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A Kind of Stories #3
A Kind of Honesty
10 hrs 10 mins
Music is drummer Tim Chalmers’s great escape and the one thing that’s never let him down. But his band Spiral’s meteoric rise to fame has made it difficult for him to maintain a low profile. Unwanted press pesters him after a public breakup with a volatile ex-girlfriend who loves the limelight as much as he loathes it. Tim’s main goal is to avoid confrontation. However, when a handsome stranger in a dive bar turns out to be someone he might know, everything changes.
Carter Hamilton-Temple might be a successful financial consultant with more brains, sophistication, and charm than most, but he always falls for the wrong guys: closet cases or men with issues. He can’t fight his attraction to tattooed rock star Tim, but can he trust his own judgment? When the thrill of danger combined with a fierce physical connection proves too strong for either man to resist, a quiet liaison away from the public eye and curious friends seems like a safe bet. But some secrets are hard to keep. When rumors threaten to rock his world, Tim realizes it’s time to confront his fear with his own kind of honesty.
Music is drummer Tim Chalmers’s great escape and the one thing that’s never let him down. But his band Spiral’s meteoric rise to fame has made it difficult for him to maintain a low profile. Unwanted press pesters him after a public breakup with a volatile ex-girlfriend who loves the limelight as much as he loathes it. Tim’s main goal is to avoid confrontation. However, when a handsome stranger in a dive bar turns out to be someone he might know, everything changes.
Carter Hamilton-Temple might be a successful financial consultant with more brains, sophistication, and charm than most, but he always falls for the wrong guys: closet cases or men with issues. He can’t fight his attraction to tattooed rock star Tim, but can he trust his own judgment? When the thrill of danger combined with a fierce physical connection proves too strong for either man to resist, a quiet liaison away from the public eye and curious friends seems like a safe bet. But some secrets are hard to keep. When rumors threaten to rock his world, Tim realizes it’s time to confront his fear with his own kind of honesty.
11 pages, Audible Audio
First published October 7, 2016
75 people are currently reading
539 people want to read
About the author
Lane Hayes
105 books1,719 followersLane Hayes loves a good romance! She’s the bestselling author of the Out in College, Starting From, Better Than, A Kind Of, Right and Wrong, and Leaning Into Series! Lane loves red wine, chocolate and travel (in no particular order). All things she can find in sunny SoCal where she lives with her amazing husband in a not quite empty nest.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 154 reviews
September 24, 2016
~4.25~
A Kind of Honesty is another win for Lane Hayes. I am in love with this series.
Tim, Spiral's drummer and the first-person narrator of the story, has been dating a model.
Wait. Let me rephrase that: He's been dating a scheming, conniving, money-hungry bitch. Fortunately, Tim breaks up with Miranda at the beginning of the book. (Unfortunately, she doesn't go away.)
Tim is bi and SO ready to act on his lustful thoughts involving men.
I APPROVE.
While in L.A., he visits a seedy gay club, where he meets the most beautiful man he's ever seen. The two spend a wild night together and go their separate ways. Imagine Tim's surprise when he sees his mystery man again . . . on a rooftop in New York.
Carter is Zeke's best friend. We met Carter in book 2, and I for one desperately wanted his story. Carter is wealthy and cultured. He's careful and discrete but knows how to get down and dirty. He leaves the boots on and wantonly wiggles his ass. Is it any wonder Tim loses his mind?
The sex in this book burned up the page. There's sex in a sleazy motel room, sex in the shower, and (bonus!) a butt-sex virgin! I think this might be Hayes' hottest book to date, and you won't hear me complaining.
This book isn't heavy on the angst, although there's some family drama. Tim's sister is an addict with a young son whose dad is about to seek full custody (and rightly so), and his mom is in la-la land.
The main conflict, however, is Tim refusing to be open and honest about his relationship with Carter. Tim is used to hiding. His first boyfriend screwed him over something fierce, and Tim just took it. He's always been too scared to rock the boat.
I loved Carter, but Tim frustrated me to no end. He seemed to care about his public image more than he cared about Carter. It's only when Carter calls him on his shit and says enough that Tim realizes what's really important and finds his own kind of honesty.
I needed a kick-ass epilogue and while the HEA was definitely there, it fell a little flat. I don't know what I was expecting, but I think Zeke and Benny's story ruined me (their HEA was just so perfect).
This book can be read as a standalone, but I don't recommend skipping books 1 and 2. This series is amazing and well worth reading in order.
A Kind of Honesty is another win for Lane Hayes. I am in love with this series.
Tim, Spiral's drummer and the first-person narrator of the story, has been dating a model.
Wait. Let me rephrase that: He's been dating a scheming, conniving, money-hungry bitch. Fortunately, Tim breaks up with Miranda at the beginning of the book. (Unfortunately, she doesn't go away.)
Tim is bi and SO ready to act on his lustful thoughts involving men.
I APPROVE.
While in L.A., he visits a seedy gay club, where he meets the most beautiful man he's ever seen. The two spend a wild night together and go their separate ways. Imagine Tim's surprise when he sees his mystery man again . . . on a rooftop in New York.
Carter is Zeke's best friend. We met Carter in book 2, and I for one desperately wanted his story. Carter is wealthy and cultured. He's careful and discrete but knows how to get down and dirty. He leaves the boots on and wantonly wiggles his ass. Is it any wonder Tim loses his mind?
The sex in this book burned up the page. There's sex in a sleazy motel room, sex in the shower, and (bonus!) a butt-sex virgin! I think this might be Hayes' hottest book to date, and you won't hear me complaining.
You don't want slow or gentle. You want me to use you. You want me to fuck you so hard you feel me for days. You want me to be every fantasy you never let yourself believe you wanted . . . You got it bad, baby. You're desperate for dick, and I can't wait to make you mine.
This book isn't heavy on the angst, although there's some family drama. Tim's sister is an addict with a young son whose dad is about to seek full custody (and rightly so), and his mom is in la-la land.
The main conflict, however, is Tim refusing to be open and honest about his relationship with Carter. Tim is used to hiding. His first boyfriend screwed him over something fierce, and Tim just took it. He's always been too scared to rock the boat.
I loved Carter, but Tim frustrated me to no end. He seemed to care about his public image more than he cared about Carter. It's only when Carter calls him on his shit and says enough that Tim realizes what's really important and finds his own kind of honesty.
I needed a kick-ass epilogue and while the HEA was definitely there, it fell a little flat. I don't know what I was expecting, but I think Zeke and Benny's story ruined me (their HEA was just so perfect).
This book can be read as a standalone, but I don't recommend skipping books 1 and 2. This series is amazing and well worth reading in order.
October 10, 2016
4.5 Stars!
Great addition to the series. I was super excited for Carter's book.
We got Tim's POV only, and I would have really liked Carter's. But still I had a good feel for Carter's character.
I was a little worried at first with the whole "let's keep everything a secret" bit. But everything played out nicely.
Carter was a kinky little devil - which I loved.
I saw the conflict and drama coming a mile away but in typical Lane Hayes fashion nothing was OTT nor did it drag out. Which I was super thankful for.
Lane Hayes is a definite auto buy author for me and I definitely recommend this one!
Great addition to the series. I was super excited for Carter's book.
We got Tim's POV only, and I would have really liked Carter's. But still I had a good feel for Carter's character.
I was a little worried at first with the whole "let's keep everything a secret" bit. But everything played out nicely.
Carter was a kinky little devil - which I loved.
I saw the conflict and drama coming a mile away but in typical Lane Hayes fashion nothing was OTT nor did it drag out. Which I was super thankful for.
Lane Hayes is a definite auto buy author for me and I definitely recommend this one!
June 9, 2017
Reread - June 2017- great! I don't love this one as much as the first two but it's still wonderful.
4.5 hearts!!!
Man I absolutely love this series! This book has such well developed characters and a steady romantic build up of their relationships. There tends to also be some inner torment that needs to be overcome by one of the main characters in order for their relationship to reach a HEA. In this book, that main character is Tim, and he is probably the most resistant to change out of all the characters so far.
I really liked Tim, even though he frustrated me at times. He is a mix of rockstar and nerd and even though he’s scared of being who he really is, he’s very sweet.
Tim’s biggest fear is becoming as dysfunctional as his family. He’s lived with alcoholics, drug addicts and a mum with neurosis, but has managed to escape all that and make something of his life. He wants to fade into the background so not to disturb the delicate balance he thinks he has on life. He’s worried if he takes to much, he’ll just have more too loose when the inevitable ‘inherited’ demons lurking within come out.
Man he was frustrating at times, talk about one step forward two steps back, but I still loved him. He was sweet and desperately wanted everything he could have with Carter.
I fell in love with fun-loving, caring, devastatingly handsome Carter in A Kind of Romance and I absolutely loved him in this, but the poor guy has had it rough with relationships.
He has some pretty big trust issues and has been used and hidden in the closet by the majority of his previous lovers. At times it felt like when Tim wanted to take a step forward, Carter was hesitating, but really these two were beautiful to watch fall in love. I always expect the worst with the inevitable ‘final hurdle’ but it’s never as bad I think it’ll be. Yes, it took a shitty situation and seeing Carter hurt to push Tim into gear, but he doesn't hesitate to make things right.
These two smoke up the sheets, seriously! There is so much dirty talk and sex in weird places (like a public park), it really was ridiculously hot. This is from the first 10% of the book:
This was once again an incredible romance in a series full of them.
Tim had the furthest to come out of all the characters so far, so while he was frustrating, there was no one better to help him than Carter. I adored this, it had my heart pounding and my eyes tearing at the end. I recommend giving this series a go!
4.5 hearts!!!
“You’re the only one who counts.”
Man I absolutely love this series! This book has such well developed characters and a steady romantic build up of their relationships. There tends to also be some inner torment that needs to be overcome by one of the main characters in order for their relationship to reach a HEA. In this book, that main character is Tim, and he is probably the most resistant to change out of all the characters so far.
I really liked Tim, even though he frustrated me at times. He is a mix of rockstar and nerd and even though he’s scared of being who he really is, he’s very sweet.
Tim’s biggest fear is becoming as dysfunctional as his family. He’s lived with alcoholics, drug addicts and a mum with neurosis, but has managed to escape all that and make something of his life. He wants to fade into the background so not to disturb the delicate balance he thinks he has on life. He’s worried if he takes to much, he’ll just have more too loose when the inevitable ‘inherited’ demons lurking within come out.
I pulled out my cell and typed an impromptu text.
I’ll be home tonite. Miss u.
I stared at the message but didn’t push Send. It was mushy. It wasn’t me.
Man he was frustrating at times, talk about one step forward two steps back, but I still loved him. He was sweet and desperately wanted everything he could have with Carter.
I fell in love with fun-loving, caring, devastatingly handsome Carter in A Kind of Romance and I absolutely loved him in this, but the poor guy has had it rough with relationships.
He has some pretty big trust issues and has been used and hidden in the closet by the majority of his previous lovers. At times it felt like when Tim wanted to take a step forward, Carter was hesitating, but really these two were beautiful to watch fall in love. I always expect the worst with the inevitable ‘final hurdle’ but it’s never as bad I think it’ll be. Yes, it took a shitty situation and seeing Carter hurt to push Tim into gear, but he doesn't hesitate to make things right.
These two smoke up the sheets, seriously! There is so much dirty talk and sex in weird places (like a public park), it really was ridiculously hot. This is from the first 10% of the book:
A gentle sway gave way to a moderate rhythm. And then finally something wilder. His boots dug into my ass as he sucked my tongue and licked my ear. He met me thrust for thrust, picking up the pace with me until the mattress creaked incessantly under the strain of the steady thumping.
….“Fuck me hard, trucker. I can take it.” I snapped my hips, loving the sound of his groan. “Do it harder.”...
This was once again an incredible romance in a series full of them.
Tim had the furthest to come out of all the characters so far, so while he was frustrating, there was no one better to help him than Carter. I adored this, it had my heart pounding and my eyes tearing at the end. I recommend giving this series a go!
December 24, 2016
4,5 full of honesty stars
"But maybe that’s what love was. A big gamble. A shot in the dark aiming for the best thing that’s ever come your way and hoping against all odds it ricochets back.”
I fell in love with Lane Hayes. I love her writing style! I adore the way she develops her characters and shares with us their broken hearts.
This story is about fighting your fears, accepting the past and be TRUE to yourself. Tim was such a sad soul. Carted was gorgeous, smart, but his taste in men was his biggest problem. They both get to face their true selves and fall in love hard and deeply.
I really liked this book, but not as much as A Kind of Romance or A Kind of Truth. The second book in A kind of series really kept me glued to the pages. With this one I didn't connect from the start. Even if I couldn't wait to read Carter's story, after the hot beginning, I kind of felt a little disappointed by the "it's only sex" theme. It felt common and not very entertaining.
I must admit this book was much expected. But as it happens sometimes, I think I raised my expectations too high. This story was good, but it was not as amazing as I expected it to be. And I wish we'd have their both POV. It's not that I disliked Tim, but I think I would have loved to be in Carter's mind too. He was so passionate and HOT. I must admit I really enjoyed them together because they were SO hot!!!
Carter and Tim meet under false names and have a HOT one night stand. They meet again when they expect it the least, and realize they are very attracted to each other. Neither wants to have something more, for very different reasons, but they end up tangled and in time, they start to realize they complete each other perfectly.
This story has a big but SAD surprise. I didn't see the first signs, unfortunately, but as the story went on, I was really heartbroken for Tim. He had such a hard time growing up and his first love ... well he really broke his hart in the worst way possible!!
After 10 years, Tim is still hiding his bisexuality, and doesn't want to share any of his personal life. But as a member of Spiral band, he is forced to face his fears and find the power in him to be completely honest. For Carter and for what they have.
The prologue is sweet and I really liked them together, but I also have some tiny complains so I will rate it with 4,5 stars. Wish Goodreads would provide us half stars. Because this wonderful, wonderful author doesn't deserve only 4 stars.
"But maybe that’s what love was. A big gamble. A shot in the dark aiming for the best thing that’s ever come your way and hoping against all odds it ricochets back.”
I fell in love with Lane Hayes. I love her writing style! I adore the way she develops her characters and shares with us their broken hearts.
This story is about fighting your fears, accepting the past and be TRUE to yourself. Tim was such a sad soul. Carted was gorgeous, smart, but his taste in men was his biggest problem. They both get to face their true selves and fall in love hard and deeply.
I really liked this book, but not as much as A Kind of Romance or A Kind of Truth. The second book in A kind of series really kept me glued to the pages. With this one I didn't connect from the start. Even if I couldn't wait to read Carter's story, after the hot beginning, I kind of felt a little disappointed by the "it's only sex" theme. It felt common and not very entertaining.
I must admit this book was much expected. But as it happens sometimes, I think I raised my expectations too high. This story was good, but it was not as amazing as I expected it to be. And I wish we'd have their both POV. It's not that I disliked Tim, but I think I would have loved to be in Carter's mind too. He was so passionate and HOT. I must admit I really enjoyed them together because they were SO hot!!!
Carter and Tim meet under false names and have a HOT one night stand. They meet again when they expect it the least, and realize they are very attracted to each other. Neither wants to have something more, for very different reasons, but they end up tangled and in time, they start to realize they complete each other perfectly.
This story has a big but SAD surprise. I didn't see the first signs, unfortunately, but as the story went on, I was really heartbroken for Tim. He had such a hard time growing up and his first love ... well he really broke his hart in the worst way possible!!
After 10 years, Tim is still hiding his bisexuality, and doesn't want to share any of his personal life. But as a member of Spiral band, he is forced to face his fears and find the power in him to be completely honest. For Carter and for what they have.
The prologue is sweet and I really liked them together, but I also have some tiny complains so I will rate it with 4,5 stars. Wish Goodreads would provide us half stars. Because this wonderful, wonderful author doesn't deserve only 4 stars.
October 21, 2016
I was really excited for this book. This series is turning out to be really good. You would think, like many other books, that this series would lose some of its steam by the third book, but so far every book has been just as good as the one before it. They have all been 5* reads for me. That makes this author an automatic buy.
We get Tim in this story and his POV. He’s recently broken up with his girlfriend, Miranda.
Miranda…. She belongs to the special breed of females that I label as cunts. Yes, I used that word and it fits this character. The shit she pulls is crazy and I wanted to go through my Kindle and smack a bitch. Her antics are just gross. Any guy would turn to men after the shit storm she brewed up. But luckily Tim already likes men so it was no surprise after all the shit he just went through with a female he’d give into his other urges for some hot man lovin’.
Chemistry… Carter and Tim had it in buckets. Their meeting is by chance. Maybe it was fate or just a case of being at the right place at the right time. Whichever way it was brought about, when these two men got together kinky sparks started flying. These boys really brought the sexy. They were all kinds of hot. All I’m going to say is, Cowboy Boots. ^^
I enjoy the buildup this author creates with the romance. It starts off with attraction, some sexy times, and then the feelings start showing and then BAM! We got love. It’s not rushed and it isn’t a slow build. It’s a steady climb. It is weaved together so effortlessly.
There’s some angst, but not much. They both have some trust issues, Tim more so than Carter. Carter is just basically scared of having past relationships repeat themselves. But who of us aren’t? Tim’s issues go a bit deeper because of the way he was brought up and what happened between his sister and his first love (which was so messed up).
The only real complaint I have is I would have liked if it was a double POV. I really would have liked to have gotten inside Carters head. That’s it!
If you haven’t started this series I highly recommend that you do. All my MM lovers will surely love it. Happy reading, dolls! xx
We get Tim in this story and his POV. He’s recently broken up with his girlfriend, Miranda.
Miranda…. She belongs to the special breed of females that I label as cunts. Yes, I used that word and it fits this character. The shit she pulls is crazy and I wanted to go through my Kindle and smack a bitch. Her antics are just gross. Any guy would turn to men after the shit storm she brewed up. But luckily Tim already likes men so it was no surprise after all the shit he just went through with a female he’d give into his other urges for some hot man lovin’.
Chemistry… Carter and Tim had it in buckets. Their meeting is by chance. Maybe it was fate or just a case of being at the right place at the right time. Whichever way it was brought about, when these two men got together kinky sparks started flying. These boys really brought the sexy. They were all kinds of hot. All I’m going to say is, Cowboy Boots. ^^
I enjoy the buildup this author creates with the romance. It starts off with attraction, some sexy times, and then the feelings start showing and then BAM! We got love. It’s not rushed and it isn’t a slow build. It’s a steady climb. It is weaved together so effortlessly.
There’s some angst, but not much. They both have some trust issues, Tim more so than Carter. Carter is just basically scared of having past relationships repeat themselves. But who of us aren’t? Tim’s issues go a bit deeper because of the way he was brought up and what happened between his sister and his first love (which was so messed up).
The only real complaint I have is I would have liked if it was a double POV. I really would have liked to have gotten inside Carters head. That’s it!
If you haven’t started this series I highly recommend that you do. All my MM lovers will surely love it. Happy reading, dolls! xx
August 5, 2018
~4.5 stars!~
Lane Hayes delivers again. It's no wonder she's been an autobuy for me for quite a while. She expertly tells a story, giving me the exact combination of relationship-building, character building, internal relationship angst, and sexy times that turn my crank.
The third book in this series centers around Tim, the drummer in Rand's band, Spiral. After reading Book 2 and getting to know Carter, I was dying for his book. So I was somewhat surprised that Tim and Carter's book would feature Tim's POV instead of Carter's. I wasn't disappointed though.
Tim is bi, and has just broken up with a nightmare viper of a girlfriend. He celebrates finally getting out of her evil clutches by picking up a one-night stand in LA. Both Carter and Tim (or, rather, James and Gary) know the score and have a really sexy night indulging in some fantasies.
Imagine both their surprises when, back in NYC, they run into each other at Benny's party. The insane attraction is still there, and they can't keep their hands off each other for long. What starts as a regular booty call transitions to fuck buddies and then transforms to more.
Learning about Carter's background was bittersweet. As much as I loved getting to know him right along side Tim, I ached for him. For his lonely upbringing, his lonely relationship history, and his lonely present.
Tim hasn't exactly had it easy. An awful alcoholic father, an enabling mother, and a first (and only up until that point) love who committed one of the worst betrayals imaginable. He feels something for Carter, eventually (great relationship development, remember?) that really throws his carefully constructed world askew.
Because he doesn't want to throw more drama at his mother, because he doesn't want to compromise his band's tentative success with scandal......Tim can rationalize and excuse his unwillingness to date a man in the public eye with the best of them. But the truth is much simpler. He's scared.
And Carter.......damn, he is just everything in this book. He's not perfect, but no matter what has happened to him in the past, or because of it, he is a force to be reckoned with. No bullshit, no lies. Only honesty. He's ok being discreet when hearts aren't on the line. But as soon as shit gets real, so does Carter. He won't settle for less, and I had my pom poms out for him every step of the way. See, Tim's ex just wouldn't go away, and it was just the public scandal Tim didn't want, but it comes. And Carter.....no doormat here folks.
I swooned over Carter. He made the book for me. Read it!
Lane Hayes delivers again. It's no wonder she's been an autobuy for me for quite a while. She expertly tells a story, giving me the exact combination of relationship-building, character building, internal relationship angst, and sexy times that turn my crank.
The third book in this series centers around Tim, the drummer in Rand's band, Spiral. After reading Book 2 and getting to know Carter, I was dying for his book. So I was somewhat surprised that Tim and Carter's book would feature Tim's POV instead of Carter's. I wasn't disappointed though.
Tim is bi, and has just broken up with a nightmare viper of a girlfriend. He celebrates finally getting out of her evil clutches by picking up a one-night stand in LA. Both Carter and Tim (or, rather, James and Gary) know the score and have a really sexy night indulging in some fantasies.
Imagine both their surprises when, back in NYC, they run into each other at Benny's party. The insane attraction is still there, and they can't keep their hands off each other for long. What starts as a regular booty call transitions to fuck buddies and then transforms to more.
Carter was more real to me than anything other than my music.
Learning about Carter's background was bittersweet. As much as I loved getting to know him right along side Tim, I ached for him. For his lonely upbringing, his lonely relationship history, and his lonely present.
Tim hasn't exactly had it easy. An awful alcoholic father, an enabling mother, and a first (and only up until that point) love who committed one of the worst betrayals imaginable. He feels something for Carter, eventually (great relationship development, remember?) that really throws his carefully constructed world askew.
"I can't make big promises or wild, romantic gestures, but I want you to know this means something to me."
Because he doesn't want to throw more drama at his mother, because he doesn't want to compromise his band's tentative success with scandal......Tim can rationalize and excuse his unwillingness to date a man in the public eye with the best of them. But the truth is much simpler. He's scared.
And Carter.......damn, he is just everything in this book. He's not perfect, but no matter what has happened to him in the past, or because of it, he is a force to be reckoned with. No bullshit, no lies. Only honesty. He's ok being discreet when hearts aren't on the line. But as soon as shit gets real, so does Carter. He won't settle for less, and I had my pom poms out for him every step of the way. See, Tim's ex just wouldn't go away, and it was just the public scandal Tim didn't want, but it comes. And Carter.....no doormat here folks.
"She's using me to-"
"Bullshit. You're letting yourself be used. No one has permission to fuck you over unless you give it to them."
I swooned over Carter. He made the book for me. Read it!
May 19, 2017
Audio book review: 5 Stars!
Seth Clayton killed it. I was worried his voice wouldn't match the ones in my head but he became Tim and brought Carter's feelings forward. This was a pleasure to listen to.
RTC
*********
Lane Hayes,
This book-
A Kind of Honesty is-
Bisexual drummer in a rock band hooks up with a prosperous business man who likes to get down and dirty.
And as usual Lane Hayes delivered another hit!
My highlights:
-Carter aka My New Book Boyfriend. Aside from his kick ass personality, there's something oh so delicious about a reserved man who's a freak in the sheets and his strength- gooood laaawd!
-Tim: Although he could be frustrating there was a loving and almost naive vulnerability to him that'd make me forgive him. Plus, most importantly his character grows as the story progresses.
-Narration. I'm very vocal about not being a huge fan of first person narration, but Hayes is one of the few exceptions to the rule. She's got a great way of letting the reader know what the other love interest is feeling without us being in their head. I give her big kudos for that.
-Relationship development. Hayes is a master here. She's got this gift of delivering the perfect relationship progression. Her relationships are never insta-love but instead mature into real heartfelt feelings.
-Pace. It just flows and is unputdownable.
-Angst. It never feels over the top, but it's still heartbreaking.
-And the smexy scenes:
Can this be read as standalone? Technically, yes, but don't cheat yourself out of reading this fantastic series. Honestly, do yourself a favor and start from the beginning.
A Kind of Honesty is an excellent addition to one of my favorite series of the year. HIGHLY RECOMMEND. 5 I LOVE YOU CARTER STARS!
June 12, 2019
A Kind of Honesty was definitely more than...kind of good.
I'm pretty sure that I've already mentioned this but just to refresh things. Rock star stories really are not at the top of my list to read. I don't know why they just never seem to appeal to me...however, as we all know one should 'never say never' because there are exceptions to every rule and the 'A Kind of stories' by Lane Hayes are among those exceptions for me.
Not only are the stories contained in this series beyond good but for me Seth Clayton is the perfect narrator for them.
Tim is the drummer for the rock band Spiral, which this series centers around. While he's been in each book we've really learned very little about him until now. We know he's the drummer and we know he's bisexual and really that's about all we've learned until now. But 'A Kind of Honesty' changes all that we learn all Tim's secrets with this story and there are a few.
Carter Hamilton-Temple is a successful financial consultant and a very rich man in his own right. He's also Zeke Gulden's best friend. We met Zeke in previous stories and learned all about Zeke in 'A Kind of Romance'. Carter may have money and the smarts to make money for his clients but what he doesn't seem to have is much luck when it comes to men. He's had his heart and his trust broken more than once and as luck would have it the men who have done this turned out to be bi, so needless to say when Carter and Tim get together, Tim's already got one strike against him.
When Tim finally ends his relationship with his super-model from hell girlfriend. He decides it's time to explore the other side of his bisexuality and takes himself to a less than glamours gay bar with the intentions of getting laid and as fortune would have it, just about the time he's decided he picked the wrong place to put his plan into action in walks one of the hottest men Tim's set eyes on in a while. Luckily for him that man likes what the sees when he sets eyes on Tim. Mission accomplished after a couple of drinks they head out to a dive hotel and get their groove on. These two men are seriously hot together. They like their sex down and dirty...maybe not quite as dirty as their present surroundings though...
The real surprise comes for both of these men when they are once again brought face to face at a birthday party for a mutual friend. But it's no surprise when both men decide that they want to continue what started in that seedy L.A. hotel room...more down and dirty sex without the strings and hopefully cleaner surroundings.
As they explore their mutual attraction those strings just seem to add themselves. Both Tim and Carter start to find their happiness getting tied to one another and things become complicated pushing each man to his limits, until things explode and Tim is left alone with the realization that if he wants to keep what he's found with Carter, he needs to make some changes sooner than he thinks he's ready to.
I would have to say that when it comes to 'rock star' books this series is definitely at the top of my favorites list. Quite often if I read books that involve the music industry the MCs tend to be country & western performers, which is pretty ironic considering that I'm not really a C&W fan. I've read a couple other rock star series and one or two standalones that I enjoyed but honestly along with the 'Sinners' series by Rhys Ford, this is definitely my other top choice.
My point being simply put Lane Hayes has done what only a very few authors have accomplished and that's to get me to not only read but thoroughly enjoy and look forward to a rock star series. In the scheme of things not really a big deal to anyone other than me. But from my perspective ...well, quite honestly I'm more than a little impressed.
Add to this the fact that somebody somewhere had the wisdom or just plain good luck to utilize the talents of Seth Clayton for the audio books and this series for me has been a huge success.
Listening to Seth Clayton narrate an audio book is a bit of a different experience than I've come to expect from most narrators. I'm not sure that he really ticks my 'basic audio book' checklist. Although I have no problem in terms of knowing who's speaking and his voices are definitely expressive and consistent...ok, let's just say he hits the mark on these things for me and move on to what really appeals to me...which seems to be his voice in general. There's a comfortable tone to it no matter what character he's portraying. It feels like I'm curled up with a cup of coffee and a good friend who's telling me their story...it's comfortable and inviting. I just really like his voice and no, it's not in that 'ohmygod, he sounds so hot' way although he does the sexy thing just fine as well.
One of my biggest issues with audiobooks was the fear that my inner 12 year old would run amuck during those intimate moments in a story and spoil things for me and while it has happened on occasion not once during any of these books did that little brat make an appearance and if it was going to happen this would have been the story...because hello!...dirty talk here, in abundance. But if it's done right it's howt!!! hella', hella' hot!!! and if not well...it's just a giggle fest waiting to happen...trust me there were no giggles to be found here, at least not from me. I was too busy fanning myself.
If you're like me and rock star stories aren't really your thing all I can say is check this series out, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised and if you like rock star stories you seriously need these books. These guys are all awesome and hot or maybe they're just awesomely hot...whatever, it works.
Sadly for now I'm 'kind of' out of audio books from this series but book 4 is coming soon and with any luck the audio book will follow without too much delay and Seth Clayton will still be the narrator...sorry, I don't want much...I just want it all.
********************
An audiobook for 'A Kind of Honesty' was graciously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I'm pretty sure that I've already mentioned this but just to refresh things. Rock star stories really are not at the top of my list to read. I don't know why they just never seem to appeal to me...however, as we all know one should 'never say never' because there are exceptions to every rule and the 'A Kind of stories' by Lane Hayes are among those exceptions for me.
Not only are the stories contained in this series beyond good but for me Seth Clayton is the perfect narrator for them.
Tim is the drummer for the rock band Spiral, which this series centers around. While he's been in each book we've really learned very little about him until now. We know he's the drummer and we know he's bisexual and really that's about all we've learned until now. But 'A Kind of Honesty' changes all that we learn all Tim's secrets with this story and there are a few.
Carter Hamilton-Temple is a successful financial consultant and a very rich man in his own right. He's also Zeke Gulden's best friend. We met Zeke in previous stories and learned all about Zeke in 'A Kind of Romance'. Carter may have money and the smarts to make money for his clients but what he doesn't seem to have is much luck when it comes to men. He's had his heart and his trust broken more than once and as luck would have it the men who have done this turned out to be bi, so needless to say when Carter and Tim get together, Tim's already got one strike against him.
When Tim finally ends his relationship with his super-model from hell girlfriend. He decides it's time to explore the other side of his bisexuality and takes himself to a less than glamours gay bar with the intentions of getting laid and as fortune would have it, just about the time he's decided he picked the wrong place to put his plan into action in walks one of the hottest men Tim's set eyes on in a while. Luckily for him that man likes what the sees when he sets eyes on Tim. Mission accomplished after a couple of drinks they head out to a dive hotel and get their groove on. These two men are seriously hot together. They like their sex down and dirty...maybe not quite as dirty as their present surroundings though...
The real surprise comes for both of these men when they are once again brought face to face at a birthday party for a mutual friend. But it's no surprise when both men decide that they want to continue what started in that seedy L.A. hotel room...more down and dirty sex without the strings and hopefully cleaner surroundings.
As they explore their mutual attraction those strings just seem to add themselves. Both Tim and Carter start to find their happiness getting tied to one another and things become complicated pushing each man to his limits, until things explode and Tim is left alone with the realization that if he wants to keep what he's found with Carter, he needs to make some changes sooner than he thinks he's ready to.
I would have to say that when it comes to 'rock star' books this series is definitely at the top of my favorites list. Quite often if I read books that involve the music industry the MCs tend to be country & western performers, which is pretty ironic considering that I'm not really a C&W fan. I've read a couple other rock star series and one or two standalones that I enjoyed but honestly along with the 'Sinners' series by Rhys Ford, this is definitely my other top choice.
My point being simply put Lane Hayes has done what only a very few authors have accomplished and that's to get me to not only read but thoroughly enjoy and look forward to a rock star series. In the scheme of things not really a big deal to anyone other than me. But from my perspective ...well, quite honestly I'm more than a little impressed.
Add to this the fact that somebody somewhere had the wisdom or just plain good luck to utilize the talents of Seth Clayton for the audio books and this series for me has been a huge success.
Listening to Seth Clayton narrate an audio book is a bit of a different experience than I've come to expect from most narrators. I'm not sure that he really ticks my 'basic audio book' checklist. Although I have no problem in terms of knowing who's speaking and his voices are definitely expressive and consistent...ok, let's just say he hits the mark on these things for me and move on to what really appeals to me...which seems to be his voice in general. There's a comfortable tone to it no matter what character he's portraying. It feels like I'm curled up with a cup of coffee and a good friend who's telling me their story...it's comfortable and inviting. I just really like his voice and no, it's not in that 'ohmygod, he sounds so hot' way although he does the sexy thing just fine as well.
One of my biggest issues with audiobooks was the fear that my inner 12 year old would run amuck during those intimate moments in a story and spoil things for me and while it has happened on occasion not once during any of these books did that little brat make an appearance and if it was going to happen this would have been the story...because hello!...dirty talk here, in abundance. But if it's done right it's howt!!! hella', hella' hot!!! and if not well...it's just a giggle fest waiting to happen...trust me there were no giggles to be found here, at least not from me. I was too busy fanning myself.
If you're like me and rock star stories aren't really your thing all I can say is check this series out, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised and if you like rock star stories you seriously need these books. These guys are all awesome and hot or maybe they're just awesomely hot...whatever, it works.
Sadly for now I'm 'kind of' out of audio books from this series but book 4 is coming soon and with any luck the audio book will follow without too much delay and Seth Clayton will still be the narrator...sorry, I don't want much...I just want it all.
********************
An audiobook for 'A Kind of Honesty' was graciously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
November 25, 2016
This entire series has pulled my heart strings and tied them in a pretty red bow.
This is Tim and Carter's story. I adored how their love grew gradually and organically. I felt myself falling in love with them at the same time. Getting to know each other, sharing their likes, laughing and looking forward to their next time together, all felt REAL.
Then we learn their back stories which are nothing less than heartbreaking. Eyebrow raising heartbreak. But nothing is presented with OTT drama. It simply flows as the men become more familiar with each other. They become the solid REAL thing for each other that allows them to finally move on from the past to a brighter future.
This is a low drama, real love story between two characters that have painful pasts but are mature enough to move forward with what luck has thrown their way.
Just beautiful.
This is Tim and Carter's story. I adored how their love grew gradually and organically. I felt myself falling in love with them at the same time. Getting to know each other, sharing their likes, laughing and looking forward to their next time together, all felt REAL.
Then we learn their back stories which are nothing less than heartbreaking. Eyebrow raising heartbreak. But nothing is presented with OTT drama. It simply flows as the men become more familiar with each other. They become the solid REAL thing for each other that allows them to finally move on from the past to a brighter future.
This is a low drama, real love story between two characters that have painful pasts but are mature enough to move forward with what luck has thrown their way.
Just beautiful.
October 6, 2016
Fucking Awesome!
Lane Hayes has proven to me that she is an amazing author who can do no wrong! I am continuously amazed at her ability to weave stories and create characters that are distinguished, real, gritty, some are slightly damaged, but all of her characters need and want to be loved. In this third book of the "A Kind of" Series, we get to go one-on-one with Tim Chalmer - Spiral's drummer. Tim is full of energy. He loves his music. He plays multiple instruments, but drums and him - they are the perfect yin and yang.
Tim has long known he is bisexual, even if his family thinks it was only for publicity, and now that he is single - he is looking for a man. When he meets the perfect guy in a run down bar in California - a one-night hookup is a perfect solution to scratch an itch, he doesn't think he will ever see the handsome stranger again, and he is okay with that.
Carter Hamilton-Temple, he is successful, sophisticated, rich, sexy, charming, and he is out. Why does he always find the wrong man? When he is at Zeke's party the last person he thinks he will see is the sexy man he hooked up with in California. He is drawn to him, Gary - is that his name.. just one problem, he looks like he is a mutual friend of Zeke's and that could never end well. With some quick thinking and talking on Carter's part, he finds out Gary is really Tim and a mutually beneficial relationship is sparked between the two. As long as they both remember it's just for sex. There can be no relationship. Tims family still thinks the bisexual status is fake and Carter isn't going back in the closet for anyone, never mind he isn't willing to date a famous person again and never know what is happening while they are away.
Things go well until one or the other of them starts to forget this is just sex. Can they be honest with each other and admit that what has built between them is much more than strictly a between the sheets relationship? Will Tim be too scared to face his family and lose Carter? Can these two make their own kind of honesty and build a kind of love as well?
I highly recommend this story as well as this series - you will love these characters and the situations they get themselves into! Perfection! I cannot wait to see what Ms. Hayes brings us next!
❥❥**´¨)
¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•`*Review Copy provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Jaime from Alpha Book Club
Lane Hayes has proven to me that she is an amazing author who can do no wrong! I am continuously amazed at her ability to weave stories and create characters that are distinguished, real, gritty, some are slightly damaged, but all of her characters need and want to be loved. In this third book of the "A Kind of" Series, we get to go one-on-one with Tim Chalmer - Spiral's drummer. Tim is full of energy. He loves his music. He plays multiple instruments, but drums and him - they are the perfect yin and yang.
Tim has long known he is bisexual, even if his family thinks it was only for publicity, and now that he is single - he is looking for a man. When he meets the perfect guy in a run down bar in California - a one-night hookup is a perfect solution to scratch an itch, he doesn't think he will ever see the handsome stranger again, and he is okay with that.
Carter Hamilton-Temple, he is successful, sophisticated, rich, sexy, charming, and he is out. Why does he always find the wrong man? When he is at Zeke's party the last person he thinks he will see is the sexy man he hooked up with in California. He is drawn to him, Gary - is that his name.. just one problem, he looks like he is a mutual friend of Zeke's and that could never end well. With some quick thinking and talking on Carter's part, he finds out Gary is really Tim and a mutually beneficial relationship is sparked between the two. As long as they both remember it's just for sex. There can be no relationship. Tims family still thinks the bisexual status is fake and Carter isn't going back in the closet for anyone, never mind he isn't willing to date a famous person again and never know what is happening while they are away.
Things go well until one or the other of them starts to forget this is just sex. Can they be honest with each other and admit that what has built between them is much more than strictly a between the sheets relationship? Will Tim be too scared to face his family and lose Carter? Can these two make their own kind of honesty and build a kind of love as well?
I highly recommend this story as well as this series - you will love these characters and the situations they get themselves into! Perfection! I cannot wait to see what Ms. Hayes brings us next!
❥❥**´¨)
¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•`*Review Copy provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Jaime from Alpha Book Club
November 22, 2016
I really enjoyed this story - romance, angst and friendship. Tim is fairly deep in the closet with a bitch of an ex who just makes life miserable by pretending she is pregnant. He has hidden who he really is and uses the excuses about not wanting to cause issues for his family or his band. Guilt is a big weight around his neck. Carter is the generous one night stand who becomes so much more. He's longing for family and is searching for that one true love ❤️ This story revolves around secrets and hiding while facing the truth. I adored Carter for his patience and his longing for family. Tim, while quirky and neurotic, annoyed me at times with his excuses but I did understand his motives even though I disagreed with some of his moments! Great chemistry and wonderful friends.
June 15, 2017
~ 4.5 stars ~
February 4, 2020
Carter is, on the surface, the cool confident rich guy with the killer abs and great taste. Sure he has everything you could want, but the one thing he needs is something, or someone, to trust in. He's had a bad string of relationships with bisexual men and isn't looking for anything permanent.
Tim is the (bisexual muscular bad boy with lotsa tats) drummer of Spiral, an up-and-coming band on "the sure path to rock and roll immortality." The band is his family - thank god, because his real family is nuts - sister in rehab for the 4th time, an alcoholic father and delusional mother. After breaking up with Miranda, a high-maintenance supermodel, Tim finds himself in a LA dive bar, where he meets Carter and one gloriously sexy one-night-stand (with cowboy boots!) later, they part ways, with no plans to meet again.
Until ... they meet again at a party in NYC. Carter is Zeke's best friend and former boyfriend, last seen in A Kind of Romance and it turns out he has a thing for muscular bad boys with tats, so they agree "We both appreciate discretion and we know the sex is amazing. Why not continue where we left off?"
At this point, if I said the rest of the story is a standard Lane Hayes story, by that I mean, there is a solid plot that keeps your interest every page, an absolutely scorching sexual chemistry between Tim and Carter that slowly deepens into something neither man expected, a few bumps along the way via nasty scheming exes, and the eventual realization that what really matters is "honesty, love, and ultimately giving in to something bigger than yourself." It doesn't get much better than this, and I highly recommend "A Kind of Honesty."
I received an ARC of this book from Dreamspinner Press in exchange for an honest review.
Visit my blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
Tim is the (bisexual muscular bad boy with lotsa tats) drummer of Spiral, an up-and-coming band on "the sure path to rock and roll immortality." The band is his family - thank god, because his real family is nuts - sister in rehab for the 4th time, an alcoholic father and delusional mother. After breaking up with Miranda, a high-maintenance supermodel, Tim finds himself in a LA dive bar, where he meets Carter and one gloriously sexy one-night-stand (with cowboy boots!) later, they part ways, with no plans to meet again.
Until ... they meet again at a party in NYC. Carter is Zeke's best friend and former boyfriend, last seen in A Kind of Romance and it turns out he has a thing for muscular bad boys with tats, so they agree "We both appreciate discretion and we know the sex is amazing. Why not continue where we left off?"
At this point, if I said the rest of the story is a standard Lane Hayes story, by that I mean, there is a solid plot that keeps your interest every page, an absolutely scorching sexual chemistry between Tim and Carter that slowly deepens into something neither man expected, a few bumps along the way via nasty scheming exes, and the eventual realization that what really matters is "honesty, love, and ultimately giving in to something bigger than yourself." It doesn't get much better than this, and I highly recommend "A Kind of Honesty."
I received an ARC of this book from Dreamspinner Press in exchange for an honest review.
Visit my blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
October 8, 2016
I loved book 1, but I wasn't extremely impressed with book 2. It was a nice read, but for me nothing spectacular. This one however, I liked way better.
This book is totally in Tim's pov, but I never felt lost about Carters feelings, because they were very well expressed.
Tim is a drummer for the rockband Spiral, which means he's Rand's bandmate (book 1).
He just broke up with his bitchy supermodel girlfriend and wants to let his freak fly at a gay bar. You see Tim is bi and he's in need of nice hook-up with a sexy man.
This is how he meets Carter, who is Zeke's best friend (book 2). They have a sexy and very hot rendez vous in dirty motelroom in LA. They both give each other fake names, although Carters name actually had some truth in it. It's supposed to be a one off, eventhough it rocked both their worlds.
So imagine their surprise when they find out that they are actually more closely connected then they thought.
They meet again at Benny's birthday party and things progress from that point on. First as just fuckfriends, but they soon turn into much much more.
Things are not really easy for Tim though. He's not completely out of the closet with his disfunctional family and his ex-girlfriend is a shit stirrer !!
I really enjoyed this one. I liked both characters and eventhough Tim made some mistakes, I could understand his confusion on how to deal with all his shit. Carter was a great character, but it took me a while to warm up to him in the beginning. He came of as quite cold and stuck-up, which he really wasn't. After getting into the story, I fell in love with him :)
The steam in this one was very nice. These two burned the house down !!
October 13, 2016
Loved Tim and Carter.
I hope this isn't the end of the series. There are more stories to tell, right?
October 11, 2017
I'm not sure how much I like Tim and Carter, and both of them together...
But I just wanna say that the author's writing maturity really shows in this work.
I liked Tim on A Kind of Truth. But I really don't know who he is. And the way the author wrote about him and his point of view was astounding. I wouldn't say I loved the character, but I appreciate the complexity and depth she did with Tim. I didn't noticed it in the beginning, but the flippant tone of Tim's voice only made sense to me near the end where everything unraveled.
It didn't hit me as hard or as sweet as A Kind of Romance. But I can see that this is a step up for Ms. Hayes.
3.75 STARS.
But I just wanna say that the author's writing maturity really shows in this work.
I liked Tim on A Kind of Truth. But I really don't know who he is. And the way the author wrote about him and his point of view was astounding. I wouldn't say I loved the character, but I appreciate the complexity and depth she did with Tim. I didn't noticed it in the beginning, but the flippant tone of Tim's voice only made sense to me near the end where everything unraveled.
It didn't hit me as hard or as sweet as A Kind of Romance. But I can see that this is a step up for Ms. Hayes.
3.75 STARS.
October 6, 2016
Lane Hayes strikes again. Her romances leave me with a dreamy sigh and a goofy smile at the end. “A kind of Honesty” is not any different. It had the exact amount of relationship, romance, friendship, family and sexy times in a perfect blend. We have followed the band “Spiral” from its budding years and have read about the HEAs of its lead vocalist, Rand O’Malley. This time its Tim Chalmer’s (Spiral’s bad boy drummer and Rand’s best friend) turn to find his HEA.
Tim has finally gotten rid of his bitch of a girlfriend, Miranda. He is now single and free to get his zen back before his band has to start recording for their next album. Before leaving LA, Tim decides to satisfy his longing for a man and finds exactly what he is looking for in a gorgeous and sexy stranger in a rundown bar of California. It was a onetime thing, sure but the pull between them was phenomenal. They had a crazy hot one night stand after which they go their separate ways.
Tim never thought that he will cross paths with the sexy stranger again, so imagine his surprise when he runs into him at a party thrown by Benny and Zeke. And that’s not all, the stranger is Carter, Zeke’s best friend. Tim is drawn to Carter instantly but getting involved with a friend’s friend does not bode well especially when both are not looking for a relationship. But they can’t ignore the electric chemistry between them. Thus, starts an arrangement of casual sex without any added hassle of feelings.
But the lines blur quickly and what they share soon turns into more than a casual fling. So what’s the problem you ask: Tim is not out. Sure, his fans know that he is bi but being bi and then actually having a boyfriend is completely different. Plus, his family is a little fucked up and he is still not out to them. Carter has been burned several times and he is not ready to hide for anyone. Tim just has to be HONEST about himself to his family and to the world before he can get his HEA with Carter.
This story has very minimum angst. The relationship between Tim and Carter develops with minimal drama. The main angst comes from Tim’s family. His family is less than perfect and Tim does not want to do anything to rock the boat. His mother is a nervous wreck, whereas his sister is an addict doing her forth stint in rehab. His nephew is young and though Tim loves the kid more than anything, there is a huge tension between him and his father. So, yeah Tim is not ready to make his relationship with Carter public and disrupt the delicate balance he has established with his family.
Carter is a very no-nonsense kind of guy. He is charming, sexy and a perfect match for Tim, which Tim is very much aware of. But Carter is not going to be a part of a relationship where he has to hide from the world. He calls Tim out on his fears and I am happy to say that it was exactly what Tim needed to get his act together.
“She’s using me to-”
“Bullshit. You’re letting yourself be used. No one has permission to fuck you over unless you give it to them.”
See, Carter is a real ball-buster!!!
Tim’s ex betrayed him in a huge way. It has been years and its all water under the bridge but Tim had shut it all in and has never forgiven or forgotten. It was a major factor behind his fears of being honest about his feelings. I was little frustrated with him but Carter kicked his proverbial ass and gave him the strength to forgive the past and move on.
”I was where I wanted to be…. Where I was supposed to be. Nothing to hide and nothing to fear. There was no shame here. Only a kind of Honesty.”
I had a swell time reading this romance. I would definitely recommend this series!!!
*This review has been cross posted at GayBookReviews*
Tim has finally gotten rid of his bitch of a girlfriend, Miranda. He is now single and free to get his zen back before his band has to start recording for their next album. Before leaving LA, Tim decides to satisfy his longing for a man and finds exactly what he is looking for in a gorgeous and sexy stranger in a rundown bar of California. It was a onetime thing, sure but the pull between them was phenomenal. They had a crazy hot one night stand after which they go their separate ways.
Tim never thought that he will cross paths with the sexy stranger again, so imagine his surprise when he runs into him at a party thrown by Benny and Zeke. And that’s not all, the stranger is Carter, Zeke’s best friend. Tim is drawn to Carter instantly but getting involved with a friend’s friend does not bode well especially when both are not looking for a relationship. But they can’t ignore the electric chemistry between them. Thus, starts an arrangement of casual sex without any added hassle of feelings.
But the lines blur quickly and what they share soon turns into more than a casual fling. So what’s the problem you ask: Tim is not out. Sure, his fans know that he is bi but being bi and then actually having a boyfriend is completely different. Plus, his family is a little fucked up and he is still not out to them. Carter has been burned several times and he is not ready to hide for anyone. Tim just has to be HONEST about himself to his family and to the world before he can get his HEA with Carter.
This story has very minimum angst. The relationship between Tim and Carter develops with minimal drama. The main angst comes from Tim’s family. His family is less than perfect and Tim does not want to do anything to rock the boat. His mother is a nervous wreck, whereas his sister is an addict doing her forth stint in rehab. His nephew is young and though Tim loves the kid more than anything, there is a huge tension between him and his father. So, yeah Tim is not ready to make his relationship with Carter public and disrupt the delicate balance he has established with his family.
Carter is a very no-nonsense kind of guy. He is charming, sexy and a perfect match for Tim, which Tim is very much aware of. But Carter is not going to be a part of a relationship where he has to hide from the world. He calls Tim out on his fears and I am happy to say that it was exactly what Tim needed to get his act together.
“She’s using me to-”
“Bullshit. You’re letting yourself be used. No one has permission to fuck you over unless you give it to them.”
See, Carter is a real ball-buster!!!
Tim’s ex betrayed him in a huge way. It has been years and its all water under the bridge but Tim had shut it all in and has never forgiven or forgotten. It was a major factor behind his fears of being honest about his feelings. I was little frustrated with him but Carter kicked his proverbial ass and gave him the strength to forgive the past and move on.
”I was where I wanted to be…. Where I was supposed to be. Nothing to hide and nothing to fear. There was no shame here. Only a kind of Honesty.”
I had a swell time reading this romance. I would definitely recommend this series!!!
*This review has been cross posted at GayBookReviews*
April 26, 2017
Best in the series for me, I absolutely fell head over heels for both Carter and Tim.
I love Lane Hayes' style of writing, she has a realness to it which makes you believe these could be guys next door she's writing about no matter the rock band or the family inheritance.
The pacing throughout this romance was perfect, the sex didn't get in the way or feel thrown in for the hell of it. Reading these two men falling in love slowly through a shared friendship and slow building of trust was beautiful.
The plot narrative with Tim's shady ex was also handled well and didn't feel like it was angsty drama just for the sake of it.
I can't wait for Issac's book to come out now!
I love Lane Hayes' style of writing, she has a realness to it which makes you believe these could be guys next door she's writing about no matter the rock band or the family inheritance.
The pacing throughout this romance was perfect, the sex didn't get in the way or feel thrown in for the hell of it. Reading these two men falling in love slowly through a shared friendship and slow building of trust was beautiful.
The plot narrative with Tim's shady ex was also handled well and didn't feel like it was angsty drama just for the sake of it.
I can't wait for Issac's book to come out now!
November 4, 2016
I don't have many things to say about this book just that it's a really good, enjoyable story. I loved the characters and their connection and I really need more books in this series because I'm addicted now.
October 6, 2016
Two men meet in a crappy gay bar in L.A. just looking for one thing--one night, no real names, no strings, and no regrets...but it ends up leading to more than they bargained for...
Later in New York, Tim Chalmers and Carter Hamilton-Temple are surprised to see each other again at a party. Tim is the drummer for Spiral and Carter has his own financial consulting firm, and they share mutual friends. They still feel that attraction, lust, and infatuation that leads to a continuing sex buddies scenario. But they both agree that they do not want a relationship.
Tim is down-to-Earth, tatted, and unfiltered. Carter is sophisticated, wealthy, successful, and a bit uptight. But he likes sex, bad boys, and a little kink. They've both had some bad history with exes and have trust issues. And both have to be wary of people wanting them for money or status. So even though they appear to be opposites, they find themselves frequently meeting up to explore their sexual chemistry.
This is a typical trope of sex to friends to more, but they are afraid of forever. But as they spend more time together, they realize it is definitely more than just a sexual relationship. They begin to find a comfortable rapport, support, can't-stop-thinking-about-the-other need, a deeper connection, and unstoppable chemistry.
This is told in only Tim's point of view. He is the normal guy who was thrust into more of the spotlight with his band's success. He hates the pomp and fakeness of this new world where they are in the eye of the media. He feels like his world is out of control and at time internalizes issues.
Carter is more of an enigma and seemed to lack some emotional depth especially in the first part of the book. He seemed to be more caught up in appearances. I was anxious to see his perfect exterior really crack open. But we gradually begin to see his natural charisma and more playful and emotional sides. Carter really grew on me while Tim started to become more frustrating with his worries and indecision.
Tim is a bi man who is not completely out and has some drama going on in his life that adds to his lack of control. He is plagued by fears and guilt, and generally hiding his true self from the outside world. Carter is gay and has been burned in similar circumstances before. He has already felt ignored or unimportant, and he can't let that happen again. This is a growth process for Tim to find out what he really needs and what he is willing to risk. It all comes down to honesty with himself and others as well as fighting his fears.
This was not too angsty and most of the drama centered on past relationships and family issues. The biggest predicament deals with Tim's public image and him needing to be honest about his life and relationships. But there are a couple of interesting surprises thrown in too.
I was happy to get a bit more with Benny and Zeke, Rand and Will, Cory and Holly, and Isaac. I liked how these guys actually shared an extended friend group, but met in an entirely different place with no expectations. I have to admit I had really high expectations of this one because I absolutely adored A Kind of Romance with Benny and Zeke and it is one of my top reads of 2016. But this one just did not pull me in and touch my heart quite as much. It took me a bit longer to warm up to the characters. I think part of it was Tim's voice...it seemed like some of the language used did not really fit his rock-n-roll persona as I would expect it to be less formal in some instances (most notably him frequently referring to his male part as his "member"). The characters and story were not as vibrant and emotional either. But I still enjoyed the story and the match up of Tim and Carter. I am looking forward to more with Isaac...and any time Benny and Zeke make cameos is always a good thing.
I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Later in New York, Tim Chalmers and Carter Hamilton-Temple are surprised to see each other again at a party. Tim is the drummer for Spiral and Carter has his own financial consulting firm, and they share mutual friends. They still feel that attraction, lust, and infatuation that leads to a continuing sex buddies scenario. But they both agree that they do not want a relationship.
Tim is down-to-Earth, tatted, and unfiltered. Carter is sophisticated, wealthy, successful, and a bit uptight. But he likes sex, bad boys, and a little kink. They've both had some bad history with exes and have trust issues. And both have to be wary of people wanting them for money or status. So even though they appear to be opposites, they find themselves frequently meeting up to explore their sexual chemistry.
This is a typical trope of sex to friends to more, but they are afraid of forever. But as they spend more time together, they realize it is definitely more than just a sexual relationship. They begin to find a comfortable rapport, support, can't-stop-thinking-about-the-other need, a deeper connection, and unstoppable chemistry.
This is told in only Tim's point of view. He is the normal guy who was thrust into more of the spotlight with his band's success. He hates the pomp and fakeness of this new world where they are in the eye of the media. He feels like his world is out of control and at time internalizes issues.
Carter is more of an enigma and seemed to lack some emotional depth especially in the first part of the book. He seemed to be more caught up in appearances. I was anxious to see his perfect exterior really crack open. But we gradually begin to see his natural charisma and more playful and emotional sides. Carter really grew on me while Tim started to become more frustrating with his worries and indecision.
Tim is a bi man who is not completely out and has some drama going on in his life that adds to his lack of control. He is plagued by fears and guilt, and generally hiding his true self from the outside world. Carter is gay and has been burned in similar circumstances before. He has already felt ignored or unimportant, and he can't let that happen again. This is a growth process for Tim to find out what he really needs and what he is willing to risk. It all comes down to honesty with himself and others as well as fighting his fears.
This was not too angsty and most of the drama centered on past relationships and family issues. The biggest predicament deals with Tim's public image and him needing to be honest about his life and relationships. But there are a couple of interesting surprises thrown in too.
I was happy to get a bit more with Benny and Zeke, Rand and Will, Cory and Holly, and Isaac. I liked how these guys actually shared an extended friend group, but met in an entirely different place with no expectations. I have to admit I had really high expectations of this one because I absolutely adored A Kind of Romance with Benny and Zeke and it is one of my top reads of 2016. But this one just did not pull me in and touch my heart quite as much. It took me a bit longer to warm up to the characters. I think part of it was Tim's voice...it seemed like some of the language used did not really fit his rock-n-roll persona as I would expect it to be less formal in some instances (most notably him frequently referring to his male part as his "member"). The characters and story were not as vibrant and emotional either. But I still enjoyed the story and the match up of Tim and Carter. I am looking forward to more with Isaac...and any time Benny and Zeke make cameos is always a good thing.
I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 5, 2017
This was one hot read.
Yes, it was highly generic with its no-I-don't-do-bottom-stuff at an ultra level and the whole cadence with which Lane ends the novel only to highlight the honesty point is getting old on me after reading the novels of this series. But the best part was I didn't have to remember any of it after picking it up at big intervals. Also, the MC's are cute and the sync of their story helps. Light stuff.
Yes, it was highly generic with its no-I-don't-do-bottom-stuff at an ultra level and the whole cadence with which Lane ends the novel only to highlight the honesty point is getting old on me after reading the novels of this series. But the best part was I didn't have to remember any of it after picking it up at big intervals. Also, the MC's are cute and the sync of their story helps. Light stuff.
October 7, 2016
Another winner for Ms. Hayes. I really have no words to describe how much I loved it. Here's a tip for reading this book: have a box of tissues handy. These boys have not had easy lives, and they do need to fight for their HEA.
July 27, 2017
4.5 stars!
Aww, yay, another good one in this series. I think actually might be my favorite one in the series so far, tbh. I do give up half a star because of my annoyance with Carter's attitude toward bisexual people - although that changed, thankfully, and that even though this was all from Tim's POV, I feel like we could have gotten more in depth with Carter - there was some distance, as I have felt in all three books, with the other love interest, and it isn't necessarily that it wasn't in his POV, because I've read many romances where we didn't get one POV of the two and I felt like I knew that character just as well as the POV character (even though I crave their POV, I don't need it, necessarily). But in all these books it's felt like POV's from the love interests would have helped/been really fun to read/made me feel close to the love interests. Not that I don't love the characters (I love Will, Benny and Carter a lot) just that I didn't feel closer to them than I did to Rand, Zeke, and Tim. Idk, this was still an amazing book, ultimately, but I just could have used that extra depth to make it a favorite.
That said, I enjoyed this immensely. Tim and Carter had amazing chemistry (and really really hot sex) and the secondary characters held just as much depth as our two leads, and seeing these two go from "just sex" to being in love was marvelous.
These two start out as strangers meeting at a club in LA and have anonymous sex in a crappy motel room, and it was sex at first for them, Carter fulfilling out a fantasy/kink of his and Tim getting his craving of being with a man after a break up with his crazy ex-girlfriend, because he hasn't been with a man in over two years at the start of them. So at first these two just fill a (hot as fuck) need in each other and leave satisfied, prepared never to see each other again.
But then a week later Tim and Carter run into each other at Benny's birthday party, and of course they sneak off and make out - while Carter is on a date, mind you, but at least it's with his ex-casual fuck buddy of sorts, and it isn't serious - and they both want each other, so they make a deal to have casual sex because they want each other, so why not?
Of course they fall in love because this is, after all, a romance novel ;) - also, a tad unbelievable that these two would meet as strangers in LA and fuck and then run into each other again because they're both friends of a friend of their friends, but this is a romance novel where that can happen, so I suspended disbelief for this one (although, it's not impossible in real life, I just think it HIGHLY unlikely) - and what starts out as "can't keep their hands off each other" hot sex deal turns into a real relationship, and it's the "real" part to it that scares Tim the most.
It takes Tim a long time to admit that he and Carter are in a relationship, much less that he loves him, but he makes it up to Carter in the end - after dealing with his crazy ex causing trouble throughout this book, man I was happy when that shit blew over - and it's incredibly adorable when they make up.
These two were wonderful together, and I loved how Tim was the one Carter could trust the most, even though they both faltered, and I loved how Tim loved and trusted Carter enough to have him be the first he bottomed with, and lemme say that scene is incredibly hot. All the sex scenes in this are hot ;)
I definitely recommend continuing this series if you've read the first two all ready, and this one lives up to the first two if you enjoyed or loved those ones as well :D
Aww, yay, another good one in this series. I think actually might be my favorite one in the series so far, tbh. I do give up half a star because of my annoyance with Carter's attitude toward bisexual people - although that changed, thankfully, and that even though this was all from Tim's POV, I feel like we could have gotten more in depth with Carter - there was some distance, as I have felt in all three books, with the other love interest, and it isn't necessarily that it wasn't in his POV, because I've read many romances where we didn't get one POV of the two and I felt like I knew that character just as well as the POV character (even though I crave their POV, I don't need it, necessarily). But in all these books it's felt like POV's from the love interests would have helped/been really fun to read/made me feel close to the love interests. Not that I don't love the characters (I love Will, Benny and Carter a lot) just that I didn't feel closer to them than I did to Rand, Zeke, and Tim. Idk, this was still an amazing book, ultimately, but I just could have used that extra depth to make it a favorite.
That said, I enjoyed this immensely. Tim and Carter had amazing chemistry (and really really hot sex) and the secondary characters held just as much depth as our two leads, and seeing these two go from "just sex" to being in love was marvelous.
These two start out as strangers meeting at a club in LA and have anonymous sex in a crappy motel room, and it was sex at first for them, Carter fulfilling out a fantasy/kink of his and Tim getting his craving of being with a man after a break up with his crazy ex-girlfriend, because he hasn't been with a man in over two years at the start of them. So at first these two just fill a (hot as fuck) need in each other and leave satisfied, prepared never to see each other again.
But then a week later Tim and Carter run into each other at Benny's birthday party, and of course they sneak off and make out - while Carter is on a date, mind you, but at least it's with his ex-casual fuck buddy of sorts, and it isn't serious - and they both want each other, so they make a deal to have casual sex because they want each other, so why not?
Of course they fall in love because this is, after all, a romance novel ;) - also, a tad unbelievable that these two would meet as strangers in LA and fuck and then run into each other again because they're both friends of a friend of their friends, but this is a romance novel where that can happen, so I suspended disbelief for this one (although, it's not impossible in real life, I just think it HIGHLY unlikely) - and what starts out as "can't keep their hands off each other" hot sex deal turns into a real relationship, and it's the "real" part to it that scares Tim the most.
It takes Tim a long time to admit that he and Carter are in a relationship, much less that he loves him, but he makes it up to Carter in the end - after dealing with his crazy ex causing trouble throughout this book, man I was happy when that shit blew over - and it's incredibly adorable when they make up.
These two were wonderful together, and I loved how Tim was the one Carter could trust the most, even though they both faltered, and I loved how Tim loved and trusted Carter enough to have him be the first he bottomed with, and lemme say that scene is incredibly hot. All the sex scenes in this are hot ;)
I definitely recommend continuing this series if you've read the first two all ready, and this one lives up to the first two if you enjoyed or loved those ones as well :D
October 6, 2016
4.5 stars – A Kind of Honesty is my third exposure to the writing of Lane Hayes, and after giving the previous book in this series, A Kind of Romance, my first (and as of early October, still my only) five-star rating of 2016, I approached this book with a bit of trepidation. It’s an automatic reaction I have whenever I pick up the next book written by an author after the previous one was so good—I believe the formal term for it is “book hangover” *grin*. While I didn’t enjoy this book quite as much as its predecessor, it certainly worked as well as my favorite hair-of-the-dog remedies do for the other kind of hangover, so my trepidation was largely unwarranted.
Tim Chalmers is the drummer in a band that recently leapt into the spotlight after the huge success of its first album. But the attention success brings is an unhappy side effect as far as he’s concerned, so when he breaks up with his high-maintenance fashion-model girlfriend, her love of being the target of the tabloids and paparazzi means his wish to stay under the radar won’t be happening any time soon. To blow off some steam, he hooks up with a hot stranger from a seedy bar in Los Angeles for what should have been a one-night-only thing. But the last thing he expects upon his return to New York City is to recognize the man amid a group of their mutual friends. Carter Hamilton-Temple is an exemplar of high society: he’s a successful and rich financial consultant, highly intelligent, and more charming and sexier than any man has a right to be. But for all his blessings, he invariably falls for the wrong kind of man, the type who can’t or won’t be with him fully and honestly, and inevitably finds himself brokenhearted. He can’t deny his intense attraction to Tim, and keeping their sex-only arrangement on the down low should have worked fine, but when they realize they could have something special, it looks like Carter might be right back on the same old path to heartbreak unless Tim can confront his fears and prove what they have is worth being honest about.
We briefly met the two main characters in A Kind of Honesty through their appearances in previous books in the series, but by no means is it necessary to read the first two books prior to enjoying this one. Granted, I have to admit a bit of bias, because I really enjoyed the earlier entries in the series, so I recommend reading them at some point, even if it’s in the wrong order, because the characters make only brief appearances in the books that aren’t about their stories. Like the other books in the series, this story is told from only one character’s point of view (Tim), which adds to the smoothness and clarity of the storytelling. It’s a characteristic I’ve come to expect from this author’s writing.
I remember commenting in my review of A Kind of Romance that the fact that the story focused almost entirely on the two main characters and the relationship they formed without requiring much push from outside events to develop it was one of my favorite aspects of the book. I mention this because A Kind of Honesty has almost the completely opposite structure. Tim and Carter are constantly barraged by what’s going on outside their relationship, though most of it comes from things affecting Tim: his stardom, his ex-girlfriend, his family, and his largely unhealthy way of hiding from confronting the problems these factors bring to his life.
So how does this vast difference in plot styles affect my enjoyment of the book? Perhaps surprisingly, if one considers what I said about the previous book, I loved how all these external factors drove the plot forward so well in this book. In fact, roughly the first third of the book focuses on their friends-with-benefits agreement, and while the sex was plenty hot, this section of the book seems to drag because nothing seemed to be happening. It was just a lot of sex—though I must point out, it was some really friggin’ hot sex, and it gets even hotter as they turn from lovers to actually being in love. With this slow start, though, I wondered if my apprehension had merit, but once the issues of Tim’s past start to be revealed, it didn’t take long for the story to grab my attention and go full-throttle toward the big conflict of the plot. There is one particularly delicious twist, something involving Tim’s childhood friend named Rob, that I didn’t see coming, and it suddenly made everything make perfect sense. It wasn’t contrived at all, so that, more than anything else, is what turned this story into a great read.
Something common to all three of the books in this series is the fact that the story builds to a heartrending realization that it looks like things aren’t going to work between the characters for some reason, and once that point is reached, both of the characters have to come to terms with some part of themselves before they can get to their happily ever after. In all three books, the resolution happened rather quickly in a way that was maybe a little too easy, a little too light on the angst, in comparison to the gravity of the situation that put their relationship in jeopardy. While in the second book, this fact didn’t bother me in the slightest, in A Kind of Honesty, as it did in the first book, A Kind of Truth, it seemed like a slight letdown that everything resolved as quickly as it did. It certainly didn’t ruin my overall enjoyment, but neither did it add that extra emotional punch to put it up there with A Kind of Romance in the category of books I truly love and want to read over and over.
With the three books so far in her A Kind of Stories series, Lane Hayes has firmly established herself as an author whose works will always find a place on my to-be-read list. I think there is room for at least one more novel in this series, but even if that isn’t the case, I still look forward to seeing what she comes out with next.
The author generously provided me a complimentary copy of A Kind of Honesty in exchange for this fair and honest review.
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Tim Chalmers is the drummer in a band that recently leapt into the spotlight after the huge success of its first album. But the attention success brings is an unhappy side effect as far as he’s concerned, so when he breaks up with his high-maintenance fashion-model girlfriend, her love of being the target of the tabloids and paparazzi means his wish to stay under the radar won’t be happening any time soon. To blow off some steam, he hooks up with a hot stranger from a seedy bar in Los Angeles for what should have been a one-night-only thing. But the last thing he expects upon his return to New York City is to recognize the man amid a group of their mutual friends. Carter Hamilton-Temple is an exemplar of high society: he’s a successful and rich financial consultant, highly intelligent, and more charming and sexier than any man has a right to be. But for all his blessings, he invariably falls for the wrong kind of man, the type who can’t or won’t be with him fully and honestly, and inevitably finds himself brokenhearted. He can’t deny his intense attraction to Tim, and keeping their sex-only arrangement on the down low should have worked fine, but when they realize they could have something special, it looks like Carter might be right back on the same old path to heartbreak unless Tim can confront his fears and prove what they have is worth being honest about.
We briefly met the two main characters in A Kind of Honesty through their appearances in previous books in the series, but by no means is it necessary to read the first two books prior to enjoying this one. Granted, I have to admit a bit of bias, because I really enjoyed the earlier entries in the series, so I recommend reading them at some point, even if it’s in the wrong order, because the characters make only brief appearances in the books that aren’t about their stories. Like the other books in the series, this story is told from only one character’s point of view (Tim), which adds to the smoothness and clarity of the storytelling. It’s a characteristic I’ve come to expect from this author’s writing.
I remember commenting in my review of A Kind of Romance that the fact that the story focused almost entirely on the two main characters and the relationship they formed without requiring much push from outside events to develop it was one of my favorite aspects of the book. I mention this because A Kind of Honesty has almost the completely opposite structure. Tim and Carter are constantly barraged by what’s going on outside their relationship, though most of it comes from things affecting Tim: his stardom, his ex-girlfriend, his family, and his largely unhealthy way of hiding from confronting the problems these factors bring to his life.
So how does this vast difference in plot styles affect my enjoyment of the book? Perhaps surprisingly, if one considers what I said about the previous book, I loved how all these external factors drove the plot forward so well in this book. In fact, roughly the first third of the book focuses on their friends-with-benefits agreement, and while the sex was plenty hot, this section of the book seems to drag because nothing seemed to be happening. It was just a lot of sex—though I must point out, it was some really friggin’ hot sex, and it gets even hotter as they turn from lovers to actually being in love. With this slow start, though, I wondered if my apprehension had merit, but once the issues of Tim’s past start to be revealed, it didn’t take long for the story to grab my attention and go full-throttle toward the big conflict of the plot. There is one particularly delicious twist, something involving Tim’s childhood friend named Rob, that I didn’t see coming, and it suddenly made everything make perfect sense. It wasn’t contrived at all, so that, more than anything else, is what turned this story into a great read.
Something common to all three of the books in this series is the fact that the story builds to a heartrending realization that it looks like things aren’t going to work between the characters for some reason, and once that point is reached, both of the characters have to come to terms with some part of themselves before they can get to their happily ever after. In all three books, the resolution happened rather quickly in a way that was maybe a little too easy, a little too light on the angst, in comparison to the gravity of the situation that put their relationship in jeopardy. While in the second book, this fact didn’t bother me in the slightest, in A Kind of Honesty, as it did in the first book, A Kind of Truth, it seemed like a slight letdown that everything resolved as quickly as it did. It certainly didn’t ruin my overall enjoyment, but neither did it add that extra emotional punch to put it up there with A Kind of Romance in the category of books I truly love and want to read over and over.
With the three books so far in her A Kind of Stories series, Lane Hayes has firmly established herself as an author whose works will always find a place on my to-be-read list. I think there is room for at least one more novel in this series, but even if that isn’t the case, I still look forward to seeing what she comes out with next.
The author generously provided me a complimentary copy of A Kind of Honesty in exchange for this fair and honest review.
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April 5, 2017
5 Honest stars
I really loved this one it was my favorite in this series.. Tim and Carter were great together the chemistry was off the charts... I adored Carter he was patient , loving , understanding and a humble guy with a good heart. Tim was sweet and i could understand his burden but i really wanted to shake him and let him see what was right in front of him.. other than that I adored them together
The Sex was hot , dirty and Kinky..
A gentle sway gave way to a moderate rhythm. And then finally something wilder. His boots dug into my ass as he sucked my tongue and licked my ear. He met me thrust for thrust, picking up the pace with me until the mattress creaked incessantly under the strain of the steady thumping.
….“Fuck me hard, trucker. I can take it.” I snapped my hips, loving the sound of his groan. “Do it harder.”...
I really loved this one it was my favorite in this series.. Tim and Carter were great together the chemistry was off the charts... I adored Carter he was patient , loving , understanding and a humble guy with a good heart. Tim was sweet and i could understand his burden but i really wanted to shake him and let him see what was right in front of him.. other than that I adored them together
The Sex was hot , dirty and Kinky..
A gentle sway gave way to a moderate rhythm. And then finally something wilder. His boots dug into my ass as he sucked my tongue and licked my ear. He met me thrust for thrust, picking up the pace with me until the mattress creaked incessantly under the strain of the steady thumping.
….“Fuck me hard, trucker. I can take it.” I snapped my hips, loving the sound of his groan. “Do it harder.”...
September 12, 2018
I read all the other books in this series, so I’m not really sure why it took me so long to read this one. Especially since it’s almost the best one. The first book is still an all time favorite.
The storyline is focused on the MCs’ relationship, and is told only from the POV of Tim.
Tim and Carter first meet in a shady bar in LA. Tim just broke up with his (crazy as fuck) girlfriend, and looks for some peace and quiet where no one will recognize him. He’s in one of the most popular bands in the US, so it’s not an easy thing.
When he sees Carter enter the bar, he’s literally speechless. Carter is H-O-T and Tim is fascinated. When Carter sits next to him, Tim is flustered af, but when it becomes clear that Carter is interested, he’s all in. They have a steamy one night stand in a sleazy hotel, and leave right afterwards, sure they won’t see each other again...
Obviously they meet again. The place? Benny’s (from the second book) birthday party. It turns out that Carter is Zeke’s bff, and he and Tim are shocked to see each other. But the shock soon turns into lust when it becomes clear that the attraction is still very much there.
The two decide on a ‘friends with benefits’ kind of arrangement, away from the public’s eye. At that time, that’s what they both want. Carter has some serious trust issues and doesn’t look for anything serious. Tim doesn’t want anything serious after the fiasco with his ex. He also doesn’t want to come out yet, even though it’s already a known fact that he’s bi.
So at first, it’s just sex. And let me tell you this - these boys love to get down and dirty.
Good lord, they burned the pages. This is probably the hottest book I’ve read by this author, and I’m obviously not complaining.
Anyways, between all the amazing sex, Tim and Carter get closer, becoming much more than friends without even noticing. And here’s where a (little) angst shows up. Tim has some serious issues with his family that he needs to work out, and his crazy ex refuses to back off, so it all creates some drama and conflict. But thank god Tim pulls his head out of his ass pretty quickly, and realizes that he has to be honest in order to be with the man he loves.
Overall, this book is amazing. The characters are lovable and have lots of chemistry. The pace is perfect so the relationship development feels real. I enjoyed every page.
It can be read as a stand-alone, but the entire series in fantastic, so I advice you to just read them all.
Highly recommended!
May 4, 2017
***Audio review. Seth did a really good job as per usual of bringing Lane's characters to life. Tim, who came with a shedload of family baggage and didn't really want be forced to come out of the closet and admit he had fallen in love with a guy, but could see how much he was hurting Carter who'd been hurt before by guys not being honest about who or what they really were or wanted. Looking forward to Isaac's story.***
Well, this one took me slightly by surprise I have to admit....I was expecting it to be from Carter's POV, and Lane completely threw me by pairing him up with Tim, the bisexual drummer for Spiral and making it from Tim's POV, but what a hot pairing it was once Tim's trust issues [and believe me, that guy definitely had issues, thanks to his sister, dad and ex boyfriend] were out of the way. :D. But, as the story title suggests, once he was truly honest with himself and Carter, things could only get better... 4.25 stars for this one.
So happy to see that my sweetheart Benny and his Zeke were married, and there were little cameos from Will [sighs] and more input from Rand obviously as Spiral were seemingly intent on world domination in this story. I've loved this series.
A Kind of Home is Isaac's story, and next up in the series.
Well, this one took me slightly by surprise I have to admit....I was expecting it to be from Carter's POV, and Lane completely threw me by pairing him up with Tim, the bisexual drummer for Spiral and making it from Tim's POV, but what a hot pairing it was once Tim's trust issues [and believe me, that guy definitely had issues, thanks to his sister, dad and ex boyfriend] were out of the way. :D. But, as the story title suggests, once he was truly honest with himself and Carter, things could only get better... 4.25 stars for this one.
So happy to see that my sweetheart Benny and his Zeke were married, and there were little cameos from Will [sighs] and more input from Rand obviously as Spiral were seemingly intent on world domination in this story. I've loved this series.
A Kind of Home is Isaac's story, and next up in the series.
January 19, 2017
It took me quite some time to finish, as at the beginning it didn't grab me. So I read some books in between and returned yesterday. Suddenly it worked:) It would have been a 5* read, but I really didn't like the twist the author chose for creating drama; in the end it came to nothing, just a few measly sentences.
June 18, 2017
4.5/5 - These books are just something amazing.
Lane Hayes is one of my insta-read authors for a good reason, and this book, well, this series just proves why. I love that these books touch on the dark and not always beautiful parts of the MC's just as much as the hard abs and sexy smiles. All of the characters in this series, and particularly Carter and Tim, are multi-dimensional.
And I have to say, I was really looking forward to Carter's book. He was one of my favorite background/supporting characters and I was really disappointed that I didn't get to read at least some of the book from his POV. Especially when you're listening to an audiobook, it's really important to get a good grasp of who the characters are just by their actions because sometimes I lose track of what's going on if I'm driving and have to divert my attention elsewhere for a moment. It makes the book and the plot 1000x easier to follow if I have a really solid grasp on the characters and I think having Carter's POV and being able to get into his head a little bit would have let me get to know his character a little better. Plus, he was a kinky little bastard and I really would have loved to hear some of the thoughts going through his head.
On the plus side, these two had a really wicked romance and Tim was a complete and total marshmallow. Remember how I mentioned the multi-dimensional thing before? Yeah, that's really evident here. Mr. Rock Star had it BAD for Carter, and I really can't blame him because Carter really was something special.
The Narration made this book a little hard to follow. This wasn't my first audiobook narrated by Seth Clayton and he always does a pretty solid job, but I kept mixing up the characters. I can't really tell if that was because of a lack of Carter's POV, because they read similar when listening to it out loud, or because of a narrator issue, so for that reason I can't really dock points in any one specific area. However, Clayton has a pretty sexy voice and listening to him read some of the dirty things that came out of Carter's mouth, oh man, just... be careful where you read/listen to this one.
This was a great addition to the series, but I didn't like it quite as much as the other books in the series. Still a great read, it's just hard to top the previous two books. If you're already reading the series, you should definitely pick this one up, and if you're not reading the series... why? Go read them. These are some of Hayes' best books.
Reviewed by Jordan at Alpha Book Club.
Disclaimer: This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are my own and not influenced by the author or the publisher in any way.
Lane Hayes is one of my insta-read authors for a good reason, and this book, well, this series just proves why. I love that these books touch on the dark and not always beautiful parts of the MC's just as much as the hard abs and sexy smiles. All of the characters in this series, and particularly Carter and Tim, are multi-dimensional.
And I have to say, I was really looking forward to Carter's book. He was one of my favorite background/supporting characters and I was really disappointed that I didn't get to read at least some of the book from his POV. Especially when you're listening to an audiobook, it's really important to get a good grasp of who the characters are just by their actions because sometimes I lose track of what's going on if I'm driving and have to divert my attention elsewhere for a moment. It makes the book and the plot 1000x easier to follow if I have a really solid grasp on the characters and I think having Carter's POV and being able to get into his head a little bit would have let me get to know his character a little better. Plus, he was a kinky little bastard and I really would have loved to hear some of the thoughts going through his head.
On the plus side, these two had a really wicked romance and Tim was a complete and total marshmallow. Remember how I mentioned the multi-dimensional thing before? Yeah, that's really evident here. Mr. Rock Star had it BAD for Carter, and I really can't blame him because Carter really was something special.
"But maybe that’s what love was. A big gamble. A shot in the dark aiming for the best thing that’s ever come your way and hoping against all odds it ricochets back.”
The Narration made this book a little hard to follow. This wasn't my first audiobook narrated by Seth Clayton and he always does a pretty solid job, but I kept mixing up the characters. I can't really tell if that was because of a lack of Carter's POV, because they read similar when listening to it out loud, or because of a narrator issue, so for that reason I can't really dock points in any one specific area. However, Clayton has a pretty sexy voice and listening to him read some of the dirty things that came out of Carter's mouth, oh man, just... be careful where you read/listen to this one.
This was a great addition to the series, but I didn't like it quite as much as the other books in the series. Still a great read, it's just hard to top the previous two books. If you're already reading the series, you should definitely pick this one up, and if you're not reading the series... why? Go read them. These are some of Hayes' best books.
Reviewed by Jordan at Alpha Book Club.
Disclaimer: This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are my own and not influenced by the author or the publisher in any way.
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