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The Music of Greyson Hyun
Grey’s eyes, which had been closed for the first part of the song, snapped open then. And they went right to me, once again, as if drawn by some invisible force. He always seemed to find me.
Ethan had his junior year at Redmond University all planned go to more parties, make more friends, and date more girls. But everything changes the night he hears Dreamscape, an local indie band fronted by the magnetic and mysterious Greyson Hyun.
Grey is the kind of guy who turns heads, and not just because of his voice. He’s confident, captivating, and for some reason, he seems just as drawn to Ethan as Ethan is to him. What starts as a chance encounter at a bar becomes something Ethan can’t stop thinking about.
Grey’s music follows him everywhere… and so does Grey. He’s showing up at parties, Ethan’s classes, and even in Ethan’s dreams. Ethan has never really fallen for anyone before, he’s not even sure if he believes in love. But the more Ethan gets to know Grey, the harder it becomes to ignore what his heart is trying to tell him.
Ethan had his junior year at Redmond University all planned go to more parties, make more friends, and date more girls. But everything changes the night he hears Dreamscape, an local indie band fronted by the magnetic and mysterious Greyson Hyun.
Grey is the kind of guy who turns heads, and not just because of his voice. He’s confident, captivating, and for some reason, he seems just as drawn to Ethan as Ethan is to him. What starts as a chance encounter at a bar becomes something Ethan can’t stop thinking about.
Grey’s music follows him everywhere… and so does Grey. He’s showing up at parties, Ethan’s classes, and even in Ethan’s dreams. Ethan has never really fallen for anyone before, he’s not even sure if he believes in love. But the more Ethan gets to know Grey, the harder it becomes to ignore what his heart is trying to tell him.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 18, 2025
1 person is currently reading
42 people want to read
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October 30, 2025
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was a pain to get through. I hesitated between giving this 1 and 2 stars honestly, but rounded up my rating (I woke up charitable).
The book follows Ethan, who enters his junior year of college (or sophomore, the book contains contradicting information) with the resolution to have lots of casual sex with different girls. His plan hits a snag when he attends a concert by Dreamscape, a very popular local band he'd never heard of before, and his eyes meet their lead singer's, the titular Greyson Hyun. For some unexplained reason, Grey notices him in the crowd that night. And for some equally unexplained reason, Ethan becomes obsessed with Grey. The catch: Grey is already in a relationship (oops!) and is relentlessly harassed by fans wherever he goes, which complicates their ability to get close to each other. (Sad trumpet sound effect.)
From the start, the book threw me off with how rapidly everything developed. Ethan has never questioned his sexuality before but instantly develops a "magnetic attraction" to Greyson without any self-awareness about it. Grey approaches Ethan at the concert, claiming he "noticed him," and later, at a different party, comments on Ethan "making eyes at him" flirtatiously; which is a huge contradiction to the backstory revealed later on.
Grey and Ethan are absolutely terrible together.
Speaking of women: the most maddening aspect of this book was its treatment of them. There were constant misogynistic jabs that were genuinely hard to sit through. Female fans "squeal," "chitter excitedly," "chase down victims," and might "pass out from screaming"; they're "teenage girls" to market to, portrayed as brainless, faceless bodies in heat that will stop at nothing in their pursuit of getting dicked down like animals. Other genders of fans are never actually mentioned. Was this supposed to be a commentary on K-pop? With the MC being Korean-American and his fans being "the worst" while other band members live in peace? This excuses nothing, mind you, I'm just trying to understand the author's inspiration beyond blatant stereotypes.
Beyond fan depictions, there were constant "women this, men that" comments that truly grated on me. I often bristle at these generalizations because gender is far more varied than two opposing sides of a coin. Genders are, also, not monoliths and shouldn't be represented as such. I don't usually go gung-ho on everyone making "lol women" jokes, I just smile awkwardly and hope for better years. But Ethan, as the narrator, was committed to testing my limits.
Ethan describes girls as soft and squishy little things, expressing fear of "breaking" them with a touch while contrasting them to Grey, who is "all strength and iron," implying women are inherently weak. (My dude, I am over 90kg and can carry my significant other over my shoulder, come try me.) Ew. That's so hot, Ethan, you're really selling yourself there buddy. /s
But Ethan's relentless gender micro-aggressions peak when a guy approaches him at a bar (ch. 31):
Other rapid-fire complaints (though less infuriating than the misogyny):
- The band's celebrity status is inconsistent.
- The plot beats are rather predictable, from the first few pages onward
- Both MCs are toxic together: their communication is subpar, they don't respect each other's boundaries, and their characterization (as people) shifts constantly
- Of course the (presumably) gray-ace character is the one obsessed with his studies. Just one more cliché in an ocean of clichés
- We love a good anal sesh with no prep. Nothing says "sexy" quite like anal fissures.
I'm probably forgetting other complaints, but I think I have made my point. This was a mid-shelf romcom with some appalling details. None of this is particularly new in MM romances, but the sheer concentration of it tested my patience like nothing else. I can't recommend this book in good conscience, though I am genuinely sorry to be part of the ARC campaign. I wish I could have raged in silence and moved on quietly.
This was a pain to get through. I hesitated between giving this 1 and 2 stars honestly, but rounded up my rating (I woke up charitable).
The book follows Ethan, who enters his junior year of college (or sophomore, the book contains contradicting information) with the resolution to have lots of casual sex with different girls. His plan hits a snag when he attends a concert by Dreamscape, a very popular local band he'd never heard of before, and his eyes meet their lead singer's, the titular Greyson Hyun. For some unexplained reason, Grey notices him in the crowd that night. And for some equally unexplained reason, Ethan becomes obsessed with Grey. The catch: Grey is already in a relationship (oops!) and is relentlessly harassed by fans wherever he goes, which complicates their ability to get close to each other. (Sad trumpet sound effect.)
From the start, the book threw me off with how rapidly everything developed. Ethan has never questioned his sexuality before but instantly develops a "magnetic attraction" to Greyson without any self-awareness about it. Grey approaches Ethan at the concert, claiming he "noticed him," and later, at a different party, comments on Ethan "making eyes at him" flirtatiously; which is a huge contradiction to the backstory revealed later on.
Grey and Ethan are absolutely terrible together.
Speaking of women: the most maddening aspect of this book was its treatment of them. There were constant misogynistic jabs that were genuinely hard to sit through. Female fans "squeal," "chitter excitedly," "chase down victims," and might "pass out from screaming"; they're "teenage girls" to market to, portrayed as brainless, faceless bodies in heat that will stop at nothing in their pursuit of getting dicked down like animals. Other genders of fans are never actually mentioned. Was this supposed to be a commentary on K-pop? With the MC being Korean-American and his fans being "the worst" while other band members live in peace? This excuses nothing, mind you, I'm just trying to understand the author's inspiration beyond blatant stereotypes.
Beyond fan depictions, there were constant "women this, men that" comments that truly grated on me. I often bristle at these generalizations because gender is far more varied than two opposing sides of a coin. Genders are, also, not monoliths and shouldn't be represented as such. I don't usually go gung-ho on everyone making "lol women" jokes, I just smile awkwardly and hope for better years. But Ethan, as the narrator, was committed to testing my limits.
Ethan describes girls as soft and squishy little things, expressing fear of "breaking" them with a touch while contrasting them to Grey, who is "all strength and iron," implying women are inherently weak. (My dude, I am over 90kg and can carry my significant other over my shoulder, come try me.) Ew. That's so hot, Ethan, you're really selling yourself there buddy. /s
But Ethan's relentless gender micro-aggressions peak when a guy approaches him at a bar (ch. 31):
Other rapid-fire complaints (though less infuriating than the misogyny):
- The band's celebrity status is inconsistent.
- The plot beats are rather predictable, from the first few pages onward
- Both MCs are toxic together: their communication is subpar, they don't respect each other's boundaries, and their characterization (as people) shifts constantly
- Of course the (presumably) gray-ace character is the one obsessed with his studies. Just one more cliché in an ocean of clichés
- We love a good anal sesh with no prep. Nothing says "sexy" quite like anal fissures.
I'm probably forgetting other complaints, but I think I have made my point. This was a mid-shelf romcom with some appalling details. None of this is particularly new in MM romances, but the sheer concentration of it tested my patience like nothing else. I can't recommend this book in good conscience, though I am genuinely sorry to be part of the ARC campaign. I wish I could have raged in silence and moved on quietly.
October 25, 2025
Final Verdict
This book doesn't have a trans man but I want to offer my unique perspective as a trans man reading this. I feel like this book has touched so many topics we don't see in a lot of gay fiction. There are so many things like consent and guys talking about fear of being drugged; these are things I've had experiences with my mates with, and you have like the aftermath of it . I'm giving this an easy five star.
There is so much that is covered in this book that it is up there for me. This reads like a gay book, wrote for gay men, but not for the entitled crowd who think only gay men should exist. This book reads like it was wrote by someone who understands toxic masculinity, but rather than addressing toxic masculinity, explores unspoken conversations I don't see many men talking openly about. This book was inclusive too. There's a variety of disabilities mentioned within the book, which as a disabled person I really appreciated. I would say this story is a slow burn, but it also covers how men are more than sexual objects without directly stating it as so.
The thing I hate about gay fiction about men is it is often fetishsized, and whilst this had spice in it; it felt like it was a natural development, it was the story of the two boys in the book. I think the world building is absolutely brilliant. There's a note at the beginning of the book which had me believing temporarily this might have been wrote by a woman I will admit. The more I read, the more it became clear; this is a story about two queer boys wrote by someone who knows what that life is like.
Yes there's a lot of fanfiction elements in this book, and I had to look up what college age is roughly: 18-22. This is a book I would've loved to of had my hands on when I came out as trans. I have had a difficult fight with coming to terms with being gay, and again, this book doesn't have a trans mc in it, but the exploration of what it means to come out as a gay man, that discovery, the journey, the denial, the acceptance, the rejection, the internal struggle: it wasn't just real; it was realistic.
For a book which should be aimed at college students, I feel like this was a book that college me would've been thankful for but was too scared to read because I hadn't come to terms with my gender identity. The story line of the kpop idol industry, the lies, the rumours, the exploration of the sorts of things that boys are expected to do, and how they are expected to adapt to certain situations; I appreciated seeing that representation in literature. This book is compiled of so many little things that create this beautiful narrative, if I ever become financially stable I would love to buy this book. I am however going to ask my boyfriend if he can buy me a physical copy of this book when it is released because my current boyfriend is the reason I've been able to come to terms with my own identity. Which is something that I also appreciate about this book; that exploration of what a boyfriend can do in a relationship, when you find your person, when you find someone you can be a partner to and with, how the highs and lows both just click together and work so beautifully and not so beautifully together. This is for the gay men, but it is also for the girlies.
And this book is for people regardless of where you are on the sexuality or gender spectrums.
If you don't like college age stories then quite simply don't read it, but this book quite clearly, despite being a book about coming of age, was also telling the story of what it was like for two guys becoming men, coming to terms with their sexuality. It's a coming out story without being explicitly labelled as such. It was and wasn't predictable.
Usually if you've read one, you've read them all, but for someone like me who has read many gay books, this one is the first gay book which has impacted my emotions this way. It has dealt with a lot of difficult topics that a lot of guys I've spoken to have also mentioned to me about when you're a guy and you get roofied, you can't just be open about it and if you are you can't be scared. It openly discusses a couple of incidents which can also be scary for boys/guys/men too and seeing someone talk about it in a work of fiction; this is the book I didn't know I needed,
I want this book for my personal library one day. I want to read more by this author. Thank you.
Thank you for writing this book.
I also want to mention this book is what I wanted Darkhearts to be, but darkhearts, just missed the mark for me personally. It may be a story that you would enjoy:
Darkhearts
This book doesn't have a trans man but I want to offer my unique perspective as a trans man reading this. I feel like this book has touched so many topics we don't see in a lot of gay fiction. There are so many things like consent and guys talking about fear of being drugged; these are things I've had experiences with my mates with, and you have like the aftermath of it . I'm giving this an easy five star.
There is so much that is covered in this book that it is up there for me. This reads like a gay book, wrote for gay men, but not for the entitled crowd who think only gay men should exist. This book reads like it was wrote by someone who understands toxic masculinity, but rather than addressing toxic masculinity, explores unspoken conversations I don't see many men talking openly about. This book was inclusive too. There's a variety of disabilities mentioned within the book, which as a disabled person I really appreciated. I would say this story is a slow burn, but it also covers how men are more than sexual objects without directly stating it as so.
The thing I hate about gay fiction about men is it is often fetishsized, and whilst this had spice in it; it felt like it was a natural development, it was the story of the two boys in the book. I think the world building is absolutely brilliant. There's a note at the beginning of the book which had me believing temporarily this might have been wrote by a woman I will admit. The more I read, the more it became clear; this is a story about two queer boys wrote by someone who knows what that life is like.
Yes there's a lot of fanfiction elements in this book, and I had to look up what college age is roughly: 18-22. This is a book I would've loved to of had my hands on when I came out as trans. I have had a difficult fight with coming to terms with being gay, and again, this book doesn't have a trans mc in it, but the exploration of what it means to come out as a gay man, that discovery, the journey, the denial, the acceptance, the rejection, the internal struggle: it wasn't just real; it was realistic.
For a book which should be aimed at college students, I feel like this was a book that college me would've been thankful for but was too scared to read because I hadn't come to terms with my gender identity. The story line of the kpop idol industry, the lies, the rumours, the exploration of the sorts of things that boys are expected to do, and how they are expected to adapt to certain situations; I appreciated seeing that representation in literature. This book is compiled of so many little things that create this beautiful narrative, if I ever become financially stable I would love to buy this book. I am however going to ask my boyfriend if he can buy me a physical copy of this book when it is released because my current boyfriend is the reason I've been able to come to terms with my own identity. Which is something that I also appreciate about this book; that exploration of what a boyfriend can do in a relationship, when you find your person, when you find someone you can be a partner to and with, how the highs and lows both just click together and work so beautifully and not so beautifully together. This is for the gay men, but it is also for the girlies.
And this book is for people regardless of where you are on the sexuality or gender spectrums.
If you don't like college age stories then quite simply don't read it, but this book quite clearly, despite being a book about coming of age, was also telling the story of what it was like for two guys becoming men, coming to terms with their sexuality. It's a coming out story without being explicitly labelled as such. It was and wasn't predictable.
Usually if you've read one, you've read them all, but for someone like me who has read many gay books, this one is the first gay book which has impacted my emotions this way. It has dealt with a lot of difficult topics that a lot of guys I've spoken to have also mentioned to me about when you're a guy and you get roofied, you can't just be open about it and if you are you can't be scared. It openly discusses a couple of incidents which can also be scary for boys/guys/men too and seeing someone talk about it in a work of fiction; this is the book I didn't know I needed,
I want this book for my personal library one day. I want to read more by this author. Thank you.
Thank you for writing this book.
I also want to mention this book is what I wanted Darkhearts to be, but darkhearts, just missed the mark for me personally. It may be a story that you would enjoy:
Darkhearts
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 29, 2025
⭐⭐⭐.25
Thank you Victory Editing NetGalley for the Arc! The Music of Greyson Hyun read like a sweet, but a bit angsty, new adult college romance with lot of the usual tropes.
✅ famous/fanboy
✅ instant connection
✅ queer awakening
✅ one bed trope
✅ wedding plus one
✅ miscommunication
I finished the book quickly and although I didn't enjoy the first half, I liked the second half of it more. There was a lot of back and forth between the characters at first - ,,do I like him or don't?" and ‚‚does he like me or don't'' - which I don't really like, but once they got together thankfully they started to communicate a tiny bit more.
The characters actions felt young, which was realistic when you get into your first relationship.
But at times the writing felt a bit immature, the main characters thoughts were really spiralling and for a college student I expected a bit more, but I also understand he didn't really have much experience with relationships, that's why he was close to a mental breakdown through the whole book. If we saw more in Grey's head it probably wouldn't have felt so jarring, but because we were in Ethan's POV the whole time the back and forth got a bit boring.
I also would have liked if Ethan didn't backtrack every decision only to regret it afterwards immediately. He was a bit spineless at times. I really hate that in a lot of MM romances the girlfriend of one of the guys becomes the villain for wanting to spend time with her own boyfriend and it was looking like for the first half of the book it's going to use the trope, so I was really happy to be wrong.
I liked Ethan's friends and family, they were more entertaining than him (and I would love to read their book), but Greyson's band mates were a bit more absent than I expected from a story with a boyband in it.
The gesture at the ending was really cheesy and it was my favourite moment from the whole book, that one scene upped my rating a bit.
Thank you Victory Editing NetGalley for the Arc! The Music of Greyson Hyun read like a sweet, but a bit angsty, new adult college romance with lot of the usual tropes.
✅ famous/fanboy
✅ instant connection
✅ queer awakening
✅ one bed trope
✅ wedding plus one
✅ miscommunication
I finished the book quickly and although I didn't enjoy the first half, I liked the second half of it more. There was a lot of back and forth between the characters at first - ,,do I like him or don't?" and ‚‚does he like me or don't'' - which I don't really like, but once they got together thankfully they started to communicate a tiny bit more.
The characters actions felt young, which was realistic when you get into your first relationship.
But at times the writing felt a bit immature, the main characters thoughts were really spiralling and for a college student I expected a bit more, but I also understand he didn't really have much experience with relationships, that's why he was close to a mental breakdown through the whole book. If we saw more in Grey's head it probably wouldn't have felt so jarring, but because we were in Ethan's POV the whole time the back and forth got a bit boring.
I also would have liked if Ethan didn't backtrack every decision only to regret it afterwards immediately. He was a bit spineless at times. I really hate that in a lot of MM romances the girlfriend of one of the guys becomes the villain for wanting to spend time with her own boyfriend and it was looking like for the first half of the book it's going to use the trope, so I was really happy to be wrong.
I liked Ethan's friends and family, they were more entertaining than him (and I would love to read their book), but Greyson's band mates were a bit more absent than I expected from a story with a boyband in it.
The gesture at the ending was really cheesy and it was my favourite moment from the whole book, that one scene upped my rating a bit.
November 1, 2025
This a fairly typical mm romance. It doesn’t ask for too much from the reader; not ever reaching deep or angsty despite this being a journey of queer discovery, the plot points were predictable and there was a healthy dose of gender generalisation.
Ethan is a confused and confusing character, we’re introduced to him whilst he placidly sits between two arguing parents, and apart from becoming friends with his roommates he’s let the last two years of college life coast by. But, that is about to change as he’s decided this is the year he will become a social butterfly.
Enter Greyson Hyun, a student at the same college and lead singer of Dreamscape, who of course is Korean-American and seems to have a K-Pop level of fame amongst what is described as a small college. Ethan becomes instantly obsessed; spending 3 days checking his socials and getting annoyed when Grey is seen kissing his girlfriend - despite this he doesn’t seem to recognise this for what it is, and instead just needs another reminder from his roommates of his promise to date as many girls as possible to do a 180.
The story continues on in this back and forth manner with some standard tropes thrown in. I didn’t feel either characters showed growth, the relationship felt like that of teenagers rather than 21 year olds, and the conversations felt very surface level throughout.
I could probably have enjoyed this as an easy Sunday read, but it would be remiss of me if I didn’t point out the large amount of stereotyping: songs are considered ‘gay’, girls are emotional wrecks and upon hearing Ethan may be attracted to Grey his roommates tell him to forget it and that ‘guys like him will take attention from anyone they can’ - whatever that means.
Ethan is a confused and confusing character, we’re introduced to him whilst he placidly sits between two arguing parents, and apart from becoming friends with his roommates he’s let the last two years of college life coast by. But, that is about to change as he’s decided this is the year he will become a social butterfly.
Enter Greyson Hyun, a student at the same college and lead singer of Dreamscape, who of course is Korean-American and seems to have a K-Pop level of fame amongst what is described as a small college. Ethan becomes instantly obsessed; spending 3 days checking his socials and getting annoyed when Grey is seen kissing his girlfriend - despite this he doesn’t seem to recognise this for what it is, and instead just needs another reminder from his roommates of his promise to date as many girls as possible to do a 180.
The story continues on in this back and forth manner with some standard tropes thrown in. I didn’t feel either characters showed growth, the relationship felt like that of teenagers rather than 21 year olds, and the conversations felt very surface level throughout.
I could probably have enjoyed this as an easy Sunday read, but it would be remiss of me if I didn’t point out the large amount of stereotyping: songs are considered ‘gay’, girls are emotional wrecks and upon hearing Ethan may be attracted to Grey his roommates tell him to forget it and that ‘guys like him will take attention from anyone they can’ - whatever that means.
November 21, 2025
The Music of Greyson Hyun by Jae Williams
Length: 268 pages
Source: Gay Romance Reviews eARC
Publication date: November 18, 2025
2.5 ⭐
2 🌶️
WHAT TO EXPECT
🎤 College romance
🎤 Friends to lovers
🎤 First times
🎤 Bi-awakening
🎤 Musician x fan
🎤 Slow burn
🎤 Forced proximity/only one bed
🎤 Miscommunication
🎤 Angst/pining
AUTHOR’S BLURB
Ethan had his junior year at Redmond University all planned: go to more parties, make more friends, and date more girls. But everything changes the night he hears Dreamscape, a local indie band fronted by the magnetic and mysterious Greyson Hyun.
Grey is the kind of guy who turns heads, and not just because of his voice. He’s confident, captivating, and for some reason, he seems just as drawn to Ethan as Ethan is to him. What starts as a chance encounter at a bar becomes something Ethan can’t stop thinking about.
Grey’s music follows him everywhere… and so does Grey. He’s showing up at parties, Ethan’s classes, and even in Ethan’s dreams. Ethan has never really fallen for anyone before, he’s not even sure if he believes in love. But the more Ethan gets to know Grey, the harder it becomes to ignore what his heart is trying to tell him.
MY THOUGHTS
This book is a mixed bag, and that's what my thoughts feel like at the moment, too. There are things that I really liked and things that had me nearly DNF'ing multiple times. Ultimately, I finished because I wanted to see how the author would get me from being completely irritated and frustrated with the MCs to happy they seem to have figured things out. (It's definitely a HFN, not an HEA, for me.)
Truthfully, I got there kind of by kicking and screaming, because the miscommunication in this book is pretty much THE book. At a hundred different points along the way, a single conversation would have resolved, well, everything. There's a ton of "hurting each other's feelings because we can't talk and just want to presume the worst of each other." Instead of communication, there's incessant teasing and running away until suddenly there's not. But then there is again. But then not. I'm exhausted.
Both characters are all over the place and change their minds at the drop of a hat, before changing it back just as quickly. I tried to attribute this to them being 20-21 year olds who've never been in love and who've never been their true selves in front of more than a handful of people, but by the end, even that felt like a stretch. It seems more like, again, the writer falls back on miscommunication to try to advance the story.
Overall, I don't feel like there's that much character development or overall growth from beginning to end for either MC as individuals. Ethan, for example, has a lot of inner dialogue about how meeting and falling for Grey changes his life (honestly, it's repetitive), but after 268 pages, I couldn't describe for you how he's changed other than figuring out he likes men, which seems to take him probably 2/3 of the book. He is truly, amazingly clueless that he might be so obsessed with Grey because he's not straight.
Also, these guys are JUNIORS in college. Why the heck are they getting picked up and dropped off for school like teens being taken to summer camp? This kind of ruined the end of the book for me, because I was distracted by "Why are you getting picked up by your arguing parents?!"
There are glimpses of a really great story here, for me. As frustrating as they are, Ethan and Grey are likable. They're young, but the connection between them seems to be real. They are sweet and flirtatious together when they're actually communicating. The roommates and bandmates are funny and provide some insight into the MCs, enough that I wish we would have gotten more time with them.
BOTTOM LINE
I want to like this one more than I did, because the bones are there. But it reads like the author had a checklist of plot points and wrote around those things to make them happen rather than letting the characters tell him their stories. That being the case, I would still pick up the second book give it a try if this becomes a series (feels like this could be the case if the author wants to pursue it).
— A🩷
CONTENT WARNINGS
Internalized and externalized homophobia, perceived cheating between MCs (not on each other)
Thanks to Gay Romance Reviews and Jae Williams for an eARC of this book. All opinions are mine. Reviews posted regularly on StoryGraph, Instagram, BlueSky, BookBub, Fable, Amazon, and Goodreads.
Length: 268 pages
Source: Gay Romance Reviews eARC
Publication date: November 18, 2025
2.5 ⭐
2 🌶️
WHAT TO EXPECT
🎤 College romance
🎤 Friends to lovers
🎤 First times
🎤 Bi-awakening
🎤 Musician x fan
🎤 Slow burn
🎤 Forced proximity/only one bed
🎤 Miscommunication
🎤 Angst/pining
AUTHOR’S BLURB
Ethan had his junior year at Redmond University all planned: go to more parties, make more friends, and date more girls. But everything changes the night he hears Dreamscape, a local indie band fronted by the magnetic and mysterious Greyson Hyun.
Grey is the kind of guy who turns heads, and not just because of his voice. He’s confident, captivating, and for some reason, he seems just as drawn to Ethan as Ethan is to him. What starts as a chance encounter at a bar becomes something Ethan can’t stop thinking about.
Grey’s music follows him everywhere… and so does Grey. He’s showing up at parties, Ethan’s classes, and even in Ethan’s dreams. Ethan has never really fallen for anyone before, he’s not even sure if he believes in love. But the more Ethan gets to know Grey, the harder it becomes to ignore what his heart is trying to tell him.
MY THOUGHTS
This book is a mixed bag, and that's what my thoughts feel like at the moment, too. There are things that I really liked and things that had me nearly DNF'ing multiple times. Ultimately, I finished because I wanted to see how the author would get me from being completely irritated and frustrated with the MCs to happy they seem to have figured things out. (It's definitely a HFN, not an HEA, for me.)
Truthfully, I got there kind of by kicking and screaming, because the miscommunication in this book is pretty much THE book. At a hundred different points along the way, a single conversation would have resolved, well, everything. There's a ton of "hurting each other's feelings because we can't talk and just want to presume the worst of each other." Instead of communication, there's incessant teasing and running away until suddenly there's not. But then there is again. But then not. I'm exhausted.
Both characters are all over the place and change their minds at the drop of a hat, before changing it back just as quickly. I tried to attribute this to them being 20-21 year olds who've never been in love and who've never been their true selves in front of more than a handful of people, but by the end, even that felt like a stretch. It seems more like, again, the writer falls back on miscommunication to try to advance the story.
Overall, I don't feel like there's that much character development or overall growth from beginning to end for either MC as individuals. Ethan, for example, has a lot of inner dialogue about how meeting and falling for Grey changes his life (honestly, it's repetitive), but after 268 pages, I couldn't describe for you how he's changed other than figuring out he likes men, which seems to take him probably 2/3 of the book. He is truly, amazingly clueless that he might be so obsessed with Grey because he's not straight.
Also, these guys are JUNIORS in college. Why the heck are they getting picked up and dropped off for school like teens being taken to summer camp? This kind of ruined the end of the book for me, because I was distracted by "Why are you getting picked up by your arguing parents?!"
There are glimpses of a really great story here, for me. As frustrating as they are, Ethan and Grey are likable. They're young, but the connection between them seems to be real. They are sweet and flirtatious together when they're actually communicating. The roommates and bandmates are funny and provide some insight into the MCs, enough that I wish we would have gotten more time with them.
BOTTOM LINE
I want to like this one more than I did, because the bones are there. But it reads like the author had a checklist of plot points and wrote around those things to make them happen rather than letting the characters tell him their stories. That being the case, I would still pick up the second book give it a try if this becomes a series (feels like this could be the case if the author wants to pursue it).
— A🩷
CONTENT WARNINGS
Internalized and externalized homophobia, perceived cheating between MCs (not on each other)
Thanks to Gay Romance Reviews and Jae Williams for an eARC of this book. All opinions are mine. Reviews posted regularly on StoryGraph, Instagram, BlueSky, BookBub, Fable, Amazon, and Goodreads.
November 14, 2025
I loved so much of this book. I love how the author brought up some often forgotten about issues surrounding having fame and being treated as an object rather than a person. My only wish was that we had an epilogue or something to show where their journey took them.
I love when the MC with the queer awakening talks about how they can tell a person of the same sex is attractive.
"It was all I could do to keep from rolling my eyes. Yeah, the guy was attractive, but not enough for the level everyone was getting hyped for."
“You should follow Dreamscapes hashtag too,” she offered. “And Grey’s. But that one gets a bit, um, thirsty.” Heat rose to my face. I could only imagine what got posted about Grey. He was an attractive guy, after all. The internet would be all over that."
I know some people seem to have a huge issue with how people accept their sexuality or label it the way that Ethan does. Not everyone struggles to accept the change. Not everyone questions it or hesitates. And I love how Ethan coming out, has his friends coming out (even though Kellan was technically out)
“I’m sorry. Did I miss something?” Kellan asked. “Do you like guys?” “It’s fine if you do,” Josh jumped in. “Obviously,” Kellan said with a flippant wave of his hand. “I like guys. I’ve dated a guy before.” “Wait, you have?” I asked. “I’ve literally told you about this,” Kellan said."
"Maybe that was why it was always so easy for me to leave. I’d never felt the intimacy that most of the girls I’d slept with seemed to feel."
Some of the real concerns surrounding fandoms and how far famous people- no matter their level of fame- have to go to protect themselves needs to be talked about more. People with any level of fame tend to be treated as objects, now add in that queer men are fetishized and objectified even more and you can see how important this part of the story is to tell. As a reader, you understand why Grey may have been scared to tell the truth especially when you've seen it happen to queer men IRL.
“She came in while I was sleeping. Apparently, she’d been the head of my fan club ever since the band started getting popular at Redmond. Well, I was getting a lot of fan letters and DMs and stuff at the time, and she had sent me some that I’d never gotten back to.”
“Lots of people after concerts just want to get a handful of you. To touch you no matter how much you don’t want to be touched.”
"That people thought they had some kind of ownership over him just because they liked his music."
People may hate the "third act breakup" but in this case it's absurdly realistic because the music industry forcing people to stay in the closet happens and the more we talk about it and bring it into the light, the more hope we have that it can change.
I love when the MC with the queer awakening talks about how they can tell a person of the same sex is attractive.
"It was all I could do to keep from rolling my eyes. Yeah, the guy was attractive, but not enough for the level everyone was getting hyped for."
“You should follow Dreamscapes hashtag too,” she offered. “And Grey’s. But that one gets a bit, um, thirsty.” Heat rose to my face. I could only imagine what got posted about Grey. He was an attractive guy, after all. The internet would be all over that."
I know some people seem to have a huge issue with how people accept their sexuality or label it the way that Ethan does. Not everyone struggles to accept the change. Not everyone questions it or hesitates. And I love how Ethan coming out, has his friends coming out (even though Kellan was technically out)
“I’m sorry. Did I miss something?” Kellan asked. “Do you like guys?” “It’s fine if you do,” Josh jumped in. “Obviously,” Kellan said with a flippant wave of his hand. “I like guys. I’ve dated a guy before.” “Wait, you have?” I asked. “I’ve literally told you about this,” Kellan said."
"Maybe that was why it was always so easy for me to leave. I’d never felt the intimacy that most of the girls I’d slept with seemed to feel."
Some of the real concerns surrounding fandoms and how far famous people- no matter their level of fame- have to go to protect themselves needs to be talked about more. People with any level of fame tend to be treated as objects, now add in that queer men are fetishized and objectified even more and you can see how important this part of the story is to tell. As a reader, you understand why Grey may have been scared to tell the truth especially when you've seen it happen to queer men IRL.
“She came in while I was sleeping. Apparently, she’d been the head of my fan club ever since the band started getting popular at Redmond. Well, I was getting a lot of fan letters and DMs and stuff at the time, and she had sent me some that I’d never gotten back to.”
“Lots of people after concerts just want to get a handful of you. To touch you no matter how much you don’t want to be touched.”
"That people thought they had some kind of ownership over him just because they liked his music."
People may hate the "third act breakup" but in this case it's absurdly realistic because the music industry forcing people to stay in the closet happens and the more we talk about it and bring it into the light, the more hope we have that it can change.
November 2, 2025
ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op
Wanted to begin by saying that the premise of this book is promising and something that I felt like I would enjoy. The lead singer in a boy band falling for a fan and the challenges surrounding their circumstances. Sign me up. However, as promising as the premise sets up the scene, the story falls short before laying down the foundation for their relationship.
Starting things off, Ethan starts the school year thinking he was going to get with girls and chill with his friends, that is until he witnesses a performance from the local, yet popular, band Dreamscape and takes a liking to the lead singer. The thing is, Ethan claims to have never questioned his sexuality and only has ever had feelings for girls. Cool. Fine. People discover their identity differently. But it was very much as soon as he saw Grey he was attracted to him and just kinda shrugged off his sexuality, like not trying to delve deeper into who he is.
As for Grey and the band, things are already not adding up given that the band’s popularity is inconsistent and changes depending on what they want the chapter requires. One moment Dreamscape is treated as a well-known band that the entire campus is obsessed with and the group has issues getting around, and the next chapter Grey is casually out with Ethan or someone and it’s like he’s back to being an unknown local singer. Putting that aside, Grey instantly falls for Ethan upon seeing him in the crowd at a gig, despite having a girlfriend, which more information about that situation will be revealed later.
For the first part of the book the two of them admit to having feelings for each other but remain just friends. During that phase, their relationship status felt dragged out trying to get them get together. But at the same time, once they finally agree to be together, they feel rushed and as though there isn’t much development between them other than they both think each other is attractive and feel something between them. It feels like the book is missing several scenes that could’ve benefited their development because it feels like nothing is happening despite the length of the story.
I do see the potential in this book and these characters, which is why I’m still convincing myself to give it the rating I’m giving it now. It’s somewhat of a still cute story and I give it props for being somewhat of a quick read and something semi-lighthearted. I just believe there could’ve been more development not only with the relationship, but with the characters themselves.
Wanted to begin by saying that the premise of this book is promising and something that I felt like I would enjoy. The lead singer in a boy band falling for a fan and the challenges surrounding their circumstances. Sign me up. However, as promising as the premise sets up the scene, the story falls short before laying down the foundation for their relationship.
Starting things off, Ethan starts the school year thinking he was going to get with girls and chill with his friends, that is until he witnesses a performance from the local, yet popular, band Dreamscape and takes a liking to the lead singer. The thing is, Ethan claims to have never questioned his sexuality and only has ever had feelings for girls. Cool. Fine. People discover their identity differently. But it was very much as soon as he saw Grey he was attracted to him and just kinda shrugged off his sexuality, like not trying to delve deeper into who he is.
As for Grey and the band, things are already not adding up given that the band’s popularity is inconsistent and changes depending on what they want the chapter requires. One moment Dreamscape is treated as a well-known band that the entire campus is obsessed with and the group has issues getting around, and the next chapter Grey is casually out with Ethan or someone and it’s like he’s back to being an unknown local singer. Putting that aside, Grey instantly falls for Ethan upon seeing him in the crowd at a gig, despite having a girlfriend, which more information about that situation will be revealed later.
For the first part of the book the two of them admit to having feelings for each other but remain just friends. During that phase, their relationship status felt dragged out trying to get them get together. But at the same time, once they finally agree to be together, they feel rushed and as though there isn’t much development between them other than they both think each other is attractive and feel something between them. It feels like the book is missing several scenes that could’ve benefited their development because it feels like nothing is happening despite the length of the story.
I do see the potential in this book and these characters, which is why I’m still convincing myself to give it the rating I’m giving it now. It’s somewhat of a still cute story and I give it props for being somewhat of a quick read and something semi-lighthearted. I just believe there could’ve been more development not only with the relationship, but with the characters themselves.
November 1, 2025
The Music of Greyson Hyun
by Jae Williams
⭐️ 4/5
First of all, thank you, NetGalley, for this ARC!
Now… let’s talk about this emotional rollercoaster of a book that had me squinting at my Kindle like, “Why are you two like this?!”
We’ve got Greyson — stage name Grey — the not-yet-famous singer with a past heavier than his guitar case, and Ethan — a sweet little college student who apparently hasn’t noticed that maybe, just maybe, he likes boys. The setup? Chef’s kiss. The execution? Mostly great… except when I wanted to shake both of them and yell, “JUST TALK TO EACH OTHER!”
Here’s the thing: Grey? Loved him. Emotional damage? Check. Depth? Check. Great hair and probably smells like heartbreak and coffee? Check. We got to see so much of his life, his music, his pain — basically his whole personality.
Ethan, though? My dude, where were you? It felt like he got lost somewhere between chapters and only showed up when Grey needed someone to cry to or almost kiss. There’s barely any insight into his past, his thoughts, his anything. He’s supposed to be one of the main characters, but it’s like the spotlight never really turned his way.
And the relationship? Oh, it’s sweet — when it’s not painfully awkward. These two are drawn to each other like magnets, but apparently someone switched the poles every other chapter. Half the time I was like, “Wow, that’s adorable,” and the other half I was muttering, “For the love of everything, just figure your stuff out already.”
The side characters were a nice touch, the writing flowed well, and I honestly liked the vibe of the whole book. It’s got this mix of melancholy and warmth that somehow works. But, and I say this lovingly, boys, you didn’t need to make everything so complicated.
In short:
• Loved Grey, wanted more Ethan.
• Loved the angst, but could’ve used a bit more joy.
• Loved the music vibes, even if I sometimes wanted to skip the dramatic pauses like a bad Spotify ad.
A great emotional read, full of heart, confusion, and that kind of love story where you know they’ll figure it out… eventually.
by Jae Williams
⭐️ 4/5
First of all, thank you, NetGalley, for this ARC!
Now… let’s talk about this emotional rollercoaster of a book that had me squinting at my Kindle like, “Why are you two like this?!”
We’ve got Greyson — stage name Grey — the not-yet-famous singer with a past heavier than his guitar case, and Ethan — a sweet little college student who apparently hasn’t noticed that maybe, just maybe, he likes boys. The setup? Chef’s kiss. The execution? Mostly great… except when I wanted to shake both of them and yell, “JUST TALK TO EACH OTHER!”
Here’s the thing: Grey? Loved him. Emotional damage? Check. Depth? Check. Great hair and probably smells like heartbreak and coffee? Check. We got to see so much of his life, his music, his pain — basically his whole personality.
Ethan, though? My dude, where were you? It felt like he got lost somewhere between chapters and only showed up when Grey needed someone to cry to or almost kiss. There’s barely any insight into his past, his thoughts, his anything. He’s supposed to be one of the main characters, but it’s like the spotlight never really turned his way.
And the relationship? Oh, it’s sweet — when it’s not painfully awkward. These two are drawn to each other like magnets, but apparently someone switched the poles every other chapter. Half the time I was like, “Wow, that’s adorable,” and the other half I was muttering, “For the love of everything, just figure your stuff out already.”
The side characters were a nice touch, the writing flowed well, and I honestly liked the vibe of the whole book. It’s got this mix of melancholy and warmth that somehow works. But, and I say this lovingly, boys, you didn’t need to make everything so complicated.
In short:
• Loved Grey, wanted more Ethan.
• Loved the angst, but could’ve used a bit more joy.
• Loved the music vibes, even if I sometimes wanted to skip the dramatic pauses like a bad Spotify ad.
A great emotional read, full of heart, confusion, and that kind of love story where you know they’ll figure it out… eventually.
November 29, 2025
“I haven’t done this before, you know?”
“Done what, exactly?”
“Let someone in,” Grey said. “Not someone I was interested in romantically anyway.”
My jaw went slack with shock before I could stop it. “Wait, you’ve never dated someone for real before?”
Grey shook his head. “I haven’t even talked to someone I wanted to be with for real before.” He paused. “That is, before you.”
My face warmed. “I just assumed you’d had others.”
“Why?”
“Just look at you.” I gestured at him. “One look at you, and you shattered my whole world.”
I enjoyed this book. I liked both Ethan and Grey. They had great chemistry and attraction. A bi-awakening for Ethan that took him too long to come to terms with. It wasn't a smooth road for them with assumptions and misunderstandings that would have saved time and emotions if they just communicated! I don't like the unnecessary miscommunication trope, so that aspect annoyed me, but I did like the two of them and there were some really cute and sweet moments between them. I also liked the supporting characters. Grey's decisive action at the end was sweet and I loved how that scene played out. I was only thrown off at the end when parents were picking them up for summer break... they're all supposed to be juniors in college not high school, so I found that whole scene very strange. Maybe it was just a means to unexpectedly introduce Grey to Ethan's parents and for us as readers to realized how much Ethan had changed from how his parents saw him/his relationships before. But still weird and could have been done differently for a chance meeting that didn't make them feel like kids lol. This is the first story I've read by this author. 4 stars
“Done what, exactly?”
“Let someone in,” Grey said. “Not someone I was interested in romantically anyway.”
My jaw went slack with shock before I could stop it. “Wait, you’ve never dated someone for real before?”
Grey shook his head. “I haven’t even talked to someone I wanted to be with for real before.” He paused. “That is, before you.”
My face warmed. “I just assumed you’d had others.”
“Why?”
“Just look at you.” I gestured at him. “One look at you, and you shattered my whole world.”
I enjoyed this book. I liked both Ethan and Grey. They had great chemistry and attraction. A bi-awakening for Ethan that took him too long to come to terms with. It wasn't a smooth road for them with assumptions and misunderstandings that would have saved time and emotions if they just communicated! I don't like the unnecessary miscommunication trope, so that aspect annoyed me, but I did like the two of them and there were some really cute and sweet moments between them. I also liked the supporting characters. Grey's decisive action at the end was sweet and I loved how that scene played out. I was only thrown off at the end when parents were picking them up for summer break... they're all supposed to be juniors in college not high school, so I found that whole scene very strange. Maybe it was just a means to unexpectedly introduce Grey to Ethan's parents and for us as readers to realized how much Ethan had changed from how his parents saw him/his relationships before. But still weird and could have been done differently for a chance meeting that didn't make them feel like kids lol. This is the first story I've read by this author. 4 stars
November 14, 2025
This was an entertaining read. The author describes wanting to make the book a bit dramatic and over the top and I think they succeeded in that. I will say I liked the second half more than the first and the back and forth and the push and pull is what really makes this book angsty. Plus Grey having a girlfriend added a new layer to the book that I will say wasn't my favorite because I dislike love triangles but the more Grey and Ethan spend together the more Grey is comfortable sharing what only few people know about as not everything is what it seems. I loved the music alot. It flowed for me and could honestly be real songs. I like that Grey used his music in his relationship with Ethan and was able to express some of his feelings to him without having to give everything away in the first half. I really enjoyed the side characters too. I wanted to knock Ethan and Grey's heads together (and not in the fun way) because there were times they entered almost toxic territory when communication would have fixed things and probably made the book a bit shorter which wouldn't have been the worst thing since it was a bit long. I did still root for them to get it right and the end made it seem like they had a chance. There was steam which I liked as well. I'm super curious about who could be getting a book next and I'm kinda shipping Josh and Kellan a bit. Overall I'm looking foward to see what's next by this author.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 12, 2025
ARC provided by publisher:
To be fair, I knew pretty quickly this one wasn’t going to be for me. To call it instalust would be underselling it it’s straight up obsession almost immediately.
A “straight” college guy immediately develops intense feelings for the singer of a local boy band that plays dive bars (is that even a thing?)(to be fair he’s basically a K-pop stand-in), and everyone around him conveniently seems to immediately see what’s going on for exposition’s sake and has no other dialogue than explaining his own emotions to him.
The worldbuilding also doesn’t hold up. Their level of fame wavers constantly! He can’t live a normal life, akin to A-list celebrities, but they aren’t even signed or even represented, just locally known.
Both characters clearly bring out the worst in each other, and the reason they can’t be together is that self imposed (nonexistent) management says I can’t be gay trope. it’s way too low stakes for how dramatic the book treats it.
The tone reads more like a self insert fanfic about a K-pop-style idol that at last minute was changed to only locally known and not famous yet. It’s all steam and angst, with little in between.
That said, it’s an undeniably fast, easy read. this could hit the spot for someone who likes obsessive, dramatic, all-consuming romances. It just wasn’t for me.
To be fair, I knew pretty quickly this one wasn’t going to be for me. To call it instalust would be underselling it it’s straight up obsession almost immediately.
A “straight” college guy immediately develops intense feelings for the singer of a local boy band that plays dive bars (is that even a thing?)(to be fair he’s basically a K-pop stand-in), and everyone around him conveniently seems to immediately see what’s going on for exposition’s sake and has no other dialogue than explaining his own emotions to him.
The worldbuilding also doesn’t hold up. Their level of fame wavers constantly! He can’t live a normal life, akin to A-list celebrities, but they aren’t even signed or even represented, just locally known.
Both characters clearly bring out the worst in each other, and the reason they can’t be together is that self imposed (nonexistent) management says I can’t be gay trope. it’s way too low stakes for how dramatic the book treats it.
The tone reads more like a self insert fanfic about a K-pop-style idol that at last minute was changed to only locally known and not famous yet. It’s all steam and angst, with little in between.
That said, it’s an undeniably fast, easy read. this could hit the spot for someone who likes obsessive, dramatic, all-consuming romances. It just wasn’t for me.
October 19, 2025
It's entertaining enough, but the characters could use some work. I just didn't like them. One was a drama queen and the other was indecisive.
Ethan's a college student in his junior year who, apparently is majoring in CREATIVE WRITING. Even so, he's bored with all his classes and would like to sleep through them. He meets Gray, who is the lead in an up and coming band, and falls for him immediately, despite the fact that Ethan considers himself straight. There's lots of pining and lamenting to his friends in detail - in fact if the story hadn't told me, I'd have assumed Ethan was a 13-year-old girl.
Gray can't decide if he likes Ethan or not either. He does, but he won't break up with his girlfriend, and then he does, but then they talk, and then they don't..... And then there's the whole drama with the band's new manager, who thinks Grey should not have a boyfriend (for marketing purpose).
I dunno - the characters acted far younger than they were supposed to be. They get themselves together in the end (just at the last minute), but realistically there's not much hope for them. One is going to be a rock star, and the other is going to be his tag-along after graduation?
Ethan's a college student in his junior year who, apparently is majoring in CREATIVE WRITING. Even so, he's bored with all his classes and would like to sleep through them. He meets Gray, who is the lead in an up and coming band, and falls for him immediately, despite the fact that Ethan considers himself straight. There's lots of pining and lamenting to his friends in detail - in fact if the story hadn't told me, I'd have assumed Ethan was a 13-year-old girl.
Gray can't decide if he likes Ethan or not either. He does, but he won't break up with his girlfriend, and then he does, but then they talk, and then they don't..... And then there's the whole drama with the band's new manager, who thinks Grey should not have a boyfriend (for marketing purpose).
I dunno - the characters acted far younger than they were supposed to be. They get themselves together in the end (just at the last minute), but realistically there's not much hope for them. One is going to be a rock star, and the other is going to be his tag-along after graduation?
November 25, 2025
ARC review - Gay Romance Review
I want to start off by saying the idea of the story sounds great which is why I requested to read this. However it was a little hard to get through. There were some times where I was just ready to DNF but I was just curious enough to see how these two could possibly have a HEA ( I personally seem them together for maybe just a couple years at best)
Ethan has always found himself as straight until one night he see a band playing and instantly becomes infatuated with the singer Greyson. and he never really like questioned anything. I mean i know like you dont have to freak out about your sexuality but like I feel going that far into your life and not once having any type of thought about a man you would think have just a slight internal thought or mini discussion about it.
Greyson just straight up sucks. he is in a relationship when he meets Ethan but yet has the audacity to pursue Ethan. although things are not what they seems he definitely should have had some type of discussion with Ethan way earlier then he did. Also Ethan like not caring about him being in a relationship as well yuck.
Their relationship felt it was lacking any true depth to it. Which leads to my previous statement of they would truly we a couple for a few years tops.
I want to start off by saying the idea of the story sounds great which is why I requested to read this. However it was a little hard to get through. There were some times where I was just ready to DNF but I was just curious enough to see how these two could possibly have a HEA ( I personally seem them together for maybe just a couple years at best)
Ethan has always found himself as straight until one night he see a band playing and instantly becomes infatuated with the singer Greyson. and he never really like questioned anything. I mean i know like you dont have to freak out about your sexuality but like I feel going that far into your life and not once having any type of thought about a man you would think have just a slight internal thought or mini discussion about it.
Greyson just straight up sucks. he is in a relationship when he meets Ethan but yet has the audacity to pursue Ethan. although things are not what they seems he definitely should have had some type of discussion with Ethan way earlier then he did. Also Ethan like not caring about him being in a relationship as well yuck.
Their relationship felt it was lacking any true depth to it. Which leads to my previous statement of they would truly we a couple for a few years tops.
October 10, 2025
Thank you Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. Enjoyable! Ethan had his junior year all figured out, he was going to attend more college parties and meet more girls. However, on his first night back he and his roommates decide to go to a bar with live music. Apparently a band called Dreamscape is playing and they are all anyone is talking about. When they take the stage Ethan is instantly consumed with the lead singer Greyson Hyun. And he’s not even sure why. But after that first time Greyson seems to be everywhere and Ethan can’t stop obsessing over him. He tries to keep his thoughts away from Greyson, after all he’s never been interested in men before. But there’s this connection between the two and the more they interact the more Ethan wants him. It’s also clear that Greyson feels the same. Could this be love? And wha happens if Ethan puts his heart out there? And with Greyson’s music career booming would it even be possible for them to be together? I found this to be sweet! Ethan’s fumbling when talking to Greyson was really cute and I enjoyed how the two of them grew together! Jae Williams writes a fun, engaging, and cute romance!
November 21, 2025
I really enjoyed this book! I agree that sometimes the characters felt younger than the 21 year olds they're supposed to be, but most of the plot elements worked with a college setting - especially everything that had to go with Grey's musical career.
I enjoyed how gone for one another the two main characters were. Very much insta-love, but I like that trope so I was happy with it! I really loved the side characters, especially Ethan's roommates.
One of the things this book did well was normalizing being queer. Other than one character (and his motivations were a factor), everyone was fine with the guys being gay/bisexual and that's so refreshing to read.
There were also some very interesting, and important, conversations about consent, about the price to pay for fame, about discovering one's sexuality, it was really great!
What I didn't like was the 3rd act breakup, but I get why it was there. It's just something that I never particularly enjoy in romance books (even though it's very often used as a plot device).
I'll happily read more from this author in the future, especially if there are more books set in the same universe - give me Kellan and Josh's stories!
I enjoyed how gone for one another the two main characters were. Very much insta-love, but I like that trope so I was happy with it! I really loved the side characters, especially Ethan's roommates.
One of the things this book did well was normalizing being queer. Other than one character (and his motivations were a factor), everyone was fine with the guys being gay/bisexual and that's so refreshing to read.
There were also some very interesting, and important, conversations about consent, about the price to pay for fame, about discovering one's sexuality, it was really great!
What I didn't like was the 3rd act breakup, but I get why it was there. It's just something that I never particularly enjoy in romance books (even though it's very often used as a plot device).
I'll happily read more from this author in the future, especially if there are more books set in the same universe - give me Kellan and Josh's stories!
November 29, 2025
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This is your basic college student discovers he's not as straight as he thought he was when he falls in love with the "It" boy on campus. Greyson is an up and coming musician captures the attention of Ethan Cooper, a junior English major, who has only dated women up to this point in his life. Ethan freaks over his attraction to Greyson. His roommates notice, but there was no judgment except to be careful. It struck me as odd, until they both came out as bi as well. I thought that was a bit too neat and tidy.
There's plenty of angst. Actually I thought there was way too much angst for what should be just a sweet romance. Ethan accepts his newly discovered sexuality pretty well. He's never really had a long term relationship with a woman and he figures this is why.
We get a happy ending, but that's as much as I'm going to say. The plot is predictable. The characters are well written. I'm not sure what I really want out of this book though. It was just okay for me.
This is your basic college student discovers he's not as straight as he thought he was when he falls in love with the "It" boy on campus. Greyson is an up and coming musician captures the attention of Ethan Cooper, a junior English major, who has only dated women up to this point in his life. Ethan freaks over his attraction to Greyson. His roommates notice, but there was no judgment except to be careful. It struck me as odd, until they both came out as bi as well. I thought that was a bit too neat and tidy.
There's plenty of angst. Actually I thought there was way too much angst for what should be just a sweet romance. Ethan accepts his newly discovered sexuality pretty well. He's never really had a long term relationship with a woman and he figures this is why.
We get a happy ending, but that's as much as I'm going to say. The plot is predictable. The characters are well written. I'm not sure what I really want out of this book though. It was just okay for me.
November 17, 2025
This story was honestly so cute. If you’re into bi or gay awakening stories, this one will hit all the right notes. I also really appreciated getting an MM romance that isn’t about hockey for once. The connection between Grey and Ethan made me smile and cry throughout this story.. A rising music star and a fan just feels really fun and believable and you can’t help but root for them even when you know the drama is coming. There are girlfriends, new management, a whole lot of self discovery, and all the messy emotions that go with it. I won’t spoil anything, but the emotional journey pulls you in, and the chemistry feels natural. It’s the kind of story anyone can get into, even if MM romance isn’t usually their thing. I could see this being adapted into a Netflix series in the future because it has that perfect mix of charm, real feelings, and drama that came alive on the page. I can't wait to get a physical copy for my bookshelf!
November 22, 2025
I thought the book was good overall. I had a hard time understanding what was happening at times. At times, the language can be somewhat repetitious, but that could simply be a matter of fine-tuning. Throughout the movie, we follow college student Ethan as he navigates his feelings for Greyson, a local musician on campus. Ethan is taken aback by this unexpected attraction, which quickly becomes a small obsession. Also, Ethan opens up to his roommates about his feelings, and he finds that he's not alone in thinking that boys are attractive. His new sexual orientation has been accepted and accepted by both of his roommates. Contrarily, Greyson is seeing someone who ends up being someone who helps him. Ethan becomes a part of Greyson's life, helping him express himself while simultaneously protecting him. The author accomplished a commendable job for his debut novel."I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.
December 4, 2025
This book is very much a slow burn. I was very invested in the plot and there stories but at one point I was wondering if this was going to be a cliffhanger because of the slow burn. Beautifully written story of two college boys figuring out themselves, what’s important to them and how to navigate a relationship. For a while it does feel like Grey is just playing with Ethan’s feeling but all becomes clear in very romantic ways. The writing is incredibly poetic and descriptive whether it is describing a character’s features or heartbreak (I’d thought heartbreak was a metaphor, but I could swear I felt something physically crack in my chest. Tears sprang to my eyes as my heart shattered into a million tiny pieces.). The song lyrics interspersed throughout the book are creative and flow really well with the story.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 20, 2025
Review:
I debated a long time about the rating, but eventually settled on two stars. I think the book really had some potential, but I really hated Grey. I get that he's scared, but I hated what he did because of it. Eventually he's brave enough to get in a relationship with Ethan (don't even get me started on him; I will get to him in a moment), but he lets some kind of producer walk all over him and keeps his relationship with Ethan on the DL (aka his biggest fear). I mean come on, have some balls and stand up for yourself!
Then Ethan. Ethan is really pathetic! He follows Grey like a lost puppy (and not the cute kind). He can't get over his obsession? with Grey and he doesn't have any self respect. Grow a pair and stand up for yourself.
PS. I received an ARC, but this is my honest opinion.
I debated a long time about the rating, but eventually settled on two stars. I think the book really had some potential, but I really hated Grey. I get that he's scared, but I hated what he did because of it. Eventually he's brave enough to get in a relationship with Ethan (don't even get me started on him; I will get to him in a moment), but he lets some kind of producer walk all over him and keeps his relationship with Ethan on the DL (aka his biggest fear). I mean come on, have some balls and stand up for yourself!
Then Ethan. Ethan is really pathetic! He follows Grey like a lost puppy (and not the cute kind). He can't get over his obsession? with Grey and he doesn't have any self respect. Grow a pair and stand up for yourself.
PS. I received an ARC, but this is my honest opinion.
October 24, 2025
I just know, a few chapter in, this book wasn't going to be my cup of tea. I did like the idea the author had for the plot, but i think that was the only thing i really liked.
the characters were bland, like if they were a spice, they'd be flour. I wouldn't have minded the insta-love, if they'd been queer beforehand, but he just straight up developed obsessive feelings toward greyson, and it was honestly pretty unbelievable.
i also didn't really quite understand whether the band was popular or not, because the inconsistencies surrounding that aspect were too much for me to keep up.
also, this book felt unnecesarily long
thank you Victory Editing NetGalley for the arc
the characters were bland, like if they were a spice, they'd be flour. I wouldn't have minded the insta-love, if they'd been queer beforehand, but he just straight up developed obsessive feelings toward greyson, and it was honestly pretty unbelievable.
i also didn't really quite understand whether the band was popular or not, because the inconsistencies surrounding that aspect were too much for me to keep up.
also, this book felt unnecesarily long
thank you Victory Editing NetGalley for the arc
October 29, 2025
2.5 stars
Ethan and Grey, both in college together, are barely 20 when the story begins, and over the course of a semester, find themselves involved in an on-again, off-again relationship song and dance. It's full of angst, of "Will he? Won't he?" and "Should I? Shouldn't I?", with a large side of "I don't know why" and "I can't decide". In other words, both of them are incredibly naive, sometimes overwhelmingly stupid, and unbearably whiny. I wanted to like this story, but I couldn't find it in me to tolerate the MCs' never-ending immaturity. The mushy ending didn't make me feel any better about them, sadly.
Ethan and Grey, both in college together, are barely 20 when the story begins, and over the course of a semester, find themselves involved in an on-again, off-again relationship song and dance. It's full of angst, of "Will he? Won't he?" and "Should I? Shouldn't I?", with a large side of "I don't know why" and "I can't decide". In other words, both of them are incredibly naive, sometimes overwhelmingly stupid, and unbearably whiny. I wanted to like this story, but I couldn't find it in me to tolerate the MCs' never-ending immaturity. The mushy ending didn't make me feel any better about them, sadly.
Read
November 13, 2025Okay so dnf at 10%
I got this ARC back when it had like 2 reviews, both saying that this is not love, it's obsession. And I thought "hey, in some romances, the steps are: 1) like, then 2) obsession, then 3) love, so maybe that's what it's happening here but not that well written". HA, right.
Y'know, if this was a paranormal or urban fantasy book, it might've had more sense. The instant obsession thingy, I mean.
Also, some parts are cringe in a way I can't put into words.
The thing is, I can't keep reading it, I tried 2 times already.
Won't rate as I didn't read much and it seems unfair.
I got this ARC back when it had like 2 reviews, both saying that this is not love, it's obsession. And I thought "hey, in some romances, the steps are: 1) like, then 2) obsession, then 3) love, so maybe that's what it's happening here but not that well written". HA, right.
Y'know, if this was a paranormal or urban fantasy book, it might've had more sense. The instant obsession thingy, I mean.
Also, some parts are cringe in a way I can't put into words.
The thing is, I can't keep reading it, I tried 2 times already.
Won't rate as I didn't read much and it seems unfair.
October 7, 2025
Well, this book was a bit rough for me. I liked the premise of the story. A college student meets a front man of a band and falls in love. The main two characters were okay. The story itself was too long and not pleasant. Too much drinking. And the unprotected sex without a conversation beforehand through me off to the love story. Was it love or obsession? I honestly didn’t believe they were in love. I don’t know if I can recommend this book, but that’s just my opinion. Thanks to NetGalley for my ARC.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 6, 2025
Overall this book felt like a wild fever dream in a good way. There were definitely times I wanted to shake Ethan because his overthinking was a bit frustrating. I honestly thought I was going to DNF the book but I was far enough along that I was curious to see where things went so I kept going. They dynamic started off hella toxic and slowly it came to a place where I was actually rooting for them. As much as I hate a third act breakup the reasoning for it was totally valid. I love how Grey and their circle planned out a reunion for them and an honest apology.
November 18, 2025
3.5 stars. Rounded up for the last part, which I enjoyed a lot more than the first half. The popularity of the band changed frequently, not in a way that made sense. Grey had suffered a lot through his popularity, but Evan was often too immature and looked at a lot of things from only his own viewpoint and never that of Grey's. I liked the friends a lot. The author certainly has potential.
I received a complimentary copy of this book via Booksprout (thanks) and am happy to leave a voluntary review.
I received a complimentary copy of this book via Booksprout (thanks) and am happy to leave a voluntary review.
November 20, 2025
I feel hard for this sweet coming of age MM romance. Both characters are written wonderfully and made me believe in love. Ethan planned to simply live and love is college year, but a chance encounter at a bar with Grey (and his mesmerizing singing voice) hooked Ethan. Suddenly he cannot get Grey out of his life or head. A fun story about acceptance of who you are while you know the path will be a tough road ahead. I was so into the book it was over before I knew it. I was left wanting more of this couple.
December 14, 2025
Ethan is a writing major starting his junior year of college. By chance he and his roommates see a band at a local bar. Ethan has always thought of himself as straight but finds himself enchanted by Grey, the lead singer. Over the school year, their feelings start to develop, and Ethan has to deal with the reality of dating the lead singer of a band on the rise. I loved how the book captures the period of time where you are mostly an adult and learning how to navigate relationships on a new level.
November 6, 2025
This was a nice bi/gay awaking story, with a lot of feelings, frustation and obsesion, crazy fans and homofobia.
It has a jerky pace, and it feels like they are so immature for not talking, not communicating, just fighting over stupid things.
The end was also abrupt and it felit like a forced to be continued.
It's nice 🙂
It has a jerky pace, and it feels like they are so immature for not talking, not communicating, just fighting over stupid things.
The end was also abrupt and it felit like a forced to be continued.
It's nice 🙂
November 25, 2025
I'd normally enjoy a new/bi awakening story but this one was a struggle to get through....sorry to say DNF. The characters supposedly college age but I got more of a high school vibe.....and their interactions & generalisations were very much "tick a box" type of thing. I did like the song lyrics....but that'd be it.
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