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My Darling God: An MM Romance
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
June 28, 2026
”When I’m touching you, you beg and bend to my will. But there is never a moment where I am not at your mercy. Simple as that.”
“if we would have admitted to falling in love way back when—it would have been a beautiful story. But instead, we are here.”
“If I could come back to this lifetime as someone new—if I could come back to this Aaron as a good Benjamin—I’d pay any price, make any promise, send every prayer. If I had known knowing me would damn him to this sorrow, I would have killed myself before we ever met. But now I’m wrapped up in his arms, and he’s wrapped up in this hell I’ve been born into.”
I had no idea what I was signing up for when I picked this up.
This book was beautifully written and absolutely devastating. If you want angst, tension, yearning, and an emotional gut-punch, read this. BUT WITH CAUTION.
The tension between Aaron and Ben? 🥵 Their obsessive dynamic shouldn't work, but it does. Ben is such a brat and Aaron is so protective over him. I ate it up.
This book is spicy. Very spicy. But these moments also felt emotional. They're not just there for the spice. They integrated into the plot and actually mean something. That said, some scenes made me slightly uncomfortable.
I felt for Ben immediately. What he's going through at home broke me. You can tell from the very beginning that something is wrong, and you just know it's only going to get worse. And it does. That poor boy could never catch a break. 😭
The found family with Aaron's family was everything, especially since Ben doesn't have one of his own. This book shattered my heart and I was NOT prepared!!!!!! And this next book BETTER fix everything this one did to me.
For a debut novel, this is absolutely wild. This author is incredibly talented. I devoured this 760-page book in a day and a half and never once felt like it dragged.
“if we would have admitted to falling in love way back when—it would have been a beautiful story. But instead, we are here.”
“If I could come back to this lifetime as someone new—if I could come back to this Aaron as a good Benjamin—I’d pay any price, make any promise, send every prayer. If I had known knowing me would damn him to this sorrow, I would have killed myself before we ever met. But now I’m wrapped up in his arms, and he’s wrapped up in this hell I’ve been born into.”
I had no idea what I was signing up for when I picked this up.
This book was beautifully written and absolutely devastating. If you want angst, tension, yearning, and an emotional gut-punch, read this. BUT WITH CAUTION.
The tension between Aaron and Ben? 🥵 Their obsessive dynamic shouldn't work, but it does. Ben is such a brat and Aaron is so protective over him. I ate it up.
This book is spicy. Very spicy. But these moments also felt emotional. They're not just there for the spice. They integrated into the plot and actually mean something. That said, some scenes made me slightly uncomfortable.
I felt for Ben immediately. What he's going through at home broke me. You can tell from the very beginning that something is wrong, and you just know it's only going to get worse. And it does. That poor boy could never catch a break. 😭
The found family with Aaron's family was everything, especially since Ben doesn't have one of his own. This book shattered my heart and I was NOT prepared!!!!!! And this next book BETTER fix everything this one did to me.
For a debut novel, this is absolutely wild. This author is incredibly talented. I devoured this 760-page book in a day and a half and never once felt like it dragged.
March 17, 2026
This is probably the most beautiful book I’ve ever read! Earth shattering life changing spoiled me for any other books! I can’t stop crying! Hunter Bailey is an incredible author. I’m numb but have simultaneously come alive.
Did Not Finish
March 19, 2026This is not a review since I didn’t finish it. But here are some thoughts:
‼️ SPOILER ALERT ‼️
It started out really good. I really, really liked the opening chapter and the two that followed.
There were some tension of some sort between A and B that you could sense but it wasn’t really out there. But then, out of nowhere, A’s girlfriend says something about B possibly dating someone else and the table turns so fast for A that he becomes obsessed with B, from just one single sentence from his girlfriend.
Then follows not really that believable scenes where they find each other and both of them are just okay with A being all possessive and jealous (even though, he still has a girlfriend!) and trying to be some kind of morally grey character but also, a… Dom?
All B does is whine. And I don’t mean as in my opinion, it literally says that he whines during sex and I can’t even imagine what that sounds like cause that is just icky.
I had to dnf when A once again, even though HE’S the one obsessing over B, thinks he has some kind of power over B and B just lets him. I can’t get over it.
Furthermore, I think this could’ve needed an editor or two. A lot of small grammar mistakes and the speech tags were nonexistent. Instead filled with body language and that didn’t even make sense.
Example:
“Amber!” She giggles.
“Hey!” I smile.
Only. He’s the one shouting ‘Amber’ and she’s the one saying ‘Hey’.
It was confusing to say the least.
‼️ SPOILER ALERT ‼️
It started out really good. I really, really liked the opening chapter and the two that followed.
There were some tension of some sort between A and B that you could sense but it wasn’t really out there. But then, out of nowhere, A’s girlfriend says something about B possibly dating someone else and the table turns so fast for A that he becomes obsessed with B, from just one single sentence from his girlfriend.
Then follows not really that believable scenes where they find each other and both of them are just okay with A being all possessive and jealous (even though, he still has a girlfriend!) and trying to be some kind of morally grey character but also, a… Dom?
All B does is whine. And I don’t mean as in my opinion, it literally says that he whines during sex and I can’t even imagine what that sounds like cause that is just icky.
I had to dnf when A once again, even though HE’S the one obsessing over B, thinks he has some kind of power over B and B just lets him. I can’t get over it.
Furthermore, I think this could’ve needed an editor or two. A lot of small grammar mistakes and the speech tags were nonexistent. Instead filled with body language and that didn’t even make sense.
Example:
“Amber!” She giggles.
“Hey!” I smile.
Only. He’s the one shouting ‘Amber’ and she’s the one saying ‘Hey’.
It was confusing to say the least.
May 11, 2026
6 ⭐️ 3.5 🌶️
MOTHER FUCKERS HOW DOES THIS KEEP HAPPENING TO ME?!?!?!?! Why do these authors INSIST on hurting my feelings, ripping my heart to PIECES, and then THE BOOK JUST ENDS?! WTF KIND OF MASOCHIST SHIT IS THIS?!
This book should come with caution tape- because ENTER AT YOUR OWN FUCKING RISK BABE! God was this a journey of a motherfucking lifetime! I’ve never experienced anything like this and LORD HELP ME IF I GO THROUGH IT AGAIN I WONT SURVIVE!!
This DEBUT (criminal btw) was so masterfully written that you don’t even realize how hurt you’re about to be until it’s too late and you’re too invested! These characters are their story are the true epitome of lovers ALWAYS meant to be, and always destined for each other! Their love and devotion to each other was simply unmatched and you could feel it throughout their journey together.
This is a beautifully tragic story that is also soo fucking real, I’ve never felt so IN a story before but Hunter roped me in and didn’t even give me a safe word!!! And her ability to foreshadow themes, behaviors, and sentiments throughout the whole book was GENIUS!! An evil genius, but a genius nonetheless!!!
ALSO THIS SHIT IS FILTHY AS ALLLLLL FUCK! My god! SOMEBODY FAN ME!! 🥵🥵🥵🥵 Benjamin and Aaron are perfect together and will always be perfect together 😭😭😭
Hunter and I on the other hand? Enemies FOR LIFE 😈
I NEED A FUCKING SAFE WORD 😫😫😫😫
EVERYONE READ THIS BOOK NOW! I do not give a shit what else you’re reading currently! PUT THAT DOWN AND PICK THIS UP!! NOW!!! 🥰
MOTHER FUCKERS HOW DOES THIS KEEP HAPPENING TO ME?!?!?!?! Why do these authors INSIST on hurting my feelings, ripping my heart to PIECES, and then THE BOOK JUST ENDS?! WTF KIND OF MASOCHIST SHIT IS THIS?!
This book should come with caution tape- because ENTER AT YOUR OWN FUCKING RISK BABE! God was this a journey of a motherfucking lifetime! I’ve never experienced anything like this and LORD HELP ME IF I GO THROUGH IT AGAIN I WONT SURVIVE!!
This DEBUT (criminal btw) was so masterfully written that you don’t even realize how hurt you’re about to be until it’s too late and you’re too invested! These characters are their story are the true epitome of lovers ALWAYS meant to be, and always destined for each other! Their love and devotion to each other was simply unmatched and you could feel it throughout their journey together.
This is a beautifully tragic story that is also soo fucking real, I’ve never felt so IN a story before but Hunter roped me in and didn’t even give me a safe word!!! And her ability to foreshadow themes, behaviors, and sentiments throughout the whole book was GENIUS!! An evil genius, but a genius nonetheless!!!
ALSO THIS SHIT IS FILTHY AS ALLLLLL FUCK! My god! SOMEBODY FAN ME!! 🥵🥵🥵🥵 Benjamin and Aaron are perfect together and will always be perfect together 😭😭😭
Hunter and I on the other hand? Enemies FOR LIFE 😈
I NEED A FUCKING SAFE WORD 😫😫😫😫
EVERYONE READ THIS BOOK NOW! I do not give a shit what else you’re reading currently! PUT THAT DOWN AND PICK THIS UP!! NOW!!! 🥰
May 9, 2026
I will admit that I dnf'd this book pretty early on (less than 100 pages). It was just a mess and had some serious issues that I could not move past.
Number one. I cant do the teenage "Dom" thing. This book starts out with these kids in highschool. While I understand that kids that age have sex, I cannot get behind the weird dom/sub undertone feeling between literal children. Why is this 17 year old kid speaking like this:
"Do you think I can make you cum so hard that you cry"? Grossed me out both times he said it. Yes, he said it twice (with slight alteration). On two completely separate occasions.
Number two. Aaron's obsession with Benjamin came seemingly out of no where. There was no build up. No foreshadowing just BAM *obsessed*.
Number three. Aaron has an entire monologue in his head about how he cant be doing anything with Benjamin because he turned 18 and then IMMEDIATELY after proceeds to do sexual things with him. I promptly DNF'd after this. While this aspect may not bother other people, I cannot get past it. I will never appreciate an adult and child in any sort of relationship or sexual situation with each other, no matter the circumstance.
This book was definitely not for me but I guess others may enjoy it. It wasnt terribly written, though as others have said, a bit confusing at times.
Number one. I cant do the teenage "Dom" thing. This book starts out with these kids in highschool. While I understand that kids that age have sex, I cannot get behind the weird dom/sub undertone feeling between literal children. Why is this 17 year old kid speaking like this:
"Do you think I can make you cum so hard that you cry"? Grossed me out both times he said it. Yes, he said it twice (with slight alteration). On two completely separate occasions.
Number two. Aaron's obsession with Benjamin came seemingly out of no where. There was no build up. No foreshadowing just BAM *obsessed*.
Number three. Aaron has an entire monologue in his head about how he cant be doing anything with Benjamin because he turned 18 and then IMMEDIATELY after proceeds to do sexual things with him. I promptly DNF'd after this. While this aspect may not bother other people, I cannot get past it. I will never appreciate an adult and child in any sort of relationship or sexual situation with each other, no matter the circumstance.
This book was definitely not for me but I guess others may enjoy it. It wasnt terribly written, though as others have said, a bit confusing at times.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Did Not Finish
April 3, 2026Too much fucking drama
May 20, 2026
DO NOT READ THIS BOOK UNLESS YOU HAVE AN ACTUAL DESIRE TO WANT TO DIE BECAUSE THATS ALL YOU’LL WANT TO DO WHEN YOU FINISH. PURE PAIN FOR NO REASON.
April 5, 2026
Edit: It’s been a few days now, and I still find myself thinking about this book and its characters, so I’ve decided to bump my rating up to 4.5 and round it up to 5 on GR.
”I think he was right—if we would have admitted to falling in love way back when—it would have been a beautiful story. But instead, we are here.”
Here we are indeed. That was A LOT. I have so much I’d like to say, so many feelings and thoughts about this book, but I can’t put everything here. I went into this book blind and didn’t know what to expect. Right now, I kind of wish I’d never even picked this up. This book took over my life for a few days, and it’ll probably take me a while to recover from it.
The writing in this book is truly beautiful and heartbreaking in places. But at times I also found myself wondering what was the author thinking. Some of this was worth 6-infinity stars but some.. not. That’s why 4⭐️
This book has its faults for sure. The biggest problem with this was that the dialogue was written in very messy way; it was hard to keep track of who was saying/doing what. (edit: I guess the author has made some improvements on that afterwards).
If you’ve read any of my reviews, you know I’m not a fan of OTT or melodrama in books, and this one has bit of both, but the book makes up for it in other ways.
There’s a lot of spice in this book, but honestly, I was like “keep it coming", it was top-tier, immaculate. The chemistry and dynamic between Benjamin and Aaron -I don’t think I’ll ever experience anything like it again😮💨 Despite the amount of spice this is not one of those smut-over-plot books.
It's hard for me to gather my thoughts; this book was long and there was so much in it. Maybe I'll leave it here and come back to this later if needed.
Read at your own risk.
PS. Apparently there is going to be a book two. No question about it, I'm ready to get hurt again.
______________________________
“I was made to be touched by you. I fit so perfectly in your hands. Whenever I see you, my body is no longer mine, fighting its way to you.”
“Don’t you think that whoever controls a god is truly the most powerful being?
You called. I came.”
”Yes, Button. I’m a generous god who allowed you the space to try and heal on your own. I’m a patient god who didn’t cry or push when you wouldn’t speak a word to me for weeks. I’m a caring god who holds you when you cry. But mostly—baby—I am a loyal god. Forever loyal to the hands that control him. Wherever you go—I will follow. Even in death.”
’And so the god follows his disciple over the edge—hands outstretched, love eternal—locked in their moment of free fall.’
”I think he was right—if we would have admitted to falling in love way back when—it would have been a beautiful story. But instead, we are here.”
Here we are indeed. That was A LOT. I have so much I’d like to say, so many feelings and thoughts about this book, but I can’t put everything here. I went into this book blind and didn’t know what to expect. Right now, I kind of wish I’d never even picked this up. This book took over my life for a few days, and it’ll probably take me a while to recover from it.
The writing in this book is truly beautiful and heartbreaking in places. But at times I also found myself wondering what was the author thinking. Some of this was worth 6-infinity stars but some.. not. That’s why 4⭐️
This book has its faults for sure. The biggest problem with this was that the dialogue was written in very messy way; it was hard to keep track of who was saying/doing what. (edit: I guess the author has made some improvements on that afterwards).
If you’ve read any of my reviews, you know I’m not a fan of OTT or melodrama in books, and this one has bit of both, but the book makes up for it in other ways.
There’s a lot of spice in this book, but honestly, I was like “keep it coming", it was top-tier, immaculate. The chemistry and dynamic between Benjamin and Aaron -I don’t think I’ll ever experience anything like it again😮💨 Despite the amount of spice this is not one of those smut-over-plot books.
It's hard for me to gather my thoughts; this book was long and there was so much in it. Maybe I'll leave it here and come back to this later if needed.
Read at your own risk.
PS. Apparently there is going to be a book two. No question about it, I'm ready to get hurt again.
______________________________
“I was made to be touched by you. I fit so perfectly in your hands. Whenever I see you, my body is no longer mine, fighting its way to you.”
“Don’t you think that whoever controls a god is truly the most powerful being?
You called. I came.”
”Yes, Button. I’m a generous god who allowed you the space to try and heal on your own. I’m a patient god who didn’t cry or push when you wouldn’t speak a word to me for weeks. I’m a caring god who holds you when you cry. But mostly—baby—I am a loyal god. Forever loyal to the hands that control him. Wherever you go—I will follow. Even in death.”
’And so the god follows his disciple over the edge—hands outstretched, love eternal—locked in their moment of free fall.’
April 26, 2026
Anybody struggling mentally should not pick this up. Everything about how the characters handle very explicit and constant trauma is wildly unhealthy.
The first third of the book was great. The last 2/3 felt like a lot of just unnecessary sex to fill more pages without adding anything to the story. The plot was 80% explicit trauma that was unfortunately not handled great. The story does stick with you and the twist was outstanding, but not worth how drawn out this book is. It took far longer than necessary and it took a lot of work to finish.
The first third of the book was great. The last 2/3 felt like a lot of just unnecessary sex to fill more pages without adding anything to the story. The plot was 80% explicit trauma that was unfortunately not handled great. The story does stick with you and the twist was outstanding, but not worth how drawn out this book is. It took far longer than necessary and it took a lot of work to finish.
April 7, 2026
Where do I start🤔
This book had be HOOKED for basically half of the book and I just couldn’t put my kindle down.
The way Aaron loved Bear was unmatched and I just loved the yearning to a different level.
However, when I got about half way through, I just couldn’t understand why the book was so long. I think it dragged on way too much and the spicy scenes became a bit of a chore to read.
Don’t get me wrong, I love a spicy scene, esp one that goes on for a while but the amount of them in this book was unnecessary. I feel like the book could have been way shorter if those scenes were reduced and I don’t think they added a lot to the plot. Specifically the ones towards the end of the book.
Additionally, I feel like some plots were not explored deep enough and since they were added, they should have been. For example, bears struggle with drugs, I feel like it was solved too soon and we didn’t get to explore that. Them randomly starting a band? I love a band more than the next girl but I feel like it added nothing and it just felt pretty random. I think instead of the spicy scenes, it would have been better to use those pages to delve deeper into those topics.
And omg, the end? I couldn’t even believe what I was reading! What do you mean he died🥹? I genuinely won’t accept it and I KNOW there’s a second book but it’s not them😭 you’re telling me in the life that Aaron exists in, Ben genuinely dies and he has to live his life after? I can’t, my heart breaks for him! I will be reading the second book, I must.
It hurts my heart to rate this a 3 as I loved the characters so much and a lot of the book, but it just felt too repetitive at points and lacked some depth in some places where I feel should have been given more attention.
Overall, I love this book but just wanted more, or should I say less?
Update: I have changed from 3 stars to 4 because I really enjoyed majority of this book, I’d say I give it a 3.75 but I’m still conflicted !
This book had be HOOKED for basically half of the book and I just couldn’t put my kindle down.
The way Aaron loved Bear was unmatched and I just loved the yearning to a different level.
However, when I got about half way through, I just couldn’t understand why the book was so long. I think it dragged on way too much and the spicy scenes became a bit of a chore to read.
Don’t get me wrong, I love a spicy scene, esp one that goes on for a while but the amount of them in this book was unnecessary. I feel like the book could have been way shorter if those scenes were reduced and I don’t think they added a lot to the plot. Specifically the ones towards the end of the book.
Additionally, I feel like some plots were not explored deep enough and since they were added, they should have been. For example, bears struggle with drugs, I feel like it was solved too soon and we didn’t get to explore that. Them randomly starting a band? I love a band more than the next girl but I feel like it added nothing and it just felt pretty random. I think instead of the spicy scenes, it would have been better to use those pages to delve deeper into those topics.
And omg, the end? I couldn’t even believe what I was reading! What do you mean he died🥹? I genuinely won’t accept it and I KNOW there’s a second book but it’s not them😭 you’re telling me in the life that Aaron exists in, Ben genuinely dies and he has to live his life after? I can’t, my heart breaks for him! I will be reading the second book, I must.
It hurts my heart to rate this a 3 as I loved the characters so much and a lot of the book, but it just felt too repetitive at points and lacked some depth in some places where I feel should have been given more attention.
Overall, I love this book but just wanted more, or should I say less?
Update: I have changed from 3 stars to 4 because I really enjoyed majority of this book, I’d say I give it a 3.75 but I’m still conflicted !
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 12, 2026
My Darling God is a difficult book to review. It’s incredibly well written, especially for a debut novel, and the fact that it’s the first book in a duology makes the level of structural ambition here even more impressive. The prose is rich, descriptive and consistently high quality throughout. The content, however, is extremely heavy. Think A Little Life levels of emotional devastation, IYKYK. At points it almost pushed into incredulity for me, there’s a limit to how many horrific things you can plausibly pile onto one character before you throw up your hands and think to yourself, “Really? Again?!”.
Aaron and Benjamin’s relationship is intense, obsessive and deeply codependent in a way that I found both compelling and genuinely uncomfortable to read. After a signficant event in the story, I started noticing the underlying logic of the world beginning to subtly unravel in ways I initially interpreted as poor writing, only for the novel to later reveal this was entirely deliberate in a genuinely clever, and frankly horrifying, way. In hindsight, the groundwork for this twist is very well laid.
This is also one of the more sexually graphic books I’ve read recently. While the sexual content is ostensibly BDSM-coded, much of it read less as eroticism to me and more as an expression of toxic power dynamics and their crippling codependency. Rather than finding those scenes particularly titillating, I found them emotionally confronting and unpleasant to read, which I don’t believe was completely intentional. As well written and emotionally effective as this book is, it’s also the kind of reading experience I could never imagine revisiting.
Aaron and Benjamin’s relationship is intense, obsessive and deeply codependent in a way that I found both compelling and genuinely uncomfortable to read. After a signficant event in the story, I started noticing the underlying logic of the world beginning to subtly unravel in ways I initially interpreted as poor writing, only for the novel to later reveal this was entirely deliberate in a genuinely clever, and frankly horrifying, way. In hindsight, the groundwork for this twist is very well laid.
This is also one of the more sexually graphic books I’ve read recently. While the sexual content is ostensibly BDSM-coded, much of it read less as eroticism to me and more as an expression of toxic power dynamics and their crippling codependency. Rather than finding those scenes particularly titillating, I found them emotionally confronting and unpleasant to read, which I don’t believe was completely intentional. As well written and emotionally effective as this book is, it’s also the kind of reading experience I could never imagine revisiting.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 18, 2026
So far here is what I don’t like. MF in my MM romance. Then Aaron cheating on Amber. I can see if Amber was a horrible person (not an excuse) but she isn’t. She’s so sweet. It pisses me off. Just be honest with her especially if she’s your best friend first!
And I HATE….FUCKING HATE…..when one of the MMC is with another person!! I seriously fucking cringe at Benjamin and Drew together. And the fact he lost his virginity to Drew? Nope, nope, nope! It’s fucking disgusting! DNF! I can’t. I’m out!
And I HATE….FUCKING HATE…..when one of the MMC is with another person!! I seriously fucking cringe at Benjamin and Drew together. And the fact he lost his virginity to Drew? Nope, nope, nope! It’s fucking disgusting! DNF! I can’t. I’m out!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 4, 2026
This book. I’m currently absolutely soul shattered, melted into the ground like a puddle type of broken. One of the most devastating books I’ve ever had the pleasure of devouring. Did you also read A Little Life in 2016 and have been chasing anguish ever since? If so, this is the book for you. A chunk of my soul was stolen by these pages, not a read for those of you who would like to remain whole and untarnished.
Hunter Bailey you have pure genius embedded within you, never stop (give me the pieces you took from me back though).
Hunter Bailey you have pure genius embedded within you, never stop (give me the pieces you took from me back though).
March 23, 2026
NUMBBBBBBBB, IM SICK UGLY CRYING, I never write review but please read this beautiful book with caution and triggers into consideration is very explicit in some, sad gut wrecking ending? Yessss No HEA for now?? I was so busy crying that I didn't really get the last part of the book, I guess we are getting part 2? I truly don't know
Love it, hate it, ALL
GOOD LUCK,must read book
Love it, hate it, ALL
GOOD LUCK,must read book
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 18, 2026
This book broke me
Did Not Finish
June 25, 2026DNF 30%. look i know these books are fiction but cmon!! get real 😂 this is the most unrealistic shit i’ve ever read. i’ve been tricked by booktok once again. i ain’t reading 700 pages of THAT
July 13, 2026
It was the perfect book for me albeit a bit lengthy yet when i realised the ending was heartshattering, I couldn’t do it man
July 7, 2026
__________________ ׂׂૢ་༘࿐
┊ ⋆ ┊ . ┊ ┊
┊ ┊⋆ ┊ .
┊ ┊ ⋆˚
✧. ┊
⋆ ★ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!!
my first ever 6 star read 🥳🥳
nobody could’ve possibly prepared me for whatever was going to happen. chapter 50 and onwards does NOT exist to me it’s all fake and not canon at all i refuse to believe it.
The character bonds are everything to me, not just the mc’s but even their bonds with friends you can tell how much love and care is put into every one of these characters. Hunter Bailey you are killing me and i’m possibly going to be joining Ben off that cliff.
Seeing Benjamin’s mood so low and his mental state shattering was so heartbreaking my soul is aching over it so bad. And then having to see Aaron try so hard to piece him back together again was heartbreaking. The chapter before the epilogue where Aaron goes to Ben’s grave and you realise that Ben is buried to forever be stuck in the one place he hated most in the world :(( and he died with his own family’s last name just to make things even worse bc wdym that trip to fiji wasn’t real and Aaron dreamt a whole 2 year timeline in the space of a few weeks 😭😭😭 i’m so heartbroken over them i wont get over it. moving onto the second book asap
AND ON A POSITIVE NOTE!! the spice? oh my GODDDDD #need i love a good dom x sub pairing and they do it perfectly i have no complaints instant 6 stars instantly going into my favourites thank yew for listening to my ted talk
┊ ⋆ ┊ . ┊ ┊
┊ ┊⋆ ┊ .
┊ ┊ ⋆˚
✧. ┊
⋆ ★ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!!
my first ever 6 star read 🥳🥳
nobody could’ve possibly prepared me for whatever was going to happen. chapter 50 and onwards does NOT exist to me it’s all fake and not canon at all i refuse to believe it.
The character bonds are everything to me, not just the mc’s but even their bonds with friends you can tell how much love and care is put into every one of these characters. Hunter Bailey you are killing me and i’m possibly going to be joining Ben off that cliff.
Seeing Benjamin’s mood so low and his mental state shattering was so heartbreaking my soul is aching over it so bad. And then having to see Aaron try so hard to piece him back together again was heartbreaking. The chapter before the epilogue where Aaron goes to Ben’s grave and you realise that Ben is buried to forever be stuck in the one place he hated most in the world :(( and he died with his own family’s last name just to make things even worse bc wdym that trip to fiji wasn’t real and Aaron dreamt a whole 2 year timeline in the space of a few weeks 😭😭😭 i’m so heartbroken over them i wont get over it. moving onto the second book asap
AND ON A POSITIVE NOTE!! the spice? oh my GODDDDD #need i love a good dom x sub pairing and they do it perfectly i have no complaints instant 6 stars instantly going into my favourites thank yew for listening to my ted talk
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2026
Tears
I almost wanted to give the book no review. I'm so numb. Yet I realized this was one of the most beautifully written books I've read in a long time. Still silently crying while sending off the review . I don't regret reading this....
I almost wanted to give the book no review. I'm so numb. Yet I realized this was one of the most beautifully written books I've read in a long time. Still silently crying while sending off the review . I don't regret reading this....
June 12, 2026
The book is 300 pages too long with no reward for the faithful.
2 stars because I liked the first half, the premise and the characters.
** spoilers below **
If you want a hea stop at page 484. Hard stop!!
I wish I knew when to stop; this would be a very different review.
I can appreciate a well done sad/unfortunate ending but this was trauma porn with an ending that was beyond disappointing.
This book has stayed with me but not in a good way.
2 stars because I liked the first half, the premise and the characters.
** spoilers below **
If you want a hea stop at page 484. Hard stop!!
I wish I knew when to stop; this would be a very different review.
I can appreciate a well done sad/unfortunate ending but this was trauma porn with an ending that was beyond disappointing.
This book has stayed with me but not in a good way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 26, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
WOW, that will definitely stay with me …… kinda speechless 😶. Very intense and high angst. Amazing debut novel and I look forward to part 2.
Only issue was the length. I love big books but felt had a lot of filler that wasn’t needed and at time I skimmed because of it. Really great book though
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
WOW, that will definitely stay with me …… kinda speechless 😶. Very intense and high angst. Amazing debut novel and I look forward to part 2.
Only issue was the length. I love big books but felt had a lot of filler that wasn’t needed and at time I skimmed because of it. Really great book though
March 25, 2026
This book is 300 pages too long
This book is incredibly frustrating to read. It has promise - I went from almost DNF'ing early on to reading it in a day in hopes it would improve. Unfortunately, the main and side characters feel unrealistic, the dialogue and spice are pretty over the top, and the plot is repetitive and predictable.
There are just too many tropes going on and they feel forced. The dialogue is also written in a messy way that makes it difficult to know who is saying or doing what. I think a good portion of MM readers will enjoy this, especially those who primarily want high spice. If you're looking for believable emotional depth and growth, I don't think this is for you.
This book is incredibly frustrating to read. It has promise - I went from almost DNF'ing early on to reading it in a day in hopes it would improve. Unfortunately, the main and side characters feel unrealistic, the dialogue and spice are pretty over the top, and the plot is repetitive and predictable.
There are just too many tropes going on and they feel forced. The dialogue is also written in a messy way that makes it difficult to know who is saying or doing what. I think a good portion of MM readers will enjoy this, especially those who primarily want high spice. If you're looking for believable emotional depth and growth, I don't think this is for you.
May 8, 2026
Ok to be fair, I didn’t know going into it, it wasn’t going to be a HEA.
This book pissed me off in a lot of ways. It is way too long. It is way too dramatic, and over the top, too many freaking tropes.
The communication between these characters is just awful- between the mains yes but also the side characters.
I really don’t know why it has to be that brutal ending. I don’t see the beauty and in that.
And also - the spice is nice at first and the yearning in between is really good but than it gets so freaking repetitive and why is there so much crying, weeping, sobbing EVERY single time.
It’s just too much overall.
I’m not sure if I will read the follow up.
This book pissed me off in a lot of ways. It is way too long. It is way too dramatic, and over the top, too many freaking tropes.
The communication between these characters is just awful- between the mains yes but also the side characters.
I really don’t know why it has to be that brutal ending. I don’t see the beauty and in that.
And also - the spice is nice at first and the yearning in between is really good but than it gets so freaking repetitive and why is there so much crying, weeping, sobbing EVERY single time.
It’s just too much overall.
I’m not sure if I will read the follow up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 18, 2026
Tak toto byla chujovina….zbytečně dlouhý, u promluv není poznat kloudně kdo to říká (idk kdo tomu dělal Edit fr), Benjamin byl such a cry baby a to nejhorší na tom všem bylo to, že posledních 1000 stran se vlastně nestalo, protože Benjamin spadl z mostu a umřel a Aaron byl in coma a jejich lovestory, včetně svatby, se mu zdálo….🤡🤡🤡 such a waste of my time
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 4, 2026
Damn.
What have I just read? I've been in a deep depression for the past seven days. I guess I’ve been depressed for a long time now, but guess what? I love torturing myself, so I voluntarily picked up this book seven days ago. Here I am...I won't say much about it because I still can't find the words to describe what I felt. So, I'll just keep it brief.
I had been trying to get over my obsession with God of Fury for a long time, searching for a book that would finally help me move on from it. It was my number one top read. But now, I’ve found it...this book is a true gem. I don't know how people overlook it. People really have no taste. The writing style and everything else were so different from what I’ve been reading all this time. I regret not reading it sooner. I know I’m heartbroken, and this book will never leave my heart and mind. The story, the characters...i love them so deeply that I want to cry all over again. I cried so much while reading it, and even after finishing it. Damn, like, what was that?
I was so consumed by it that I now regret finishing it, because I’ll never get to experience that first-time feeling ever again. I honestly don't understand why it has received so little attention when the author poured their whole heart into it. I was just left thinking, WoW, this is exactly what I was searching for.
I love angst so much. I know not everyone is like me, but COME ON...this is an absolute gem, a literal goldmine. What the hell? People need to have some taste. If I could, I would give it a million stars. But alas, I don't have that power.
I never thought I could love any characters after Nikolai Sokolov and Brandon King, but here I am, loving Aaron and Benjamin with all my heart. Words can't actually explain this, so forgive me, I just can't. They are soulmates, they are beyond this world, they are... just everything, man. Ugh.
Kill me already; I'm so happy and so heartbroken at the same time.
Ah, I love you so much, author. I’m incredibly grateful for this. I’m so thankful that I stumbled upon it.
There was one part I didn't quite like...the god aspect...because I am religious. But I didn't pay much attention to it for enjoying the book; I just focused on the emotions, the devotion, and the prose. A part of me wished that aspect wasn't included, but whatever, nothing in this world is perfect, right? You can't have everything you want. So I'm not upset about that; I'm just so damn happy, even though my heart still aches. Ugh, what should I do? I'm missing them again...Aaron and pretty Benjamin 😅. I love you guys.
This kind of love truly doesn't exist in this cruel, fake-faced world, which is why we experience it through words, fiction, and imagination. So, I am deeply grateful to the author. I feel this intense urge...ugh, I really want to reach out to the author to let them know what they’ve done to me 🙃. Maybe I'll send an email?!
This is hands-down the best book I've read in my 20 years of life. Damn, if I could erase my memory just to read this masterpiece for the first time all over again, I would. 🫠🫠🫠
I'm going to devour her/his every book now. 😩 i hope he/she Didn't quit writing. The writing is so good that if he/she quit this world will be at a lose 😭.
What have I just read? I've been in a deep depression for the past seven days. I guess I’ve been depressed for a long time now, but guess what? I love torturing myself, so I voluntarily picked up this book seven days ago. Here I am...I won't say much about it because I still can't find the words to describe what I felt. So, I'll just keep it brief.
I had been trying to get over my obsession with God of Fury for a long time, searching for a book that would finally help me move on from it. It was my number one top read. But now, I’ve found it...this book is a true gem. I don't know how people overlook it. People really have no taste. The writing style and everything else were so different from what I’ve been reading all this time. I regret not reading it sooner. I know I’m heartbroken, and this book will never leave my heart and mind. The story, the characters...i love them so deeply that I want to cry all over again. I cried so much while reading it, and even after finishing it. Damn, like, what was that?
I was so consumed by it that I now regret finishing it, because I’ll never get to experience that first-time feeling ever again. I honestly don't understand why it has received so little attention when the author poured their whole heart into it. I was just left thinking, WoW, this is exactly what I was searching for.
I love angst so much. I know not everyone is like me, but COME ON...this is an absolute gem, a literal goldmine. What the hell? People need to have some taste. If I could, I would give it a million stars. But alas, I don't have that power.
I never thought I could love any characters after Nikolai Sokolov and Brandon King, but here I am, loving Aaron and Benjamin with all my heart. Words can't actually explain this, so forgive me, I just can't. They are soulmates, they are beyond this world, they are... just everything, man. Ugh.
Kill me already; I'm so happy and so heartbroken at the same time.
Ah, I love you so much, author. I’m incredibly grateful for this. I’m so thankful that I stumbled upon it.
There was one part I didn't quite like...the god aspect...because I am religious. But I didn't pay much attention to it for enjoying the book; I just focused on the emotions, the devotion, and the prose. A part of me wished that aspect wasn't included, but whatever, nothing in this world is perfect, right? You can't have everything you want. So I'm not upset about that; I'm just so damn happy, even though my heart still aches. Ugh, what should I do? I'm missing them again...Aaron and pretty Benjamin 😅. I love you guys.
This kind of love truly doesn't exist in this cruel, fake-faced world, which is why we experience it through words, fiction, and imagination. So, I am deeply grateful to the author. I feel this intense urge...ugh, I really want to reach out to the author to let them know what they’ve done to me 🙃. Maybe I'll send an email?!
This is hands-down the best book I've read in my 20 years of life. Damn, if I could erase my memory just to read this masterpiece for the first time all over again, I would. 🫠🫠🫠
I'm going to devour her/his every book now. 😩 i hope he/she Didn't quit writing. The writing is so good that if he/she quit this world will be at a lose 😭.
May 5, 2026
I literally do not know how to review this book. It was perfect. This book is long, and the slow burn is so perfect.
We follow Benjamin, who has been abandoned by his parents and has some trauma surrounding his relationship with his father. He basically lives with his best friend Felix, and they are the BEST platonic soulmates I have ever encountered, and I love them so much. So Felix has an older brother, Aaron, who has a crush on Benjamin. The feelings are reciprocated...but they are young and make terrible choices. Benjamin is quite broken, so every bad decision that Aaron makes impacts Benjamin GREATLY. He feels EVERYTHING, and it is not a good thing.
I love that the story is told very slowly. We start in 2017 when Button (Benjamin) is 16 and Aaron is 18. They are a year and a half apart in age. The story ends when they are 22 & 24. So we really get to learn who these characters are. We feel every emotion and we get to be a part of every milestone. We watch the love, the heartbreak, the trauma, and the devastation. CHECK YOUR TRIGGERS. EVERYTHING IS ON PAGE.
I think Hunter does a perfect job leaving no Ts uncrossed or I undotted. The end was a sharp twist I was not expecting. It literally broke my soul. I am not sure if you would call this a cliffhanger, but you DEFINITELY want book 2 IN HAND when you finish this one.
We follow Benjamin, who has been abandoned by his parents and has some trauma surrounding his relationship with his father. He basically lives with his best friend Felix, and they are the BEST platonic soulmates I have ever encountered, and I love them so much. So Felix has an older brother, Aaron, who has a crush on Benjamin. The feelings are reciprocated...but they are young and make terrible choices. Benjamin is quite broken, so every bad decision that Aaron makes impacts Benjamin GREATLY. He feels EVERYTHING, and it is not a good thing.
I love that the story is told very slowly. We start in 2017 when Button (Benjamin) is 16 and Aaron is 18. They are a year and a half apart in age. The story ends when they are 22 & 24. So we really get to learn who these characters are. We feel every emotion and we get to be a part of every milestone. We watch the love, the heartbreak, the trauma, and the devastation. CHECK YOUR TRIGGERS. EVERYTHING IS ON PAGE.
I think Hunter does a perfect job leaving no Ts uncrossed or I undotted. The end was a sharp twist I was not expecting. It literally broke my soul. I am not sure if you would call this a cliffhanger, but you DEFINITELY want book 2 IN HAND when you finish this one.
May 8, 2026
I'm having trouble articulating the way that this book has affected me. The story is beautiful, the writing is so poignant, I can imagine every feeling that the MCs are going through, I can picture every scene so vividly. The years of tension and longing and pain come beautifully together only to be ripped away so violently. But at the end, there is still so much hope. There is only one other book that has affected me like this, and it's The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller.
Some specific things I want to appreciate about this book:
The sex scenes were ridiculously good. Emotional and meaningful and intimate and extremely sexy. This ruins all other spicy books for me. Nothing I have read even comes close.
The little recurring details that the author uses throughout the book add so much to the story. Sunsmiles, bluebirds, the space between Benjamin's hips, his Button, citrus, sunflowers...
Thank you Hunter Bailey, you are reminding me why I love to read even when it is soul crushing.
Some specific things I want to appreciate about this book:
The sex scenes were ridiculously good. Emotional and meaningful and intimate and extremely sexy. This ruins all other spicy books for me. Nothing I have read even comes close.
The little recurring details that the author uses throughout the book add so much to the story. Sunsmiles, bluebirds, the space between Benjamin's hips, his Button, citrus, sunflowers...
Thank you Hunter Bailey, you are reminding me why I love to read even when it is soul crushing.
January 26, 2026
I am quite literally speechless.
Though if there was an option to leave a verbal review, it would just be five minutes of me screaming and crying anyway, which I don’t think anyone wants to hear, so I’ll leave things at this:
If you’re any kind of fan of MM romance, you absolutely - and I simply can’t overstate this - must not miss My Darling God.
The romance itself is absolutely peak - open-door steamy in a way that holds nothing back, but also maintains a unique undertone in each scene, keeping you wanting more every time.
But before you start thinking this is ‘smut, no plot’, I’ll tell you that MDG is, at its core, the story of two people trying to find a way out of their darkness together. The plot is compelling and gut-wrenching in the most delightful way, again and again and again.
Normally, when I say ‘I stayed up all night reading this book’, I’m honestly being a little facetious, but in this case it’s true. I lost an embarrassing amount of sleep hoping and praying that Benjamin and Aaron would get the happy ending they deserved.
The characters are unique, delightful, and deeply human. If you like mutual pining, forbidden romance, or elegantly-constructed angst, I’m begging you to read My Darling God!
Though if there was an option to leave a verbal review, it would just be five minutes of me screaming and crying anyway, which I don’t think anyone wants to hear, so I’ll leave things at this:
If you’re any kind of fan of MM romance, you absolutely - and I simply can’t overstate this - must not miss My Darling God.
The romance itself is absolutely peak - open-door steamy in a way that holds nothing back, but also maintains a unique undertone in each scene, keeping you wanting more every time.
But before you start thinking this is ‘smut, no plot’, I’ll tell you that MDG is, at its core, the story of two people trying to find a way out of their darkness together. The plot is compelling and gut-wrenching in the most delightful way, again and again and again.
Normally, when I say ‘I stayed up all night reading this book’, I’m honestly being a little facetious, but in this case it’s true. I lost an embarrassing amount of sleep hoping and praying that Benjamin and Aaron would get the happy ending they deserved.
The characters are unique, delightful, and deeply human. If you like mutual pining, forbidden romance, or elegantly-constructed angst, I’m begging you to read My Darling God!
March 25, 2026
I just finished, and wow… I’m completely overwhelmed, in the most beautiful way. Benjamin’s story hit me so deeply. I saw parts of myself in him, my struggles, my pain, but also his strength and humanity, which gave me a new perspective on my own experiences.
Aaron’s complexity and the intense, sometimes dark love between them made the story unforgettable. This isn’t just a book; it’s an experience that stays with you long after the last page. Hunter Bailey, thank you for sharing something so raw and powerful, it truly touched my heart.
A must-read for anyone ready for a deeply emotional, intense journey that will leave you thinking and feeling long after you finish.
Aaron’s complexity and the intense, sometimes dark love between them made the story unforgettable. This isn’t just a book; it’s an experience that stays with you long after the last page. Hunter Bailey, thank you for sharing something so raw and powerful, it truly touched my heart.
A must-read for anyone ready for a deeply emotional, intense journey that will leave you thinking and feeling long after you finish.
June 2, 2026
This is a beautiful, deeply intense love story that completely submerged me in its world. The emotions are served so delicately and come straight from the heart, making it impossible not to feel everything the characters are going through.
It is a dense, powerful book, and you have to be completely ready to cry your eyes out if you are a sensitive person who connects deeply with a story.
This is not a light read. It absolutely needs to be read mindfully and with full awareness of the trigger warnings beforehand. You have to be in the right headspace to process a journey this heavy and heart-wrenching, but it is entirely worth it for such a great love story.
It is a dense, powerful book, and you have to be completely ready to cry your eyes out if you are a sensitive person who connects deeply with a story.
This is not a light read. It absolutely needs to be read mindfully and with full awareness of the trigger warnings beforehand. You have to be in the right headspace to process a journey this heavy and heart-wrenching, but it is entirely worth it for such a great love story.
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