Tender

The Beginning of Always #4

by E.M. Lindsey

There Miles stood…

Relationship over.
No car.
No place to live.
And no hope for his future.

And then a gorgeous, avenging angel appears. And not just any angel. The father of his ex-girlfriend. But it can't mean what Miles wants it to mean, right? After all, Emmett is married to an equally gorgeous a pediatric cardiac surgeon with abs of steel and a glare that could melt diamonds.

There isn't a chance in hell Miles is getting involved with them. Not even when Emmett and Cosimo take him in. Not even when they start flirting.

Not even when he starts realizing their relationship dynamic is not what he thought it was.

Emmett and Cosimo are the actual dream. A fantasy he conjured up once when he was lonely and not sure anyone was going to want him for who he was. But the more he gets to know the pair, the more he starts to have hope.

And hope is a dangerous thing.

As Miles starts to crack and he feels himself start giving in to their attention, he realizes that his own salvation might come at the hands of sharp tongues, tender hands, and the promise of an absolute happily ever after.

Tender is the fourth and final book of the Beginning of Always series. It features a sunshine nerdy scientist with needs he keeps to himself, a grumpy surgeon who just wants the people he loves to be happy, a nervous, deaf grad student who isn’t used to getting what he wants, falling for your ex’s dads, power dynamics, high spice, high swoon, and a triple happily ever after.

Genres: M M Romance, M M M, Transgender, Romance, Polyamory, BDSM, Queer

254 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 22, 2025

About the author

E.M. Lindsey is the author of MM contemporary romance. She presently lives and works in the southeastern United States.

EM Lindsey also writes MM Paranormal Romance under the pseudonym Ariel Millar.

Reviews

[Ditte · Rating 3 out of 5]

Last year, I read the short After that this book's based on and thought it had potential so I was excited when I heard it was to be turned into a full book. Sadly, Tender didn't deliver what I'd hoped for.

About 80% ish of the book is the same as the short but fleshed out with multiple POVs. I guess I didn't realize it would be basically the same thing with only the last part covering things I hadn't read previously. That could've been an misunderstanding on my part though.

However, I had trouble caring about this relationship, it didn't feel equal and I wanted more build up. There was a weird sort of insta love happening between the older married men and their daughter's ex, and the humiliation kink didn't work for me. I still like the premise and some of the scenes were good but I didn't feel overly invested at any point.

As always with EM Lindsey, this book had excellent diversity. The daddy/dom is trans, and the daughter's ex is deaf and wears cochlear implants.

On a shallower note, I also don't like this cover and thought the one for After was prettier lol.

[Lady Macbeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
I'm so glad E.M. Lindsey decided to give Miles his own HEA because, oh boy, didn't he deserve it!
He, Juno and Oliver are wonderful and amazing man and this series has been a beautiful read.

Miles grew up in foster care and nobody took care of him: he's touch starved and emotionally neglected, his awful girlfriend has been nothing but abusive towards him.
But luckily Cosimo and Emmett, his ex's dads, disgusted by their daughter's behaviour and feeling sorry for Miles, decide to help him and giving him a place to stay for a bit and sort out his situation.

Cosimo and Emmett have been together for a long time: Cosimo is a pediatric heart surgeon with a stressful job, while Emmett works in Tech. They've been trying to add a third in their marriage for a while, but nobody ever seem perfect for them. Until Miles.

I'm not going to address the kinks of this story because I don't like them and it would be unfair to the author to low rate this book, since I already knew about them when I got the ARC.

What didn't really work for me and prevented me from giving a higher rate was Cosimo and Emmett dynamic: it seemed too unbalanced toward Cosimo's needs, while Emmett's weren't met to the point that Emmett strongly needed another man to cherish and take care of. In this regard Miles and Emmett are so very good together and their relationship is loving and tender.

And while the last two sex scenes were amazing and emotional and they made me see the tree men like a real unity, the issue remained outside the bedroom: I struggled to see Cosimo and Miles' connection, it was more of a V relationship with Emmett as the hinge partner and the other two as metamours.

Anyway, it was a good read, especially because I really needed to see that Miles, too, was finally loved.

I received an ARC of this book from the author and this is my honest review.

[Showarst · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tender by E.M. Lindsey is book 4 in the Beginning of Always series. I read this as a short story a while ago and I remembered loving it then. I desperately wanted the author to expand upon and give us the full story and it lived up to my expectations. Miles is being abused by his girlfriend, Selena. While meeting her fathers, it comes to a head and Miles leaves her. Her fathers end up taking him in and their relationship develops from there. Miles was such a sweetheart and just could not catch a break. Selena treated him so poorly it felt pretty awful to even read about. I cannot imagine actually living it. When Emmett and Cosimo take him in, it’s the first time that he’s been treated kindly and taken care of. Broke my heart. I loved the dynamic that these three presented (and that says a lot since polyamory is not my preference). With the expanded edition, I feel like we got to see the three sides more clearly and I loved them even more. I know that I will be reading this again in the future just to take in how Miles found the love and acceptance he had been seeking.

I received an ARC from the author for my honest review

[369Pages · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️
I started reading this book, and was so confused because I was sure I’d read it before. But it came out this August! Then I realized that this is an extended version of EM Lindsey’s novella “After,” which I read last year.

Miles is a down on his luck PhD student with an abusive (soon to be) ex girlfriend. When her dads take him in after their breakup, he soon learns their dynamic isn’t what he expected, and that he might just find a place to fit between them.

This book has a really awesome diverse cast, with Miles being deaf, and Emmett, one of the older MCs, being a trans man and a Daddy. Loved this unique dynamic with the characters.

I once again must insist that I loved book 1 in this series so much, mostly due to the chemistry between characters and emotional moments. This book, however, didn’t hit quite the same way for me. The ex gf / daughter (Selene) was comically insufferable, which just had me annoyed starting from the beginning. It doesn’t set a great tone for the rest of the book, unfortunately. Though I loved the diversity with the MCs, and their dynamic is interesting, it felt less emotional. Sometimes the way the characters were described was a little confusing at the beginning, and it took me a minute to wrap my head around what their situation was.

Do I think this longer version added a lot to the original novella? Not really. I think it was just fine as a novella. However, if you haven’t read the novella, then you should just read this book instead! Better to get more details the first time :)

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

4 stars

Tender is the fourth and final novel in E.M. Lindsey’s The Beginning of Always series. It originally started as a short story, but has been expanded into a full novel. While the book connects with Halo and Sugar in that Miles, Oliver, and Juno are good friends who grew up together in the foster system, the story stands alone fine. This book actually overlaps somewhat with the timeline for Sugar, so it’s not necessary to be familiar with that story aside from mentions of the friendship.

I have been eager for Miles’ story and I really loved the connection among all three men. Tender ties things up nicely for the series and I have found these books really enjoyable.

Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.

[The Secret Librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3
Steam: 3
PoV: multiple, 3rd person
Genre: contemporary romance, MMM
Tropes / tags: ex's dads, hurt / comfort, kink

Miles really made my heart ache with his vulnerability and I was very excited to get the extended version of his story!

I enjoyed the short story After when I read it, and I wanted so badly for Miles to get the happily ever after that he deserved. Sadly Tender fell a little short of my expectations - there were fleshed out PoV's and of course added content, but overall the romance between all three men still felt somewhat underdeveloped and rushed.

Miles was going through a lot, and while Emmett and Cosimo both made it clear that there was no conditions to him staying with them, I would have liked a slower pace. There was some insta-lust / attraction going on, and sometimes the relationships felt a little rushed. Emmett and Cosimo were very solid as a couple, and I could see Miles fitting in with them as well, as they all brought different aspects into the relationships.

Miles desperately needed some tenderness in his life, and I liked that he had a soft place to land after everything. He was the kind of character that tugged hard at my heartstrings, and I just wanted to wrap him up in a blanket and keep him safe. I liked him with Emmett, their Daddy / boy dynamic was sweet and exactly what Miles needed.

While I loved seeing Miles getting his happily ever after, Tender wasn't entirely what I had hoped for. I would have loved to see more relationship development, especially between Cosimo and Miles, and see things build more organically between them. The diversity was amazing as always though, and I loved the portrayal of Emmett!

-
I received an advanced copy of this book, and these are my honest thoughts and opinions.

[AnotherRomanceReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book Name/Series: Tender (The Beginning of Always #4)
Author: E.M. Lindsey
Standalone?: Can be read as a standalone, but includes characters from other books.

2.5 Stars

My Opinion: This is an MMM romance. I have mixed feelings about this book unfortunately. I really liked Miles’s and Emmett’s relationship, but I felt like the relationship between Miles and Cosimo felt underdeveloped or like an afterthought.

Emmett and Cosimo’s relationship was layered and complex. Their love for each other was clear, and it was moving to see how committed Emmett was to meeting Cosimo’s needs for degradation and humiliation in the bedroom. At the same time, I sometimes struggled with those scenes because they felt so at odds with the softer, nurturing side of Emmett that the book emphasised elsewhere. It occasionally seemed as though Emmett engaged in that part of their dynamic more for Cosimo’s sake than from his own desires. In contrast, Emmett’s relationship with Miles highlighted how much he craved a caregiving, daddy dynamic which was something that complimented rather than conflicted with his nature. I do want to make it clear that this in no way a criticism of degradation kink or of anyone who enjoys that dynamic.

I also wasn’t a fan of the apology from Miles’s ex who is also Emmett and Cosimo’s daughter. Miles is the one she apologises to, but we only hear the tail end of it and it’s from Cosimo’s point of view which I thought was a strange choice. It made it hard to judge the sincerity of the apology and left the scene feeling unsatisfying. I did like that Miles set boundaries when it came to his potential future dealings with her.

Hero 1: 4/5. Miles is a PhD student studying ancient history, and a deaf non-signing Cochlear Implant user. He was the boyfriend of Emmett’s and Cosimo’s daughter, but he breaks up with her in the beginning of the book. He was quite a shy and at times insecure person, and because of his past he also struggled with abandonment issues. I really felt for him and his reaction to receiving love and affection was just heartbreaking.
Hero 2: 4/5. Emmett works at a university as a scientist. He is a transgender man and is Cosimo’s dom and eventually Miles’s daddy. He was such a kind and nurturing person, and I absolutely loved how much of a caretaker he was. He did stumble occasionally, mostly when it came to not always communicating effectively with Miles.
Hero 3: 2/5. Cosimo works as a paediatric cardiac surgeon who enjoys being degraded and humiliated during sex. I never really connected with him and at times he seemed more like a secondary character than a main character to me, which made it harder to invest in his involvement in the story, especially his relationship to Miles.

POV: 1st person POV (Miles, Emmett and Cosimo).

Push/Pull: Cosimo pulls away a little bit at one point, but Emmett talks to him about it and he gets over it. It’s not because he isn’t interested or doesn’t have feelings for Miles though.

Sadness: 1/5. Miles has had a rough childhood with being taken away from his mother when he was really young, and then after a couple of years with his grandparents, he gets put into foster care but never adopted.

Explicit Sex and Spice Level: Yes. 3/5.

OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) Drama: Yes. Miles is with Emmett’s and Cosmimo’s daughter at the beginning of the book. She abuses him emotionally and cheats on him as well. Miles breaks up with her and Emmett and Cosimo cut her off.

Separation: No. Once they get together, they stay together.

Cheating: No.

Closure/Ending: HEA. There’s not really an epilogue which was a bit disappointing.

Possible Triggers: Emotional abuse.

[J.E. Benoit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miles was something special, and he was determined to see if they could finally have the missing piece in their almost completed puzzle.

I was so glad to see that what was once the short story, After, had been turned into a full-length novel! I read After last year and enjoyed it, but felt like it would benefit from getting all three men’s POVs because the dynamic between them was very interesting and complex, and it was kind of jarring to just be thrown into it during the short version of this story. I thought this expanded version of Miles, Emmett, and Cosimo’s story did a great job of explaining what each man needed and how they were able to get that from the other two.

The story ended up being much more of a slow burn than I expected based on the short story. But I’m glad it was. I appreciated getting a chance to understand the dynamics and needs of the characters before diving into the kinky stuff. BDSM, humiliation, and Daddy kink may not be my thing, but I understood why it worked for these guys. Cosimo had very specific needs that, over the years, Emmett had gotten used to fulfilling for him. But, there were things that Emmett needed, like being able to care for and dote on someone, that Cosimo was not great at giving. When they meet Miles, it’s as if he were the perfect puzzle piece they had been waiting for. Miles, who was used to being abandoned and treated poorly, secretly longed for someone to care for him and keep him. Which was a perfect match for what Emmett had to give. But I also enjoyed seeing them figure out what that meant for Miles and Cosimo and what they would ultimately be to each other. There was a lot of great communication throughout, and even when there were missteps, they would come together to talk about it. This was critical to making an arrangement like theirs work.

“You make sense Miles. You make a lot of sense here. And I can’t tell you how glad I am that you didn’t run.”

The whole Selene aspect was also interesting. She was a monster, and I had forgotten just how badly she treated Miles. I remember when I read After being confused how someone as awful as her came from people as decent as Emmett and Cosimo. I felt bad for the two of them as they wondered how things went so wrong, but I applauded their actions. Tough love isn’t easy, but sometimes it’s the only thing that works. Being that Miles was Selene’s ex added an interesting wrinkle to the dynamic, but I’m glad it didn’t cause too much trouble for them.

Anyway, I’m glad this story was expanded. I really enjoyed it, and I am glad that sweet Miles finally found not one, but two, people to love and care for him the way he deserves!

They could have lived like that the rest of their lives and never known that there was a piece missing.
Except now they had it. They had him.
And it was absolutely, completely, and utterly perfect.

[Carmen · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a rare miss for me.
Despite the one character's emphasis on "being ethical" and "consent", there is absolutely no way for this relationship to establish itself ethically in the time frame presented. The man was both emotionally and financially abused then immediately goes into the house of the parents of the person who was abusing him. He has no way to leave said house or money to do so. Those parents then start hitting on him after like a week and showering him with gifts in manner similar to love bombing? No, just no.
At one point, the spoiled abuser calls whining about having a bench warrant and her suspended license, and then it never mentioned again. Not even in the very next follow conversation when she talked about leaving the country or demands the car keys. Not even a "hey it will look like you are fleeing the country" or "you know you aren't allowed to drive".
Author goes out of their way to make the abuser as shitty as possible so we do not feel weird about her dads stealing Miles, but I am not sure all the implications were thought through. Also, her apology feels completely unearned because she goes from being a complete demon to apologizing without us being provided any sort of work behind that apology. No evidence of consequences or therapy. Just one of the dads walking in on an apology phone call. Maybe that conversation should have been from Miles POV so we at least hear her acknowledge things and what she was doing to atone?
This had potential, if say, the parents weren't related to the abuser. If say instead, they were parents of a friend who was gone for the summer so that friend couldn't help but they rescued him from his terrible GF while she was berating him in public after running into them a time or two. They could even still have the deaf child so they know ASL. Just don't make the abuser their child. Even without the abuse, the parents immediately latching onto their child's ex partner is so gross. I've seen the "dating my kid's ex" thing work exactly once, and it was set years apart from the break up of that relationship, and they'd barely even met.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Relationship a bit lopsided

I loved the other four stories and couples in this series and I was looking forward to Miles getting his HEA. I felt for Miles whenever he appeared previously, especially when we saw his appalling girlfriend. The relationship was toxic and he deserved so much more. Tender is not what I expected but at least he ended up happy.
Emmett and Cosimo, his girlfriend's parents, had an odd dynamic. They truly loved each other but Cosimo got far more from Emmett than he was capable of giving back and it felt unfair. Also, Emmett felt like a rounded character where Cosimo was didn't really reveal much about himself at all.
Emmett and Cosimo were both very intelligent men with incredibly demanding jobs but oh boy, were they stupid when it came to their daughter, Selene. Talk about a spoiled brat who acted out at every opportunity and they just smiled benignly at her. Never questioned what she was doing with her life or taught her any values at all, just let her walk all over them and bunged her ever-increasing amounts of money whenever she screamed for more. Throw Miles into the mix and they suddenly decided she needed to be cut off because, shock horror, she was abusive and manipulative and poor Miles deserved better. Better, in this case, turning out to be them.
The relationship between Miles, Emmett and Cosimo felt even more imbalanced than that between Emmett and Cosimo did. Emmett became Miles' Daddy and we saw that happen, but Cosimo just realised he loved Miles and there wasn't as much interaction between the two of them to appreciate or understand that love. The love between them happened so quickly and there was no real resolution of the Selene problem. It all felt rushed and unfinished, which isn't something that usually happens with E.M.
I loved learning about Miles' history, and the little moments spent talking to his best friends, Oliver and Juno, were lovely. The disability rep, as usual, hit the right note; written with empathy and with the help of sensitivity readers, it always impresses and gently educates.
Two and a half stars is probably an accurate rating but I rounded it up because it didn't deserve a two.

[Sam · Rating 2 out of 5]

i hate doing this because i love e.m. lindsey books. but this one had so many issues. spoilers ahead:

emmett and cosimo (the two rich married mmc’s that miles is meant to fall in love with) have a spoiled daughter. no one can figure out why she’s so bratty since E and C are so spectacular as people. except we later find out that emmett basically doesn’t have a job (?) and they once gave her 60k to go on vacation “without blinking” - here’s a thought guys, maybe she wanted to spend time with you. maybe she was begging for your attention and the only way she could think to get it was by spending money till she hit an invisible limit. but no, E and C are perfect and very busy figuring out their kinky marriage so we are sidlining bratty daughter for the rest of the book!

now we get to miles, bratty daughters ex-boyfriend (they were together 4 years, and they broke up upon his first time meeting her dad’s. again, no one sees an issue with this except that daughter is “spoiled”). miles is partially deaf, and was a foster kid, so he has no family, no money, etc etc.

when bratty daughters breakup makes miles temp homeless, the dads take him in. do we question why they don’t just put an apartment in his name and pay the rent for 12 months since they apparently have infinite money? no ma’am, we do not. he is staying in the pool house rory gilmore style.

E and C then lay on THICK the desire for miles to join their kink relationship. i think it takes like 3 days for îles to catch them in a scene. the thing that got my back up, though, was LESS THAN 24 HOURS after miles agreed to do kink with both of them, he came to breakfast with E and C in a full scene that didn’t involve him that he was supposed just? ignore? be okay with? all this after they make a huge deal about consent in the beginning… consent for the people that matter, i guess!
anywho, this is about where I DNF’d. Maybe the ending has Emmett apologizing for being a pushy dick, not giving Miles any choices, and putting nearly everything ahead of spending time with his daughter. idk. but i sort of doubt it.

two stars, because it wasn’t poorly edited. just frustratingly written.

[Megan McGrath · Rating 5 out of 5]

Miles, Emmett & Cosimo
Tender is mentioned 13 times throughout the book in one form or another. I thought that was an interesting note, because every time I saw the word, it felt like the character was putting emphasis on it, even if that was just my interpretation.

This story kept me fully engaged and invested in the characters' development and relationship.
Miles is a wonderful character, and while it was incredibly difficult to watch him struggle in the beginning, I loved being able to sense and see his shifting confidence and happiness.

Emmett is so much a Daddy that he makes that clear well before we ever hear the term from anyone, but I really enjoyed reading about his shifting between Sir & Daddy with Cosimo & Miles, respectively. It's not often those two dynamics are heralded by the same individual, and that puts a lot of responsibility on Emmett's shoulders. It was great to see how Cosimo & Miles helped him with that balance. You can really tell he's more satisfied and contented by the end of the story.

Cosimo was a really intriguing character, in that he seemed like a bit of a grump but was really just a quiet & introspective man. He had to deal with a lot with his work as a pediatric surgeon, and that takes a toll on anyone. He pushes through his personal attitude issues quite well when he finds his companionship with Emmett & Miles. He knew that his and Emmett's dynamic wasn't complete without a third, but he worried relentlessly about how he would fit with the right Boy for Emmett. What he finds in Miles is a kindred spirit, and a loving friendship that grows into the shared love by the end of the story.

I really enjoyed Tender and I think it would be a fantastic one to read again & again. It touches on many of the difficulties of individuals who are deaf/hard-of-hearing, but not fitting in or feeling comfortable with the Deaf community OR the hearing community. That limbo is a difficult plateau for some, and it was wonderful watching Miles come through the other side with the help he got from Emmett & Cosimo.

I received an authorized copy of this book and am volunteering my honest review.

[The Spicy Queer · Rating 5 out of 5]

"𝘞𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘮, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘻𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘶𝘴, 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘮.”

How I waited and hoped and prayed for the full length novel of this little diamond I found last year called After. I had lost hope and then BAM, the ARC was in my emails and I was actually reading their full story. The men that captured my attention a year ago. The novella I wanted to read and reread all the time.

I can't even begin to articulate how special Miles, Cosimo and Emmett are for me. Their dynamic is so unique, so precious. They all have things that make them stand out from hundreds of characters I've met and read over the years.

Miles, a deaf man that grew up in foster homes. So used to not being loved that he thought abuse was acceptable as long as it meant he wasn't alone. A man that finds it hard to believe, to accept, when he finally has everything he's ever wanted.

Cosimo, a gentle giant, a heart of gold, a devoted husband. Someone that spends his days in the spotlight as a pediatric heart surgeon and when he comes home, he just wants to be put in his place for a while.

Emmett, a trans man, a caretaker, a husband ready to degrade and humiliate the love of his life, even when it goes against everything he is, for the sake of his lover's sanity. Someone that just yearns for a soft boy he can cherish and control like a doll.

These three will make you laugh, make you smile, make you soft, make you tear up. ����🥹

Miles, Emmett & Cosimo 🤟🏼💙
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️½/🌶️🌶️🌶️

[JenCW · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this story. I have been intrigued by the series for a while, and I had no issues reading this book as a standalone.

I so wanted to take in Miles and give him someplace safe to just be himself within minutes of reading about his situation. His girlfriend (if you can call her that) was awful to him, and I was so relieved when he walked away from her. I wished that he wasn't basically left homeless because of her selfishness, but I was glad Emmett and Cosimo were there to help him. I can't imagine how awkward the whole situation was for Miles, but I was beyond glad that he stayed with them and slowly got to know them. Emmett and Cosimo’s relationship is multilayered, but they definitely needed and wanted a third person. It was easy to see how Miles and Emmett were going to be together and it was something they both really needed. I admit I struggled with how Cosimo and Miles relationship was going to form and fit with the rest of the dynamic between the three of them, but I think they found their way after a bit. I found the apology from Miles' ex odd and almost unbelievable considering everything, but I do think Miles probably needed that. I was glad that he was upfront about how he wanted to deal with her moving forward since she was still a part of Emmett and Cosimo’s life. All in all, a good read and I can't wait to go back and read the other stories in this series.

[J.L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

As much as I enjoyed the original incarnation of this book, it was so clear that there was more to this story begging to be explored. Viewing Emmett and Cosimo through only Miles's perspective was only a tantalizing glimpse into a deep, layered relationship. Expanding this romance into a full-length novel and giving readers those additional perspectives intensifies everything about this book, from the nuances of the individual dynamics that develop between the three men to the conflict that originally brings them together. So often, polyamorous stories focus on how the third character is not there to fill gaps in the original relationship; though that has nothing to do with how Miles originally enters Cosimo and Emmett's lives, Lindsey takes risks with this story that I applaud by having that literally be the appeal of Miles once they get to know him better. They also don't shy away from highlighting the differences between abuse and consensual power exchange when relevant to the story. Finally, I appreciated seeing Emmett and Cosimo struggle with reconciling their love for their daughter with recognizing that she was the source of Miles's abuse, flipping the common trope of parents being the source of trauma.

Disclaimer: I received a digital review copy of this book from the author.

[Raven and Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have hit a first for me. I love EM Lindsey’s characters and have read the majority of their books, but I have hit my first MC that I really don’t care for. I just started reading Tender, so this opinion may change, but I had to put this thought down. Cosimo seems to take a lot from Emmett. What does he give in return? Who helps Emmett? Who meets his needs? Nobody. That makes this marriage very lopsided to me. I adore poor sweet Miles though. Selena is a witch with a capital B and her treatment of him is appalling…Ok I have to admit I made my initial impression before I got any of Cosimo’s POV. He truly does love Everett. He just can’t show much emotion. They just have some stuff they need to work through. I am not a believer in the theory that it in a throuple, one person is the pin or glue keeping them together, but that is the case with Emmett, Cosimo, and Miles. Cosimo needs the humiliation and degradation, but Emmett also needs to be able to care and dote on someone, to shower them with affection. Cosimo can’t do that. Miles needs it. Is their relationship a bit unconventional, yes. But that doesn’t make it wrong. It works for them and that is all that matters.

[Michelle Labelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

I've now read over a dozen of this authors. Something kept niggling at me that was making me uncomfortable. I love the disability rep, as someone under the trans umbrella I love the gender non-conforming rep, but something was still bothering me. Here's what I finally figured out:

WOMEN ARE THE VILLAINS IN ABOUT 90% OF THIS AUTHOR'S BOOKS, including this one.

My other issue is that I felt like the older MCs were taking advantage of Miles being in a vulnerable position. He didn't really have anywhere else to go, he didn't have any money, but somehow there is an almost love at first sight thing happening...? It just felt like a weird power dynamic to me, particularly when there wasn't enough build up or time for Miles to heal from his abusive relationship...

And as I said, there's lots of great things. Good writing, good plots otherwise, good representation, but I guess I just feel like in today's day and age maybe it's not a great look to make women the villains all the time...? Also this power dynamic was...oof. Just a thought for future...

[Lindsey Middlemiss · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved seeing this longer

Gorgeous, sweet, kinky romance.

I first read these characters as a short story and it was great to see their story expanded. Miles, Emmett, and Cosimo are brilliant characters and I love them all

In this, you'll find:
💛MMM Contemporary Romance
💛Older established couple, younger third
💛Bisexual deaf Ancient History PhD student
💛Fostercare survivor
💛Pediatric cardiac surgeon
💛Trans physicist Dom & Daddy
💛Emotionally & financially abusive relationship
💛BDSM, inc. consensual humiliation, bondage, sensory deprivation, impact play, Daddy-boy dynamics with no age play
💛Mention of past death of parent & guardian
💛Mention of being taken into foster care as a child
💛Cochlear Implants
💛Growing up deaf without ASL or community
💛Migraine & vertigo
💛Poverty & threatened homelessness
💛Discussion of past pregnancy as a trans man
💛Finding out your adult child is abusive

[Heather Duff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

That was a journey for all involved!! Both together and individually.

A story about owning your actions, forgiving the past, and embracing yourself.

Established couple Emmett and Cosimo are in love, no question about that, but they also can’t give each other fully what they need. But maybe with Miles…

But Miles is reeling from the treatment he’s endured by their daughter as well as the trauma of living in the system, especially being deaf. There’s a lot to unpack.

Their journey takes a lot of communication and kindness to move from just a guy they are helping to one who would complete their relationship.

[Trash · Rating 1 out of 5]

So I will preemptively say I 110% support trans people and trans rights, trans men are men and trans women are women end of....
However for my reading I prefer authors to document where there's reference to pregnancy and transgender characters before in the blurb. I assumed at the start all 3 characters were cis male and it did not explicitly say the trans character and trans pregnancy was one of the main characters and only along the way they drop the main characters are her bio dad's by way of trans male pregnancy.
I think it may have been a cracking book but my preference is cis male on cis male so its not my jam so I've returned the book.
Much like someone's sexuality there's a difference between bi and pan.... for some readers if the blurb is about m/m/m I think it should be in the blurb that one or more of the main characters is T.

[Lyn Solomon-Linville · Rating 5 out of 5]

My ARC read for this book is totally in my own words. Thank you E.M. I rarely read MMM romances, they are imho, hard to do well. This author does them well. This book is also very aptly named. It is with utmost care Emmet and Cosimo bring a traumatized, emotionally abused(from his latest relationship and years in the Foster system)man into their lives and dynamic. Insecurity is another thing they do well, along with amazing heartfelt conversations between MCs, laying themselves open to their cores. I felt the D/s and Daddy aspects were a gift here, and the reader is allowed to easily get the reasons for it all. The other part of the story that I found astonishing was the story of the daughter's birth and tough love. I will continue to read their stories as long as they write them.

[Liza Broadaway · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Miles. He is such a sweet broken boy and him finding his HFN was so great. I loved who Emmett and Cosimo were for him. I feel like to truly do their dynamic justice we could have used another 100 pages which is why I call it a HFN. I would love to have seen more of Cosimo and Miles individual dynamic as well as how their dynamic played out in a longer setting.

I loved the trans rep in this book as well. Emmet was just a beautiful soul who wanted the people he loved to feel taken care of in the way they need.

Selene’s role was also hard for me. I understood what had to happen but it was still a little odd for me. And
some of her feelings on her parents hurt my feelings….yes it’s a me thing I know.

[EM · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a way to finish the series

Tender is expanded from a short story in a previously released collection (which I had read) and I am so glad it was turned into a full story.
I loved the dynamic between Miles, Cosimo and Emmett and they way they are all bring something to their relationship and are therefore able to give each other what they need and the way they grow together as their relationship develops.

It had a kink that I had not really read about in detail before, it is something that is not personally for me, but as always, E.M Lindsey wrote it in such a safe, sane and consensual way, I could appreciate it from that standpoint.

I read an ARC and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

[A'Reayon Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

My emotions are still high after finishing this one. The disability and mental health rep was really strong throughout the entire book, and I am so appreciative of the author continuing to advocate for these characters and showing the good, bad, and ugly that comes along with it. That being said. I really enjoyed reading about these three. The love that was shared between them was worth wating for towards the end. Each character had their own hurdles to jump over, and they learned to adjust and work together to make their relationship work. The spice was semi minimal but it was there. I think with everything else happening in the book, not having as much spice and focusing on the other aspects really made the spice even better. I really loved reading this journey from start to finish.

[GreenwingReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is full of hard-won HEAs, but this one might top them all. EM excels at writing characters and loves stories that are full of emotions. They tear your heart to pieces then put it back together again. Miles endured so much. He finally found his home in the last place he would have guessed, with Emmett and Cosimo, the fathers of his ex. Emmett and Cosimo aren't without their own challenges and issues. But together, these three men are able to find something really special. The story was steamy and swoony, but what I love most is the diversity and representation EM always has in their books. They are one of my favorite authors for a reason and I don't see that changing any time soon!

[Kitty · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an incredibly intense and emotional read, and if I'm honest I wasn't always comfortable with it. Tender is appropriate but perhaps not the way it was meant-- it feels raw and painful. The relationship is often unbalanced and frequently two of them are closer than the third, and people feel left out and even fear they will be pushed out of the relationship. While it's perhaps unrealistic to expect everyone to fall in love simultaneously and slot in perfectly, the heartache and uncertainty lead to it being much higher angst than I'd anticipated. I loved how Miles was rescued from an abusive relationship and treasured and cherished, and there's no doubt it was skillfully written, but it didn't quite hit right for me at this time.

[LilLaurasaurus · Rating 3 out of 5]

I understand where the author was going with this book but..I dunno. It was a sweet story but, it seemed like it was still really underdeveloped and a bit rushed. It was very insta-love and their dynamics were uneven. I wish the connection between Miles and Cosimo had been explored more. Along with all 3 of them together as a throuple. There was a lot of build up and then it all sorta fizzled out for me at the end. Everything was tied up at the end a lil too quickly. I’m also not really sure if making their only daughter into a villain was the right choice but 🤷‍♀️🤣 the degradation and humiliation stuff also wasn’t really working for me but that’s more of a personal preference thing I guess 😅 not a fan of 3rd pov as well..but that’s also preference so 🤷‍♀️

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t say how much I love all of EM Lindsey’s books. All the emotions, amazing characters and all the passion that I have come to expect was definitely found in “Tender”. We find ourselves rooting right away for Miles. A young man traumatized in many ways by his childhood. He is an awful relationship but finds his true happiness once he stands up to his crazy partner. Emmett and Cosimino are just amazing characters. Miles brings the elements these two long time partners have been searching for to complete their partnership. It is full of happiness and lots of steam. I highly recommend this book. Enjoy!

[Elaine Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tender as a short story and loved it—so when E.M. Lindsey expanded it into a full novel, I was thrilled. It lived up to every expectation. Miles, a sweet and gentle soul, escapes an abusive relationship with Selena and finds safety and love with her fathers, Emmett and Cosimo. Their polyamorous relationship isn’t usually my thing, but the dynamic between the three was beautifully written and emotionally rich. The expanded edition gave each character more depth, and watching Miles finally receive the care and acceptance he deserved was incredibly moving. I’ll definitely be rereading this one.

[Satanic Rat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've only just started this ( I'm a couple chapters in) and i like that it's covering the struggles of being deaf and giving info on the hearing implants and things. It's not just a deaf character for the sake of being deaf, it actually feels genuine.
And the diversity in here is refreshing to see. Covering that men too can be in abusive relationships.
I thought this was a regular MMM book. I'm pleasantly surprised to see a trans man here, and it's already going into the genuine life difficulties for this.

I like that these characters are fleshed out and real. Not just there to be deliberatly different for the sake of calling a book inclusive/diverse.