What do you think?
Rate this book
Not Strong Enough #1
Spitting off the Edge of the World
READ TRIGGERS! (Below) This book is HEAVY. Please read them if you have ANY triggers.
I found you just when I thought my life was over.
Julien Kendrick
Not only am I a recent high school graduate from a prestigious school, but I also come from money—a lot of money. So why am I miserable? No, it’s more like apathy. I crave to escape this life, while others are desperate for it. I want to feel again. To feel something, anything. The decision to leave my horrible parents and friends to spend two weeks doing what I want to do is meant to be my last hurrah, as the old saying goes. I don’t want to spend it alone, though, so I hire a prostitute I find on the street. Not only is he stunningly beautiful, but his pain calls to me.
He’s the one I want to spend my last two weeks with.
Romeo
No kissing. No holding. And no loving. Ever.
Those are the rules. They’re simple when I need life to be easier. But then along comes Julien, who pays a small fortune to have me for two weeks. This is my chance to escape my hell—a life I’ve known for as long as I can remember. My only memories are of being used and abused. I don’t even know my birth name, having lost it somewhere in my past. When our two weeks are up, I plan to run, but Julien is derailing that plan. He’s so kind to me. Gentle. I’m not used to it, but I’m greedy for it. Now, I’ll do anything to keep him.
Tropes:
🧁 Male Escort
🧁 Road Trip
🧁 Different Worlds
🧁 Rich/Poor
🧁 Unexpected Love
🧁 Hurt/Comfort
🧁 Quick Burn
🧁 Opposites Attract
🧁 Obsession/Possessiveness
🧁 ‘I’ll Burn the World for You’
🧁 ‘I’ll Unalive Someone for You’
Content Warning: Suicidal ideations, plans for suicide, depression, rape (not detailed but on page), verbal and physical abuse, sex trafficking, prostitution, murder, drug use, underaged drinking, heavy drinking, smoking, feelings of despair and loneliness, off-page suicide (not MCs), explicit language and explicit sex.
I found you just when I thought my life was over.
Julien Kendrick
Not only am I a recent high school graduate from a prestigious school, but I also come from money—a lot of money. So why am I miserable? No, it’s more like apathy. I crave to escape this life, while others are desperate for it. I want to feel again. To feel something, anything. The decision to leave my horrible parents and friends to spend two weeks doing what I want to do is meant to be my last hurrah, as the old saying goes. I don’t want to spend it alone, though, so I hire a prostitute I find on the street. Not only is he stunningly beautiful, but his pain calls to me.
He’s the one I want to spend my last two weeks with.
Romeo
No kissing. No holding. And no loving. Ever.
Those are the rules. They’re simple when I need life to be easier. But then along comes Julien, who pays a small fortune to have me for two weeks. This is my chance to escape my hell—a life I’ve known for as long as I can remember. My only memories are of being used and abused. I don’t even know my birth name, having lost it somewhere in my past. When our two weeks are up, I plan to run, but Julien is derailing that plan. He’s so kind to me. Gentle. I’m not used to it, but I’m greedy for it. Now, I’ll do anything to keep him.
Tropes:
🧁 Male Escort
🧁 Road Trip
🧁 Different Worlds
🧁 Rich/Poor
🧁 Unexpected Love
🧁 Hurt/Comfort
🧁 Quick Burn
🧁 Opposites Attract
🧁 Obsession/Possessiveness
🧁 ‘I’ll Burn the World for You’
🧁 ‘I’ll Unalive Someone for You’
Content Warning: Suicidal ideations, plans for suicide, depression, rape (not detailed but on page), verbal and physical abuse, sex trafficking, prostitution, murder, drug use, underaged drinking, heavy drinking, smoking, feelings of despair and loneliness, off-page suicide (not MCs), explicit language and explicit sex.
406 pages, Paperback
First published April 20, 2026
About the author
Courtney W. Dixon
50 books1,230 followersCourtney W. Dixon loves to write steamy hurt/comfort romance, giving her characters challenges, struggles, and sometimes trauma... Fine, a LOT of trauma. Her team teases her about charging her for their therapy bills after reading one of her books.
She loves to add variety and multiple tropes in her stories along with different types of dynamics/relationships. And she writes her characters as having flaws, imperfections, and who don't always do the right thing. Humans are sometimes frustrating, never perfect, and make a lot of mistakes in their lives. Courtney enjoys pushing her characters, making their HEAs so much more worth it when they get there. Mental health is a big feature in her books.
She loves her coffee ice cream and popcorn a little too much. And her cat, Olly, is her co-writer, where he sleeps on an ottoman under her desk as her muse. Actually, he's rather useless, but he's adorable.
Follow Me
She loves to add variety and multiple tropes in her stories along with different types of dynamics/relationships. And she writes her characters as having flaws, imperfections, and who don't always do the right thing. Humans are sometimes frustrating, never perfect, and make a lot of mistakes in their lives. Courtney enjoys pushing her characters, making their HEAs so much more worth it when they get there. Mental health is a big feature in her books.
She loves her coffee ice cream and popcorn a little too much. And her cat, Olly, is her co-writer, where he sleeps on an ottoman under her desk as her muse. Actually, he's rather useless, but he's adorable.
Follow Me
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 297 reviews
July 9, 2026
Holy trigger warnings! I knew this was going to be heavy, messy, and painful, but I was somehow still not prepared.
From the very first page, I was plunged into Julien's despair before I even understood the context, and then it somehow got worse when Romeo appeared. My stomach was in knots reading what these characters endured. It broke my heart repeatedly, but I couldn't look away. These two deserved so much more than the world had given them.
Julien and Romeo are both victims of terrible men, both stripped of autonomy, both convinced they're worthless. Romeo is doing everything he can to survive on the streets as a sex worker, forced by his pimp to offer himself up as a punching bag for an extra fee. Julien is a victim of abuse from his stepdad after his own dad's passing. Watching them recognize their own pain reflected in each other was devastating, but also beautiful. Seeing them accept that they are deserving of kind, gentle, soft love that doesn't hurt and doesn't come with cruel intentions was so heartwarming.
If you're looking for two of the most broken characters forming a connection through trauma bonding, this is the one. But it's not all heavy. They also have sweet, vulnerable moments together. The tension is constant, even in the quiet moments, because the reader knows Julien's plans to end everything after his two week bucket list, but Romeo does not. This really forces the reader to feel the weight of every hour passing.
I loved that, though brief, their healing journey was shown. This isn't a book where trauma magically disappears because of love. They actually go to therapy. They work through their issues. It made me want to jump in my car and drive across the country and go on my own healing journey.
And again, check your trigger warnings before picking this up.
Now has anyone actually spit off the edge of the Grand Canyon? I need to know if it's as cathartic as it sounds. I wasn't told I was supposed to do this when I visited!
From the very first page, I was plunged into Julien's despair before I even understood the context, and then it somehow got worse when Romeo appeared. My stomach was in knots reading what these characters endured. It broke my heart repeatedly, but I couldn't look away. These two deserved so much more than the world had given them.
Julien and Romeo are both victims of terrible men, both stripped of autonomy, both convinced they're worthless. Romeo is doing everything he can to survive on the streets as a sex worker, forced by his pimp to offer himself up as a punching bag for an extra fee. Julien is a victim of abuse from his stepdad after his own dad's passing. Watching them recognize their own pain reflected in each other was devastating, but also beautiful. Seeing them accept that they are deserving of kind, gentle, soft love that doesn't hurt and doesn't come with cruel intentions was so heartwarming.
If you're looking for two of the most broken characters forming a connection through trauma bonding, this is the one. But it's not all heavy. They also have sweet, vulnerable moments together. The tension is constant, even in the quiet moments, because the reader knows Julien's plans to end everything after his two week bucket list, but Romeo does not. This really forces the reader to feel the weight of every hour passing.
I loved that, though brief, their healing journey was shown. This isn't a book where trauma magically disappears because of love. They actually go to therapy. They work through their issues. It made me want to jump in my car and drive across the country and go on my own healing journey.
And again, check your trigger warnings before picking this up.
Now has anyone actually spit off the edge of the Grand Canyon? I need to know if it's as cathartic as it sounds. I wasn't told I was supposed to do this when I visited!
May 9, 2026
2.5 I really wanted to love this book, but sadly that wasn’t the case for me. At first, the story pulled me in quickly, but this just ended up not working for me at all. I was about to DNF at the 70% mark, but I was curious to see how it ended, so I skimmed through to the end.
I can see why many people love this, and I assumed I’d be one of them, but the writing style kept me from getting into it. The characters and the whole situation just didn’t feel realistic at all, and the dialogue was—I don’t even know—somehow robotic, formal? But also the whole thing and the characters felt very juvenile to me -yeah, the characters are young, but still. Plus, all those pet names—cupcake, sugar, macaroon, babe.. too much. This is supposed to be a really emotional read, but the writing style was such that I couldn’t connect with it on an emotional level at all? 😩
This two-week trip where they travel and do the things Julien wanted to experience was supposed to be a really moving journey, but I found it kind of repetitive and boring—which really shouldn't be the case. And I just couldn't seem to feel that authentic, genuine connection and love between Julien and Romeo.
So yeah, unfortunately I didn't end up loving this, but I'm sure many others do. This is another one of those moments when you realize just how subjective reading is.
I'll take some of the blame; it was my fault for picking up this book in the first place—I really need to stop forcing myself to read certain authors, no matter how good their books seem based on the blurb and hype.
I can see why many people love this, and I assumed I’d be one of them, but the writing style kept me from getting into it. The characters and the whole situation just didn’t feel realistic at all, and the dialogue was—I don’t even know—somehow robotic, formal? But also the whole thing and the characters felt very juvenile to me -yeah, the characters are young, but still. Plus, all those pet names—cupcake, sugar, macaroon, babe.. too much. This is supposed to be a really emotional read, but the writing style was such that I couldn’t connect with it on an emotional level at all? 😩
This two-week trip where they travel and do the things Julien wanted to experience was supposed to be a really moving journey, but I found it kind of repetitive and boring—which really shouldn't be the case. And I just couldn't seem to feel that authentic, genuine connection and love between Julien and Romeo.
So yeah, unfortunately I didn't end up loving this, but I'm sure many others do. This is another one of those moments when you realize just how subjective reading is.
I'll take some of the blame; it was my fault for picking up this book in the first place—I really need to stop forcing myself to read certain authors, no matter how good their books seem based on the blurb and hype.
June 29, 2026
All the stars
🥲🥲🥲🥲
HOPE. That's it. That's the review. From devastating lows to beautiful highs. This is a gorgeous, painful, gloriously hopeful book.
*Woe is Romeo and Julien . Dang those few pages were absolutely brutal and descriptive. At some parts I had to skim through, I just couldn't take it. So check yourselves if you read this.
* And those bonus chapters just keep on giving🌈🤗✨
🥲🥲🥲🥲
HOPE. That's it. That's the review. From devastating lows to beautiful highs. This is a gorgeous, painful, gloriously hopeful book.
*Woe is Romeo and Julien . Dang those few pages were absolutely brutal and descriptive. At some parts I had to skim through, I just couldn't take it. So check yourselves if you read this.
* And those bonus chapters just keep on giving🌈🤗✨
October 16, 2026
“I’ll give you the fucking world, baby.”
“I don’t need the world. You know that. All I need is you.”
Some books break your heart, and then there are books like this one that take your heart, rip it into a thousand pieces, and somehow still leave you sitting there, crying over how beautiful it all was. I usually say my characters earned their happily ever after.
This time? I fucking earned that happy ever after.
I avoid books dealing with heavy, genuinely painful themes like my life depends on it. Give me fictional mafia darkness, morally questionable men, and all the theatrics of a supposedly pitch-black romance, and I’m perfectly happy. But give me the kind of darkness that exists in real life, the kind involving childhood sexual abuse, parental abandonment, and the people who are supposed to love you being the very people who destroy you? My poor heart simply cannot.
Julian has money, privilege, and a life that probably looks enviable from the outside. What he doesn’t have is a single decent person willing to protect him. His father is gone, his mother is a despicable excuse for a parent, his stepfather is a rapist monster, his girlfriend is a materialistic cheater , and his best friend is no better. This boy has endured unimaginable abuse since childhood, and somewhere along the way, he begins planning his own end. The two-week trip he arranges isn’t just a holiday. It’s his final attempt to reclaim some control over his body, his choices, and the power that was stolen from him.
And then there’s Romeo.
Oh, Romeo. 💔
Sold to a pimp as a child, deprived of an identity, an education, and practically every opportunity to experience life as anything other than a means of survival, Romeo enters this story carrying a different kind of brokenness. Yet somehow, he hasn’t lost that little spark of hope. He still has the capacity to live, to feel, to connect. And watching these two boys find each other absolutely destroyed me.
What got me wasn’t simply their attraction. It was their softness. The kisses on the head. The gentle words. The way they fit against each other. The way they slowly became something neither of them had dared to expect. Every little moment of tenderness felt enormous because these boys had known so much cruelty. Every time they gave each other a little more trust, a little more affection, a little more of themselves, my heart ached.
As their connection grows from something transactional into something achingly real, I was sitting there with my heart in my throat, absolutely terrified for them. Yes, I knew there would be a happy ending. No, that did not help me relax for even one damn second.
Julian and Romeo earned their happily ever after. But God, I needed it just as badly as they did.
My only thought when I finished was this: dear God, for every Romeo in this world, give him a Julian. And for every Julian, give him a Romeo.
Because sometimes, the world doesn’t need to be handed to you. Sometimes, you just need one person who makes staying in it feel worthwhile.
And apparently, I need a very long recovery period after reading this book. 😭❤️
“I don’t need the world. You know that. All I need is you.”
Some books break your heart, and then there are books like this one that take your heart, rip it into a thousand pieces, and somehow still leave you sitting there, crying over how beautiful it all was. I usually say my characters earned their happily ever after.
This time? I fucking earned that happy ever after.
I avoid books dealing with heavy, genuinely painful themes like my life depends on it. Give me fictional mafia darkness, morally questionable men, and all the theatrics of a supposedly pitch-black romance, and I’m perfectly happy. But give me the kind of darkness that exists in real life, the kind involving childhood sexual abuse, parental abandonment, and the people who are supposed to love you being the very people who destroy you? My poor heart simply cannot.
Julian has money, privilege, and a life that probably looks enviable from the outside. What he doesn’t have is a single decent person willing to protect him. His father is gone, his mother is a despicable excuse for a parent, his stepfather is a rapist monster, his girlfriend is a materialistic cheater , and his best friend is no better. This boy has endured unimaginable abuse since childhood, and somewhere along the way, he begins planning his own end. The two-week trip he arranges isn’t just a holiday. It’s his final attempt to reclaim some control over his body, his choices, and the power that was stolen from him.
And then there’s Romeo.
Oh, Romeo. 💔
Sold to a pimp as a child, deprived of an identity, an education, and practically every opportunity to experience life as anything other than a means of survival, Romeo enters this story carrying a different kind of brokenness. Yet somehow, he hasn’t lost that little spark of hope. He still has the capacity to live, to feel, to connect. And watching these two boys find each other absolutely destroyed me.
What got me wasn’t simply their attraction. It was their softness. The kisses on the head. The gentle words. The way they fit against each other. The way they slowly became something neither of them had dared to expect. Every little moment of tenderness felt enormous because these boys had known so much cruelty. Every time they gave each other a little more trust, a little more affection, a little more of themselves, my heart ached.
As their connection grows from something transactional into something achingly real, I was sitting there with my heart in my throat, absolutely terrified for them. Yes, I knew there would be a happy ending. No, that did not help me relax for even one damn second.
Julian and Romeo earned their happily ever after. But God, I needed it just as badly as they did.
My only thought when I finished was this: dear God, for every Romeo in this world, give him a Julian. And for every Julian, give him a Romeo.
Because sometimes, the world doesn’t need to be handed to you. Sometimes, you just need one person who makes staying in it feel worthwhile.
And apparently, I need a very long recovery period after reading this book. 😭❤️
May 13, 2026
Wow I ate this book up!!!
Pretty woman but make it MM and hurt/comfort!
Rich/Poor Dynamic
Prostitute/ rich boy
Flipping
Hurt/Comfort
They come from different background but the abuse they’ve endured is what they initially connect on.
He pays him to be with him for 2 weeks.
Heavy on Hurt/Comfort. They both take care of each other!
Pretty woman but make it MM and hurt/comfort!
Rich/Poor Dynamic
Prostitute/ rich boy
Flipping
Hurt/Comfort
They come from different background but the abuse they’ve endured is what they initially connect on.
He pays him to be with him for 2 weeks.
Heavy on Hurt/Comfort. They both take care of each other!
Did Not Finish
July 1, 2026DNF @22%
Guys I’m So Sad To Inform You That This Book, I Thought I Was Gonna Love It So Much, But It Really Didn’t Work For Me. Like I Feel Like This Kinda Story Isn’t For Me At All And I Unfortunately Wasn’t Into This Book So I’m So Sad This Book By Courtney W Dixon Didn’t Work, But I Will 100% Read More By Her Cause I Know She’s My Favorite Author Ever It’s Just This Wasn’t My Kinda Book Not My Favorite And I’m Sorry To The People Who Loved It I’m So Happy You Did But Again, Not For Me
Guys I’m So Sad To Inform You That This Book, I Thought I Was Gonna Love It So Much, But It Really Didn’t Work For Me. Like I Feel Like This Kinda Story Isn’t For Me At All And I Unfortunately Wasn’t Into This Book So I’m So Sad This Book By Courtney W Dixon Didn’t Work, But I Will 100% Read More By Her Cause I Know She’s My Favorite Author Ever It’s Just This Wasn’t My Kinda Book Not My Favorite And I’m Sorry To The People Who Loved It I’m So Happy You Did But Again, Not For Me
May 6, 2026
I don’t even know where to begin with this one.
I want so much to think that such cruelty only exists in fiction, because I honestly can’t even breathe properly, thinking that this could be real 😣
So first things first - DO read the trigger warnings and be careful with your mental health because this book is heavy.
Heavy, but very necessary story of healing and road to beautiful love and to home ❤️🩹
Julien and Romeo, my star-crossed broken boys, who couldn’t be more different in where they come from and what they've been through and yet share such similar and awful traumas.. I really loved how throughout the story they have been healing one another. In such different ways, but effective nonetheless.
And you can’t even complain about the case of “insta-love”, it made perfect sense here 💗
I mostly loved how Julien basically gave Romeo a “pretty woman” experience, and yet each and every time he reassured Romeo, when he was reducing himself to a.. I honestly can’t even type it. Each time Romeo was calling himself that, with such resignation and acceptance, I had to choke on my breath and take a minute.
And all this time Romeo has been silently showing Julien that he matters, what it means to be cared, to be loved, to be deserving of happiness ❤️🩹 Which was actually a more complicated task, given he didn’t even know the depth of Julien’s trauma.
This story has been such an emotional push-and-pull, I swear. While we basically witness the boys’ trip, intended to enjoy life through everything from food to fancy hotels and lots of other things, we areslapped in the face reminded at all times of what the actual end goal is, even if it isn’t vocalised till the end.
And it’s just crazy, one moment you smile at their connection and genuine love, and the next moment you cringe with some dread deep in the gut 😭
Separate thanks for Jinx, I loved that sassy and smart feisty baby so much, can’t even imagine what his story will bring us 🤭
Big thanks for both epilogues, and a BOX OF KITTENS for everyone now please!!!! 😻
I want so much to think that such cruelty only exists in fiction, because I honestly can’t even breathe properly, thinking that this could be real 😣
So first things first - DO read the trigger warnings and be careful with your mental health because this book is heavy.
Heavy, but very necessary story of healing and road to beautiful love and to home ❤️🩹
Julien and Romeo, my star-crossed broken boys, who couldn’t be more different in where they come from and what they've been through and yet share such similar and awful traumas.. I really loved how throughout the story they have been healing one another. In such different ways, but effective nonetheless.
And you can’t even complain about the case of “insta-love”, it made perfect sense here 💗
I mostly loved how Julien basically gave Romeo a “pretty woman” experience, and yet each and every time he reassured Romeo, when he was reducing himself to a.. I honestly can’t even type it. Each time Romeo was calling himself that, with such resignation and acceptance, I had to choke on my breath and take a minute.
And all this time Romeo has been silently showing Julien that he matters, what it means to be cared, to be loved, to be deserving of happiness ❤️🩹 Which was actually a more complicated task, given he didn’t even know the depth of Julien’s trauma.
This story has been such an emotional push-and-pull, I swear. While we basically witness the boys’ trip, intended to enjoy life through everything from food to fancy hotels and lots of other things, we are
And it’s just crazy, one moment you smile at their connection and genuine love, and the next moment you cringe with some dread deep in the gut 😭
Separate thanks for Jinx, I loved that sassy and smart feisty baby so much, can’t even imagine what his story will bring us 🤭
Big thanks for both epilogues, and a BOX OF KITTENS for everyone now please!!!! 😻
April 25, 2026
My first six star review. Ever.
But Spitting Off the Edge of the World just changed that.
This is my first book by Courtney W. Dixon, and she did not disappoint.
This book didn’t just pull me in, it consumed me. I was completely gone in Romeo and Julien’s world, feeling everything with them, hurting with them, hoping for them.
Romeo… his story broke me. The layers of pain, the loss of identity, the way he questions where he even came from and who he belongs to. Lines like “I had a family somewhere. Probably. Maybe.” just stayed with me. You can feel how deeply he wants to be seen, to be chosen, to be loved without conditions.
And then Julien. The way he sees Romeo from the very beginning… “He looks like a fucking angel with the body of a sinner.” That line alone had me hooked. But it’s more than that. It’s the way Julien tries to hold onto control, to find peace, and still ends up needing Romeo just as much.
I’ve worked in child welfare for almost half my life, and this book hit me on a completely different level because of that. I found myself wanting to save these characters. I understand how someone like Julien could believe that his year long plan is the only way out of his pain. And it hurt to see how numb Romeo became to his life, doing what he had to do just to survive.
Their connection is intense, messy, and addictive. You feel it in every moment. The push, the pull, the desperation. “I would do anything for you.” And you believe it completely.
The entire book carries this constant sense of suspense because of Julien’s plan. You’re reading with this weight in your chest wondering if their connection is going to be enough to change everything.
What got me the most is how this book balances pain with something deeper. There are moments that hurt so much you almost have to pause. But then there are moments of softness, vulnerability, and connection that make it all worth it.
This isn’t just a love story. It’s about survival. About identity. About finding power in moments when everything has been taken from you.
I finished this book and just sat there. Thinking. Feeling. Not ready to let them go.
Thank you Courtney W. Dixon for these characters and their stories. Six stars doesn’t even feel like enough.
But Spitting Off the Edge of the World just changed that.
This is my first book by Courtney W. Dixon, and she did not disappoint.
This book didn’t just pull me in, it consumed me. I was completely gone in Romeo and Julien’s world, feeling everything with them, hurting with them, hoping for them.
Romeo… his story broke me. The layers of pain, the loss of identity, the way he questions where he even came from and who he belongs to. Lines like “I had a family somewhere. Probably. Maybe.” just stayed with me. You can feel how deeply he wants to be seen, to be chosen, to be loved without conditions.
And then Julien. The way he sees Romeo from the very beginning… “He looks like a fucking angel with the body of a sinner.” That line alone had me hooked. But it’s more than that. It’s the way Julien tries to hold onto control, to find peace, and still ends up needing Romeo just as much.
I’ve worked in child welfare for almost half my life, and this book hit me on a completely different level because of that. I found myself wanting to save these characters. I understand how someone like Julien could believe that his year long plan is the only way out of his pain. And it hurt to see how numb Romeo became to his life, doing what he had to do just to survive.
Their connection is intense, messy, and addictive. You feel it in every moment. The push, the pull, the desperation. “I would do anything for you.” And you believe it completely.
The entire book carries this constant sense of suspense because of Julien’s plan. You’re reading with this weight in your chest wondering if their connection is going to be enough to change everything.
What got me the most is how this book balances pain with something deeper. There are moments that hurt so much you almost have to pause. But then there are moments of softness, vulnerability, and connection that make it all worth it.
This isn’t just a love story. It’s about survival. About identity. About finding power in moments when everything has been taken from you.
I finished this book and just sat there. Thinking. Feeling. Not ready to let them go.
Thank you Courtney W. Dixon for these characters and their stories. Six stars doesn’t even feel like enough.
April 20, 2026
Audiobook (ALC) June 2026:
Harley Chase as always was amazing and I enjoyed the portrayal of Romeo and Julian. These two went through some of the most horrific experiences imaginable and Harley conveyed this in a way that their emotions were felt in each moment. I enjoyed seeing Romeo let his guard down and Julian realize there was someone worth sticking around for. The audiobook was great, the story is one of my favorites from Courtney W. Dixon and I’m excited for Jinx’s book!
💚ALC REVIEW🖤
Original ARC review was completed April 2026:
Julien and Romeo definitely broke my heart a little. Both men had survived some of the most horrific circumstances that no one should ever have to experience and yet these two managed to seek out goodness and love even after they thought it may not exist.
I really enjoyed these two together. They gave each other happiness, hope, safety and love. Their dynamic was sweet. The first times they got to share with each other like swimming, cotton candy and kisses with feelings were adorable. They both helped each other begin to heal and although they still struggled in different ways they slowly began to adjust the more time they spent with one another. I appreciate that they also utilized different resources to help with the healing process outside of their relationship giving them each additional support to grow and mend.
Jinx is great! He’s a great friend to Romeo and later Julien and is definitely wise beyond his years. I’m excited for his story!
💚ARC REVIEW🖤
☑️ Trigger Warnings
Harley Chase as always was amazing and I enjoyed the portrayal of Romeo and Julian. These two went through some of the most horrific experiences imaginable and Harley conveyed this in a way that their emotions were felt in each moment. I enjoyed seeing Romeo let his guard down and Julian realize there was someone worth sticking around for. The audiobook was great, the story is one of my favorites from Courtney W. Dixon and I’m excited for Jinx’s book!
💚ALC REVIEW🖤
Original ARC review was completed April 2026:
Julien and Romeo definitely broke my heart a little. Both men had survived some of the most horrific circumstances that no one should ever have to experience and yet these two managed to seek out goodness and love even after they thought it may not exist.
I really enjoyed these two together. They gave each other happiness, hope, safety and love. Their dynamic was sweet. The first times they got to share with each other like swimming, cotton candy and kisses with feelings were adorable. They both helped each other begin to heal and although they still struggled in different ways they slowly began to adjust the more time they spent with one another. I appreciate that they also utilized different resources to help with the healing process outside of their relationship giving them each additional support to grow and mend.
Jinx is great! He’s a great friend to Romeo and later Julien and is definitely wise beyond his years. I’m excited for his story!
💚ARC REVIEW🖤
☑️ Trigger Warnings
April 23, 2026
Julien absolutely shattered me. His stepfather is an irredeemable monster, and the pain he inflicts is horrific—truly unforgivable. What makes it even harder is that his mother allows it, compounding the damage. There’s no real safety or connection anywhere in Julien’s world—not with his friends, and certainly not with his girlfriend. He is completely alone.
And then there’s Romeo. My heart broke for him over and over again. He endures everything because he believes he has no other choice. For Romeo, it’s simple: obey, or risk death. Every sacrifice he makes is about survival.
Somehow, these two broken souls find each other. They’re kindred spirits—drawn together by something undeniable. Julien feels this deep need to protect and care for Romeo, even knowing their time may be limited. And Romeo, in turn, just wants to please Julien in any way he can.
Their road trip is filled with so many firsts—moments of discovery, but also unexpected peace. In each other, they find something steady, something real. Julien begins to feel grounded by Romeo’s presence, yet he struggles to trust it. After all, he is paying Romeo to be there. But beneath the trauma, the loneliness, and the pain, something fragile begins to grow—uncertainty giving way to hope.
This is a story about surviving the unimaginable. About healing, discovery, and learning what it means to be truly seen. It’s a love story—hard-earned, deeply emotional, and ultimately worth every bit of the pain it takes to get there.
**I received a complementary copy of this book.**
And then there’s Romeo. My heart broke for him over and over again. He endures everything because he believes he has no other choice. For Romeo, it’s simple: obey, or risk death. Every sacrifice he makes is about survival.
Somehow, these two broken souls find each other. They’re kindred spirits—drawn together by something undeniable. Julien feels this deep need to protect and care for Romeo, even knowing their time may be limited. And Romeo, in turn, just wants to please Julien in any way he can.
Their road trip is filled with so many firsts—moments of discovery, but also unexpected peace. In each other, they find something steady, something real. Julien begins to feel grounded by Romeo’s presence, yet he struggles to trust it. After all, he is paying Romeo to be there. But beneath the trauma, the loneliness, and the pain, something fragile begins to grow—uncertainty giving way to hope.
This is a story about surviving the unimaginable. About healing, discovery, and learning what it means to be truly seen. It’s a love story—hard-earned, deeply emotional, and ultimately worth every bit of the pain it takes to get there.
**I received a complementary copy of this book.**
October 17, 2026
This book beautifully shows how finding the right person can change your life in ways you never imagined. Sometimes, all you need is someone who sees you, understands you, and makes you believe that you deserve good things too. There's something so beautiful about finding a person who makes life feel a little less heavy and gives you reasons to look forward to tomorrow. A really beautiful read that left me with a warm heart❤️
August 30, 2026
Wow…. This book was HEAVY. If you’re someone who needs to check triggers, definitely check them before going into this. As someone who has #trauma, there were moments I needed to take a few breaks 😮💨.
Romeo and Julien… went THROUGH IT. You hit the ground running from page 1 and it’s just nothing but hurt the whole way through. You do get some “awww” moments and laughable moments as you follow them on their road trip but the overall premise was just… so sad. Being in Julien’s headspace absolutely killed me and I knew almost immediately where it was headed.
Despite the darker themes, a lot of this felt like the author wrapped everything in a bow. She left no loose ends that at times it almost felt “too perfect” for something so heavy. I honestly feel like with how raw and real these themes were, I would have liked that final scene (iykyk) to be more in depth. I wanted more emotion, more broken Julien, and more explanation. The whole book’s premise was about THAT scene, yet when we got there…. We flew right past it and moved on. I know I’m a masochist but I really would have loved to see that scene expanded upon better.
Overall, this story was so beautiful and worth the heartbreaking journey. I’m excited to read about Jinx’s book and see where he ends up.
Romeo and Julien… went THROUGH IT. You hit the ground running from page 1 and it’s just nothing but hurt the whole way through. You do get some “awww” moments and laughable moments as you follow them on their road trip but the overall premise was just… so sad. Being in Julien’s headspace absolutely killed me and I knew almost immediately where it was headed.
Despite the darker themes, a lot of this felt like the author wrapped everything in a bow. She left no loose ends that at times it almost felt “too perfect” for something so heavy. I honestly feel like with how raw and real these themes were, I would have liked that final scene (iykyk) to be more in depth. I wanted more emotion, more broken Julien, and more explanation. The whole book’s premise was about THAT scene, yet when we got there…. We flew right past it and moved on. I know I’m a masochist but I really would have loved to see that scene expanded upon better.
Overall, this story was so beautiful and worth the heartbreaking journey. I’m excited to read about Jinx’s book and see where he ends up.
April 29, 2026
Omg this book absolutely put me through it! Especially towards the end (the tears that rolled down my face were paid actors)
Romeo and Julien. My god. I love both of these sweet broken boys so much. The pain and hurt they go through is so heavy but with each other they find peace, love and acceptance. Ugh I love it so much ❤️
Thank you so much for the ARC Courtney and I cannot wait to read book 2! 👀👀
Romeo and Julien. My god. I love both of these sweet broken boys so much. The pain and hurt they go through is so heavy but with each other they find peace, love and acceptance. Ugh I love it so much ❤️
Thank you so much for the ARC Courtney and I cannot wait to read book 2! 👀👀
May 6, 2026
I’m not ok. Every time I think I’ve gotten used to Courtney breaking my heart, she goes and outdoes herself. I can’t even begin to describe the level of hurt my heart is in after reading this book😭
How can I put into words how much a I want to wrap Julien and Romeo in my arms and just keep them there so the world doesn’t hurt them anymore? How can I ever move on from their story and just keep going like nothing happened?
Oh Julien. All you ever wanted was to be loved for you, not your money. You had the worst people around you who didn’t care about your pain and suffering. All they cared about was how much they could use you to get what they wanted. They never cared enough to see how much you were hurting.
My poor Romeo. You never had a chance. From the moment you were born, your life was already doomed to fail. You were destined for a lifetime of misery and pain, yet you chose to keep going despite the hurt and abuse.
Julien never thought that a whole year of planning would come to such a screeching halt the moment he met Romeo. It was only supposed to be a two week trip to see the world in a different light. To experience something beautiful after all the ugliness he’d been through. But those two weeks changed everything, altering his plans to make his pain go away.
Romeo was like a breath of fresh air Julien never thought he needed. A broken boy just like him who somehow still loved life despite being knocked down by it.
Julien’s plan never included being protective of Romeo. Or taking care of him and making sure his life was better after their time together ended. Romeo was not supposed to make Julien second guess his decision. And he definitely wasn’t supposed to make Julien fall in love with him and want to stick around for him.
Romeo was supposed to be treated like the escort he was. Instead, Julien treated him like a prince. Someone worth caring for and treated with respect and dignity. Something Romeo never had before. To everyone else, he was just a body to use and discard, to Julien he was the most precious thing in the world.
Julien made Romeo feel special and treasured. He made him feel safe and brave. Julien gave him the courage to try to get out of the life he was forced into. But things could never be easy for Romeo. Just when he thought he could be free, he finds himself in the most difficult situation yet.
Had it not been for Julien, who knows what would have happened. Julien saved him in more ways than one and that’s something Romeo would never forget. Yet he knows that keeping Julien isn’t part of their two week deal. Romeo wasn’t supposed to fall for Julien but he made it too easy.
Julien was determined to continue with his plans despite being in love with Romeo. He didn’t want to believe that Romeo would be enough to make him stay. There was too much trauma and pain for him to deal with and in that moment those feelings were stronger than what he felt for Romeo.
𝑰’𝒎 𝒔𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒚, 𝑪𝒖𝒑𝒄𝒂𝒌𝒆. 𝑰’𝒎 𝒔𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒚 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒅𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒋𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒚 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒎𝒆. 𝑰𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒖𝒏𝒇𝒂𝒊𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒑𝒖𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔. 𝑵𝒐𝒘, 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒈𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒎𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕’𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒔𝒕. 𝑰 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒉𝒖𝒓𝒕𝒔 𝒕𝒐𝒐 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉, 𝒕𝒐𝒐 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒚.
My boys deserved better. They were failed by those who were supposed to protect and love them. Julien only had one person to care about him and that person was gone. Romeo only had Jinx who was just as broken. Yet in the middle of it all, they found each other. The best found family neither of them expected.
“𝑰’𝒍𝒍 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅, 𝒃𝒂𝒃𝒚.”
“𝑰 𝒅𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅. 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕. 𝑨𝒍𝒍 𝑰 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖.”
“𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒍𝒍 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒎𝒆.”
I don’t think I can ever get over this book. It hurt, A LOT. But their HEA was worth the pain. In the end, they made the life they always wanted. Those people who hurt them most paid dearly and their future looks brighter each day. Thank you Courtney for bringing these boys into our lives.
How can I put into words how much a I want to wrap Julien and Romeo in my arms and just keep them there so the world doesn’t hurt them anymore? How can I ever move on from their story and just keep going like nothing happened?
Oh Julien. All you ever wanted was to be loved for you, not your money. You had the worst people around you who didn’t care about your pain and suffering. All they cared about was how much they could use you to get what they wanted. They never cared enough to see how much you were hurting.
My poor Romeo. You never had a chance. From the moment you were born, your life was already doomed to fail. You were destined for a lifetime of misery and pain, yet you chose to keep going despite the hurt and abuse.
Julien never thought that a whole year of planning would come to such a screeching halt the moment he met Romeo. It was only supposed to be a two week trip to see the world in a different light. To experience something beautiful after all the ugliness he’d been through. But those two weeks changed everything, altering his plans to make his pain go away.
Romeo was like a breath of fresh air Julien never thought he needed. A broken boy just like him who somehow still loved life despite being knocked down by it.
Julien’s plan never included being protective of Romeo. Or taking care of him and making sure his life was better after their time together ended. Romeo was not supposed to make Julien second guess his decision. And he definitely wasn’t supposed to make Julien fall in love with him and want to stick around for him.
Romeo was supposed to be treated like the escort he was. Instead, Julien treated him like a prince. Someone worth caring for and treated with respect and dignity. Something Romeo never had before. To everyone else, he was just a body to use and discard, to Julien he was the most precious thing in the world.
Julien made Romeo feel special and treasured. He made him feel safe and brave. Julien gave him the courage to try to get out of the life he was forced into. But things could never be easy for Romeo. Just when he thought he could be free, he finds himself in the most difficult situation yet.
Had it not been for Julien, who knows what would have happened. Julien saved him in more ways than one and that’s something Romeo would never forget. Yet he knows that keeping Julien isn’t part of their two week deal. Romeo wasn’t supposed to fall for Julien but he made it too easy.
Julien was determined to continue with his plans despite being in love with Romeo. He didn’t want to believe that Romeo would be enough to make him stay. There was too much trauma and pain for him to deal with and in that moment those feelings were stronger than what he felt for Romeo.
𝑰’𝒎 𝒔𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒚, 𝑪𝒖𝒑𝒄𝒂𝒌𝒆. 𝑰’𝒎 𝒔𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒚 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒅𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒋𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒚 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒎𝒆. 𝑰𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒖𝒏𝒇𝒂𝒊𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒑𝒖𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔. 𝑵𝒐𝒘, 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒈𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒎𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕’𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒔𝒕. 𝑰 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒉𝒖𝒓𝒕𝒔 𝒕𝒐𝒐 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉, 𝒕𝒐𝒐 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒚.
My boys deserved better. They were failed by those who were supposed to protect and love them. Julien only had one person to care about him and that person was gone. Romeo only had Jinx who was just as broken. Yet in the middle of it all, they found each other. The best found family neither of them expected.
“𝑰’𝒍𝒍 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅, 𝒃𝒂𝒃𝒚.”
“𝑰 𝒅𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅. 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕. 𝑨𝒍𝒍 𝑰 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖.”
“𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒍𝒍 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒎𝒆.”
I don’t think I can ever get over this book. It hurt, A LOT. But their HEA was worth the pain. In the end, they made the life they always wanted. Those people who hurt them most paid dearly and their future looks brighter each day. Thank you Courtney for bringing these boys into our lives.
May 5, 2026
I was an arc reader for Spitting Off the Edge of the World by Courtney Dixon
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Heat Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Not even exaggerating this might be my favorite book of all time.
The Emotional Weight (PLEASE READ)
This book is melodramatic in nature and touches on themes that feel deeply personal it’s clear there is a "lived experience" behind the writing of grief, depression, and CPTSD. The subplots are tight and don't drag, keeping the focus on the heavy overarching themes.
⚠️ A Note on Triggers: > This book is a brutal, beautiful reality check on suicide ideation, depression, child abuse, and rape. The ending is extremely heavy, especially for those with PTSD. Even as someone who appreciates dark themes, this was the first book that truly triggered me. It is a Happy Ever After (HEA), but the road there is paved with intense angst and tension.
Spitting Off the Edge of the World is a raw, somber, and profoundly intimate journey that explores the heaviest corners of the human experience. While it starts with a bit of a backstory "info dump" in chapter one, I actually appreciated the quick pacing there it sets the stage efficiently so we can dive straight into the emotional core of the story.
The Characters & Romance
The connection between Julian and Romeo is something special. Julian is young, but his kind, compassionate soul is tempered by a world-weariness that makes his mindset feel completely earned given his past. Romeo is equally compelling as a man simply trying to make the best of the hand he was dealt.
Interestingly, this is one of the rare cases where "insta-love" actually works. The progression feels natural, and the subtext hidden in their small comments to one another makes their evolving bond feel authentic. There is a "self-imposed two-week" deadline hanging over the narrative that creates a "chef’s kiss" level of tension throughout.
Authenticity & Intimacy
As a reader, I have to give major recognition to Courtney Dixon for the authenticity regarding the reality of being a bottom. Seeing a character be conscious of what they are eating is a small but vital detail that adds a level of realism often missing in the genre.
The "spice" in this book is prevalent and incredibly well-written, but more importantly, it is intimate. Sometimes sex in fiction can feel performative, but here, it feels so personal and filled with love that you almost feel like you are intruding on something private. It’s incredibly refreshing.
Final Verdict
This story touched me in a way I can’t quite put into words. It feels human and real in a way that is hard to replicate. Please assess your mental well-being before diving in. If you are having a low mental health day, save this for later—but when you are ready, it is a profound, soul-stirring read.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Heat Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Not even exaggerating this might be my favorite book of all time.
The Emotional Weight (PLEASE READ)
This book is melodramatic in nature and touches on themes that feel deeply personal it’s clear there is a "lived experience" behind the writing of grief, depression, and CPTSD. The subplots are tight and don't drag, keeping the focus on the heavy overarching themes.
⚠️ A Note on Triggers: > This book is a brutal, beautiful reality check on suicide ideation, depression, child abuse, and rape. The ending is extremely heavy, especially for those with PTSD. Even as someone who appreciates dark themes, this was the first book that truly triggered me. It is a Happy Ever After (HEA), but the road there is paved with intense angst and tension.
Spitting Off the Edge of the World is a raw, somber, and profoundly intimate journey that explores the heaviest corners of the human experience. While it starts with a bit of a backstory "info dump" in chapter one, I actually appreciated the quick pacing there it sets the stage efficiently so we can dive straight into the emotional core of the story.
The Characters & Romance
The connection between Julian and Romeo is something special. Julian is young, but his kind, compassionate soul is tempered by a world-weariness that makes his mindset feel completely earned given his past. Romeo is equally compelling as a man simply trying to make the best of the hand he was dealt.
Interestingly, this is one of the rare cases where "insta-love" actually works. The progression feels natural, and the subtext hidden in their small comments to one another makes their evolving bond feel authentic. There is a "self-imposed two-week" deadline hanging over the narrative that creates a "chef’s kiss" level of tension throughout.
Authenticity & Intimacy
As a reader, I have to give major recognition to Courtney Dixon for the authenticity regarding the reality of being a bottom. Seeing a character be conscious of what they are eating is a small but vital detail that adds a level of realism often missing in the genre.
The "spice" in this book is prevalent and incredibly well-written, but more importantly, it is intimate. Sometimes sex in fiction can feel performative, but here, it feels so personal and filled with love that you almost feel like you are intruding on something private. It’s incredibly refreshing.
Final Verdict
This story touched me in a way I can’t quite put into words. It feels human and real in a way that is hard to replicate. Please assess your mental well-being before diving in. If you are having a low mental health day, save this for later—but when you are ready, it is a profound, soul-stirring read.
June 14, 2026
Phew! This book was HEAVY! While this book did indeed put me through it, I did enjoy the story and was completely immersed in it. It was very different from a lot of other books I have read and it kept me invested. It was also my first time reading anything by Courtney, but I can tell you, it won't be my last!
We start off with Julien, who is a rich kid from a very prestigious school. He may seem to have everything he ever wanted in life, but he is miserable and lives with an awful secret. Everyone around him just uses him and doesn't give care about his wants and needs. That includes his mom and step father. Since he is now of age for his trust fund from his father who passed away, he decides that for two weeks, he is going to live life how he wants to before he inevitably ends it all. This is where we meet Romeo.
Romeo is a male escort on the streets and has nothing to his name. His pimp takes all of his money and abuses him left and right. He doesn't want this life, but it is all he has ever known. When Julien pays an obscene amount of money to have Romeo for two weeks, he decides this is the time to make a clean break from his master and escape this horrible life he lives. What he didn't expect, was for Julien to be so kind and so gentle with him. He is used to be beaten and treated like a hole and not an actual person with feelings. It makes him question all his plans.
This book had me in a chokehold from the moment I started it! I truly wanted to know what would happen to each of these beautiful souls who had been abused their whole lives. The two weeks countdown was the WORST! I found myself becoming nauseated the closer it got to the end! I cried so much at one point that I couldn't even see the words on my kindle anymore!! This book was amazing and I highly recommend it! Just be sure to read all TWs besties because this is definitely a super heavy book! Looking forward to book two, which is Romeo's best friend, Jinx.
We start off with Julien, who is a rich kid from a very prestigious school. He may seem to have everything he ever wanted in life, but he is miserable and lives with an awful secret. Everyone around him just uses him and doesn't give care about his wants and needs. That includes his mom and step father. Since he is now of age for his trust fund from his father who passed away, he decides that for two weeks, he is going to live life how he wants to before he inevitably ends it all. This is where we meet Romeo.
Romeo is a male escort on the streets and has nothing to his name. His pimp takes all of his money and abuses him left and right. He doesn't want this life, but it is all he has ever known. When Julien pays an obscene amount of money to have Romeo for two weeks, he decides this is the time to make a clean break from his master and escape this horrible life he lives. What he didn't expect, was for Julien to be so kind and so gentle with him. He is used to be beaten and treated like a hole and not an actual person with feelings. It makes him question all his plans.
This book had me in a chokehold from the moment I started it! I truly wanted to know what would happen to each of these beautiful souls who had been abused their whole lives. The two weeks countdown was the WORST! I found myself becoming nauseated the closer it got to the end! I cried so much at one point that I couldn't even see the words on my kindle anymore!! This book was amazing and I highly recommend it! Just be sure to read all TWs besties because this is definitely a super heavy book! Looking forward to book two, which is Romeo's best friend, Jinx.
May 10, 2026
this was beyond beautiful and i still don’t know if i can find the words to perfectly portray what a story it was.
all i know is i wasn’t ready for the emotional turmoil i was going to be sat through, from the literal first 10% i was ready to finish it all, i was hurting for mc1 so deeply, he had a life that i couldn’t even fathom to understand and then you meet mc2 and you are hit with another wave of pain and trauma, these boys were deeply scarred and purely surviving, not living. just barely surviving. but once they find each other, it all changes. two broken souls finding light and life in one another.
this story is hard hitting, emotionally difficult and full of hurt, suffering and finally healing. i would recommend it to absolutely anyone but check your triggers bc this isn’t a light story. it’s real, it’s raw and it’s hard hurting at times. I sobbed through most of this book and felt RAWWWWW by the end so enjoy. these boys are diamonds and i am completely invested in the coming books.
all the stars for making me ugly crying for like 80% of the book
all i know is i wasn’t ready for the emotional turmoil i was going to be sat through, from the literal first 10% i was ready to finish it all, i was hurting for mc1 so deeply, he had a life that i couldn’t even fathom to understand and then you meet mc2 and you are hit with another wave of pain and trauma, these boys were deeply scarred and purely surviving, not living. just barely surviving. but once they find each other, it all changes. two broken souls finding light and life in one another.
this story is hard hitting, emotionally difficult and full of hurt, suffering and finally healing. i would recommend it to absolutely anyone but check your triggers bc this isn’t a light story. it’s real, it’s raw and it’s hard hurting at times. I sobbed through most of this book and felt RAWWWWW by the end so enjoy. these boys are diamonds and i am completely invested in the coming books.
all the stars for making me ugly crying for like 80% of the book
August 7, 2026
Death or cure? Easily the heaviest, most angsty, yet brilliantly melodramatic road trip story I've ever read—and I ate it all up in one sitting with tons of tears.🤧🤧🤧
After all the suffering, two broken boys from different walks of life were so lucky to start this journey together. They offered each other the understanding, company, and support that the world owed them and no one else could have provided.🥹🥹🥹
Sometimes love isn't a cure-all, but it provides an anchor before the dark waves of life sweep you away. And that is where everything begins.❤️❤️❤️
4.5⭐️ The writing is simple and easy to follow, but it could definitely benefit from some tightening.
Many thanks to my friend @Rachael for bringing this book to my attention. Now I'm left sitting on my hands for the next installment.
After all the suffering, two broken boys from different walks of life were so lucky to start this journey together. They offered each other the understanding, company, and support that the world owed them and no one else could have provided.🥹🥹🥹
Sometimes love isn't a cure-all, but it provides an anchor before the dark waves of life sweep you away. And that is where everything begins.❤️❤️❤️
4.5⭐️ The writing is simple and easy to follow, but it could definitely benefit from some tightening.
Many thanks to my friend @Rachael for bringing this book to my attention. Now I'm left sitting on my hands for the next installment.
June 2, 2026
Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this book even though I expected to. The premise presented in the blurb was promising but the execution throughout the chapters failed to live up to it. The writing style and dialogue were not at the level I had hoped for, which made the story feel cliché and artificial. As a result, I couldn't fully immerse myself in it.
I understand that the characters were only eighteen years old, but considering the experiences they had been through and the terrible things that happened to them, I expected them to be more mature or at least to have a deeper side that would allow readers to connect with them and with their past struggles.
I understand that the characters were only eighteen years old, but considering the experiences they had been through and the terrible things that happened to them, I expected them to be more mature or at least to have a deeper side that would allow readers to connect with them and with their past struggles.
November 11, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶
This book is an emotional roller coaster from the first sentence. Julien is a rich kid who is being carved two pieces from the outside in. He has gone through the worst of what any kid can go through, except for Romeo, he's got it worse and kismet brings these two together. These two trauma bond hardcore.
Julian has a plan to pick up a Hooker and then take two weeks to travel from California to the Grand Canyon in glorious fashion. He finds Romeo on a street corner and instantly knows Romeo is the person he's looking for from the bruises on his face that matched the bruises on Julian's face.
They take an awesome road trip while discovering themselves, each other, and realizing that there is always hope, even in the deepest depths of despair.
This book is very spicy. I'm giving it 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶5/5 chilies on the spicy scale.
The guys do get their HEA and a wonderful epilogue.
I listened to the audio book and the narrator was great.
1 narrator, 2 POVs, first person
-Hurt/comfort
-different worlds
-rich/poor
-male escort
-road trip
-opposites attract
-obsession/possession
🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶
This book is an emotional roller coaster from the first sentence. Julien is a rich kid who is being carved two pieces from the outside in. He has gone through the worst of what any kid can go through, except for Romeo, he's got it worse and kismet brings these two together. These two trauma bond hardcore.
Julian has a plan to pick up a Hooker and then take two weeks to travel from California to the Grand Canyon in glorious fashion. He finds Romeo on a street corner and instantly knows Romeo is the person he's looking for from the bruises on his face that matched the bruises on Julian's face.
They take an awesome road trip while discovering themselves, each other, and realizing that there is always hope, even in the deepest depths of despair.
This book is very spicy. I'm giving it 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶5/5 chilies on the spicy scale.
The guys do get their HEA and a wonderful epilogue.
I listened to the audio book and the narrator was great.
1 narrator, 2 POVs, first person
-Hurt/comfort
-different worlds
-rich/poor
-male escort
-road trip
-opposites attract
-obsession/possession
June 11, 2026
This is a hurt / comfort to more romance, featuring Julien Kendrick and Romeo, and is book one in the Not Strong Enough series.
Julien is a wealthy young man who is hurting and feels, alone, betrayed, lost and broken, so he pays Romeo, a sex worker, to spend two weeks with him, one last chance to have something good in his life before he puts his plan into action to end it all.
I cannot stress this enough, check the CW if you get triggered by certain themes as this one has a lot of sensitive topics and a lot happens.
This one was such a beautifully painful story and I seriously couldn’t put it down. I cried so much towards the end, these two broken boys finding love and finally finding someone to care about them was everything.
Things to expect in this book are:
Book 1 in series
MM romance
Check CW
Hurt / Comfort
Broken boys
SA, Abuse, trafficking
Mental health themes
Plan to end it all
Touch him & 💀
Prostitute x Client
Two weeks together
MC with heterochromia
Bucket list road trip
Outdoor s*x
Cum play
Pet names: sugar, cupcake
Healing through love
Hard fought HEA
Julien is a wealthy young man who is hurting and feels, alone, betrayed, lost and broken, so he pays Romeo, a sex worker, to spend two weeks with him, one last chance to have something good in his life before he puts his plan into action to end it all.
I cannot stress this enough, check the CW if you get triggered by certain themes as this one has a lot of sensitive topics and a lot happens.
This one was such a beautifully painful story and I seriously couldn’t put it down. I cried so much towards the end, these two broken boys finding love and finally finding someone to care about them was everything.
Things to expect in this book are:
Book 1 in series
MM romance
Check CW
Hurt / Comfort
Broken boys
SA, Abuse, trafficking
Mental health themes
Plan to end it all
Touch him & 💀
Prostitute x Client
Two weeks together
MC with heterochromia
Bucket list road trip
Outdoor s*x
Cum play
Pet names: sugar, cupcake
Healing through love
Hard fought HEA
May 1, 2026
Wow…! I finished reading this story yesterday, and I usually write my reviews right away. But I couldn’t find the right words—let’s see if I can manage it now.
From the very first moment I saw this book on social media, I knew deep down that it would be something special. And when I read the first reviews, that feeling was only confirmed.
It’s quite a lot to take in; these two guys have a difficult and deeply traumatic past behind them. It’s painful to read, and yet you’re immediately pulled into this whirlwind of emotions. In some places, this story also gets darker than you might expect. Still, it’s incredibly touching and breathtaking to see how Romeo and Julien let down their defenses and how deep and unwavering their feelings for each other are ❤️. Can the two of them ease each other’s pain? Find their happy ending together? You hope, suffer, and love every moment right along with them! Their intimate moments are so passionate, so intense, and yet so tender—simply beautifully written 🔥.
You can tell that I truly love this book; I’ll be carrying these two with me in my thoughts for a while longer. And I’m already so excited to see what happens next with Jinx. I highly recommend this story to all of you!
From the very first moment I saw this book on social media, I knew deep down that it would be something special. And when I read the first reviews, that feeling was only confirmed.
It’s quite a lot to take in; these two guys have a difficult and deeply traumatic past behind them. It’s painful to read, and yet you’re immediately pulled into this whirlwind of emotions. In some places, this story also gets darker than you might expect. Still, it’s incredibly touching and breathtaking to see how Romeo and Julien let down their defenses and how deep and unwavering their feelings for each other are ❤️. Can the two of them ease each other’s pain? Find their happy ending together? You hope, suffer, and love every moment right along with them! Their intimate moments are so passionate, so intense, and yet so tender—simply beautifully written 🔥.
You can tell that I truly love this book; I’ll be carrying these two with me in my thoughts for a while longer. And I’m already so excited to see what happens next with Jinx. I highly recommend this story to all of you!
May 5, 2026
This book is no joke with triggers.
Now with that warning in place, as always, I go in mostly blind. I am grateful Courtney took a few messages of me bawling. Like ugly cry. I chuckle now as I write this but truly, I was wrecked.
Courtney took two completely characters from different walks of life and expertly wove them together to show that we are indeed, more alike than we are different as humans. She sprinkled in a bit of "Jinx" who added another layer of commonality yet handles his trauma differently as well.
Falling in love with these characters was easy. Leaving the story behind was hard once finished. Unforgettable journey that I'm so grateful Dixon is adding to for a duet! So bring on Jinx!
Now with that warning in place, as always, I go in mostly blind. I am grateful Courtney took a few messages of me bawling. Like ugly cry. I chuckle now as I write this but truly, I was wrecked.
Courtney took two completely characters from different walks of life and expertly wove them together to show that we are indeed, more alike than we are different as humans. She sprinkled in a bit of "Jinx" who added another layer of commonality yet handles his trauma differently as well.
Falling in love with these characters was easy. Leaving the story behind was hard once finished. Unforgettable journey that I'm so grateful Dixon is adding to for a duet! So bring on Jinx!
October 23, 2026
4.5⭐️
If need me I’m gonna be crying in the corner.
Ughh my heart I can’t ….. I can’t stop crying this boook 😭😭
These boys need a big hug and I wanna hold them so tight 😭😭😭
You saved ME.
You saved me too .
I love you cupcake,
I love you too, sugar.
“You… bought us stars?”
“You named them Romeo and Julien?”
“Is… that okay?”
“Of course, it’s okay. God, what an amazingly beautiful gift, Julien. So fucking thoughtful. I love that we’re immortalized. When we die, we’ll exist in the stars together.”
“That’s the plan.”
“I’ll give you the fucking world, baby.”
“I don’t need the world. You know that. All I need
is you.”
“You’ll always have me. Now, let’s have some hot sex.”
If need me I’m gonna be crying in the corner.
Ughh my heart I can’t ….. I can’t stop crying this boook 😭😭
These boys need a big hug and I wanna hold them so tight 😭😭😭
You saved ME.
You saved me too .
I love you cupcake,
I love you too, sugar.
“You… bought us stars?”
“You named them Romeo and Julien?”
“Is… that okay?”
“Of course, it’s okay. God, what an amazingly beautiful gift, Julien. So fucking thoughtful. I love that we’re immortalized. When we die, we’ll exist in the stars together.”
“That’s the plan.”
“I’ll give you the fucking world, baby.”
“I don’t need the world. You know that. All I need
is you.”
“You’ll always have me. Now, let’s have some hot sex.”
April 29, 2026
Julien • Romeo (A.)
….
“What would it be like to have someone love you back…”
….
…how tender is the heart even when all the evil, bad and ugly. This story follows Julien and Romeo. Two souls that are definitely star-crossed. Two different stories, two different backgrounds, one broken core. Healing is the spirit of this book. Healing even if you think all is lost.
One thought. One proposition. One trip. Confessions. All truths, expect one. Quiet observations, grand gestures. A companion. A battle within. Something undeniable. Moments filled with so many firsts but also discovery. This story has it all and even though it touches the most sensitive subjects it’s as much soft as it sits heavy on the heart.
I really can’t wait for Jinx….
….
“There’s only one person I want to affect. I just don’t know who that is yet.” // “I want to kiss you.” // “You don’t have to pretend to be someone else to get my attention. You have my undivided attention already.” // “It’s my rebirth. The start of my journey, which only I control. No one else.” // “I’d do it again… A hundred times.” // “I definitely think Julien and I are beautiful together.” // “He’d rather have you than whatever you plan to leave with him.” // “Love and oblivion are waging war against each other. I’m not sure which one I want to win.” // “”Home.” I whisper.” …
….
*I reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.
….
….
“What would it be like to have someone love you back…”
….
…how tender is the heart even when all the evil, bad and ugly. This story follows Julien and Romeo. Two souls that are definitely star-crossed. Two different stories, two different backgrounds, one broken core. Healing is the spirit of this book. Healing even if you think all is lost.
One thought. One proposition. One trip. Confessions. All truths, expect one. Quiet observations, grand gestures. A companion. A battle within. Something undeniable. Moments filled with so many firsts but also discovery. This story has it all and even though it touches the most sensitive subjects it’s as much soft as it sits heavy on the heart.
I really can’t wait for Jinx….
….
“There’s only one person I want to affect. I just don’t know who that is yet.” // “I want to kiss you.” // “You don’t have to pretend to be someone else to get my attention. You have my undivided attention already.” // “It’s my rebirth. The start of my journey, which only I control. No one else.” // “I’d do it again… A hundred times.” // “I definitely think Julien and I are beautiful together.” // “He’d rather have you than whatever you plan to leave with him.” // “Love and oblivion are waging war against each other. I’m not sure which one I want to win.” // “”Home.” I whisper.” …
….
*I reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.
….
May 9, 2026
I have loved every book Courtney has written.
Spitting off the Edge of the World is one of the best stories that Courtney has written in a long time. She's found her joy again!
Julien and Romeo’s story was so heartbreaking but at the same time so sweet. I laughed a lot and teared up more than once. It is definitely an emotional roller coaster but well worth it!
Spitting off the Edge of the World is one of the best stories that Courtney has written in a long time. She's found her joy again!
Julien and Romeo’s story was so heartbreaking but at the same time so sweet. I laughed a lot and teared up more than once. It is definitely an emotional roller coaster but well worth it!
May 9, 2026
I loved it! It's heavy and gets dark, but it's still such a great read! I had to make myself put it down so I could deal with my adult responsibilities, but I was grumpy because I really wanted to read Romeo and Julien's story.
Romeo and Julien have so much trauma. My heart broke for these two. They are also really strong for getting through everything. I feel like them finding each other was fate! They needed to find each other no matter what. I loved the hurt/comfort and how they saved each other. I loved seeing their relationship progress and them opening up to each other. It was great to see Julien pamper and spoil Romeo.
I'm an emotional reader, so you can safely assume that I cried while reading it and I don't regret it at all! The story was beautifully written and it flowed really well. I also loved the addition of sassy and blunt Jinx, he brought levity that was needed. I loved the little found family they have and all of the fur babies they end up adopting.
If you're in the mood for a great hurt/comfort story that is beautifully written, with strong emotions and a beautiful love story and happiness at the end of a hard battle then this is the book for you. You just need to have the tissues ready.
Romeo and Julien have so much trauma. My heart broke for these two. They are also really strong for getting through everything. I feel like them finding each other was fate! They needed to find each other no matter what. I loved the hurt/comfort and how they saved each other. I loved seeing their relationship progress and them opening up to each other. It was great to see Julien pamper and spoil Romeo.
I'm an emotional reader, so you can safely assume that I cried while reading it and I don't regret it at all! The story was beautifully written and it flowed really well. I also loved the addition of sassy and blunt Jinx, he brought levity that was needed. I loved the little found family they have and all of the fur babies they end up adopting.
If you're in the mood for a great hurt/comfort story that is beautifully written, with strong emotions and a beautiful love story and happiness at the end of a hard battle then this is the book for you. You just need to have the tissues ready.
October 16, 2026
This was a REALLY ROUGH read, and I'm fairly immune to triggers and violent SA on page. If you were abused by a parent or step parent, you might want to skip this one. The TW says that the SA isn't very detailed, but there's details enough, and it's definitely on page.
You'd think that the majority of SA happening in chapter 1-3 would make it easier, too, because we don't even know the MCs yet.
However, for me, that made it harder: not knowing anything about the MCs, but knowing that practical children (just turned 18, with a long history of abuse) were being hurt sexually.
It hurt to read this book, but I definitely think it's worth reading. Just make sure you did your yoga today or have a cocktail in hand for the first three chapters, however you cope. Your mental health is, as they say, more important than this book.
Hard read but worth all the pain.
You'd think that the majority of SA happening in chapter 1-3 would make it easier, too, because we don't even know the MCs yet.
However, for me, that made it harder: not knowing anything about the MCs, but knowing that practical children (just turned 18, with a long history of abuse) were being hurt sexually.
It hurt to read this book, but I definitely think it's worth reading. Just make sure you did your yoga today or have a cocktail in hand for the first three chapters, however you cope. Your mental health is, as they say, more important than this book.
Hard read but worth all the pain.
October 8, 2026
I didn’t love the writing style but truly enjoyed the heart warming story of two broken boys saving each other.
May 1, 2026
ARC REVIEW
Think Pretty Woman, but make it MM, and add emotional trauma and dark themes ❤️
Two broken souls find each other at the time they need one another most.
Julien and Romeo come from very different backgrounds, but neither is a stranger to pain and suffering. One was trafficked as a child and forced into prostitution, while the other is a seemingly careless rich boy who is being abused by his stepfather, all while his mother looks the other way so she can continue living her own life in comfort. Neither of them has ever truly been loved.
Their paths cross when Julien has had enough and decides he wants two weeks of happiness. He hires Romeo to be by his side for his last road trip.
Along the way, they slowly begin to mend each other’s broken pieces and even adopt some strays both human and canine 🐶
I loved their emotional journey and where it ultimately led them.
I really recommend this book, but be prepared to cry during the last quarter 🙈
Think Pretty Woman, but make it MM, and add emotional trauma and dark themes ❤️
Two broken souls find each other at the time they need one another most.
Julien and Romeo come from very different backgrounds, but neither is a stranger to pain and suffering. One was trafficked as a child and forced into prostitution, while the other is a seemingly careless rich boy who is being abused by his stepfather, all while his mother looks the other way so she can continue living her own life in comfort. Neither of them has ever truly been loved.
Their paths cross when Julien has had enough and decides he wants two weeks of happiness. He hires Romeo to be by his side for his last road trip.
Along the way, they slowly begin to mend each other’s broken pieces and even adopt some strays both human and canine 🐶
I loved their emotional journey and where it ultimately led them.
I really recommend this book, but be prepared to cry during the last quarter 🙈
Displaying 1 - 30 of 297 reviews