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Come Out with Your Hearts Up
Not yet published
Expected 1 Jul 26A journey of self-discovery and self-acceptance…
“They scared me, all the things I didn’t know about him. I wanted him so much, and that scared me too because it meant there were things I didn’t know about myself.”
Craig Elliott Porter, former pro tap dancer and tightly wound cinnamon roll, has his life all planned grad school, career as an animal behaviorist, wife, and kids. He’s sure about everything, and the thing he’s most certain of is that he is absolutely, positively, definitely straight.
Then he meets Edmund “Eddie” McCreevy, and suddenly, Craig is absolutely, positively, definitely losing his mind. He isn’t sure of anything anymore, except that he needs Eddie’s help to figure himself out.
Eddie is bi and out and stumbling through life, falling into relationships and occasional roles as an actor in small indie films. His life has no stability and no direction. Then he meets Craig, and suddenly, he knows exactly where he’s going and where he wants to with Craig. But he’s never met anyone who hits the brakes and the accelerator as hard as Craig does. Eddie’s got the patience of a saint—and he’s going to need it. Because Craig is a handful at the best of times. Craig questioning his identity is a handful and a half.
“They scared me, all the things I didn’t know about him. I wanted him so much, and that scared me too because it meant there were things I didn’t know about myself.”
Craig Elliott Porter, former pro tap dancer and tightly wound cinnamon roll, has his life all planned grad school, career as an animal behaviorist, wife, and kids. He’s sure about everything, and the thing he’s most certain of is that he is absolutely, positively, definitely straight.
Then he meets Edmund “Eddie” McCreevy, and suddenly, Craig is absolutely, positively, definitely losing his mind. He isn’t sure of anything anymore, except that he needs Eddie’s help to figure himself out.
Eddie is bi and out and stumbling through life, falling into relationships and occasional roles as an actor in small indie films. His life has no stability and no direction. Then he meets Craig, and suddenly, he knows exactly where he’s going and where he wants to with Craig. But he’s never met anyone who hits the brakes and the accelerator as hard as Craig does. Eddie’s got the patience of a saint—and he’s going to need it. Because Craig is a handful at the best of times. Craig questioning his identity is a handful and a half.
342 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication July 1, 2026
1 person is currently reading
13 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
5 stars
I've been craving another story from this author since I’ve read Rhymes With Metaphor, because I adore their writing.
The rhythm of this book is flowing and it makes the book very easy to read and the way the author describes the chain of events, it makes it impossible for the reader to put the book down.
Craig is a 22 years old young man who works in a lab and has a pretty ordinary life: he has a couple of close friends, he loves playing keyboards with them and their band, he had several girlfriends but he’s been single for a while.
One day his coworker Trish introduces him to her boyfriend and Craig’s life is turned upside down.
Eddie is 22 years old too, beautiful and charming but also reserved. He’s an actor and he lives with Trish.
At first Craig is lost, he doesn’t understand why is so attracted to Eddie, why he cannot stay away from him; Eddie seems interested too but he’s committed to Trish and he rejects Craig’s proposition to be at least a friend.
They’ll have the chance to get to know each other when Eddie, after breaking up with Trish, is living in a shelter and Craig offers him his couch.
Craig and Eddie’s relationship is not clearly defined at first: Craig is still figuring out his sexuality, he craves Eddie but he doesn’t know how to get closer to him, while Eddie says all the right reassuring words while never pushing boundaries and patiently waiting for Craig to be ready.
But Craig’s journey Is complicated, because even though he’s genuinely in love with Eddie and makes plans for the future, he’s also raised a wall that prevents him from being fully intimate with him. It’s like his heart and his body are on two different levels. Moreover, Eddie’s job complicates things and Craig’s insecurities often makes things difficult between them.
I loved Craig’s personal journey: he learned to acknowledge his issues and faced some hard truth he pushed back over the years. He became a new man and didn’t let the pain (from the past and from the present) break him. At the end of the story, he is a new man, still imperfect, but ready to love and to be loved.
Eddie is great too, I loved him so much, he was so patient and kind, he was honest and loyal and I adored that he made the first step when Craig couldn’t.
My favourite part is the last 30% of the story: I cried my eyes out until the end (I was an emotional wreck just like Craig) and I also cried a bit more in the wonderful epilogue.
Such an emotional heartwarming beautiful story, I highly recommend it.
P.S.: if you, like me, are a fan of Joel and Reg, you’ll be very happy to know that they're mentioned in this book too.
I received an ARC of this book from the author and this is my honest review.
I've been craving another story from this author since I’ve read Rhymes With Metaphor, because I adore their writing.
The rhythm of this book is flowing and it makes the book very easy to read and the way the author describes the chain of events, it makes it impossible for the reader to put the book down.
Craig is a 22 years old young man who works in a lab and has a pretty ordinary life: he has a couple of close friends, he loves playing keyboards with them and their band, he had several girlfriends but he’s been single for a while.
One day his coworker Trish introduces him to her boyfriend and Craig’s life is turned upside down.
Eddie is 22 years old too, beautiful and charming but also reserved. He’s an actor and he lives with Trish.
At first Craig is lost, he doesn’t understand why is so attracted to Eddie, why he cannot stay away from him; Eddie seems interested too but he’s committed to Trish and he rejects Craig’s proposition to be at least a friend.
They’ll have the chance to get to know each other when Eddie, after breaking up with Trish, is living in a shelter and Craig offers him his couch.
Craig and Eddie’s relationship is not clearly defined at first: Craig is still figuring out his sexuality, he craves Eddie but he doesn’t know how to get closer to him, while Eddie says all the right reassuring words while never pushing boundaries and patiently waiting for Craig to be ready.
But Craig’s journey Is complicated, because even though he’s genuinely in love with Eddie and makes plans for the future, he’s also raised a wall that prevents him from being fully intimate with him. It’s like his heart and his body are on two different levels. Moreover, Eddie’s job complicates things and Craig’s insecurities often makes things difficult between them.
I loved Craig’s personal journey: he learned to acknowledge his issues and faced some hard truth he pushed back over the years. He became a new man and didn’t let the pain (from the past and from the present) break him. At the end of the story, he is a new man, still imperfect, but ready to love and to be loved.
Eddie is great too, I loved him so much, he was so patient and kind, he was honest and loyal and I adored that he made the first step when Craig couldn’t.
My favourite part is the last 30% of the story: I cried my eyes out until the end (I was an emotional wreck just like Craig) and I also cried a bit more in the wonderful epilogue.
Such an emotional heartwarming beautiful story, I highly recommend it.
P.S.: if you, like me, are a fan of Joel and Reg, you’ll be very happy to know that they're mentioned in this book too.
I received an ARC of this book from the author and this is my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
**I was gifted an ARC of this book**
This was such an interesting read for me, and I ended up liking it a lot. The writing style is definitely a little different, and it took me a minute to get into—but once it clicked, I was in. I got really invested in both the story and the characters.
At its core, this is about two broken boys trying to figure out how to love each other while dealing with their own trauma. It’s messy and emotional, but in a way that really worked for me.
Craig was such a fascinating character. He sees Eddie once and basically decides immediately that Eddie is the one for him—even though Craig has always been straight and Eddie literally has a girlfriend at the time. The intensity of that was really intriguing, but I’ll admit I did find myself wanting a little more insight into why Craig fell so fast and so hard. Still, that bit of mystery definitely kept me hooked.
That kind of carries through the story too—when they do get together, Craig has a lot of hang-ups around intimacy and sex, and you’re not immediately told why. I’m not sure if that was intentional, but honestly… it worked, because I kept wanting to understand him more.
Eddie, though? I loved him. He was so patient, sweet, and understanding with Craig. The way he showed up for him and gave him the space he needed without ever really giving up on him was just 🥺. I really enjoyed their dynamic and how they balanced each other out.
And the breakup at 83%?? I was not prepared. It felt so sudden, and I was honestly sitting there like… wait, are they actually not going to get their HEA?? From that point on, things felt a little rushed, and I definitely would have loved more time with them finding their way back to each other.
My only real complaint is that some pretty important moments happen off page, and I wish we could have actually seen them—especially the Christmas with Craig’s parents. That was such a pivotal moment in Craig and Eddie's relationship, and it would’ve added even more emotional depth to the story.
Overall though, I really enjoyed this. It’s one of those books that’s messy, a little heavy, but still really compelling. Definitely a solid 4-star read for me, and one I’m still thinking about.
Tropes: Broken Boys, bi sexual awakening, hurt/comfort, trauma healing, angsty romance, slow burn, single POV
This was such an interesting read for me, and I ended up liking it a lot. The writing style is definitely a little different, and it took me a minute to get into—but once it clicked, I was in. I got really invested in both the story and the characters.
At its core, this is about two broken boys trying to figure out how to love each other while dealing with their own trauma. It’s messy and emotional, but in a way that really worked for me.
Craig was such a fascinating character. He sees Eddie once and basically decides immediately that Eddie is the one for him—even though Craig has always been straight and Eddie literally has a girlfriend at the time. The intensity of that was really intriguing, but I’ll admit I did find myself wanting a little more insight into why Craig fell so fast and so hard. Still, that bit of mystery definitely kept me hooked.
That kind of carries through the story too—when they do get together, Craig has a lot of hang-ups around intimacy and sex, and you’re not immediately told why. I’m not sure if that was intentional, but honestly… it worked, because I kept wanting to understand him more.
Eddie, though? I loved him. He was so patient, sweet, and understanding with Craig. The way he showed up for him and gave him the space he needed without ever really giving up on him was just 🥺. I really enjoyed their dynamic and how they balanced each other out.
And the breakup at 83%?? I was not prepared. It felt so sudden, and I was honestly sitting there like… wait, are they actually not going to get their HEA?? From that point on, things felt a little rushed, and I definitely would have loved more time with them finding their way back to each other.
My only real complaint is that some pretty important moments happen off page, and I wish we could have actually seen them—especially the Christmas with Craig’s parents. That was such a pivotal moment in Craig and Eddie's relationship, and it would’ve added even more emotional depth to the story.
Overall though, I really enjoyed this. It’s one of those books that’s messy, a little heavy, but still really compelling. Definitely a solid 4-star read for me, and one I’m still thinking about.
Tropes: Broken Boys, bi sexual awakening, hurt/comfort, trauma healing, angsty romance, slow burn, single POV
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I had the happy privilege of reading an early copy of this absolutely amazing love story by Alden B Atmore and I am blown away
I laughed, cried, got really mad, was heartbroken, despondent, worried - you name it I felt it. This book will in a very unassuming way put you through the wringer.
Told entirely from Craig’s pov it’s a beautiful story about finding yourself and finding your person, about learning to trust and working on repair after rupture, about healing not being linear, about found family, about chance leading you and you surrendering.
Craig shows that surrender in the initial meeting with Eddie when Eddie isn’t a free agent. And yet the connect has been made and he gets another chance to build his relationship with Eddie. This is in no way a typical assortment of building blocks for a typical romance and yet it’s exactly what these two need.
Eddie grounds Craig, gives him space and safety with what feels like endless patience but is what Craig deserves. Craig cannot understand what he has to offer Eddie but he gives him an unconditional world of love.
Craig’s past and his own conditioning (and Eddie’s) cause some major bumps in the road but the author sensitively and realistically navigates those for us to then receive this beautifully layered love story and characters you are fully relating to and are connecting with
It’s an amazing experience to read this story and I cannot recommend it enough
Massive thanks to @Aldenatmore for the opportunity to read this early I love this story as I did your first one.
P.s. we get a very short glimpse of Joel in this one
P.p.s. There are sensitive themes explored on the story so please check the content warnings if you need to as provided by the author in the beginning of the book.
I laughed, cried, got really mad, was heartbroken, despondent, worried - you name it I felt it. This book will in a very unassuming way put you through the wringer.
Told entirely from Craig’s pov it’s a beautiful story about finding yourself and finding your person, about learning to trust and working on repair after rupture, about healing not being linear, about found family, about chance leading you and you surrendering.
Craig shows that surrender in the initial meeting with Eddie when Eddie isn’t a free agent. And yet the connect has been made and he gets another chance to build his relationship with Eddie. This is in no way a typical assortment of building blocks for a typical romance and yet it’s exactly what these two need.
Eddie grounds Craig, gives him space and safety with what feels like endless patience but is what Craig deserves. Craig cannot understand what he has to offer Eddie but he gives him an unconditional world of love.
Craig’s past and his own conditioning (and Eddie’s) cause some major bumps in the road but the author sensitively and realistically navigates those for us to then receive this beautifully layered love story and characters you are fully relating to and are connecting with
It’s an amazing experience to read this story and I cannot recommend it enough
Massive thanks to @Aldenatmore for the opportunity to read this early I love this story as I did your first one.
P.s. we get a very short glimpse of Joel in this one
P.p.s. There are sensitive themes explored on the story so please check the content warnings if you need to as provided by the author in the beginning of the book.
Review of advance copy
Occasionally, the story seemed a bit disjointed - and each time, it was actually a really unusual but effective way of adding another layer of complexity or showing revelations about the MCs. Neither were always likable or understandable, but then once the reasons became apparent behind those actions, both became a lot more characters who deserved a lot of sympathy. Craig and Eddie had strong past traumas to learn to deal with, and this made them a lot stronger together by the end.
Thanks for the advance copy via Booksprout, I am happy to leave a voluntary review.
Thanks for the advance copy via Booksprout, I am happy to leave a voluntary review.
February 14, 2026
I found the story interesting but I struggled getting a connection to the characters. I felt that Craig was a bit insensitive in the beginning a very selfish. I wish Eddie would have been a bit deeper as a character. I liked the later parts of the book better but I also wish there had ending had been longer.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Review of advance copy
'A sweet and spicy medium-angst bi-awakening story about a tap dancer who falls in love with an actor.
A journey of self-discovery and self-acceptance…'
The characters were very appealing and steamy together. Plot was well written and developed. World building was solidly drawn. All in all a very good read. Recommend.
Grab a copy, kick back and enjoy!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
A journey of self-discovery and self-acceptance…'
The characters were very appealing and steamy together. Plot was well written and developed. World building was solidly drawn. All in all a very good read. Recommend.
Grab a copy, kick back and enjoy!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Review of advance copy
What was most interesting about this story for me was the fact that the journey to self discovery unfolded in a layered manner. It resembled the sometimes confusing path of emotion and realization and made that characterization more real and seem more human.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Well written and relatable. Very enjoyable story with characters and situations that are true to life. Sexuality is a spectrum and everyone has baggage,.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews