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Free Fall #1
Free Fall
an alternate cover edition can be found here
Part 1 of a high-stakes MM Romance duet.
Free soloing cliffs is dangerous. Love is riskier.
Dan McBride is reckless and relentless. He climbs cliffs no sane man would attempt, chasing accomplishment and danger in equal measure. Alone suits him—no ties, no promises, no one to lose.
Then Sejin steps into his life. Handsome, kind, and steady, Sejin belongs in ways Dan never has—and Dan wants him with a hunger as reckless as any climb. Every kiss is fire. Every touch, a risk he can’t stop taking.
But love isn’t a route Dan can plan, and Sejin isn’t sure it’s safe to give his heart to a man who refuses to stay grounded.
Soon they both realize the real question isn’t how high Dan can climb…but whether they can take the leap into something scarier than the tallest cliff: love.
Part 1 of a high-stakes MM Romance duet.
Free soloing cliffs is dangerous. Love is riskier.
Dan McBride is reckless and relentless. He climbs cliffs no sane man would attempt, chasing accomplishment and danger in equal measure. Alone suits him—no ties, no promises, no one to lose.
Then Sejin steps into his life. Handsome, kind, and steady, Sejin belongs in ways Dan never has—and Dan wants him with a hunger as reckless as any climb. Every kiss is fire. Every touch, a risk he can’t stop taking.
But love isn’t a route Dan can plan, and Sejin isn’t sure it’s safe to give his heart to a man who refuses to stay grounded.
Soon they both realize the real question isn’t how high Dan can climb…but whether they can take the leap into something scarier than the tallest cliff: love.
338 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 13, 2025
About the author
Leta Blake
69 books1,827 followersAuthor of the bestselling book Smoky Mountain Dreams and fan favorites Training Season, Will & Patrick Wake Up Married, and Slow Heat, Leta Blake has been captivating M/M Romance readers for over a decade. Whether writing contemporary romance or fantasy, she puts her psychology background to use creating complex characters and love stories that feel real. At home in the Southern U.S., Leta works hard at achieving balance between her writing and her family life.
If you'd like to be among the first to know about new releases, you can sign up for Leta's newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/bdn32H
If you'd like to be among the first to know about new releases, you can sign up for Leta's newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/bdn32H
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 120 reviews
September 7, 2025
Updated thoughts – I was in too much of a hurry back in September!
Dan & Sejin
Imagine a book packed with sex—a lot of sex—and I mean pages and pages of super-detailed, blisteringly hot scenes, sometimes with a touch of kink and two men with frankly ridiculous stamina.
But here’s the thing: there’s also a story. Real problems, real trauma, mental health struggles, hilarious banter, K-pop dancing and idol fans, extreme climbing, and two idiots who swear they’re only fucking. Like… duhhhh.
This was my first Leta Blake book, and I really liked her writing. It’s addictive—the kind of story you can’t put down no matter how late it gets.
Their chemistry is undeniable. You don’t just want them together for the sex—you crave their conversations, their fears, their tiny moments of hope. You want them to see that happiness together is possible.
The sex scenes? 🔥 Unreal. But more than that, they’re intimate, emotional, almost ethereal. Leta Blake writes them with such intensity that you can feel it. (Seriously, keep an ice bucket nearby to avoid third-degree burns.)
Dan — oh, my grumpy, broken boy in denial. The kind of man who thinks he’s unworthy of love or attention, who’s convinced no one would care if he disappeared. When he’s proven wrong? It’s the best kind of catharsis.
He’s spent his life alone, bouncing from foster home to foster home, learning to depend on no one, internalizing that nothing lasts. So yeah, he can be an asshole—but I love him for it. His obsession with Sejin’s hair and his need to make him smile just killed me. 🥹
And his “job”? He’s an extreme climber training for a free solo on El Cap’s Heart Route—an absolutely insane, dangerous goal that makes me tremble just thinking about it. I get that it’s his passion, but still.
I honestly don’t understand the Dan hate I’ve seen in some reviews. I love him exactly as he is. Watching his walls come down was such a gift. Love really does make us stronger.
Sejin — adorable, beautiful, gentle Sejin. He loves K-pop, kids, and animals, and watching him with his nephews or teaching dance? Melted my heart. His fear for Dan felt so raw and real—it’s not misplaced, either. But even with that fear, watching him fall deeper while still holding back out of love… god, it hurts in the best way.
The side characters are all fantastic: Rye, Peggy Jo, Lennie and her kids (especially Jeremiah with his possessive protectiveness over Sejin and his hilarious hatred of Dan 😅).
Favorite moments?
The bike ride.
The night climb and stargazing.
Dancing to K-pop on top of a rock.
The confessions.
Bathing in the freezing waterfall.
If I had one gripe, it’s the language around sex—the constant “fucking” talk sometimes feels cold or a bit tacky. I get it, they’re fucking, but it occasionally pulled me out of the emotional flow. I’m not expecting “making love,” but sometimes the tone made me twitch.
And that ending… OMFG. I need CPR, an oxygen tank, and maybe five sabbatical years in India to recover.
Absolutely devastating.
******************************************
Original review
As I was reading, I wrote such a heartfelt review about Dan and Sejin, but now it feels meaningless—this ending has torn me to shreds, and the only thing left is to throw myself headlong into book two.
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.
Dan & Sejin
Imagine a book packed with sex—a lot of sex—and I mean pages and pages of super-detailed, blisteringly hot scenes, sometimes with a touch of kink and two men with frankly ridiculous stamina.
But here’s the thing: there’s also a story. Real problems, real trauma, mental health struggles, hilarious banter, K-pop dancing and idol fans, extreme climbing, and two idiots who swear they’re only fucking. Like… duhhhh.
This was my first Leta Blake book, and I really liked her writing. It’s addictive—the kind of story you can’t put down no matter how late it gets.
Their chemistry is undeniable. You don’t just want them together for the sex—you crave their conversations, their fears, their tiny moments of hope. You want them to see that happiness together is possible.
The sex scenes? 🔥 Unreal. But more than that, they’re intimate, emotional, almost ethereal. Leta Blake writes them with such intensity that you can feel it. (Seriously, keep an ice bucket nearby to avoid third-degree burns.)
Dan — oh, my grumpy, broken boy in denial. The kind of man who thinks he’s unworthy of love or attention, who’s convinced no one would care if he disappeared. When he’s proven wrong? It’s the best kind of catharsis.
He’s spent his life alone, bouncing from foster home to foster home, learning to depend on no one, internalizing that nothing lasts. So yeah, he can be an asshole—but I love him for it. His obsession with Sejin’s hair and his need to make him smile just killed me. 🥹
And his “job”? He’s an extreme climber training for a free solo on El Cap’s Heart Route—an absolutely insane, dangerous goal that makes me tremble just thinking about it. I get that it’s his passion, but still.
I honestly don’t understand the Dan hate I’ve seen in some reviews. I love him exactly as he is. Watching his walls come down was such a gift. Love really does make us stronger.
Sejin — adorable, beautiful, gentle Sejin. He loves K-pop, kids, and animals, and watching him with his nephews or teaching dance? Melted my heart. His fear for Dan felt so raw and real—it’s not misplaced, either. But even with that fear, watching him fall deeper while still holding back out of love… god, it hurts in the best way.
The side characters are all fantastic: Rye, Peggy Jo, Lennie and her kids (especially Jeremiah with his possessive protectiveness over Sejin and his hilarious hatred of Dan 😅).
Favorite moments?
The bike ride.
The night climb and stargazing.
Dancing to K-pop on top of a rock.
The confessions.
Bathing in the freezing waterfall.
If I had one gripe, it’s the language around sex—the constant “fucking” talk sometimes feels cold or a bit tacky. I get it, they’re fucking, but it occasionally pulled me out of the emotional flow. I’m not expecting “making love,” but sometimes the tone made me twitch.
And that ending… OMFG. I need CPR, an oxygen tank, and maybe five sabbatical years in India to recover.
Absolutely devastating.
******************************************
Original review
As I was reading, I wrote such a heartfelt review about Dan and Sejin, but now it feels meaningless—this ending has torn me to shreds, and the only thing left is to throw myself headlong into book two.
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.
Read
October 16, 2025[This review covers both books in the Free Fall duology]
🪦 Time of Death - 35% in Free Heart 🪦
I think it's time to admit I need to cut my losses and move on from this series. It's been a month since I put it down, and I have no inclination whatsoever to pick it back up 😔 It pains me to say that because I'm normally a huge fan of Leta's work, but this series hasn't really worked for me from the beginning.
I powered through the first book hoping to start seeing some payoff in book two, but at 35% in and no happiness in sight, I just can't be bothered. Instead, I skimmed a few reviews to see if there was something grand I was missing, but it seems like there were going to be things that would aggravate me instead. Knowing that, I felt even less inclined to continue. This has definitely been my year for learning to let go and DNF 😅
For anyone wondering and for my memory later on in case I ever decide I might want to pick this up again, there were three things that didn't really work for me. The most important one being that I didn't really connect with either MC. I liked Sejin more than Dan, but I never warmed to either of them. They each annoyed me in different ways, and I don't think I ever understood what they saw in each other 🥲
Secondly, there was way too much rock climbing for my taste. "But Jessica, it's a rock climbing romance," you might say. True. I get it. This is a me thing. I know that a lot of people will appreciate the research and level of detail that Leta included about the sport. I found it interesting in little bits, but it quickly went into the weeds for me. I'm not too ashamed to admit that I don't enjoy that much actual sports in my sports romance. Give me a high level overview and some bits and pieces here and there. Use the sport as pretty wrapping paper for the romance underneath. The moment you go deep with it, my eyes glaze over. Let's be real, I'm not here to read about strategy, depth, and love of the game 😂
Lastly, there was an overwhelming amount of K-pop 🫠 All the rock climbing I could understand. That's kind of written on the tin, but the amount of K-pop talk was a surprise. This isn't to knock K-pop. It could've literally been any genre of music and I would have felt the same. Again, probably a me thing, but I hate when there is an over abundance of pop culture references in a book, especially when it's unrelated to the genre I'm reading. If I don't know the artists mentioned, I feel no connection to their inclusion. What if I know them and hate them? It feels like an unnecessary thing to add. Would I have felt differently if I was into K-pop? I don't know. I understand how Sejin connected to it, but it just wasn't something I cared for in the quantity and frequency it appeared in the story 🫤
All that being said, I hope others read this and love it because Leta's writing is truly wonderful, and she deserves more recognition for it. I think this just wasn't the series for me, so I'm choosing not to rate it, and I'm okay with that.
🪦 Time of Death - 35% in Free Heart 🪦
I think it's time to admit I need to cut my losses and move on from this series. It's been a month since I put it down, and I have no inclination whatsoever to pick it back up 😔 It pains me to say that because I'm normally a huge fan of Leta's work, but this series hasn't really worked for me from the beginning.
I powered through the first book hoping to start seeing some payoff in book two, but at 35% in and no happiness in sight, I just can't be bothered. Instead, I skimmed a few reviews to see if there was something grand I was missing, but it seems like there were going to be things that would aggravate me instead. Knowing that, I felt even less inclined to continue. This has definitely been my year for learning to let go and DNF 😅
For anyone wondering and for my memory later on in case I ever decide I might want to pick this up again, there were three things that didn't really work for me. The most important one being that I didn't really connect with either MC. I liked Sejin more than Dan, but I never warmed to either of them. They each annoyed me in different ways, and I don't think I ever understood what they saw in each other 🥲
Secondly, there was way too much rock climbing for my taste. "But Jessica, it's a rock climbing romance," you might say. True. I get it. This is a me thing. I know that a lot of people will appreciate the research and level of detail that Leta included about the sport. I found it interesting in little bits, but it quickly went into the weeds for me. I'm not too ashamed to admit that I don't enjoy that much actual sports in my sports romance. Give me a high level overview and some bits and pieces here and there. Use the sport as pretty wrapping paper for the romance underneath. The moment you go deep with it, my eyes glaze over. Let's be real, I'm not here to read about strategy, depth, and love of the game 😂
Lastly, there was an overwhelming amount of K-pop 🫠 All the rock climbing I could understand. That's kind of written on the tin, but the amount of K-pop talk was a surprise. This isn't to knock K-pop. It could've literally been any genre of music and I would have felt the same. Again, probably a me thing, but I hate when there is an over abundance of pop culture references in a book, especially when it's unrelated to the genre I'm reading. If I don't know the artists mentioned, I feel no connection to their inclusion. What if I know them and hate them? It feels like an unnecessary thing to add. Would I have felt differently if I was into K-pop? I don't know. I understand how Sejin connected to it, but it just wasn't something I cared for in the quantity and frequency it appeared in the story 🫤
All that being said, I hope others read this and love it because Leta's writing is truly wonderful, and she deserves more recognition for it. I think this just wasn't the series for me, so I'm choosing not to rate it, and I'm okay with that.
January 9, 2026
"I think I love you. I'm sorry. I know you don't wanna hear that, but I think I do."
"Well.....it's not that big of a problem." when I tell you my heart dropped 😂💀
Had me in the first half.
"I won't eat you out again if you don't like it."
Which part of this man crying and blurting out a love declaration immediately after gives the impression that he DOESN'T like it?
Also, the REALNESS of Dan saying he doesn't WANT to meet Sejin's dad(but will, anyway) because:
a) He's fucking his son
b) He lives in a van
c) He's weird
d) He doesn't have a job
I'm soooo glad he knows what this looks like from the outside. Because honestly, the van thing also had me side eyeing him as a love interest for Sejin.
I've really been at this long enough that I see things from the parent's perspective more than I do the MCs'.
Because wdym you're going off to live with an unemployed van dweller who risks his life every day for fun?
Twenty years ago I'd have been like 'Wow. A free spirit.'
Now I'm thinking 'Christ. The hundreds of ways this could go wrong.'
Still. I liked seeing the transformation of Dan from the guy who prioritizes climbing over anything and anyone to the guy who says things like he can see a day where he doesn't climb more easily than he can a day without Sejin.
Had me thinking, you know what, you weirdo who lives in a van by choice and not necessity, maybe you're kinda alright?
And then he had to fucking fall.
3.5 rounded up. Would have liked more angst. Dan is billed as this guy who doesn't want a relationship but he's pretty much in tune with Sejin for most of this.
Sejin brings up stuff first, sure. But Dan is right there next to him each time, ready to take the next leap.
If anything, by 50%, the only leap I was worried about was to do with the free solo.
And clearly I was right to worry.
"Well.....it's not that big of a problem." when I tell you my heart dropped 😂💀
Had me in the first half.
"I won't eat you out again if you don't like it."
Which part of this man crying and blurting out a love declaration immediately after gives the impression that he DOESN'T like it?
Also, the REALNESS of Dan saying he doesn't WANT to meet Sejin's dad(but will, anyway) because:
a) He's fucking his son
b) He lives in a van
c) He's weird
d) He doesn't have a job
I'm soooo glad he knows what this looks like from the outside. Because honestly, the van thing also had me side eyeing him as a love interest for Sejin.
I've really been at this long enough that I see things from the parent's perspective more than I do the MCs'.
Because wdym you're going off to live with an unemployed van dweller who risks his life every day for fun?
Twenty years ago I'd have been like 'Wow. A free spirit.'
Now I'm thinking 'Christ. The hundreds of ways this could go wrong.'
Still. I liked seeing the transformation of Dan from the guy who prioritizes climbing over anything and anyone to the guy who says things like he can see a day where he doesn't climb more easily than he can a day without Sejin.
Had me thinking, you know what, you weirdo who lives in a van by choice and not necessity, maybe you're kinda alright?
And then he had to fucking fall.
3.5 rounded up. Would have liked more angst. Dan is billed as this guy who doesn't want a relationship but he's pretty much in tune with Sejin for most of this.
Sejin brings up stuff first, sure. But Dan is right there next to him each time, ready to take the next leap.
If anything, by 50%, the only leap I was worried about was to do with the free solo.
And clearly I was right to worry.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 24, 2025
Safety info, content warnings and tropes down below.
I think this was an unfortunate case of the book just not being right for me -- same goes for book 2. While the writing quality was good and Sejin was a very lovable character, Dan really wasn't. The first book is also just spice from start to finish, and while I know many will love that, it just isn't my thing. It was constant and kinky, and when I wasn't loving the non-spice moments either, it was just too much. My favorite bits were whenever Sejin was on his own or interacting with side characters, which is a shame. I was dreading Dan being on page, which is, to put it mildly, unfortunate in a romance book. I was hoping and expecting to like Dan eventually when I got to know him better, but by the end of book 2 I didn't feel any different.
I did appreciate the unique concept of this book, tackling one character doing something really dangerous (free solo climbing) and exploring how that affects a relationship. Sadly, that very thing is also what made the romance hard to believe in. I wanted Sejin to find someone else who wouldn't risk his life for something that to me feels and seems unnecessary and inconsiderate.
Thank you to GRR for the ARC.
Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & content tags ⚠️
Hookup to lovers
Autism rep
Rock climber
Bisexual MC
MC born in Korea
Small town
Found family
⚠️ Spice menu ⚠️
App hookup
Hands-free orgasm
Post-coital rimming
Hair-pulling
Ballgag
Coming quickly
Doctor x patient role play
Flip-fucking
Felching
Prostate orgasm
Pleasure crying
Ball-stretcher
Boning him with a ridged cocksleeve
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Explicit sexual content
Mention of parent death (past)
Mentions of past racist remarks towards MC
Mentions of Asian MC being fetishized (past)
Mentions of SC losing child custody (past)
MC abandoned as a child
Themes of adoption and loss of culture
Themes of being fostered
Off-page bondage
MC severely injured
Vomiting
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: No
Breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual
Genre: Contemporary romance
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
Main characters’ age: 25 and 25
Series: Duology
Kindle Unlimited: No
Pages: 340
Happy ending: No, cliffhanger
You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?...
I think this was an unfortunate case of the book just not being right for me -- same goes for book 2. While the writing quality was good and Sejin was a very lovable character, Dan really wasn't. The first book is also just spice from start to finish, and while I know many will love that, it just isn't my thing. It was constant and kinky, and when I wasn't loving the non-spice moments either, it was just too much. My favorite bits were whenever Sejin was on his own or interacting with side characters, which is a shame. I was dreading Dan being on page, which is, to put it mildly, unfortunate in a romance book. I was hoping and expecting to like Dan eventually when I got to know him better, but by the end of book 2 I didn't feel any different.
I did appreciate the unique concept of this book, tackling one character doing something really dangerous (free solo climbing) and exploring how that affects a relationship. Sadly, that very thing is also what made the romance hard to believe in. I wanted Sejin to find someone else who wouldn't risk his life for something that to me feels and seems unnecessary and inconsiderate.
Thank you to GRR for the ARC.
Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & content tags ⚠️
Hookup to lovers
Autism rep
Rock climber
Bisexual MC
MC born in Korea
Small town
Found family
⚠️ Spice menu ⚠️
App hookup
Hands-free orgasm
Post-coital rimming
Hair-pulling
Ballgag
Coming quickly
Doctor x patient role play
Flip-fucking
Felching
Prostate orgasm
Pleasure crying
Ball-stretcher
Boning him with a ridged cocksleeve
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Explicit sexual content
Mention of parent death (past)
Mentions of past racist remarks towards MC
Mentions of Asian MC being fetishized (past)
Mentions of SC losing child custody (past)
MC abandoned as a child
Themes of adoption and loss of culture
Themes of being fostered
Off-page bondage
MC severely injured
Vomiting
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: No
Breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual
Genre: Contemporary romance
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
Main characters’ age: 25 and 25
Series: Duology
Kindle Unlimited: No
Pages: 340
Happy ending: No, cliffhanger
You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?...
June 28, 2025
This was really good! The story developed quickly and it was fast paced, it kept me interested and I couldn’t stop reading.
Dan was an interesting character and he rubbed many people the wrong way. He grew up without a real home and without love so when he discovered rock climbing this was the first time he felt those feelings of belonging. He doesn’t want to share his successes with sponsorships though, this is for him, it’s extremely personal. Because of his character being so off putting to many and only interested in climbing it was that much sweeter seeing him fall for Sejin. And he fell fast and hard.
Sejin is such a great character! He’s everything Dan isn’t. He was adopted from Korea as a baby and grew up in West Virginia. He knew love from two loving parents and an extended family so when he lost his mom he is left with a gaping hole in his life. He leaves West Virginia for California and is staying on his cousins couch. He has a difficult type of relationship with his father, not because of lack of love or support though, more because his father is not a big communicator and his mom was the glue that kept the family going. But his father is there for him, grieving over his wife but not able to share that grief with Sejin. It will be very interesting to see how their relationship progresses in the second book.
Dan and Sejin meet on a hookup app so the sex starts immediately, this is no slow burn. In fact, these two are hot as hell together. But there is no denying that spark that makes them drawn to each other in ways other than physicality and they decide to pursue this dynamic.
Sejin is very wary of starting a relationship with Dan at first. Dan has a plan to free climb a very difficult rock that no one has climbed free solo before. If he fails it’s certain death. But this is personal for him and he never had any real ties to anyone that made him scared to fall. Except his thinking is wrong because there are people who care about him very much, his mentor Peggy Jo and his best friend Rye.
This book is sneaky, it seems as if it will be only a nice romance with some very hot sex but it’s so much more than that. This centers on love and family, especially found family. What does Dan do when he realizes Sejin cares, his other friends care. No one wants him to do this climb because no one wants to lose him. But Dan is wired differently and has so much to learn. Sejin already knows grief and cannot stand to lose another person he loves so he tries to understand why Dan must attempt this climb. There is so much heart to this story and of course Leta Blake is a fabulous writer so the depth of the story holds so much.
Living with grief myself this book touched me in so many ways. Blake just took all of my feelings, those feelings that grief brings out that are so messy and strong, and she put them on the page beautifully. This book is personal to me in a way I’ve never felt before. I was taken aback by how connected I felt to it.
I am very excited to dive into the next book. There is so much these two men have to learn and I know Blake will set them straight and make sure they get their HEA.
Dan was an interesting character and he rubbed many people the wrong way. He grew up without a real home and without love so when he discovered rock climbing this was the first time he felt those feelings of belonging. He doesn’t want to share his successes with sponsorships though, this is for him, it’s extremely personal. Because of his character being so off putting to many and only interested in climbing it was that much sweeter seeing him fall for Sejin. And he fell fast and hard.
Sejin is such a great character! He’s everything Dan isn’t. He was adopted from Korea as a baby and grew up in West Virginia. He knew love from two loving parents and an extended family so when he lost his mom he is left with a gaping hole in his life. He leaves West Virginia for California and is staying on his cousins couch. He has a difficult type of relationship with his father, not because of lack of love or support though, more because his father is not a big communicator and his mom was the glue that kept the family going. But his father is there for him, grieving over his wife but not able to share that grief with Sejin. It will be very interesting to see how their relationship progresses in the second book.
Dan and Sejin meet on a hookup app so the sex starts immediately, this is no slow burn. In fact, these two are hot as hell together. But there is no denying that spark that makes them drawn to each other in ways other than physicality and they decide to pursue this dynamic.
Sejin is very wary of starting a relationship with Dan at first. Dan has a plan to free climb a very difficult rock that no one has climbed free solo before. If he fails it’s certain death. But this is personal for him and he never had any real ties to anyone that made him scared to fall. Except his thinking is wrong because there are people who care about him very much, his mentor Peggy Jo and his best friend Rye.
This book is sneaky, it seems as if it will be only a nice romance with some very hot sex but it’s so much more than that. This centers on love and family, especially found family. What does Dan do when he realizes Sejin cares, his other friends care. No one wants him to do this climb because no one wants to lose him. But Dan is wired differently and has so much to learn. Sejin already knows grief and cannot stand to lose another person he loves so he tries to understand why Dan must attempt this climb. There is so much heart to this story and of course Leta Blake is a fabulous writer so the depth of the story holds so much.
Living with grief myself this book touched me in so many ways. Blake just took all of my feelings, those feelings that grief brings out that are so messy and strong, and she put them on the page beautifully. This book is personal to me in a way I’ve never felt before. I was taken aback by how connected I felt to it.
I am very excited to dive into the next book. There is so much these two men have to learn and I know Blake will set them straight and make sure they get their HEA.
August 13, 2025
This book was an interesting read for me. At times I got lost in all of the rock climbing because that’s something that has never even crossed my mind before, and I can’t even begin to comprehend why you would do that without ropes! But the author explains the thrill and the risks and why people keep coming back for more and it keeps it fun.
Dan is very direct, likes to keep to himself, and has had a hard childhood. I can understand why he doesn’t feel like he has much to lose if it all goes wrong. I don’t understand why he doesn’t just explain to Sejin that he’s autistic, though, instead of calling himself weird all the time. Sejin is a gorgeous character. Kind and, in such a short time, loyal to Dan. He knows how this could end and he chooses him anyway.
I knew it was a cliffhanger, so he’d be back, but that last chapter had my anxiety through the roof!
………………………………………………………….
I received an ARC from GRR, and this is my honest review.
Dan is very direct, likes to keep to himself, and has had a hard childhood. I can understand why he doesn’t feel like he has much to lose if it all goes wrong. I don’t understand why he doesn’t just explain to Sejin that he’s autistic, though, instead of calling himself weird all the time. Sejin is a gorgeous character. Kind and, in such a short time, loyal to Dan. He knows how this could end and he chooses him anyway.
I knew it was a cliffhanger, so he’d be back, but that last chapter had my anxiety through the roof!
………………………………………………………….
I received an ARC from GRR, and this is my honest review.
December 10, 2025
4.5
-0.5 points for too much kpop references (I love kpop I just cannot handle pop culture references in books)
Edit: I just wanna add in that I ended up dnfing book 2 fairly soon in so maybe dont take this review into consideration when deciding to read the series 😅
-0.5 points for too much kpop references (I love kpop I just cannot handle pop culture references in books)
Edit: I just wanna add in that I ended up dnfing book 2 fairly soon in so maybe dont take this review into consideration when deciding to read the series 😅
August 8, 2025
OK y'all, if you are looking for a unique romance with incredible character growth, wild space, and some of the best found family vibes I've read in a WHILE, you HAVE to read Leta Blake's newest duet, Free Fall and Free Heart. It's about Dan, a talented rock climber who is single-mindedly focused on free soloing a super difficult route up El Capitan - until he meets Seijin, a sweet local with a smile he can't forget. The story follows their relationship through the good and the bad, and shows how they are able to find a way to walk through life together even when everything is against them. This book made me SOB, want to throw my Kindle, and occasionally laugh out loud, and I can tell you right now I haven't read anything quite like it in a LONG time. DEFINITELY worth reading once it's released, get it on your TBR!
For a relationship that started with an app hookup, the fierceness of Dan and Seijin's love is pretty obvious from early on. Though Dan could be abrasive and off-putting at times, I found his honesty and complete and utter devotion to Seijin to be incredibly sweet. The moments where he is just going on and on about how much he loves him made me MELT. He might had intense single-minded focus on Heart Route, but he puts that same level of focus on his relationship and I loved that. And Seijin is so sweet and selfless, it was hard seeing him break at times over things happening with Dan. Despite that, I love that he accepts Dan the way he is, was willing to try just about anything to make things work with him, and ultimately loves him just as fiercely as Dan loves him.
I don't really know how to describe the angst in this book. Some of it was TRULY painful - there's a cliffhanger at the end of Free Fall where you will absolutely understand what I am talking about. However, a lot of this book is just Dan and Seijin try to figure things out when small obstacles get in their way - the angst is very concentrated and everything else is very character-driven. I was also OBSESSED with all of the side characters, who are all incredibly vibrant in their own right. This book has true found family for both Dan and Seijin that was so heartwarming and an absolute highlight of the book.
If you are looking for a non traditional sports romance and love Leta Blake's lush storytelling style, PLEASE check this one out!
For a relationship that started with an app hookup, the fierceness of Dan and Seijin's love is pretty obvious from early on. Though Dan could be abrasive and off-putting at times, I found his honesty and complete and utter devotion to Seijin to be incredibly sweet. The moments where he is just going on and on about how much he loves him made me MELT. He might had intense single-minded focus on Heart Route, but he puts that same level of focus on his relationship and I loved that. And Seijin is so sweet and selfless, it was hard seeing him break at times over things happening with Dan. Despite that, I love that he accepts Dan the way he is, was willing to try just about anything to make things work with him, and ultimately loves him just as fiercely as Dan loves him.
I don't really know how to describe the angst in this book. Some of it was TRULY painful - there's a cliffhanger at the end of Free Fall where you will absolutely understand what I am talking about. However, a lot of this book is just Dan and Seijin try to figure things out when small obstacles get in their way - the angst is very concentrated and everything else is very character-driven. I was also OBSESSED with all of the side characters, who are all incredibly vibrant in their own right. This book has true found family for both Dan and Seijin that was so heartwarming and an absolute highlight of the book.
If you are looking for a non traditional sports romance and love Leta Blake's lush storytelling style, PLEASE check this one out!
December 18, 2025
I am fascinated by the whole climbing world, and that’s really what’s keeping me here in the story. I do also really love Dan and Sejin.
But it’s instalove with so so so much sex, and the pace of the story is all over the place.
I was going to skip book two but of course there is a cliffhanger so I can’t.
But it’s instalove with so so so much sex, and the pace of the story is all over the place.
I was going to skip book two but of course there is a cliffhanger so I can’t.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 26, 2025
I'm really struggling to find my words on how to explain why I like this book so much. It has a lot of emotion, both with Sejin and Dan as individuals and as a couple. They struggle with their past, present, fears for the future or lack of plans for it, their relationship with other people... It makes them feel whole in a way not all books get characters to feel.
The struggle with Dan free soloing and Sejin being worried for him is also very nuanced. It takes into account the straight up danger of the activity, how much Dan cares about it, how he knows the risks and plans for them, how little control we have over the future and how we could die of anything and anytime and should we let that stop us? On one hand, it is very clear why free soloing is a dangerous thing and why many would never even consider it in their wildest nightmares. And yet we can also see why it appeals so much to Dan, what he gains from it. I'm an interested observer of extreme adventures so I have a mild idea, based on testimony. I think that's the bit of extreme sports we unextreme people never feel, and it was really cool to see it in a deeper way than just "adrenaline, excitement, yay!"
I'm itching for the next book so badly I can't even
The struggle with Dan free soloing and Sejin being worried for him is also very nuanced. It takes into account the straight up danger of the activity, how much Dan cares about it, how he knows the risks and plans for them, how little control we have over the future and how we could die of anything and anytime and should we let that stop us? On one hand, it is very clear why free soloing is a dangerous thing and why many would never even consider it in their wildest nightmares. And yet we can also see why it appeals so much to Dan, what he gains from it. I'm an interested observer of extreme adventures so I have a mild idea, based on testimony. I think that's the bit of extreme sports we unextreme people never feel, and it was really cool to see it in a deeper way than just "adrenaline, excitement, yay!"
I'm itching for the next book so badly I can't even
October 19, 2025
4⭐️ Before I mention why I liked the book, I have to stress out that I LOVED the audiobook! John Solo whimpering and moaning deserves worship!
Free Fall hit me right in that spot between my chest and my logic, you know where fear, fascination, and sentimentality all get tangled up in the same breath. It’s a story that doesn’t just use free soloing as a metaphor but lets it bleed into every layer of the characters’ lives.
Dan climbs because he needs to, not out of reckless ego, but because stillness feels heavier than gravity. It's not easy to understand him, but it's worth it to try to see things from his point of view by looking at the bigger picture and also by thinking like every extreme sports athlete ever! Dan’s obsession with climbing isn’t romanticised, yet it’s not vilified either. It becomes a mirror for how all of us navigate attachment, risk, and meaning.
And for Sejin to love him, means living in constant awareness that love doesn’t come with safety harnesses. What I found quietly devastating is how Blake captures the nuance of that: the mix of admiration and dread, the understanding that control is both illusion and survival for mind and heart. Sejin’s fear isn’t small-minded; it’s the natural consequence of watching someone you love flirt with mortality as a form of self-definition. When Sejin worries, when Dan plans, when they both ache under the inevitability of loss.
As I said before, you'll have to work hard to understand this. Don't let your own ideas about right and wrong cloud your judgment. If you do, you'll not only understand some things about Dan and Sejin, but also the emotional dilemma Leta Blake captured here perfectly!
Both men are deeply haunted by expectations, cultural divides, unspoken grief, rejection, and a future that refuses to solidify. Blake threads their histories with care, allowing their emotional vocabulary to expand and contract like lungs before a climb. The book is full of quiet moments that feel like standing at the base of a sheer rock face, staring up and wondering whether the view is worth the risk.
Emotionally, the book moves like a climb itself: precise, deliberate, fingers searching for holds in language and silence. There are slips, too—a few repetitive beats, a moment, or two that overexplains what the subtext already carries, but the heart of it is steady. And then there's the smut. Right up in your face. These two are not timid, and I would not desire anything different.
On to book 2!
Free Fall hit me right in that spot between my chest and my logic, you know where fear, fascination, and sentimentality all get tangled up in the same breath. It’s a story that doesn’t just use free soloing as a metaphor but lets it bleed into every layer of the characters’ lives.
Dan climbs because he needs to, not out of reckless ego, but because stillness feels heavier than gravity. It's not easy to understand him, but it's worth it to try to see things from his point of view by looking at the bigger picture and also by thinking like every extreme sports athlete ever! Dan’s obsession with climbing isn’t romanticised, yet it’s not vilified either. It becomes a mirror for how all of us navigate attachment, risk, and meaning.
And for Sejin to love him, means living in constant awareness that love doesn’t come with safety harnesses. What I found quietly devastating is how Blake captures the nuance of that: the mix of admiration and dread, the understanding that control is both illusion and survival for mind and heart. Sejin’s fear isn’t small-minded; it’s the natural consequence of watching someone you love flirt with mortality as a form of self-definition. When Sejin worries, when Dan plans, when they both ache under the inevitability of loss.
As I said before, you'll have to work hard to understand this. Don't let your own ideas about right and wrong cloud your judgment. If you do, you'll not only understand some things about Dan and Sejin, but also the emotional dilemma Leta Blake captured here perfectly!
Both men are deeply haunted by expectations, cultural divides, unspoken grief, rejection, and a future that refuses to solidify. Blake threads their histories with care, allowing their emotional vocabulary to expand and contract like lungs before a climb. The book is full of quiet moments that feel like standing at the base of a sheer rock face, staring up and wondering whether the view is worth the risk.
Emotionally, the book moves like a climb itself: precise, deliberate, fingers searching for holds in language and silence. There are slips, too—a few repetitive beats, a moment, or two that overexplains what the subtext already carries, but the heart of it is steady. And then there's the smut. Right up in your face. These two are not timid, and I would not desire anything different.
On to book 2!
August 10, 2025
THIS MADE ME SO ANXIOUS. But I love them. GAH.
September 8, 2025
Gosh this book is an ode to courage, to taking a leap, man I loved it so so much. Dan and Sejin are such special characters, their story Hooked me from the start and wouldn’t let go. I physically couldn’t put this book down, I had to know what happens.
It’s the first time I’ve read about rock climbing and the author completely immersed me in the experience. The world building (can’t call it anything else) is sublime. Dan and Sejin might be looking for slightly different things in the same place and when they hook up, the chemistry literally blows the top of their heads off. Their scenes are extremely hot, Sejin is needy and Dan is in caretaking control and knows what he’s doing. They dabble in a bit of K1nk too which was hot too. Honestly it bears repeating how very hot this book is. But their connection also pushes them to break through their own emotional limits forging a bond that you can see is going to be tested at some point. Soon. Because the dream that Dan has is dangerous and inevitable for him.
The story is beautifully written, the sport is so well captured, the relationship building up not just between the MCs but the supporting characters and found family is stellar. Be prepared for a heart pounding cliffhanger, luckily the sequel is coming in just two weeks after release.
It’s the first time I’ve read about rock climbing and the author completely immersed me in the experience. The world building (can’t call it anything else) is sublime. Dan and Sejin might be looking for slightly different things in the same place and when they hook up, the chemistry literally blows the top of their heads off. Their scenes are extremely hot, Sejin is needy and Dan is in caretaking control and knows what he’s doing. They dabble in a bit of K1nk too which was hot too. Honestly it bears repeating how very hot this book is. But their connection also pushes them to break through their own emotional limits forging a bond that you can see is going to be tested at some point. Soon. Because the dream that Dan has is dangerous and inevitable for him.
The story is beautifully written, the sport is so well captured, the relationship building up not just between the MCs but the supporting characters and found family is stellar. Be prepared for a heart pounding cliffhanger, luckily the sequel is coming in just two weeks after release.
September 30, 2025
It was a joy and a privilege to betaread this incredible duology.
Dan and Seijan live in my head rent free, not just because of the opportunity they gave me to relive my climbing days and my love for all things to do with this incredible sport, but also for their epic love story, for Dan's dogged self-belief and Seijan's stoicism in the face of the danger of it.
The characters in this story are wonderfully complex, with Dan an almost unlikeable entity due to his single-minded determination at achieve his goal to "free" El Cap's Heart, and Seijan wholly likeable due to his caring nature and uncertainty. There is a great cast of secondary characters, one of which is the great El Capitan, one of the world's most epic walls.
Leta has done an incredible job of encapsulating rock climbing, the literal highs and lows, the feels and feelings, the injuries and the realities of this incredible sport.
In my Instagram reel I included a couple of photos of the incredible Alex Honnold on his now legendary free ascent (with credit to Jimmy Chin)... If you have not heard of Alex, I highly recommend watching the documentary, Free Solo.
Dan and Seijan live in my head rent free, not just because of the opportunity they gave me to relive my climbing days and my love for all things to do with this incredible sport, but also for their epic love story, for Dan's dogged self-belief and Seijan's stoicism in the face of the danger of it.
The characters in this story are wonderfully complex, with Dan an almost unlikeable entity due to his single-minded determination at achieve his goal to "free" El Cap's Heart, and Seijan wholly likeable due to his caring nature and uncertainty. There is a great cast of secondary characters, one of which is the great El Capitan, one of the world's most epic walls.
Leta has done an incredible job of encapsulating rock climbing, the literal highs and lows, the feels and feelings, the injuries and the realities of this incredible sport.
In my Instagram reel I included a couple of photos of the incredible Alex Honnold on his now legendary free ascent (with credit to Jimmy Chin)... If you have not heard of Alex, I highly recommend watching the documentary, Free Solo.
March 4, 2026
Voto: 4.5
RECENSIONE A CURA DI EVELYNE
Agli occhi di molti, questa è una dedica semplice e dolce, ideale per aprire una serie. Ma per una fan del K-pop come me, è stata una stretta al cuore, un richiamo doloroso a un idol scomparso troppo presto. Quando ho deciso di leggere questo libro, non avevo idea che avrei trovato riferimenti così diretti al nostro mondo: leggere il nome di Moonbin mi ha fermata di colpo. Perché l’autrice aveva scelto proprio uno dei membri degli Astro? Avrebbero fatto parte della storia? Da quel momento è scattata una curiosità irresistibile.
Continua sul nostro blog!
RECENSIONE A CURA DI EVELYNE
Agli occhi di molti, questa è una dedica semplice e dolce, ideale per aprire una serie. Ma per una fan del K-pop come me, è stata una stretta al cuore, un richiamo doloroso a un idol scomparso troppo presto. Quando ho deciso di leggere questo libro, non avevo idea che avrei trovato riferimenti così diretti al nostro mondo: leggere il nome di Moonbin mi ha fermata di colpo. Perché l’autrice aveva scelto proprio uno dei membri degli Astro? Avrebbero fatto parte della storia? Da quel momento è scattata una curiosità irresistibile.
Continua sul nostro blog!
August 30, 2026
My rating is purely based on personal taste because Leta Blake is a fantastic author. I liked both of the MCs, but not enough to bump this up to a 4 star.
I’m not interested in rock climbing at all, nor K-pop. I didn’t find their situation very appealing, and it stressed me out more than anything. Basically homeless and broke. So I didn’t find this very romantic. I wont be reading book 2. This one felt about 150 pages too long. It still gets a pretty high rating because of the writing.
Enjoyment (5) 2
Feelings (1) 1
Plot (1) .5
Setting (1) 1
Respectability/writing (1) 1
Characters (1) 1
Total rating: 6.5
I’m not interested in rock climbing at all, nor K-pop. I didn’t find their situation very appealing, and it stressed me out more than anything. Basically homeless and broke. So I didn’t find this very romantic. I wont be reading book 2. This one felt about 150 pages too long. It still gets a pretty high rating because of the writing.
Enjoyment (5) 2
Feelings (1) 1
Plot (1) .5
Setting (1) 1
Respectability/writing (1) 1
Characters (1) 1
Total rating: 6.5
December 29, 2025
₊˚⊹ | 3 ★ read .ᐟ
If only I could connect with these boys the way I hoped at the beginning 🤧 The writing was flawless and Sejin's description was everything, so delicate and it really made me vision him as someone truly beautiful, so I didn't expect any less from the author, but even so, something about these two didn't grow on me.
I started this book the moment I saw an edit on pinterest and it had kpop plastered all over, but unfortunately, it wasn't for me.
If only I could connect with these boys the way I hoped at the beginning 🤧 The writing was flawless and Sejin's description was everything, so delicate and it really made me vision him as someone truly beautiful, so I didn't expect any less from the author, but even so, something about these two didn't grow on me.
I started this book the moment I saw an edit on pinterest and it had kpop plastered all over, but unfortunately, it wasn't for me.
August 22, 2025
Dan • Sejin
….
“It’s like how I feel about Heart Route. I will make it happen. I will own that route, and it will be mine. And I don’t know how, and I don’t know when, but I will see Sejin’s full-glory smile, and I’ll see it while he’s laughing, and it will be all for me.”
….
I’ll start with saying that Leta Blake is one of these authors for me that write unique and unusual stories.
This story follows Dan and Sejin, two very different characters at first sight but not at all unalike. One with abonament issues the other with a heart of gold. Sejin teaching Movement to kids <3. When these two clash together it was suppose to be a one and done but… you can’t run away from chemistry. It’s intense and you yearn with them. As these two become more and more entwined - reality comes into view, their needs and dreams. Fear and uncertainty but also love and affection.
This is a two part book so please be aware it ends on a big jaw opened cliffy.
Book one for me is about falling in love - slowly and so smoothly with no pretense, following your dreams, learning how to support that dream even while feeling fear for your loved one…
Book two… with that cliffhanger might teach us about unconditional love.
….
“I feel like I need to see this smile.” // “It’s okay to want to be loved, Dan. You deserve to be loved.” // “Trust your feet, son. Your feet have never steered you wrong.” // “Love—if that’s what the tide of life is bringing in as it rushes between us all—can’t be dealt with logically. Love is just too powerful for that.” // “It’s the smile. The smile.” // “I have a daredevil of my own. And he thinks he loves me. I know he does.” // “He lifts his finger to the sky to point out a falling star, and I think of the ways I’ve tried to guard my heart, but he’s kept on effortlessly, guilelessly coming for it—and I’ve let him snatch it.” // “…his warmth, his strength, his declarations.” …
….
*I reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.
….
….
“It’s like how I feel about Heart Route. I will make it happen. I will own that route, and it will be mine. And I don’t know how, and I don’t know when, but I will see Sejin’s full-glory smile, and I’ll see it while he’s laughing, and it will be all for me.”
….
I’ll start with saying that Leta Blake is one of these authors for me that write unique and unusual stories.
This story follows Dan and Sejin, two very different characters at first sight but not at all unalike. One with abonament issues the other with a heart of gold. Sejin teaching Movement to kids <3. When these two clash together it was suppose to be a one and done but… you can’t run away from chemistry. It’s intense and you yearn with them. As these two become more and more entwined - reality comes into view, their needs and dreams. Fear and uncertainty but also love and affection.
This is a two part book so please be aware it ends on a big jaw opened cliffy.
Book one for me is about falling in love - slowly and so smoothly with no pretense, following your dreams, learning how to support that dream even while feeling fear for your loved one…
Book two… with that cliffhanger might teach us about unconditional love.
….
“I feel like I need to see this smile.” // “It’s okay to want to be loved, Dan. You deserve to be loved.” // “Trust your feet, son. Your feet have never steered you wrong.” // “Love—if that’s what the tide of life is bringing in as it rushes between us all—can’t be dealt with logically. Love is just too powerful for that.” // “It’s the smile. The smile.” // “I have a daredevil of my own. And he thinks he loves me. I know he does.” // “He lifts his finger to the sky to point out a falling star, and I think of the ways I’ve tried to guard my heart, but he’s kept on effortlessly, guilelessly coming for it—and I’ve let him snatch it.” // “…his warmth, his strength, his declarations.” …
….
*I reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.
….
Did Not Finish
January 14, 2026I don't think Leta Blake is working for me anymore. nothing special about this book.
August 27, 2025
Overall I’m happy finished the story and I do want to continue since the book left off on a cliffhanger. I listened to the audio and the narrator did a great job. Unfortunately I wasn’t a huge fan of Dan as a character so it made it a bit hard to get super invested in the story. I really liked Sejin and all the side characters. I’m really looking forward to more story and less sex in book 2 (hopefully). Definitely worth checking out if you’re a fan of this author, this narrator and/or rockclimbing!
Read
September 14, 2025DNF’d at 17%
Just not for me!
Just not for me!
September 23, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
It's super hard to rate book 1 of a dilogy without knowing how book 2 turns out (especially since this book doesn't work without book 2). It was a lot of build up without really getting something in return - there were a lot of spicy scenes and the build up itself was done well, but I would have preferred it to be one book (maybe a tad longer than one of these) that cut back on the tons of spice. Because the story around it was really good, the side characters and the setting were super interesting and I'll always love climbing being represented. But the climbing was also the biggest problem I had with this book: I'm no expert by far (I'm just interested in watching climbing videos and comps, I only go bouldering because I'm absolutely scared of heights), and Free Soloing is such a niche interest, but I've read a climbing MM romance (unfortunately it's German, but for anyone still interested: Rising Above by Ensa Elrik) also featuring Free Soloing and I never understood why people do that, until I read that book and loved it. So reading this book, I was super quick in defending Dan because I know how Free Solo can feel for the climber and how special it is, but the way it's described I couldn't feel the spark I got from Rising Above. So I really understand people criticising Dan's actions in other reviews, because without my background knowledge from outside of this book, his decisions and actions really feel weird and inexplicable. And that's a bit sad, because I can feel Leta really focused on good climbing rep and the rest also is done well, but this aspect would have been so important for people without background knowledge enjoying the book.
So for short, I liked the story, but would have loved if it was one book that can exist on its own and if the spark of free soloing came across a bit better.
It's super hard to rate book 1 of a dilogy without knowing how book 2 turns out (especially since this book doesn't work without book 2). It was a lot of build up without really getting something in return - there were a lot of spicy scenes and the build up itself was done well, but I would have preferred it to be one book (maybe a tad longer than one of these) that cut back on the tons of spice. Because the story around it was really good, the side characters and the setting were super interesting and I'll always love climbing being represented. But the climbing was also the biggest problem I had with this book: I'm no expert by far (I'm just interested in watching climbing videos and comps, I only go bouldering because I'm absolutely scared of heights), and Free Soloing is such a niche interest, but I've read a climbing MM romance (unfortunately it's German, but for anyone still interested: Rising Above by Ensa Elrik) also featuring Free Soloing and I never understood why people do that, until I read that book and loved it. So reading this book, I was super quick in defending Dan because I know how Free Solo can feel for the climber and how special it is, but the way it's described I couldn't feel the spark I got from Rising Above. So I really understand people criticising Dan's actions in other reviews, because without my background knowledge from outside of this book, his decisions and actions really feel weird and inexplicable. And that's a bit sad, because I can feel Leta really focused on good climbing rep and the rest also is done well, but this aspect would have been so important for people without background knowledge enjoying the book.
So for short, I liked the story, but would have loved if it was one book that can exist on its own and if the spark of free soloing came across a bit better.
July 24, 2025
I was able to get this book early, and am so happy that I was able to read it! I went into this book knowing NOTHING about climbing. So, I was a little concerned when I read the first chapter and Dan was using terms and phrases that confused me. I knew climbing would be a big part of this book, so I was worried I wouldn’t be able to enjoy this book if it all went over my head. BUT, I pushed on, and other than that first chapter, there weren't any other times that I felt confused. This book centers on Dan and Sejins relationship, with Dan's big free solo climb looming over them. The main conflict in this book is the climb. Sejin is worried that Dan will fall, and Dan is worried that his relationship with Dan will distract him from his goal. Thankfully they were able to push through, and the book ends on a bit of a clifhanger. I immediately jumped into Free Heart, and I know you will too!
Dan and Sejin's story was lovely. There was A LOT of spice in this book, but it didn't feel overwhelming. Although Dan barely mentions his autism in the beginning of the book, it plays a part in how he deals with relationships and views his life/the dangers of climbing. He struggles to make friends and often says that people think he is weird. Sejin is a K-pop loving sweetheart, who everyone in town seems to know and have positive opinions of, and I love that he works with kids and teaches them to dance! I found myself rooting for him the entire book, and my hope going into the next book is that Sejin is able to get his shit together and figure out his concerns from the first book!
Dan and Sejin's story was lovely. There was A LOT of spice in this book, but it didn't feel overwhelming. Although Dan barely mentions his autism in the beginning of the book, it plays a part in how he deals with relationships and views his life/the dangers of climbing. He struggles to make friends and often says that people think he is weird. Sejin is a K-pop loving sweetheart, who everyone in town seems to know and have positive opinions of, and I love that he works with kids and teaches them to dance! I found myself rooting for him the entire book, and my hope going into the next book is that Sejin is able to get his shit together and figure out his concerns from the first book!
October 18, 2025
3,5 ⭐️ not rounded up
Leta Blake is hit or miss for me. I mean, I’ve LOVED several books by her. But then others feel like… they’re missing. I don’t even know what they’re missing. But they sure are missing something.
This book was like that.
I mean. The story is great, the topic interesting, the story had all kinds of awesome representation.
But.
Something in it felt superficial. Like the author wanted to give depth but didn’t manage it. She wanted to show the reader a story but told it instead. It felt a little bit flat.
Leta Blake is hit or miss for me. I mean, I’ve LOVED several books by her. But then others feel like… they’re missing. I don’t even know what they’re missing. But they sure are missing something.
This book was like that.
I mean. The story is great, the topic interesting, the story had all kinds of awesome representation.
But.
Something in it felt superficial. Like the author wanted to give depth but didn’t manage it. She wanted to show the reader a story but told it instead. It felt a little bit flat.
September 21, 2025
I really enjoyed this book. It does end on a cliffhanger, so be prepared for that. It was really cool to read a book with such a large emphasis on rock-climbing, as it's not something I have read much of previously. Dan and Sejin are very 3-dimensional characters and getting to see them slowly come together was great. Looking forward to book 2.
August 11, 2025
The first half of Danny and Sejin love story is the crazy falling in love of these two opposite men. Danny lives for the next great climb, having grown in the Foster system solo is his preference until Sejin. Sejin sees the unique beauty that is Dan and allows him to be truly himself without hindering him. The heat is quick and intense. Their chemistry is undeniable, allowing you to fall right along with these two men. This first half leads us to Danny's free solo climb of Heart Route and the climb itself, leaving us on a cliffhanger, leaving you needing to finish!
I’m voluntarily reviewing from an advanced copy that I received. My review is solely based on my thoughts and opinions.
I’m voluntarily reviewing from an advanced copy that I received. My review is solely based on my thoughts and opinions.
September 27, 2025
omg
I don’t know how to write a review. At first I thought oh, two young men hooking up for some kinky good times. But no, it’s so much more. Watching Dan and Sejin falling in love which is sweet and scary.
I don’t know how to write a review. At first I thought oh, two young men hooking up for some kinky good times. But no, it’s so much more. Watching Dan and Sejin falling in love which is sweet and scary.
September 25, 2025
My Free Heart review gives a more detailed overview of my thoughts/feelings for this duet, and especially the autism representation, but overall I really enjoyed this book.
Dan and Sejin's love story starts off hot and heavy, but I loved as it developed into something deeper, taking them completely off guard. They have great chemistry together, and individually their characters are wonderful. Sejin is so adorable, and I thought his sunny demeanour complimented Dan's more blunt, reserved nature well.
I loved the autism representation, and thought it was a very accurate depiction of high-masking autism, however, I didn't love how other characters treated Dan because of it (a lot more on that in my book 2 review).
There's a rich cast of side characters to get to know, and the beginnings of a found-family vibe going as Dan begins to grow roots in the place he thought would just be a temporary stop on his mission to free solo Heart Route.
Prepare for a brutal cliffhanger at the end (pun intended), but all will be made right in Free Heart!
Dan and Sejin's love story starts off hot and heavy, but I loved as it developed into something deeper, taking them completely off guard. They have great chemistry together, and individually their characters are wonderful. Sejin is so adorable, and I thought his sunny demeanour complimented Dan's more blunt, reserved nature well.
I loved the autism representation, and thought it was a very accurate depiction of high-masking autism, however, I didn't love how other characters treated Dan because of it (a lot more on that in my book 2 review).
There's a rich cast of side characters to get to know, and the beginnings of a found-family vibe going as Dan begins to grow roots in the place he thought would just be a temporary stop on his mission to free solo Heart Route.
Prepare for a brutal cliffhanger at the end (pun intended), but all will be made right in Free Heart!
April 21, 2026
DNF @ 16%
That first hookup text exchange between Dan and Sejin felt so real lmao.
The following conversation they had where Sejin lowkey went off on Dan felt a bit forced though. Sejin acting aggro about his race probably would've benefited from a more ambiguous/potentially offensive interaction OR more examples of Sejin going through microagressions in his earlier chapter to show give him a reason to be so on guard. As it is though, Dan's little "My names pronounced 'Daaaan'" didn't sound like he was being subtly racist and the lack of evidence of discrimination in the town prior to this just made Sejin look overly defensive and off-putting for immediately assuming there was a racial thing going on when he wasn't reasonably shown to have a prior history dealing with that sort of thing. It didn't help that he contradicted himself about it too. "I don't know if this is like a fetish thing for you [Sejin's talking about being Asian] and I truly don't care if it is, but--" If he truly didn't care then he wouldn't have even pointed it out in the first place.
Dan constantly saying that he found Sejin hot got a bit repetitive. Like, we got it. If the fact that they had hot, hot sex multiple times in one night wasn't enough, him thinking it three separate times surely was.
Small nit, if a house has older plumbing, water in the a shower gets hot, not cold, if someone flushes because the cold water gets redirected to the toilet. A shower can only get cold if something uses hot water while the shower is running (aka running out of hot water or using the washing machine/dishwasher/sink with hot water)
Good god, the expo dumping was real in Sejin's chapter after he went home from hooking up with Dan. It was so dull just having Sejin internally vomit out paragraph after paragraph about his living situation, it's relationship with his cousin's family, his plans for the future. Jesus.
Ok, I called it quits when the story hit two of my pet peeves. Not only did Dan begin a too expodump too about a freaking side character, he also started showing signs of jealousy over Sejin when he imagined said side character having had sex with him. Jealousy from Dan "I never care about the people I get with". What exactly about their night together suddenly changed that? Was sex with Sejin really that hot that Dan suddenly found himself feeling emotional attachment?? I understand physical attraction as a catalyst for sexual intimacy, but there needs to be some non-sexual substance to push a relationship forward from hookup to emotional territory ESPECIALLY when one of the characters is said to be emotionally unavailable (aka Dan). What even is the point of writing someone to be emotionally distant if they're going to show signs of attachment the very first possible moment?
TL;DR: Super boring writing with too much expo dumping. The racial aspect with Sejin needed work to make him feel reasonably cautious with strangers. Dan suddenly showing feelings towards Sejin with no real reason behind it was too insta-y for my tastes. 2 stars.
That first hookup text exchange between Dan and Sejin felt so real lmao.
The following conversation they had where Sejin lowkey went off on Dan felt a bit forced though. Sejin acting aggro about his race probably would've benefited from a more ambiguous/potentially offensive interaction OR more examples of Sejin going through microagressions in his earlier chapter to show give him a reason to be so on guard. As it is though, Dan's little "My names pronounced 'Daaaan'" didn't sound like he was being subtly racist and the lack of evidence of discrimination in the town prior to this just made Sejin look overly defensive and off-putting for immediately assuming there was a racial thing going on when he wasn't reasonably shown to have a prior history dealing with that sort of thing. It didn't help that he contradicted himself about it too. "I don't know if this is like a fetish thing for you [Sejin's talking about being Asian] and I truly don't care if it is, but--" If he truly didn't care then he wouldn't have even pointed it out in the first place.
Dan constantly saying that he found Sejin hot got a bit repetitive. Like, we got it. If the fact that they had hot, hot sex multiple times in one night wasn't enough, him thinking it three separate times surely was.
Small nit, if a house has older plumbing, water in the a shower gets hot, not cold, if someone flushes because the cold water gets redirected to the toilet. A shower can only get cold if something uses hot water while the shower is running (aka running out of hot water or using the washing machine/dishwasher/sink with hot water)
Good god, the expo dumping was real in Sejin's chapter after he went home from hooking up with Dan. It was so dull just having Sejin internally vomit out paragraph after paragraph about his living situation, it's relationship with his cousin's family, his plans for the future. Jesus.
Ok, I called it quits when the story hit two of my pet peeves. Not only did Dan begin a too expodump too about a freaking side character, he also started showing signs of jealousy over Sejin when he imagined said side character having had sex with him. Jealousy from Dan "I never care about the people I get with". What exactly about their night together suddenly changed that? Was sex with Sejin really that hot that Dan suddenly found himself feeling emotional attachment?? I understand physical attraction as a catalyst for sexual intimacy, but there needs to be some non-sexual substance to push a relationship forward from hookup to emotional territory ESPECIALLY when one of the characters is said to be emotionally unavailable (aka Dan). What even is the point of writing someone to be emotionally distant if they're going to show signs of attachment the very first possible moment?
TL;DR: Super boring writing with too much expo dumping. The racial aspect with Sejin needed work to make him feel reasonably cautious with strangers. Dan suddenly showing feelings towards Sejin with no real reason behind it was too insta-y for my tastes. 2 stars.
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