Life is simple and hopeful in youth. Luke and Nelson are best friends exploring their budding sexuality. They have big plans for the future, and nothing can stand in their way or tear them apart—except a family move that puts a continent between them. Ten years later Luke and Nelson meet again, but nothing is simple anymore. As strong as the attraction remains, obligations and expectations come between them as Luke is forced to honor family responsibilities over the desires of his heart. Impossibly fate sees fit to offer them a last opportunity to see what might have been. Will the third time be the charm, or is trust so badly broken it is impossible to repair? Can they recapture the innocent love they once knew and make up for all the wasted years? In a love story that spans half a lifetime, two friends destined for each other will have to fight hard for their happily ever after.
It's been an amazing journey since DSP first contracted Lorcan's Desire in January 2011. I've published 2 free reads with the M/M Romance group, my back list is growing, met some great people and have made some amazing friends. I'm still in shock that I'm listed among the many talented authors at Dreamspinner Press! The little voice in the back of my head is screaming, "You are so out of your league." Shhhhh I won't tell them if you don't :)
"It was going to be him and Luke against the world forever "
Guess what? It wasn't like that.
This story starts with a prologue that takes place in 1988, where our MCs, Nelson Maitland and Lucas Rollins -Friends and neighbors since they were five- witness their plans and dreams shuttered when Luke has to move with his parents to another state. Because we all know that for a 13 years old kid, that is a galaxy far far away, and kinda the end of the world.
"At thirteen he thought his life was over, couldn´t understand why the world was still spinning when his had stopped"
After that "break up" (and the quotation marks are necessary since they were not a couple, just best friends "experimenting") our heroes are going to cross paths in life again but let me tell you, it's not gonna be an easy journey.
1998
The reencounter. The reunion that seems to come from fate, the laughs, the knowing each other again, the hope and the hot sex. And oh, my... was the sex hot. It was sexy and dirty and they were pretty vocal, something I love in my heroes. I like them dirty mouthed. And the dirty talk here was coming from the trust and friendship they share so it felt easy and comfortable. And hot, oh so hot. I liked it. I enjoyed it. But, of course, it couldn't be that nice, right? No. It couldn't work. The awesome sex and the "get to know you again" thing had an expiration date. They weren't a forever couple. Not yet, and the author felt the necessity to piss the reader off. I was like...
And here is where what I call "The event" happened. A bad decision, a wrong reaction, the whole "I saw it coming" thing a lot of books have. Was I mad? Yes. Luke wasn't my favorite person at that moment but he did what he thought was right (even if it wasn't). He reacted accordingly with the way he'd been raised and even if egoistical and a bit out of place, he did what he thought he had to. And he was 23... 23 years old Vir was a bit stupid, so I didn't hate him, even if I didn't approve his behavior. I disliked his decision, his choice. It wouldn't has been mine (even in my stupid early twenties body) That's all.
I don't want to tell you what "the event" was, what made them go separated paths again, I'll just say it was a shitty move. Sad for both (yes, both) and made me feel a lot of things (again, for both MCs) but it was the "needed twist" for the plot to work and, in my case, it fit. I was hurting for Nelson, yes, but paradoxically, even if I was mad with Luke, I was hurting for him too (while yelling at him nasty things)
2015- Present day
Another encounter 17 years later. Another chance. There is too much to forgive, a lot to amend, there was a huge heartbreak, and one that needs to be cure.
"The thought of not giving Luke another chance was even more painful than the risk of a broken heart"
I want to highlight a personal thought here because my vision of this story is based on it: I don't know if Luke loved Nelson that much in 1998. I mean, I know he loved him, he was his childhood best friend and also the trigger of huge boners and amazing chemistry and attraction but I don't think he was madly in love with him... He was starting to, they were reconnecting and building something beautiful but he was not "there". Nelson was. But not Luke and, probably, that was the triggering of "the event". But, of course, this is a perception of mine. And of course in 2015 I'm sure Luke does love Nelson like crazy. This is a long distance race and it has two winners (omg how cheese I am).
So, all in all: I enjoyed the way these two came to his HEA and how "fate" has a huge role in the story. The last timeline, the present, is nice to read and ends in a good epilogue. I really liked how this story tells us how two men, two childhood friends go from 13 to 40 years old, two MCs full of flaws and insecurities, two guys who should have been together since childhood.
This book had all the potential to wow me and sweep me off my feet. Friends to lovers, seperation periods, emotional reunions years later. It also had the potential to bring all the feels but for me, it was lukewarm. It's not a bad written book, and I liked some things, but I was hoping for more.
The blurb doesn't lie. This is a story that spans half a lifetime, told from dual POV in three parts.
1988...
I liked this part although it was pretty short. Luke and Nelson are best friends in their teens, and explore their sexuality experimenting with each other. But for reasons they can't control, they lose touch.
1998...
Fast forward ten years, Luke and Nelson meet again by chance. I was so looking forward to this part, but it was the worst for me and I hated it! It is impossible to explain why without spoilers, so if you don't want to know the reason for the second seperation mentioned in the blurb, do NOT click that spoiler tag.
Needless to say, I didn't like how this all played out. At all!
Also, there's a small dose of biphobia on Nelson's part, but I let it pass because it was year 1998. On the other hand, we never saw any change of heart on page, so who knows...
2015...
I liked this part better, although it didn't wow me either. Luke and Nelson meet again, seventeen years later! And right when I thought that Nelson will always be a doormat...BAM! This was the outburst of all outbursts and I loved it! It was my favorite part of the whole book. You tell him!
There is A LOT of sex, and a HEA. S.J.D Peterson is hit or miss with me, but when she hits, she hits hard. Plan B and Conner's Courage are among my all time favorite MM books, and I highly recommend them. Remember When didn't come close, sadly, but this is just my opinion. If you 're a fan of the author, you should still go for it.
Remember When is a third chance story. We don't get a lot of those so it was a nice change.
Luke and Nelson were childhood best friends. They were also each other's first crush, first kiss, first love, first heartbreak... They met again a decade later but life had plans for them and they didn't include them being together. So, they got out of each other's life for the second time. They say third time is a charm and for them it turned out to be true. They met after a lifetime apart but this time nothing got in their way.
It is a charming, sweet story but so full of broken promises and missed chances that it makes you hurt along with them for what could have been. Each time they meet they dive head first into trying to build a life together. Every meeting happened by chance and in the most unexpected places. It seemed unrealistic but I don't really care about it. In their twenties it didn't turn out as they hoped it would. Luke had to make a very difficult decision about his life but then he behaved very poorly towards Nelson. It was so bad that I was surprised when Nelson was so quick to fall to bed with him again after they met for the third time. It's true that later they sat down and talked and tried to rebuild their relationship and Nelson's trust in Luke but I would have liked more of a struggle. It seemed way too easy the way they rekindled their relationship.
Also, if you think about it, they hadn't spent all that much time together if you didn't take into account their friendship as kids from the age of five till they were thirteen. So, it was a bit disbelieving that they would love each other after spending basically their whole lives without any contact except a few short weeks in their early twenties. They didn't really know each other, their character, the person they grew up to be. They knew everything about the other as a kid but from ten till forty it's a bit of a road. A lot can change in a person. Anyway, I chose not to focus on that part so I could enjoy the story and I'm happy to say that it worked.
There were a lot of secondary charcters, which is something I like, but here they weren't very involved in the story. We didn't get to know any of them very well. They were there when they served a purpose and then they just disappeared without a word. A lot of times I though that I was reading a potentional plot development but in the end it didn't go anywhere. There were a lot of unfinished threads mainly in regard to the secondaly characters. The focus was on Luke and Nelson (as it should be) but I would have liked to know a bit more about Grady or Nellie or even Doug.
There were a lot of sex scenes and I wouldn't say no to half of them being cut out of the story and replaced by relationship development scenes between the MCs or with scenes with them interacting with their friends and family. We didn't really see them together as a couple and around their social circle at the same time which is something I missed from the story.
Remember When is a fairly light read and not very high on the angst as you can see they are going to end up together one way or the other. I had my issues with the story but overall I enjoyed reading it. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 because I like reading about the lifetime of a character (which I did here) and I don't find that often enough in books.
Está bastante bien, la historia engancha y los personajes se dejan querer, sin embargo, tenía el potencial de haber sido mucho mejor, una verdadera pena, sin embargo, mejor de lo que creía.
Love is not always easy, nor straightforward, and ‘Remember When’ is a heartrending illustration of two men not taking the easy road – not because they have issues or because they won’t commit, but because they are young when they are separated, and never really had a chance to explore the feelings that have started to grow between them. When they finally meet again ten years later, they have more than one obstacle to overcome. Despite the basic attraction still existing, complications assail them from every possible angle, and I found some of them easier to believe than others. What matters, and what kept me reading, is the way Luke and Nelson deal with their problems. Obligations, responsibilities, and expectations (of themselves and others) stand between them as much as the absence of a trust they never had a chance to build.
Luke and Nelson start out as childhood friends, and the intensity of their connection is amazing. The separation tore me apart as much as it did them, and I had high hopes for their reunion. But nothing is easy. Both men have learned to put others ahead of their own happiness, and that was probably a survival mechanism when they were separated. But ten years of habit are tough to unlearn, and their “rapprochement” comes in fits and starts that had me tearing my hair out more than once. In the end, they can’t deal with the issues and another fifteen years pass before they get their third chance.
While the events in this novel seemed more than coincidental on several occasions, the narrative has a realistic side that I was unable to ignore. People do make mistakes, the sense of honor that drives Luke to do what he does could be called admirable, and the overall lack of ability of either man to stand up for themselves until they are much older and wiser reads true. It may have annoyed me, but things in real life do go wrong. What did impress me is the strength of their connection. It may have been buried for several decades, but in the end, all I can say is wow.
If you like flawed characters who make multiple mistakes before they “grow up”, if a love story that spans several decades sounds interesting, and if you’re looking for a read that will make you wait for a hard-earned happy ending, then you might like this novel.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
In part one, the early teen friendship of Luke and Nelson was very sweet—two young kids discovering their sexuality. I was a little saddened when it was evident that Nelson really cared about Luke, but Luke seemed to be moving away from him emotionally and was less interested in fooling around than he had been when they first discovered the joys of sex. And then Luke’s parents packed up the family and moved out of state, making any hope for a future together a moot point. Nelson, needless to say, was heartbroken and though the two made promises to keep in touch, it didn’t happen.
Part two takes place ten years later, when the two accidentally meet up at an airport as both are on their way to Seattle. Looking at it as an omen, they take the opportunity to pursue the attraction that seems to be still present, though Luke admits to being bisexual and recently breaking up with his girlfriend. Alternating POVs let us know that Luke had been as attracted to Nelson as Nelson was to him in the past and only pretended not to be when they were kids because he was conflicted by messages he heard in church. Now though, after getting back together for a hot weekend in Seattle, life complications come up in Luke’s life that lead to yet another breakup—one that appears to be permanent this time. The emotional mess created heartbreak for both as they struggled to decide whether they could still be friends. I have to say I sympathized much more with Nelson when this happened, but thankfully, the author gave us Luke’s POV and we could see the turmoil he went through to reach his (stupid) decision.
In part three, the fickle finger of fate steps in yet again seventeen years later when the cake Nelson delivers to a holiday wedding reception turns out to be for Luke’s brother’s wedding. When the two literally run into one another, Luke grabs the chance to pursue Nelson and vows to never let him go again. It helps that Luke is single now and that Nelson has just broken up with his long-term partner as well. But though Nelson enjoys the chance for sex with Luke, forgiveness is difficult. After all, trust once broken is very difficult to mend.
I had a lot of WTF moments in this last segment. Granted, in the early years, the boys didn’t have social media and cell phones weren’t available. But toward the end of that seventeen-year separation, i.e., in 2011 and later, social media was readily available and frequently used by people searching for old friends to reconnect so I wondered why Luke could be so hot for Nelson, and yet hadn’t attempted to find him. Even without social media, Nelson’s parents were still in the same house they were in when they were kids, so he could have made contact. That segment of the story could have been improved, or the author could at least have made mention of why he didn’t seek Nelson out once he was free to pursue him. In fact, there were a few other holes that never seemed to be addressed—mostly minor—but nevertheless detracting from my enjoyment of the story.
It’s easy to see I liked Nelson’s character, but not so much Luke’s. Overall, I “liked” this story, but not to a high degree, and I have to admit I could have done with less sex scenes and more discussion—especially in part three. The sex was hot, and plentiful, but I may be getting jaded because I want more substance to my stories, and when the sex scenes fit with that substance, that’s fine, but in this case, I think this last segment needed more time for the couple to reconnect emotionally and less time between the sheets, so to speak. It felt rushed and that’s too bad because the first two parts of the story took the necessary time for the characters to develop and for the emotions to be established.
So, though I enjoyed it, I think it did not live up to the potential that was building in the first half and I would have liked to be able to give it a higher rating. I can recommend this to those who like friends to lovers or reunited couples, but be prepared for some hate-those-decisions moments.
Note: This book was provided to me by the publisher through Hearts on Fire Reviews in exchange for an impartial review
Friends to lovers is a trope that I like; adding a second chance storyline plus an author I've often enjoyed, had me excited to read this. Written in three parts, it's completely character driven, offering shifting POV’s from Nelson and Luke. Best friends for years, their time together as teens is recounted first and is fairly short, describing their first sexual adventuring and then being parted. Part two begins as they meet unexpectedly a decade later, while both are on business. This is the longest part of the narrative, as they reconnect and the childhood feelings they sustained become deeper. The final section is 17 years later, discovering whether there is anything left from the remains of the past.
I really like Nelson’s character, the more sensitive of the two men and far more introspective. I really felt for him as he contended with Luke’s declarations and departure. His anger and eventual capitulation to circumstances was understandable. 1998 was still a time when Luke’s decision was to be expected. Luke's character had too little depth, telling us he had lots of emotions but still coming across as shallow and self absorbed. I might have liked him better if the final part of the story didn't leave me feeling shortchanged, as it kept my interest up to that point. If Luke still felt so strongly about Nelson, why did he do nothing until they accidentally stumbled over each other again? Their reunion scenes did little to elevate the storyline or my emotions. If equal page time was given to establishing them again as a couple and with more romantic content, it could have been a great story. I can't say I recommend this strongly but naturally, other readers may find more substance than I was able to.
*An ARC was provided to me by he publisher via Jessie G Books Reviews, in return for an honest opinion*
Remember When is a story about first love when you are thirteen and feel as though you have your whole life ahead of you. Nelson and Luke were best friends and did everything together. When they were kids they fooled around and said it was just experimenting. Nelsn started to have feeling for Luke. They were torn apart when Luke's family moved away and they promised to keep in touch. Of course they started out keeping that promise but they grew apart. 10 years later while Nelson is on a business trip, he bumps into Luke and they leave off like they were never apart. Time has gone by and both men have grown up but still miss the friendship they had all those years ago. When they part this time they decide to keep in touch and boy do they. Luke comes to visit Nelson and their chemistry ignites like they were never apart. I enjoyed seeing them together and start to build something even though they live in different states. When Luke goes back home they plan to meet up again but something happens in Luke's life to change those happy plans. It will break you heart to see how hard it is for Luke to give up a future with Nelson to do the right thing. Nelson is crushed and decides to let Luke go. 17 years later and Nelson has gone on with his life and lives his dream of opening a bakery with his boyfriend but he never forgets his love for his best friend Luke. As his relationship is coming to a end he has to deliver a wedding cake. When he goes to the reception he sees no other than Luke. Luke is so surprised to see Nelson that he asks him to come back and catch up. You can see the sadness in Luke after all this time. Luke is single now and wants Nelson again but can Nelson forgive Luke and forget all the pain. Nelson and Luke work through the issues they have to find their HEA. Nelson has to learn to forgive Luke after all this time and Luke has to believe he deserves a happy life. I love that this story spans a lifetime for them and in the end fate brings them together one more time in order for them to get it right. I enjoyed that we get both Nelsen's and Luke's point of view in this story. SJD wrote this story about young love that lasts a lifetime even though they are apart from each other. Their feelings are so strong that they can't seem to forget about each other. *ARC provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange for an honest review. Reviewed by Jodi from Alpha Book Club
I received a copy to read and review for Wicked Reads
This book had me flipping and flopping. At times I really liked it and at other times I just wanted it to be over. The up and down of these two, the love that they both had for each other but something always got in the way. There is a lot of sex, which I always enjoy, but there was also a lot of heartbreak and then I would cry. UGH. Why???? Why did these two have to go through so much crap? This book spans a lot of years and I know this stuff happens in real life but good god!!!There was finally a HEA which was great but man, that was an emotional roller coaster for sure!!
4.5 I may have mentioned a time or three that friends to lovers is my favourite trope. Soppy old romantic that I am, I place a lot more value on the friendship part of love, than the lust, and I absolutely adore books where the friendship becomes something much deeper than either party foresaw. ****sigh****
Remember When is all about the friends to more - with added angst and heartache, and I loved it.
Loved it.
The story is written in three sections; firstly when Nelson and Luke are kids/teens, secondly when they're in their 20's and lastly when they hit their 40's. I like this style because I'm completely invested in the two of them having seen them as youngsters. It makes the painful moments harder to bear though. I'm not going to spoiler the story, but as it implies in the blurb, fate doesn't set them a straight, smooth path. The middle section practically broke my heart. I felt so much for them because the choices they had were so hard. I completely sympathised with them and couldn't fault the reasoning behind the choices (for the most part). I understood the decisions made - even if a bit of me wanted it to be an oh so different result, I couldn't unwish the way things went for reasons. (Reasons I'm not explaining cos spoilers!).
Basically this book gave me all the feelz. And that is feelz with a z on the end. Feelz. Feelz. Feelz.
I liked how each part of the story felt representative of them at the ages they were without losing sight of the essence of their characters. If that makes sense. I was reading about 13/23/40 year old Nelson and Luke. Not a repeat of 13 year old Nelson/Luke with deeper voices and facial hair NOR a 23/40 year old N/L who retained nothing of the original characters we met. It's quite a tricky balance, me thinks!
Basically, in case you missed the message, I liked this story A LOT and I think you should give it a go! Review previously at BMBR> A copy of this book was given in exchange for an honest review.
Remember When is a third chance story. We don’t get a lot of those, so it was a nice change. Luke and Nelson were childhood best friends. They were also each other’s first crush, first kiss, first love, first heartbreak… They met again a decade later, but life had plans for them, and it didn’t include them being together. So, they got out of each other’s lives for the second time. They say the third time is a charm, and for them it turned out to be true. They met after a lifetime apart, but this time nothing got in their way.
This is a charming, sweet story but so full of broken promises and missed chances that it makes you hurt along with Luke and Nelson for what could have been. Each time they meet, they dive headfirst into trying to build a life together. Every meeting happened by chance, and in the most unexpected places. It seemed unrealistic, but I don’t really care about it. In their twenties, it didn’t turn out as they hoped it would. Luke had to make a very difficult decision about his life, but then he behaved very poorly towards Nelson. It was so bad that I was surprised when Nelson was so quick to fall into bed with him after they met for the third time. It’s true that later they sat down and talked and tried to rebuild their relationship, and Nelson’s trust in Luke, but I would have liked more of a struggle. It seemed way too easy the way they rekindled their relationship.
Also, if you think about it, they hadn’t spent all that much time together if you didn’t take into account their friendship as kids, from the age of five till they were thirteen, so it was a bit disbelieving that they would love each other after spending basically their whole lives without any contact except a few short weeks in their early twenties. They didn’t really know each other, their character, the person they grew up to be. They knew everything about the other as a kid, but from ten till forty, it’s a bit of a long road. A lot can change in a person. Anyway, I chose not to focus on that part so I could enjoy the story, and I’m happy to say that it worked.
There were a lot of secondary characters, which is something I like, but here they weren’t very involved in the story. We didn’t get to know any of them very well. They were there when they served a purpose, and then they just disappeared without a word. A lot of times I thought that I was reading a potential plot development, but in the end it didn’t go anywhere. There were a lot of unfinished threads, mainly in regard to the secondary characters. The focus was on Luke and Nelson (as it should be), but I would have liked to know a bit more about Grady or Nellie or even Doug.
There were a lot of sex scenes, and I wouldn’t have said no to half of them being cut out of the story and replaced by relationship development scenes between the MCs, or scenes with both of them interacting with their friends and family. We don’t really see them together as a couple and around their social circle at the same time, which is something I missed from the story.
Remember When is a fairly light read and not very high on angst, as you can see Luke and Nelson are going to end up together one way or the other. I had my issues with the story but, overall, I enjoyed reading it. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 because I like reading about the lifetime of a character, which I did here, and I don’t find that often enough in books.
This book spoke to the unwavering romantic in me! It's a story of how young, first love really can be the love that lasts a lifetime.
Luke and Nelson are next door neighbors and have been best friends since they were five. As they get a little older they begin to explore their sexuality together, always remaining best friends first. When the boys are 13, Luke's family moves to California and their friendship slips away with the distance.
10 years later, the two see each other again in an airport. What are the chances that they are both traveling to the same city, staying in the same hotel? Fate seems to have brought them back together. The boys, now young men quickly pick up where they left off. 10 years have passed and they still can finish each other's sentences. The exploring they did with each as adolescents has now turned into a full blown attraction. Nelson and Luke live across the country from each other, but both have faith that they're building something special. Life intervenes once more and tears them apart. Nelson doesn't know if he'll survive this heartache again.
Fate steps in again. Nelson has made his professional dreams come true and through work, runs into Luke years later. These two have so much between them, good and bad. Love, loss, fear and that same spark are all there. Fate seems to keep pushing them together. Will they take another chance at finally getting their first love right?
This book pulled me right in. I ached for these boys, I cheered for them, I got angry with them! Mostly, I just wanted to see them together! I love second chance stories, this time, I saw what happens when you miss that chance too. First love can still be your last love, if you're willing to fight for it.
Remeber When is a beautiful story of that spans the lives of two friends from early child hood till later in life. Luke and Nelson grew up together living close to each other. They were best friends and also explored sexual things with each other. Nelson found himself confused by his feelings for Luke. At age thirteen Luke had to move to California and the two lost contact until fate brought them together ten years later. They talked and decided to keep in touch. then life happens again. There are a few twists in the story that keep coming between the two men. If you ever read SJD Peterson stories you know they are very sexy yet sensual as well. If you haven't and like some very good man-sex you should read this.
If you like stories that start as young-adult, go to new adult then grown up, friends to lovers, broken hearts, some angst and some very hot man-sex you will love this story.
4⭐⭐⭐⭐. Childhood best friends to lovers is one of my favourite tropes and add second/third chance at love to that in Remember When makes me giddy with anticipation! This story was such a great read..it made me feel so much for them. You can't help but pick favourites but in the end you just want them to be together!