What do you think?
Rate this book
Chasing Fields: Love On The Lines Book 1
Sixteen-year-old Alex might as well have been invisible. No one noticed him - and he preferred it that way. Staying unseen meant no one could discover the cracks in his reality he worked so hard to hide.
Kai Fields had a reputation to uphold. Popular, confident, and living for football, his future was mapped out and distraction-free - until a history assignment pairs him with the quiet boy he’d never really seen.
What starts as reluctant teamwork slowly turns into something deeper. As Alex’s carefully built walls begin to slip, Kai finds his focus shifting from the field to the boy who was never meant to matter.
Secrets grow heavier, feelings grow stronger, and both of them realise some connections can’t be ignored - no matter how hard they try.
Kai Fields had a reputation to uphold. Popular, confident, and living for football, his future was mapped out and distraction-free - until a history assignment pairs him with the quiet boy he’d never really seen.
What starts as reluctant teamwork slowly turns into something deeper. As Alex’s carefully built walls begin to slip, Kai finds his focus shifting from the field to the boy who was never meant to matter.
Secrets grow heavier, feelings grow stronger, and both of them realise some connections can’t be ignored - no matter how hard they try.
582 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 16, 2026
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 284 reviews
May 25, 2026
The amount of breaths these guys let go that they didnt know they were holding is actually absurd
May 26, 2026
So... i enjoyed this...
The emotions were great, I LOVE the characters, truely. Even the side characters got me chuckling and rooting for them. Even tho they're hella problematic but... teenagers I guess?
BUT
The ending pissed me of. Its a set up for a 2nd book that in my opinion isn't needed and just sets up more drama. More drama I personally know I probably wont enjoy. The middle of this book already felt a little too much like repetitive drama
+ I hate when the SAME scene is being told from two perspectives. Its repetitive to me and I skimmed a lot. I feel like there arnt given any new points to the story in the 2nd perspective.
+ i feel like some sentences or descriptions were repeated a bit too often. The amount of held breaths or breathing details for example.
I will give book 2 a chance but it feels like theres gonna be a breakup / betrayal arc because the cliffhanger kinda suggests that for me. If so I'll immediately drop it.
The emotions were great, I LOVE the characters, truely. Even the side characters got me chuckling and rooting for them. Even tho they're hella problematic but... teenagers I guess?
BUT
The ending pissed me of. Its a set up for a 2nd book that in my opinion isn't needed and just sets up more drama. More drama I personally know I probably wont enjoy. The middle of this book already felt a little too much like repetitive drama
+ I hate when the SAME scene is being told from two perspectives. Its repetitive to me and I skimmed a lot. I feel like there arnt given any new points to the story in the 2nd perspective.
+ i feel like some sentences or descriptions were repeated a bit too often. The amount of held breaths or breathing details for example.
I will give book 2 a chance but it feels like theres gonna be a breakup / betrayal arc because the cliffhanger kinda suggests that for me. If so I'll immediately drop it.
May 19, 2026
i may or may not have finished this book in one sitting🫣
this was REALLY good, they were so cute together.
Alex broke my heart and i might’ve shed a few tears😭
i enjoyed this book so so much, they’re cute and just ahhhh my heart
can’t wait for the second oneee!!!
this was REALLY good, they were so cute together.
Alex broke my heart and i might’ve shed a few tears😭
i enjoyed this book so so much, they’re cute and just ahhhh my heart
can’t wait for the second oneee!!!
May 26, 2026
This is one of the best books I ever read, can’t wait to read the continuation
May 28, 2026
Unnecessary long.
Binding 13 going on Heartstopper.
Binding 13 going on Heartstopper.
May 25, 2026
Wow, the fact that this is a debut novel blows my mind! I was hooked from the very first chapter and was absolutely enamored by Alex and Kai’s story. There was so much depth to the MC’s.
“This exact feeling. It was something I’d been searching for without even realising it. Like stumbling through life in the dark, never knowing the switch was right in front of me. I had been in darkness. But Alex… Alex brought light.”
Alex has gone through so much and his pain is a visceral component to the story. I truly wanted to crawl through the pages to give this boy hug. I am so glad that he had such a strong friendship with Rachel. She might not know everything he was going through, but she tried her best to be there for him when he let her.
“Because no one ever noticed when I was hungry. No one ever offered me anything. No one ever thought to. But Kai did. Without making it weird. Without making it a big deal.”
Kai Rhodes was a great MMC. Even before he understood his feelings towards Alex, he knew Alex needed a safe place to just exist. The differences in the way he grew up vs Alex were drastic. Kai’s mom was an absolute GEM of a woman and the way she comforts both her son and Alex towards the end was so special.
“There was something about the way he existed in his own quiet orbit, something about the way he seemed surprised anyone would bother to talk to him at all. It made me want to stay. It made me want to keep him talking, keep him looking at me like that.”
Please check TW before reading this story. It deals HEAVILY in on page physical abuse and homophobia. (The homophobia and derogatory hateful words come exclusively from Alex’s abusive older brother.)
This book ends on a pretty sharp cliff and I am beyond ready to continue Alex & Kai’s journey to HEA in the next book!
Tropes:
💖 Broken Boy x Golden Boy
⚽️ Star Soccer Player (Footballer) x Loner
❤️🩹 Hurt x Comfort
✨ Coming of Age
🥀 Hidden Scars
😭 Emotional Read
🫶🏼 Found Family
🫠 Cliffhanger
📖 UK Setting
“This exact feeling. It was something I’d been searching for without even realising it. Like stumbling through life in the dark, never knowing the switch was right in front of me. I had been in darkness. But Alex… Alex brought light.”
Alex has gone through so much and his pain is a visceral component to the story. I truly wanted to crawl through the pages to give this boy hug. I am so glad that he had such a strong friendship with Rachel. She might not know everything he was going through, but she tried her best to be there for him when he let her.
“Because no one ever noticed when I was hungry. No one ever offered me anything. No one ever thought to. But Kai did. Without making it weird. Without making it a big deal.”
Kai Rhodes was a great MMC. Even before he understood his feelings towards Alex, he knew Alex needed a safe place to just exist. The differences in the way he grew up vs Alex were drastic. Kai’s mom was an absolute GEM of a woman and the way she comforts both her son and Alex towards the end was so special.
“There was something about the way he existed in his own quiet orbit, something about the way he seemed surprised anyone would bother to talk to him at all. It made me want to stay. It made me want to keep him talking, keep him looking at me like that.”
Please check TW before reading this story. It deals HEAVILY in on page physical abuse and homophobia. (The homophobia and derogatory hateful words come exclusively from Alex’s abusive older brother.)
This book ends on a pretty sharp cliff and I am beyond ready to continue Alex & Kai’s journey to HEA in the next book!
Tropes:
💖 Broken Boy x Golden Boy
⚽️ Star Soccer Player (Footballer) x Loner
❤️🩹 Hurt x Comfort
✨ Coming of Age
🥀 Hidden Scars
😭 Emotional Read
🫶🏼 Found Family
🫠 Cliffhanger
📖 UK Setting
June 17, 2026
I had my suspicions that this was written by AI from the cover of the book, but I decided to read on to be absolutely certain before placing my final judgement. I don’t know if I missed somewhere that this is an AI book but the presence of it is so painfully obvious its usage should be clearly stated in the book. The sentence structure, the writing itself, everything literally just screams AI here. That’s why I can’t give this book a higher rating.
May 27, 2026
I went into this thinking I’d really like it but unfortunately there were far too many similarities to Binding 13 (a book I loved), even though it was MM even the MMC was a combination of Shannon and Joey. It would have been okay if more parts of the plot and characters were different but as it is it is too derivative/copy paste
May 31, 2026
Guys I’m obsessed 😭😭😭😭 I haven’t stopped thinking about this book since I finished it. Any fans of heavy hurt/comfort are going to want to check this out. It’s giving Boys of Tommen but make it MM. I loved every thing about this. I need the next book like I need air 😩😩😩
-hurt/comfort
-slow burn
-sexuality awakening
-friends to lovers
-protective mc
-hurt/comfort
-slow burn
-sexuality awakening
-friends to lovers
-protective mc
June 5, 2026
⭐️⭐️
Unfortunately, this one just wasn’t for me.
I ended up skimming probably 70% of the book because it felt incredibly repetitive. One of my biggest pet peeves is when the exact same scene is retold from both characters’ perspectives without adding anything new, and this book did that a lot. Instead of feeling deeper, it just made the story feel longer.
Alex and Kai also never really worked for me as a couple. I was told they were falling for each other, but I never felt the chemistry or even a strong friendship developing. By the time they got together, I wasn’t emotionally invested in the relationship.
There were also so many side plots and bits of drama that felt unnecessary and didn’t add much to the main story. Meanwhile, some of the things that should have had more impact felt frustratingly obvious. I had a hard time believing Kai couldn’t put together what was happening with Alex when the signs were right in front of him.
Unfortunately, this one just wasn’t for me.
I ended up skimming probably 70% of the book because it felt incredibly repetitive. One of my biggest pet peeves is when the exact same scene is retold from both characters’ perspectives without adding anything new, and this book did that a lot. Instead of feeling deeper, it just made the story feel longer.
Alex and Kai also never really worked for me as a couple. I was told they were falling for each other, but I never felt the chemistry or even a strong friendship developing. By the time they got together, I wasn’t emotionally invested in the relationship.
There were also so many side plots and bits of drama that felt unnecessary and didn’t add much to the main story. Meanwhile, some of the things that should have had more impact felt frustratingly obvious. I had a hard time believing Kai couldn’t put together what was happening with Alex when the signs were right in front of him.
May 19, 2026
I usually don’t like books without any spice, but this book didn’t need it. I finished it in one sitting but I didn’t expect to end with a cliffhanger 😅
Alex my poor broken boy 💔 these two are ridiculously sweet even if they aren’t even together yet but I can’t wait for a second book. I think I know what happens in the last phone call but I’m really curious how the whole story is gonna unfold…
Alex my poor broken boy 💔 these two are ridiculously sweet even if they aren’t even together yet but I can’t wait for a second book. I think I know what happens in the last phone call but I’m really curious how the whole story is gonna unfold…
![Profile Image for jenn [semi ia].](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1767971268i/193267139._UX200_CR0,0,200,200_.jpg)
June 28, 2026
2 stars
i went into this knowing it was inspired by binding 13. what i didn’t know was that it’s a complete knock off.
kai-johnny
alex-shannon
kate-edel
callum-gibsie
rachel-claire
connor-teddy
the list goes on and on and on.
there were several scenes where i was like… wait… this exact thing happened in binding 13???
i was actually appalled by how similiar callum is to gibsie.
not to mention the writing is… not good. i understand it’s a debut, but holy fuckkk this book could’ve been at least 150 pages shorter. there were scenes were we got both povs of the same events, and it wasn’t necessary.
both of these characters are extremely one dimensional and talked wayyy too similar. not too mention the writing is very wordy and over explains EVERYTHING.
the amount of times they would use their first AND last names was exhausting. i’m sorry, but it’s really cringey to me.
So I’d drink a hot chocolate so that Alex Taylor could drink a hot chocolate.
like… what?
not to mention the dumb metaphors.
’It was strange hearing him say that. Having someone want me around. It didn’t fit right in my head yet - like a shirt that wasn’t mine, stiff at the shoulders, unfamiliar against my skin. It was going to take some getting used to.’
‘The lie tasted strange in my mouth. Not bitter. Just… fragile. Like it would crack if she breathed on it too hard.’
‘The second the words left my mouth, something in him loosened - not relief, not really - more like resignation. Like he’d been holding a door shut for years and now he was letting it crack open, even though he knew what was behind it could swallow him whole.’
you get the point but omggg please be quiet.
and the scenes were wayyy too dragged out, there were like three chapters of alex getting dressed or smth, not exactly sure because i skimmed it but wtaf?😭
i went into this knowing it was inspired by binding 13. what i didn’t know was that it’s a complete knock off.
kai-johnny
alex-shannon
kate-edel
callum-gibsie
rachel-claire
connor-teddy
the list goes on and on and on.
there were several scenes where i was like… wait… this exact thing happened in binding 13???
i was actually appalled by how similiar callum is to gibsie.
not to mention the writing is… not good. i understand it’s a debut, but holy fuckkk this book could’ve been at least 150 pages shorter. there were scenes were we got both povs of the same events, and it wasn’t necessary.
both of these characters are extremely one dimensional and talked wayyy too similar. not too mention the writing is very wordy and over explains EVERYTHING.
the amount of times they would use their first AND last names was exhausting. i’m sorry, but it’s really cringey to me.
So I’d drink a hot chocolate so that Alex Taylor could drink a hot chocolate.
like… what?
not to mention the dumb metaphors.
’It was strange hearing him say that. Having someone want me around. It didn’t fit right in my head yet - like a shirt that wasn’t mine, stiff at the shoulders, unfamiliar against my skin. It was going to take some getting used to.’
‘The lie tasted strange in my mouth. Not bitter. Just… fragile. Like it would crack if she breathed on it too hard.’
‘The second the words left my mouth, something in him loosened - not relief, not really - more like resignation. Like he’d been holding a door shut for years and now he was letting it crack open, even though he knew what was behind it could swallow him whole.’
you get the point but omggg please be quiet.
and the scenes were wayyy too dragged out, there were like three chapters of alex getting dressed or smth, not exactly sure because i skimmed it but wtaf?😭
June 8, 2026
Wow wow wow wow! This book was just…have no words!
Binding 13 meets Heartstopper? Definitely!
Felt like it was the first season of a TV show!
Both characters were brilliant!
I’ve been sat here 10 mins just processing everything
Binding 13 meets Heartstopper? Definitely!
Felt like it was the first season of a TV show!
Both characters were brilliant!
I’ve been sat here 10 mins just processing everything
May 28, 2026
Okay, now hear me out. Was this a good book? Yes, it was, the characters, the story, the connection between our 2 sweet as sugar MC’s, both were good, however, now this is on me for knowing this and still diving in but when I saw this compared to Binding 13 which btw, is my all time, favourite, Roman Empire will forever be in my heart, own multiple, multiple copies of this book/series I was hoping it was just vibes which unfortunately it wasn’t.
We had same references, same nicknames, same side characters, even the same banter between the boys and for me, I couldn’t separate the 2. My mind just kept comparing it to Binding 13 which again, is totally on me.
However, saying that, as I’ve stated, that is absolutely on me which is why I wanted to clarify that this book was good and I will definitely be picking up the continuation of Alex and Kai’s story and will definitely read more of this authors work in the future.
We had same references, same nicknames, same side characters, even the same banter between the boys and for me, I couldn’t separate the 2. My mind just kept comparing it to Binding 13 which again, is totally on me.
However, saying that, as I’ve stated, that is absolutely on me which is why I wanted to clarify that this book was good and I will definitely be picking up the continuation of Alex and Kai’s story and will definitely read more of this authors work in the future.
May 30, 2026
C’était d’une loooooongeur, j’ai eu du mal j’avoue sur une grande majorité du roman, mais leur relation était mignonne
Quoi que très rapide, très redondante et plutôt pleine de “vide” ce qui est assez surprenant pour un livre aussi long qui se finit de cette façon. Pas sûre de me laisser tenter par le tome 2
J’ai adoré l’écriture, le style, Kai… mais alors insupportable de lire douze fois par page le mot Alex dans ses POV et “I’m fine” dans ceux d’Alex. C’est devenu intéressant à 50% du roman, le reste ça m’a un peu ennuyée j’avoue
Quoi que très rapide, très redondante et plutôt pleine de “vide” ce qui est assez surprenant pour un livre aussi long qui se finit de cette façon. Pas sûre de me laisser tenter par le tome 2
J’ai adoré l’écriture, le style, Kai… mais alors insupportable de lire douze fois par page le mot Alex dans ses POV et “I’m fine” dans ceux d’Alex. C’est devenu intéressant à 50% du roman, le reste ça m’a un peu ennuyée j’avoue
May 30, 2026
Wow
Just WOW
This book was amazing! It was SO good😭👌🏻 It's one of those books that will stay with you for a long time.
At first I was worried because of their ages and because it's romance, I was worried that it would be weird to read about teens falling in love and stuff. Not the case. It was written so good! It focused more on the inner turmoil Kai had with his sexuality and on Alex being scared of his home (DV) and him looking for excuses about his family. It broke my heart...no one should experience something like that!
It also focuses pretty hard on Kai and his habits are noticeable. ..there's a pattern with his training and his diet that made me suspicious of it.
I really LOVED that Kai was so understanding. He knew how far he could go without pressuring Alex too much and he was so kind and reassuring 🥺 the way he accepted Alexs boundaries was everything.
I commented under that character post of Connor on the authors ig that I could fix him...
83% in I noticed I don't wanna fix him. At first I was like nah maybe he's closeted and doesn't know how to handle himself and is jealous of Alex being out. I thought there must be a reason because monsters are made not born (most of the time) which wouldn't excuse his behaviour but maybe made him more understandable (I guess?). Nah. He's pure evil. He deserves everything he'll eventually get! I wish him the worst and he doesn't deserve an redemption arc. After everything he did he deserves to rott in hell.
I also thought this book has 582 pages so the story naturally ends within this book...nope
In the end I was like there are only 30 pages left...how tf will this all wrap up? Spoiler it doesn't.
Now I have to wait for the next book😭😭😭
Just WOW
This book was amazing! It was SO good😭👌🏻 It's one of those books that will stay with you for a long time.
At first I was worried because of their ages and because it's romance, I was worried that it would be weird to read about teens falling in love and stuff. Not the case. It was written so good! It focused more on the inner turmoil Kai had with his sexuality and on Alex being scared of his home (DV) and him looking for excuses about his family. It broke my heart...no one should experience something like that!
It also focuses pretty hard on Kai and his habits are noticeable. ..there's a pattern with his training and his diet that made me suspicious of it.
I really LOVED that Kai was so understanding. He knew how far he could go without pressuring Alex too much and he was so kind and reassuring 🥺 the way he accepted Alexs boundaries was everything.
I commented under that character post of Connor on the authors ig that I could fix him...
83% in I noticed I don't wanna fix him. At first I was like nah maybe he's closeted and doesn't know how to handle himself and is jealous of Alex being out. I thought there must be a reason because monsters are made not born (most of the time) which wouldn't excuse his behaviour but maybe made him more understandable (I guess?). Nah. He's pure evil. He deserves everything he'll eventually get! I wish him the worst and he doesn't deserve an redemption arc. After everything he did he deserves to rott in hell.
I also thought this book has 582 pages so the story naturally ends within this book...nope
In the end I was like there are only 30 pages left...how tf will this all wrap up? Spoiler it doesn't.
Now I have to wait for the next book😭😭😭
May 27, 2026
Kai and Alex. Their story is so heartbreaking and beautiful. They have an instant connection that they don’t understand. You have Alex the quiet shy kid and Kai the star football(soccer) player. Kai is so intrigued by Alex and wants to get to know him and Alex wants nothing more than to blend into the background and stay hidden.
And poor baby Alex. God my little baby is so broken and hurt and I hate it so much. I wanted to cry for him a million times over for what he has to go through and deal with. But I’m so glad Kai was there to step in and help him and take care of him. He made him feel less alone. He truly cared so deeply for him almost the moment he met him. Kai literally could not deny his feelings for Alex at all and was so quick to accept it because he just wanted Alex in his life.
“It was something I’d been searching for without even realising it. Like stumbling through life in the dark, never knowing the switch was right in front of me. I had been in darkness. But Alex… Alex brought light.”
I couldn’t read this book fast enough. From the first chapter to the last I was sucked in and couldn’t put it down. Ending on a cliffhanger is insane and I am terrified to see where this goes in book two. I want them to be safe and okay and happy and I just have a feeling it’s gonna be a long road to get there.
There is no spice and I don’t think it needs it at all. Their love and care for each other is so innocent and heartwarming. They truly just have this connection that’s draws them together and you don’t need more to see that. This story was so much more important than just having a smutty time and I’m so glad it was written this way.
“I realised I’d been drifting my whole life - weightless, lost - until Alex Taylor pulled me into his orbit. And now that I knew what it felt like to belong to something, to someone, there was no universe where I’d ever choose to float alone again.”
And poor baby Alex. God my little baby is so broken and hurt and I hate it so much. I wanted to cry for him a million times over for what he has to go through and deal with. But I’m so glad Kai was there to step in and help him and take care of him. He made him feel less alone. He truly cared so deeply for him almost the moment he met him. Kai literally could not deny his feelings for Alex at all and was so quick to accept it because he just wanted Alex in his life.
“It was something I’d been searching for without even realising it. Like stumbling through life in the dark, never knowing the switch was right in front of me. I had been in darkness. But Alex… Alex brought light.”
I couldn’t read this book fast enough. From the first chapter to the last I was sucked in and couldn’t put it down. Ending on a cliffhanger is insane and I am terrified to see where this goes in book two. I want them to be safe and okay and happy and I just have a feeling it’s gonna be a long road to get there.
There is no spice and I don’t think it needs it at all. Their love and care for each other is so innocent and heartwarming. They truly just have this connection that’s draws them together and you don’t need more to see that. This story was so much more important than just having a smutty time and I’m so glad it was written this way.
“I realised I’d been drifting my whole life - weightless, lost - until Alex Taylor pulled me into his orbit. And now that I knew what it felt like to belong to something, to someone, there was no universe where I’d ever choose to float alone again.”
June 14, 2026
imagine Will Solace and Nico Di Angelo sitting beside eachother in school like Heartstopper, but then make it dark like Binding 13…
May 27, 2026
Wow.
A mix between heartstopper and BOT.
Beautifully written characters. already desperate for the second book.
Alex and Kai!!!
Alex is so traumatised and hurt and desperate to be seen. Kai is so focussed but his focus has changed to Alex and figuring him out, keeping him safe 😭😭
I loved the side characters too.
Callum was an enjoyable comedic relief and i’m excited to see more of his story (perhaps a future romance with Rach?)
I just wanted to be close to him. It didn’t matter where we were, didn’t matter how different we were supposed to be. It just mattered that I was in his orbit.
5/5 loved
A mix between heartstopper and BOT.
Beautifully written characters. already desperate for the second book.
Alex and Kai!!!
Alex is so traumatised and hurt and desperate to be seen. Kai is so focussed but his focus has changed to Alex and figuring him out, keeping him safe 😭😭
I loved the side characters too.
Callum was an enjoyable comedic relief and i’m excited to see more of his story (perhaps a future romance with Rach?)
I just wanted to be close to him. It didn’t matter where we were, didn’t matter how different we were supposed to be. It just mattered that I was in his orbit.
5/5 loved
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2026
Åhhhhh magisk. Fortsättning följer …. Snälla skynda med bok 2!
June 16, 2026
This book had a fantastic concept and characters that were genuinely easy to root for, but the writing style made it a struggle to finish. The constant use of the "not this, but that sentence structure became incredibly repetitive early on. Instead of adding depth, it just made the text feel padded and artificial.
June 16, 2026
I did like it. The emotions were great, and I absolutely loved the main characters.
However, what the actual F was that ending?
It feels like a setup for a second book that, in my opinion, wasn’t really necessary and mostly exists to just have the story extended more where it could have just had 50 pages more with a good epilogue…
The middle of this book already started to feel a bit repetitive with all the conflict, and I’m not a fan of having the same scene retold from multiple perspectives, it just feels like reading the same thing twice.
That said, I enjoyed the characters enough that I’ll probably give book two a chance when it comes out.
However, what the actual F was that ending?
It feels like a setup for a second book that, in my opinion, wasn’t really necessary and mostly exists to just have the story extended more where it could have just had 50 pages more with a good epilogue…
The middle of this book already started to feel a bit repetitive with all the conflict, and I’m not a fan of having the same scene retold from multiple perspectives, it just feels like reading the same thing twice.
That said, I enjoyed the characters enough that I’ll probably give book two a chance when it comes out.
June 11, 2026
Hello this book was terrible. What are y’all smoking?? It was so repetitive.. the dual pov but just the same scene through both MCs pov was so exhausting. I feel like I read the same sentence 100 times. There was no twist nothing surprising just BORING. And the ending?? You’re telling me I sat through a damn near 600 page book for literally nothing to be resolved. I skimmed the last 40% of this stupid ass book. It felt like we were going for the *edgier* heart stopper. Hell no absolutely not no thank you
May 29, 2026
Isabella… this book wrecked me in the best, most devastating way. With every MM romance I read I fall deeper under the spell — and Chasing Fields didn’t just pull me in, it dragged me straight into the emotional trenches and refused to let go. I finished it feeling full, shattered, hopeful, and absolutely feral for book two. That cliffhanger? My heart is hanging on by a single, fraying thread.
Set right here in England (we love a local moment), this story follows Alex, a loner who has been beaten down by life in every possible way. His brother’s violence, his mother’s neglect, the constant fear, the constant silence — it’s brutal. It’s raw. It’s the kind of pain that sits heavy in your chest as you read. And yet, somehow, Alex still finds these tiny sparks of strength. A smile for Rachel. A quiet “I’m fine” when he’s anything but. I wanted to reach into the pages, wrap him in a blanket, and tell him he deserved softness, safety, and love.
Then Kai walks in — disciplined, determined, laser‑focused on becoming a pro footballer like his dad. He’s all structure and self‑control… until he’s paired with Alex for a history assignment, and suddenly the ground shifts beneath him. What I adored is how gentle Kai is with him. How aware he is of his body language. How he notices when Alex hasn’t eaten. How he checks in, again and again, even when Alex doesn’t know how to accept that kind of care.
Kai becomes a protector without ever being possessive. A safe place without ever pushing. And watching Alex slowly realise that someone might actually want him — not out of pity, not out of obligation, but out of genuine affection — was everything.
The slow burn between them is exquisite. Tender. Careful. Built on small moments: a brush of fingers, a shared look, a hesitant smile. Both of them fighting their feelings for different reasons — Alex wanting to shield Kai from his brother’s wrath, Kai questioning his sexuality and what it means for his future in football — and yet the connection between them grows anyway. Quietly. Powerfully. Inevitably.
But this book isn’t all softness. There’s darkness here too — violence, trauma, language that cuts deep. It’s handled with sensitivity, but it’s heavy, and it’s important to look after yourself while reading.
And can we talk about Rachel and Kate? The way they love Alex, the way they show up for him when no one else does… I teared up more than once. They are the warmth in a very cold world, and their presence made my heart swell.
By the time I hit that cliffhanger, I was gripping my Kindle like it owed me answers. I need book two. I need Kai and Alex safe. I need them happy. I need them breathing the same air without fear. I need resolution like oxygen.
Isabella Skyes, you have my full attention.
Set right here in England (we love a local moment), this story follows Alex, a loner who has been beaten down by life in every possible way. His brother’s violence, his mother’s neglect, the constant fear, the constant silence — it’s brutal. It’s raw. It’s the kind of pain that sits heavy in your chest as you read. And yet, somehow, Alex still finds these tiny sparks of strength. A smile for Rachel. A quiet “I’m fine” when he’s anything but. I wanted to reach into the pages, wrap him in a blanket, and tell him he deserved softness, safety, and love.
Then Kai walks in — disciplined, determined, laser‑focused on becoming a pro footballer like his dad. He’s all structure and self‑control… until he’s paired with Alex for a history assignment, and suddenly the ground shifts beneath him. What I adored is how gentle Kai is with him. How aware he is of his body language. How he notices when Alex hasn’t eaten. How he checks in, again and again, even when Alex doesn’t know how to accept that kind of care.
Kai becomes a protector without ever being possessive. A safe place without ever pushing. And watching Alex slowly realise that someone might actually want him — not out of pity, not out of obligation, but out of genuine affection — was everything.
The slow burn between them is exquisite. Tender. Careful. Built on small moments: a brush of fingers, a shared look, a hesitant smile. Both of them fighting their feelings for different reasons — Alex wanting to shield Kai from his brother’s wrath, Kai questioning his sexuality and what it means for his future in football — and yet the connection between them grows anyway. Quietly. Powerfully. Inevitably.
But this book isn’t all softness. There’s darkness here too — violence, trauma, language that cuts deep. It’s handled with sensitivity, but it’s heavy, and it’s important to look after yourself while reading.
And can we talk about Rachel and Kate? The way they love Alex, the way they show up for him when no one else does… I teared up more than once. They are the warmth in a very cold world, and their presence made my heart swell.
By the time I hit that cliffhanger, I was gripping my Kindle like it owed me answers. I need book two. I need Kai and Alex safe. I need them happy. I need them breathing the same air without fear. I need resolution like oxygen.
Isabella Skyes, you have my full attention.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 7, 2026
The story was truly soul-wrenching, I couldn't put it down once I started. I went to bed at 2am because of it, and it made me tear up many times, even at work during break. I needed to know what would happen, if Alex would finally be safe, and how they could get away with everything going on around them. Be aware this is book one, and it ends on a cliffhanger.
The angst was real, raw, dreading, and heartbreaking. All the horrors Alex went through in his awfully short life already, it made me sick to my stomach. I just wanted to protect him and keep him safe, away from the ugly and evil world he lives in with no one to care enough to step up.
Kai was incredibly precious in his will to befriend him, not stopping in front of all the walls Alex had surrounded himself with over the years, seeing behind the cracks and lies. His own self-discovery about his feelings for Alex felt emotional, the struggle and the confusion, while never wanting to stop seeing him.
I rounded my note to 4.25 because while I absolutely fell for Alex and Kai, I didn't like any of the conversations between Kai and his friends, especially when talking about girls, drugs, and alcohol. But mainly the girls. They were treated and talked about disrespectfully. It was just gross, and I'm way too old for this kind of misogynistic conversation. I get they're horny teenagers, but that's a big no for me personally.
Also, there could have been more thorough editing in the text. There were a lot of repetitions, sometimes near each other, that could have been cut and made the story more fluid, but it didn't stop me from loving their story.
The angst was real, raw, dreading, and heartbreaking. All the horrors Alex went through in his awfully short life already, it made me sick to my stomach. I just wanted to protect him and keep him safe, away from the ugly and evil world he lives in with no one to care enough to step up.
Kai was incredibly precious in his will to befriend him, not stopping in front of all the walls Alex had surrounded himself with over the years, seeing behind the cracks and lies. His own self-discovery about his feelings for Alex felt emotional, the struggle and the confusion, while never wanting to stop seeing him.
I rounded my note to 4.25 because while I absolutely fell for Alex and Kai, I didn't like any of the conversations between Kai and his friends, especially when talking about girls, drugs, and alcohol. But mainly the girls. They were treated and talked about disrespectfully. It was just gross, and I'm way too old for this kind of misogynistic conversation. I get they're horny teenagers, but that's a big no for me personally.
Also, there could have been more thorough editing in the text. There were a lot of repetitions, sometimes near each other, that could have been cut and made the story more fluid, but it didn't stop me from loving their story.
June 3, 2026
I absolutely loved this book.
I almost didn't read it because I saw some reviews claiming it was the same as another book. Honestly, I think it's unfair to compare a story that way when an author has put so much time and effort into writing it.
I understand making positive comparisons to help readers get a sense of the book's vibe or themes but saying that it's simply a copy-and-paste of another story feels dismissive of the author's work.
I didn't see how it was exactly like the other stories people mentioned. Every book brings its own unique characters, emotions, perspective, etc. I loved the main characters, their chemistry, and how I felt reading about them. This book completely pulled me in <3
And can we please get a TV series adaptation of this book? I would absolutely watch it :)
I almost didn't read it because I saw some reviews claiming it was the same as another book. Honestly, I think it's unfair to compare a story that way when an author has put so much time and effort into writing it.
I understand making positive comparisons to help readers get a sense of the book's vibe or themes but saying that it's simply a copy-and-paste of another story feels dismissive of the author's work.
I didn't see how it was exactly like the other stories people mentioned. Every book brings its own unique characters, emotions, perspective, etc. I loved the main characters, their chemistry, and how I felt reading about them. This book completely pulled me in <3
And can we please get a TV series adaptation of this book? I would absolutely watch it :)
June 17, 2026
So that was lowkey ass but also lowkey entertaining but like there was js sm wrong with this book in my personal opinion. It didn’t need to be this long. Also? Uh? R they tryna make a second book or sumthin cause like it ended on a cliff hanger but for what? Like pls keep it to yourself actually I fear I will not be reading beyond what I have. Thanks.
June 11, 2026
Maybe I’ve rated this too high but I loved it sooo much. Giving Johnny and Shannon but gay. Heartbreaking at times. Acc loved both POVs. Tiny bit cringe at the end with an ‘I love you’ after 3 weeks but we move. Can’t wait for the next one!
May 29, 2026
This was so cute! I can't wait for book 2.
May 31, 2026
Review to follow soon...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 284 reviews