The Greening of Thaddeus Grey

by Jay Hogan

The day begins like any other—canoodling with my live-in boyfriend, making weekend plans over breakfast, and arguing about the apartment renovation list. Then my best friend and business partner texts, begging me to ditch Thad so we can meet for a lunchtime quickie in our usual spot.

Small problem: I’m Thad. Oops.

By midday, I’ve lost one ratface boyfriend, my best mate, the company I built from scratch, and the courage to hire a hitman—although I’m not ruling that last one out just yet. The future I had neatly mapped out is now toast. In its place, a laundry list of awkward questions, rumours, and pitying looks.

And so, I do what I do best. I run—my crumbling life fading in the rearview mirror. No plan. No destination. Just a road. Through a forest. In a storm. To a dog. And a shed. And a towering man who smells of pine, rain, and, mercifully, bacon.

There’s dirt under my nails, something growing in my heart, and suddenly I’m breathing again. Breathing and smiling and lying, lying, lying. To the man I’m falling for. To the people I care about. To myself, most of all.

But for every lie, there’s a reckoning. And when the truth catches up, and the heart is truly at stake, there’s no running anymore.

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, Contemporary, LGBT, Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Queer

343 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 22, 2026

About the author

Heart, humour and keeping it real.

I am a two times Lambda Literary Award Finalist—2020 for DIGGING DEEP and 2024 for THE ART OF HUSBANDRY.
I have also received the The Romance Writers of New Zealand 2021 Romance Book of The Year Award for OFF BALANCE.
I am a New Zealand author writing mm romance and romantic suspense primarily set in my home country. I write character driven romances with lots of humour, a good dose of reality, and a splash of angst. I’ve travelled extensively, lived in many countries, and in a past life I worked as a critical care nurse and a counsellor. My family love and somehow put up with me, and my gorgeous Cocker Spaniel thinks I spend too much time at my desk but keeps my feet warm.

Join my reader group to keep up with my news.
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You can also find me at:
https://www.jayhoganauthor.com where you can buy my audiobooks direct at a discount.

https://www.facebook.com/JayHoganAuthor

Reviews

[Chelsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I heard the term "Crank my shit" or "waggled my eyebrows" one more time in this book, I may have had to dnf.

I have a rule in my head that I'll deduct a star for every eyebrow waggle........ But I have to break my own rule here because THERE WAS 5!!!! 5 EYEBROW WAGGLES. omfg.

And the book admittedly, deserves more than 0 stars soooooooo....


But as I mentioned in my update for this book... This book is JUST SO ODD at times. It’s all wholesome and sweet, and then NEK MINNUT, he’s packing his ass with lube like he’s stuffing a turkey and it’s a very weird juxtaposition??

In true Jay Hogan style, there is ALOT to love and appreciate in this book and I love characters who swear naturally, but holy fuck I was bored out of my brain in parts too.

The first 15% had a really interesting set up, and I WAS ENTIRELY SAT......... But then, like the old lady I feel like I am, the moment i'm stationary too long.... I get tired and fall asleep.

I feel I had unanswered questions at the end of the book (like wtf was the mysterious animal? I don't get it?) and often dialogue and situations felt quite awkward??

AND I FKN HATE WHEN MC'S GET SUPER SEXUAL IN THEIR INNER MONOLOGUES TOO FKN QUICKLY. LIKE CHILL THE F OUT. YOU JUST MET. WHY IS YOUR DICK TWITCHING ALL OVER THE PLACE??? R U MAGNESIUM DEFICIENT BRO? SETTLE YOUR TROUSER SNAKE DOWN MY DUDE.

There is a HIV positive character and the sex discussion somehow too long, yet somehow they didn't discuss anything of importance?

I confused.
This wasn't unenjoyable by any means.
Just odd when you know what the author is capable of.

[Carol [Goodreads Addict] · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Greening of Thaddeus Grey by Jay Hogan is a stand alone, sweet, swoony, wonderful romance. It is a unique story that I fell madly in love with. This is only my third book by this author and I honestly don’t know why. Because I love the writing so much.



Thaddeus “Thad” Grey is twenty nine years old. He is a super intelligent data coder. Computer screens are his happy place. He left college early and started his own business which was doing very well. Thad is a bit of an introvert so he is the behind the scenes person in his company, and his best friend and business partner, Phillip, is the front person. Until that morning. The morning he was at home with his live in boyfriend, Judd, when he got a text, planning a noon hook up from Phillip. Only the text wasn’t met for him. It was meant for Judd. Meaning his best friend and business partner was hooking up with his live in boyfriend. And he would later learn it had been happening for five long months.



Thad doesn’t know what to do, so he hops in his car and heads for the hills, literally. When he runs into a storm, a surprise dog on the road ends with his car smashed into a pile of...you guessed it, manure. This is definitely not his day. Eventually he is found by a huge man who offers him a place to lay low for awhile. Which is just what he needs because Thad has no idea what to do now.



Ryder Nelson is thirty seven years old. He and his best friend have a landscaping business. Ryder is also a bit of an introvert. His life is his gardens that he has built into a magical world. But his land is leased, he doesn’t own it. And the lease is up and the council doesn’t want to sell. So Ryder is planning to fight them until the bitter end.

When Ryder finds the man whose car and life has crashed around him on his property, he can’t help but to offer him help. First with dry clothes and a meal, which grows to a night in his guest room, which grows to more. Because he can’t help but to feel something for Thad. His beautiful, soulful, lost eyes pull him in. If there is one thing Ryder can relate to, it’s a broken heart. Been there, done that.



These two are both feeling the pull between them. But, Thad’s heart has just been broken. Ryder doesn’t want to be a rebound. And Thad soon discovers that his company has a very awkward connection to the property Ryder lives on. Thad needs to figure out what to do with the mess that has become his life. Hiding is so much easier than just facing things head on. But he can’t hide forever. And those secrets always have a way of fighting their way to the surface.

This really was such a wonderful book. I have to admit, I was getting pretty stressed out by about seventy five percent, so worried about what was going to happen. When these two were together, they were so adorable. They laughed, they worked together, they cooked together, they just worked. But, there was so much that needed to happen for them to ever be able to have any kind of future. Was their time together just a stepping stone in Thad’s life? Or is it the beginning of something beautiful? You’ll have to read the book to find out!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Captivating start with an original meet-cute that lulled a bit in the middle and was enjoyable at the time but is already fading from my memory. Very easy reading, I read this in a day. I like Jay Hogan’s mature, polished writing style but I have minimal thoughts about this other than “it was nice”.

Points for contemporary issues - the main villain is an AI data centre that is destroying beautiful NZ forests and waterways. Lovely setting and sense of place as usual by this author.

Another point for good HIV positive representation. However I feel like Thad should be checking himself after being cheated on, dude sort that shit out.

Boris the eel needs a special mention.

This was a book club flop - the majority of readers were bored senseless with this which I can understand as it is a bit predictable and it has a dreaded third act breakup but I didn’t dislike it overall. I don’t have strong feelings either way. It was enjoyable for me and I’d happily read Tap dishing out the banter and one liners any day. If only he had his own story..did I miss that??

[patrícia · Rating 3 out of 5]

In theory, this book is my catnip. But for some reason, I just couldn’t fully get on board with it. I suspect my cranky, grumpy reading mood played a part, but it never completely clicked for me.

The thing is, I’ve read this book before. Probably a lot of times. The cheating-with-the-best-friend trope. The mother who is so blind she actually suggests he stay with the cheating boyfriend. 💤💤💤💤💤

Maybe that's part of why it didn't completely work for me. Nothing about the plot really surprised me, and I found myself connecting more to the cozy atmosphere than to the actual conflict.

It also moved way too fast for me. The attraction was super insta-love/insta-lust, and I couldn't understand why everyone around them was cheering for a hookup practically the next day. The man's entire life had just imploded. Maybe let him process that for five minutes first? There were also a lot of meddling best friends, which isn't usually my favourite thing. That said I ADORE TAD!!!!!!!!

Phillip and Judd felt completely one-dimensional. They were so awful that it almost stopped feeling believable. Sometimes they felt less like actual people and more like plot devices whose only job was to make Ryder look even better.

I also don't understand why Thaddeus took so long to tell Ryder about his company or do something about the situation. Then, at the end, he leaves, and it's Ryder who sends the first message and thinks he should apologize? The emotional math wasn't mathing for me. I kept waiting for a bigger reckoning and a more satisfying grovel, and it never quite got there.

But... The cottage. The garden. The dachshund. The banter. The hens. And them. 🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠

In the end, I was far more invested in the cottage, the garden, the hens, and the dachshund than I was in the actual drama.

Those parts absolutely got me.

[Sandy Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

To read my rundown of updates, you might think I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I did.

I did! I loved so much of it. In particular…

The arc of Thad…Thaddeus…waking up and seeing more and more of the world outside his coding tunnel vision…realizing his talent and company aren’t just about the immediate satisfaction of winning a contract and doing the work, but that his creations have wider impact and repercussions beyond what he immediately sees…some of it quite negative. His “greening” is a strong metaphor for him waking up and doing better, and I loved that.

His time with Ryder, in Ryder’s beautiful, peaceful wooded garden property, gives him space to breathe, to appreciate, to wake up to the fact that the current thing he’s working on could destroy this gift of a paradise he found on one of the worst days of his life.

Let me backup.

Fantastic “meet cute” in Thad fleeing from finding out his ex (Judd) cheated on him with his lifelong best friend and co-company owner (Phillip). Instincts take him to an area connected to a current project they’re putting in a bid on, but he doesn’t really think about that when he drives through a storm, swerves to avoid—or does he hit?—a dog, and careens off a tree into a pile of. Who knows what, it’s dark, pouring, and wow, wherever he landed smells. Really. Bad.

Stumbling through darkness and rain he taks shelter in what seems to be a shed of some sort.

Ryder wakes the next day and finds a stranger curled up with his old dachshund Ziggy in his chicken shed. WTF?

Adorable confrontation…(except thing that bugged me #1—when you find out someone crashed their car into your manure pile and had to take shelter from the storm in your shed, perhaps your first question shouldn’t be oh, my god, how much damage did you do to my compost? Perhaps it should be, oh god, are you okay? Do you need a hospital, did you hit your head?!)

Things lead to Thad staying with Ryder on the beautiful farm, recovering, confiding in Ryder about his awful breakup, learning about Ryder’s of years ago, and just…being together. Breathing. Trying to ignore the simmering tension of Something Growing between them (sorry this book lends itself to gardening puns/references/metaphors…!)

Honestly at times the first half slipped into cliché and familiar territory, but, it’s well done, and despite my snarky updates, I was soon charmed. Any man who loves his chickens and dog and plants as much as Ryder does will win my heart in no time. And Thad needed someone to listen, to support with no judgment.

Too bad Thad doesn’t know Ryder and vice versa well enough to open up about more, because Thad leaves out some crucial info that he eventually realizes will majorly screw Ryder over…and it’s too late to fess up by the time he realizes he has to.

But that’s for future Thad to worry about. This is a story of two men, one in current rebound stage, one who’s quietly missed romantic companionship and love for years due to how things fell out with his own ex, getting to know each other in soft encounters, opening up and sharing things that bring them (mostly Ryder, it’s his special home) joy, and just…being together, day after day, Thad recovering emotionally, and Ryder trying not to get too involved wmotionally with another city boy (Wellington in this case) who’ll leave soon. Ryder doesn’t want Thad to take his heart when he goes.

Heh heh it’s too late probably from the time he comes home from his landscaping job/business to find Thad has worked hard all day to fix that damn manure pile.

Conflict looms with the local council insisting they won’t honor Ryder’s lease to buy land status and are going to plow a road through his property to start building the data/power center who want to have a location there, and some of the best parts are Thad, who has long avoided confrontation (hence fleeing from cheating bf and bff and doing his best to ignore their texts and having a couple fraught fuck off calls only)…point is, Thad thinks he’s weak, but for Ryder, he sits in front of a bulldozer without blinking (he may have wet his pants) to prevent work from starting, and stops a violent truck driver from doing the same later, finding something within himself that stops putting up with being walked all over, even if it’s on someone else’s behalf and not yet his own.

Then Thad starts to realize that the contract bid he’s working on is for the company who will eventually destroy Ryder’s land and force him from his home. Oh 💩.

With beautiful developing feelings and a relationship, a true seemingly insurmountable obstacle, Thad dealing with the fallout of the cheaters and figuring out how to extract himself from his company and best friend, Ryder trying and failing to protect himself from falling for this quixotic and complex man…it’s another lovely Jay Hogan story of two souls who are a wonderful complementary match falling in love and learning to do better and enjoy the gift their hearts have given them. Sigh.

Yes, yes, Things that bothered me (a LOT in some cases):

--Why the F did we need the out of nowhere breakfast discussion about Ryder and his own BFF Tap (too close to Thad, honestly, why do that?!) having fucked in the past? And after Tap body shames Ryder? Maybe that’s funny to some, or a cultural thing, but commenting on anyone’s body is just sooo two decades ago, please stopit.

--I did a search, and Ryder calls Thad that “young man” (Thad is 29!!!) 10 times and that was 10 too many. Maybe if he’d said “younger man” it wouldn’t have felt so weird. Ryder is 37. Thad has a fully formed prefrontal cortex. I started calling Ryder “Grandpa” because he was so weird about Thad’s age, it started standing out in a weird way that I didn’t get.

--there are a couple weird proofreading errors, like one of the council construction guys suddenly having a name in Thad’s POV when Thad had no way of knowing it. Minor errors I’m not used to having bump me out of a read by this author.

--The sex safety discussion, timing and importance. Right conversation, off timing. Ryder’s situation was complicated, and poignant, but Thad understands it no problem, phew. But then they Epically Fail to discuss Thad’s status at all. Thad was just cheated on. For FIVE MONTHS. Has not had an STI test. Do we not also care about his potential status? Of course they use condoms, and probably always will, but, c’mon. Even if Thad thinks Judd only cheated on him with Phillip, who knows who else Phillip’s been with and what his status is? Ryder’s story should make them both FAR more aware of this. Not ignore it entirely. WTF?

--Ryder’s friends got on my nerves. They should have been cool (stupid “we fucked once!” convo out of nowhere/not necessary notwithstanding), but instead they were those nosy pushy types who chose to push Ryder at Thad in front of Thad, who they barely know. Why embarrass Ryder and do that when they don’t even know Thad’s level of tolerance for teasing/how that will impact him? F-ing RUDE and thoughtless. I am sick of friends who push their friends to have sex with people again and again when the friends are saying hey, no, not there yet, not ready, you don’t know the circumstances. If your friend says lay off…LAY OFF. Respect them. You DON’T know best. (PSA rant over.)

--I didn’t get why Thad cared about Ryder finding out he owns his own company. Have people tried to trick Thad out of money, date him for money or something? It didn’t seem so. Hiding that seemed weird once Thad admitted he wasn’t staying because he had nowhere to go but rather appreciated the time and space away from his life to figure things out. ???

--Phillip. This guy has been Thad’s lifelong best friend and now co-owns his company. But the author chose to make him into a 2-D douchebag and not explore why on earth he would have fucked Thad’s boyfriend for months. Usually the author does much more nuanced, realistic characters, and the Judd/Phillip situation felt like it was made into a stereotype to not have to deal with them/make them throwaway characters.

--Thad’s mom. Her response to learning Judd cheated on Thad and they broke up was gross. She redeems herself later, but, I was already too put off to ever like her. I did appreciate how Thad finally confronted her and they resolved and started a better relationship though, thank you. Grown ups are good. But man that woman had a lot to answer for for the type of pressure she put on Thad before that.

--James, Ryder's ex. OF 8 YEARS ago. How often does James come up? TOO OFTEN. JFC. Ryder didn't fall into comparing them in bed, thank god, but, the refrain of James used to, James did, James wore that first...just got really, really old really fast.

But one more "I loved this" note to leave you with...that evening/night at the pond...sheer, romantic perfection. Aaah. And let's hear it for Boris the eel. 😂

Overall I enjoyed reading this book a lot, and loved loved loved the grand gesture and sacrifice that really isn’t a sacrifice but a move to a much better life at the end. Perfection. This author knows how to end-scene a book. Go Thad and Ryder! May you have many, many happy times together.

HEA. Strangers to lovers, rebound from breakup, impossible opposing goals situation for real tension and conflict. No OM action; OM drama from the appalling Phillip showing up and messing everything up and being a 2-D dick. Justice is served, but, honestly, I wish that entire situation had held more emotional weight. Safe for me! Recommended, especially if you like this author already. Nice stand alone.

[Kati *☆･ﾟ · Rating 3 out of 5]

cute but nothing to write home about.

[Ariana (mostly offline) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,25 stars

I love the titles Jay Hogan always comes up with.
Very clever. Very fitting. Very much catching my attention.

And I really enjoyed the book, too.😂
Ryder and Thad are fun together. Their banter made grin, and the budding of feelings is well done, even if the time frame for it is questionable, imo. Two weeks is a really really short time for what happens. But then … sometimes people simply click, and it works out!

These two guys try to stay away from each other so hard, it is almost comical. Thad’s lack of heart break about the end of his relationship is telling, but I felt a teeny uneasy about him jumping into something more serious with Ryder so quickly.
Ryder is the one who has more to lose, I think, particularly considering how his previous relationship went.
Both men are very likeable and relatable, and I enjoyed the heck out of them.

Yes, the plot about the Council is a bit predictable, but tbh, I didn’t care too much.

A light, fun novel by this author I like very much.

[Misty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this.
I adored both mmc's, and the story was so sweet.
This is my first book from this author, but I'll be reading many more.
I mentioned it in my update, but it bears repeating, I loved having the correct spelling for once. My being from Australia, and this book from New Zealand, it was wonderful having our spelling, instead of the American, that most of the books I read have.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought this was super cute. Loved the setting and the premise. Loved the little farm and creek. And Thaddeus randomly showing up in the shed and then just never leaving lol. Loved Tap a lot too. The end was also really cute. Just wish the middle had a bit more oomph or pizzazz or something.

[Marthea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Było miło.
Było uroczo.
I było tak CHOLERNIE nudno, że nawet moje własne zęby zasypiały podczas czytania i nie mogłam ich dobudzić, żeby jakoś tam ze mną w realu współpracowały ponownie 👀

Książki Jay Hogan normalnie zahaczają mnie od pierwszego momentu. Zazwyczaj nie mogę się oderwać. A tutaj już pierwszy (!!!) rozdział czytałam na cztery (!!!) podejścia... To powinno pewnie być już jakąś podpowiedzią 🤦‍♀️ Zresztą nie wiem, czy znalazłabym chociaż trzy rozdziały w sumie z 26 + epilog, które przeczytałam w całości od razu, bez przerywania 👀

Tak naprawdę jedynym charakternym bohaterem i prawdziwie uroczym (w najlepszym tego słowa znaczeniu) był Ziggy - piesek jednego z głównych bohaterów, Rydera...

Konflikt i obowiązkowe rozstanie widziałam z tak daleka i tak wyraźnie, jak widać Tatry z Krakowa przy odpowiednich warunkach pogodowych. I jeszcze mimo tego sobie myślałam, że może będzie jakiś tam mały zwrot akcji, że autorka mnie wpuszcza w maliny, że nie będzie tak, jak byłam pewna, że będzie i że coś tam nagle się pojawi, co potrzaska tę moją pewność, albo chociaż ją trochę zachwieje. Nieeeeee... było tak przewidywalnie, jak myślałam 😞

I już nawet nie wspominajmy o imieniu tytułowego bohatera, czyli Thaddeus. Rodzice naszego Tadka to imigranci z Serbii, którzy bardzo chcieli się wtopić w nowe otoczenie, by jak najmniej rzucać się w oczy. Ojciec zmienił nazwisko na Grey (z Sivak), zaś matka chciała wybrać dla dziecka jak najbardziej angielskie imię. A że akurat w tamtym czasie była w klubie czytelniczym, który przerabiał "Mortal Engines" - zakładam, że Philipa Reeve'a, bo tam główny bohater ma tak właśnie na imię - to wybrała imię Thaddeus, które brzmi dumie i tak niby bardzo angielsko. Mam z tym tylko takich kilka małych problemów.

Po pierwsze, wszystko wskazuje na to, że Tadek urodził się już w Nowej Zelandii i ma 29 lat. Mamy rok 2026, a książka Reeve'a po raz pierwszy została wydana w 2001. Zatem mój konik na linię czasową dostał pożywienie, bo za diabła mi się to nie spina 👀

Po drugie, nie sądzę, aby wielu Anglosasów znało kogoś w realu o takim imieniu. Za to w Polsce... tiaaaa... nie jest trudno sprawdzić, że imię Tadeusz najbardziej na świecie jest popularne właśnie u nas.

Po trzecie, właśnie ze względu na imię byłam pewna, że rodzice Tadka wyemigrowali właśnie z Polski. Zwłaszcza, że gdzieś w miarę na początku jest wspomniane, że pochodzą z Europy Środkowej, z której uciekli przed czy też w trakcie wojny. I Europa Środkowa do Polski jak najbardziej geograficznie i kulturowo pasuje (bo Wschodnia odnosi się do byłego bloku politycznego i ustrojowego, a nie do prawdziwego położenia), tylko ta wojna mi nie pasiła. I potem okazało się, że to Serbia... gdzie wojna pasuje, ale znowu ta Europa Środkowa już nie bardzo...

I teraz nie wiem, czy to zwykła ignorancja autorki, czy napieprzanie się z imigrantów, czy po prostu imię Thaddeus na tyle jej się podobało, że chciała go użyć w swoje powieści i "dorobić" do jego pochodzenia jakąś historię... A może zupełnie coś innego, ale przyznaję, że totalnie nic z tego mi nie siadło...

Książka składa się z takich stereotypów, jest tak nudna, tak nijaka, tak nie przykuwająca uwagi, że jest mi najzwyczajniej przykro 😞 Szczerze mówiąc, to nie wiem, co się ostatnio dzieje - najpierw jedna z ostatnich książek Romeo Alexandra jest marna, teraz ostatnia książka Jay Hogan to samo. Obydwoje należą do moich ulubionych autorów, a tutaj zupełnie ich nie poznawałam 😞

Przyznaję, że teraz to boję się sięgnąć po coś następnego 👀

[Gaby · Rating 3 out of 5]

The villain of the story, being an AI data center, was the best part.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with this book; Jay Hogan is amazing at writing compelling characters and storylines; however, for me, it felt like a book I had already read; nothing was unique or original. I was a bit bored for a while there, with all the endless inner monologues and the looming third-act breakup when inevitably all the secrets were discovered.

I liked the social media campaign and Thad's epiphany. I wished Ziggy had had more time on page thought, but I am biased towards sausage dogs.

[Lelyana's Reviews · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm a mood reader. Today, I didn't enjoy this.
Skimming some parts even in the earlier chapters.


DNF

[A Low Nicole]

DNF at ~25%. Everyone is too…nice. There are challenges happening to our MCs, but the dilemmas are pretty clear cut—the bad guys do shitty things, and our MCs are the wronged and innocent parties. The attraction between the MCs is clear, and their personalities compatible.

On the plus side, it’s well written and the setting is lovely. I would love to be out in the woods with someone who has an amazing garden and a sweet dog.

If you want an easy, angst free read, I’d definitely recommend this book. If you’re a slightly twisted soul like myself and want things to be more complicated for your MCs, it’s maybe not for you. There are some authors I don’t read anymore because of how easy the road to relationship is between the MCs. Unfortunately, I’ve been reading romance prolifically for so many years and not keeping track of what I read for most of them, so I don’t necessarily remember who they are.

[Ami · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

It was the quick timeframe that I disliked the most! I don't care if it said that Thaddeus realized he wasn't completely in love with his ex-boyfriend - everything that happened between Thaddeus and Ryder in the farm happened in matter of DAYS!! In total, less than a month! I am sorry, that just ruined my mood. I guess I prefer that I could see Thaddeus regretting / grieving about the betrayal. The whole concept of quick relationship after a break-up just didn't work well for me.

Aside from that, I did enjoy the whole life on the farm. Thaddeus being a plant killer was funny considering whom he ended up falling for. There was good enough banters and conversation between the two. The side plot regarding Ryder's land was also enjoyable.

But yes, go back to that timeline which influeced my reading experience the most.


DISCLAIMER:Bought this book directly from the author's website so I got it a week early. So, no, this is NOT an advance copy whatsoever

[Mir · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

This was mostly fantastic. A lovely escapism romance about preventing the build of a data center. Fuck data centers oh my god I wasn’t sure I’d make it through this one!

There were a few things that bugged me, like the speedy timeline and the first sex scene happening after one character was in an altercation and Ryder’s dog was kicked (he was okay). Nobody checked on the poor dog and made sure he was okay and calm from the altercation. They just fucked off to fuck. All I could think about during the sex scene was poor Ziggy!

The rest was super lovely and adorable and it is always a treat to read something from a competent author.

[Mal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thaddeus is my kind of people!! Ryder is goals. Tap and Will are phenomenal as is Delia and JB is iconic.

This book is chock full of amazing characters and also some you want to kick to the curb- looking at you Judd and Philip!! I think you heart will break for Thad being surrounded by these dicks for so long - hiding away- logic planning his happiness. Mine certainly did. Ryder is also hiding in some ways after what happened 8 years ago. That’s the beautiful part these two coax each other out, aspects of themselves that need the light

The council is a worthy villain not just the two aforementioned dicks. The way our main protagonist meet is too cute. Ziggy is the star of the show. And that bulldozer scene - man I didn’t know what would happen but I wanted to cheer when the dust settled.. sorry rambled there a bit

This book has a bit of everything but is much larger than the sum of its addictive parts. Slow burn, pining, swoony, funny, meet cute, found family, small town, David and Goliath oh and did I mention there are secrets and a little mystery too and also a big FU to AI!! All in all an amazing read highly recommended!

[Notagingerninja · Rating 4 out of 5]

4-4.5⭐️ 🤷🏼‍♀️

🪴 City boy / Country lad
🪴 Small town
🪴 Cheating (not main MC)

I’ve been thinking about this review, and as much as a thoroughly enjoyed the book, it felt like I forgot most of it the moment I stopped reading 🤷🏼‍♀️

That being said, it was funny, had swoon worthy moments, good side characters, plenty of banter and drama.

Thad and Ryder were a cute couple from completely different worlds, but they complemented each other well and just made it work.

🪴 HEA 🪴

[George · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars Rounded Up

Rounded up because of the extraordinarily heart-warming conclusion Jay Hogan has provided for the awesome protagonists she's created.

[Papie]

DNF at 48%
Meh

[Betty · Rating 3 out of 5]

This had a fun premise and started off interesting with two very likable characters. It very quickly turned into one of those books that had a very obvious communication issue that was clearly leading to a highly avoidable (and frustrating) third act breakup.

Thaddeus 🌳 Ryder

Thaddeus is a tech guru who crashes his car on Ryders property one night during a storm, after having found out that his boyfriend was cheating on him with his best friend and business partner.

Ryder lives on a beautiful piece of property and is a skilled, kind, and talented landscape architect who genuinely loves his land. Thaddeus and Ryder hit it off and Thaddeus ends up staying for days and then weeks; avoiding his life, but also finding himself at the same time.

There’s a whole thing w Ryder’s land lease expiring, water rights, a fight w the town council, and Thaddeus’ tangential involvement via his company. It is this involvement that he fails to disclose to Ryder.

So, a strong beginning, a draggy middle, and frustrating and unnecessary third act breakup.

Summary:
💔third act breakup. They are apart for three weeks while Thaddeus puts together his grand gesture to save Ryder’s land
🗣️communication about their lives and loves, but Thaddeus hides the facts of his professional life from Ryder.
🌸Two very likable, mature characters.
🌳Beautiful setting on Ryders land - the gardens, greenhouses, chickens, swimming hole. All create a really beautiful backdrop,
🐾Cute dachshund, Ziggy, who’s a third character
⏩An insta connection; then lots of small moments/conversations; takes place over several weeks
👬🏽MM - both out/gay
🫣No OM; safe
🌶️Spice - open door; vers. HIV positive representation.
👥Dual POV; HEA. I love you’s. 8 month later epilogue; living together on Ryder’s land.

I understand the choices the author made and I understand why, I just disagree. It felt like I was reading the author’s storyboard rather than the two lovely characters driving the story. I’m a bit mad/sad about it.

[Manjari · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would put this at 3.5 stars. Although I am a fan of Jay Hogan, I haven't read one of her books in a while. Her writing is very smooth, her characterizations are excellent, and this was the case in The Greening of Thaddeus Grey. However, I had several quibbles. For anyone familiar with romance novels, this plot was very predictable, right up until the very end. The entire relationship also moved very fast - in about 2 months, Thad went from having a live-in boyfriend that he was considering marrying to living with someone else completely! I also presume from the title that this is Jay Hogan's "ecological" book. Although it wasn't terribly in-your-face, it was very much a book about learning to appreciate, value and save the natural world. Thad's decision about his work and role in conservation felt like a major and abrupt about-face. Jay Hogan is such a good author that I don't regret reading the book but it is not one that I would recommend to someone new to her work.

[Darcy (at the cottage) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved!!🥰❤️💕❤️💕❤️💕❤️

[Em Jay]

DNF @ 40%. No rating.

Sadly I’m just really bored with this one 🫤

[Fay MMBookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thad finds his reason for moving forward in his life after the storm bring him to his fated soul mate after the horrible events with his Ex and his business partner. Secrets or the lack of telling of all the information puts Thad and Ryder’s relationship on rock ground near the ending, which Thad corrects in a fantastic finish for an HEA.
My Full Blog Review Link
*I received an Advance Reader copy and this is my honest thoughts.

[Terri]

DNF at 46&, because I've lost all patience with the title character lying.

[Betty Loves Books Galore · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a strangers to friends to more romance, featuring Thaddeus and Ryder, and is a standalone book.

After discovering his boyfriend and best friend are having an affair behind his back, Thaddeus’s carefully planned life implodes, sending him fleeing into the wilderness with nothing but heartbreak.

I’ve been waiting for this one to come out, and it totally lived up to my expectations. It was sweet, low angst, funny and emotional. Thaddeus and Ryder help eachother heal from past heartbreak and find something to hold on to. and I was totally hear for it.

Things to expect in this book are:
Standalone
MM romance
Set in New Zealand
Opposites attract
Forced proximity
Hurt / Comfort
Cheating ex
Age gap (37 / 29)
Landscaper x Tech owner
HIV rep
Chicken coop meet-cute
New beginnings
Fish out of water
Strangers to friends to more
Pet dad: dog
Spicy times
Outdoor s*x
Secrets revealed
3rd act break up
Grand gesture
Found family
Healing through love
HEA

[The Word Nerd Reviews Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well what can I say but that The Greening of Thaddeus Grey is a beautiful story?

It’s all about recovery and growth after a bitter betrayal, of learning to trust again. It’s about resetting your life and re-prioritising what is important to you. It’s about found family, and honesty with biological family. It’s about those quiet moments with just the birds and Boris for company. It’s about the healing of those quiet moments, of solid support, a miniature Daschund and the role of a ghost dog in setting you on your path. It’s about fate, love, and second chances at life.

Highly Recommended!

[True Loveislovereview · Rating 5 out of 5]

A romance pur sang! Reading a story by this author never ever disappoints!
The characters are real, mature, flawed, funny, with scars from life on their souls.
The scenery is so wonderful. The conversations were more than great! The flirting and intimacy are just downright enthralling.
Ryder and Thaddeus’ story had just everything I could ask for in a romance!
In short, it was a well-developed romance, after my own heart!

[Katkejt ☾. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thaddeus • Ryder

….

“Being in the cottage felt good. It felt safe. And it felt oddly right.”

….

Oh this story. It had a bit of everything I love while picking up a book. A meet cute you’ll remember, a slow burn that’s done so right, pining, so much delicious pining, a found family and finding solace.

After a disaster of a message from his best friend, involving his boyfriend, betrayed by the two most important people in his life - Thaddeus runs away - doing a legendary of all runs - which makes him end up in another disaster that leads him in a place he never should end up in but turned out to be his savior, his freedom, his new self, his solace. His Ryder.

The Greening Of Thaddeus Grey is a love story about trusting again, being vulnerable and giving life a chance to bloom like the gardens… like gardens need sunshine, water, nutrient-rich soil and seedlings - love needs warmth, purpose, trust, communication, respect, commitment - active nourishment… like Ryder needed a Thad in his life, Thad needed to be loved and understood by Ryder.

Maybe this story might feel like another book but I love, love. This book is filled with pages and words of love. Once again I was proven, some things happen for us to grow.

….

“So yes, overall, Thaddeus Grey was pretty much my kryptonite, which should be enough on its own to set all my alarm bells ringing.” // “Being in the cottage felt good. It felt safe. And it felt oddly right.” // “Like that’s not patently obvious already. You’re a wicked temptation… Something I believe you’re well aware of.” // “I never looked around. Never listened. Never stopped. It was something I’d noticed about Ryder in the short time I’d been at the cottage. He often stopped whatever he was doing to pay attention to something that I’d missed.” // “His arms encircled my waist, his hard-muscled body wrapping around mine until all I could feel was him, Ryder, the world beginning and ending with his flesh burning against mine, every nerve in my body bursting into flame.” // “I’d pulled my pillow against my chest and decided it had been the best Sunday I’d spent in a long time…” // “Home. I wasn’t sure what the word meant anymore…” // “I felt like two different men. The man I was before Ryder and the man I was becoming after.” …

….

*I reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts are my own. 

….

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

3.75 stars

This is a standalone book from author Jay Hogan as Thad crashes into Ryder’s life. Thad couldn’t honestly say he was completely happy with his life and his relationship, but he had a successful business and his mother was happy with him. He’s devastated by the betrayal and, as he works with both his now ex-boyfriend and ex-best friend, he has a lot to figure out.

Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.