Prove It

by S.M. Bookwalter

270 pages, Paperback

Published October 21, 2025

Reviews

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

First and foremost I want to send a massive shout out to this author. I have had the honor of calling you my friend for the last couple of years. You have been a big part of my new discord family and I can't thank y'all enough for all your love.

When you mentioned you were writing this book, I knew it would be amazing. I knew you would knock it out of the park. (haha I'm funny) ANYWAY. You went above and beyond my expectations.

I'm a brutally honest reviewer...friend or not. And I can't get over how amazing Mac and Sage are. Not just as people but as other halves of each other. This story is so beautifully well told and there are moments where you want to smash their heads together because they are being such GUYS!

They each have their fair share of parental let downs. They each have their baggage. But the way they support one another is incredible. They are the definition of "Give me your bourdon. Let me carry it so you don't have to." And that spice? *fans self*

My dear, I'm so proud of you. I'll gladly be an ARC reader for life because you are now, and forever will be, an auto buy author for me.

[thesubplot · Rating 5 out of 5]

You ever finish a book, and just sit there thinking “Excuse me, who gave you the right to be over?” I slowly read the end chapters, not wanting it to end. If it ended I knew I would have to come to the terms of realizing that this book shoved me in the chest making me feel. That it dug around in my attic of a brain filled with broken boxes of “memories to process later.”

Reading this book felt like aspects of growing up all over again. With complicated families, heartbreaks, and a side of small glimmers of hope that you don’t feel worthy of. It’s rare to find a book where you catch glimpses of your own life told in a different font. Like someone peaked into your memory boxes, and took a look at the chaos and found a way to tell it back to you with characters you couldn’t help but root for.

It didn’t sugarcoat a damn thing. It was raw, real, scrappy, and achingly human. It executed perfectly that love doesn’t need a picture perfect setting, just these two hearts that keep showing up for each other, even when life is a mess.

It showed that HEAs aren’t always cinematic picture perfect. There are bills that still need paying and real life worries that are in the background. How to some that could seem like slightly messy, but it’s realistic and perfect with that imperfection. And that makes it even better.

Five stars, because duct taped HEAs and their journey there hit hard.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually finished this book yesterday, but needed time to gather my thoughts.

For starters, this author is such an amazing person. I have known her for a couple years and she is just such an amazing and delightful person, I love her to death. When she told us she was writing book, I screamed and was basically like “Gimme, right now lady!”

Mac and Sage really give off that Ian and Mickey vibe and I LOVE that. They aren’t perfect, they each have their own flaws and such, but together? They are perfect, perfectly perfect for each other and I loved reading about them. Ugh, they’re my babies now.

Also uh madam author lady… I would like Pandemonium, it’s been 84 years 🤣 GIVE ME MY BOYS BACK!

[Kaitlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the angst, loved the dialogue, loved this book! Highly recommend it for mm lovers!

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was A LOT of issues with the proofing - handfuls of wrong words/phrases used. Kinda pulled me from the story every time.

▪️best friends to lovers

▪️gay awakening?

▪️found family

▪️hurt/comfort

▪️mental health issues (not entirely addressed)

▪️only one bed (Mac snuck out of his trailer most nights, into Sage’s bed)

▪️jealous, possessive

▪️pining, unrequited love (platonic and romantic)

▪️soulmates

▪️voyeurism/exhibitionism

▪️angsty

🔥🔥

TW (listed at the front of the book): child neglect/abuse, addiction, tobacco/drug/alcohol use, poverty, manslaughter, arson, death of a parent, homophobia/slurs