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Kind: A Romance Where Nothing Bad Happens
Drew’s life needs to change. He knows he’s a workaholic—he worked so hard that he literally ended up in the hospital. Now he’s recovering, but he doesn’t know how to fix things. What is this “relaxing” that everyone always talks about?
He’ll try joining a volunteer group. That’s not work, right? So it doesn’t count.
Ellis has been a jerk for his entire life—until he finally lost enough friends to wake him up. He’s turned over a new leaf, but he barely knows how to be a person, let alone a good one. How do you be kind without being fake?
He’ll try joining a volunteer group. That’s what good people do, right?
Kind: A Romance Where Nothing Bad Happens is the story of a recovering workaholic and a recovering jerk who find love at a community volunteer group. It has NO crises, NO breakups, and NO long dark nights of the soul—just a slow climb out of misery and into happiness.
He’ll try joining a volunteer group. That’s not work, right? So it doesn’t count.
Ellis has been a jerk for his entire life—until he finally lost enough friends to wake him up. He’s turned over a new leaf, but he barely knows how to be a person, let alone a good one. How do you be kind without being fake?
He’ll try joining a volunteer group. That’s what good people do, right?
Kind: A Romance Where Nothing Bad Happens is the story of a recovering workaholic and a recovering jerk who find love at a community volunteer group. It has NO crises, NO breakups, and NO long dark nights of the soul—just a slow climb out of misery and into happiness.
316 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
March 22, 2026
Wow. Such a lovely and heartwarming novel with a beautifully written slow burn.
Nothing bad happens, it's true. But that doesn't mean the story is boring or easy to put down, on the contrary.
Nothing bad happens, because both main characters try to change and be KIND, to themselves and others: Drew because he is a workaholic who needs to learn to be happy without his achievements at work, and Ellis because he has been mean and hurtful to others and wants to change.
I loved that, even if the author doesn't put any particular focus on it, both men are in their early thirties. It's refreshing to read about mostly settled and mature characters who feel the need to change course in life, and yet struggle a bit with it.
I enjoyed watching Drew and Ellis get acquainted, initially not feeling very charitable towards each other, but slowly finding common ground and then, while getting to know each other better, getting closer.
Also, it's so refreshing when the MCs DON'T have sex for the first time at precisely 50%.
The plot never felt constructed, the storyline flowed very organically. Drew and Ellis aren't perfect, they have their flaws as we all do, but they try to work on themselves.
It felt so genuine how they slowly start to care for one another. Truly impressive and touching writing, without it ever getting schmaltzy or sweet.
And thankfully, love isn't a cure for anything in this story. What helps Drew and Ellis instead: talking to other people, therapy, making healthy decisions, accepting help, apologizing after having hurt someone.
(Ps because I cannot say nothing: why would the author mention how Drew and Ellis use lube, but never mentions condoms, yet suddenly at the very end of the book Drew and Ellis talk about not using condoms anymore? Huh.)
Anyway. Loved this book.
There's an additional free short story on the author's homepage.
Nothing bad happens, it's true. But that doesn't mean the story is boring or easy to put down, on the contrary.
Nothing bad happens, because both main characters try to change and be KIND, to themselves and others: Drew because he is a workaholic who needs to learn to be happy without his achievements at work, and Ellis because he has been mean and hurtful to others and wants to change.
I loved that, even if the author doesn't put any particular focus on it, both men are in their early thirties. It's refreshing to read about mostly settled and mature characters who feel the need to change course in life, and yet struggle a bit with it.
I enjoyed watching Drew and Ellis get acquainted, initially not feeling very charitable towards each other, but slowly finding common ground and then, while getting to know each other better, getting closer.
Also, it's so refreshing when the MCs DON'T have sex for the first time at precisely 50%.
The plot never felt constructed, the storyline flowed very organically. Drew and Ellis aren't perfect, they have their flaws as we all do, but they try to work on themselves.
It felt so genuine how they slowly start to care for one another. Truly impressive and touching writing, without it ever getting schmaltzy or sweet.
And thankfully, love isn't a cure for anything in this story. What helps Drew and Ellis instead: talking to other people, therapy, making healthy decisions, accepting help, apologizing after having hurt someone.
(Ps because I cannot say nothing: why would the author mention how Drew and Ellis use lube, but never mentions condoms, yet suddenly at the very end of the book Drew and Ellis talk about not using condoms anymore? Huh.)
Anyway. Loved this book.
There's an additional free short story on the author's homepage.
February 2, 2026
A wonderful debut that lives up to the promise of the title. Drew is a grumpy, miserable workaholic -- "grumpy" is mostly nature, "miserable workaholic" is definitely nurture -- recovering from a serious (off-page) car accident caused by overwork-induced exhaustion. Ellis is a recovering asshole whose resolution to cast off his trollish ways is being sorely tested by months of enforced co-habitation with his angry, bitter ex. They have a meet not-so-cute at a community volunteer group, where they're voluntold that they'll be co-organizing the group's big summer barbeque. Is that grudging acceptance, followed by tentative friendship, followed by acknowledged lust and unacknowledged pining that I smell? Indeed it is!
This is, indeed, a book where people are kind -- or at least, trying hard to be -- and nothing bad happens. For angst aficionados with cold, shriveled hearts (me), this is not an easy sell! But happily, "kind" doesn't mean dull or dumbed-down. Ellis and Drew are funny, self-aware, clever, and extraordinarily likable. Crucially, Ellis's trollery does not have a political basis: he is a gamer (but not, like, gamergate-type gamer) that got his adrenaline hits from flaunting his superiority over people online, mostly in comment sections and forums. Just as Drew was addicted to perfection at work -- making himself deeply unpleasant to his colleagues in the process -- Ellis was addicted to always being right, in the most loud and obnoxious way possible. Tellingly, Ellis's about-face -- his decision to try to be a decent person -- was prompted by a cruel joke played on a real-life friend in meat space: while Ellis would have laughed it up were it all happening on-screen, it wasn't so funny when he actually had to face the victim. Ellis's conversion to kindness is, in this way, initially more sincere than Drew's attempt to set boundaries around work. While Drew can tell himself that breaking those self-imposed boundaries is a victimless crime -- squirming away from the knowledge that his crash could easily have destroyed others -- Ellis saw firsthand that his actions caused pain. This is a novel where the process is the point; and while they both end up happier, kinder people, it is an ever-ongoing series of small decisions and setbacks, rather than any one big catharsis.
I must say that Drew was surprisingly cavalier about the health insurance ramifications of his life choices given his extended hospital stay and ongoing intensive rehabilitation, but it all worked out in the end. Seriously though, kids. Don't do a Drew before you price out COBRA!
All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable, heartwarming, smexy romance that -- for a few hours, at least -- was the perfect anecdote to our shitty timeline.
I got an ARC from the author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is, indeed, a book where people are kind -- or at least, trying hard to be -- and nothing bad happens. For angst aficionados with cold, shriveled hearts (me), this is not an easy sell! But happily, "kind" doesn't mean dull or dumbed-down. Ellis and Drew are funny, self-aware, clever, and extraordinarily likable. Crucially, Ellis's trollery does not have a political basis: he is a gamer (but not, like, gamergate-type gamer) that got his adrenaline hits from flaunting his superiority over people online, mostly in comment sections and forums. Just as Drew was addicted to perfection at work -- making himself deeply unpleasant to his colleagues in the process -- Ellis was addicted to always being right, in the most loud and obnoxious way possible. Tellingly, Ellis's about-face -- his decision to try to be a decent person -- was prompted by a cruel joke played on a real-life friend in meat space: while Ellis would have laughed it up were it all happening on-screen, it wasn't so funny when he actually had to face the victim. Ellis's conversion to kindness is, in this way, initially more sincere than Drew's attempt to set boundaries around work. While Drew can tell himself that breaking those self-imposed boundaries is a victimless crime -- squirming away from the knowledge that his crash could easily have destroyed others -- Ellis saw firsthand that his actions caused pain. This is a novel where the process is the point; and while they both end up happier, kinder people, it is an ever-ongoing series of small decisions and setbacks, rather than any one big catharsis.
I must say that Drew was surprisingly cavalier about the health insurance ramifications of his life choices given his extended hospital stay and ongoing intensive rehabilitation, but it all worked out in the end. Seriously though, kids. Don't do a Drew before you price out COBRA!
All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable, heartwarming, smexy romance that -- for a few hours, at least -- was the perfect anecdote to our shitty timeline.
I got an ARC from the author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 21, 2026
That was so beautiful! Highly recommend!
I am a sucker for emotional growth and amazing relationship development and this book has both. Ellis realized he was a bully and didn't want to be so he's on a journey to be a better human, including extensive therapy.
Drew was a workaholic and needs an awakening because of a life-threatening accident he had 6 months before.
Both of them are drawn to volunteer for a neighborhood organization where they meet each other and end up being the co-leads on planning the next big neighborhood BBQ. In the beginning, there tension because Drew is a perfectionist and Ellis is not. Ellis is trying not to be a constant asshole but Drew pushes his buttons.
Everything is so "everyday life", but the growth and how they spark each other towards more and more health and acceptance and love... IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL!!!!
While they're party planning, they spend more time together. The relationship development is so gradual and beautiful as they spark against each other. There's a time where they get a big tipsy and the attraction they feel turns into physical connection as well.
This book is aptly named. It is both about kindness... and a romance where nothing bad happens. All the good things happen, tho. A gentle progression of strangers to friends to lovers.
Safety deets
- They do use condoms... but I swear that we don't hear about it until the end. I could be wrong, but there was a time that I thought they just had sex without talk of potential diseases or protection. But, there's a line near the end where they do discuss getting rid of condoms and getting tested so I think they were using condoms but the author didn't include the details of that first convo.
- They are friends with benefits for a good part of the story. Thankfully, there wasn't a lot of angst with this. There is a moment near the end where Ellis thinks Drew is going to tell him this isn't working anymore, but he's wrong.
- No third act breakup. (They aren't "dating", but still)
- Minimal epilogue with not enough of their happily ever after. They are living together at the end, but they aren't married and haven't made any long-term commitment. Some people might call this a happy for now... and I do wish we could have seen them farther into the future.
- No other men. Ellis was living with his ex-boyfriend in the beginning, but it's been months since they had sex. There is no tension between any other men and the main characters (romance-wise).
I am a sucker for emotional growth and amazing relationship development and this book has both. Ellis realized he was a bully and didn't want to be so he's on a journey to be a better human, including extensive therapy.
Drew was a workaholic and needs an awakening because of a life-threatening accident he had 6 months before.
Both of them are drawn to volunteer for a neighborhood organization where they meet each other and end up being the co-leads on planning the next big neighborhood BBQ. In the beginning, there tension because Drew is a perfectionist and Ellis is not. Ellis is trying not to be a constant asshole but Drew pushes his buttons.
Everything is so "everyday life", but the growth and how they spark each other towards more and more health and acceptance and love... IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL!!!!
While they're party planning, they spend more time together. The relationship development is so gradual and beautiful as they spark against each other. There's a time where they get a big tipsy and the attraction they feel turns into physical connection as well.
This book is aptly named. It is both about kindness... and a romance where nothing bad happens. All the good things happen, tho. A gentle progression of strangers to friends to lovers.
Safety deets
- They do use condoms... but I swear that we don't hear about it until the end. I could be wrong, but there was a time that I thought they just had sex without talk of potential diseases or protection. But, there's a line near the end where they do discuss getting rid of condoms and getting tested so I think they were using condoms but the author didn't include the details of that first convo.
- They are friends with benefits for a good part of the story. Thankfully, there wasn't a lot of angst with this. There is a moment near the end where Ellis thinks Drew is going to tell him this isn't working anymore, but he's wrong.
- No third act breakup. (They aren't "dating", but still)
- Minimal epilogue with not enough of their happily ever after. They are living together at the end, but they aren't married and haven't made any long-term commitment. Some people might call this a happy for now... and I do wish we could have seen them farther into the future.
- No other men. Ellis was living with his ex-boyfriend in the beginning, but it's been months since they had sex. There is no tension between any other men and the main characters (romance-wise).
February 2, 2026
stressed type A character, check. Unlikeable other character, double check. Both characters trying to be something they are not - hilarity ensues. I really really related to Drew’s inner judgy sarcastic vibe.. wait a minute!! I did not I would never. I also related to Ellis trying so so soooooooo hard to be better at being a good person every minute of every day.
I wanted this book to never ever end, even now my mind wants to go back and see what Drew and Ellis are upto. The author is definitely going to be a favourite for me. I was completely engrossed, invested in their story.
Did I mention how hilarious this book is. I was laughing out loud through a lot of it. it’s also extreamly touching, small everyday genuine moments sprinkled throughout that just make you swoon and sigh.
And so so relatable when what’s been your way of life is no longer working for you and you’ve come to that crisis point and you don’t know how to set up new patterns. Gosh this story had loads if levels to sink into. The found family is spectacular
The Banter is top tier, the progression from I definitely do not like anything about this man why do o have tolerate him to I want to spend all my time with him he allows me to be me was absolutely beautiful
Oh and their chemistry is fantastic so organic and funny and hot.
I loved everything about this book, these characters, their HEA. It bears saying again I wish I was still reading it, I did not want it to be over.
I wanted this book to never ever end, even now my mind wants to go back and see what Drew and Ellis are upto. The author is definitely going to be a favourite for me. I was completely engrossed, invested in their story.
Did I mention how hilarious this book is. I was laughing out loud through a lot of it. it’s also extreamly touching, small everyday genuine moments sprinkled throughout that just make you swoon and sigh.
And so so relatable when what’s been your way of life is no longer working for you and you’ve come to that crisis point and you don’t know how to set up new patterns. Gosh this story had loads if levels to sink into. The found family is spectacular
The Banter is top tier, the progression from I definitely do not like anything about this man why do o have tolerate him to I want to spend all my time with him he allows me to be me was absolutely beautiful
Oh and their chemistry is fantastic so organic and funny and hot.
I loved everything about this book, these characters, their HEA. It bears saying again I wish I was still reading it, I did not want it to be over.
February 4, 2026
I received an ARC copy of this, and read it in January.
I think the subtitle is a little misleading: bad things happen off screen, in the past, and in between the lines sometimes. And there's a lot of character growth, which sometimes involves back sliding. But I really enjoyed watching these two goof balls learn to be better people, to themselves and to the world around them, and I very much enjoyed their romance
I think the subtitle is a little misleading: bad things happen off screen, in the past, and in between the lines sometimes. And there's a lot of character growth, which sometimes involves back sliding. But I really enjoyed watching these two goof balls learn to be better people, to themselves and to the world around them, and I very much enjoyed their romance
February 11, 2026
Review for Kind: a romance where nothing bad happens.
So, you may wonder, if nothing bad happens, is it just fluff? Where's the tension, the page turning? And I raise you: character growth. So much. And also bad stuff did happen, off screen and in the past. It's talked about but not in detail - the recovery process is part of the story.
I really enjoyed this story. Read it over two days and only took that long because I couldn't read and work at the same time. It felt like it held the reader carefully in strong, sure hands. Both leads were real and fleshed out people, flawed and good. Chemistry wasn't a big part of it, to my reading, which I prefer. They are really focussed on helping one another and really like each other and that makes the base of things which is lovely hopeful start.
I love queer romance because so often there are themes of self acceptance. And even though there was a big emphasis on our characters growing and changing for the better in this one, there was still a lot of work on self acceptance (but with no homophobia!) and that was good to read.
I'm an aromatic person, and so I did find myself going, you know what would be better than this book being a romance? These guys being really good friends!! But, like the sex scenes were really hot. So. Romance is allowed too, I guess.
So, you may wonder, if nothing bad happens, is it just fluff? Where's the tension, the page turning? And I raise you: character growth. So much. And also bad stuff did happen, off screen and in the past. It's talked about but not in detail - the recovery process is part of the story.
I really enjoyed this story. Read it over two days and only took that long because I couldn't read and work at the same time. It felt like it held the reader carefully in strong, sure hands. Both leads were real and fleshed out people, flawed and good. Chemistry wasn't a big part of it, to my reading, which I prefer. They are really focussed on helping one another and really like each other and that makes the base of things which is lovely hopeful start.
I love queer romance because so often there are themes of self acceptance. And even though there was a big emphasis on our characters growing and changing for the better in this one, there was still a lot of work on self acceptance (but with no homophobia!) and that was good to read.
I'm an aromatic person, and so I did find myself going, you know what would be better than this book being a romance? These guys being really good friends!! But, like the sex scenes were really hot. So. Romance is allowed too, I guess.
Read
August 26, 20264.5*
I have only one complaint about this story of a sweary edgelord and a lonely workaholic and that has to do with condom usage. Everything else is delightful.
Being picky about condoms: in their first penetrative sex scene, there is no discussion of condoms and no room in the scene for anyone to put one on. It threw me out of the scene for that not to be integrated. Later, in a second penetrative scene, they do their thing with no discussion or apparent use of condoms, but then afterward a condom appears out of nowhere and is stripped off, and they have a discussion about how they both always use condoms. Okay then. So just assume condoms, I guess.
I loved everything else about this book. The emotional growth of both MCs is wonderful to behold, and they seem more and more suited to each other as the story progresses. The side characters are as developed and interesting as they need to be. There is even a little sense of what parts of Portland are like. Satisfying romance, highly recommended
I have only one complaint about this story of a sweary edgelord and a lonely workaholic and that has to do with condom usage. Everything else is delightful.
Being picky about condoms: in their first penetrative sex scene, there is no discussion of condoms and no room in the scene for anyone to put one on. It threw me out of the scene for that not to be integrated. Later, in a second penetrative scene, they do their thing with no discussion or apparent use of condoms, but then afterward a condom appears out of nowhere and is stripped off, and they have a discussion about how they both always use condoms. Okay then. So just assume condoms, I guess.
I loved everything else about this book. The emotional growth of both MCs is wonderful to behold, and they seem more and more suited to each other as the story progresses. The side characters are as developed and interesting as they need to be. There is even a little sense of what parts of Portland are like. Satisfying romance, highly recommended
February 2, 2026
A very calm read - it’s all in the subtitle. Nothing bad happens!
Not to say that it didn’t keep my attention. I found that the pace really worked for me - not-quite-enemies-just-a-bit-antagonistic to friends to lovers, with a nice getting-to-know-you section that felt like it was over a realistic span of time.
The book wasn’t perfect - I found some of the focus and pacing went a little off towards the end - but I thought the characters, their motivations, and their relationship were lovely to spend time with. I particularly liked the way the sexual intimacy developed, it was sexy and fun and adult and wasn’t the “insta-lust” that I find so off-putting in a lot of romance, where instant attraction somehow equals love.
I also appreciated the “nothing bad happens”. I kept finding myself putting the book down at points where other romances would typically have A Big Misunderstanding before realising…I’m safe! And sure enough, there wasn’t any “we’ve forgotten how to communicate because that’s moving the plot along”, just great communication and things being resolved - but not in a “why is this book still going, there’s nothing left to read about” way, it’s a steady character development carrying us along.
I received a copy of this book for free, and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Not to say that it didn’t keep my attention. I found that the pace really worked for me - not-quite-enemies-just-a-bit-antagonistic to friends to lovers, with a nice getting-to-know-you section that felt like it was over a realistic span of time.
The book wasn’t perfect - I found some of the focus and pacing went a little off towards the end - but I thought the characters, their motivations, and their relationship were lovely to spend time with. I particularly liked the way the sexual intimacy developed, it was sexy and fun and adult and wasn’t the “insta-lust” that I find so off-putting in a lot of romance, where instant attraction somehow equals love.
I also appreciated the “nothing bad happens”. I kept finding myself putting the book down at points where other romances would typically have A Big Misunderstanding before realising…I’m safe! And sure enough, there wasn’t any “we’ve forgotten how to communicate because that’s moving the plot along”, just great communication and things being resolved - but not in a “why is this book still going, there’s nothing left to read about” way, it’s a steady character development carrying us along.
I received a copy of this book for free, and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 7, 2026
I know the year has just started - I read this in early February - but it is BY FAR my favorite book of the year so far, and I couldn't be happier that it sucked up my entire Friday and has officially put me behind on All The Other Things I should have been doing today. 🤣
Drew and Ellis are too wholesome for words 🥰 Their meandering personal growth journeys, and annoyance-to-friendship-to-lovers-to-boyfriends evolution, made me literally laugh out loud a few times (Ellis, omg! 🤣🤣🤣), smile so hard my cheeks are literally aching now, and close my Kindle at the end with all sorts of glowy, happy feelings in my heart.
I can't wait to read more from this author, and highly recommend this book to absolutely everyone who is in love with love. ALL the stars!
Drew and Ellis are too wholesome for words 🥰 Their meandering personal growth journeys, and annoyance-to-friendship-to-lovers-to-boyfriends evolution, made me literally laugh out loud a few times (Ellis, omg! 🤣🤣🤣), smile so hard my cheeks are literally aching now, and close my Kindle at the end with all sorts of glowy, happy feelings in my heart.
I can't wait to read more from this author, and highly recommend this book to absolutely everyone who is in love with love. ALL the stars!
March 31, 2026
Funny and charming!
August 27, 2026
I got an ARC free from the author and alert readers might note this book came out in February and it is now September, but all things in their time.
And this is a deeply enjoyable time, a developing relationship between Drew, who's recovering from a car crash and trying to adjust his work/life balance so that it's more of a balance and less of a teeter-totter with one side buried in the ground, and Ellis who's recovering from being an asshole for most of his adult life and making an intense effort to reform.
They do not get along at first. But after a rough start, they become friends despite their differences, and the author gives them the time and space they need to build a relationship, taking it from work to pleasure, and it's very satisfying when it comes together. The characters are well drawn and have compelling chemistry and, later, hot sex.
And nothing bad happens, except for some yelling early in the book between Ellis and his ex, and some upset feelings later. There's no torturously manufactured misunderstandings, no problems that could be solved by saying a single sentence out loud that, nevertheless, continues to go unsaid. Just two people working to improve their lives and reaching for happiness, surrounded by a wonderful supporting cast including Drew's Chinese-American family and Ellis's D&D group.
If this sounds like your sort of thing, then I definitely think it'll be your sort of thing. It was mine. As Ellis would say, "Recommend."
It's also set in Portland, which, as Portland adjacent, I found very soothing.
Contains: explicit m/m sex; annoyances-to-friends-to-lovers; friends with benefits; character in chronic pain with mobility limitations; references to screaming fights with at least one on page; and a couple of weird bobbles that I'm going to attribute to this being an ARC.
And this is a deeply enjoyable time, a developing relationship between Drew, who's recovering from a car crash and trying to adjust his work/life balance so that it's more of a balance and less of a teeter-totter with one side buried in the ground, and Ellis who's recovering from being an asshole for most of his adult life and making an intense effort to reform.
They do not get along at first. But after a rough start, they become friends despite their differences, and the author gives them the time and space they need to build a relationship, taking it from work to pleasure, and it's very satisfying when it comes together. The characters are well drawn and have compelling chemistry and, later, hot sex.
And nothing bad happens, except for some yelling early in the book between Ellis and his ex, and some upset feelings later. There's no torturously manufactured misunderstandings, no problems that could be solved by saying a single sentence out loud that, nevertheless, continues to go unsaid. Just two people working to improve their lives and reaching for happiness, surrounded by a wonderful supporting cast including Drew's Chinese-American family and Ellis's D&D group.
If this sounds like your sort of thing, then I definitely think it'll be your sort of thing. It was mine. As Ellis would say, "Recommend."
It's also set in Portland, which, as Portland adjacent, I found very soothing.
Contains: explicit m/m sex; annoyances-to-friends-to-lovers; friends with benefits; character in chronic pain with mobility limitations; references to screaming fights with at least one on page; and a couple of weird bobbles that I'm going to attribute to this being an ARC.
February 2, 2026
4.25⭐️
This was a wonderful read, and exactly what I needed! I loved the premise of this, with both main characters being on a journey to better themselves, and in the process, finding each other. The characters were wonderful and properly fleshed out, and it was so nice to follow them in their growth. I thought the relationship between the characters also developed really well, in a natural and healthy way, and we had a solid cast of supporting characters as well. The humor in this was also really well-done. Once I got a solid amount into the book, I just couldn't put it down and read the last 200 pages in one sitting!
I loved how this was promised to be 'a romance where nothing bad happens'. I am not a big fan of things like miscommunication tropes or third-act breakups, so this was perfect. I thought it was really well-done, to have this be a calm and comforting read, but without being boring. There was still enough happening to keep me interested, and both the story and the characters felt realistic. I loved how this was described to be "just a slow climb out of misery and into happiness", which is exactly what it felt like, in the best way possible.
Thank you NetGalley and the author for the eARC!
This was a wonderful read, and exactly what I needed! I loved the premise of this, with both main characters being on a journey to better themselves, and in the process, finding each other. The characters were wonderful and properly fleshed out, and it was so nice to follow them in their growth. I thought the relationship between the characters also developed really well, in a natural and healthy way, and we had a solid cast of supporting characters as well. The humor in this was also really well-done. Once I got a solid amount into the book, I just couldn't put it down and read the last 200 pages in one sitting!
I loved how this was promised to be 'a romance where nothing bad happens'. I am not a big fan of things like miscommunication tropes or third-act breakups, so this was perfect. I thought it was really well-done, to have this be a calm and comforting read, but without being boring. There was still enough happening to keep me interested, and both the story and the characters felt realistic. I loved how this was described to be "just a slow climb out of misery and into happiness", which is exactly what it felt like, in the best way possible.
Thank you NetGalley and the author for the eARC!
March 29, 2026
I actually totally enjoyed this. It wasn’t perfect and there were some new author growing pains, but honestly this was the first new-to-me book and author that I’ve enjoyed in a very long time.
I wasn’t sure how it was gonna go when I started because both characters aren’t particularly likable. But that’s kinda the whole point of the plot lol.
I think the organic character growth here and the very slow relationship development are what made this a solid read. I will post the issues I had under spoilers below, and why it’s not a 5 star.
BUT, it’s not very often I get to the end of a book and want to keep reading about the couple, but I totally do. I want updates lol.
Also, the love confession made me cry. It was probably one of my favorites ever.
****Spoilers and issues****
There were a lot of typos. Definitely need some better editing.
I need to look again but I don’t recall any discussion about Ellis’s family other than he doesn’t speak to them? Maybe it was mentioned briefly and I don’t remember.
I absolutely 100% did not enjoy their first physical interaction while they’re drunk. I hate that in any book with any couple, and I did not like it here. But how it was handled after made me not rage quit lol.
The writing of dialogue is sometimes a little odd and I can’t decide if I like it or not. Sometimes it’s written literally like people speak which is fair, but sometimes it doesn’t translate well on page. But both of these guys were working through a lot of emotions so some of that stilted talk fit.
And with as long as the author spent on building up the first 70% of the book… I felt like the rest was kind of rushed. Like… I needed the feelings parts to last longer lol. More epilogue. More time seeing where they were at in the future.
ETA: I read the bonus epilogue and there’s a couple sentences talking about Ellis’s parents 🥴😂
********************
But for real I will totally read more from this author. Thanks for breaking my “everything sucks” streak.
I wasn’t sure how it was gonna go when I started because both characters aren’t particularly likable. But that’s kinda the whole point of the plot lol.
I think the organic character growth here and the very slow relationship development are what made this a solid read. I will post the issues I had under spoilers below, and why it’s not a 5 star.
BUT, it’s not very often I get to the end of a book and want to keep reading about the couple, but I totally do. I want updates lol.
Also, the love confession made me cry. It was probably one of my favorites ever.
****Spoilers and issues****
There were a lot of typos. Definitely need some better editing.
I need to look again but I don’t recall any discussion about Ellis’s family other than he doesn’t speak to them? Maybe it was mentioned briefly and I don’t remember.
I absolutely 100% did not enjoy their first physical interaction while they’re drunk. I hate that in any book with any couple, and I did not like it here. But how it was handled after made me not rage quit lol.
The writing of dialogue is sometimes a little odd and I can’t decide if I like it or not. Sometimes it’s written literally like people speak which is fair, but sometimes it doesn’t translate well on page. But both of these guys were working through a lot of emotions so some of that stilted talk fit.
And with as long as the author spent on building up the first 70% of the book… I felt like the rest was kind of rushed. Like… I needed the feelings parts to last longer lol. More epilogue. More time seeing where they were at in the future.
ETA: I read the bonus epilogue and there’s a couple sentences talking about Ellis’s parents 🥴😂
********************
But for real I will totally read more from this author. Thanks for breaking my “everything sucks” streak.
May 31, 2026
Rounding up from 4.5 stars - I've rounded up more for less, and this is an indie debut so it's well deserved!
Well, that totally won me over! After reading some very enthusiastic reviews from some trusted reading friends, I went into this with high expectations and I was disappointed that it wasn't really working for me from the beginning, but honestly it didn't take long before I was utterly charmed by the book - by the characters, their journeys, their connection, and just the whole ethos of the book. It gave me so much to think about and reflect on - which is always a win for me. I did find myself mildly distracted by some tiny editorial details but nothing major and totally understandable for an indie debut. While indeed "nothing bad happens" there is more than enough internal conflict to create interest and tension and to give the main characters somewhere to grow, individually and together. Overall this is a very heartwarming (and surprisingly hot-at-times) read that I can see myself revisiting as a comfort re-read.
I received a digital Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley and the author in exchange for an honest review.
Well, that totally won me over! After reading some very enthusiastic reviews from some trusted reading friends, I went into this with high expectations and I was disappointed that it wasn't really working for me from the beginning, but honestly it didn't take long before I was utterly charmed by the book - by the characters, their journeys, their connection, and just the whole ethos of the book. It gave me so much to think about and reflect on - which is always a win for me. I did find myself mildly distracted by some tiny editorial details but nothing major and totally understandable for an indie debut. While indeed "nothing bad happens" there is more than enough internal conflict to create interest and tension and to give the main characters somewhere to grow, individually and together. Overall this is a very heartwarming (and surprisingly hot-at-times) read that I can see myself revisiting as a comfort re-read.
I received a digital Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley and the author in exchange for an honest review.
February 4, 2026
Kind: A Romance Where Nothing Bad Happens by Hannah Leigh
3.5 stars
Thank you to BookSirens for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Drew is recovering from a near fatal car accident caused by his workaholic nature. Ellis is recovering from being an asshole, caused by his asshole nature. When the two meet at a volunteer group that they’re both hoping will aid their recovery, they revert to their former tendencies, but soon they each find something unexpected in the other. Can they fight their natures to make their relationship work?
I wasn’t sure what to expect from a romance where “nothing bad happens”, but the promise of no third act break-up drew me in. While living up to its promise, it still includes conflict, character development, and everything else needed to make a gripping story.
Drew is an interesting character, but Ellis is where this really shines. His internal battle of being a good person in the “right way” is very compelling and I haven’t read that POV before. A deeper exploration of what I took to be anxiety or OCD (but is never called out as such) would have made this a better read, but it works as it is.
I had a few issues with the writing style. The tone and punctuation were more conversational than I'm used to. It was almost written like text to speech or subtitles with every “like”, hesitation and filler word included. Even the narration was as someone might say it which, was stilted and awkward to read but worked in places. There were multiple missing words and grammatic errors. The second half is a lot better, and I wish it had the same quality throughout.
With a good editor I think it could be a four or five star read. If you can look past the writing style and mistakes, the heart and characters of the story will stay with you. After finishing, I really missed Ellis and Drew. I kept wondering what they were doing, like they were old friends I wanted to catch up with.
If you are looking for an emotional but calming read, I would recommend Kind.
3.5 stars
Thank you to BookSirens for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Drew is recovering from a near fatal car accident caused by his workaholic nature. Ellis is recovering from being an asshole, caused by his asshole nature. When the two meet at a volunteer group that they’re both hoping will aid their recovery, they revert to their former tendencies, but soon they each find something unexpected in the other. Can they fight their natures to make their relationship work?
I wasn’t sure what to expect from a romance where “nothing bad happens”, but the promise of no third act break-up drew me in. While living up to its promise, it still includes conflict, character development, and everything else needed to make a gripping story.
Drew is an interesting character, but Ellis is where this really shines. His internal battle of being a good person in the “right way” is very compelling and I haven’t read that POV before. A deeper exploration of what I took to be anxiety or OCD (but is never called out as such) would have made this a better read, but it works as it is.
I had a few issues with the writing style. The tone and punctuation were more conversational than I'm used to. It was almost written like text to speech or subtitles with every “like”, hesitation and filler word included. Even the narration was as someone might say it which, was stilted and awkward to read but worked in places. There were multiple missing words and grammatic errors. The second half is a lot better, and I wish it had the same quality throughout.
With a good editor I think it could be a four or five star read. If you can look past the writing style and mistakes, the heart and characters of the story will stay with you. After finishing, I really missed Ellis and Drew. I kept wondering what they were doing, like they were old friends I wanted to catch up with.
If you are looking for an emotional but calming read, I would recommend Kind.
March 8, 2026
4.5 stars
February 2, 2026
I did some serious hesitating over requesting an ARC of this book, because that subtitle “A Romance Where Nothing Bad Happens” suggests big goo potential. Wrong wrong wrong! There was no goo to be found — in fact, I wasn’t even a quarter of the way in before I started blithering about "Kind" all over the romance Discord I belong to: how funny it is, how endearing Drew and Ellis are, how anyone who loves Cat Sebastian’s books should grab it with both hands.
(I’ll come back to the point about Cat Sebastian.)
The setup: Drew is a workaholic architect, and when I say “workaholic” I mean that six months before the book opens he exhausted himself to the point of “hydroplaning [his car] into a telephone pole because he was too tired to see.” Cue a month in the hospital and a long, slow, painful recovery. Trying to learn the skill of not working himself into a grave, Drew has joined a neighborhood volunteer group, where he meets ...
... Ellis, a recovering asshole. A year ago, after an ugly episode we learn the details of late in the book, Ellis realized that he wanted to escape the dead end of being awful to everyone around him; since then, with the help of a therapist, he’s been learning how to be a better person. Unfortunately, this has left him still sharing an apartment with his still-awful ex. (Complicated reasons, which HL makes astonishingly plausible.) Escaping yet another hideous argument, he checks MeetUp for an activity, any activity, taking place in the next fifteen minutes, and finds himself at ...
... the neighborhood volunteer group, where he’s voluntold that he’ll be helping Drew plan a free barbecue.
This being a romance, Drew and Ellis naturally dislike each other at the start but slowly thaw, and matters proceed from there. This being A Romance Where Nothing Bad Happens, there’s no third-act breakup, no labored misunderstanding, no bad-faith “friends” trying to undermine the growing mutual affection. I mentioned Cat Sebastian earlier not because "Kind" reads like one of her books but because it has in common with them that the action is ninety percent interior to the characters — or, to put it another way, the narrative arc is emotional. I find myself wanting to protect this book from readers who insist on technicolor, supersaturated, dramatique external events in their romance: those readers will be bored and will DNF or leave bad reviews, and I am here to say that they will be wrong, wrong, wrong.
It also strikes me that there’s something adult about "Kind" — I don’t mean the sex scenes, although yes please, those are vivid and devoid of stripe-licking and consequently very hot. What I do mean is: Drew and Ellis have already come some way in life, found themselves taking a self-destructive turn, and now must work out how to proceed. They’re reflective and thoughtful; they talk a lot with each other and their friends, hoping for more insight; they consciously, purposefully change.
So they’re engaged in this serious process, yawn yawn you might think, but their inner voices are so distinctive, the dialogue is snappy or tender as the situation calls for, and each of them is often somewhere on the funny–hilarious spectrum, but not in the same ways.
- “Ellis was pretty good at saying, Shut the fuck up, but it was a skill he was trying to retire, lately.”
- Ellis, describing a friend’s reaction to a life event: “[Darius sounded] like he was trying to be casual but he’d never met casual, just heard about it in letters from across the sea.”
- Drew, listening to a bore: “there was a long digression into some Suspicious Persons In Our Midst that was probably racist but Drew didn’t have the energy to interrogate it enough to figure that out.”
- Drew snarks at Ellis, “maybe against his better judgment. Maybe not. The better judgment was in its chambers, deciding.”
I could go on and on, but I’ll try to cut it short with just a couple more points.
When Drew first meets Ellis, he notes that Ellis is “a little overweight.” I braced myself for Ellis to go on a diet or start working out or for the narrative otherwise to fat-shame him, but no: instead, Drew just finds Ellis more and more attractive as he gets to know him, and we hear not one more word about Ellis’s weight or, indeed, much of anything about his appearance except that he himself doesn’t always feel good about being “pasty,” so he wears a lot of hoodies. In short, that “a little overweight” is a piece of information about Drew and his workaholic perfectionism, not a tell from the author about herself. It's a bit risky, using the phrase so early in the book before the reader knows whose attitude we’re seeing. Don’t let it put you off.
As for Drew, what we know about his looks is that Ellis finds him hot from the get-go, that he has a number of surgical scars, and — his parents and grandparents having immigrated from China — that he’s presumably not so pasty. And, speaking of the immigrant thing, boy did Drew’s parents ring true to me, also a child of immigrants although from a different corner of the world: the sometimes grim determination, the clean-your-plate attitude toward food, the anxiety. Hannah Leigh doesn’t lay it on thick at all (you won’t feel as if you’re getting a lesson in the trauma of immigration), but I felt the weight of history. Nice work.
The ad copy for "Kind" describes the story as “a slow climb out of misery,” which sure, yes, it is that, only with a lot of laughter and warmth along the way. Also, as previously noted, hot sex. I’m grateful to the author and to NetGalley for the ARC.
(I’ll come back to the point about Cat Sebastian.)
The setup: Drew is a workaholic architect, and when I say “workaholic” I mean that six months before the book opens he exhausted himself to the point of “hydroplaning [his car] into a telephone pole because he was too tired to see.” Cue a month in the hospital and a long, slow, painful recovery. Trying to learn the skill of not working himself into a grave, Drew has joined a neighborhood volunteer group, where he meets ...
... Ellis, a recovering asshole. A year ago, after an ugly episode we learn the details of late in the book, Ellis realized that he wanted to escape the dead end of being awful to everyone around him; since then, with the help of a therapist, he’s been learning how to be a better person. Unfortunately, this has left him still sharing an apartment with his still-awful ex. (Complicated reasons, which HL makes astonishingly plausible.) Escaping yet another hideous argument, he checks MeetUp for an activity, any activity, taking place in the next fifteen minutes, and finds himself at ...
... the neighborhood volunteer group, where he’s voluntold that he’ll be helping Drew plan a free barbecue.
This being a romance, Drew and Ellis naturally dislike each other at the start but slowly thaw, and matters proceed from there. This being A Romance Where Nothing Bad Happens, there’s no third-act breakup, no labored misunderstanding, no bad-faith “friends” trying to undermine the growing mutual affection. I mentioned Cat Sebastian earlier not because "Kind" reads like one of her books but because it has in common with them that the action is ninety percent interior to the characters — or, to put it another way, the narrative arc is emotional. I find myself wanting to protect this book from readers who insist on technicolor, supersaturated, dramatique external events in their romance: those readers will be bored and will DNF or leave bad reviews, and I am here to say that they will be wrong, wrong, wrong.
It also strikes me that there’s something adult about "Kind" — I don’t mean the sex scenes, although yes please, those are vivid and devoid of stripe-licking and consequently very hot. What I do mean is: Drew and Ellis have already come some way in life, found themselves taking a self-destructive turn, and now must work out how to proceed. They’re reflective and thoughtful; they talk a lot with each other and their friends, hoping for more insight; they consciously, purposefully change.
So they’re engaged in this serious process, yawn yawn you might think, but their inner voices are so distinctive, the dialogue is snappy or tender as the situation calls for, and each of them is often somewhere on the funny–hilarious spectrum, but not in the same ways.
- “Ellis was pretty good at saying, Shut the fuck up, but it was a skill he was trying to retire, lately.”
- Ellis, describing a friend’s reaction to a life event: “[Darius sounded] like he was trying to be casual but he’d never met casual, just heard about it in letters from across the sea.”
- Drew, listening to a bore: “there was a long digression into some Suspicious Persons In Our Midst that was probably racist but Drew didn’t have the energy to interrogate it enough to figure that out.”
- Drew snarks at Ellis, “maybe against his better judgment. Maybe not. The better judgment was in its chambers, deciding.”
I could go on and on, but I’ll try to cut it short with just a couple more points.
When Drew first meets Ellis, he notes that Ellis is “a little overweight.” I braced myself for Ellis to go on a diet or start working out or for the narrative otherwise to fat-shame him, but no: instead, Drew just finds Ellis more and more attractive as he gets to know him, and we hear not one more word about Ellis’s weight or, indeed, much of anything about his appearance except that he himself doesn’t always feel good about being “pasty,” so he wears a lot of hoodies. In short, that “a little overweight” is a piece of information about Drew and his workaholic perfectionism, not a tell from the author about herself. It's a bit risky, using the phrase so early in the book before the reader knows whose attitude we’re seeing. Don’t let it put you off.
As for Drew, what we know about his looks is that Ellis finds him hot from the get-go, that he has a number of surgical scars, and — his parents and grandparents having immigrated from China — that he’s presumably not so pasty. And, speaking of the immigrant thing, boy did Drew’s parents ring true to me, also a child of immigrants although from a different corner of the world: the sometimes grim determination, the clean-your-plate attitude toward food, the anxiety. Hannah Leigh doesn’t lay it on thick at all (you won’t feel as if you’re getting a lesson in the trauma of immigration), but I felt the weight of history. Nice work.
The ad copy for "Kind" describes the story as “a slow climb out of misery,” which sure, yes, it is that, only with a lot of laughter and warmth along the way. Also, as previously noted, hot sex. I’m grateful to the author and to NetGalley for the ARC.
February 15, 2026
3.5/5 stars
"Kind" is a leisurely, realistic romance novel in which two flawed but not irredeemable characters awkwardly stumble toward their inevitable HEA. Drew, an architect, is in a double recovery: he's attempting to change his workaholic habits even as he recovers from a car accident caused by those habits. Ellis, a gamer and IT guy, is trying to change his knee-jerk misanthropy and unprovoked antagonism toward others. They meet at a volunteer group, they are assigned to co-organize the same project, and they begin by barely tolerating one another but gradually learn to like, desire, and love one another (more or less in that order).
I was struck by how fundamentally realistic this novel is, especially relative to many m/m romances. Drew and Ellis definitely feel like real people with real flaws operating in a setting that at least mimics contemporary real life in the American middle class. (Nary a hockey star, a shifter, a mafia don, or a disguised prince in sight.) Such realism, though, made their romance arc paradoxically less plausible to me: it was a bit of a mystery why either Drew or Ellis grew attracted to the other on any level, except due to the narrative imperatives of a romance plot, even if they shared a wish to become kinder people. Their mutual physical attraction seemed especially imposed by authorial fiat. (To be fair, I'm almost never a fan of the "first sex while drunk" trope.) Though perhaps that's part of author Hannah Leigh's argument: that choosing benevolence alone can earn someone a happy ending as well as a Happily Ever After?
Leigh writes well, especially given that so much of the action takes place inside Ellis's and Drew's minds, and the novel's leisurely pace allows her to gradually shift her characters' perceptions and perspectives into fresh territory rather than relying on the "thunderbolt revelations" ("And suddenly I realized I had loved him all along") so often used in romance fiction. There's a serious effort at psychological development and self-awareness here that's refreshing. Readers who like realistic romances will want to give this one a try.
With thanks to the author/publisher for access to a digital ARC on Booksprout. All opinions are very definitely my own.
"Kind" is a leisurely, realistic romance novel in which two flawed but not irredeemable characters awkwardly stumble toward their inevitable HEA. Drew, an architect, is in a double recovery: he's attempting to change his workaholic habits even as he recovers from a car accident caused by those habits. Ellis, a gamer and IT guy, is trying to change his knee-jerk misanthropy and unprovoked antagonism toward others. They meet at a volunteer group, they are assigned to co-organize the same project, and they begin by barely tolerating one another but gradually learn to like, desire, and love one another (more or less in that order).
I was struck by how fundamentally realistic this novel is, especially relative to many m/m romances. Drew and Ellis definitely feel like real people with real flaws operating in a setting that at least mimics contemporary real life in the American middle class. (Nary a hockey star, a shifter, a mafia don, or a disguised prince in sight.) Such realism, though, made their romance arc paradoxically less plausible to me: it was a bit of a mystery why either Drew or Ellis grew attracted to the other on any level, except due to the narrative imperatives of a romance plot, even if they shared a wish to become kinder people. Their mutual physical attraction seemed especially imposed by authorial fiat. (To be fair, I'm almost never a fan of the "first sex while drunk" trope.) Though perhaps that's part of author Hannah Leigh's argument: that choosing benevolence alone can earn someone a happy ending as well as a Happily Ever After?
Leigh writes well, especially given that so much of the action takes place inside Ellis's and Drew's minds, and the novel's leisurely pace allows her to gradually shift her characters' perceptions and perspectives into fresh territory rather than relying on the "thunderbolt revelations" ("And suddenly I realized I had loved him all along") so often used in romance fiction. There's a serious effort at psychological development and self-awareness here that's refreshing. Readers who like realistic romances will want to give this one a try.
With thanks to the author/publisher for access to a digital ARC on Booksprout. All opinions are very definitely my own.
May 26, 2026
4.5 stars, rounded up. Not quite to the point I couldn’t put it down, but very close.
I really enjoyed this, in spite of having my doubts about a story whose tagline is “a romance where nothing bad happens”. I was expecting that it might be all fluff.
(Honestly, I didn’t even read rhetorical blurb, I just read it because a friend mentioned there were recurring sugar daddy jokes, and with a dearth of actual sugar daddy books, recurring sugar daddy jokes are the next best thing.)
I really loved Ellis. I loved Drew, too… but Ellis being a self-aware asshole in recovery who is constantly worried he has relapsed into assholery gives him a dash of Sad Boy TM vibes.
The sex scenes were good… it didn’t feel like they were too long or too many. Not to mention we got a good dose of fingering, something that is often done in such a cursory manner in MM romance books. Authors really should give fingering more loving.
I enjoyed that when there were issues (because there were a few… so I wouldn’t say absolutely nothing bad happens, Ellis did forget napkins, afterall), they aren’t dragged out. Drew realizes he isn’t enjoying his job, so instead of that becoming a big thing, it’s just dealt with in a swift manner and the story moves on.
I did love the recurring sugar daddy jokes. I would also love to read a book with a budget sugar daddy lending his car to his 9-5 sugar baby.
My biggest complaint? Honestly, as someone who often picks books based on the cover, I would not have chosen this book based on this one. I just don’t like it. And while reading the book, I liked it even less. Ellis doesn’t give me Ellis vibes (that’s not even a hoodie he is wearing) and Drew is definitely not giving elegantly dresed architect workaholic… what even is that hair supposed to be? And looking at the cover artist’s IG, I don’t even get where this art style came from.
I really enjoyed this, in spite of having my doubts about a story whose tagline is “a romance where nothing bad happens”. I was expecting that it might be all fluff.
(Honestly, I didn’t even read rhetorical blurb, I just read it because a friend mentioned there were recurring sugar daddy jokes, and with a dearth of actual sugar daddy books, recurring sugar daddy jokes are the next best thing.)
I really loved Ellis. I loved Drew, too… but Ellis being a self-aware asshole in recovery who is constantly worried he has relapsed into assholery gives him a dash of Sad Boy TM vibes.
The sex scenes were good… it didn’t feel like they were too long or too many. Not to mention we got a good dose of fingering, something that is often done in such a cursory manner in MM romance books. Authors really should give fingering more loving.
I enjoyed that when there were issues (because there were a few… so I wouldn’t say absolutely nothing bad happens, Ellis did forget napkins, afterall), they aren’t dragged out. Drew realizes he isn’t enjoying his job, so instead of that becoming a big thing, it’s just dealt with in a swift manner and the story moves on.
I did love the recurring sugar daddy jokes. I would also love to read a book with a budget sugar daddy lending his car to his 9-5 sugar baby.
My biggest complaint? Honestly, as someone who often picks books based on the cover, I would not have chosen this book based on this one. I just don’t like it. And while reading the book, I liked it even less. Ellis doesn’t give me Ellis vibes (that’s not even a hoodie he is wearing) and Drew is definitely not giving elegantly dresed architect workaholic… what even is that hair supposed to be? And looking at the cover artist’s IG, I don’t even get where this art style came from.
February 5, 2026
This book was very sweet and low angst with characters who were both trying to be better than they were. Ellis has spent a lot of his life being terrible to people and doing things that hurt others intentionally. He’s now trying to work on being a better person and we get to see a lot of his journey and thought process while he’s learning to be kind. He may have some not so great thoughts sometimes and internally it might take him an extra second to get it right but you really do get to see him being better throughout the book. Drew on the other hand is a workaholic who has to learn what it’s like to relax for once and he has no idea what he’s doing. He’s used to working long hours and not having time for anything else. While I don’t think he will ever be happy doing nothing, I really liked how much he was okay with doing basically nothing when Ellis was around. Sure these two didn’t have the greatest first impression of one another but I loved seeing their friendship and relationship grow over time until they realized how much they like and care about one another. I liked seeing Ellis and Drew help support one another on their respective journeys to being better and how much they enjoyed spending time together. This book is just as advertised with characters who are working on themselves while falling in love in a very sweet way.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
February 26, 2026
Wow. WOW. I LOVE IT.
It’s actually very realistic and fluffy, and every time I read it, it makes my heart feel full of hope.
It’s about two men who join a volunteer community for their own reasons. They have to work out together to organize a barbecue event (free food!), and through that, they get to know each other better. They become a good influence on one another and learn to be kinder—both to themselves and to others.
I really love the characters. They each have their own flaws, they recognize them, and they learn how to become better versions of themselves. I love how supportive Drew’s family is. I also love how much Ellis yaps about the things he loves. And OMG, THEY ARE SO FREAKING CUTE. I really love their interactions—I freaking love that there’s no unnecessary misunderstanding plot. They talked, guys. Let me repeat that: THEY TALKED.
(((They also: consent, switch couple, and hot.)))
It’s a healing journey. It’s exactly what you need after reading too much angsty, humanity-hating stuff (yep, fantasy with politics is destroying me).
But I do wish the book had footnotes for some Mandarin terms. For example, Yeye means “grandpa.” Having footnotes would help with better understanding. But as an anime and game lover—and someone who speaks Mandarin—I found myself very familiar with everything in here lol.
So it’s a 4.25⭐️ for me. It’s so fun omg!
It’s actually very realistic and fluffy, and every time I read it, it makes my heart feel full of hope.
It’s about two men who join a volunteer community for their own reasons. They have to work out together to organize a barbecue event (free food!), and through that, they get to know each other better. They become a good influence on one another and learn to be kinder—both to themselves and to others.
I really love the characters. They each have their own flaws, they recognize them, and they learn how to become better versions of themselves. I love how supportive Drew’s family is. I also love how much Ellis yaps about the things he loves. And OMG, THEY ARE SO FREAKING CUTE. I really love their interactions—I freaking love that there’s no unnecessary misunderstanding plot. They talked, guys. Let me repeat that: THEY TALKED.
(((They also: consent, switch couple, and hot.)))
It’s a healing journey. It’s exactly what you need after reading too much angsty, humanity-hating stuff (yep, fantasy with politics is destroying me).
But I do wish the book had footnotes for some Mandarin terms. For example, Yeye means “grandpa.” Having footnotes would help with better understanding. But as an anime and game lover—and someone who speaks Mandarin—I found myself very familiar with everything in here lol.
So it’s a 4.25⭐️ for me. It’s so fun omg!
February 16, 2026
This is great! I loved it! It felt more like an example of how to be a better person than a romance, and I loved it! My goodness, both of them being mean and less than kind, but wanting to be better, and helping each other through it all! Yes, the fall in love and have their HEA, but their personality growth is beautiful to see, and how their relationship starts, and grows, and how they nourish it… I just loved it! Such a sweet, cozy read. I worried for a minute about the brownies having had some nasty stuff sprinkled on top by the ex whose name I quickly forgot, but we dodged a bullet there. I loved the grandpa as well! And the friend, being honest with them… Ellis tries so hard, and I’m glad he found a good group to support him. I loved how chill the story was, and how we see two people fall in love, while they’re trying to be better for themselves, not the other, and it was so nice and sweet! I absolutely adore this book! Rainbows and sprinkles galore, yes, but in the midst of hard times, is nice to see people changing for the better, and having a HEA without hardships and horrors, just nice and cozy. Adorable!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 2, 2026
The charm of Kind lies entirely in its characters and their parallel journeys of self-improvement. Ellis’s narrative is particularly compelling. The author doesn’t shy away from his past cruelty but uses it to highlight his conscious, daily effort to change. We’re privy to his internal struggles the instant, unkind thought that he must consciously override. This makes his external acts of kindness feel hard-won and authentic, transforming him from an archetype into a deeply sympathetic character.
Drew, meanwhile, embodies a different but equally relatable struggle. His inability to comprehend “relaxing” is both poignant and subtly humorous. His arc isn’t about becoming lazy, but about learning that value and happiness can exist outside of productivity. The most telling detail is how his compulsion to do simply fades in Ellis’s presence, finding a new kind of fulfillment in quiet, shared moments.
Their romance is a slow, sweet build of companionship and mutual support. Seeing Drew and Ellis become each other’s soft place to land offering patience, understanding, and quiet celebration for small victories, is incredibly satisfying.
Drew, meanwhile, embodies a different but equally relatable struggle. His inability to comprehend “relaxing” is both poignant and subtly humorous. His arc isn’t about becoming lazy, but about learning that value and happiness can exist outside of productivity. The most telling detail is how his compulsion to do simply fades in Ellis’s presence, finding a new kind of fulfillment in quiet, shared moments.
Their romance is a slow, sweet build of companionship and mutual support. Seeing Drew and Ellis become each other’s soft place to land offering patience, understanding, and quiet celebration for small victories, is incredibly satisfying.
March 9, 2026
Delightful. Soothing. Rather funny. Drew and Ellis working out together that "Kind" is not a four-letter word & "Work" sometimes is.
The MCs are strongly delineated, there's a (fairly large) cast of minor characters who are all kind even if they blur rather (with the exception of Drew's family). Couple of little niggles stopped this being a 5-star book (though I know I will re-read it): (1) the ending was a touch abrupt, and (2) the book's set in a bubble "where nothing bad happens". So there are no money problems, Ellis's homphobic family doesn't feature, Drew's accident didn't involve anyone else, the amoral evils of USA politics in 2026 don't impinge. I mean, it was like a warm bath not to have to think about those things, but part of romance (for me, anyway) is thinking about the characters' lives together after the book ends—can I imagine them in 5, 10 50 years time? Can I imagine how they would cope with grit in their lives? Here, not so much.
Having said that, "Kind" was definitely a treat. Thoroughly recommended.
Cover artist: Hugh Marcuson @sey_pesto on Instagram
The MCs are strongly delineated, there's a (fairly large) cast of minor characters who are all kind even if they blur rather (with the exception of Drew's family). Couple of little niggles stopped this being a 5-star book (though I know I will re-read it): (1) the ending was a touch abrupt, and (2) the book's set in a bubble "where nothing bad happens". So there are no money problems, Ellis's homphobic family doesn't feature, Drew's accident didn't involve anyone else, the amoral evils of USA politics in 2026 don't impinge. I mean, it was like a warm bath not to have to think about those things, but part of romance (for me, anyway) is thinking about the characters' lives together after the book ends—can I imagine them in 5, 10 50 years time? Can I imagine how they would cope with grit in their lives? Here, not so much.
Having said that, "Kind" was definitely a treat. Thoroughly recommended.
Cover artist: Hugh Marcuson @sey_pesto on Instagram
February 3, 2026
I'm torn over whether to give this book four or five stars. Four-plus, for sure. It was basically what it says on the tin: a romance where nothing bad happens. And that could easily be dullsville (particularly with the premise stated ahead of time), but this wasn't. I liked and cared about both the MCs, and there were some truly fun supporting characters as well. Despite the "nothing bad happens," plenty of growth happens, and some emotional pain/stress. The pain/stress just didn't get turned all the way up the way it is in many books (books that I love! I don't want to imply that nothing bad should happen in every book).
All in all, this was a highly enjoyable read, especially in this dark time. If I have a quibble, it's probably that I'd have liked to learn more about Ellis's background (basically, how he grew up to be the man he was before he reinvented himself). But that is only a quibble.
Recommended!
My thanks to the publisher/NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.
All in all, this was a highly enjoyable read, especially in this dark time. If I have a quibble, it's probably that I'd have liked to learn more about Ellis's background (basically, how he grew up to be the man he was before he reinvented himself). But that is only a quibble.
Recommended!
My thanks to the publisher/NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.
February 2, 2026
Arc review
Drew is recovering from a near fatal accident which has left him recuperating. To take his mind off it he joins a community volunteer group. He has been given the responsibility of organising the big summer barbecue.
Ellis finds himself walking into the same group by accident, after storming out of his home having had an argument with his ex, where he is cohabiting until he finds another place to live. He is also roped into helping Drew with the barbecue.
Initially, both are standoffish with each other, but slowly they become friends and actively seek each other out when they need someone. The more time they spend together the more they enjoy each others company, could they become more than just friends?
This is my first novel by Hannah Leigh. I loved this low angst, strangers to friends to lovers story. There was no drama, just love. The writing was in the third person but told from both characters.
I would happily read more from this author.
Drew is recovering from a near fatal accident which has left him recuperating. To take his mind off it he joins a community volunteer group. He has been given the responsibility of organising the big summer barbecue.
Ellis finds himself walking into the same group by accident, after storming out of his home having had an argument with his ex, where he is cohabiting until he finds another place to live. He is also roped into helping Drew with the barbecue.
Initially, both are standoffish with each other, but slowly they become friends and actively seek each other out when they need someone. The more time they spend together the more they enjoy each others company, could they become more than just friends?
This is my first novel by Hannah Leigh. I loved this low angst, strangers to friends to lovers story. There was no drama, just love. The writing was in the third person but told from both characters.
I would happily read more from this author.
February 6, 2026
I received an ARC from the author with no obligation to write a review.
This book is delightful. I didn't want to stop reading to go to sleep, so it didn't take me long to finish the book. The subheading is pretty accurate, with the caveat that a number of bad things happened before the book begins, and the book is in part about reckoning with those things.
But really what the book is about is two men who have been unhappy jerks learning together to be both better people and also happier, and falling in love along the way. The level of craft it takes to make a slow, gentle journey of personal improvement compelling and engaging has to be impressive. But to be honest, I wasn't paying a lot of attention to craft because I was locked in with the characters and their love story. It's believable and sweet, and well worth the read. Also, the sex scenes are hot.
I loved this book from beginning to end.
This book is delightful. I didn't want to stop reading to go to sleep, so it didn't take me long to finish the book. The subheading is pretty accurate, with the caveat that a number of bad things happened before the book begins, and the book is in part about reckoning with those things.
But really what the book is about is two men who have been unhappy jerks learning together to be both better people and also happier, and falling in love along the way. The level of craft it takes to make a slow, gentle journey of personal improvement compelling and engaging has to be impressive. But to be honest, I wasn't paying a lot of attention to craft because I was locked in with the characters and their love story. It's believable and sweet, and well worth the read. Also, the sex scenes are hot.
I loved this book from beginning to end.
February 19, 2026
ARC REVIEW -
Boy one: a workaholic, tying to make time to relax and engage in activities other than work, meets boy two: a self proclaimed arsehole that is trying to be a better person, at a volunteer group. They become friends and their relationship continues to develop from there.
An extremely cute, low-angst story where you have the opportunity to live alongside two boys who are just trying to make intentional choices to create a better life for themselves and connect positively with those around them.
A very sweet read, where nothing really happens but it managed to capture and hold my attention and I loved living alongside Drew and Ellis for a little bit.
Thank you to Netgalley and all for the ARC.
Boy one: a workaholic, tying to make time to relax and engage in activities other than work, meets boy two: a self proclaimed arsehole that is trying to be a better person, at a volunteer group. They become friends and their relationship continues to develop from there.
An extremely cute, low-angst story where you have the opportunity to live alongside two boys who are just trying to make intentional choices to create a better life for themselves and connect positively with those around them.
A very sweet read, where nothing really happens but it managed to capture and hold my attention and I loved living alongside Drew and Ellis for a little bit.
Thank you to Netgalley and all for the ARC.
February 2, 2026
Right now, owing to the Unfortunate Reality, my brain is as delicate about fictional horrors as Victorian maidens’ brains were expected to be. I need a story where things are good! Stakes are personal! Endings are believably happily ever after! And here it is. This is the perfect novel for the times. It isn’t pure fluff—there’s character development and relationship development and people growing. But it is a delightful cozy and soothing reading experience, because it does what it says on the tin: nothing bad happens.
I loved the characters and the pacing and the gentleness of this book. I would happily read dozens more if they were available.
I loved the characters and the pacing and the gentleness of this book. I would happily read dozens more if they were available.
February 4, 2026
The story of Drew and Ellis took me a little while to get into, it was slow and uneventful, and exactly as described, and once I got a bit further through it I found I was actually interested to see where it was going.
The banter between Ellis and Drew really held the story together, and there were a few times that I found myself chuckling.
I found the side characters to be a little one dimensional, and I wasn't all that invested in either of the MMCs, but overall I would say I enjoyed myself so I will still take it as a win.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The banter between Ellis and Drew really held the story together, and there were a few times that I found myself chuckling.
I found the side characters to be a little one dimensional, and I wasn't all that invested in either of the MMCs, but overall I would say I enjoyed myself so I will still take it as a win.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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