When a quiet grump and the sunshiney brunch chef get together nothing goes as expected.
Aiden Lockhart’s carefully balanced life—juggling a struggling food truck and family duties—takes an unexpected detour when he parks his brunch-themed food truck at the quirky Front Range Motorcycle Collective. He isn’t sure if it’s the right fit — after all, Aiden doesn’t see himself as the sort to hang out with a motorcycle club. But it isn’t long before a chance ride with the reserved but captivating Cash jolts him into a world of late-night adventures, unexpected romance, and the raw thrill of riding on the back of a hot guy’s motorcycle.
I went into this story not knowing about Cash’s issue. I kept thinking it would be brought up so we could deal with it, move the story along, but it didn’t come up until almost the end and that was frustrating. The story kinda went round and round dealing with poor Aiden being confused by Cash. I didn’t know how I was supposed to feel and that definitely endeared me to Aiden and honestly, it alienated me from Cash. There was an awful lot of internal dialogue coming from Cash and that’s annoying. I would say that the story is 2.5 rounded up because Aiden was a sweetie.
Aiden needs a new spot for his food truck and is offered a place with the motorcycle collective. When he is having a look he also has a look at Cash. He decides to take the spot and when his car stops working and Cash picks him up for his first ride ever on a motor, things get really started. It was delightful to read about how Aiden is enjoying his first ride.
Bubbly and talkative Aiden and Cash who can't get his words out when it really matters. So lovely that Cash mostly speaks without words and Aiden understands him. So heartbreaking to read at times and it made it more special because of the switching person who tells the chapter, getting into both their heads this way and seeing both their frustration.
Put in Mira Aiden's sister and the other guys from the motorcycle collective who care about both Aiden and Cash and you have a wonderful queer read.
I liked this story, but I didn’t understand why Cash couldn’t text or write down his feelings. After all, he was pretty articulate on Instagram. Other than that loved Cash and Aiden.
In need of a new spot for his food truck, Aiden takes up on the offer to park at a local motorcycle club. Unsure what to expect, Aiden is hesitant, but is immediately drawn into the fold when he learns it’s not your typical club.
There he meets Cash, a grumpy mechanic who is a man of few words. The pair could not be more different from each other, and when they’re thrown together after Aiden’s car breaks down, things are awkward.
Until they aren’t and sparks fly between the two. Only Aiden is never quite sure where he stands with Cash, and poor Cash can’t get out the words he knows Aiden needs to hear.
Overall Cash and Aiden’s story was super sweet and definitely steamy! I really loved their friendship turned romance, especially since Cash struggled to open up to anyone due to his selective mutism.
I do wish that had been explained a bit earlier on in the story because Cash does come across as an asshole sometimes, but still really loved how things work out for these two!
𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗧: - motorcycle mechanic + food truck owner - grumpy x sunshine - opposites attract - size difference - close proximity - mc with selective mutism - found family
2023 52 Book Challenge - April Mini Challenge - 1) An Egg On The Cover
I think I'm the wrong person for this book, because I was getting so bored all the way through this novel. I just wanted it to move quicker and get to the plot before I realised that the relationship was the plot and everything around them was just plot convenience to get to the relationship.
And honestly? The relationship was boring. There was so much internal dialogue that it was starting to get confusing over what each character knew, and I kinda just wanted them to have a proper conversation - of course, this is explained near the end, but I personally think that it would have been better being explained earlier on, so that the boys had more time to learn how to communicate effectively in a relationship rather than bumble around each other making me, the reader, want to tear my own hair out in frustration.
This had me kicking my feet and smiling like a loon while reading.
I'll admit my happiness got bogged down every time Cash seemed to give Aiden the wrong idea from his lack of words and shutting down. AND I did get annoyed when it seemed like everything would get resolved by sex, i'm also a little disappointed that Cash seemed like he was just going to sit in his misery until his friends gave him a kick in the ass. The grand gesture was nice but I would've really liked to see what happened the following day, even better if he was groveling a little with romantic gestures even atter Aiden forgave him so quickly. I'm greedy so I wanted to see all of the in-betweens instead of the time skips.
I loved all the side characters! There's a cast of super friendly and accepting friends.
Along with Cash's struggle with words he apparently had a villain character for a brother but thankfully that was just a blimp in the story.
Some things were very simplified and left unanswered. Like Aiden is Cash's first experience with a man but they don't have that talk tho later on in Aiden's POV he monologues about wanting to show Cash everything gay sex involves.
It's very much just a sense of ease and belonging with each other,similar to insta-love WITHOUT the early love bombing, which is exactly what I love. And obviously the possessiveness adds to how much I loved it.
Regardless of my niggles and my neediness for more this still had so many things I loved going for it that it left me with a happy feeling after reading it and ultimately that's what i'm looking for with my reads.
This was completely safe. There's a passing thought of a helmet being used for Cash's Tinder hookups but there's no indication that he had had one recently or that it was a common occurrence. No real history for either of them aside from confirming their health statues as clear before going bare. Some light flirting from a side character but I saw it mainly as a way to ramp up Cash's possessiveness, Aiden never showed interest and the flirting was never creepy or overly explicit - super safe for me. ☺️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
So this was a good read. Aiden was a very likable character and I loved how even when Cash wouldn’t speak he would speak enough for the both of them. But then Cash not speaking started to frustrate me big time. We find out later on that he may have selective mutism. I feel like this should have been brought up earlier in the book because I was frustrated with Cash for this entire book for his inability to just communicate and if we had known sooner it would have made me like him more. I do think there were times where even a head nod would have sufficed. Like when Aiden asked him if it was just sex and he didn’t respond at all causing them to basically break up. A head nod could have made it a little better. So it’s not a miscommunication trope but a no communication at all trope. He could have whipped out his phone and typed it up like he did at the end of the book so much sooner to not cause Aiden so much heartbreak. But whatevs. I’m definitely reading the next book! I hope Silas gets one because I really liked him.
NO CHEATING NO TRUE OP DRAMA COUPLE DAYS OF NO SPEAKING HEA (engaged)
"We fit together perfectly, like we had on the motorcycle— two bodies moving as one, finding a natural rhythm that couldn't be taught or learned, only discovered."
Aiden's a food truck owner and chef, and when he was offered to park for free in a motorcycle collective area, he took the chance. He met Cash, the mechanic, who doesn't talk that much and sparks fly.
My Kindle recommendation page came through again because it was there, and I took the chance and read it. Safe to say, I love it.
I was reading this in a milk tea shop full of people, and I was blushing irl. Iykyk, I rarely exhibit physical emotions while reading but this book was just my cup of tea (see what I did there).
I flew through this book like I reached 30% in one hour of reading, that how I was hooked by this.
Now, I love Aiden and how he's sunshine-personified and he talks and rambles a lot, going mile per hour and wanting to fill the silence with his voice. He's very endearing to me. Cash, on the otherhand, is broody, grumpy and mysterious and he doesn't talk a lot. He's comfortable talking about motorcycles but not about anything personal. Howeverrr, he talks through his actions, little thoughtful things he did for Aiden that spoke volumes.
Their relationship was a bit odd because Cash doesn't talk and when I found out why, it made me see him in a different lens and perspective. I love him even more. I love the representation and I love the diversity shown in this book. The way the main characters communicate was so great to see especially in the end.
Overall, I love this book and I will keep an eye out for the rest of the series (if there's more).
Aiden owns a food truck, one that he needs to find a new location for. He has been building his business for Egg Me On for three years now and is building a steady customer base. He needs the stability and the income as there is only he and his sister and he is supporting them both. When the offer is presented to move to the back parking lot of a motorcycle collective Aiden is nervous but determined. he, like many of us I'm sure, has created an image in his mind of what these motorcycle clubs are like. This one is different however. This one is a collective, open to and welcoming everyone. Silas its owner/manager is confident it will work out, after all he is already a regular and can easily vouch for how good the food is.
Aiden takes the space, sets up his truck and business is great. Old customers continue to come, new ones find him and the folks working in the Collective all love what he has to offer. When his ancient truck breaks down one of the Collective, Cash, is given the task of picking Aiden up and taking him in. After all none of them want to miss their food. As soon as he sees Aiden's truck though Cash wants to help him out by fixing it. None of that can happen, neither can get to work though until Aiden's sister has had stern words about safety on motorcycles. There is nothing to worry about, Cash is as careful and safe as they come.
From that first ride, when Aiden feels like a natural passenger, Cash can't help himself, he wants to spend time with Aiden, have the younger man on the back of his bike, help him stock up on supplies, mend his truck - making it better than it has been for a long time. As things begin to heat up between them it seems to be great but there is one issue. Cash isn't known for being able to communicate well with words. He struggles to vocalise thoughts and feelings. Always has. Only now it is becoming a real problem, he can't find the words he needs for Aiden. If he doesn't find a way he is going to lose the man who has caused him the most aggravation ever but also claimed his heart.
Ezra Dao has taken a very sensitive and challenging topic, selective mutism, which sits alongside crippling anxiety, and treated it with absolute respect whilst weaving a passionate love story around it. Cash's issues are not made into something to be derided, there is nothing derogatory, people around him may tease but they respect, admire him and want the best for him. Everyone also wants the best for Aiden, for his business to succeed. Building a passionate, real relationship around such big challenges, writing it into a story cannot be easy but honestly, this one took my heart. It spoke to me on many levels, offered me support I didn't know I needed, not for the same reasons as Cash, but certainly for anxiety. There is nothing more special than finding a book to fall in love with because the story is so well told. Combine that with a book that truly speaks to you and you have hit the magic button. This book did that for me, I hope it will for you too and thank you to Ezra Dao for being brave enough to stand up and write this one.
Overall, this book was pretty dang cute! I adore how bubbly and extroverted the MMC is, and how the other MMC is his counterpart, quiet and introverted, even though he's a biker (I like that it doesn't follow the traditional stereotypes!). Aiden's food truck business is just as adorable as he is, and the bikers agree by obsessing over his food (rightfully). For being a shorter book, I felt that it did a really good job of showing
The only things that made me hesitate to give this book a higher rating is that I felt that the other aspects of their characters are kinda dropped throughout the book as their romance takes hold. For example, how Dylan (I think) I also lose track of how much time has passed, with some chapters saying it's been a few weeks, others saying it's been months... it was just hard to keep track and it was confusing. (This was rather minor imo though). But the other things, like how
Nonetheless, I thought that this was a really cute romance, and I'll definitely be picking up the second book in the series!
Aiden has just lost the spot he usually parked his Food Truck and Silas at Front Range Motorcycle Club has offered him a dream deal which he accepts almost immediately. His new spot is located in a huge facility that is divided up to various units where different people specialise in their particular skills. On his first day, Silas introduces him to several people and Cash made the biggest impact on Aiden, apart from the fact he was a gorgeous giant of a man, he barely grunted acknowledgement of Aiden, and turned back to his specialist work for which he is famous on line.
FRMC is really a fun place to work and business is great for Aiden, especially as Silas offered him 6 months free rent to make the change over easier for him. Very slowly Cash is paying more and more attention to Aiden, especially when his old Subaru stops working and Cash turns up to collect Aiden on his motor bike. Aiden being the cheeky little devil he is, makes the most of clinging onto Cash. There is a funny incident with Aiden new Crash Helmet, 😂😂🧨🔥
This is where the story really takes off with this pair of MC. Turns out Cash has a problem speaking to Aiden and when things are exciting for both of them physically, Cash has difficulty telling Aiden how he feels. It becomes quite complicated. When a family member turns up at FRMC causing a huge scene, I cried so much for Cash.
Of course explanations are forthcoming with a HEA and epilogue.
Ezra Dao isn’t a name I often see on KU, this one is, but I always read him whenever I see a book of his turn up on various platforms, I just love his storytelling.
'Hollow attention from strangers who, for some bizarre reason, found my boring motorcycle mechanic lectures sexy. Okay, fine, it was probably because I’d started doing them shirtless... It was embarrassing, but the rush of anonymous praise and attention was addictive, and for a while, I’d chased that. But none of it compared to the electric jolt I felt when Aiden's fingers accidentally brushed mine. None of it made my heart slam against my ribs like the sight of his smile. And none of it scared me half as much as the realization that I wanted him in ways I'd never wanted anyone before.'
I loved this book. It was such a sweet, fun romance. I loved both Aiden and Cash and the dynamic between them. Aiden was the sunshine to Cash's grumpy man-of-few-words. I also liked that it was a bi-awakening for Cash and I enjoyed being in his head as he analyzed his feelings. Their first motorcycle rise was cute, and I liked that Aiden's cheerful joy during the ride, as well as instinctively moving with him, surprised Cash. He even almost smiled- on the inside.
I loved getting to know the two of them, and seeing them get to know each other; seeing their relationship develop and grow. And their chemistry build into an inferno. Cash may not talk much, but he's so sweet to Aiden and goes out of his way to help him. I loved the supporting characters, and I loved the concept of the Collective.
A beautiful read and a great start to a new series. I can't wait for more! 5 stars.
"Egg Me On" follows Aiden, a bright and bubbly food truck owner, and Cash, a quiet motorcycle mechanic with a mysterious edge. Total opposites — and total chemistry.
I picked this one up after spotting the cover during a Stuff Your Kindle event, and it did not disappoint! It’s a perfect pick for readers who love opposites attract, rom-com energy, and a good M/M romance with a bi-awakening twist.
This book made me feel everything — excitement, happiness, and even a little confusion in the best way. I flew through it in two days because the pacing was quick and addictive.
The spicy scenes? Incredible. 🔥 They were intense, emotional, and perfectly balanced with humor and heart. The characters were written really well, though I do wish we’d gotten a bit more depth from Cash — he’s mysterious, and I wanted to know him better.
The story kept me hooked the entire time (yes, even while I was supposed to be working 😅). It explores themes of love and misunderstanding, with an ending that felt satisfying and complete — no cliffhangers here.
⭐ Final Rating: 3.5 stars overall — but 5 stars for the spice alone! 💬 One-liner: A fun, steamy opposites-attract romance that’ll have you craving more (and maybe a breakfast burrito too).
That was super cute! I loved the title and the cover, the blurb was nice too but still I was really surprised how much I loved this story!
I know, I know Aiden is such a sweetheart and seriously heart of gold but Cash though? Ugh, I love him! It broke my heart at times how much he struggled. Aiden was really the perfect partner for him and I'm so glad that they found their communication when they needed it. How Cash took care of Aiden basically from the beginning, was really doing it for me!
Not gonna lie, it was sometimes very frustrating. Every time when Cash hurt Aiden, i got really emotional. While it was frustrating for me (and Aiden duh), I can't even beginn to imagine how awful it must be, for people with selective mutism. Cash's struggle was so heart breaking. I wished they started communicating through text way earlier. Of course with one mc almost being non verbal in certain situations, it was a lot of internal monologue. Normally I dislike it, I just love to read lots of dialogues, but it didn't annoy me here!
These two are definitely a cute couple and the epilogue made me so happy!
I just have to say Aiden's sister was awful and I basically hated her every time she opened her mouth.
This was such a wonderful surprise! Egg Me On is my first book by Ezra Dao and I can already tell it won't be my last. She has such an easy-to-read writing style that makes getting lost in the story effortless.
Egg Me On is a story about Aiden, a sunshine-y food truck owner, and the quiet biker/mechanic Cash. I wouldn't call it a grumpy/sunshine story because I don't consider Cash to be grumpy. He's just quiet and guarded, for a reason. The mental health rep here is actually really stunning. Truly. Cash's anxiety is so real and palpable. I'm not too familiar with selective mutism, but after reading this, I feel like I understand it a lot more.
Aiden and Cash's romance is beautiful. The way they find each other and are just right for one another is so wonderful. It had me swooning and all up in my feels the whole time. While I might have preferred it if Aiden found out about Cash's mutism a bit sooner, I still loved how the story played out.
A truly beautiful story. I highly recommend checking this one out if you love swoony, (fairly) low angst romances with some stellar mental health rep.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book with Aiden and his food truck parked by the motorcycle cooperative, giving him lots of customers and one hot motorcycle mechanic. Cash is instantly drawn to Aiden, the first time an attraction to another man has happened, and he is really out of his depth as to what to do about it. It doesn’t help that he has trouble getting words out in stressful or emotional situations, something Aiden doesn’t understand. The swing from hot to cold really confuses Aiden, the messages get so mixed. The times on the bike and their connection while camping say one thing, but the shutting down of words gives a totally different message. Luckily, the two do figure it out, with a little help from social media, and all is right at the end.
Both MCs are realistic and relatable, the story has humorous and witty moments as well as emotional and intense ones, too. I liked how feisty Aiden could be when needed, and the creative way Cash was able to let Aiden know how he felt.
I enjoy this author’s writing, and look forward to other books to come in this series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Im previously familiar with Ezra's work, having read the "Camp Eagle Ridge" series. This was heartwarming and interesting. I like the idea of calling the MC a collective and not a club.
Aiden and Cash were so cute together. This is my favorite version of a "Grumpy" in a Grumpy/Sunshine. I've read a handful and I love grumpy golden retriever. As and undiagnosed/self diagnosed ND with social anxiety, I sympathized so much Cash's issues. A really beautiful tribute to the "If he wanted to, he would". Aiden truly sees him and is willing to help and work with him.
Often the journey to love is more like a birds nest than a straight line. just because its harder to get there doesn't mean it's not worth it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I feel like this was almost a really sweet story, but the premise is... odd. As someone with some speech issues, I find it hard to believe that Cash is in his mid- to late-twenties and has no idea how to work around his issues. Combine that with the fact that he is Black and not one, but two, different white guys had to tell him how to fix things before he was suddenly able to communicate... and we move into decidedly uncomfortable territory.
There really was no logical reason why these characters couldn't have been texting the whole time, other than the fact that the author wanted Cash's big "character flaw" to be his disability. Not a great look.
i was screaming at my kindle the whole time that he has selective mutism, so glad that it was acknowledged near the end and made readers understand Cash a little more. I thought the book was super cute from the beginning but there were some tiny things that made me not enjoy it to the fullest. for example, some of the internal monologue was repeated several times in several chapters, some sentences were contradictory and made the story less believable. I wished the characters were a little bit more flushed out and rounded because even if the "world building" was nice, they felt too much two dimensional
This book was short and sweet, Cash is a grumpy mechanic and Aiden is the sunshine chef whose food truck is operating at Cash’s workplace which means they see each other almost everyday. When Cash starts driving Aiden to work after his car breaks down they both realize there might be a bit more there between the two of them. I thought their relationship was very sweet and I liked that even though Cash struggled with his words he still showed Aiden that he cared in other ways and his inner monologue was really helpful for getting his perspective. I was also a big fan of the possessive moments in this story!
A new location for his food truck, "Egg me On" brings Aiden in contact with a motorcycle collective. These are folks he would not have expected to find a connection with but he does. Especially with Cash, a quiet guy who is different than Aiden who is sunshine and wants to feed the world. Cash struggles to communicate but their connection works. They each bring something to the other. This was such a lovely read and it moved me.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Another new-to-me author, another great read! So many readers have given wonderful reviews for this book, and I totally agree with them. The book was beautifully written, with an interesting storyline and wonderful characters. I loved the interactions between Aiden, food truck owner and bubbly personality, and Cash who repairs motorcycles and other vehicles and has difficulty expressing his feelings. I look forward to more books in the Front Range Motorcycle Collective. I thank the author for giving us a great story, I give it more than 5 stars!!!
Aiden owns a food truck "Egg Me On" and has to move to a new location. He moves to the loading dock of a motorcycle collective where Cash works. Cash helps him out with rides to work, grocery runs and repairs on his car. It's a fun book with a sunshiny sweetheart and a grumpy, possessive mechanic who manage to make each other's hearts beat faster. It doesn't hurt how hot they are together either. So steamy, so much love that only one can verbally express. I loved this!.
You know what they say, 'opposites attract', and boy do they here, with one bouncy, chatty young man and one grumpy, silent bear of a man, and that description had me salivating to read this tale. This was a truly gorgeous but angsty read full of so much emotion that just keeps you hooked. There is a small twist in the tale near the end that makes you go "Aah, now I get it". This is one of those reads were I didn't want to say goodbye to these two men.
This is the first book in a new series called Front Range Motorcycle Collective and I really liked Cash and Aiden’s story, it is an opposites attract, grumpy/sunshine. This is a very well written story and the author has covered some difficult subjects, both Aiden and Cash stole my heart in this book and once Cash’s backstory was revealed it just made me fall in love with him even more. Absolutely worth a read.
"words were still trapped inside me, tangled and useless."
This is probably the best grumpy/sunshine that I've read in months. Probably all year. At first I was irritated with Cash because his silence hurt Aiden. The hot/cold of it all was too reminiscent of boyfriends past. However, the more I read, the more I understood there was a deeper issue with Cash. Egg Me On was emotional, and funny, and omg...so steamy! Also, the longing was just perfection.
Wonderfully Sweet Read with the perfect amount of Spice!
I loved this book!!! Aiden was the perfect sunshine to Cash’s grumpy. Cash’s character arc was just so beautiful. The writing was fantastic, the story so satisfyingly sweet, and the spice was excellent. I’m also from Colorado so it was like a walk down memory lane for me. Looking forward to reading more from this author. Well done! Spice 3 🌶️ Rating 5 ⭐️
I’ll say there is miscommunication but is one of those only books that the miscommunication has a very valid reason to be there and I absolutely adore the reason. Is one of those thing that you don’t see often in books and is super nice to see it represented in.
Love the characters and the story definitely recommend🩷✨.