Taking Care of You

by Stormi Reed

What do I do when the most popular, most handsome guy in school wants to be my friend?



For as long as I can remember, I’ve been shy and kept to myself. I’m used to being a wallflower, invisible.

Life sucks sometimes and high school sucks worse. My father doesn’t understand me and my mother hates me. All I have is my best friend and my goal to leave my small, poor neighborhood.

One night, after being dragged to yet another party, I notice Ethan, the most popular guy at school, looking lonely and detached. When he leaves, I don’t think, I simply follow him outside to…I don’t know, make sure he’s okay. He has tons of friends, but no one is there for him.

I expect him to brush me off, to distance himself from the queer kid. What I don’t expect is for him to want to be my friend.

That one action of following him outside transforms my life in ways I can’t begin to describe.

After he sees how cruel some of our classmates can be towards me, he steps up and promises to make my senior year enjoyable. How does he plan to do that? By pretending to be my boyfriend.

But what happens when the lines blur and I can’t keep my feelings to myself? Will those that don’t want to see us together drive us apart?



Taking Care of You is a MM high school, hurt/comfort, bi-awakening, fake dating, toxic ex’s romance with a smart, popular jock and the oblivious nerd he’s drawn to.

Genres: M M Romance, College, Friends To Lovers, Contemporary, LGBT, Slow Burn

340 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 22, 2025

Reviews

[Renae Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aww, this story is so heartfelt, moving, and completely innocent. Both main characters are intrinsically connected, care for one another, and watching them slowly fall for each other with a genuinely earnest friendship and later relationship is nothing short of magical.

Also, I love an oblivious main character like Jakoby. Ethan is clearly smitten with him, but due to his low self-esteem, he doesn't notice how patient and committed Ethan is in becoming a special, safe person he can lean on and trust. Overall, this is an endearing story that I could not get enough of, and I think it is such a nice breath of fresh air.

[peoniesandmm · Rating 5 out of 5]

PLEASE! I ate that up, I love this book so much 😭

[VicReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was such a cute read.

Ethan and Jakoby were the absolute sweetest. I had such a cheesy grin almost the entirety of the book. and the nickname Creep, somehow it worked and I loved it.


The things that Jakoby went through was so heartbreaking. I wanted to wrap him up in a big hug and never let him go.

[Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Better review to come when I’m not smiling like a loon but my gosh I enjoyed this book SO much.
I was expecting more steam as I adored her Fluffing book but once I started the first chapter? Hooked.
I’m so in love with the love story I just read. I loved seeing these two lovely boys come together, become friends and then become more. I loved the Creep nickname even after everyone snarked, saying it wasn’t his name 🤣
Although I wish Jakoby had a happier life, I’m glad RS took the path to show that not all queer kids grow up in a happy fairy tale as we all know. I’m glad however, that he found his found family through Crystal, then Ethan, his parents and their fellow friends, and finally his dad. I’m so glad that relationship was repaired and flourished. I’m honestly so thankful to Ethan’s parents for being so loving and giving him a family that fully accepted him.
I’m honestly just happy reading about Jakoby and Ethan. Their friendship was cute as heck and you could see Ethan wanting more but then backing off and how much he was honestly enjoying their fake relationship 🤣 I loved their first kiss. It was so cute.
I DID like that no one forgave the mom, and she became a cliff note. It’s fully okay for someone to go no contract after growing up in an abusive household and I’m glad Jako had his friends, his dad and his therapist helping him with it. Same with the big incident that changed his life. It was wonderful to see him go from where he started to surrounded by those who loved him.
I LOVED seeing the two epilogue chapters though! I’m so glad they got everything they both wished for and so did their friends and family.
I cannot WAIT for another book from this author!!

[Anouk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review:
I really liked this book! Although the book contains a few heavy topics, like child abuse, it was beautifully written. Jakoby and Ethan really complement each other and I loved the development of Jakoby. Because of his mother he likes being a wallflower and he doesn't think highly of himself, but Ethan helps him come out of his shell. I loved the way that was written.
Stormi Reed (the author) says this is a slow slow slow burn, but I have to say I disagree. When I think of a slowburn I think of a book where the characters get togheter like >70% in the book, but that was not the case. I think it was around 50% that Jakoby and Ethan kinda got togheter. Eventhough I don't think it was a slowburn, I do think the speed of the book was very natural for the characters. I wasn't to fast and it wasn't to slow.
My only point of critic for 'Taking care of you' would be that the ending is really fast paced, because something big happens right before the ending. I would have loved to have read the ending in a bit more detail. Escpecialy the development of Jakoby's relatenship with his father and Ethan's parents.

Tropes:
📚Nerd x Jock (but they're both really smart)
🐶Fake dating
📚First times
🐶Bi-awakening
📚Oblivious MC
🐶Slowish burn
📚Shy MC
🐶High school
📚Different social classes

⚠️Trigger warnings:
Violence from jealous ex
Hospital stay with serious injuries
Child abuse (verbal)
Child neglect
Homophobia
Bullying (from parent and other teens)

Favorite quotes:
❤️''He's my creep.''

🐶🥹Puppy dog eyes

💕''You are the first person I've ever kissed.'' ... 'The rest of your first belong to me.''

💕I feel like I have my other half in my arms. The person that's supposed to walk this life with me, side by side.

🐶''My little chihuahua.''

I received an ARC, but this is my honest opinion. Thank you to Gay Romance Reviews and Stormi Reed for the ARC.

[fortheloveofmmromancebooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jackoby Fisher does not like parties as they usually involve people getting drunk. He attends them with his best friend Crystal, as she wants to go. Having such an awful home life at the hands of his homophobic, alcoholic mother, she abuses his with her vitriol of words, he tries not to be at home.

Ethan King is the popular jock at school. In attendance at the same party as Koby, he finds himself taking to him. They have been aware of each other at school, but they find themselves having a connection.

Koby is wary of Ethans friendship, but he pretends to be his boyfriend so people will leave him alone. Ethan’s pet name for Koby is ‘creep’ which secretly Koby loves. Ethan realises that he likes Koby more than just friends, and the fake boyfriend becomes the real one.

I loved this gorgeous book written by Stormi Reed. The way Ethan just loves Koby is so sweet and tender, he has so much love to give. Koby wants to be loved and he lets Ethan in slowly.
I loved how caring and protective Ethan’s parents, Grace and Frank are towards Koby, giving him the parental love he needs. Crystal was such a brilliant best friend. Dawn was just a vile character and didn't deserve the friends she has.
This friends to lovers, fake boyfriend romance was so well written and has minor angst.

[Caroline Forrester · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

🎤 Hurt/Comfort
🥇 Shy Nerd/Popular Jock
🎤 Oblivious MC
🥇 Friends to Lovers
🎤 Fake Dating
🥇 Found Family
🎤 First Times
🥇 Pining

🖤 No third-act breakup
🩶 Jealous ex trying to break them up, but no such luck🤍 Strict

This was honestly so sweet! I’m normally unsure going into a book with characters still in high school but this truly warmed my heart. It has some explicit content (both 18) but it didn’t feel like too much. I was glad it wasn’t overdone because they were so young.

I love external drama and I love an evil ex-girlfriend. I know some people don’t like that trope in MM romance but I will eat it up every single time. Also, it was single POV and I loved that too. Something about an oblivious MC reads so well when we also don’t know for certain what’s going on in the other MC’s head.

Consuming the events all occurred during their senior year of high school, I was okay with the big exposition epilogue where he just described what happened because it made me smile.

[Mariansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two young boys meet, and they just are each other’s person! I love that! So much 💛 It’s a pretty low angst story, but there’s some heavy topics in here that hits me straight in the heart! So check your triggers!

I love that the author wrote this story, and how she wrote it with respect for their age. It comes off as very truthfully for me. The found family is present, and the friends group is just amazing and so supportive 💛

[Leilani Noack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow this book took me on an emotional ride. The way Koby was treated his mom and people around him treated him broke my heart. But when he met Ethan was so cute and I love that they got to be each others first in pretty much everything. But man this book was really good made me tear up a little. I’m glad they got a HEA tho.

[Saf · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5
really cute!! gave me wattpad vibes tho lol

[Crisana · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5* rounded up, but barely. The rubbish nickname and the OTT ex-gf put me off liking this book more.

[Cavak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly dancing between three or four stars. But I rounded up because there were sweet moments, and I appreciated that this wasn't a devastating story in the end.

What I liked is that the prose sucks you in a very casual way. Jakoby isn't a wordsmith, so he's blunt about his first-person impressions and observations. High school is a familiar vessel for YA romance, and it's summarized enough that we don't have to experience all of the hormones that come with our teenage years. And it helps that the narrative tries to navigate past that awkward stage of life with an ever-present goal for the future.

Despite some nasty homophobia and sexual abuse being present, the story angles to be positive while recognizing the disparities between class and self-esteem issues. It helps that the nasty is regulated to very specific characters, and it's given the negative light it deserves for conflict. Everything leads to a happy ending (and sex) too. So if you can endure the two hundred or so pages of Jakoby being in denial about his "friendship" with Ethan, rest assured that you'll be rewarded.

The reasons why I am somewhat tempted to rate this a little lower are probably "me reasons." I couldn't really see "creep" as an endearment like Jakoby did; it just continued to rub me the wrong way (especially into the epilogue). I also didn't quite buy Ethan's reasons for being attracted to Jakoby either, even if I found it pretty cute how quickly he grew attached to him. After they get together, I honestly think there wasn't much conflict for the last third of the story. It became an almost effortless joyride into adulthood. Almost.

Taking Care of You is very much a comfort read, and I'm fine with that. Life can be hard enough; why drag that drama into your fantasy escape too? Want to read a slow burn where the two boys obviously get together with low-stake angst? And stay together? Reed has got you set.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Demi Goddess Solis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes, you just need a comforting, predictable romance, and this absolutely fits that bill. This is your classic nerd/jock, fake-dating story, and if that's what you're in the mood for, it's a pretty satisfying read.

The story follows Jakoby, the academically-driven nerd from a tough background, and Ethan, the popular, kind-hearted jock with a picture-perfect family. Their worlds collide, and a sweet, slow-burn friendship begins. I really enjoyed watching their bond develop. It felt genuine, especially when Ethan defends Jakoby from a homophobic slur moment that solidifies their connection. The fake-dating trope is employed well here, set up to protect Jakoby by leveraging Ethan's popularity, and it naturally paves the way for a cute friends-to-lovers journey.

The expansion of their friend group as the story progresses was a highlight, adding warmth and a sense of found family, which becomes crucial for Jakoby. His home life is harsh, with a homophobic, alcoholic mother, and the contrast with Ethan's loving, supportive parents is stark. When Jakoby is kicked out, Ethan's family stepping in is the heartfelt, comforting resolution you hope for.

However, the book isn't without its flaws. The writing style did feel a bit "off" or unpolished at times, which occasionally took me out of the story. I also found that the pacing dragged in certain sections, making the middle feel a bit longer than necessary. And Ethan's ex-girlfriend? She was relentlessly annoying. While meant to be an antagonist, her classist remarks and inability to let go felt a bit one-dimensional.

Overall, Taking Care of You is like a fanfiction comfort read. It doesn't try to reinvent the wheel, and that's its charm. If you're looking for a heavy, groundbreaking novel, this isn't it. But if you want a story about two sweet boys finding love and building a chosen family against the odds, you'll likely enjoy this cute, cliché romance.

[Seraphina Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Taking Care of You
Stormi Reed

Koby & Ethan
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶

Both MC’s are V1rgins
Car giving
Hurt / Comfort
Fake relationship
Found family


So, I’m not crying, you’re crying!
Who is cutting onions here?

While this is an incredibly sweet, gentle and tender romance, what Koby goes through with his mom and some kids at school and Ethans ex as well, is awful and heartbreaking.

“I will always see you,” I say. “Because you saw me when no one else did.”

Ethan and Kolby have known each other for years, never really connecting, just skirting around each other until one night at a party, Kolby sees Ethan, and feels he looks lost, or alone and decided to follow him, in the not bad kind of way lol

Ethan brings Kolby home with him, and calling not Creep, affectionately, they forge a friendship, both of them taking care of eachother.

“You’re my creep,” he whispers. “I only want you.” He’s quiet for a beat, then pulls back and looks me in the eyes. “This is real to me. You’re my everything,”


Ethan suggests a fake relationship to help Creep with his last year of school. The relationship evolves slowly over time, both men falling for eachother.

“You are the first person I’ve ever kissed.” It’s hard to get the words out, but I force myself to continue being honest with him. He lets out a long breath. “Good.” He kisses my forehead. “The rest of your firsts belong to me.”

This was so sweet and tender, Ethan is so kind and patient with Kolby and everything he goes through with his mom. Ethans parents are incredible as well.

This was a beautiful romance story. Both men falling for eachother and being exactly what the other needs. I got teary eyed multiple times. This was lovely.

So thankful for this arc

[Naito Diamond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Taking Care of You is a sweet, slow-burn MM romance that leans into comfort and healing. Ethan, the seemingly perfect rich golden boy, becomes unexpectedly drawn to Jakoby, a poorer, guarded young man, and persistently but gently seeks friendship. What begins as quiet curiosity blossoms into a tender connection that feels warm and safe to read.

The story shines in its emotional contrasts. The cozy, supportive dynamic between Ethan and Jakoby is balanced by the harsher reality of Jakoby’s home life, where his mother’s verbal abuse adds just enough bite to keep the narrative grounded. Watching Jakoby gradually confront that pain and grow into his own sense of worth is deeply satisfying.

I actually appreciated Dawn’s role in the story. As Ethan’s ex, her sharp and unpleasant behavior mirrors the hostility Jakoby faces at home, creating an intentional layer of spite that heightens the emotional stakes. That contrast makes Ethan’s kindness stand out even more and reinforces the theme of healing from toxic influences.

Overall, this is a warm yet emotionally layered slow-burn romance about patience, kindness, and overcoming the wounds left by family and past relationships.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a beautiful yet emotional story. Make sure to check the trigger warnings, as there are some heavy topics.

My heart truly broke for Jakoby, he had to deal with things that no one should have to. To outsiders Ethan was the popular football player with a ton of friends. But nothing is what it seems.

Jakoby followed Ethan out of a party one night to make sure he was ok. After a walk home to Ethan’s, Jakoby stays the night and from that point the two become fast friends and spend a lot of time together. I loved watching their friendship blossom, it was beautiful.

But when they became more? I was literally kicking my feet because I was so happy. Koby deserved the world and Ethan wanted to give that to him. They were so protective over one another, it was adorable.

And their friends? Top notch. I loved how they all rooted for Koby and Ethan.

I read the epilogue with tears in my eyes. It just made my heart so happy.

I received a copy from the author and am voluntarily sharing my honest opinion.

[Betty Loves Books Galore · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an opposites attract romance, featuring Jakoby and Ethan, and is a standalone book.

Jakoby has always felt invisible, until one night the most popular boy at school actually notices him. Despite his mother’s cruelty and doubts about his worth, he can’t help wanting to care for Ethan and hopes Ethan will let him in.

This was such a gentle, sweet, tender and emotional story. Jakoby’s vulnerability pulled me in right away, his struggle with feeling invisible, dealing with a toxic home life, and still holding onto the hope of love felt so raw and real. Ethan noticing him was like a spark in the dark, and I loved how their connection grew. It’s a story about wanting to be seen, to be loved, and to finally believe you deserve it. I loved it!

Things to expect in this book are:
Standalone book
MM romance
Check CW
High school
Opposites attract
Size difference
Nerd x jock
Shy-oblivious MC
Light stalking
Hurt / Comfort
Horrible parent
Homophobia
Fake dating to real
Non-date date
First times
Bit of spice
Jealous ex drama
Calls him my creep
HEA

[Karen T · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book — it was such a beautifully written, emotional story. Jakoby and Ethan completely captured my heart. Jakoby’s quiet strength and vulnerability were so moving, especially as he navigated feeling invisible, unloved and mistreated at home. And Ethan, the popular guy who truly sees him, brings such warmth and patience into his life.

Their friendship, and eventual romance, felt so genuine and tender. I loved watching their bond deepen, how protective they became of one another, and how much they just wanted the best for each other. It’s the kind of opposites attract story that feels real and hopeful.

The side characters, especially their friends and Ethan’s family, added even more heart to the story — it was so sweet to see how supportive everyone was. There were definitely moments that brought tears to my eyes, but also so many that made me smile.

This is a lovely, emotional read about being seen, being loved, and finally believing you deserve happiness. I absolutely loved it.

[Traci S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you for the book, here is my honest opinion:
4.5⭐️Gosh, these two were sweet together. I really loved how easily and naturally the relationship between Ethan and Jakoby developed, the author really captured the feeling of an epic first love. I also love a nerd jock romance and this one is a standout, I especially love that the jock (Ethan) doesn’t need a redemption arc, Ethan is lovely the whole way through. The side characters are exceptional, and I liked that they felt like authentic teens, and it portrayed some excellent friendships. There is an evil ex and a terrible mother, devices which I generally dislike, but here we got villains who actually serve the story. There are plenty of big, fluffy feelings in Koby and Ethan’s story, some drama, an absolutely silly number of forehead kisses, and a really beautiful HEA for two of the loviest characters I have come across in a while.

[L H · Rating 4 out of 5]

A socially awkward nerd who is crushing on the hunky jock who he watches and is concerned about. Koby has been looking at Ethan for a while and he has no illusions that anything can happen there. Ethan is straight after all. And then they have a chance to get to know one another after leaving a party - Koby follows Ethan because he senses that something is off and he checks on him. This leads to the formation of a friendship that becomes more when Ethan offers to be Koby's boyfriend as a protective mechanism. Koby is just trying to hang in there until he can get away and go elsewhere. Being together leads to more for these guys as feelings grow. They are so sweet together but not everyone agrees that that is the case and their love is tested in a really scary way. It was so cool that they survive - literally - and they build something lasting with those who want to support them.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was just magic all around.

The main characters have an insane chemistry, and you can feel it from the get go. The jock is not what it seems, but the nerd is 😂, and the petname Creep, while not so nice in the begining, souns sooo sweet when is possesive "My creep. You're bot allowed to use it". Also I enhoyed SO DAMN MUCH the fact that the main ( bi/pan/? ) character didn't stray from his words, and never freaked out.

Real family? Hate the mom, the dad can be forgiven even though he was a bit blind.

Found family? Chef's kiss

Real friends? Amazing

And yeah even though the story was sweet, it also had homofobic elements, slurs and people being mean.

Warning: car crash willingly

[laura cabezas · Rating 4 out of 5]

ethan & jakoby- 4 stars 🤍 this was so sweet and just what i needed!! i loveeee a good jock x nerd romance and this ticked a lot of boxes. i loved growing with our characters , it was so nice to see how they changed from the beginning of the book to the end. ethan was the cutest swooniest protector and jakoby was in his way a protector as well (and also a cutie) they really did match so well, needing each other at the time they met.
the way the romance progressed was cute too, it’s a slight slow burn to a real romance (there’s fake dating in this) but the timeline definitely worked, the first kiss was well worth the wait. i also loved our side troop of characters! no over meddling side characters just nice friends i was also rooting for.
epilogues were hella cute too. enjoyed this one a lot!
I received a copy of this story from the author and am voluntarily leaving a review :)

[Jana Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is like a warm blanket on a cold day - perfect to cuddle up with and not move for hours. If you’re looking for a wholesome high school romance with lots of heart and a splash of spice, look no further.

Jakoby and Ethan are an inevitable pairing; eyeing each other from afar until they come together in a satisfying slow burn. The title gives indication to this super sweet hurt/comfort story with an air of drama. Peep the lovely cast of friends featured as well.

A few things to expect from Taking Care of You:
- opposites attract (nerd / jock)
- fake-ish dating
- found family
- gentle love
- unconventional pet names

Thank you to the author and to Gay Romance Reviews for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!

[Michele (_LivesBtweenPgs_) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before starting this one please please check the triggers!

While this was a very fluffy book it wasn't too. The things that Jakoby goes through are the worst and no one should be subjected to that at all ever.
This book is full of sweetness and I could not be happier with how it ended. Adorable.
There is of course the rough parts but it wouldn't be Jakoby and Ethan if they didn't get through it together.
These boys are so incredibly sweet and just everything.
Jakoby needed his own village and he found it where he least expected it, with Ethan.

Dawn totally deserves everything she gets coming to her.

[Saskia Veldhuis · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. A beautifully written story that left me feeling quite warm and fuzzy despite the inclusion of some heavier themes. Jakoby lived in an appalling home, but despite that, he remained very caring for others, even checking in on Ethan (popular jock) to be sure he was ok before they became friends. Ethan and Jakoby together were really sweet as they were so protective and supportive of each other throughout. I did struggle with the nickname "creep:, although as the characters didn't... The friend group was very appealing, and the epilogues were very special.

[Mir Jak · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one.....I did enjoy it - very much the hurt/comfort vibe and really really slow burn. I loved how Jakoby took that chance ..... but he's also very clueless, it's sooo adorable !! Ethan - yes, he's the jock but also a gentle giant, marshmallow even. Plenty of angst in this one, and please check the TW's. I do like how each MC was there for each other and helping them with their issues. The only thing for me...that nickname.....just bugged me !! but that really was the only thing - overall, a really good book.

[Belinda Zamora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jock/nerd, fake dating

Sweet Koby broke my heart.
His treatment by those who were supposed to love and protect him was horrible.
Ethan is really crushing on him, but Koby's just so oblivious to it because of his low self-esteem issues.
When Koby ends up helping Ethan and they begin fake dating, they first develop a friendship that quickly blurs the lines and becomes so much more.
I loved how protective of each other they were and how Ethan's family immediately unfolds him and becomes his family too.

[Ronald Hopkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sugary sweet story

I just want to say i was waiting for the toxic/ negative shoe to drop from the moment the formed a relationship especially in the way things formed and I'm pleasantly surprised that it did not Happen thank you for writing a beautiful story about connections that formed slowly and still giving the characters issues that mattered. I really found myself happy that Jakoby, who i saw myself in, got the story he deserved. Loved the community around them and how they didn't diminish each other's shine.

[Danni Crass · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advanced reader copy.

This was a beautiful love story. While it was a slight slow burn, I still enjoyed reading it and found it hard to put down. There was a small miscommunication but it was adorable and did not cause any harm. The way they come together is romantic and squeezes my heart. I love how they supported each other and their friends they surrounded themselves with. It's a lighter read than I am used too but it was refreshing and did not disappoint.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a beautiful story. I couldn’t put it down, I’m pretty sure I stayed up until will after midnight reading bc it sucked me in. Ethan and Koby are #relationshipgoals. I love how protective and caring they are of one another. I laughed, I cried, and I aww’d. Everything about this book had my entire heart clenching in one way or another. I absolutely loved it!!!!

I received this book as an ARC and these are my honest opinions.