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He's Not for Me: A Second Chance MM Romance
I know we’re insane, that there’s no way this doesn’t end in disaster. But the truth is that I’ve been gone on Cole ever since I first laid eyes on him when I was seventeen. And as he’s kicking the door shut behind us, pinning me against the wall, his lips on my throat, I can’t remember why any of this is a bad idea.
Ezra Callahan is the last person in the world who should be allowed anywhere near the Heterosexual Marriage Industrial Complex. He’s too sharp, too abrasive, too cynical — and he’s never been lucky in love. So when his estranged brother asks Ezra to be his best man, Ezra isn’t exactly thrilled.
Then he spots Cole. The man of honor. The bride’s best friend.
Ezra can’t believe it. Cole, the star of every one of Ezra’s teenage fantasies, the boy who stole his heart and smashed it into a million pieces. It’s been twelve years since the last time Ezra saw him, the night it all went wrong. And now Cole is back, and more irresistible than ever.
Will Cole and Ezra’s secret romance turn into a second chance at love? Or will their steamy affair break both of their hearts — again?
A high-heat MM second chance romance featuring mutual pining, a secret relationship, gratuitous descriptions of sunrises, and a guaranteed HEA.
Ezra Callahan is the last person in the world who should be allowed anywhere near the Heterosexual Marriage Industrial Complex. He’s too sharp, too abrasive, too cynical — and he’s never been lucky in love. So when his estranged brother asks Ezra to be his best man, Ezra isn’t exactly thrilled.
Then he spots Cole. The man of honor. The bride’s best friend.
Ezra can’t believe it. Cole, the star of every one of Ezra’s teenage fantasies, the boy who stole his heart and smashed it into a million pieces. It’s been twelve years since the last time Ezra saw him, the night it all went wrong. And now Cole is back, and more irresistible than ever.
Will Cole and Ezra’s secret romance turn into a second chance at love? Or will their steamy affair break both of their hearts — again?
A high-heat MM second chance romance featuring mutual pining, a secret relationship, gratuitous descriptions of sunrises, and a guaranteed HEA.
328 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 2, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
June 21, 2026
Not bad for a debut novel. I almost dnf'd it but decided to keep going and glad I did.
Ezra and Cole both have their problems, and after years and years....and YEARS they finally are able to get it all out there and be themselves, together in front of all.
It was sweet towards the end and I got a little teary eyed. Happy they got their very hard earned HEA.
I received an ARC from Book Sirens for my honest review.
Ezra and Cole both have their problems, and after years and years....and YEARS they finally are able to get it all out there and be themselves, together in front of all.
It was sweet towards the end and I got a little teary eyed. Happy they got their very hard earned HEA.
I received an ARC from Book Sirens for my honest review.
May 30, 2026
** ARC Review Incoming **
Thank you to Sadie Hepworth and Booksprout for allowing me to be part of the Arc Team and for giving me a free copy of this book.
This was a lovely, heartwarming read. A feel good second chance romance that begins in young adult years and reignites when fate intervenes.
Sadie has written a gorgeous cast of characters, giving us more than just romance & spice.
This really is a lovely MM romance full of everything you need to warm your heart!
Thank you to Sadie Hepworth and Booksprout for allowing me to be part of the Arc Team and for giving me a free copy of this book.
This was a lovely, heartwarming read. A feel good second chance romance that begins in young adult years and reignites when fate intervenes.
Sadie has written a gorgeous cast of characters, giving us more than just romance & spice.
This really is a lovely MM romance full of everything you need to warm your heart!
June 19, 2026
A perfect romance
This was a captivating read from start to finish, I didn't want to put it down, as evidenced by the lack of items ticked off from my to-do list this week.
The author has built a believable world with characters you can't help rooting for, so when they are sad you feel sad and when they are happy you feel elated. And when they are horny... Well you get the picture!
This was well written, I enjoyed the jumps backwards and forwards in time and the Ezra point of view made for a great narrator. I would definitely recommend this book for m/m romance readers. It's such a lovely story.
This was a captivating read from start to finish, I didn't want to put it down, as evidenced by the lack of items ticked off from my to-do list this week.
The author has built a believable world with characters you can't help rooting for, so when they are sad you feel sad and when they are happy you feel elated. And when they are horny... Well you get the picture!
This was well written, I enjoyed the jumps backwards and forwards in time and the Ezra point of view made for a great narrator. I would definitely recommend this book for m/m romance readers. It's such a lovely story.
July 8, 2026
(3.5 stars) I really can't resist a second chance romance and this was a very cute one, with two MCs who clearly never stopped loving each other. This is a dual timeline novel, alternating between the last year of high school when they first met, and present time when they reconnect for a wedding after more than 10 years. Ezra and Cole's romance is quite sweet and spicy, but they're both struggling internally with self esteem and other unresolved issues, so there was just enough angst to keep my interest going. The story is told from Ezra's POV, which allows us to get to know him quite well, but I would've liked a few chapters from Cole's as well (but I guess that's what we're getting in the sequel)
Review of advance copy received from Author
I just finished my first ARC, a debut novel by @sadiehepworth
Going in as spoiler free as possible
Ezra (as pictured on cover on the left) and Cole (as pictured on cover on the right) had a past relationship and see each other again for the first time in over ten years for Ezra’s brother’s wedding. We see their relationship from the past as well as book present tense, I enjoyed seeing their relationship evolve in both time periods. Several of Ezra’s one liners made me laugh. As Ilya Rozanov has his Canadian wolf birds you will find Ezra will have something in this book 😂. I definitely suggest reading this book when it comes out soon if you enjoy second chance romance. I can’t wait to see what else will be in Sadie’s future. Thank you again for the ARC. #mm #mmromancebooks
Going in as spoiler free as possible
Ezra (as pictured on cover on the left) and Cole (as pictured on cover on the right) had a past relationship and see each other again for the first time in over ten years for Ezra’s brother’s wedding. We see their relationship from the past as well as book present tense, I enjoyed seeing their relationship evolve in both time periods. Several of Ezra’s one liners made me laugh. As Ilya Rozanov has his Canadian wolf birds you will find Ezra will have something in this book 😂. I definitely suggest reading this book when it comes out soon if you enjoy second chance romance. I can’t wait to see what else will be in Sadie’s future. Thank you again for the ARC. #mm #mmromancebooks
June 2, 2026
Not knowing what to expect, I was pleasantly surprised reading this book. The characters are well rounded and you can see the development of Ezra, especially.
I struggled with the flitting time lines initially, but it was soon apparent which year the characters were in.
Although it’s not specified, I do think that maybe Ezra is neurodivergent, with highs noise sensitivity and need for space or pressure to regulate. Perhaps, the reason his dad and brother didn’t know how to show him the acceptance he felt was lacking and craved, is because they were unaware of his needs. It was nice to see that his mum and then Cole made him feel like he fit, and understood what he needed.
I’m glad that both MMCs had support around them when it came to sexuality. It’s a shame that Ezra didn’t feel he could or needed to share his preferences with his dad and brother, especially how things turned out. I’m also happy that Cole had his Grams and then Bree in his corner.
Some tears were shed when Cole opened up to Ezra and also when Ezra spoke to his dad.
Overall, this is a beautiful second chance story with just enough angst and a touch of spice.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I struggled with the flitting time lines initially, but it was soon apparent which year the characters were in.
Although it’s not specified, I do think that maybe Ezra is neurodivergent, with highs noise sensitivity and need for space or pressure to regulate. Perhaps, the reason his dad and brother didn’t know how to show him the acceptance he felt was lacking and craved, is because they were unaware of his needs. It was nice to see that his mum and then Cole made him feel like he fit, and understood what he needed.
I’m glad that both MMCs had support around them when it came to sexuality. It’s a shame that Ezra didn’t feel he could or needed to share his preferences with his dad and brother, especially how things turned out. I’m also happy that Cole had his Grams and then Bree in his corner.
Some tears were shed when Cole opened up to Ezra and also when Ezra spoke to his dad.
Overall, this is a beautiful second chance story with just enough angst and a touch of spice.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 5, 2026
I absolutely loved this book. What first struck me was the writing style that’s unusual. I really liked the first person voice but it’s also the way it feels personal the way it’s told that caught me.
The story is emotional and I like how Ezra is vocalises his thoughts about himself as a person. It’s really relatable to me.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The story is emotional and I like how Ezra is vocalises his thoughts about himself as a person. It’s really relatable to me.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 3, 2026
This was an emotional read. The two MCs meet again after disappearing from each other's lives and we discover what happened in he past through flashbacks.
I felt it was a good debut book.
It reminded me a bit of Briar Prescott writing, so if you like these kinds of stories you will like this one.
I felt it was a good debut book.
It reminded me a bit of Briar Prescott writing, so if you like these kinds of stories you will like this one.
June 8, 2026
I loved this book! The duel timeline was written so well and intertwined in a way that added so much to the story. The character development is really well done as well! I really loved the characters and wish I could read it again for the first time!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 2, 2026
I received an ARC from the author. Thank you so much!
“Just casual hookups, nothing serious, no feelings involved” WHY ARE YOU LYINNNNNN BRO. I loved this book. Suddenly being faced with the guy he loved as a teenager, Ezra’s sure having a time of things, especially after they accidentally connect on a hookup app. They decide to just go ahead and hook up anyway, and despite saying there’s no feelings and it’s all just casual sex, they sure do fall into a comfortable relationship pretty quickly. I do like a fairly low stakes queer romance and this definitely fit the bill.
“Just casual hookups, nothing serious, no feelings involved” WHY ARE YOU LYINNNNNN BRO. I loved this book. Suddenly being faced with the guy he loved as a teenager, Ezra’s sure having a time of things, especially after they accidentally connect on a hookup app. They decide to just go ahead and hook up anyway, and despite saying there’s no feelings and it’s all just casual sex, they sure do fall into a comfortable relationship pretty quickly. I do like a fairly low stakes queer romance and this definitely fit the bill.
June 25, 2026
I loved this book! I was so excited the day it released that it was hard to make myself do anything else but read!
It’s a second chance romance featuring MMC Ezra, who is a self diagnosed “asshole”. The book is told entirely in his POV, and what you quickly learn is that Ezra isn’t an asshole, he’s just neurodivergent and navigating a world that is not often kind to people like him. Ezra is asked to be the best man in his brother’s wedding to Bree and it turns out, Bree’s MOH is Ezra’s old high school boyfriend Cole.
The story switches timelines between past and present so we get to know Cole and Ezra as they were teens and navigating their early 30s. These boys have so much pain in their past, but they are drawn to each other again and again while also trying to keep their relationship a secret. It’s so sweet and delicious.
Featuring plenty of open door spice that is beautifully written and full of feeling. It’s also great to read a story about two young gay men acting like young gay men do. They’re sweet on each other, but they are also horny for each other. Both of those things are great.
Spend some time with Ezra and Cole! You will be glad you did!
It’s a second chance romance featuring MMC Ezra, who is a self diagnosed “asshole”. The book is told entirely in his POV, and what you quickly learn is that Ezra isn’t an asshole, he’s just neurodivergent and navigating a world that is not often kind to people like him. Ezra is asked to be the best man in his brother’s wedding to Bree and it turns out, Bree’s MOH is Ezra’s old high school boyfriend Cole.
The story switches timelines between past and present so we get to know Cole and Ezra as they were teens and navigating their early 30s. These boys have so much pain in their past, but they are drawn to each other again and again while also trying to keep their relationship a secret. It’s so sweet and delicious.
Featuring plenty of open door spice that is beautifully written and full of feeling. It’s also great to read a story about two young gay men acting like young gay men do. They’re sweet on each other, but they are also horny for each other. Both of those things are great.
Spend some time with Ezra and Cole! You will be glad you did!
June 23, 2026
Fans of second chance are likely to love this book, and I recommend it to them! This is a debut, and the author has a strong voice and smooth, readable style. Second-chance fans, take a look, give it a chance. The romance turned out not to be a good one for me, but, the story has some wonderful elements that I enjoyed a lot, and I’m sure most readers won’t have the issues with it I did.
Why did I decide to read it, knowing I don’t often “get along” with second chance?
I read the sample and connected immediately with narrator POV MC Ezra, and his breaking of the fourth wall to tell the reader the story. I wish there’d been more of it throughout. And I might have enjoyed the story more if it had included other MC Cole's POV, because I never felt we got to know him well enough, including what he went through, not in any depth, and I got little sense of his personal interests/passions. He's an artist whose art we never see...even Ezra doesn't see it, Cole never shows him. And art is a window to the soul. I ask you...why make someone an artist and not use that to help characterize them, show us who they are today? Instead, we're shown a lot of who Cole was 12 years ago. As if that's still true. Huh. Odd choice.
Ezra is a self-proclaimed asshole, which I related to. I liked him, he is who he is. We're in his head the entire time, so, he's easy to get to know. He's also a history professor, which I did not relate to (sorry, my old teachers!), but I loved his passion for history and the snippets of his knowledge that are included. He reads as neurodivergent; he’s sensitive to loud noise and constant background irritating noises [I mean, who isn’t, but…!] and overstimulating social situations, and gets exhausted being “in company” for too long. I enjoyed reading his journey. He’s prickly, defensive, unwilling to take chances on people, the first to shut things down to protect himself…and he has so much love to give just wasting away inside him. I felt for him, and I loved experiencing his reactions to seeing Cole. Man could NOT help himself when it came to Cole. In fact, they both had no chill when they saw each other again.
They first met when Cole came to Ezra’s small-town high school for one year to stay with his grandmother. The two formed a friendship that became a secret love, a first love for Ezra (and I think Cole? He had tons of experience from boarding school, so, maybe not…). Then a night of disaster happened, and Cole disappeared/ghosted Ezra from then on. Ezra was left bereft, hurting…and became the cynical, bitter man who eschews connection that he is today. That was 12 years in the past.
So when, many years later, he goes home (Ezra lives currently in NYC) to be best man for his brother Seth’s rather rushed wedding to a woman Seth met not so long ago and it turns out Cole is the woman’s best friend and man of honor, the shock is huge. And the physical connection fast and burning hot. Pushing Cole away before Cole can reject him again is Ezra’s go-to defense, and he does.
But in NYC, where it happens Cole also lives now, they reconnect anonymously on a mutual hookup app, and before they realize who the other is, they’re already getting along SO well via DMs…when they learn who they’re talking to, they decide, why not start a situationship, no expectations, no promises?
(Surrre that always works well! 😂)
And things take off, as they continue to hookup as well as support their family/friend for the wedding.
I liked both of them as individuals. Ezra *is* a dick, but a relatable one for me, and he’s funny and honorable. Cole has become a successful artist (met Ezra’s brother’s fiancée through art school), a painter. As noted, I wanted A LOT more authenticity/detail on that. When does he work, how often why not include a scene at the gallery where he's currently featured to show Ezra his work…something? That was part of it never feeling like Ezra (or I) knew Cole that well). This hugely personal thing is never shown. At all. Wut? HOWEVER! Their banter and chemistry is strong and fun, and I loved their exchanges on the app and via text. So why didn’t I love the romance?
First, I didn’t like the back and forth present-past timelines. I didn’t care about seeing them in high school, they are very different people now, and the details of the backstory didn’t matter much to me, apart from learning what happened to separate them/why Cole ghosted. I skimmed those chapters. And honestly, the story didn’t really feel like a second chance so much as a new meeting of two people who’d changed significantly and needed to get to know each other as adults. And the voices of their teen selves didn’t feel authentically teen; they seemed the same as the present.
A lot of the present chapters are focused on hot sex. (And NFN, but, they never have a safe-sex discussion or get tested...? And seem to just...stop using condoms? despite both being very active on the apps.) I’d rather have had more balance of them getting to know each other as adults. Cole's bestie/Ezra's brother's fiancee Bree knew Cole SO much better than Ezra does, even by the end of the book, and the past chapters kept stopping the present story. The past romance read to me like maybe the first heartbreak in Cole’s life, but it certainly was not the last, because that's stated outright, and Bree is the one who saw him through those other heartbreaks and tears. Sure, losing Ezra was painful at the time, but, he also had even bigger things happening to survive, and he’d moved on and grown up. Whereas for Ezra, I sensed he never got over Cole, and he’d turned to hookups for sex, no connections, never feeling anyone really “got” him. Cole could and did fall for other people since ghosting Ezra, and could have fallen for someone else. For Cole, Ezra didn’t feel like endgame, more a realistic “now the time is right and this time it worked out” rather than “it had to be THIS person.” Too realistic for me.
I mean, Cole's claim he never contacted Ezra because he couldn't find him doesn't make sense. Cole visited his grandmother during those years—the grandmother who lives in Ezra’s hometown, the one who lives a few blocks from Ezra’s father, who is friends with Ezra's father, and Cole never bothered to ask about Ezra or find out where he was. So clearly, finding Ezra and explaining what happened wasn’t actually a priority. (Cole was the one who disappeared, so Ezra not asking his grandmother about him made sense to me, especially with Ezra’s “I’m too much trouble for people” mindset. Cole was making excuses.)
Ezra, though, has the “Cole is my person” sensibility. I loved that for him, but at the same time, it made it worse for me, bc the depth of connection felt unbalanced. Cole’s ghosting changed Ezra’s heart for good. Cole knew what happened and wasn’t the one left wondering all that time; he worked through issues and met Bree and had emotional support from her, and probably would have been fine with someone else.
We never do meet Cole’s parents (okay there's ONE second of Ezra seeing Cole's mom, but that's IT) or get to see his dynamic with them, or find out what's really going on in his dysfunctional family. I think they're homophobic and rich assholes??? Again, Bree is the one who knows about them and how they impact Cole , not Ezra. It was almost like Cole didn’t trust Ezra enough to really show his vulnerabilities, to be himself around Ezra. I don’t know…it was off.
Before they met again, they both also hooked up via apps regularly, and having Cole tell Ezra casually that he usually meets his hookups in a bar to make sure they aren’t weirdos, then brings them back to his place to fuck, at the same time that he’s met Ezra in a bar and is bringing Ezra back to his place to fuck, further killed the romance for me, along with refs to how experienced they now are contrasted with the sweetness of the past (like, E giving C a BJ, and C remembering him doing when they were teens, and E saying yeah, but I'm much better at it now...implying he's now had so much more practice with others and perfected technique w them. For me? Eww. Did not need to know/think about that mid-sex scene). I’m sure this is a realistic/authentic take on modern romance, and it won’t bother most readers and they’ll appreciate that authenticity. For me—yeah, yeah, I know, Me!—it was icky. How many people had Cole used that lube with? All those lubes, they’re placed strategically in his apartment for convenience. How many people had been on his bed, in those sheets? And Ezra’s place was the same, he too brought hookups home all the time. That squicked me out, I am not just not made for reading about hookup culture in a romance. Oh well. 🤷♀️ Having others referred to generically during intimacy here and there was also not great for me. But do rest assured, these two ARE fantastic in bed together, their chemistry is strong and they are both tender and steamy hot.
I loved Ezra’s family! Ezra was surprised to be asked to be best man, because he and his brother aren’t particularly close, and seeing Seth so clearly want to know his brother better, want a closer relationship, make the effort to include Ezra, was so sweet! Absolutely wonderful. And Seth’s fiancée/Cole’s bestie Sabrina/Bree was also lovely! Her misguided attempt to get Ezra and Cole together, not knowing the truth of what was going on (which honestly, seemed silly because there was no problem with anyone knowing, ever), was so poignant. She really was a fantastic best friend and I adored her and Seth together too.
The third act breakup didn’t make sense to me. Ezra learned good things, not bad things, and I didn’t get his umbrage and confusion and decision not to communicate. And I really didn’t like that it took a deus ex machina to bring Cole and Ezra back together. I did love the resolution with Ezra and his dad, and it worked for perfect mirror scene structure beginning to end, but, the way Ezra and Cole got back on page together felt lazy as far as Ezra not having to choose/be proactive about what he wanted.
There's also a sense that Cole may be...living with depression? Or some kind of anxiety? The end was tense bc he was clearly struggling with something more than missing Ezra, and didn't want to talk about it...I don't know. He finally told Ezra what happened in the past, but it was so late in the book, wasn't that important earlier? No? And it felt like he didn't want to try anymore, and they just kind of...ended up together because they were exhausted? Cole wasn't going to try again to talk w Ezra either. Which, yeah, Ezra is the one who needed to step up and make the move, but, something else was going on w Cole that wasn't explored... I don't know, it was unsettling. 🧐
Anyway, as noted, I do think readers who enjoy second chance and the past-present alternating chapter structure have a great chance of loving this story! The author is talented, a strong writer with an egaging, readable voice, who fills each scene with tension. The story has a lot going for it, despite my Me issues. I hope to see more from her!
HEA, high school sweethearts to ghosted to second chance as adults due to an upcoming wedding. No OM action or drama, but, a lot of brief references to both MCs’ active hookup lives that didn’t work for me and bumped me out of several of their own sex scenes. Safe enough to read for me though, there’s no one else in the present. Recommended, unless the things that weren’t for me aren’t for you. But keep an eye on this author!
My thanks to BookSirens for the ARC; this is my free and impartial opinion.
Why did I decide to read it, knowing I don’t often “get along” with second chance?
I read the sample and connected immediately with narrator POV MC Ezra, and his breaking of the fourth wall to tell the reader the story. I wish there’d been more of it throughout. And I might have enjoyed the story more if it had included other MC Cole's POV, because I never felt we got to know him well enough, including what he went through, not in any depth, and I got little sense of his personal interests/passions. He's an artist whose art we never see...even Ezra doesn't see it, Cole never shows him. And art is a window to the soul. I ask you...why make someone an artist and not use that to help characterize them, show us who they are today? Instead, we're shown a lot of who Cole was 12 years ago. As if that's still true. Huh. Odd choice.
Ezra is a self-proclaimed asshole, which I related to. I liked him, he is who he is. We're in his head the entire time, so, he's easy to get to know. He's also a history professor, which I did not relate to (sorry, my old teachers!), but I loved his passion for history and the snippets of his knowledge that are included. He reads as neurodivergent; he’s sensitive to loud noise and constant background irritating noises [I mean, who isn’t, but…!] and overstimulating social situations, and gets exhausted being “in company” for too long. I enjoyed reading his journey. He’s prickly, defensive, unwilling to take chances on people, the first to shut things down to protect himself…and he has so much love to give just wasting away inside him. I felt for him, and I loved experiencing his reactions to seeing Cole. Man could NOT help himself when it came to Cole. In fact, they both had no chill when they saw each other again.
They first met when Cole came to Ezra’s small-town high school for one year to stay with his grandmother. The two formed a friendship that became a secret love, a first love for Ezra (and I think Cole? He had tons of experience from boarding school, so, maybe not…). Then a night of disaster happened, and Cole disappeared/ghosted Ezra from then on. Ezra was left bereft, hurting…and became the cynical, bitter man who eschews connection that he is today. That was 12 years in the past.
So when, many years later, he goes home (Ezra lives currently in NYC) to be best man for his brother Seth’s rather rushed wedding to a woman Seth met not so long ago and it turns out Cole is the woman’s best friend and man of honor, the shock is huge. And the physical connection fast and burning hot. Pushing Cole away before Cole can reject him again is Ezra’s go-to defense, and he does.
But in NYC, where it happens Cole also lives now, they reconnect anonymously on a mutual hookup app, and before they realize who the other is, they’re already getting along SO well via DMs…when they learn who they’re talking to, they decide, why not start a situationship, no expectations, no promises?
(Surrre that always works well! 😂)
And things take off, as they continue to hookup as well as support their family/friend for the wedding.
I liked both of them as individuals. Ezra *is* a dick, but a relatable one for me, and he’s funny and honorable. Cole has become a successful artist (met Ezra’s brother’s fiancée through art school), a painter. As noted, I wanted A LOT more authenticity/detail on that. When does he work, how often why not include a scene at the gallery where he's currently featured to show Ezra his work…something? That was part of it never feeling like Ezra (or I) knew Cole that well). This hugely personal thing is never shown. At all. Wut? HOWEVER! Their banter and chemistry is strong and fun, and I loved their exchanges on the app and via text. So why didn’t I love the romance?
First, I didn’t like the back and forth present-past timelines. I didn’t care about seeing them in high school, they are very different people now, and the details of the backstory didn’t matter much to me, apart from learning what happened to separate them/why Cole ghosted. I skimmed those chapters. And honestly, the story didn’t really feel like a second chance so much as a new meeting of two people who’d changed significantly and needed to get to know each other as adults. And the voices of their teen selves didn’t feel authentically teen; they seemed the same as the present.
A lot of the present chapters are focused on hot sex. (And NFN, but, they never have a safe-sex discussion or get tested...? And seem to just...stop using condoms? despite both being very active on the apps.) I’d rather have had more balance of them getting to know each other as adults. Cole's bestie/Ezra's brother's fiancee Bree knew Cole SO much better than Ezra does, even by the end of the book, and the past chapters kept stopping the present story. The past romance read to me like maybe the first heartbreak in Cole’s life, but it certainly was not the last, because that's stated outright, and Bree is the one who saw him through those other heartbreaks and tears. Sure, losing Ezra was painful at the time, but, he also had even bigger things happening to survive, and he’d moved on and grown up. Whereas for Ezra, I sensed he never got over Cole, and he’d turned to hookups for sex, no connections, never feeling anyone really “got” him. Cole could and did fall for other people since ghosting Ezra, and could have fallen for someone else. For Cole, Ezra didn’t feel like endgame, more a realistic “now the time is right and this time it worked out” rather than “it had to be THIS person.” Too realistic for me.
I mean, Cole's claim he never contacted Ezra because he couldn't find him doesn't make sense. Cole visited his grandmother during those years—the grandmother who lives in Ezra’s hometown, the one who lives a few blocks from Ezra’s father, who is friends with Ezra's father, and Cole never bothered to ask about Ezra or find out where he was. So clearly, finding Ezra and explaining what happened wasn’t actually a priority. (Cole was the one who disappeared, so Ezra not asking his grandmother about him made sense to me, especially with Ezra’s “I’m too much trouble for people” mindset. Cole was making excuses.)
Ezra, though, has the “Cole is my person” sensibility. I loved that for him, but at the same time, it made it worse for me, bc the depth of connection felt unbalanced. Cole’s ghosting changed Ezra’s heart for good. Cole knew what happened and wasn’t the one left wondering all that time; he worked through issues and met Bree and had emotional support from her, and probably would have been fine with someone else.
We never do meet Cole’s parents (okay there's ONE second of Ezra seeing Cole's mom, but that's IT) or get to see his dynamic with them, or find out what's really going on in his dysfunctional family. I think they're homophobic and rich assholes??? Again, Bree is the one who knows about them and how they impact Cole , not Ezra. It was almost like Cole didn’t trust Ezra enough to really show his vulnerabilities, to be himself around Ezra. I don’t know…it was off.
Before they met again, they both also hooked up via apps regularly, and having Cole tell Ezra casually that he usually meets his hookups in a bar to make sure they aren’t weirdos, then brings them back to his place to fuck, at the same time that he’s met Ezra in a bar and is bringing Ezra back to his place to fuck, further killed the romance for me, along with refs to how experienced they now are contrasted with the sweetness of the past (like, E giving C a BJ, and C remembering him doing when they were teens, and E saying yeah, but I'm much better at it now...implying he's now had so much more practice with others and perfected technique w them. For me? Eww. Did not need to know/think about that mid-sex scene). I’m sure this is a realistic/authentic take on modern romance, and it won’t bother most readers and they’ll appreciate that authenticity. For me—yeah, yeah, I know, Me!—it was icky. How many people had Cole used that lube with? All those lubes, they’re placed strategically in his apartment for convenience. How many people had been on his bed, in those sheets? And Ezra’s place was the same, he too brought hookups home all the time. That squicked me out, I am not just not made for reading about hookup culture in a romance. Oh well. 🤷♀️ Having others referred to generically during intimacy here and there was also not great for me. But do rest assured, these two ARE fantastic in bed together, their chemistry is strong and they are both tender and steamy hot.
I loved Ezra’s family! Ezra was surprised to be asked to be best man, because he and his brother aren’t particularly close, and seeing Seth so clearly want to know his brother better, want a closer relationship, make the effort to include Ezra, was so sweet! Absolutely wonderful. And Seth’s fiancée/Cole’s bestie Sabrina/Bree was also lovely! Her misguided attempt to get Ezra and Cole together, not knowing the truth of what was going on (which honestly, seemed silly because there was no problem with anyone knowing, ever), was so poignant. She really was a fantastic best friend and I adored her and Seth together too.
The third act breakup didn’t make sense to me. Ezra learned good things, not bad things, and I didn’t get his umbrage and confusion and decision not to communicate. And I really didn’t like that it took a deus ex machina to bring Cole and Ezra back together. I did love the resolution with Ezra and his dad, and it worked for perfect mirror scene structure beginning to end, but, the way Ezra and Cole got back on page together felt lazy as far as Ezra not having to choose/be proactive about what he wanted.
There's also a sense that Cole may be...living with depression? Or some kind of anxiety? The end was tense bc he was clearly struggling with something more than missing Ezra, and didn't want to talk about it...I don't know. He finally told Ezra what happened in the past, but it was so late in the book, wasn't that important earlier? No? And it felt like he didn't want to try anymore, and they just kind of...ended up together because they were exhausted? Cole wasn't going to try again to talk w Ezra either. Which, yeah, Ezra is the one who needed to step up and make the move, but, something else was going on w Cole that wasn't explored... I don't know, it was unsettling. 🧐
Anyway, as noted, I do think readers who enjoy second chance and the past-present alternating chapter structure have a great chance of loving this story! The author is talented, a strong writer with an egaging, readable voice, who fills each scene with tension. The story has a lot going for it, despite my Me issues. I hope to see more from her!
HEA, high school sweethearts to ghosted to second chance as adults due to an upcoming wedding. No OM action or drama, but, a lot of brief references to both MCs’ active hookup lives that didn’t work for me and bumped me out of several of their own sex scenes. Safe enough to read for me though, there’s no one else in the present. Recommended, unless the things that weren’t for me aren’t for you. But keep an eye on this author!
My thanks to BookSirens for the ARC; this is my free and impartial opinion.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 2, 2026
Cole & Ezra
This starts off a bit slow but I'm glad that i kept going. It is a good story. There are many ups and downs for Cole and Ezra but it all ends with a nice happily ever after.
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
This starts off a bit slow but I'm glad that i kept going. It is a good story. There are many ups and downs for Cole and Ezra but it all ends with a nice happily ever after.
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
June 3, 2026
Hot, sexy and sweet. Characters you care about. Just enough angst to matter but not so much to hurt. This was lovely!
Review of advance copy
4.5 stars
First book by this author and I really enjoyed it!
It’s a friends to enemies to lovers trope
Cole and Ezra used to date in high school and Cole left Ezra behind
Fast forward years later Ezra’s brother is getting married and his wife’s bestie is Cole
Their reunion was hot and a disaster but when they anonymously start talking to each other on a hookup app they agree to no strings
I love the flashbacks to high school them because the sweet buildup of their friendship and relationship but then we get to see the bad ending
They fall into a rhythm of just hooking up but that never goes according to plan
Cole is out and Ezra isn’t and when they are spending a week with his brother and wife together in a house unexpected emotions come up
When his dad has an accident and they go home they eventually talk and Cole tells Ezra the real reason he left after prom when they were kids and the horrific things that happened after
They communicated and Ezra came out to his dad who already knew about them
This story was really sweet it had moments that hurt but in the end they got the ending they both deserved
First book by this author and I really enjoyed it!
It’s a friends to enemies to lovers trope
Cole and Ezra used to date in high school and Cole left Ezra behind
Fast forward years later Ezra’s brother is getting married and his wife’s bestie is Cole
Their reunion was hot and a disaster but when they anonymously start talking to each other on a hookup app they agree to no strings
I love the flashbacks to high school them because the sweet buildup of their friendship and relationship but then we get to see the bad ending
They fall into a rhythm of just hooking up but that never goes according to plan
Cole is out and Ezra isn’t and when they are spending a week with his brother and wife together in a house unexpected emotions come up
When his dad has an accident and they go home they eventually talk and Cole tells Ezra the real reason he left after prom when they were kids and the horrific things that happened after
They communicated and Ezra came out to his dad who already knew about them
This story was really sweet it had moments that hurt but in the end they got the ending they both deserved
Review of advance copy received from Author
3.5⭐️
Cole and Ezra are highschool sweethearts turned strangers, and when they meet again, they can’t keep their hands off each other. It’s complicated, there are bumps in the road, but these two have a romantic journey. There’s no doubt that they are each others’ “person”
This book is single first person POV, with chapters from their past, and 10+ years in the future in present day. The author did a great job of making this easy to follow.
This book is very character centric, which sometimes had my mind wandering as I was reading. However the author clearly put a lot of love and care into these characters, and did a great job for their debut novel.
If you like second chance and character centric plot, then pick this up on release day!
Cole and Ezra are highschool sweethearts turned strangers, and when they meet again, they can’t keep their hands off each other. It’s complicated, there are bumps in the road, but these two have a romantic journey. There’s no doubt that they are each others’ “person”
This book is single first person POV, with chapters from their past, and 10+ years in the future in present day. The author did a great job of making this easy to follow.
This book is very character centric, which sometimes had my mind wandering as I was reading. However the author clearly put a lot of love and care into these characters, and did a great job for their debut novel.
If you like second chance and character centric plot, then pick this up on release day!
Review of advance copy
At first, I didn’t think I was going to like this story, it goes very slow and it jumps back and forth in time (which I hate). I became interested in the 2 MCs and wanted to know what their secrets were, so I kept reading. This is a second chance story but also a story about people learning to be their authentic selves. It isn’t said in the book, but it feels like Ezra is on the spectrum because of his interesting behaviors. This is a love story and there is a happy ending but there is a lot of drama and angst to get to that point. This is a well written book, and I didn’t find any typos, grammar issues, or even plot issues.
Story 3.75 (I personally don’t like super angsty stories), Spice 4
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Story 3.75 (I personally don’t like super angsty stories), Spice 4
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Review of advance copy
I received a free copy of this book and I am choosing to leave a review, thank you BookSirens!
This book is single first person POV M/M romance. It jumps between the present and 10 ish years into the past.
We see Ezra's struggles very clearly and how that relates to his inability to get close to anyone but Cole. The author clearly puts a lot of thought into the character; Ezra is easily identifiable as neurodivergent and it was handled with kindness. Plenty of longing, miscommunication, and ultimately HEA. I also love that the trope of a wedding romance was given to gay men instead of the normal hetero. Loved this debut romance.
This book is single first person POV M/M romance. It jumps between the present and 10 ish years into the past.
We see Ezra's struggles very clearly and how that relates to his inability to get close to anyone but Cole. The author clearly puts a lot of thought into the character; Ezra is easily identifiable as neurodivergent and it was handled with kindness. Plenty of longing, miscommunication, and ultimately HEA. I also love that the trope of a wedding romance was given to gay men instead of the normal hetero. Loved this debut romance.
Review of advance copy
This ARC was provided to me free of cost from Bookssirens in exchange for my honest review.
Solid 4 stars. This author is new to me. This is a high school lovers who broke up abruptly and come back together 10 years later when they both are part of the wedding of Ezra’s brother. The book flips between the past and the present and it’s very much the story of them falling in love, even though they initially said no strings attached, all over again. They both have some issues to work out and talk through and when they finally do they get their happily ever after.
This was a quick and nice read. A little angsty in some places but overall well paced and a nice amount of spice.
Solid 4 stars. This author is new to me. This is a high school lovers who broke up abruptly and come back together 10 years later when they both are part of the wedding of Ezra’s brother. The book flips between the past and the present and it’s very much the story of them falling in love, even though they initially said no strings attached, all over again. They both have some issues to work out and talk through and when they finally do they get their happily ever after.
This was a quick and nice read. A little angsty in some places but overall well paced and a nice amount of spice.
June 3, 2026
'A high-heat MM second chance romance featuring mutual pining, a secret relationship, gratuitous descriptions of sunrises, and a guaranteed HEA.'
The characters drove the storyline and they were very appealing and likeable and complicated and absolutely perfect together. Plot was intriguing and well paced. World building was excellent and solidly drawn. Thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend.
Grab a copy, kick back and enjoy!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The characters drove the storyline and they were very appealing and likeable and complicated and absolutely perfect together. Plot was intriguing and well paced. World building was excellent and solidly drawn. Thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend.
Grab a copy, kick back and enjoy!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 19, 2026
Is your favorite trope second chance romance? Enjoy MM contemporary? If yes, add to TBR asap! This is the book you read when you want to feel something real. When body types are normal, the sex is realistic, and the MCs deal with mental health challenges and life issues. This is the kind of beautiful (if occasionally sad) story that is told half in the present and half in the past, so you get the youthful gay awakening along with the reality of adult choices. There’s no slow burn to this love story, and both of the MCs are perfectly imperfect. I cannot recommend this one enough!
June 26, 2026
This was a cute second chance MM romance. Not too shabby for a debut novel. I thought the characters were easy to like and get invested in. The writing was fun and easy to read. There's a heartwarming sweetness to it that kept me hooked and wanting more. The timeline jumps were well written and added a great back and forth to the story. I really enjoyed the development of both the past and present relationships and how things progressed in the story, which felt organic and well the past and pesent collide in the best way ever.
June 2, 2026
He Is Not For Me, by Sadie Hepworth, is a second chance MM romance between Ezra and Cole. Ezra and Cole met when Cole was sent to live with his grandmother during high school. Unbeknownst to everyone except his grandmother, was the real reason Cole left his former school. Cole and Ezra became close in every way, but when extra curricula activities were discovered things went quickly down hill.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 3, 2026
He's Not for Me is the debut book of author Sadie Hepworth. This is a second chances, secret relationship read about Ezra and Cole. This was a really good story with wonderful characters, the only issue I really had was the going back and forth in time. I do understand that it is important to the story, it's just a brain issue with me not being able to follow it as well. It is a little slow to start, but a wonderful read for a debut.
Review of advance copy
I came across this book completely by chance, and I’d never read this author before, but I enjoyed the hell out of this story!
Told entirely from Ezra’s perspective in a duel timeline, once upon a time Ezra and Cole were best friends, who became lovers, who became strangers.
Twelve years later and they’re thrust back into one another’s orbit, but when there are unresolved emotions the path to second chance happiness never runs smoothly.
The low-medium angst vibes, and the seamless way it flowed through both timelines made it an easy, charming read with a very satisfying ending.
✨MM
✨Second chance
✨Duel timeline
✨Secret relationship
✨Mutual pining
Who is it for:
You enjoy a second chance romance that’s high heat and high emotion.
I generously received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Told entirely from Ezra’s perspective in a duel timeline, once upon a time Ezra and Cole were best friends, who became lovers, who became strangers.
Twelve years later and they’re thrust back into one another’s orbit, but when there are unresolved emotions the path to second chance happiness never runs smoothly.
The low-medium angst vibes, and the seamless way it flowed through both timelines made it an easy, charming read with a very satisfying ending.
✨MM
✨Second chance
✨Duel timeline
✨Secret relationship
✨Mutual pining
Who is it for:
You enjoy a second chance romance that’s high heat and high emotion.
I generously received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Did Not Finish
July 8, 2026DNF'd at 16%
This changed direction and past/present tense so much it gave me whiplash. Sorry, not for me.
This changed direction and past/present tense so much it gave me whiplash. Sorry, not for me.
July 14, 2026
Lovely, romantic, and well written. I really enjoyed reading this story.
Review of advance copy received from Author
You know when a book surreptitiously falls into your lap? Like you had no idea the author existed and they offer you a book and you are so busy you aren’t sure if you can read it. But you just say fuck it to responsibility and open the book. And then you read the whole book in one sitting, because it was exactly what you needed at the time? That is this book, and I just want to gush because I loved it so much. I love the way it was written with only one POV with heart and emotion and spice that gets you as much in the heart as other parts 😉. Ezra is one of the most perfect neurodivergent characters I’ve ever read. He is just kind of stuck in a life he doesn’t want. Everything is confusing and too much except for Cole. The boy he meets in high school that turns his world upside down. That accepts him and loves him and sees him. The boy who loves him for all of his weird bits. Until life happens and years pass and suddenly they are thrown together and find the spark is still there. The book is so much more but I will leave it there. I love,love, love this book!
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