Silver Sweet

Cobalt Empire #2

by Krista Ritchie, Becca Ritchie

Phoenix is a hot drummer with a bad attitude. Tom is a punk-rock singer who’s too hard to impress. Two problem children of their bands have one shot at making it big in this M/M Rockstar Romance—if they don’t burn it all down.

Tom Cobalt has been called a lot of things. Arrogant god. Overachiever. Demanding, uncooperative jerk. It comes with the territory of being the fifth-born of a storied family. Not even his own punk-rock band can meet his high standards. So when every member of The Carraways quits on him before finishing an album, he’s left with a bruised ego and a major dilemma.

Reviving his childhood dream comes down to one infuriating choice: pair up with a hard-edged drummer or be dropped by his music label permanently.

Phoenix St. Pierre has enough baggage to ground every plane in New York City. He’s volatile, sleep-deprived, and still carrying the fallout of imploding his own band. He should not be paired with Tom, the stuck-up trust-fund baby who pushes all his buttons—yet the second chance is impossible to walk away from.

Making music means too much to Phoenix and Tom to let this last shot slip through their fingers. But working together feels like a Shakespearean disaster ready to unfold. Especially when off-the-charts chemistry, undeniable attraction, and destructive habits threaten to make or break them.

It’s nothing personal—but they just might be the best and worst thing that ever happened to each other.

Genres: Romance, M M Romance, Contemporary Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Forced Proximity, Found Family, LGBT

Paperback

First published August 4, 2026

About the author

NYT & USA Today Bestselling Authors Krista & Becca Ritchie are identical twins—one a science nerd, the other a comic book geek—but with their shared passion for writing, they combined their mental powers as kids and have never stopped telling stories. They love superheroes, flawed characters, and soul mate love.

To stay up to date on new releases, bonus content, and more, sign up for Krista & Becca's Newsletter: www.kbritchie.com/newsletter

Quick note: We don't check Goodreads, so we don't respond to messages here. But if you want to connect with Becca or me, you can reach out to us on our social medias or at our website: www.kbritchie.com

Instagram | Facebook | TikTok

Fans of Krista & Becca's Books:
♥ Join Krista & Becca's Fizzle Force Facebook group.
♥ Inspiration for the Addicted series can be found on their Pinterest boards.
♥ Find playlists for all of their books on Spotify
♥ Check out all of their extras! Including: bonus scenes, character interviews, fun posts and more on their Extras page.

Reviews

[lena ♱ · Rating 5 out of 5]

➳ five million stars. 🥹💘😭🩷

i’m giddy. giddy because i love when a book i’ve been anticipating for so long hits so hard, giddy because silver sweet made me feel so many different emotions and giddy because i know book three is coming out so soon.

so as i sit in a beautiful park, with the sun shining on me as one of the rare days that it decides to grace us with it’s presence here in cambridge - i can’t help but feel immense joy. don’t you just love when a book reminds you of why you love reading so much?

krista and becca ritchie i just want to kiss you!!!!!!! the world that they have built since 2016 means so much to me (especially the cobalts - but more on that later.) them announcing second gen and that the cobalts would have an entire series dedicated to them made my YEAR!! my expectations were tremendously high especially because i adored the crumbs we got of them in the “like us” series. burn bright was my most anticipated release of the year!

BB was a really cute, quick and easy palette cleanser that touched on sensitive topics with love and care. the ocd representation was one of the best i had read in a while & ben and harriet were the absolute cutest to read about. it was unfortunately, far from a five star for me. not that it was a complete let down - far from it - i just was expecting more from them and the plot (like i said, not a let down in the slightest, i just didn’t connect to them emotionally compared to other couples in the universe.)

with the little tiny eeinie crumbs we had been getting in burn bright for tom and phoenix, i was literally so so sat for their book 😭 especially since i had been praying on my knees every day for KBR to release another rockstar romance (especially if it was MM,) and thank GOD they delivered.

this book was everything. i can’t even write my feelings down into words because of how much they mean to me. the relationships, the found family, the representation, the crumbs of the other couples, the plot…everything!!!!! the writing was straight forward but had quotes that made me highlight a passage or two in my book and the immersive and compelling feeling i have when i read about this world could never ever be reincorporated! i love you to the moon and back my favourite twins KBR! 🩷

when i say i want a rockstar romance i don’t mean that the male main character has a big dick and that he is randomly in a popular rock band. i don’t want snippets, crumbs or small passages of the performances - i want entire chapters dedicated to the writing of songs, performance of said songs and them getting nominated for the grammys!! this was everything i wanted in a rockstar romance and more! so much more!

the romance…delectable. yearning, tension, build up, pining, JEALOUSY, spice…every ingredient to make the perfect romance. mmm 🤤 just thinking about it makes me wanna squeal. the pacing? perfect. the slow burn was slooooooooowwww burning. tom and phoenix, both sexy as hell. smash smash and smash. damn, involve me (!!) in y’all’s relationship because PHEW, yall are HAWT.

pheonix….yes ma’am. krista and becca COOKED with this one. writing a tall, tatted, french speaking drummer who would do anything for his man was the fucking move !! 👩🏼‍🍳 damn. hot asf. also his relationship with harriet and charlie? so cute. i definitely need him and harriet to become the bestest of siblings in law.

tom. tom oh my sweet angel child 🥹 my baby who deserves everything. his character was so relatable - the need to always be the best, his slight competitivenes. everything!!! he was so insanely well thought out while also being an ideal man 🤤 i need me a lead singer of a band everyday every night!!

obviously, i can’t talk about this series without mentioning my favourite book power couple of all time - coballoway. my fav bdsm couple who’s not ashamed of their kinks 🤣 the way they’re still teasing each other even after 25 years of being together…my dream date…cute. loved seeing their little snippets, always makes the book so much better 🤭

birdie. oh lord, yall i’m not ready for his book omfg 😭 it’s gonna destroy my poor little heart. even though he’s arguably the hottest brother (🤭) his story and character already make my heart ache. the lighter scene. nope. no. niet. non. im not doing that today. i’m gonna be devastated.

audrey my sweet hopeless romantic baking lover baby angel princess. yes that’s what i call her inside my head. she’s my cutie. and the tropes that her and birdie are gonna have for their book? tutor? check. bad boy and good girl? check. age gap? check. lord!!!!!! please feed me already!!!! i am a starving child. i miss them and it hasn’t even been a full twenty four hours since i finished reading the book lmao 😭🩷

here’s how to make a book five star for lena:

💜 a found family that i would take a bullet for

🖤 a consensual, tear worthy loving relationship between the two main characters.

💜 side characters i love

🖤 connor cobalt

💜 rose calloway

basically, this book is my idea of perfect. what am i supposed to do until loathed love comes out? sit and rock? okay. yeah. i can do that. (not.)

ps : i would’ve loved to see lily make an apparence 😭 she’s my baby fairy that i miss daily, i needed her crumbs so bad!

[mo ⭐️]

everyone talking about tom but i need this to be beckett and joanas book

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars ✨

In my next life time I hope I am reborn as a Cobalt plssss. 😩

To be fair I didn’t have high hopes with this one because while I do like Tom Cobalt I wasn’t as excited , but wow was I wrong!! I adored this book so much!! I will never get tired of being back in the world, it feels as if I am reuniting with friends after so long of not seeing each other 😭

The tension, the chemistry, the mental heath rep and the whole rockstars storyline was so perfect!! I also love how we got to know all of the Cobalts more in depth and got to see more of their family dynamic together. It meant so much reading about them again. 🥲

This book follows Tom Cobalt and Phoenix St. Pierre and they are forced to work together to help Tom’s band succeed and let me tell you the chemistry and tensions with these two was soooo good!! You could feel the connection between both of them since page one I appreciated that even though both were attached to each other early on this was still a slow burn which was worth the wait.

Tom Cobalt, this man surprised me so much and he grew on me throughout the book!! omg I just wanted to give him a hug the entire time. The way he refused to let go of his dream, while trying to be the best brother to Ben and live up to the Cobalt name, my heart broke for him 😭
He was also just so loving and caring while dealing with his own mental struggles, he needs to protected at all cost. And seeing his relationship with Elliot, it was so perfect!!! I was living for every moment they had to together. My favorite duo I swear!!

Now Phoenix St Pierre , whew 🫦 Krista & Becca cooked with this French tatted drummer!! This man was just toooo HOT for words!! I truly thought he was going to be such a grumpy meanie, but he was such a lover boy for Tom , I swear this man was so down bad for him since they first met, it truly was everything. I also love how we got to his mental health struggles and how he overcame them, it made me like him so much more. The way he was with Birdie as well, it was just so wholesome. And the things that came out of his mouth, did I mention how HOT he truly was?!

“It is my soul that calls upon my name.” He recited “How silver- sweet sound lovers tounges by night. Like softest music to attending ears.”

“Even if it’s bad for me, I never want to quit him.”

“In a three minute song, I was already at your mercy.” 🫠

Another thing I truly enjoyed about this book was the music aspect of it. It really added to the storyline and we got to see Tom and Phoenix gradually fall in love while making music together. It was so special to see themselves let go through the music they were writing.

“I hope to know him as age tries to take my voice and hands. I hope we still make music in the grave.” 🖤

The cherry on top of everything was getting the Rose and Connor cameos, I missed them so much!! 😭😭😭 Seeing daddy Connor in dad mode will forever have me going crazy 🤪 20 something years later and they still have the same love and banter going on. I need more of them in the future books!!

I will say the little snippets of the upcoming couples has me so much more excited, but I really need Elliot and Charlie’s books more than I need air at this point. Like I will do anything Kristie & Becca for their books plsssss 😭

The only reason why this wasn’t a higher rating for me was because some parts of the book did feel a little out of place and I wish we got more of the hate to love trope, I felt that it was very skipped over. The ending was so rushed as well, but knowing we get Birdies and Audrey’s book next has me sat. I just know Birdie is going to have me in shambles 😭

“Ensemble.” 🩵

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars



I love a good rockstar romance, and I love any and everything Krista & Becca Ritchie write, so it’s no surprise I was a fan of Silver Sweet! What started as an enemies-to-lovers romance turned into a beautiful friendship and so much more.

Tom Carraway, Cobalt, needs a drummer to make his band a success; the problem is he has incredibly high standards that no one can seem to meet. Enter Phoenix St. Clair. They butted heads at first, but ended up working so well together. They challenged each other and brought out the best in one another.

My favorite part of this book was seeing the interactions within the Cobalt family. Always so fun! I do wish we would have had more of my beloved Hales, though. I was hoping for more Luna since she’s so close to Tom. Overall, I enjoyed this book immensely and can’t wait for the next in the series!

[ʚ turtle ɞ (semi-hiatus)]

3.2.26 | yessss we finally have a cover!!! AND IT'S SO PRETTY, I'M FANGIRLING SO HARD RN IT'S ACTUALLY EMBARRASSING 🧎🏻‍♀️‍➡️
-
19.11.25 | omggg it'sssss Tom’s book 😭 I can’t wait 🤸🏻

[Catarina Vieira | umlivroduplicado · Rating 5 out of 5]

"For the band."

It’s always hard to express what this whole universe means to me. It’s like trying to describe what home feels like, what comfort means, and what it’s like to have a safe place you can always come back to. That’s exactly the struggle I’m facing while trying to write this review for *Silver Sweet*. It’s more than everything I wanted. More than everything I needed.

Tom Carraway Cobalt… How can I possibly describe what you mean to me, or how deeply I saw myself in you? The fears, the insecurities, but also the desire to become more. To become everything. To be a dreamer. Tom is all of us: the believers, the ones who know that pursuing a dream is more than an endless run, it’s a necessity. It’s what makes us breathe. It’s what makes us live. And it is, undoubtedly, what keeps us alive.

Tom is many things: a troublemaker, a dreamer, one hell of a singer. But above all else, he is the embodiment of wanting. Of longing. Of refusing to settle for anything less than the life he dreams of.

Silver Sweet is a perfect book. A masterpiece. And that isn’t only because of Cobalt number five. It’s because of Phoenix, too... Because he fought, he believed, and he gave every single piece of himself. This story works because these two souls find each other through a shared desire to become legendary. To become unforgettable. To become themselves.

And if you’ve ever wondered why I loved, breathed, and lived this book, it’s because of them.

Cobalt Empire, you are... everything.

The brothers. The dialogue. The sincerity. Everything we have ever loved about the Cobalt Empire can be found in this book. Silver Sweet is so much more than a story about two rock stars. It’s a story about loving life. Living life. And it’s the kind of story that makes you want to chase your own dream with every ounce of fierce determination you have inside you.

Silver Sweet is exactly that.
It is the dream we choose to chase and the one we finally catch.

Thank you, Krista and Becca, for once again making me fall in love with being alive.







11/20: IT IS TOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!! NOT A DRILL. WE HAVE A TITLE

09/04:I need this to be Tom's book!!!! WITH RJ!! Like *NOW*

[Hoda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Big applaud for Beckett & Charlie for carrying this book on their backs 👏 give me beckett ir charlie book right nowwww plsssss im begging 🙏🏻

[The Love Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hands down one of my favorite books from my favorite author duo, and my top read of the year!

Tom and Phoenix are thrust together to create a band as a last ditch effort to not be dropped by their label. It’s “dislike” at first sight, but it’s CLEAR that the chemistry between these two started from their first moment playing for each other. One of my favorite parts of Silver Sweet was (after they got through some growing pains) how well they worked together as a band duo. Their brand of music was the perfect backdrop to the increasing intensity and passion of their relationship.

We’ve known Tom as one of the Cobalts who loves creating chaos alongside his favorite brother, Eliot. However, nothing could’ve prepared me for how much of a romantic both Tom and Phoenix were! At their core, these were two people who wanted the kind of romance they write about, but never found until each other. Tom and Phoenix’s personalities seem so different from each other, but part of what made their romance work is that they made room for the other to just be themselves. We’ve all dealt with the feeling of being “too much” or “not enough”, but all it takes is the right person to create a safe space for you, and that was the core of what made these two work.

As usual - this author duo never fails to drive home the importance of family. The Cobalts value loyalty above all, and they never fail to be there for one another. Phoenix fit right in because his own close relationship with his brother was yet another way for him and Tom to understand each other on a deeper level.

Silver Sweet just reinforced why these authors are some of my favorite. Highly recommend because the intensity and beauty of this couple’s connection should be experienced by everyone!

[Juliette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whatever drugs they were on when they wrote this, I will personally supply them while they write books 4-6. Full review to come.

Update: IT’S TOM!!!

I need this book to be for Eliot or Tom so badly.

[carolina (semi ia) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rock music isn’t the reason we’re in pain. It’s the reason we haven’t let our pain consume us.

The Ritchie sisters keep upping their game and their books are getting better and better 😭

We all know Tom as a harbinger of chaos. A troublemaker. He’s hilarious, and charming, with an ego that knows no bounds. He’s incredibly passionate, driven and ambitious. He masterfully conceals his insecurities and deep-rooted fear of failure, because he doesn’t want to be seen as weak. But it’s precisely this vulnerable side of him that made me love him more. The flaws that some point out in him - the perfectionism, the diva-like tendencies, the desire to always be the best - stem from his desire to live the life he’s always envisioned from himself.  

Phoenix was a mystery to me, but the Ritchie sisters struck the perfect balance, providing us with enough information about him and his life without making the story feel overloaded with details. I feel as though I’ve know him for as long as I’ve known the Cobalts. Phoenix is a bleeding heart and, unlike Tom, he wears no masks. What you see is what you get. He’s unapologetically himself, and I love that about him.  

Tom and Phoenix’s chemistry is off the charts! Their banter made me feel giddy 🤭 They have a lot in common, but they also balance each other out so well. Tom is pure energy and fire, with a mind that runs a mile a minute, but Phoenix always met him with patience and understanding, and fostered a quiet environment in which Tom felt at ease to expose his most vulnerable thoughts. 

The family moments we get in this book gave me life. The bond between the Cobalt siblings is indestructible and they always have each other’s backs, no matter what happens. I can't go into any details, but there are so many memorable moments in Silver Sweet between the cobalt siblings, and also between Phoenix and his brother Birdie. I loved that Tom and Phoenix, besides all the other similarities they share, also had this in common - a deep love for their siblings, a desire to carry all their burdens, and make their world better. 🤍

Silver Sweet is a beautiful homage to music and the art of creating something that fuels the fire in your soul. It’s a book for dreamers, for those who work hard to make their dreams come true, and for those who wish to leave their mark on the world. It’s a love story between two souls who find magic in their union - a love built on a shared passion. The Ritchie sisters always manage to evoke every emotion out of me, and I’m in constant awe of them and their work. This book is a true work of art and, just like any great song, it left me feeling like I’d experienced something divine.  
 
Silver Sweet is a melody that doesn’t leave your head, but one you don’t mind being haunted by. 

Thank you Valentine & Krista and Becca Ritchie for the arc 💜

🦁🎧

I suffer from the extreme inability to quit on myself—even when people quit on me. I’m more afraid of my dream decaying into nothingness than I am of what I might do to keep it alive.

“Because nothing in life has hurt more than a broken dream. It’s like putting shattered glass under my pillow every time I try to sleep. I’m sick of bleeding out.”

I’m staring at him like he’s a dream. He feels like my dream. The one I’ve been clawing to hang on to my whole life.

His voice is blood-pumping, soul-smashing. Destructive power. A blizzard hurting to be a firestorm. I have trouble not staring at Tom when he emotes with the same intensity as the bleeding noise pouring out of him. It’s hypnotic. He’s hypnotic.

“I want to sleep with the guy who shared his fears with me in his bedroom. I want the guy who can get scared and nervous. I don’t want to sleep with steel and iron that can’t hurt. I want to be with flesh and bone that can. I just want you, Tom, and you’re so fucking far from being weak. You’re just human to me. You’ve been human.”

That’s the thing about Tom—he makes me believe we can do anything. That nothing has ever been out of reach.

We crawled and clawed and rose together. I want to keep rising with him. I want our feet to never touch the ground. Unless we need to humble ourselves, then I will repeat this crawl off the dirt with him again and again. I have no doubt we’ll always kiss the sky. It’s what we’re destined to do.

[𝜗𝜚 ࣪˖ ִ𐙚 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tom Carraway, my son, delivered nonstop entertainment. St. Cobalt were SO much softer than I imagined😭💖 they had some gillow level tender moments which I did not expect but loved SO much. I loved seeing Tom fall in love and learning things like his OCPD diagnosis made so much sense for his character😭 my baby forever! KBR’s best book is always their most recent.

Charlie Keating, my beloved, I CANNOT WAIT for your book!

[Tima · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let me start off by saying that if it weren’t for Charlie Keating Cobalt, I would’ve stopped reading this series at Some Kind of Perfect because I simply don’t….. care about anyone else all that much. He’s carrying this series on his mfing BACK, and I’m here to help him hold the weight okay 😭 I don’t care how mean he gets, how cruel he can be, he’s always going to be my favorite character in this whole made up universe right next to Loren hale. No apologies or excuses fabricated.

I’ll start off with what I enjoyed. Tom and phoenix’s heated back and forth in the first quarter of this book was hilaaaaarious. They were so quick with the comebacks, I loved reading that. Tom’s point of view is an absolute delight. He’s so funny and very very hard to hate. Being in his head is a good time, it’s like living in that one meme where everything is sunshine and rainbows.

I know I said I loved Tom and phoenix’s banter at the start, but once they started liking eachother I just… lost interest. I didn’t care about their romance or one on one interactions with eachother. It wasn’t bad I just was not into it. And I skipped all the spice in this book because good god it was bad. I think this is an issue I have with all of kbr’s spice though. I’ve just never enjoyed the way they write it, I grimace every single time.

I enjoy reading about Beckett and Eliot, but not to the point where I’m anticipating their appearance on page. I could do without them. Charlie though? You would think I’m reading his book with the way I’m only thinking of him when I read. He’s just everything to me.

Now Charlie has many fans but a lot of readers also hate him. He’s mean, blunt, cruel, nasty, sharp. All that and more. But if you understand his character then you understand that he is a masochist. He’s venomous with the intention of being bitten right back. the whole point is he’s trying to provoke people into hurting him back and ten times harder. For him, pain is a good distraction from his mind. He utilizes it as a coping mechanism. Of course, it’s not an excuse to be rude, but that’s the explanation. I’ll always love the mean characters. I just naturally gravitate toward them even though I don’t personally relate to them, because I’m not like that myself. But that doesn’t mean I don’t understand them because I do, sooooo much. Charlie is either a character you love or hate, no in between. Me personally I’ve been a fan since the start and I don’t caaaaare.

This book gives readers a glimpse into Birdie’s personality, who is Audrey’s love interest. All I’ll say is, these two are verrrrrrrry different. It’s not even a case of opposites attract, more so me wondering exactly hoooow… it’s going to work? They’re from two different worlds lol. And I don’t know if I like the idea of them together… I guess I wasn’t expecting someone like birdie for Audrey, at all.

Also Audrey constantly talking like a Victorian child babe come on 😭 you grew up in Philly why are you talking like a posh Brit. I can’t take it serious lol. She’s sweet though, and I felt sad for her when she said she’s lonely. You know Doja cat in agora hills when she says “it’s so lonely in my mansion” that’s Audrey in this book looooooool. Also this girl graduated highschool early but her romance plot is going to revolve around her needing a tutor and that tutor being birdie? Why would an early highschool graduate need a tutor?? I guess I’ll see how that pans out in their book…

Now all in all, if you’re a great fan of the cobalts and Tom, I think you’ll love this. The writing is actually good, nothing like the like us series (which was bad bad BAD). If you like rockstars that go on tour, you’ll love this.

Me personally, I’m too attached to Charlie to ever quit this series. I’ve gotta see every book through for him and Roxanne (his love interest) who I also think is soooo cute. I can’t wait for more cameos of her. She only had one scene but it delivered. And I can’t wait to see what dynamic her and Charlie develop 👀 I know it’ll be good.

[haletostilinski · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️ 4.75 stars rounded up! ⭐️

Gosh have I missed reading MM Romance from these ladies and this world they've created. It was so incredibly fun to come back to the Cobalt siblings and get back into this world. (And could we possibly get another MM Romance with Beckett? The reveal of him being queer (bi or pan, most likely pansexual, it seems) was like OH! A very pleasant surprise. So will he have a romance with Leo or a new guy? It'd be great to have more than one male Cobalt sibling end up with a guy - I say male sibling since both the female siblings, Jane and Audrey ended up with a guy or will end up with one already - And at the very least, we have two siblings who aren't straight just like their father which is great!)

Tom is the 5th sibling and 4th oldest brother, and he's gay. He's very, very passionate about music and has his band, The Carraways, since he was 14. Now at 21, he's struggling as many drummers have left over the years and now his whole band has left him. He's in desperate need of a new band in a few days or his label will officially drop him.

Enter Phoenix, who has had his own trouble with his own band in the past and needs a new start.

Tom and Phoenix have amazing chemistry, amazing back and forth at first - I couldn't get enough of them and this story. They just clicked right away, both musically and romantically. It also takes its time getting them together, which I appreciated. They could have given in right away, and it would have been hot, but also a bit fast. They both try to stay away from each other as well to try to keep the band together, because it's notoriously hard to keep a band together if people in that band get together and then break up.

Especially as Tom and Phoenix form a two person band, so if they break up there's literally no one else.

I loved both of these guys so much. Tom pretends to be a bit arrogant and selfish - and, he kind of is and he kind of isn't at the same time - but he loves his family SO damn much and wants to do all he can to be there for them. Tom is also a bit more open and happy go lucky, a life of the party type of guy. Phoenix is more reserved, but he also cares deeply for his younger brother, Birdie, and would do anything for him as well. They both have that in common.

But personally, Phoenix suffers from insomnia and has tried things, but not everything, to try to help with it and at the start of this has kind of just accepted his insomnia, although he takes a long time to tell Tom about it.

As for Tom, he's all about the music, and he's a perfectionist and will go to extreme lengths to for his music and to try to make it as perfect as possible, to his detriment sometimes.

But his passion for it is something Phoenix loves about him, and they both have a passion for it that complements each other so well.

My only reason for .25 stars off, honestly, is that I felt this had a lack of sex? Everything else about this, honestly was perfect. I couldn't put it down, there was the right amount of build up of their relationship before they did anything and they really started to fall for each other before they even kissed - but I thought once they got there that we would get a lot of juicy sex scenes and we didn't? I don't remember getting so few sex scenes with Maximoff and Farrow, like we got a lot of good scenes between them.

So I didn't understand the lack of them here? We only got about 3 penetrative sex scenes, and not very detailed ones at that, except for maybe the fist one (which could have been even more detailed tbh). We got maybe 2 other sex scenes of hand jobs and blow jobs outside of those - and this is an over 700 page book.

They had the chemistry and the passion and the love between them to make some truly epic, beautiful, sexy as fuck sex scenes and we...didn't really get that? Or at least not enough. What we did get was great, especially their first full on penetrative sex scene. But one does not expect so little sex scenes, especially for a book that is so long. We get a lot more fade to black than I was expecting. Of course we don't need *every* sex scene written out, but more than we got would have been nice, and even more detailed and focused.

The romance was top notch, the story, the plot, all the secondary characters, the focus on Tom and Phoenix' individual issues, EVERYTHING else was top tier, no notes, I loved it all.

So my only minor complaint was...why the skimping on the sex scenes? I don't remember these ladies doing this before. I don't know if they do it with their MF books as well, but I loved these two so much and god their scene scenes we didn't get to see had to be epic.

So yeah, that's my only reason to not give this a full 5 stars, but not a .5 star off even as well. It was just a niggle that we didn't get that, and truly it wasn't detrimental to the overall story, I think more sex scenes would have just added to it and really perfected this almost perfect story.

Phoenix was the perfect boyfriend and Tom was such a sweetheart, who just wanted to do right by his brother and his music and then his boyfriend. They weren't perfect but the love shone through the pages, the way these two would do anything for each other was beautiful.

When they had to be separated near the end - they're still together, don't worry, they just have to deal with long distance for a few months because of reasons you'll find out once you read - it was actually quite wonderful to read how much they longed for each other and how hard it was for them to without each other. That longing is so beautiful and SO romantic. It also made them coming back together all the better.

I also loved how these two were so down on their luck - well mostly Phoenix but Tom was career wise. Can never really leave out that he IS the son of billionaires and will never truly lack for anything - in the beginning and how wonderfully it all works out in the end, but also this didn't make it easy. They weren't an overnight success even if it was pretty damn close.

Gosh I just loved everything about this book and I just reveled all 724 or pages we got. Although I will say, sorry if this makes anyone angry but I do NOT get the obsession with Charlie Cobalt *hides from tomatoes* like he just seems grumpy and mean for no damn reason and says some truly shitty, mean things to his siblings and for what? What is his problem? I also remember how unfair he was toward Maximoff in his books, just saying! Sorry to Charlie lovers but I'm not so fond of him.

Also that reminds me I would have really loved to see the Hales in this as well. We see Luna briefly but not much, and none of the other 3 siblings, especially no Maximoff and Farrow and their child which I would have *loved* or even just Maximoff giving a cameo. When there was the moment when Tom could have gone to him for advice and he chooses not to I was bummed like nooo give me Moffy!

Anyway, that's just me being greedy because we get a lot of Cobalt sibling goodness in this - although Jane only shows up once, which also it would have been nice to see more of her too!

But the romance was top notch and I did truly love basically everything about this book and I cannot wait for these authors future MM Romances, even if I have to wait like...another 6 years or however long it was between their MM books. And I will be hoping that Beckett's story is MM 🤞as well.

So, until then! 😘😍🥰

[Cristiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eu adoro estes livros só gostava que tivessem menos páginas, são demasiado longos

[catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I swear Krista and Becca Ritchie could make me care about every character they write. Silver Sweet completely stole my heart 💜

One thing these authors never miss is sibling relationships. Tom trying so hard to be the best big brother to Ben was incredibly endearing, and I loved seeing his perspective. The bond between all of the Cobalts feels so genuine and Phoenix's protectiveness over Birdie was so sweet. Every sibling dynamic in this book felt so authentic.

Tom and Phoenix's banter was so witty, playful, and full of chemistry that I found myself smiling through every exchange. Their back-and-forth felt completely natural, making every interaction between them so fun and easy to read.

And Phoenix’s love for Tom radiates from every page. The yearning was immaculate, he was completely gone for Tom in the best way, always wanting to know more about him, always showing up for him, always paying attention. I loved how invested he became in getting to know the entire Cobalt family. At the beginning of the book, he knew literally nothing about them so seeing how much they came to mean to him by the end was such a beautiful reflection of both his and Tom's relationship growth.

And that letter. Tom's letter to Phoenix's parents made me cry of course. The fact that he wasn't afraid to tell them how deeply he loves their son and that he wanted to know Phoenix's family because they're so important to him was one of the most beautiful moments in the book.

[buse · Rating 1 out of 5]

another day and another snoozefest mid. definition of boring yawning sloppy lazy. didn’t expect much since i am not a mlm enjoyer to begin with and in this case the main characters and their supposed love were insufferable as hell so it all went to downhill. they either have to find ghostwriters or attend some how to be author 101 classes bc this was not it whatsoever they really don’t know how to write romance and how to build that up anymore. all of the criticisms for earlier books being stop putting misogyny and unnecessary sa storyline for plot device and what do they do they even add more of them and treat them with absolutely zero care. just crickets. this is why this series will flop lol. i was only reading for charlieroxanne and congrats kbr found a way to ruin them before their own book. an achievement for them i guess. you can’t convince me that a vegas born and raised kotova-ruiz girl speaks like that and this is her personality bc i refuse to believe it. kbr better open their own kotova books and check the og recipes out real quick to see who kotovas and ruizes are bc it’s highly needed. and they forget charlie is about be a mmc soon with the way they’re writing him it’s pissing me off. however i still loved roxy not gaf about charlie at the moment i always wanted her to be oblivious towards him and got that one at least the only saving grace #tome. in general i’m just tired of this mess. there were so many ridiculous parts where i wanted to brought up and made fun of in this review but while i was writing it i realized i just don’t care so i won’t even bother with that.

[charisse ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

˗ˏˋ 5 stars ⟡ ݁₊ .

i literally missed the cobalts sm and i'm so glad to be back!! also the banter between the two of them was top tier!! loved their back and forth sm, and like phoenix calling tom a nepo baby lol

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧• tom cobalt
i loved going into his head and seeing more of him and how much he cares for ben. also the reason for him letting birdie in the band was so funny but valid for tom?? also the fact that he wrote a letter showing his love to phoenix's parents??? like hello?

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧• phoenix st.pierre
i loved how he was lwk like ryke and speaks fluent french but decided not to tell charlie & beckett when they were talking about him lol.. loved he's so protective of tom and is always there for him!

anyways they're just soo cute together! and omgg the cameos of everyone?? i was defo eating them up like no tomorrow..

also loved that we got to know more about birdie who's the love interest for LL. there's one thing that happened on the tour bus that literally broke my fucking heart for him.. anyways cant wait for his & audrey's book!!

⤷ thank you to the authors, krista & becca ritche, and team kbr for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶˗ˋ୨♡୧ˊ˗︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶

01/08/2026 — omggg i just finished it!! and lemme just say that it was absolutely fantastic! literally picking up the ben & harriet crumbs up like no tomorrow!! anyways,, i need to go stare at a wall... full rtc!!!

︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶˗ˋ୨♡୧ˊ˗︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶

THE WAY I HAVE THE ARC IN MY HANDS??!!! KBR I ADORE YOU!!! y'all be prepared cuz i'm about to get so annoying & insufferable the second i finish this 🙂‍↕️

[Sehaj · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Krista and Becca Ritchie for an advanced readers copy.

5 ⭐️ (I would give it more if I could)

Reading Silver Sweet felt like coming home after a very long time (the wait for the book after reading Burn Bright felt excruciating). It was my most anticipated reads of 2026 and I felt so honored reading the ARC, thanks to the authors themselves.

Silver Sweet is book two in the interconnected series “Cobalt Empire” and follows the story of Tom Cobalt, the fifth-born and the punk rock singer, and Phoenix St. Pierre, the drummer with attitude issues. Tom built his band “The Carraways” when he was only fourteen and now he’s twenty one (going on twenty two) when every single member of his band member quits on him because of his high standards, which also includes having a perfect drummer. Phoenix, at twenty four, is going through a lot of things, he’s hard on edges, not getting enough sleep and trying to not sink deep down in his guilt for imploding his previous band. Both of them are the trouble children of their bands in their own ways and after being given an ultimatum by their label and agent, they only have one shot of making their dream come true.

𝐓𝐨𝐦 𝐂𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐭: Tom was chaotic in the best ways possible, I was laughing at everything that came out of his mouth and was genuinely surprised that he could be this unhinged. He was hyper focused on making his dream come true (aka making music that everyone would listen) and his determination and grit was one of the best things of reading this book. He had one of the best character growths ever.

𝐏𝐡𝐨𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐱 𝐒𝐭. 𝐏𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐞: Phoenix is now one the best characters written by Krista and Becca Ritchie and I love him sooooo much (more than Tom). He was perfect in every sense of the word and everything about him makes me giddy and happy.

𝐓𝐨𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐡𝐨𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐱: Phoenix was the perfect amount of calm to Tom’s chaos. Their chemistry was off the charts and their banter had me rolling and kicking my feet. Them together genuinely make the perfect couple and their determination on making the best music was everything.

Silver Sweet also had the best family moments, whether it was the Cobalt siblings or the St. Pierre brothers, it felt heartwarming reading about the love shown by their families (in their own ways).

I loved everything about this book, the characters, the storyline, the side characters, the pacing, everything was perfect. Genuinely my best read of 2026.

“It is my soul that calls upon my name:
How silver-sweet sound lovers’ tongues by night,
Like softest music to attending ears!”
- Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare.

[Mahsa · Rating 5 out of 5]

GIVE ME CHARLIE COBALT PLSSS 🙏🙏🙏 I will literally do anything for Charlie and Roxanne

5⭐️| this book gave me everything I’ve wanted !!! I’m so freaking excited for the next one and I still stand by my previous statement: MORE ROXLIE SCENES 😭😭 the ones in here were SO GOOD. I love tom and phoenix

[Tima · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let me start off by saying that if it weren’t for Charlie Keating Cobalt, I would’ve stopped reading this series at Some Kind of Perfect because I simply don’t….. care about anyone else all that much. He’s carrying this series on his mfing BACK, and I’m here to help him hold the weight okay 😭 I don’t care how mean he gets, how cruel he can be, he’s always going to be my favorite character in this whole made up universe right next to Loren hale. No apologies or excuses fabricated.

I’ll start off with what I enjoyed. Tom and phoenix’s heated back and forth in the first quarter of this book was hilaaaaarious. They were so quick with the comebacks, I loved reading that. Tom’s point of view is an absolute delight. He’s so funny and very very hard to hate. Being in his head is a good time, it’s like living in that one meme where everything is sunshine and rainbows.

I know I said I loved Tom and phoenix’s banter at the start, but once they started liking eachother I just… lost interest. I didn’t care about their romance or one on one interactions with eachother. It wasn’t bad I just was not into it. And I skipped all the spice in this book because good god it was bad. I think this is an issue I have with all of kbr’s spice though. I’ve just never enjoyed the way they write it, I grimace every single time.

I enjoy reading about Beckett and Eliot, but not to the point where I’m anticipating their appearance on page. I could do without them. Charlie though? You would think I’m reading his book with the way I’m only thinking of him when I read. He’s just everything to me.

Now Charlie has many fans but a lot of readers also hate him. He’s mean, blunt, cruel, nasty, sharp. All that and more. But if you understand his character then you understand that he is a masochist. He’s venomous with the intention of being bitten right back. the whole point is he’s trying to provoke people into hurting him back and ten times harder. For him, pain is a good distraction from his mind. He utilizes it as a coping mechanism. Of course, it’s not an excuse to be rude, but that’s the explanation. I’ll always love the mean characters. I just naturally gravitate toward them even though I don’t personally relate to them, because I’m not like that myself. But that doesn’t mean I don’t understand them because I do, sooooo much. Charlie is either a character you love or hate, no in between. Me personally I’ve been a fan since the start and I don’t caaaaare.

This book gives readers a glimpse into Birdie’s personality, who is Audrey’s love interest. All I’ll say is, these two are verrrrrrrry different. It’s not even a case of opposites attract, more so me wondering exactly hoooow… it’s going to work? They’re from two different worlds lol. And I don’t know if I like the idea of them together… I guess I wasn’t expecting someone like birdie for Audrey, at all.

Also Audrey constantly talking like a Victorian child babe come on 😭 you grew up in Philly why are you talking like a posh Brit. I can’t take it serious lol. She’s sweet though, and I felt sad for her when she said she’s lonely. You know Doja cat in agora hills when she says “it’s so lonely in my mansion” that’s Audrey in this book looooooool. Also this girl graduated highschool early but her romance plot is going to revolve around her needing a tutor and that tutor being birdie? Why would an early highschool graduate need a tutor?? I guess I’ll see how that pans out in their book…

Now all in all, if you’re a great fan of the cobalts and Tom, I think you’ll love this. The writing is actually good, nothing like the like us series (which was bad bad BAD). If you like rockstars that go on tour, you’ll love this.

Me personally, I’m too attached to Charlie to ever quit this series. I’ve gotta see every book through for him and Roxanne (his love interest) who I also think is soooo cute. I can’t wait for more cameos of her. She only had one scene but it delivered. And I can’t wait to see what dynamic her and Charlie develop 👀 I know it’ll be good.

[Larareads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for an ALC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly, Krista and Becca Ritchie can do no wrong amd this book is just another reason why I love everything they write. So so good!

Phoenix might actually be my favorite MMC from all their series! He is kind and protective, but also so so jealous and he is perfect for Tom. The way he fell fast and hard for Tom was perfect.
Tom just made me want to fight for what I want so much harder and I loved him.
The way kbr writes family dynamics is perfection! I loved every single cameo and every single crumb that we got for the future books.

After the Sneak Peak of Loathed Love I'm so so excited and cannot wait to read it.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series sooo much and absolutely adored Tom and Phoenix's story. I literally never want to leave the Coballoway Universe.

Tom Carraway Cobalt is the fifth Cobalt sibling and his whole book is about going after his dreams and refusing to settle for less. While he and Elliot have been the troublemakers of the Cobalts, in his own book, he is so much more. He is so serious about his pursuit of music, as well as being a present brother and someone who wants that true, love-song-worthy romance. Then Phoenix just meets Tom where he is in every sense of the word. Phoenix is the first person who gives as much as Tom does for the band and understands how important family is. Phoenix has a close relationship with his brother, Birdie, just like Tom does with the rest of the Empire. The chemistry, banter, and tension between the pair delivered, with many notable moments as they wrote and toured their first album.

The Cobalt family bond really shined in Silver Sweet, especially after the events of Burn Bright. I like how the authors keep the story going with plot lines that weren't entirely wrapped up in the previous book with Ben and Harriet. We got even more information about some of the future romances and Silver Sweet perfectly set up Audrey and Birdie's upcoming book. I am super excited for that, but also, just give me Charlie's book, please.

[Luce · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Cobalt Empire is exactly what I wanted their Like Us series to be.

I love that we're getting each siblings story, I love that they're all under one roof and I love their shenanigans!

But we're all just waiting for Charlie's book, right...

And I can't say I'm too excited for book 3, Audrey's book. I really hope her character development is top tier because if she stays as she is, book 3 is going to be painful.

Series Ranking:
1. Burn Bright (Book 1) - 4 stars
2. Silver Sweet (Book 2) - 4 stars

[zil · Rating 4 out of 5]

charlie keating cobalt u’ll always be famous.

[m · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

🎸
Silver Sweet was my most anticipated book of the year and I am SO glad to say it met all my expectations. Stcobalt aka Tom + Phoenix literally stole the show. KBR wrote Silver Sweet with so much care and love because not only were their banter and chemistry OFF THE CHARTS, but I could feel Tom and Phoenix’s love for music and achieving their goals seeping throughout the entire book. I loved how passionate they both were about what they wanted and how much that came through in their story.

Another standout for me was the St. Pierre brothers’ relationship because omfg they were SO caring toward each other 😭 I loved their dynamic so much. And I cannot wait for Birdie in the next book with the princess of the Cobalt Empire!!!!
----

TOMPHOENIX I WON!! Literally my most anticipated book of the year they are going to be so good AUGUST 4th CONE QUICK

I have been awaiting this series forever.

so excited !!!!

[Vita (Booksdramaqueen) · Rating 5 out of 5]

​I have been following Krista and Becca Ritchie for over two and a half years now, and I always look forward to their every release with great anticipation.
​The universe and the characters created by these authors, in fact, have now become an integral and fundamental part of my life, and every time I read one of their books, I cannot help but feel at home.

​"Silver Sweet" is the second volume of the "Cobalt Empire" series and features Tom, one of the youngest members of the family, as the protagonist.

​Tom has always been my favorite Cobalt. I don't know if reading the upcoming volumes someone else will take his place (something tells me Eliot and Beckett might), but "Silver Sweet" has been, at least until today, the title in the series I was most anxious to read.

​Ever since the "Like Us" series, Tom gave me the impression of having a huge heart, and his comments always amused me so much, but I knew that deep down, he hid some vulnerabilities too. In "Silver Sweet," what comes to light is not just his dreamer's soul, but also the massive affection he feels for his family, the crisis he is thrown into by the mere thought of being alone, and the fear of not being enough for his siblings.

​I appreciated every side of him; I found him wonderful. His quirky reasoning not only made me laugh from the heart, but it also reminded me of Moffy, making me feel a certain nostalgia.

​Phoenix was a revelation. He is a character who on the surface might seem antisocial, but who in reality always cares about the people around him. Phoenix not only loves his brother to pieces, but he takes care of Tom from the very first moment and, when he meets the rest of the Cobalts, he is ready to rush to their aid as well.

​The relationship between Tom and Phoenix is characterized from the beginning by a strong physical attraction that the two are determined to resist so as not to destroy the band. Obviously, however, spending so much time together writing songs and creating new melodies inevitably leads them to open up to each other, sharing not only life stories but also very emotional moments.

​The interactions between Tom and Phoenix, the nights spent in each other's apartments, were one of the things I loved most about this book. Tom deserved this kind of love, and I am truly happy he managed to find it.

​As usual, when speaking of a work by Krista and Becca Ritchie, you simply cannot leave out the relationship between siblings, and in "Silver Sweet" as well, the Cobalts proved they love each other unconditionally. I think the one who surprised me most of all was Beckett, who really took on the role of the "older brother" in this volume. I found his moments with Tom uniquely delicate, and I truly cannot wait to read his book.

​Phoenix and Birdie made me emotional too, and knowing that the latter will be the protagonist of the next volume makes me really happy, precisely because I need to see them interact again.

​A special mention also goes to Audrey, who was fantastic in this book.

​In conclusion, "Silver Sweet" is a novel that meant so much to me. It made me laugh, cry, and feel emotions I wouldn't even know how to describe. I won't deny that I missed the Hales and the Meadowses a little, but I realize that by now the characters are truly so many, and I hope we will still get a chance to see them again in one of the upcoming volumes.
​I hope the months separating us from Loathed Love pass quickly.

​Thank you to Valentine PR, Krista Ritchie, Becca Ritchie, and the publisher for sending me an advance digital copy of the book.

Recensione in italiano:

Ormai sono più di due anni e mezzo che seguo Krista e Becca Ritchie e aspetto sempre con trepidazione ogni loro uscita.
L'universo e i personaggi creati da queste autrici, infatti, sono ormai una parte integrante e fondamentale della mia vita e ogni volta che leggo un loro libro non posso che sentirmi a casa.

"Silver Sweet" è il secondo volume della "Cobalt Empire" e ha per protagonista Tom, uno dei componenti più giovani della famiglia.
Tom ha un sogno, quello di portare la sua band, i Carraways, all'apice del successo. Peccato che non riesca proprio a trovare un batterista che soddisfi le sue aspettative.
Phoenix St. Pierre ha sempre lavorato con la musica, e da quando la sua band è implosa a causa sua ha deciso di accantonare la sua vocazione e di limitarsi a scrivere canzoni.
Sarà l'incontro con Tom, però, a fargli cambiare idea, perché se c'è qualcosa che conta davvero per Phoenix è proprio la musica e sa che i Carraways sono l'ultima possibilità che ha per tornare a sognare.

Tom è sempre stato il mio Cobalt preferito, non so se leggendo i prossimi volumi qualcun altro prenderà il suo posto (qualcosa mi dice che Eliot e Beckett potrebbero) ma "Silver Sweet" è stato, almeno fino ad oggi, il titolo della serie che ho atteso con più ansia.

Tom mi ha dato fin dai tempi della "Like Us" l'impressione di avere un cuore enorme e i suoi commenti mi hanno sempre divertita tantissimo, ma sapevo che in fondo anche lui nascondeva delle fragilità. In "Silver Sweet" a venir fuori non è solo il suo animo da sognatore, ma anche l'enorme affetto che prova per la sua famiglia, la crisi in cui lo getta il solo pensiero di stare da solo e la paura di non essere abbastanza per i suoi fratelli.

Ho apprezzato ogni lato di lui, l'ho trovato meraviglioso. I suoi ragionamenti deliranti non solo mi hanno fatta ridere di cuore, ma mi hanno anche ricordato Moffy, facendomi provare una certa nostalgia.

Phoenix è stato una scoperta. Si tratta di un personaggio che all'apparenza potrebbe sembrare poco socievole, ma che in realtà si preoccupa sempre delle persone che ha intorno. Phoenix non solo ama alla follia suo fratello, ma si prende cura di Tom fin dal primo momento e, quando conosce il resto dei Cobalt, è pronto a correre anche in loro aiuto.

La relazione tra Tom e Phoenix è caratterizzata fin dall'inizio da una forte attrazione fisica che i due sono decisi a contrastare pur di non distruggere la band. Ovviamente, però, passare tanto tempo insieme per scrivere canzoni e creare nuove melodie, li porta inevitabilmente ad aprirsi l'uno all'altro, condividendo non solo storie di vita, ma anche momenti molto emotivi.

Le interazioni tra Tom e Phoenix, le nottate passate nei rispettivi appartamenti, sono state una delle cose che ho amato di più di questo libro. Tom si meritava questo tipo d'amore e sono davvero felice che sia riuscito a trovarlo.

Come al solito, quando si parla di un'opera di Krista e Becca Ritchie, non si può proprio tralasciare il rapporto tra fratelli, e anche in "Silver Sweet" i Cobalt hanno dimostrato di amarsi in modo incondizionato. Credo che a sorprendermi più di tutti sia stato Beckett, che in questo volume ha proprio avuto il ruolo del "fratello maggiore". Ho trovato di una delicatezza unica i suoi momenti con Tom e non vedo davvero l'ora di leggere il suo libro.

Anche Phoenix e Birdie mi hanno fatta emozionare, e sapere che quest'ultimo sarà il protagonista del prossimo volume mi rende davvero felice, proprio perché ho bisogno di vederli interagire ancora.

Una menzione speciale va anche ad Audrey che in questo libro è stata fantastica.

In conclusione, "Silver Sweet" è un romanzo che per me ha significato tantissimo. Mi ha fatta ridere, piangere e provare emozioni che non saprei nemmeno descrivere. Non vi nego che mi sono un po' mancati gli Hale e i Meadows, ma mi rendo conto che i personaggi ormai sono davvero tantissimi, e mi auguro che avremo comunque modo di rivederli in qualcuno dei prossimi volumi.

Spero che i mesi che ci separano da Loathed Love passino in fretta.

Ringrazio Valentine PR, Krista Ritchie, Becca Ritchie e l'editore per avermi mandato una copia digitale del libro in anteprima.

[leyls · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so good Tom and Phoenix are so perfect their banter was everything and as someone who loves music this was such a fun read😭💜

It was so interesting and wholesome to see how tom sees his siblings(Ben had my heartbroken I want to give him a hug)Tom cares for him so much.I also can’t wait to see more of Phoenix and Birdie in loathed love!!

I was laughing at some of the things tom said he is so out of pocket I could never speak to my parents like that😭

(And I got appearances from some of my favorites😭😭)

[* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading a second-gen books always feels like coming home after a long stay in a hostel. I missed my family so much.

I’m absolutely in love with Tom after this book. He was never very high on my list before, but getting his POV was an absolute blast. I loved seeing his adorable, teddy-bear side and how effortlessly unserious he is even in his inner monologue. He’s so lovable, chaotic, and unintentionally hilarious. Ioveddd reading his inner monologue.

I needed some time to really understand Phoenix’s personality, but once I did, he grew on me. I absolutely loved how protective he was when it came to Tom. Tom needed someone who could love him with everything they had, without holding back, and Phoenix was exactly that person for him.
I also loved Phoenix and Birdie’s bond. And the way he could relate to Charlie and Beckett being protective of Tom as big brothers was so special to me.
But between Phoenix and Birdie, Birdie has my attention more 👀. I can't wait for his book.

Their banter was EVERYTHING. The constant teasing, playful jabs, and ridiculous arguments had me giggling the whole time. The way they could turn the most normal conversation into a full-blown comedy show was so fun to read.

I really loved that this book was less focused on the sibling dynamics compared to the first one and Tom and Phoenix's story took center stage was so good to read.
The Beckett and Leo's reveal was such a STEAL. I have so much questions and so excited for Beckett's book.

Phoenix, Jo and Harriet's wednesday dinner was such a wholesome inclusion. I loved their bond.

My only complaint is the pace felt a little off, and the physical attraction was too heavy from the start. I would have loved if they were emotionally attached first and then the physical attraction but overall I absolutely LOVE IT.

AND ALSO LOVED ALL THE CHARLIE'S CRUMBS. I PRACTICALLY LIVES FOR THAT MAN.

Charlie through Tom's pov was absolutely beautiful to read.

[Sofia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book made me want to see a fictional band live. Let’s add it to the list, after daisy jones and the six. Everything in this universe with these characters I will always eat up. Everything since addicted/calloway I have been obsessed with these books and Krista & Becca Ritchie just keep coming. The found family, brotherhood, romance, friendships, and so much more. I just love it. My favorite parts in these books about the Calloway sisters kids are always scenes where the parents appear or are mentioned 🥹 I absolutely loved every single scene with Rose & Connor in here! and!! Phoenix has heterochromia like me!! 🤭

[ilana · Rating 4 out of 5]

For someone who usually doesn’t like when music is involved in a book (especially when one of the main characters is the one making the music), I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved a book about TWO musicians. Tom and Phoenix essentially get thrown together after Tom’s bandmates leave, and the whole book is the two of them making music, falling for each other, holding back, and finally giving in. But of course, it has the classic Krista and Becca Ritchie writing style that pulls you in and doesn’t let go. When I tell you I couldn’t put this down once I started, I fully mean it. Tom and Phoenix’s genuine care for the other’s health (physical and mental) as well as their families was so so special to me. If I could read 500 more pages about all of these characters, I would in a heartbeat, I love them so much.

If you want two people who want the best for each other, put their own wants on the back burner when needed, and have such love and care, you need to pick up this series; only two books in and we are FULL of a million sweet and tender moments that I can’t stop thinking about.