. (These days I skim a lot of sex scenes, but I read these.) The risks when Freddie has to choose between his duties and Nathan are deeply felt.
This books stands alone, with a solid HFN ending. I'm looking forward to the next in the series - I imagine likely one of the other gay men we meet, not same-character although I would never say no to more of these two. I really enjoy White's writing style, and the grit and realism of the setting and story.
Nathan Carter comes back to his hometown with the 14-year-old son he now has custody of, hoping for a fresh start. His ex, the boy's mother, fell into drugs and men and apathy, and Nathan, off in the military and mainly sending money home, didn't realize until almost too late what crowd his son Alfie was getting sucked into. He hopes it's only "almost" too late. Because Alfie is angry and closed off and even here, seems immediately drawn to the wrong people.
When Freddie arrests Alfie for fighting, and Nathan is called to the station, it's the reunion the two men have been thinking about since they were eighteen. But it also puts them on opposite sides of the law, with the potential for worse to come.
This book is full of yearning, for Nathan to help his son, for Freddie to reconnect with the man he never forgot, for Nathan to be open to love he figured would never be his lot. The second-chances romance is powerful and the sex is hot. (These days I skim a lot of sex scenes, but I read these.) The risks when Freddie has to choose between his duties and Nathan are deeply felt.
This books stands alone, with a solid HFN ending. I'm looking forward to the next in the series - I imagine likely one of the other gay men we meet, not same-character although I would never say no to more of these two. I really enjoy White's writing style, and the grit and realism of the setting and story.
September 27, 2025
Nathan and Freddie have a history going back more than the fifteen years they’ve been apart, they were best friends, merging on more, until the day Nathan announced he was leaving town and joining the army, leaving a broken-hearted Freddie behind. It is now fifteen years later and Freddie confronts the father of a boy he arrested, unaware until the last second that it is Nathan, newly arrived back in town with a fourteen year old son in tow. Feelings are still there, and barriers neither is sure they can overcome, until danger threatens Alfie, Nathan’s son, and the two must join forces to protect him. Will they be able to protect Alfie, work through the hurt and pain of the past, and prove that those feelings that never left and are still there, stonger than ever, were worth the wait?
Two strong male characters, dealing with past hurts from each other. along with the myriad of events life throws at you as time passes, finding a way to get past the hurts, forgive and forget to an extent, to finally reach the future that both wanted so badly all those years ago. Good cast of supporting characters to lead into the next book as the threats in book 1 are not resolved yet, and the next pair will face their own challenges in the English seaside town of Worthbridge.
I enjoy this author’s work, and this one was no exception. Characters are interesting, events flowed and unfolded as the book kept my interest with a wrinkle or two along the way, and the interest is built to want to see what challenges the next book will hold for our firefighter heroes, Reese and Trent.
I received a copy of this book for free and this is my voluntary review.
Two strong male characters, dealing with past hurts from each other. along with the myriad of events life throws at you as time passes, finding a way to get past the hurts, forgive and forget to an extent, to finally reach the future that both wanted so badly all those years ago. Good cast of supporting characters to lead into the next book as the threats in book 1 are not resolved yet, and the next pair will face their own challenges in the English seaside town of Worthbridge.
I enjoy this author’s work, and this one was no exception. Characters are interesting, events flowed and unfolded as the book kept my interest with a wrinkle or two along the way, and the interest is built to want to see what challenges the next book will hold for our firefighter heroes, Reese and Trent.
I received a copy of this book for free and this is my voluntary review.
December 17, 2025
This is the first book I’ve read from this author, and I must say, it was a real diamond in the rough for me. The writing was spectacular, and I almost felt like I was existing alongside the characters. This is one of the more realistic romances I’ve read. Nothing too wild happens, but my interest was held the whole time.
I was actually made aware of this series due to an ARC available for book 3; however, it said I should start from the beginning, so the beginning is where I started. This book was also received for free as an ARC, and all opinions are honest and freely provided.
The story is centralized around Freddy and Nathan. Childhood friends who lost touch for reasons and have found their way back to each other’s periphery after 15 years. Freddy is a cop and Nathan has left the army to care for his son, Alfie. We’re essentially taken through their lives as they’re lived. They each have their own stories that eventually converge pretty beautifully. Before that point, however, it’s a very real and gritty tale of 2 blokes getting by. There’s nothing over the top, no outrageous and loud declarations, no big whodunnits, but it’s just the happenings of a town, people getting caught doing things they shouldn’t, and how all of these things are navigated by our heroes. It’s like if The Wire was British.
I hope to hear more from Freddy, Nathan and their families. In fact, every side character, small or large, had such a presence and voice that I wouldn’t mind reading a story from each of them.
I’m looking forward to Reece’s book, he’s gonna be a fun guy to hang with.
Great tale, well done.
I was actually made aware of this series due to an ARC available for book 3; however, it said I should start from the beginning, so the beginning is where I started. This book was also received for free as an ARC, and all opinions are honest and freely provided.
The story is centralized around Freddy and Nathan. Childhood friends who lost touch for reasons and have found their way back to each other’s periphery after 15 years. Freddy is a cop and Nathan has left the army to care for his son, Alfie. We’re essentially taken through their lives as they’re lived. They each have their own stories that eventually converge pretty beautifully. Before that point, however, it’s a very real and gritty tale of 2 blokes getting by. There’s nothing over the top, no outrageous and loud declarations, no big whodunnits, but it’s just the happenings of a town, people getting caught doing things they shouldn’t, and how all of these things are navigated by our heroes. It’s like if The Wire was British.
I hope to hear more from Freddy, Nathan and their families. In fact, every side character, small or large, had such a presence and voice that I wouldn’t mind reading a story from each of them.
I’m looking forward to Reece’s book, he’s gonna be a fun guy to hang with.
Great tale, well done.
August 17, 2025
This is the first book in the Worth It series and it starts it off with an emotion filled story. This is the story of Nathan Carter and Freddie Webb. Both of them grew up together and had been best friends since primary school. Their relationship kept growing deeper until the day that Nathan just ended it and left. He gave Freddie no real explanation. He just left and joined the military. Freddie remained in Worthbridge and became a PC. He is working hard to try and clean up his town. He loves his mom and sister. He hasn't had a real relationship other than them. He is the king of one and done only. No commitments for him. Then Nathan returns back home with his son. Injured and unsure of how to start being a dad to a teenager. Then his Alfie is arrested by Freddie. Alfie refuses to give his name. When his dad shows up, Freddie is shocked to see his childhood friend and love. It is at that point that Freddie realizes that he is still in love with Nathan. With all the overwhelming emotions that Nathan is going through, it takes him a while to catch up. But when they do, it gives Alfie the best support team possible. This is their story. The book is written well and is easy to read. The story is engaging and you will want to keep reading straight on until the end. I am looking forward to the next book in this series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 15, 2025
**********Contains Spoilers**********
This is the first book that I’ve read by CF White and it won’t be my last. I really enjoyed this book and thought that it was a good start to the Worth It Series. I really enjoyed Nathan & Freddie’s love story. Their happily ever after was definitely worth the wait considering they were childhood best friends who eventually turned into so much more until Nathan found out that he was going to be a father, he left Worthbridge to join the Army so he could have money to support his kid, even though he was completely terrified of being a father and things didn’t go well when he told Freddie.
Nathan thought that Freddie didn’t want to hear from him since he didn’t see him off when he hopped on the bus for training and Freddie thought Nathan didn’t care since he never wrote him, but it’s far from the truth as when these two are reunited their feelings can’t be denied for long. I’m glad that Nathan is mending his strained relationship with his teenage son Alfie & trying to get him on the right path. I’ve pre-ordered the next book, Worth the Fight which I’m looking forward to reading it when it releases, as well as more books by CF White in the future. I’d definitely recommend this book, series and author to others.
******I received a complimentary copy of this book through GRR. I would still happily review this book even if I purchased it myself. My thoughts and feelings about this book are completely unbiased******
This is the first book that I’ve read by CF White and it won’t be my last. I really enjoyed this book and thought that it was a good start to the Worth It Series. I really enjoyed Nathan & Freddie’s love story. Their happily ever after was definitely worth the wait considering they were childhood best friends who eventually turned into so much more until Nathan found out that he was going to be a father, he left Worthbridge to join the Army so he could have money to support his kid, even though he was completely terrified of being a father and things didn’t go well when he told Freddie.
Nathan thought that Freddie didn’t want to hear from him since he didn’t see him off when he hopped on the bus for training and Freddie thought Nathan didn’t care since he never wrote him, but it’s far from the truth as when these two are reunited their feelings can’t be denied for long. I’m glad that Nathan is mending his strained relationship with his teenage son Alfie & trying to get him on the right path. I’ve pre-ordered the next book, Worth the Fight which I’m looking forward to reading it when it releases, as well as more books by CF White in the future. I’d definitely recommend this book, series and author to others.
******I received a complimentary copy of this book through GRR. I would still happily review this book even if I purchased it myself. My thoughts and feelings about this book are completely unbiased******
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