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Take Him Home
What could be messier than fake dating your high school crush in your thirties? Wyatt Jensen is about to find out.
When baseball player Adrian Delgado makes headlines for kissing a man, Wyatt wants to step up. The Kansas City Meadowlarks are desperate to take back control of the situation and are happy to entertain the idea of a fake relationship with country music’s openly gay golden boy.
From the second Adrian sees Wyatt, he tries to put his foot down but everything he’s built is at risk if he doesn’t agree. Despite his reluctance, he has no choice but to agree.
As summer creeps on, Adrian’s walls slowly come down, and he starts letting Wyatt in. Suddenly, Wyatt sees a side of Adrian he’s never had access to and can’t help but fall for the man his high school crush has become. And to Wyatt’s surprise, he thinks Adrian might actually feel the same.
But feelings don’t change how hard it is for them to be honest with each other. The song Wyatt wrote about Adrian when they were in high school, the struggle of what it means to be out in the public eye, and a fear that everything could be lost. It’s hard to form anything real when the spotlight is on you and outside voices are questioning your every move.
All Wyatt ever wanted was to build a future with someone he loved- he just never thought he'd find it by revisiting his past.
When baseball player Adrian Delgado makes headlines for kissing a man, Wyatt wants to step up. The Kansas City Meadowlarks are desperate to take back control of the situation and are happy to entertain the idea of a fake relationship with country music’s openly gay golden boy.
From the second Adrian sees Wyatt, he tries to put his foot down but everything he’s built is at risk if he doesn’t agree. Despite his reluctance, he has no choice but to agree.
As summer creeps on, Adrian’s walls slowly come down, and he starts letting Wyatt in. Suddenly, Wyatt sees a side of Adrian he’s never had access to and can’t help but fall for the man his high school crush has become. And to Wyatt’s surprise, he thinks Adrian might actually feel the same.
But feelings don’t change how hard it is for them to be honest with each other. The song Wyatt wrote about Adrian when they were in high school, the struggle of what it means to be out in the public eye, and a fear that everything could be lost. It’s hard to form anything real when the spotlight is on you and outside voices are questioning your every move.
All Wyatt ever wanted was to build a future with someone he loved- he just never thought he'd find it by revisiting his past.
300 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 24, 2026
About the author
Ashlyn Harmon
5 books20 followersAshlyn Harmon writes books with a little bit of sass, a whole lot of swoon-worthy moments, and characters who are real, and relatable. She loves writing the kinds of female leads she wishes she had more access to—unapologetically confident in their bodies and who they are. No character of hers will ever go through a major physical makeover for love. Her books are authentic in the way they depict people and their imperfections.
She was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, and is still daydreaming of getting out one day. When she's not writing her next book, she's working on growing her editing business. She thrives on helping her fellow indie authors tell their stories. On the days she's not working, you can usually find her watching ghost hunting shows, daydreaming about her next vacation, hanging out with her corgi, Berkeley, or with her nose buried in a book.
She is currently working on the companion novel to Maybe One Day, which follows Carter as we follow him through his final Olympics. To stay up to date on all that's happening, visit her website or follow along on social media.
She was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, and is still daydreaming of getting out one day. When she's not writing her next book, she's working on growing her editing business. She thrives on helping her fellow indie authors tell their stories. On the days she's not working, you can usually find her watching ghost hunting shows, daydreaming about her next vacation, hanging out with her corgi, Berkeley, or with her nose buried in a book.
She is currently working on the companion novel to Maybe One Day, which follows Carter as we follow him through his final Olympics. To stay up to date on all that's happening, visit her website or follow along on social media.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
Review of advance copy
May 25, 2026 ARC Review – Take Him Home by Ashlyn Harmon
I usually don’t like being too harsh in ARC reviews, but I do think it’s important to talk about both the good and the bad.
First of all, the characters are really lovable. I especially enjoyed the pairing of a jock and a country superstar it’s such a fun and promising concept. The book also takes a clear stance on the struggles the LGBTQIA+ community still faces today, which I really appreciated.
That said, this book could really use another round of editing. At times, it honestly feels like it was written by two different people who didn’t communicate with each other. There are noticeable jumps in the story where it feels like parts are missing.
For example, in one scene Adrian is already shirtless (p 156) and then on the next pages he’s taking his shirt off again. Moments like that pulled me out of the story.
It’s a shame, because this was a really promising concept and I was genuinely invested in the first 30%.
I’m wishing the author the best with the release and hope future editions get the polish this story deserves.
I usually don’t like being too harsh in ARC reviews, but I do think it’s important to talk about both the good and the bad.
First of all, the characters are really lovable. I especially enjoyed the pairing of a jock and a country superstar it’s such a fun and promising concept. The book also takes a clear stance on the struggles the LGBTQIA+ community still faces today, which I really appreciated.
That said, this book could really use another round of editing. At times, it honestly feels like it was written by two different people who didn’t communicate with each other. There are noticeable jumps in the story where it feels like parts are missing.
For example, in one scene Adrian is already shirtless (p 156) and then on the next pages he’s taking his shirt off again. Moments like that pulled me out of the story.
It’s a shame, because this was a really promising concept and I was genuinely invested in the first 30%.
I’m wishing the author the best with the release and hope future editions get the polish this story deserves.
April 19, 2026
It was a good book and the couple was very sweet, just didn’t really connect with the story in a way that kept me excited to read
April 24, 2026
Disclosure: I received a complimentary Advance Reader Copy of this book from Ashlyn Harmon and Love Notes PR in exchange for an honest review.
Take Him Home is a heartfelt exploration of what happens when the past and present collide under the unforgiving glare of the spotlight. Ashlyn Harmon tackles significant themes—from the pressure of being out in professional sports to the toxicity of systemic bigotry—with a lens that is both timely and relevant.
The Diagnosis:
The strength of this narrative lies in the banter. The chemistry between country music star Wyatt and baseball player Adrian is sharp, and the secondary cast of hilarious, supportive family members provides a warm contrast to the external groups of bigots that challenge the leads. Harmon accurately depicts how childhood and high-school traumas manifest in adulthood, grounding the characters in a relatable psychological reality.
The Anatomy of the Friction:
However, as a professional editor, I found several areas where the structural health of the story faltered. Certain character choices—specifically involving unsolicited advice regarding estranged parental figures—felt jarring and undermined the lead's agency. Additionally, the power dynamic often felt skewed, with Wyatt frequently standing up for Adrian without a reciprocal level of respect. While the core story is heartfelt, the final chapters felt rushed, leaving the HEA and a major subplot involving the team's ownership feeling somewhat unearned and unfinished.
The Verdict:
Harmon deserves credit for portraying the reality that talent does not insulate a professional from racism or homophobia. While the story is meaningful, it feels underdeveloped in its execution of the "second chance" arc. It is a decent read for fans of the trope, but it left my "HEA-hater" scalpel wanting more precision.
Take Him Home is a heartfelt exploration of what happens when the past and present collide under the unforgiving glare of the spotlight. Ashlyn Harmon tackles significant themes—from the pressure of being out in professional sports to the toxicity of systemic bigotry—with a lens that is both timely and relevant.
The Diagnosis:
The strength of this narrative lies in the banter. The chemistry between country music star Wyatt and baseball player Adrian is sharp, and the secondary cast of hilarious, supportive family members provides a warm contrast to the external groups of bigots that challenge the leads. Harmon accurately depicts how childhood and high-school traumas manifest in adulthood, grounding the characters in a relatable psychological reality.
The Anatomy of the Friction:
However, as a professional editor, I found several areas where the structural health of the story faltered. Certain character choices—specifically involving unsolicited advice regarding estranged parental figures—felt jarring and undermined the lead's agency. Additionally, the power dynamic often felt skewed, with Wyatt frequently standing up for Adrian without a reciprocal level of respect. While the core story is heartfelt, the final chapters felt rushed, leaving the HEA and a major subplot involving the team's ownership feeling somewhat unearned and unfinished.
The Verdict:
Harmon deserves credit for portraying the reality that talent does not insulate a professional from racism or homophobia. While the story is meaningful, it feels underdeveloped in its execution of the "second chance" arc. It is a decent read for fans of the trope, but it left my "HEA-hater" scalpel wanting more precision.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 26, 2026
Country Star and Baseball Player Love!!!!
4.5🌟 2🌶
Thank you to LoveNotesPR and Ashlyn Harmon!
Absolutely loved this story! Showing the struggles of discrimination towards someone due to their sexuality, in the spotlight. I love how supportive Wyatt is of Adrian, even when Adrian doesn't see/deserve it. Also love how Wyatt stands up for himself and ends the relationship when Adrian succumbs to his team's owner's views so that he doesn’t lost his job. Both were miserable and I love how they come together and it becomes an HEA. Spice level was great as well also got to see the non spicy intimacy within the relationship. Adrian is a great character trying to still figure out how to be himself as he struggles with his sexuality, but also with the estranged father sitch. There were definitely some tense moments, but the book was very balanced. Was my first Ashley Harmon read and I'm going to keep an eye out for more from her.
4.5🌟 2🌶
Thank you to LoveNotesPR and Ashlyn Harmon!
Absolutely loved this story! Showing the struggles of discrimination towards someone due to their sexuality, in the spotlight. I love how supportive Wyatt is of Adrian, even when Adrian doesn't see/deserve it. Also love how Wyatt stands up for himself and ends the relationship when Adrian succumbs to his team's owner's views so that he doesn’t lost his job. Both were miserable and I love how they come together and it becomes an HEA. Spice level was great as well also got to see the non spicy intimacy within the relationship. Adrian is a great character trying to still figure out how to be himself as he struggles with his sexuality, but also with the estranged father sitch. There were definitely some tense moments, but the book was very balanced. Was my first Ashley Harmon read and I'm going to keep an eye out for more from her.
April 13, 2026
This is a cute fake dating mm romance, country singer x baseball player. It felt different and I really enjoyed it went straight in to the fake dating agreement from the first chapter. It felt like this setup was really engaging and allowed for plenty of time for their friendship and then relationship to develop naturally rather than feeling rushed or forced.
I really loved both of the main characters, it felt very real and the the build up of chemistry was great. The character development, particularly with Adrian, was done so well. I also appreciated that even though being open is an issue from Adrian's side, Wyatt's communication and the way he handles everything is mature and refreshing.
I did notice a few editing issues, with some sentences not quite matching what was happening in the scene. That said, I assume these will be fixed before release, and they didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment or put me off reading more from this author.
Overall, I had a great time with this one, it’s cute, fun, and an easy, enjoyable read.
3.75 ⭐️
I really loved both of the main characters, it felt very real and the the build up of chemistry was great. The character development, particularly with Adrian, was done so well. I also appreciated that even though being open is an issue from Adrian's side, Wyatt's communication and the way he handles everything is mature and refreshing.
I did notice a few editing issues, with some sentences not quite matching what was happening in the scene. That said, I assume these will be fixed before release, and they didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment or put me off reading more from this author.
Overall, I had a great time with this one, it’s cute, fun, and an easy, enjoyable read.
3.75 ⭐️
April 21, 2026
I really loved so much of this story. Wyatt and Adrian are the perfect friends to lovers example with a dash of fake dating to really bring it together. Ashlyn has beautifully drawn on the world’s homophobia and the difficulties still faced today especially in sport and music.
The pacing was great, and I powered through the last 40% in one sitting needing to see their happy ever after!!
I will say what affected my rating was that it felt like the book just needs one more round of editing. There were simple spelling errors but also the timeline wasn’t alway there. Things were referenced in one line, and then it felt almost forgotten and brought up a couple of pages later. It wasn’t always easy to track who was talking either.
But, editing issues aside, a cute love story fighting against adversity 🩵
The pacing was great, and I powered through the last 40% in one sitting needing to see their happy ever after!!
I will say what affected my rating was that it felt like the book just needs one more round of editing. There were simple spelling errors but also the timeline wasn’t alway there. Things were referenced in one line, and then it felt almost forgotten and brought up a couple of pages later. It wasn’t always easy to track who was talking either.
But, editing issues aside, a cute love story fighting against adversity 🩵
May 20, 2026
Such a negative book. Like the whole world is out to get you BS. And the shelter only hiring LGBTQ only is biased and illegal. But it’s ok because it’s not discrimination against the LGBTQ community 🙄🙄 Like I get it there are absolutely horrible people against the LGBTQ community. And discrimination against anyone isn’t right and shouldn’t be praised. In a book or in real life 🤷🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️And I absolutely hate how Adrian treated Wy and he just rolled over and took it like a good boy. One shitty ass apologize and he was falling right back into bed with him. Grow and backbone and stop letting POS people walk all over you 🤷🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️
Review of advance copy received from Author
I found it hard to decide on a rating for this one; after deliberation, I feel that 3.25 stars is realistic for how I felt about it overall.
I did get into the book really quickly. It was an easy read, and I breezed through it.
The story itself is sweet and I liked the premise. I really liked Wyatt! That gorgeous, down-to-earth man – who is a massive advocate for queer rights and does a lot for the community – wears his heart on his sleeve, and I adored him. I love how much he wants to be authentic for his fans, and how big his heart is. He’s genuine and warm, and he’s got a real maturity to him that made him even more appealing.
I also loved Wyatt’s family and Adrian’s mum and brother, and how supportive they are of the two MMCs. And Jace is such a great best friend for Adrian. I really loved seeing Adrian in his relaxed state around the people he trusted.
The book is narrated completely by Wyatt, and while I enjoyed reading his side of things, I’d have loved to have had some chapters from Adrian’s POV as well as he had a lot of big feelings to process during this book, and I feel like his take would have given us some additional emotion.
Overall, I quite enjoyed this one, but I was left feeling like I needed more from it. I did love that ending though.
[While there were a number of typos and inconsistencies in the ARC copy, I haven’t taken these into account when I rated this as I’m sure these will be fixed before release.]
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Some of my favourite quotes
“No one gets to tell you how to feel, Adrian. If you want to forgive him, do it for you. Not him.”
“Don’t ever apologize for being excited about something you’re passionate about. Especially when it makes other people feel loved and accepted.”
“But, cariño, I need you to know whether we talk right now or not, I’m not going anywhere. I’m in, Wyatt. I’m all in.”
“I want to date you, Wyatt Jensen. Not because my team made us sign contracts, but because I want you. I want us to see where this can go together.”
“You make me happier than you’ll ever know. And I’m proud of what you’re doing.”
“You two are moving forward; they’re staying still. Don’t let them determine your route.”
“You’re not required to tell me anything you’re not ready to talk about. I don’t need to know every little detail; I just care that you know I’m here and ready to listen whenever you want to talk. I don’t care if you tell me about the fight today, ten years from now, or never. I just want to make sure you’re okay. Are you okay?”
“I loved you, ya know? I loved you out loud. And it doesn’t make me a shitty person to want someone who’d do the same.”
“You see the world the way we all should see it. Sexuality doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things, and who you love is no one else’s business.”
“You have always been enough for me. More than enough. You don’t need to fix anything.”
“Right now, I’m choosing you. And us. I’m choosing to love you, out loud. In public. For as long as you want me.”
“We can’t change the past, but we can move forward with a future. And I want you by my side in that future.”
I did get into the book really quickly. It was an easy read, and I breezed through it.
The story itself is sweet and I liked the premise. I really liked Wyatt! That gorgeous, down-to-earth man – who is a massive advocate for queer rights and does a lot for the community – wears his heart on his sleeve, and I adored him. I love how much he wants to be authentic for his fans, and how big his heart is. He’s genuine and warm, and he’s got a real maturity to him that made him even more appealing.
I also loved Wyatt’s family and Adrian’s mum and brother, and how supportive they are of the two MMCs. And Jace is such a great best friend for Adrian. I really loved seeing Adrian in his relaxed state around the people he trusted.
The book is narrated completely by Wyatt, and while I enjoyed reading his side of things, I’d have loved to have had some chapters from Adrian’s POV as well as he had a lot of big feelings to process during this book, and I feel like his take would have given us some additional emotion.
Overall, I quite enjoyed this one, but I was left feeling like I needed more from it. I did love that ending though.
[While there were a number of typos and inconsistencies in the ARC copy, I haven’t taken these into account when I rated this as I’m sure these will be fixed before release.]
---
Some of my favourite quotes
“No one gets to tell you how to feel, Adrian. If you want to forgive him, do it for you. Not him.”
“Don’t ever apologize for being excited about something you’re passionate about. Especially when it makes other people feel loved and accepted.”
“But, cariño, I need you to know whether we talk right now or not, I’m not going anywhere. I’m in, Wyatt. I’m all in.”
“I want to date you, Wyatt Jensen. Not because my team made us sign contracts, but because I want you. I want us to see where this can go together.”
“You make me happier than you’ll ever know. And I’m proud of what you’re doing.”
“You two are moving forward; they’re staying still. Don’t let them determine your route.”
“You’re not required to tell me anything you’re not ready to talk about. I don’t need to know every little detail; I just care that you know I’m here and ready to listen whenever you want to talk. I don’t care if you tell me about the fight today, ten years from now, or never. I just want to make sure you’re okay. Are you okay?”
“I loved you, ya know? I loved you out loud. And it doesn’t make me a shitty person to want someone who’d do the same.”
“You see the world the way we all should see it. Sexuality doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things, and who you love is no one else’s business.”
“You have always been enough for me. More than enough. You don’t need to fix anything.”
“Right now, I’m choosing you. And us. I’m choosing to love you, out loud. In public. For as long as you want me.”
“We can’t change the past, but we can move forward with a future. And I want you by my side in that future.”
April 25, 2026
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of Take Him Home in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Love Notes PR for facilitating!
Rating: 3.5 stars
Since one of my favourite books of all time is Casey McQuiston’s Red, White & Royal Blue, it should come as no surprise that I jumped at the chance to get early access to this fake dating contemporary M/M romance.
Wyatt Jensen – country music singer and the novel’s single POV – is so sincere in everything he does, and only ever wants to help Adrian navigate coming out under an intense spotlight, and the queer community at large- even with the past they share. “No matter how many albums I sell or awards I win, there are always going to be people waiting in the sidelines to make some snide comment about my sexuality,” he points out. “Adrian’s going to experience the same thing, and that’s why I’m here.”
Adrian’s response to the concocted relationship is a lot more complex. He’s not as comfortable with the public scrutiny that the relationship invites, admitting that “I didn’t want to stand at a microphone and declare how proud I am to be the first openly gay, Mexican-American player the Meadowlarks have ever had.” He’s also impacted by elements outside of his sexuality, as shown by discussions Wyatt has with his friends and family.
However, I think Adrian’s characterisation would’ve benefited from us seeing his POV.
I really did like the supporting cast in this book. Wyatt and Adrian’s families are supportive of everything their sons do, and all that they are – and I also instantly fell in love with Brooke. As Wyatt’s sister and his manager, she isn’t afraid to stand up to the antiquated views of the large corporations that hold the futures of the men in their hands.
One recurring theme was the examination of how Wyatt and Adrian’s LGBTQ+ identities were influenced by their respective upbringings. Adrian’s story, in particular, is something far too many LGBTQ+ people have to reckon with, and it stands in contrast to that of other LGBTQ+ contemporary leads like Alex Claremont-Diaz. It’s great to see these different experiences making it to the page.
All this together means the pair have different – clashing – ideas of what being “out” and in love means. Their romance isn’t just about reckoning with the public reaction, but who they want to be to each other.
Though they do eventually learn to meet each other where they are, there was more miscommunication than I usually like in a romance and I did feel like their third act breakup came out of nowhere (though it was resolved maturely). That, alongside frequent editing issues and a somewhat sluggish middle act, did lower my rating.
Overall, though, I did enjoy this first book in the KC Meadowlarks series. Though the romance isn’t perfect, I’d recommend it to those who want a contemporary queer romance with an undercurrent of social issues and learning to celebrate who you are.
Rating: 3.5 stars
Since one of my favourite books of all time is Casey McQuiston’s Red, White & Royal Blue, it should come as no surprise that I jumped at the chance to get early access to this fake dating contemporary M/M romance.
Wyatt Jensen – country music singer and the novel’s single POV – is so sincere in everything he does, and only ever wants to help Adrian navigate coming out under an intense spotlight, and the queer community at large- even with the past they share. “No matter how many albums I sell or awards I win, there are always going to be people waiting in the sidelines to make some snide comment about my sexuality,” he points out. “Adrian’s going to experience the same thing, and that’s why I’m here.”
Adrian’s response to the concocted relationship is a lot more complex. He’s not as comfortable with the public scrutiny that the relationship invites, admitting that “I didn’t want to stand at a microphone and declare how proud I am to be the first openly gay, Mexican-American player the Meadowlarks have ever had.” He’s also impacted by elements outside of his sexuality, as shown by discussions Wyatt has with his friends and family.
However, I think Adrian’s characterisation would’ve benefited from us seeing his POV.
I really did like the supporting cast in this book. Wyatt and Adrian’s families are supportive of everything their sons do, and all that they are – and I also instantly fell in love with Brooke. As Wyatt’s sister and his manager, she isn’t afraid to stand up to the antiquated views of the large corporations that hold the futures of the men in their hands.
One recurring theme was the examination of how Wyatt and Adrian’s LGBTQ+ identities were influenced by their respective upbringings. Adrian’s story, in particular, is something far too many LGBTQ+ people have to reckon with, and it stands in contrast to that of other LGBTQ+ contemporary leads like Alex Claremont-Diaz. It’s great to see these different experiences making it to the page.
All this together means the pair have different – clashing – ideas of what being “out” and in love means. Their romance isn’t just about reckoning with the public reaction, but who they want to be to each other.
Though they do eventually learn to meet each other where they are, there was more miscommunication than I usually like in a romance and I did feel like their third act breakup came out of nowhere (though it was resolved maturely). That, alongside frequent editing issues and a somewhat sluggish middle act, did lower my rating.
Overall, though, I did enjoy this first book in the KC Meadowlarks series. Though the romance isn’t perfect, I’d recommend it to those who want a contemporary queer romance with an undercurrent of social issues and learning to celebrate who you are.
Review of advance copy received from Author
UUGH! I was so excited to get a chance to ARC read this book - this is a new to me author and I couldn't wait to dive in when I got my copy. I LOVE baseball and really was intrigued that it paired an athlete with a music star. It's told in 1st Person Single POV via MMC Wyatt - an out gay country music star- voice. While I would have loved our other MMC Adrian's voice - it wasn't a deal breaker for me but I know some readers don't enjoy single POV. Wyatt and Adrian knew each other in HS where Adrian was a star baseball player and Wyatt had a crush on him and was already into writing music. The two meet up again after Adrian's baseball team viewed his "outing" as a PR disaster that needed a fake boyfriend. (Side note both MC's are 30ish and LOVED that!) I really enjoyed that this didn't take place in the typical big city (LA, NY, Chicago etc) but in the good old Midwest Kansas City. To me it added another layer to the story and struggle members of the LGBTQIA community face daily and I def appreciated the author's willingness to address these struggles outloud and not set this in a location that might typically be more open and inclusive. The message of knowing one's worth, not settling even if it means walking away and hurt was solid. Adrian - while he wanted to be out struggled with showing up once he finally had the freedom to do so. Wyatt - while he had love and support - also had his own struggles to get over. I normally hate the second act break up/get back together story arc - but on their way to getting their HEA Wyatt and Adrian did need this arc and it was well written. While there is some baseball in the story - don't expect alot especially since it's from Wyatt's POV - but we do get a good dose of the music industry. However as much as there were all this great points in my review - at this stage, I really can't do more than 3 stars - the book just lacked from a really good edit. While I understand it's an ARC and I don't expect perfection, I do at least feel that it shouldn't lack from so many of the inconsistencies that were left and like the author's beta readers and editor really let her down. The missing pieces just pulled me from the story way too often and had me questioning way too much of the storyline. I also felt the chapter titles could have used some work - this takes place over 4 months and I'm a timeline girl and just naming all the May chapters "May" didn't work for me. I'll be looking forward to release day - hopefully these issues are corrected and I would be more than happy to give this an additional star. Thank you LoveNotesPR for the ARC read.
April 28, 2026
This book follows Wyatt Jensen who is an out Country Singer and Adrian Delgado who is a Baseball Player.
Within the first couple of pages we’re thrown straight into tension with a fake dating agreement and I really enjoyed how quickly as a reader we were thrown into the mix.
Adrian was caught kissing a man by paparazzi and his baseball club/management are trying to lessen the damage his ‘coming out’ could do to their team.
This is where Wyatt is thrown into the mix and faking dating comes into play.
As an already out gay country singer in the public eye, Wyatt wants to help Adrian navigate all of this.
At first Adrian isn’t in to the whole fake relationship and the public scrutiny.
We get the tension.
We get homophobia.
And we get past history.
But what I enjoyed was watching their fake relationship blossom throughout the book into something real. We got to see Adrians guard/walls break down and it was nice to experience the journey.
The way these characters were written felt so realistic to me. We got deep into their personalities to understand them but I wish we had some chapters in Adrians POV to really flesh him out more because this book is told entirely through Wyatts POV.
I loved how Wyatt was super protective over Adrian, but I wish Adrian gave that same energy back. At times I found myself disliking him but on the flipside I understood him because of everything we come to learn.
Quick mention of side characters - particularly Jace and Mateo - loved them. Their support of Adrian and even Wyatt had my heart all warm and fuzzy but Brooke, Wyatts sister and manager, WOW! She is a powerhouse and isn’t afraid to stand up to anybody.
All in all, I enjoyed this book because it was different to other MM Romance books i’ve read. This had more tension and miscommunication than i’m used to but I feel like it was done well.
There were a handful of editing issues but as this is ARC review, I won’t take those into account when giving my rating.
4 stars.
I’d recommend this to those who want to read a different type of romance story which has elements of social issues and tension.
Thank you so much Ashlyn Harmon & Love Notes PR for my copy of the book. I’m so thankful and grateful to be able to have fallen into the world of Wyatt and Adrian. I can’t wait to read Book 2 of this series.
Within the first couple of pages we’re thrown straight into tension with a fake dating agreement and I really enjoyed how quickly as a reader we were thrown into the mix.
Adrian was caught kissing a man by paparazzi and his baseball club/management are trying to lessen the damage his ‘coming out’ could do to their team.
This is where Wyatt is thrown into the mix and faking dating comes into play.
As an already out gay country singer in the public eye, Wyatt wants to help Adrian navigate all of this.
At first Adrian isn’t in to the whole fake relationship and the public scrutiny.
We get the tension.
We get homophobia.
And we get past history.
But what I enjoyed was watching their fake relationship blossom throughout the book into something real. We got to see Adrians guard/walls break down and it was nice to experience the journey.
The way these characters were written felt so realistic to me. We got deep into their personalities to understand them but I wish we had some chapters in Adrians POV to really flesh him out more because this book is told entirely through Wyatts POV.
I loved how Wyatt was super protective over Adrian, but I wish Adrian gave that same energy back. At times I found myself disliking him but on the flipside I understood him because of everything we come to learn.
Quick mention of side characters - particularly Jace and Mateo - loved them. Their support of Adrian and even Wyatt had my heart all warm and fuzzy but Brooke, Wyatts sister and manager, WOW! She is a powerhouse and isn’t afraid to stand up to anybody.
All in all, I enjoyed this book because it was different to other MM Romance books i’ve read. This had more tension and miscommunication than i’m used to but I feel like it was done well.
There were a handful of editing issues but as this is ARC review, I won’t take those into account when giving my rating.
4 stars.
I’d recommend this to those who want to read a different type of romance story which has elements of social issues and tension.
Thank you so much Ashlyn Harmon & Love Notes PR for my copy of the book. I’m so thankful and grateful to be able to have fallen into the world of Wyatt and Adrian. I can’t wait to read Book 2 of this series.
May 1, 2026
Thank you to Love Notes PR an the author, Ashlyn Harmon, for my advanced reader copy for an honest review.
The blurb, tropes, and overall concept of this book immediately pulled me in, but I was ultimately left a bit disappointed because I didn’t feel as connected to the characters as I expected to.
There was a noticeable amount of repetition throughout the story that kept pulling me out of the experience. It wasn’t just thematic. It took up significant space on the page, which made the pacing feel off at times.
I also felt like the characters had so much potential for deeper development, but their emotional layers never fully opened up. There was a lot there to work with, but it felt like it stayed just beneath the surface.
That said, there were definitely some bright spots. Wyatt, our MMC and sole POV, is a country music singer who is sweet, kind, and openly gay. I really enjoyed his character and his intentions. He wants to help Adrian feel safe enough to come out in a space that comes with intense public scrutiny and limited LGBTQIA+ representation.
Adrian, a Mexican American baseball player, has been hiding parts of himself to fit into what he feels society expects. The fake dating setup between him and Wyatt,used as a way to help Adrian navigate coming out, was a strong and compelling foundation.
One thing the book does well is show how their families and backgrounds shape who they are and how they exist within the LGBTQIA+ community. Those moments added depth and meaning to their story.
However, the third-act breakup didn’t work for me. It felt unnecessary, especially since the relationship had previously emphasized open communication both emotionally and physically.
I think tightening up some inconsistencies, expanding character development, and possibly including multiple POVs would have made this a more immersive read for me.
Overall, it was a cute romance, and I did enjoy Adrian and Wyatt together. I’ll likely still give the next book in the series a try.
If you’re a fan of contemporary queer romance with themes rooted in societal expectations and identity, this could be a great fit for you.
The blurb, tropes, and overall concept of this book immediately pulled me in, but I was ultimately left a bit disappointed because I didn’t feel as connected to the characters as I expected to.
There was a noticeable amount of repetition throughout the story that kept pulling me out of the experience. It wasn’t just thematic. It took up significant space on the page, which made the pacing feel off at times.
I also felt like the characters had so much potential for deeper development, but their emotional layers never fully opened up. There was a lot there to work with, but it felt like it stayed just beneath the surface.
That said, there were definitely some bright spots. Wyatt, our MMC and sole POV, is a country music singer who is sweet, kind, and openly gay. I really enjoyed his character and his intentions. He wants to help Adrian feel safe enough to come out in a space that comes with intense public scrutiny and limited LGBTQIA+ representation.
Adrian, a Mexican American baseball player, has been hiding parts of himself to fit into what he feels society expects. The fake dating setup between him and Wyatt,used as a way to help Adrian navigate coming out, was a strong and compelling foundation.
One thing the book does well is show how their families and backgrounds shape who they are and how they exist within the LGBTQIA+ community. Those moments added depth and meaning to their story.
However, the third-act breakup didn’t work for me. It felt unnecessary, especially since the relationship had previously emphasized open communication both emotionally and physically.
I think tightening up some inconsistencies, expanding character development, and possibly including multiple POVs would have made this a more immersive read for me.
Overall, it was a cute romance, and I did enjoy Adrian and Wyatt together. I’ll likely still give the next book in the series a try.
If you’re a fan of contemporary queer romance with themes rooted in societal expectations and identity, this could be a great fit for you.
Review of advance copy
ARC REVIEW
A story about accepting and embracing who you are, what you truly want and what true happiness is for you, to learn how to reach and fight for it. To know that whatever other people think of you doesn't matter as long as you love and are being loved, care and are being cared for, surrounded by the people that are the most important to you.
The writing style was quite good, easy to follow, but I have to say that some paragraphs were skipped, cause they really felt unnecessary or a bit too long... The characters were interesting, however lacked the deeper layers, in my opinion. Also I'd have loved to read about the story from Adrian's point of view, though I kind of feel because he was kind of closed off and shut his emotions out, it was like experiencing everything through Wyatt, who's more open, and seeing only his thoughts and perspectives, cause Adrian was still not ready to be open like that, even to us readers.
The plot was mainly focused on the romantic line, the mc's fake dating and the way how they try to uncover their past, inner feelings and traumas. However, maybe I read it at the wrong time, but it didn't leave me that much of an impression. Although, the main idea of loving who you are and being yourself truthfully without trying to hide any part of yourself that might be not up to someones standarts was being portrayed in this book which I loved, but something was missing. It is still a very cute, sweet and inspiring MM romance and I do recommend reading it if you're a lover of fake dating, grumpy sunshine, forced proximity, second chance, love beyond everything tropes. But maybe I wanted the storyline to be a little bit more interesting or more complicated? It felt like it had more potential to grew into something more bigger.
Still enjoyed reading it, recommend it and am interested to see is this world's characters are going to tell their tales and stories:)
A story about accepting and embracing who you are, what you truly want and what true happiness is for you, to learn how to reach and fight for it. To know that whatever other people think of you doesn't matter as long as you love and are being loved, care and are being cared for, surrounded by the people that are the most important to you.
The writing style was quite good, easy to follow, but I have to say that some paragraphs were skipped, cause they really felt unnecessary or a bit too long... The characters were interesting, however lacked the deeper layers, in my opinion. Also I'd have loved to read about the story from Adrian's point of view, though I kind of feel because he was kind of closed off and shut his emotions out, it was like experiencing everything through Wyatt, who's more open, and seeing only his thoughts and perspectives, cause Adrian was still not ready to be open like that, even to us readers.
The plot was mainly focused on the romantic line, the mc's fake dating and the way how they try to uncover their past, inner feelings and traumas. However, maybe I read it at the wrong time, but it didn't leave me that much of an impression. Although, the main idea of loving who you are and being yourself truthfully without trying to hide any part of yourself that might be not up to someones standarts was being portrayed in this book which I loved, but something was missing. It is still a very cute, sweet and inspiring MM romance and I do recommend reading it if you're a lover of fake dating, grumpy sunshine, forced proximity, second chance, love beyond everything tropes. But maybe I wanted the storyline to be a little bit more interesting or more complicated? It felt like it had more potential to grew into something more bigger.
Still enjoyed reading it, recommend it and am interested to see is this world's characters are going to tell their tales and stories:)
April 24, 2026
First Impressions: Former classmates, Wyatt and Adrian, reconnect as successful adults, and agree to a mutually-beneficial fake-dating arrangement that dregs up old feelings and stokes new ones.
Pacing: This books takes place over 3 or 4 months, and feels pretty authentic for a whirlwind romance.
Character development: Wyatt, a musician, and Adrian, a baseball player, are seemingly different people but quickly learn they have much more in common. They both wear their hearts on their sleeves and are both incredibly driven professionals in their respective fields. Over the course of the book Wyatt learns to slow down and let the romance unfurl in its own time. Meanwhile, Adrian finds his footing as an public figure as a gay man, and a Mexican-American - realizing he is the culmination of these attributes but not defined by them.
World Building: This is probably the weakest part of the book - considering how important each major location is for Wyatt and Adrian's story, the descriptions are pretty thin. I could have used a little more environmental storybuilding.
Romance: This was a sweet and mature romance despite how quickly Wyatt and Adrian solidified their relationship. It was linear, but new relationships rarely are. Generally I am not a huge fan of third act break-ups, but it felt necessary for Wyatt and Adrian to find their feet in this one.
Spice: There's some very loving spice in this book, but it is infrequent and light on descriptions. The emphasis is placed on the budding relationship, trust, and consent.
Errors and Consistency: There were a couple oopsies and one random font artifact, but otherwise it was a pretty tidy draft.
Overall experience: This was such a sweet almost-second chance romance. The fake dating trope phases our pretty quickly in favor of a genuine friendship and naturally emerging romance.
⭐️ 4.5
🌶 3
And all the adorable goodest boys and girls are happy, healthy and find forever homes.
Pacing: This books takes place over 3 or 4 months, and feels pretty authentic for a whirlwind romance.
Character development: Wyatt, a musician, and Adrian, a baseball player, are seemingly different people but quickly learn they have much more in common. They both wear their hearts on their sleeves and are both incredibly driven professionals in their respective fields. Over the course of the book Wyatt learns to slow down and let the romance unfurl in its own time. Meanwhile, Adrian finds his footing as an public figure as a gay man, and a Mexican-American - realizing he is the culmination of these attributes but not defined by them.
World Building: This is probably the weakest part of the book - considering how important each major location is for Wyatt and Adrian's story, the descriptions are pretty thin. I could have used a little more environmental storybuilding.
Romance: This was a sweet and mature romance despite how quickly Wyatt and Adrian solidified their relationship. It was linear, but new relationships rarely are. Generally I am not a huge fan of third act break-ups, but it felt necessary for Wyatt and Adrian to find their feet in this one.
Spice: There's some very loving spice in this book, but it is infrequent and light on descriptions. The emphasis is placed on the budding relationship, trust, and consent.
Errors and Consistency: There were a couple oopsies and one random font artifact, but otherwise it was a pretty tidy draft.
Overall experience: This was such a sweet almost-second chance romance. The fake dating trope phases our pretty quickly in favor of a genuine friendship and naturally emerging romance.
⭐️ 4.5
🌶 3
And all the adorable goodest boys and girls are happy, healthy and find forever homes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Take Him Home ⚾
Firstly,I want to thank LoveNotes PR & Ashlyn Harmon for trusting me with this ARC 🤎
Adrian Delgadro makes it to the headlines.
But not for his baseball skills,just because he kissed a boy.Due to that,his team decided that a fake dating romance with an openly gay singer,Wyatt Jensen,is the perfect solution.
What the world does not know is that Adrian was Wyatt's high school crush.
So,may their future be their past.💋
Starting this one,I literally did not know what to expect,mostly because lately I have had a big dive in mmc romances and I tend to get excited with stories harder now,however Take Him Home made me cry on the train.Yes,I said it.
We follow a fake dating romance,whose roots go back to high school.
From my point of view,when you have a starting point such as that you cannot possibly go wrong.Generally,it was a story of experiencing yourself and understand it.Yet,my favorite detail, was that we saw how parents really,deeply impact kids.Not just the LGBTQ+ ones,but on a wider scale.It is seen that many insecurities and fears ( mostly abandonment issues) come from parents such as these.
Going back to our romance,I loved the way it was expressed by both our boys.Wyatt,was for sure the golden retriever & reading about him and from his was so lovely!Adrian on the other side,had many things on his plate mostly due to the homophobia that still exists on the athletic fields.However,I was beyond pleased of how things turned out for both of them .
Lastly,I want to say how much I LOVED the songs & everything around them,like the concept of their glue from all these years up to today being THE GODDAMN SONGS.🎤
okay,I will get emotional again.
Out On Apr,24th 🏆
5 ⭐
Firstly,I want to thank LoveNotes PR & Ashlyn Harmon for trusting me with this ARC 🤎
Adrian Delgadro makes it to the headlines.
But not for his baseball skills,just because he kissed a boy.Due to that,his team decided that a fake dating romance with an openly gay singer,Wyatt Jensen,is the perfect solution.
What the world does not know is that Adrian was Wyatt's high school crush.
So,may their future be their past.💋
Starting this one,I literally did not know what to expect,mostly because lately I have had a big dive in mmc romances and I tend to get excited with stories harder now,however Take Him Home made me cry on the train.Yes,I said it.
We follow a fake dating romance,whose roots go back to high school.
From my point of view,when you have a starting point such as that you cannot possibly go wrong.Generally,it was a story of experiencing yourself and understand it.Yet,my favorite detail, was that we saw how parents really,deeply impact kids.Not just the LGBTQ+ ones,but on a wider scale.It is seen that many insecurities and fears ( mostly abandonment issues) come from parents such as these.
Going back to our romance,I loved the way it was expressed by both our boys.Wyatt,was for sure the golden retriever & reading about him and from his was so lovely!Adrian on the other side,had many things on his plate mostly due to the homophobia that still exists on the athletic fields.However,I was beyond pleased of how things turned out for both of them .
Lastly,I want to say how much I LOVED the songs & everything around them,like the concept of their glue from all these years up to today being THE GODDAMN SONGS.🎤
okay,I will get emotional again.
Out On Apr,24th 🏆
5 ⭐
April 28, 2026
This novel begins with Wyatt, a gay country singer, sitting down with the meadowlark MLB PRl team to discuss dating his childhood crush and current baseball star, Adrian. The beginning of the book hooked me - I wanted to see Adrians POV of his thoughts on Wyatt since in high school he was “the straight” baseball player with a gay friend - classic stereotypes. Although still in his professional baseball career, Adrain wants to come out, non longer hiding from the public. The Meadowlark team has a whole thing planned for announcing this - which Adrian is not behind - so he stages a kiss with his ex-boyfriend with the paparazzi to spoil the news. Thus to “fix” his image, the MLB public relations sets up Adrian to fake date country music star Wyatt.
I find it hard to believe that the MLB team would have wanted to host a parade as a way to announce a players sexuality. Also, when they start the fake dating ruse, the first 30% of the book came out flat and anticlimactic for me. The characters were supposed to be going through the motions, remaining neutral but I don’t think the plot needed to be that way too. I found myself wanting to “get to the point” of the story more than enjoying what the characters were currently doing. Unfortunately, this is how I felt for the majority of the book and thus it lacked luster for me as a reader and occasional MM reader.
With all this being said, I think the message of inclusion of all in men sports and the country music industry was an important topic to touch on, even though it was more of a plot point than touched on - its importance and prevalence remains the same.
Huge thank you to LoveNotesPR and Ashlyn for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
⚾️Baseball Player x Country Singer
💞Childhood Crush
🤍Fake Dating
🤪Friends to Strangers to Lovers
I find it hard to believe that the MLB team would have wanted to host a parade as a way to announce a players sexuality. Also, when they start the fake dating ruse, the first 30% of the book came out flat and anticlimactic for me. The characters were supposed to be going through the motions, remaining neutral but I don’t think the plot needed to be that way too. I found myself wanting to “get to the point” of the story more than enjoying what the characters were currently doing. Unfortunately, this is how I felt for the majority of the book and thus it lacked luster for me as a reader and occasional MM reader.
With all this being said, I think the message of inclusion of all in men sports and the country music industry was an important topic to touch on, even though it was more of a plot point than touched on - its importance and prevalence remains the same.
Huge thank you to LoveNotesPR and Ashlyn for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
⚾️Baseball Player x Country Singer
💞Childhood Crush
🤍Fake Dating
🤪Friends to Strangers to Lovers
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 5, 2026
I was blessed with an ARC Review for this book
I really loved so much of this story. Wyatt and Adrian are such a strong pairing, with the fake-dating element adding just the right spark to bring everything together. As a country singer and a baseball player, their worlds feel distinct yet believable, and the story immediately pulls you in by jumping straight into the fake-dating setup from the first chapter. That early start makes the pacing feel engaging and gives their friendship—and eventual relationship—plenty of space to develop along the story.
Their dynamic feels genuine, and the slow build of chemistry is done really well.
The character development stands out, particularly with Adrian, whose struggles with being open are handled thoughtfully. Wyatt’s communication and the way he supports Adrian is mature and refreshing, creating a really balanced and heartfelt relationship. Ashlyn also does a great job highlighting the realities of homophobia and the challenges still faced in both sport and music, which adds an extra layer of depth to the story. The pacing overall was great tense moments were wrapped up in a good timing to give you happier moments.
That said, what impacted my rating was that the book could benefit from another round of editing. There were some simple spelling errors, occasional inconsistencies in the timeline, and moments where it wasn’t entirely clear who was speaking. A few details would be mentioned and then seem to disappear, only to be brought up again shortly after, which could be a bit confusing.
Editing issues aside, though, this is a cute, fun love story about two people finding their way to each other while facing real-world challenges—an easy, enjoyable read that I had a great time with.
I really loved so much of this story. Wyatt and Adrian are such a strong pairing, with the fake-dating element adding just the right spark to bring everything together. As a country singer and a baseball player, their worlds feel distinct yet believable, and the story immediately pulls you in by jumping straight into the fake-dating setup from the first chapter. That early start makes the pacing feel engaging and gives their friendship—and eventual relationship—plenty of space to develop along the story.
Their dynamic feels genuine, and the slow build of chemistry is done really well.
The character development stands out, particularly with Adrian, whose struggles with being open are handled thoughtfully. Wyatt’s communication and the way he supports Adrian is mature and refreshing, creating a really balanced and heartfelt relationship. Ashlyn also does a great job highlighting the realities of homophobia and the challenges still faced in both sport and music, which adds an extra layer of depth to the story. The pacing overall was great tense moments were wrapped up in a good timing to give you happier moments.
That said, what impacted my rating was that the book could benefit from another round of editing. There were some simple spelling errors, occasional inconsistencies in the timeline, and moments where it wasn’t entirely clear who was speaking. A few details would be mentioned and then seem to disappear, only to be brought up again shortly after, which could be a bit confusing.
Editing issues aside, though, this is a cute, fun love story about two people finding their way to each other while facing real-world challenges—an easy, enjoyable read that I had a great time with.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Listen, I wanted to LOVE this book. Based on the blurb, I SHOULD love this book.
Adrian is a professional baseball player who is looking to break out of his team's control of his narrative, now that he is planning to come out. Wyatt is an out country music star, who also happens to have had a crush on Adrian when the two were high school classmates. They enter into a fake dating contract that quickly turns into something much more real.
I was invested in this book for the first 30% or so. Could see the vision, was rooting hard for our MMCs. But somewhere between the 30% and 40% mark, the grammatical and context errors began to overtake the book.
I recognize that I was fortunate to get an advanced copy of this book, and I hope they are caught and cleaned up before release day, but there were multiple instances where a character would "wine" about a situation instead of "whine" about it. There was a a situation where the Kansas City baseball team was playing in Nashville, but Adrian says they lost the game to Florida. There were several times where I had to work to figure out who was actually speaking, because there were jumps in the story that didn't seem to flow naturally.
I finished this book because the potential for this story is so high. I do truly like these characters and was rooting for their happy ending. I just didn't expect to have to do so much work to figure out what was happening on the way to that HEA.
Thank you to LoveNotes PR for the chance to read this eARC of Take Him Home.
Adrian is a professional baseball player who is looking to break out of his team's control of his narrative, now that he is planning to come out. Wyatt is an out country music star, who also happens to have had a crush on Adrian when the two were high school classmates. They enter into a fake dating contract that quickly turns into something much more real.
I was invested in this book for the first 30% or so. Could see the vision, was rooting hard for our MMCs. But somewhere between the 30% and 40% mark, the grammatical and context errors began to overtake the book.
I recognize that I was fortunate to get an advanced copy of this book, and I hope they are caught and cleaned up before release day, but there were multiple instances where a character would "wine" about a situation instead of "whine" about it. There was a a situation where the Kansas City baseball team was playing in Nashville, but Adrian says they lost the game to Florida. There were several times where I had to work to figure out who was actually speaking, because there were jumps in the story that didn't seem to flow naturally.
I finished this book because the potential for this story is so high. I do truly like these characters and was rooting for their happy ending. I just didn't expect to have to do so much work to figure out what was happening on the way to that HEA.
Thank you to LoveNotes PR for the chance to read this eARC of Take Him Home.
April 26, 2026
I was privileged enough to recieve this book as an ARC reader and can't thank the author enough.
👬 MM
🌶 Spice level (now everyones spice level is different. It isn't closed door but it also isn't much more then what you would see on a tv screen)
🎤 Already out and proud MMC
⚾️ Coming out on his terms MMC
Fake dating to Real relationship
Family drama llama
Is love actually enough?
The author does a fantastic job of portraying the struggles that queer individuals have in the real world especially being in the spot light of entertainment and sports. Still sad that even in 2026 we have biggioted people who have nothing better to do that hurt others. Anyways, the author truly brings the struggles to life and also shows the happiness that comes from being true to yourself despite what some of the world thinks. As a person on the queer bridge, I know what it is like to have the world hate on you but also, I completely identified with the MMC (the music artist) with the fact that I really don't care what people think either.
Only reason I gave it a 3 star is because for me, it was a slower book then I was anticipating. Again, just my opinion on the book itself. The store line, the characters, the way to story progressed and how to author wanted to address the world issues and struggles was really good, it was just to slow for my liking. It didn't hold the attention for me to want to pick it up.
If slower burn, mm, family drama, queer inclusion, queer struggles, and fake dating are your thing (and they are too just not that slow) then please, pick up this book 🩷
👬 MM
🌶 Spice level (now everyones spice level is different. It isn't closed door but it also isn't much more then what you would see on a tv screen)
🎤 Already out and proud MMC
⚾️ Coming out on his terms MMC
Fake dating to Real relationship
Family drama llama
Is love actually enough?
The author does a fantastic job of portraying the struggles that queer individuals have in the real world especially being in the spot light of entertainment and sports. Still sad that even in 2026 we have biggioted people who have nothing better to do that hurt others. Anyways, the author truly brings the struggles to life and also shows the happiness that comes from being true to yourself despite what some of the world thinks. As a person on the queer bridge, I know what it is like to have the world hate on you but also, I completely identified with the MMC (the music artist) with the fact that I really don't care what people think either.
Only reason I gave it a 3 star is because for me, it was a slower book then I was anticipating. Again, just my opinion on the book itself. The store line, the characters, the way to story progressed and how to author wanted to address the world issues and struggles was really good, it was just to slow for my liking. It didn't hold the attention for me to want to pick it up.
If slower burn, mm, family drama, queer inclusion, queer struggles, and fake dating are your thing (and they are too just not that slow) then please, pick up this book 🩷
Review of advance copy received from Author
𝘼𝙍𝘾 𝙍𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬 𝙤𝙛 𝙖𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙘𝙤𝙥𝙮 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝗔𝘀𝗵𝗹𝘆𝗻 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙉𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙨 𝙋𝙍
I went into this not really knowing what to expect, but I ended up having a lot more feelings about it than I thought I would.
The story follows Wyatt, a country singer, and Adrian, a professional baseball player, who are thrown into a fake relationship after Adrian gets outed. What made this stand out to me is that it’s not just about the fake dating trope it digs into things like public image, pressure, sexuality in sports, and what it actually feels like to be forced into the spotlight.
Wyatt was probably my favorite. He’s soft but not weak, and you can tell he leads with his heart even when it might not be the smartest thing to do. Adrian, on the other hand… yeah, he frustrated me a lot at first. He’s closed off, kind of cold, and honestly a jerk in some scenes. But at the same time, you can see why he is that way, and that made me stick with him.
Their dynamic is what carried the book for me. The shift from awkward, tense fake dating to something more comfortable and maybe more real felt gradual. I liked that they had to actually learn how to be around each other again instead of just magically clicking.
Overall, I enjoyed it. It’s the kind of story that grows on you the more you sit with it. If you like fake dating, found family, and they have a past especially with real-world pressure and representation—it’s definitely worth reading.
I went into this not really knowing what to expect, but I ended up having a lot more feelings about it than I thought I would.
The story follows Wyatt, a country singer, and Adrian, a professional baseball player, who are thrown into a fake relationship after Adrian gets outed. What made this stand out to me is that it’s not just about the fake dating trope it digs into things like public image, pressure, sexuality in sports, and what it actually feels like to be forced into the spotlight.
Wyatt was probably my favorite. He’s soft but not weak, and you can tell he leads with his heart even when it might not be the smartest thing to do. Adrian, on the other hand… yeah, he frustrated me a lot at first. He’s closed off, kind of cold, and honestly a jerk in some scenes. But at the same time, you can see why he is that way, and that made me stick with him.
Their dynamic is what carried the book for me. The shift from awkward, tense fake dating to something more comfortable and maybe more real felt gradual. I liked that they had to actually learn how to be around each other again instead of just magically clicking.
Overall, I enjoyed it. It’s the kind of story that grows on you the more you sit with it. If you like fake dating, found family, and they have a past especially with real-world pressure and representation—it’s definitely worth reading.
Review of advance copy received from Author
A LGBTQ Fake Dating Romance. Fake dating is one of my top 3 tropes. I very much enjoyed this book. Loved the family support but also the reality of how coming out is not always accepted or safe for everyone. Liked how this book both raised awareness and didn’t sugarcoat it to make it like everyone who comes out can do it with no consequences. As much as we’d all love to live in a world where it is safe to be who you are and love who you want it’s hoped that things like this will eventually make it that way.
That being said I was an ARC reader and there was some things that needed to be edited. I did reach out to the author and she informed me that there was still some editing being done so hopefully they are addressed in the final version. An few examples I found were some wrong words used home instead of hope, etc. at one point Adrian says he’s bored and doesn’t have a game until tomorrow and a little down the page he says he’s leaving for the stadium for tonight’s game soon. Another part Adrian and Wyatt’s mother is badmouthing Wyatt’s kitchen then a few chapters later he says this is the first time he was at Wyatt’s house. He does then badmouth the kitchen so that was accurate. For this I feel they may have just moved a chapter and forgot to update this as well.
That being said it was a cute book and I look forward to continuing to read more of the series as they come out.
That being said I was an ARC reader and there was some things that needed to be edited. I did reach out to the author and she informed me that there was still some editing being done so hopefully they are addressed in the final version. An few examples I found were some wrong words used home instead of hope, etc. at one point Adrian says he’s bored and doesn’t have a game until tomorrow and a little down the page he says he’s leaving for the stadium for tonight’s game soon. Another part Adrian and Wyatt’s mother is badmouthing Wyatt’s kitchen then a few chapters later he says this is the first time he was at Wyatt’s house. He does then badmouth the kitchen so that was accurate. For this I feel they may have just moved a chapter and forgot to update this as well.
That being said it was a cute book and I look forward to continuing to read more of the series as they come out.
May 3, 2026
Take Him Home by Ashlyn Harmon was such a sweet and engaging fake dating romance.
We’re thrown straight into the fake dating setup from the first chapter, and I actually loved that. It gave the story plenty of time to build their friendship and let the relationship grow naturally instead of feeling rushed.
Wyatt and Adrian were really easy to love. Wyatt is open, grounded, and communicates so well, which was honestly refreshing. Adrian, on the other hand, has a lot more walls up, and watching him slowly come to terms with everything—his identity, the pressure from his career, and his feelings—was such a strong part of the story.
The chemistry between them builds beautifully. You really feel that shift from fake to real, and it never feels forced. It’s a great friends to lovers story with that fake dating tension layered in perfectly.
I also appreciated how the book touches on homophobia in both sports and music. It added a level of realism without taking away from the romance.
My only small wish is that we had some of Adrian’s POV, because I would’ve loved to understand him even more. But even without it, his growth still came through.
Sweet, emotional, and really well paced. If you love fake dating and friends to lovers with a bit of depth, this one’s definitely worth picking up.
We’re thrown straight into the fake dating setup from the first chapter, and I actually loved that. It gave the story plenty of time to build their friendship and let the relationship grow naturally instead of feeling rushed.
Wyatt and Adrian were really easy to love. Wyatt is open, grounded, and communicates so well, which was honestly refreshing. Adrian, on the other hand, has a lot more walls up, and watching him slowly come to terms with everything—his identity, the pressure from his career, and his feelings—was such a strong part of the story.
The chemistry between them builds beautifully. You really feel that shift from fake to real, and it never feels forced. It’s a great friends to lovers story with that fake dating tension layered in perfectly.
I also appreciated how the book touches on homophobia in both sports and music. It added a level of realism without taking away from the romance.
My only small wish is that we had some of Adrian’s POV, because I would’ve loved to understand him even more. But even without it, his growth still came through.
Sweet, emotional, and really well paced. If you love fake dating and friends to lovers with a bit of depth, this one’s definitely worth picking up.
April 18, 2026
*Advanced Reader Review*
I wasn’t sure if I would be able to relate to these characters as both MCs are very different- professional baseball player and famous country musician. However, this book hooked me quickly by starting with the fake relationship agreement. It pulled me in right away and we were immediately met with the tension between the two - Adrian and Wyatt.
Adrian is a professional baseball player and recently came out as gay in what the team would consider a scandalous way. Wanting to control himself, Adrian didn’t let the team decide how it would happen.
Enter Wyatt. As a friend from his past, Wyatt felt for Adrian and wanted to help him feel more comfortable and confident in his decisions. While reluctant, we do see a lot growth in Adrian’s character.
Of course, as most fake relationships do, they start to have true attraction to one another. With that comes its own set of difficulties. Watching them work through this together and individually is a great journey. This was a quick read and I enjoyed it very much. The amount of spice was appropriate for the length of the book and at the correct times.
I wasn’t sure if I would be able to relate to these characters as both MCs are very different- professional baseball player and famous country musician. However, this book hooked me quickly by starting with the fake relationship agreement. It pulled me in right away and we were immediately met with the tension between the two - Adrian and Wyatt.
Adrian is a professional baseball player and recently came out as gay in what the team would consider a scandalous way. Wanting to control himself, Adrian didn’t let the team decide how it would happen.
Enter Wyatt. As a friend from his past, Wyatt felt for Adrian and wanted to help him feel more comfortable and confident in his decisions. While reluctant, we do see a lot growth in Adrian’s character.
Of course, as most fake relationships do, they start to have true attraction to one another. With that comes its own set of difficulties. Watching them work through this together and individually is a great journey. This was a quick read and I enjoyed it very much. The amount of spice was appropriate for the length of the book and at the correct times.
Review of advance copy
Straight away this was an easy read. Wyatt especially is really likeable, as is his family - most notably his sister and manager (sistager?!) Brooke. Adrian’s standoffish to the point of rudeness at first but he does mellow quickly and is just as likeable also.
There are a couple of inconsistencies, and at times it’s hard to decifer which character is talking (mainly in the first third), but my enjoyment of the story and the writing style outweighed these issues.
There’s good banter between Wyatt and Adrian, as well as each with their families and Adrian’s best friend and team mate Jace, a little spice and some super cute swoon and romance. There’s also some issues addressing a family situation (not completely resolved on page) and workplace homophobia as well as some miscommunication between the boys before the super sweet and romantic ending.
This is told from Wyatt’s POV, which I didn’t mind, but I do prefer each MC’s and Adrian may have benefitted from having his side told too.
A new author for me. I liked the feel of this book and am interested in reading more in the series.
I received an ARC and this is my honest review.
There are a couple of inconsistencies, and at times it’s hard to decifer which character is talking (mainly in the first third), but my enjoyment of the story and the writing style outweighed these issues.
There’s good banter between Wyatt and Adrian, as well as each with their families and Adrian’s best friend and team mate Jace, a little spice and some super cute swoon and romance. There’s also some issues addressing a family situation (not completely resolved on page) and workplace homophobia as well as some miscommunication between the boys before the super sweet and romantic ending.
This is told from Wyatt’s POV, which I didn’t mind, but I do prefer each MC’s and Adrian may have benefitted from having his side told too.
A new author for me. I liked the feel of this book and am interested in reading more in the series.
I received an ARC and this is my honest review.
May 1, 2026
Thank you Love Notes for this ARC!
I liked this book well enough but there were definitely some things that could have been better. I love Wyatt and Adrian’s relationship, how they rebuilt their friendship first before giving the romantic relationship a try. I also really love their family and community they’ve built for themselves, and as someone from KC I can tell you it’s a good representation of our city. I obviously have some nit picky KC stuff, mostly how often the reader is reminded that the story was in Kansas City without doing any of the KC stuff. There were also lots of continuity errors, they’d be talking about Adrian’s game tomorrow afternoon and then three paragraphs later he needed to go get ready for his game that night? There were a few different instances of that where I’d have to go back to make sure I read it right. Their third act breakup was really annoying because Wyatt had a very solid argument for his side of things but literally never said them out loud as his reasons, so I get why Adrian was confused because I was too.
I liked this book well enough but there were definitely some things that could have been better. I love Wyatt and Adrian’s relationship, how they rebuilt their friendship first before giving the romantic relationship a try. I also really love their family and community they’ve built for themselves, and as someone from KC I can tell you it’s a good representation of our city. I obviously have some nit picky KC stuff, mostly how often the reader is reminded that the story was in Kansas City without doing any of the KC stuff. There were also lots of continuity errors, they’d be talking about Adrian’s game tomorrow afternoon and then three paragraphs later he needed to go get ready for his game that night? There were a few different instances of that where I’d have to go back to make sure I read it right. Their third act breakup was really annoying because Wyatt had a very solid argument for his side of things but literally never said them out loud as his reasons, so I get why Adrian was confused because I was too.
May 2, 2026
This book was very cute for what it was meant to be.
I loved the premise, so I was excited to dive into this one, and it was a quick read. I read it in about 48 hours, I believe. I have also been into baseball romances lately, so I was sure going into this that it would be a top read for me.
I'm very fortunate that I got an early copy of this book, but there were a few instances while reading where I felt like the writing was in multiple places at once. There was a game at one time, then the next page, the game hadn't happened yet, etc.. It just made it a bit hard to know where the story was at times. I would have also loved to get Adrian's POV.
Wyatt and Adrian's relationship was adorable. I love a fake dating romance, so absolutely no complaints on that. I also really liked the struggles that were portrayed in this book of being queer in a sport and out in the open as a singer. It really had a great foundation for a love story, and the writing was beautiful.
Thank you to Love Notes PR for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I loved the premise, so I was excited to dive into this one, and it was a quick read. I read it in about 48 hours, I believe. I have also been into baseball romances lately, so I was sure going into this that it would be a top read for me.
I'm very fortunate that I got an early copy of this book, but there were a few instances while reading where I felt like the writing was in multiple places at once. There was a game at one time, then the next page, the game hadn't happened yet, etc.. It just made it a bit hard to know where the story was at times. I would have also loved to get Adrian's POV.
Wyatt and Adrian's relationship was adorable. I love a fake dating romance, so absolutely no complaints on that. I also really liked the struggles that were portrayed in this book of being queer in a sport and out in the open as a singer. It really had a great foundation for a love story, and the writing was beautiful.
Thank you to Love Notes PR for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
May 22, 2026
Thank you Love Notes PR for the review copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own
If I have to pinpoint one thing that didn’t work for me it was single pov. I think the love interest, Adrian had much more to offer to not have his own pov.
You can’t write about racism in sports and not give your poc character his voice. Wyatt wasn’t bad, he was written with utmost care and when he said I didn’t think about that (the racism aspect) it was the most real thing in the book but I don’t think that was enough.
There was a sweet love story but tbh there was too much of family interference from Wyatt's side and that is why there fight after Wyatt's dad's visit didn’t make sense to me, especially when it was something they could have talked about.
One thing the novel does right is fake dating, there is actual setup for the two of them to be photographed, media around them is planned and I loved how the fake dating trope was written in the story without it looking like what was the reason.
If I have to pinpoint one thing that didn’t work for me it was single pov. I think the love interest, Adrian had much more to offer to not have his own pov.
You can’t write about racism in sports and not give your poc character his voice. Wyatt wasn’t bad, he was written with utmost care and when he said I didn’t think about that (the racism aspect) it was the most real thing in the book but I don’t think that was enough.
There was a sweet love story but tbh there was too much of family interference from Wyatt's side and that is why there fight after Wyatt's dad's visit didn’t make sense to me, especially when it was something they could have talked about.
One thing the novel does right is fake dating, there is actual setup for the two of them to be photographed, media around them is planned and I loved how the fake dating trope was written in the story without it looking like what was the reason.
April 26, 2026
Thanks to Love Notes PR for the chance to review an e-ARC of Take Him Home by Ashlyn Harmon. This review only reflects my opinions.
Now, hear me out: it is very hard for me not to love and MM romance and one with a fake dating trope at that. However, I just couldn't connect with the characters, I felt the setting and backstory weren't well developed. Overall, I wish there was more depth and insight into not only the main characters, but the places and people that make up the story.
One thing I really did like was how it didn't necessarily sugar coat how things can be for people of the LGBTQAI+ community, and how it isn't always perfect and with a happy ending. Sometimes, people don't learn, don't forgive and just don't accept. The book did a good job of showing that found family is really important.
There were some errors in my copy, but I figure they were fixed by the time it was published.
Now, hear me out: it is very hard for me not to love and MM romance and one with a fake dating trope at that. However, I just couldn't connect with the characters, I felt the setting and backstory weren't well developed. Overall, I wish there was more depth and insight into not only the main characters, but the places and people that make up the story.
One thing I really did like was how it didn't necessarily sugar coat how things can be for people of the LGBTQAI+ community, and how it isn't always perfect and with a happy ending. Sometimes, people don't learn, don't forgive and just don't accept. The book did a good job of showing that found family is really important.
There were some errors in my copy, but I figure they were fixed by the time it was published.
May 1, 2026
ARC REVIEW
Firstly I would like to thank LoveNotes Pr for this arc. When I read the synopsis I instantly wanted to read it, fake sporting romance with a grumpy/sunshine trope?!? Who wouldn’t want to, had some of my favorite tropes.so I had high hopes. While I think it’s an easy cute read, I just wasn’t able to connect with the characters. Once they showed their feelings it seemed to have moved on fast and I feel like that may have been where I couldn’t really connect because I would have loved more development between them as a couple and as their own character besides the little that was given to us. I really did like that the author included the reality of what still happens in sports and wasn’t sugar coated. Overall I did enjoy this read and will see what will be next from this author.
3.25 ⭐️
Firstly I would like to thank LoveNotes Pr for this arc. When I read the synopsis I instantly wanted to read it, fake sporting romance with a grumpy/sunshine trope?!? Who wouldn’t want to, had some of my favorite tropes.so I had high hopes. While I think it’s an easy cute read, I just wasn’t able to connect with the characters. Once they showed their feelings it seemed to have moved on fast and I feel like that may have been where I couldn’t really connect because I would have loved more development between them as a couple and as their own character besides the little that was given to us. I really did like that the author included the reality of what still happens in sports and wasn’t sugar coated. Overall I did enjoy this read and will see what will be next from this author.
3.25 ⭐️
April 25, 2026
3.5 stars rounded up.
This was sweet. Fake dating with additional teen crush history.
We only get Wyatt's POV and its done well but I would have loved to hear Adrian's POV, why he was angry, what coming out felt from his POV and dealing with his career. Not that a single POV was bad, it was a cute read.
Wyatt wanted to help out Adrian for genuine reasons but feelings were already there. I enjoyed that Wyatt wasn't a complete pushover to Adrian's attitude. Communication came easily, even when it was difficult.
I liked how this didn't make the country music and sporting community easy to deal with, it faced real situations of lingering homophobia and society as a whole. It did end really sweetly and I enjoyed it enough to finish.
This was sweet. Fake dating with additional teen crush history.
We only get Wyatt's POV and its done well but I would have loved to hear Adrian's POV, why he was angry, what coming out felt from his POV and dealing with his career. Not that a single POV was bad, it was a cute read.
Wyatt wanted to help out Adrian for genuine reasons but feelings were already there. I enjoyed that Wyatt wasn't a complete pushover to Adrian's attitude. Communication came easily, even when it was difficult.
I liked how this didn't make the country music and sporting community easy to deal with, it faced real situations of lingering homophobia and society as a whole. It did end really sweetly and I enjoyed it enough to finish.
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