What do you think?
Until LA
Some journeys change your destination.
Others change your heart.
Nineteen-year-old Tom Bergh seems sorted—tall, good-looking, and funny, the first to help and the last to brag—the barista who pulls perfect cortados for Amsterdam tourists while his friends plan their futures with color-coded spreadsheets. But behind the easy smiles and Instagram-worthy shots, Tom’s drowning in everyone else’s certainty while he can’t even decide what to have for breakfast.
So he runs. Three months in LA. Just his camera and a half-baked plan to “find himself.”
Enter Nick: a homeless musician with a loyal dog named Ruff and a guarded smile that says more than words ever could. He survives on talent, instinct, and a quiet resilience that draws Tom closer. Nick’s world is rough around the edges, but there is beauty in its brokenness—something real that won’t let Tom go.
As Tom captures LA through his lens and Nick plays the soundtrack to their summer, their connection deepens into something neither of them expected. But summer can’t last forever. And when his return ticket starts burning a hole in his pocket, Tom is faced with a heartbreaking dilemma…
Others change your heart.
Nineteen-year-old Tom Bergh seems sorted—tall, good-looking, and funny, the first to help and the last to brag—the barista who pulls perfect cortados for Amsterdam tourists while his friends plan their futures with color-coded spreadsheets. But behind the easy smiles and Instagram-worthy shots, Tom’s drowning in everyone else’s certainty while he can’t even decide what to have for breakfast.
So he runs. Three months in LA. Just his camera and a half-baked plan to “find himself.”
Enter Nick: a homeless musician with a loyal dog named Ruff and a guarded smile that says more than words ever could. He survives on talent, instinct, and a quiet resilience that draws Tom closer. Nick’s world is rough around the edges, but there is beauty in its brokenness—something real that won’t let Tom go.
As Tom captures LA through his lens and Nick plays the soundtrack to their summer, their connection deepens into something neither of them expected. But summer can’t last forever. And when his return ticket starts burning a hole in his pocket, Tom is faced with a heartbreaking dilemma…
- GenresLGBTM M Romance
312 pages, Paperback
Published August 31, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 7, 2025
Final verdict:
I asked and someone delivered. I love stories like this. Where the adventure is within the plot and the romance isn't half baked or fully smut. I don't care about that style of book. I wanted more and this author literally enters into the LGBT group I'm in and is like, hey I'm nervous with my debut novel but for this weekend you can get it for free.
Picture this: F.T Lukens magic; the world building: but make it realistic. Slightly scary. Make it seem like something which could happen in the real world. That fanfiction style writing but the good kind. The feels. The journey. The self exploration. The discovery. An unlikely friendship. In someways this reminded me of my current relationship with my partner: you've got this rich guy with everything and this homeless man with nothing. And an unlikely bond. This is exactly the sort of romance I want to read. I have also started following the author because I really hope he comes out with more books. I'm also waiting on F.T Lukens book to come out.
Another thing which drew me to this book is the two main leads of this novel are both artistic men. I've been dying for a book where we have two artistic main leads. One is a photographer, the other a musician. This is a niche which I want to see more published books on. I want to see this sort of fiction on shelves. I will be buying a physical copy when funds become available so I can lend the book to mates. This is what I expect of my romances. It didn't feel half baked. It was two guys being guys and taking a ridiculous amount of risks that could've at any point ended horrifically for them both.
I could be reading into it but it also felt like found family elements were throughout with the people that they met along the way. It just felt like that to me. I wasn't expecting to find a new favourite. This was one of those books I took a chance on and honestly I couldn't put it down. Special thanks to P.W.E Bailey for the free book and please: write more. For a debut novel this was beautiful.
Before Notes:
Free ebook this weekend on Amazon for kindle. This is the authors debut album, if you are a fan of lgbtq fiction I highly recommend getting it now whilst its free. I love supporting new authors, I also love a free book so I am giving this a go. Special thanks to the author for advertising this too in the LGBT book club I'm in, I appreciate the free book and congrats on your debut.
I asked and someone delivered. I love stories like this. Where the adventure is within the plot and the romance isn't half baked or fully smut. I don't care about that style of book. I wanted more and this author literally enters into the LGBT group I'm in and is like, hey I'm nervous with my debut novel but for this weekend you can get it for free.
Picture this: F.T Lukens magic; the world building: but make it realistic. Slightly scary. Make it seem like something which could happen in the real world. That fanfiction style writing but the good kind. The feels. The journey. The self exploration. The discovery. An unlikely friendship. In someways this reminded me of my current relationship with my partner: you've got this rich guy with everything and this homeless man with nothing. And an unlikely bond. This is exactly the sort of romance I want to read. I have also started following the author because I really hope he comes out with more books. I'm also waiting on F.T Lukens book to come out.
Another thing which drew me to this book is the two main leads of this novel are both artistic men. I've been dying for a book where we have two artistic main leads. One is a photographer, the other a musician. This is a niche which I want to see more published books on. I want to see this sort of fiction on shelves. I will be buying a physical copy when funds become available so I can lend the book to mates. This is what I expect of my romances. It didn't feel half baked. It was two guys being guys and taking a ridiculous amount of risks that could've at any point ended horrifically for them both.
I could be reading into it but it also felt like found family elements were throughout with the people that they met along the way. It just felt like that to me. I wasn't expecting to find a new favourite. This was one of those books I took a chance on and honestly I couldn't put it down. Special thanks to P.W.E Bailey for the free book and please: write more. For a debut novel this was beautiful.
Before Notes:
Free ebook this weekend on Amazon for kindle. This is the authors debut album, if you are a fan of lgbtq fiction I highly recommend getting it now whilst its free. I love supporting new authors, I also love a free book so I am giving this a go. Special thanks to the author for advertising this too in the LGBT book club I'm in, I appreciate the free book and congrats on your debut.
June 23, 2026
Beautiful.
March 17, 2026
Wonderful book., wonderfully told.
This book really hit me kin the feels. Excellent in story and telling. As I write this I see it has 5 reviews and 5 stars by all. Make this the 6th. I can't remember a book that made a better feeling and emotionally wrenching.
I won't spoil by giving any details. But, please yourself by reading this book You will not be sorry.
I will follow this author, he is remarkable. Enjoy a wonderful read.
This book really hit me kin the feels. Excellent in story and telling. As I write this I see it has 5 reviews and 5 stars by all. Make this the 6th. I can't remember a book that made a better feeling and emotionally wrenching.
I won't spoil by giving any details. But, please yourself by reading this book You will not be sorry.
I will follow this author, he is remarkable. Enjoy a wonderful read.
September 17, 2025
I cannot emphasize how unprepared I was for this book.
Was it the lighthearted happy read that I expected? Absolutely not.
Was it still one of the best emotional books I've read in 2025? Definitely.
I was hooked by page 7, and the characters felt exceptionally real. I laughed, I swooned, I yelled, and I ugly cried.
This is an amazing debut, and the author has a lifetime fan in me.
Was it the lighthearted happy read that I expected? Absolutely not.
Was it still one of the best emotional books I've read in 2025? Definitely.
I was hooked by page 7, and the characters felt exceptionally real. I laughed, I swooned, I yelled, and I ugly cried.
This is an amazing debut, and the author has a lifetime fan in me.
September 17, 2026
Before you pick this up you should know that this is not a romance. It has a love story, yes, but no happy ending. I wish I'd known that before being slapped in the face by the ending.
When I reached 85% I already began drafting a review in my head about how this book was wholesome and heartwarming, though chock full of clichés and stereotypical and flat characters. I was also debating whether to give 3 or 2 stars, the latter being my personal rating but also it's a debut indie author so I don't want to be too harsh, and the book isn't bad at all, just not good.
But hoo boy, I did not expect what came after, which rendered everything I thought before null and void. Now I'd really like to give it 1 star bc what the hell, are you kidding me, are you for real bro, seriously?! The last 12% are a ridiculous, unrealistic, disappointing, melodramatic shit show. Not only do I just subjectively despise that the author ended the story like this, I also think it doesn't fit the rest of the book at all and is objectively a bad choice.
The book also requires some major trigger warnings which are nowhere to be found in the e-book. I guess bc they would totally spoil the ending? TW:
So yeah, after feeling so so about the majority of the book, the ending was infuriatingly disappointing.
When I reached 85% I already began drafting a review in my head about how this book was wholesome and heartwarming, though chock full of clichés and stereotypical and flat characters. I was also debating whether to give 3 or 2 stars, the latter being my personal rating but also it's a debut indie author so I don't want to be too harsh, and the book isn't bad at all, just not good.
But hoo boy, I did not expect what came after, which rendered everything I thought before null and void. Now I'd really like to give it 1 star bc what the hell, are you kidding me, are you for real bro, seriously?! The last 12% are a ridiculous, unrealistic, disappointing, melodramatic shit show. Not only do I just subjectively despise that the author ended the story like this, I also think it doesn't fit the rest of the book at all and is objectively a bad choice.
The book also requires some major trigger warnings which are nowhere to be found in the e-book. I guess bc they would totally spoil the ending? TW:
So yeah, after feeling so so about the majority of the book, the ending was infuriatingly disappointing.
November 28, 2025
Flabbergasted!!!
First read: 2025/09/06
I got this book the day it was available for free and I'm honoured that I had the opportunity to read it!
I’m a wreck, this story will be in my head for a long time, it was beautifully written, so rich, the plot was mesmerising, it was about discovering, learning and perspective, every character carried so much depth, it was spectacular, I was extremely happy and enamoured by the main characters, their adventures, the interactions, I also had my heart shattered, definitely a turmoil of emotions, I loved so much that I decided to buy the physical book!!!
At first I wanted to rewrite the last two chapters, I was really mad with one of the characters, the book didn’t finish as a full circle and it doesn't have to, some pieces were unresolved, everything that was built and rebuilt, the messages, the mystery humming, things were unanswered, unfinished or just thrown out of the window, almost gave me the sensation that at some point the book was written by a different person because of such abrupt change, I created at least two possible ways that the story could have ended, my heart was in my throat, then I realised that my reactions were exactly what people would have after a beloved one faced such situation, trying to do something to rewrite history, the writer approached the subject brilliantly! I’ll clarify at the spoiler section:
This was an excellent book, P.W.E. Bailey used the words wonderfully, I savoured every page, loved the richness on the details and the characters, well constructed!!! This book is engraved in my heart, was beyond perfection!
Stand ovation all around!!!
9🌟
Cæsar
First read: 2025/09/06
I got this book the day it was available for free and I'm honoured that I had the opportunity to read it!
I’m a wreck, this story will be in my head for a long time, it was beautifully written, so rich, the plot was mesmerising, it was about discovering, learning and perspective, every character carried so much depth, it was spectacular, I was extremely happy and enamoured by the main characters, their adventures, the interactions, I also had my heart shattered, definitely a turmoil of emotions, I loved so much that I decided to buy the physical book!!!
At first I wanted to rewrite the last two chapters, I was really mad with one of the characters, the book didn’t finish as a full circle and it doesn't have to, some pieces were unresolved, everything that was built and rebuilt, the messages, the mystery humming, things were unanswered, unfinished or just thrown out of the window, almost gave me the sensation that at some point the book was written by a different person because of such abrupt change, I created at least two possible ways that the story could have ended, my heart was in my throat, then I realised that my reactions were exactly what people would have after a beloved one faced such situation, trying to do something to rewrite history, the writer approached the subject brilliantly! I’ll clarify at the spoiler section:
This was an excellent book, P.W.E. Bailey used the words wonderfully, I savoured every page, loved the richness on the details and the characters, well constructed!!! This book is engraved in my heart, was beyond perfection!
Stand ovation all around!!!
9🌟
Cæsar
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews