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8 Million Hearts #2
Gray For You
I might be your fantasy. But I’m nobody’s forever…
Gray: I’m not the kind of guy you take home to meet your mother. I’m an ex-adult film star with a GED and a giant co...llection of movie credits I can’t talk about in polite company. I might be good at helping other guys get their happy endings, but I’ve more or less given up on finding one of my own.
Until Tyler Lang walks into my life.
That’s right, my co-star for my final film is Tyler Lang--America's heartthrob, until he disappeared from the radar last year. Tyler's got a reputation for being a bad boy, a partier, and apparently straight, but the sweet, vulnerable-looking kid who shows up at auditions is completely different. And now that I'm getting to know him, I can’t help wondering what it is that’s made his eyes so sad--and wishing there were some way I could make it better.
I’m not supposed to get a happy ending. So why the hell won’t my heart listen?
“I’m yours. In whatever way, for however long you want me. Just say the words and you’ll have me forever.”
Tyler: I know what you’ve heard about me. Another spoiled child-actor, all grown up and out of control. I wish I could tell you you’re wrong, but the truth is, I’m a little bit of a mess. Okay, so maybe I'm a giant mess. And now, after getting arrested with an ez-bake oven’s worth of drugs I don’t even remember buying, I'm washed-up at the grand old age of 21.
After a year of rehab and community service, all I want is to work again. So when my agent sends me a new script, maybe I don’t read the fine print as carefully as I should. Which is how I end up auditioning for an adult film. A high-brow, literary adult film. But still. There’s no way I can go through with this. After all, I'm so deep in the closet I'm not sure I'll ever find my way out. And I wouldn’t do this movie--except for one thing: Gray Evans.
Strong, kind, and honest, Gray makes me feel seen in a way I’ve never been before--and makes me want to be better. And somehow, around Gray, everything seems possible. Like maybe there’s a world where I’m not a total screw-up. Maybe there’s a world where I can come out, and not tank my career. And maybe, just maybe, there’s a world where Gray, who’s smart and brave and so together, could want someone like me.
Gray For You is Book 2 in the 8 Million Hearts series. While each book can be read on its own, they're even more fun to read together. Gray For You is a 150,000 word m/m romance full of snark, sweetness, and a healthy serving of steam. Movie star romance and hurt/comfort themes. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed HEA.
Gray: I’m not the kind of guy you take home to meet your mother. I’m an ex-adult film star with a GED and a giant co...llection of movie credits I can’t talk about in polite company. I might be good at helping other guys get their happy endings, but I’ve more or less given up on finding one of my own.
Until Tyler Lang walks into my life.
That’s right, my co-star for my final film is Tyler Lang--America's heartthrob, until he disappeared from the radar last year. Tyler's got a reputation for being a bad boy, a partier, and apparently straight, but the sweet, vulnerable-looking kid who shows up at auditions is completely different. And now that I'm getting to know him, I can’t help wondering what it is that’s made his eyes so sad--and wishing there were some way I could make it better.
I’m not supposed to get a happy ending. So why the hell won’t my heart listen?
“I’m yours. In whatever way, for however long you want me. Just say the words and you’ll have me forever.”
Tyler: I know what you’ve heard about me. Another spoiled child-actor, all grown up and out of control. I wish I could tell you you’re wrong, but the truth is, I’m a little bit of a mess. Okay, so maybe I'm a giant mess. And now, after getting arrested with an ez-bake oven’s worth of drugs I don’t even remember buying, I'm washed-up at the grand old age of 21.
After a year of rehab and community service, all I want is to work again. So when my agent sends me a new script, maybe I don’t read the fine print as carefully as I should. Which is how I end up auditioning for an adult film. A high-brow, literary adult film. But still. There’s no way I can go through with this. After all, I'm so deep in the closet I'm not sure I'll ever find my way out. And I wouldn’t do this movie--except for one thing: Gray Evans.
Strong, kind, and honest, Gray makes me feel seen in a way I’ve never been before--and makes me want to be better. And somehow, around Gray, everything seems possible. Like maybe there’s a world where I’m not a total screw-up. Maybe there’s a world where I can come out, and not tank my career. And maybe, just maybe, there’s a world where Gray, who’s smart and brave and so together, could want someone like me.
Gray For You is Book 2 in the 8 Million Hearts series. While each book can be read on its own, they're even more fun to read together. Gray For You is a 150,000 word m/m romance full of snark, sweetness, and a healthy serving of steam. Movie star romance and hurt/comfort themes. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed HEA.
614 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 23, 2017
254 people are currently reading
286 people want to read
About the author
Spencer Spears
44 books443 followersSpencer Spears writes LGBTQ+ stories that are snarky, sweet, and will break your heart in all the best ways. Spencer believes we all deserve to write our own happy endings. When not at the computer, Spencer can be found gardening, knitting, or curled up with a good book. Visit www.spencerspears.com for free books, updates, and more.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews
August 1, 2023
⭐️ 5 stars ⭐️
I was skeptical about this one due to the cover, but I’m so glad I gave it a chance because it is truly an amazing love story.
For a book featuring a porn star I didn’t expect all the emotions it would provoke — Gray For You had me giggling and giddy, laughing and crying, and ultimately feeling all the good feels we all want when reading a romance.
Beautifully written and loved the gradual build up of the relationship. I got to tag along Tyler’s sexuality awakening journey and i felt the author depicted it quite realistically.
Insanely hot smut scenes, but also surprisingly deep (no pun intended) and meaningful, it’s not just spice for the sake of being spice.
CW and tropes (spoilers):
- Ex porn star vs actor
- Age gap
- Abusive parent
- Inexperienced vs experienced
- Gay awakening
- Strict top/bottom
POV: 1st person, dual
I was skeptical about this one due to the cover, but I’m so glad I gave it a chance because it is truly an amazing love story.
A ghost over my heart to remember Tyler by? I didn’t need a tattoo for that. He’d already taken up residence there. And when he left, I knew I’d cling to whatever ghost he left behind.
For a book featuring a porn star I didn’t expect all the emotions it would provoke — Gray For You had me giggling and giddy, laughing and crying, and ultimately feeling all the good feels we all want when reading a romance.
Beautifully written and loved the gradual build up of the relationship. I got to tag along Tyler’s sexuality awakening journey and i felt the author depicted it quite realistically.
“I’ve never felt like this before. Like I do when I’m with you. The way I have since I met you, really.” “What do you—” “Like I matter. Like I’m with someone who—who thinks I matter. Like I’m someone worth being with.” He looked down. “When I’m with you, I feel wanted.”
Insanely hot smut scenes, but also surprisingly deep (no pun intended) and meaningful, it’s not just spice for the sake of being spice.
CW and tropes (spoilers):
- Ex porn star vs actor
- Age gap
- Abusive parent
- Inexperienced vs experienced
- Gay awakening
- Strict top/bottom
POV: 1st person, dual
February 4, 2018
I will start out by saying that when I started this book I was a bit intimidated by it's size at over 500 pages it is bigger than your average gay romance novel. I should have known that there was nothing to worry about, Spencer Spears has never disappointed me yet and she certainly did not do so with this awesome story. Once I started reading the story and characters hooked me and never let me go till the end. OK.. for starters, I would love to find a man out there like Gray, he is just so incredible and so exactly what Tyler needs in every way. I love the fact that even though Tyler could easily have become a whining, annoying, one-dimensional paper doll of a person, due to Ms. Spears writing for me he never came close to being just that. This story was never too angsty and though the relationship took most of the book to get them to the mutual "I Love Yous", it felt like the timing was perfect and necessary to be true to the two MCs. Since I had ended up reading "Oliver Ever After" before this one, I obviously knew about Gray & Tyler being together since they were in quite a bit of Luke's story. It was certainly nice seeing how they got to that point. Over all another awesome read that sucked me in and by the end made me cry lots of happy tears!
July 11, 2023
Ignore the cover!
Movie star desperate for work who also wants to know if he’s gay and a porn star desperate to get over his ex star in an indie porn movie.
Very heart of gold vibes for the porn star, but I like my MCs sweet so it worked. There’s some hurt/comfort coming from both sides that I feel was handled very realistically. There’s the 80% drama, but it wasn’t too OTT and quite a bit of it was satisfying as hell.
Also, all the sex scenes being filmed were first times for one MC and that was fun.
Movie star desperate for work who also wants to know if he’s gay and a porn star desperate to get over his ex star in an indie porn movie.
Very heart of gold vibes for the porn star, but I like my MCs sweet so it worked. There’s some hurt/comfort coming from both sides that I feel was handled very realistically. There’s the 80% drama, but it wasn’t too OTT and quite a bit of it was satisfying as hell.
Also, all the sex scenes being filmed were first times for one MC and that was fun.
September 19, 2024
This book was kind of full of elements I usually hate, and yet I couldn't put it down. It's over 600 pages long so I think that's quite the feat.
Both MCs are very self-sacrificing, and there's a lot of woe-is-me wallowing and talking. It's obvious to both of them that the other is absolutely amazing, so the total lack of self-awareness was grating. The communication is also atrocious, since the MCs don't think they're worthy, they don't talk about any of their issues.
This made me want to shake the MCs through the pages at several moments, and yet I found them both tremendously endearing, and in desperate need of protection and love. They've both been deeply involved with horrid people - Gray's ex, and Tyler's father - who have ruined their self-confidence and made them truly believe they don't deserve anything more. It's a slog to change this kind of mindset, and though I suffered while reading this, it seemed like a good portrayal of what this kind of emotional abuse can do.
I did find the resolution of the plotline with Tyler's father somewhat unresolved. While it's completely fine not to , I'm surprised it wasn't even mentioned.
For something so long, the romance itself was a bit light on. This book covers the MCs' respective journeys to be ready to embark on a relationship, but says precious little about the relationship itself. However, I find I'm still convinced that they'll work it out, even if we don't necessarily get to see it here.
Both MCs are very self-sacrificing, and there's a lot of woe-is-me wallowing and talking. It's obvious to both of them that the other is absolutely amazing, so the total lack of self-awareness was grating. The communication is also atrocious, since the MCs don't think they're worthy, they don't talk about any of their issues.
This made me want to shake the MCs through the pages at several moments, and yet I found them both tremendously endearing, and in desperate need of protection and love. They've both been deeply involved with horrid people - Gray's ex, and Tyler's father - who have ruined their self-confidence and made them truly believe they don't deserve anything more. It's a slog to change this kind of mindset, and though I suffered while reading this, it seemed like a good portrayal of what this kind of emotional abuse can do.
I did find the resolution of the plotline with Tyler's father somewhat unresolved. While it's completely fine not to , I'm surprised it wasn't even mentioned.
For something so long, the romance itself was a bit light on. This book covers the MCs' respective journeys to be ready to embark on a relationship, but says precious little about the relationship itself. However, I find I'm still convinced that they'll work it out, even if we don't necessarily get to see it here.
March 23, 2018
3.5ish stars
The story is about an ex child star and an ex p*rn star looking for another shot in life. They are given just that when an opportunity to star in an indie movie arises. Its seems when the rest of the world is out there judging them they find friendship and trust in one another.
I liked many part of the book. I like how parts of Tyler and Gray's relationship correlated with the movie being made in the book. I did enjoy the two MCs friendship. I believe they found one another right when they needed to.
The negative was the book was too long, the MCs were way to insecure and down on themselves. That actually started to bring the book down a lot. The MCs lacked communication skills when it came to expressing themselves. They also lacked back bones and spend a majority of the book letting others walk all over them. I found myself getting frustrated with their actions several times. Oh and the burn was super slow. Although, we see the two MCs relationship development, they don't actually get together until the 90% mark. There is no epilogue to tie it all up. You do have to sign up to the newsletter to get extra Tyler and Gray. So there is that option.
Overall it was an ok read.
The story is about an ex child star and an ex p*rn star looking for another shot in life. They are given just that when an opportunity to star in an indie movie arises. Its seems when the rest of the world is out there judging them they find friendship and trust in one another.
I liked many part of the book. I like how parts of Tyler and Gray's relationship correlated with the movie being made in the book. I did enjoy the two MCs friendship. I believe they found one another right when they needed to.
The negative was the book was too long, the MCs were way to insecure and down on themselves. That actually started to bring the book down a lot. The MCs lacked communication skills when it came to expressing themselves. They also lacked back bones and spend a majority of the book letting others walk all over them. I found myself getting frustrated with their actions several times. Oh and the burn was super slow. Although, we see the two MCs relationship development, they don't actually get together until the 90% mark. There is no epilogue to tie it all up. You do have to sign up to the newsletter to get extra Tyler and Gray. So there is that option.
Overall it was an ok read.
October 1, 2017
-2.5 stars
This is my first ever review...I've always relied heavily on the reviews of others-looking at both the good and the bad to help form my choices-and being that I'm in the minority here maybe I can offer a different idea of what to expect with this book. I don't want to dissuade others, a few bad reviews has never pushed me to totally disregard a certain book, but it does help me to get in the best mindset to be able to enjoy it. So maybe this will be that for someone else. If not, well then at the very least I'm popping my review cherry and that is an accomplishment in and of itself is it not?
I feel I have to preface this review with one more thing- I'm someone who simply can't "DNF" a book. At times I feel like it is a true curse; at others I feel grateful that my optimism in sticking it out has paid off. That was kind of the case with this book, at the very end I was somewhat glad I stuck it out. But it was literally at the very end.
That is, Tyler and Gray only become a couple at the 90% mark. Unfortunately, it isn't because they just never DTRd and have been under the assumption they were in a relationship the whole time. Nope, they were just friends. Mind you they were the kind of friends who had sex, but it was mostly on camera and even during their first coupling it wasn't truly just out of their desire for one another. The situation being as it was, was the biggest reason for that, I get it. But I was also hoping it was going to be the time where they finally spill their guts and revel in their developing feelings for one another. Instead, we just get more internal hemming and hawing of "Should I tell him? Should I not? He can't possibly like me so I shouldn't. I wouldn't deserve him if he did, so yeah keep the lips zipped." Since the time for finally expressing themselves comes at the very end, the transition from being in like, to being in love, felt contrived.
That is what was so disappointing about this book. I wanted them to really blur the line between themselves and their characters in the movie because Wyatt and Dylan gave me the feels so much more than Gray and Tyler did. When they connected with that, with the thoughts of "oh, I'm not really having to act because this is exactly how I really feel," it was when I thought this book really shined. But those were short instances that never panned out into being a possible gateway for them to start actually dating.
Don't get me wrong, I loved the first book in this series-and have read and really enjoyed some of Spencer's other works-but that is what compelled me to write this review...it had so much potential and I just don't think it lived up to it.
Again, there are great moments filled with promise, that while in most instances I would say never deliver, some most definitely do. The stuff surrounding the movie-them getting into character, Tyler helping acting newbie Gray really be able to connect, the banter between them-were most of those delivered upon moments. (Speaking of banter, the scene with Tyler expressing his fears about bottoming for the first time...soooo funny! Beyond loved it!)
However, most of my frustration, and the moments that definitely missed the mark, centered around Tyler and Gray continually being forced into their respective roles as the "screw up" and as the "nice guy." More so, Gray's relationship with his ex was probably the one thing that annoyed me the most. And yet, it was probably the most realistic. I mean I certainly know people who cling to something they never really had and thereby settle for 'something' over nothing. But I was wanting that realization, the "hey, I am worth more and he was just a selfish asshole" realization, to come so much sooner than at that damned 90% mark.
When it comes to Tyler, he is the grown-up child star who had a parent (his dad) become more interested in what their child could do for them, than what they could do for their child. I really saw him in the vein of Macaulay Culkin's dad (a dated reference but also a good one I think). And of course that is how it ends, the resulting damage is more than emotional, it is also financial so finally Tyler cuts ties with him. Guess when that happens...? Yep, at the very end.
So all in all I wanted less build up and more showing how Tyler and Gray settled into themselves and ultimately their relationship. How it played out for them to really be living in New York, not an "oh why don't you just move in despite this being the first time you have ever been to my apartment" moment.
So yeah, I ended up skimming towards the end, bypassing the redundant internal back and forth, and wanting them to just finally get together! It happened, I liked it, but was still left unsatisfied.
Just like I can't not finish a book, it takes a lot for me to rate a book under 3 stars. This isn't technically one of those times but I'm still considering it a "I'm saying it's 3 stars but it's really 2.5 stars but I can't not round up" rating. However, if you're like me don't let this stop you from possibly really enjoying this book. Just go into this one with the mindset that the pay off/the romance/the true feels don't come till the last minute.
This is my first ever review...I've always relied heavily on the reviews of others-looking at both the good and the bad to help form my choices-and being that I'm in the minority here maybe I can offer a different idea of what to expect with this book. I don't want to dissuade others, a few bad reviews has never pushed me to totally disregard a certain book, but it does help me to get in the best mindset to be able to enjoy it. So maybe this will be that for someone else. If not, well then at the very least I'm popping my review cherry and that is an accomplishment in and of itself is it not?
I feel I have to preface this review with one more thing- I'm someone who simply can't "DNF" a book. At times I feel like it is a true curse; at others I feel grateful that my optimism in sticking it out has paid off. That was kind of the case with this book, at the very end I was somewhat glad I stuck it out. But it was literally at the very end.
That is, Tyler and Gray only become a couple at the 90% mark. Unfortunately, it isn't because they just never DTRd and have been under the assumption they were in a relationship the whole time. Nope, they were just friends. Mind you they were the kind of friends who had sex, but it was mostly on camera and even during their first coupling it wasn't truly just out of their desire for one another. The situation being as it was, was the biggest reason for that, I get it. But I was also hoping it was going to be the time where they finally spill their guts and revel in their developing feelings for one another. Instead, we just get more internal hemming and hawing of "Should I tell him? Should I not? He can't possibly like me so I shouldn't. I wouldn't deserve him if he did, so yeah keep the lips zipped." Since the time for finally expressing themselves comes at the very end, the transition from being in like, to being in love, felt contrived.
That is what was so disappointing about this book. I wanted them to really blur the line between themselves and their characters in the movie because Wyatt and Dylan gave me the feels so much more than Gray and Tyler did. When they connected with that, with the thoughts of "oh, I'm not really having to act because this is exactly how I really feel," it was when I thought this book really shined. But those were short instances that never panned out into being a possible gateway for them to start actually dating.
Don't get me wrong, I loved the first book in this series-and have read and really enjoyed some of Spencer's other works-but that is what compelled me to write this review...it had so much potential and I just don't think it lived up to it.
Again, there are great moments filled with promise, that while in most instances I would say never deliver, some most definitely do. The stuff surrounding the movie-them getting into character, Tyler helping acting newbie Gray really be able to connect, the banter between them-were most of those delivered upon moments. (Speaking of banter, the scene with Tyler expressing his fears about bottoming for the first time...soooo funny! Beyond loved it!)
However, most of my frustration, and the moments that definitely missed the mark, centered around Tyler and Gray continually being forced into their respective roles as the "screw up" and as the "nice guy." More so, Gray's relationship with his ex was probably the one thing that annoyed me the most. And yet, it was probably the most realistic. I mean I certainly know people who cling to something they never really had and thereby settle for 'something' over nothing. But I was wanting that realization, the "hey, I am worth more and he was just a selfish asshole" realization, to come so much sooner than at that damned 90% mark.
When it comes to Tyler, he is the grown-up child star who had a parent (his dad) become more interested in what their child could do for them, than what they could do for their child. I really saw him in the vein of Macaulay Culkin's dad (a dated reference but also a good one I think). And of course that is how it ends, the resulting damage is more than emotional, it is also financial so finally Tyler cuts ties with him. Guess when that happens...? Yep, at the very end.
So all in all I wanted less build up and more showing how Tyler and Gray settled into themselves and ultimately their relationship. How it played out for them to really be living in New York, not an "oh why don't you just move in despite this being the first time you have ever been to my apartment" moment.
So yeah, I ended up skimming towards the end, bypassing the redundant internal back and forth, and wanting them to just finally get together! It happened, I liked it, but was still left unsatisfied.
Just like I can't not finish a book, it takes a lot for me to rate a book under 3 stars. This isn't technically one of those times but I'm still considering it a "I'm saying it's 3 stars but it's really 2.5 stars but I can't not round up" rating. However, if you're like me don't let this stop you from possibly really enjoying this book. Just go into this one with the mindset that the pay off/the romance/the true feels don't come till the last minute.
October 18, 2017
3.5 stars.
I liked the second book in the series a lot. I really didn't want to put it down once I started it. I marked it down a star because both MC's were forced into roles with each other and when they had an opportunity to step out of those roles, overcome some of their deepest fears/insecurities, they pretty much didn't take the opportunity until much too late in the book. Some of the sex scenes also felt too clinical, not overwhelming and passionate. I never believed Gray was anything other than a teacher or instructor with Tyler.
I struggled a little this time with the over use of the same words from the first book in the series, and the use of "like" too many times was less organic to a child star who would have had the habit forced out of him very early in his career. Add to that the use of variations of "creep" and "pathetic" was distracting. I think an editor needs to be a little more present and discuss thesaurus use for the next book.
I had a little bit of a hard time suspending disbelief that a 5 year (most highly paid) veteran porn star would be easily embraced by mainstream Hollywood and I didn't like that we got no real information about the outcome of the release of the movie or the fate of Tyler's dad.
Looking forward to what I'm sure are upcoming stories in the series for Luke, Nick and Micah. Not sure which will come first.
And, small side rant on having to sign up for the stupid newsletter to get the "epilogue". UGH.
I liked the second book in the series a lot. I really didn't want to put it down once I started it. I marked it down a star because both MC's were forced into roles with each other and when they had an opportunity to step out of those roles, overcome some of their deepest fears/insecurities, they pretty much didn't take the opportunity until much too late in the book. Some of the sex scenes also felt too clinical, not overwhelming and passionate. I never believed Gray was anything other than a teacher or instructor with Tyler.
I struggled a little this time with the over use of the same words from the first book in the series, and the use of "like" too many times was less organic to a child star who would have had the habit forced out of him very early in his career. Add to that the use of variations of "creep" and "pathetic" was distracting. I think an editor needs to be a little more present and discuss thesaurus use for the next book.
I had a little bit of a hard time suspending disbelief that a 5 year (most highly paid) veteran porn star would be easily embraced by mainstream Hollywood and I didn't like that we got no real information about the outcome of the release of the movie or the fate of Tyler's dad.
Looking forward to what I'm sure are upcoming stories in the series for Luke, Nick and Micah. Not sure which will come first.
And, small side rant on having to sign up for the stupid newsletter to get the "epilogue". UGH.
July 23, 2018
I did actually properly review this, no idea where that review went as this one suddenly showed up as Want To Read on my new Paperwhite!
Anyway, I clearly enjoyed it as it was a 4* read!
Anyway, I clearly enjoyed it as it was a 4* read!
August 15, 2018
Who? Wha-whaaaaat?
Fantastic sense of humor earned this one 5 stars. Relatable MCs? 5 stars. Chemistry, intimacy and feelz without being OTT and saccharine? 5 stars.
I'm left with a couple of questions in regards to a certain someone's father...ramifications? Repercussions? Recoupment? But honestly, even the question marks at the end don't take anything away from the whole.
This book (and its predecessor) are delightful, insightful, and on all of every level, enjoyable.
I'd call these HFNs as opposed to HEAs, strictly speaking, but even without a comprehensive follow-up, there is no doubt...NO DOUBT...in my mind that these are foever and ever couples.
I am pleased to have read two books (so far) from this author and will enthusiastically read the rest of whatever is currently available.
Spears is one to watch now and going forward. It's an auto-buy for me from now on, hands down, bottoms up.
Hot. Smart. Witty. Fun. Sexy. Sweet.
Yum.
Fantastic sense of humor earned this one 5 stars. Relatable MCs? 5 stars. Chemistry, intimacy and feelz without being OTT and saccharine? 5 stars.
I'm left with a couple of questions in regards to a certain someone's father...ramifications? Repercussions? Recoupment? But honestly, even the question marks at the end don't take anything away from the whole.
This book (and its predecessor) are delightful, insightful, and on all of every level, enjoyable.
I'd call these HFNs as opposed to HEAs, strictly speaking, but even without a comprehensive follow-up, there is no doubt...NO DOUBT...in my mind that these are foever and ever couples.
I am pleased to have read two books (so far) from this author and will enthusiastically read the rest of whatever is currently available.
Spears is one to watch now and going forward. It's an auto-buy for me from now on, hands down, bottoms up.
Hot. Smart. Witty. Fun. Sexy. Sweet.
Yum.
November 12, 2023
The cover is terrible.
The title is terrible.
This book is hella long.
I loved it. After reading so many bloated, overly padded novels that are less than half this length, it is always surprising to read something this long that reads quickly, smoothly, and without weird side plots or overpowering cameos. The characters are damaged as hell but in believable ways and while I don't know quite how realistic the film production aspects of the novel were (this movie really needed an intimacy coordinator) the emotional arcs rang true.
The title is terrible.
This book is hella long.
I loved it. After reading so many bloated, overly padded novels that are less than half this length, it is always surprising to read something this long that reads quickly, smoothly, and without weird side plots or overpowering cameos. The characters are damaged as hell but in believable ways and while I don't know quite how realistic the film production aspects of the novel were (this movie really needed an intimacy coordinator) the emotional arcs rang true.
August 13, 2019
It was very interesting to see behind the scenes of a movie shot. The fact that Gray is an ex-porn star made him an interesting character. The romance was slow-burn, which just made you believe it that much more. The story is a little predictable, but I was still entertained.
June 29, 2019
Loved it! 2 great MCs, funny lines, hot sex scenes and a sweet HEA.
September 28, 2017
*wraps this book in lots of hugs *
I loved Adam’s Song, the first book in this series, and that love just multiplied for this book. The characters, the plot, the everything, just resonated with me. I was so emotionally invested in these two guys. This series is shaping up to be one of my favorites.
I connected with Gray, that wonderful owner of a bar in Adam’s Song, who helped Ben and Adam finally get together. He was such a good guy in that story. But, it doesn’t compare with this one. Oh my Lord, he is an amazing guy in this one.
Gray has recently split up with his boyfriend, a jerk by the name of Ethan. He feels like he’s been in a rut, not knowing what he wants to do. He is approached by Violet, a woman he had initially met back when he was famous in the porn industry. She is now an up and coming director, whose new project is an adult film adaptation of a favorite M/M book. She wants Gray to audition for one of the lead roles, a calculus teacher by the name of Wyatt, who falls in love with one of his 18-year old students at their boarding school. Gray has serious doubts about his abilities to act thanks to his jerkoff ex-boyfriend, but with the encouragement of his friend, he does audition and gets the part.
And he gets to meet Tyler.
Tyler thinks he’s the epitome of a fallen child actor. Back from rehab after a very public and embarrassing arrest, he is desperate to find work in his field. Everyone in LA is treating him like a piranha. Even his father/manager won’t take his calls, so he returns to New York to his estranged mother and brother, who willingly take him in. He turns up at the audition for Dylan, the 18-year old student, without knowing the type of movie that he’ll be making. Although, the first time he set eyes on Gray should have been a clue.
The story is told from alternating POVs between Gray and Tyler. The beginning of each of the first two chapters are exposition, basically Gray and Tyler speaking to the reader, giving them their own background stories. But both chapters quickly pick up the present thread, and it’s off to the races for this great story.
It is also a long book, 366 pages on my NOOK. But, I loved that because it delves deep into the month that they shoot the film. The sex scenes of the movie and the chemistry between Gray and Tyler is so damn hot it ignites off the page. We even get to see some of the movie scenes from the standpoint of the book, giving us the emotional insight behind Dylan and Wyatt’s story. If I had one tiny nugget of disappointment, it would be that we didn’t get to see the final scene of the movie from the book’s standpoint, but that’s just my own personal opinion.
This book, these characters, from the beginning they were so damn good together. Their teasing banter had me in stitches for most of their interactions. The whole ghost theme was laugh-out-loud good. Tyler has such a boyish charm and humor, bringing out the playful side of Gray that hadn’t seen the light of day for a long time. And Gray…he was just so good, so kind. He was totally accepting of Tyler, not expecting him to be anything other than who he truly was, guiding him and protecting him. Both of them needed each other so damn much.
Neither one of them had an easy life. Finding out Gray’s backstory and what led him to New York tore out my heart. Tyler, even though he had been a successful child actor, had the farthest thing from a good childhood. That led both of them to some serious self-doubts and problems with self-confidence. And some of the people in their lives didn’t help that. From Ethan to Tyler’s father, I didn’t know who I hated the most.
But we have some other wonderful, secondary characters, familiar and new. Ben and Adam from Adam’s Song are back, and we get to meet Micah, Gray’s friend and employee, and Luke, Tyler’s brother. I can’t help but hope they, too, will get their own stories in the future. I’m also hoping the same for Danny.
There’s so much I’d love to say about this book, but I don’t want to spoil it for anyone. It will definitely be a series that I will be coming back to again and again.
***I received an ARC from the author in exchange for my honest review***
I loved Adam’s Song, the first book in this series, and that love just multiplied for this book. The characters, the plot, the everything, just resonated with me. I was so emotionally invested in these two guys. This series is shaping up to be one of my favorites.
I connected with Gray, that wonderful owner of a bar in Adam’s Song, who helped Ben and Adam finally get together. He was such a good guy in that story. But, it doesn’t compare with this one. Oh my Lord, he is an amazing guy in this one.
Gray has recently split up with his boyfriend, a jerk by the name of Ethan. He feels like he’s been in a rut, not knowing what he wants to do. He is approached by Violet, a woman he had initially met back when he was famous in the porn industry. She is now an up and coming director, whose new project is an adult film adaptation of a favorite M/M book. She wants Gray to audition for one of the lead roles, a calculus teacher by the name of Wyatt, who falls in love with one of his 18-year old students at their boarding school. Gray has serious doubts about his abilities to act thanks to his jerkoff ex-boyfriend, but with the encouragement of his friend, he does audition and gets the part.
And he gets to meet Tyler.
Tyler thinks he’s the epitome of a fallen child actor. Back from rehab after a very public and embarrassing arrest, he is desperate to find work in his field. Everyone in LA is treating him like a piranha. Even his father/manager won’t take his calls, so he returns to New York to his estranged mother and brother, who willingly take him in. He turns up at the audition for Dylan, the 18-year old student, without knowing the type of movie that he’ll be making. Although, the first time he set eyes on Gray should have been a clue.
The story is told from alternating POVs between Gray and Tyler. The beginning of each of the first two chapters are exposition, basically Gray and Tyler speaking to the reader, giving them their own background stories. But both chapters quickly pick up the present thread, and it’s off to the races for this great story.
It is also a long book, 366 pages on my NOOK. But, I loved that because it delves deep into the month that they shoot the film. The sex scenes of the movie and the chemistry between Gray and Tyler is so damn hot it ignites off the page. We even get to see some of the movie scenes from the standpoint of the book, giving us the emotional insight behind Dylan and Wyatt’s story. If I had one tiny nugget of disappointment, it would be that we didn’t get to see the final scene of the movie from the book’s standpoint, but that’s just my own personal opinion.
This book, these characters, from the beginning they were so damn good together. Their teasing banter had me in stitches for most of their interactions. The whole ghost theme was laugh-out-loud good. Tyler has such a boyish charm and humor, bringing out the playful side of Gray that hadn’t seen the light of day for a long time. And Gray…he was just so good, so kind. He was totally accepting of Tyler, not expecting him to be anything other than who he truly was, guiding him and protecting him. Both of them needed each other so damn much.
Neither one of them had an easy life. Finding out Gray’s backstory and what led him to New York tore out my heart. Tyler, even though he had been a successful child actor, had the farthest thing from a good childhood. That led both of them to some serious self-doubts and problems with self-confidence. And some of the people in their lives didn’t help that. From Ethan to Tyler’s father, I didn’t know who I hated the most.
But we have some other wonderful, secondary characters, familiar and new. Ben and Adam from Adam’s Song are back, and we get to meet Micah, Gray’s friend and employee, and Luke, Tyler’s brother. I can’t help but hope they, too, will get their own stories in the future. I’m also hoping the same for Danny.
There’s so much I’d love to say about this book, but I don’t want to spoil it for anyone. It will definitely be a series that I will be coming back to again and again.
***I received an ARC from the author in exchange for my honest review***
March 4, 2018
The premise is dumb. Let's get that out of the way right now.
Dumb, but hot.
There's an element of Damon Suede's Hot Head to the set up only instead of regular porn, it seemed like this was more like... yaoi flavored porn. There's a boarding school. Yuck. Not gonna lie, kind of a turn off for me, but it wasn't too vile because it wasn't the actual plot of the book, just the porn, so what the hell. Why not?
Bring. On. The. Porn.
Again, though, like the first book in the series. Sooooo long. So long. My attention span just can't handle this. I need like, the cliff notes version with all the sex and less of the hemming and hawing. That's probably more of an indictment on me than the book.
Special mention for a nonbinary character well-portrayed and (bonus!) respected as a human being by other human beings! So awesome.
More of that, please.
Dumb, but hot.
There's an element of Damon Suede's Hot Head to the set up only instead of regular porn, it seemed like this was more like... yaoi flavored porn. There's a boarding school. Yuck. Not gonna lie, kind of a turn off for me, but it wasn't too vile because it wasn't the actual plot of the book, just the porn, so what the hell. Why not?
Bring. On. The. Porn.
Again, though, like the first book in the series. Sooooo long. So long. My attention span just can't handle this. I need like, the cliff notes version with all the sex and less of the hemming and hawing. That's probably more of an indictment on me than the book.
Special mention for a nonbinary character well-portrayed and (bonus!) respected as a human being by other human beings! So awesome.
More of that, please.
April 12, 2022
4.5
Ahhh this was a great love story. It was so sweet and innocent. First real love. Two broken, lost men, finding their homes. Don’t let the length scare you. It was Worth every page. I feel like I miss stories like this. Where you get to live every moment with the character. Nothing is written off page. No time jumps, no being told what happened. Being there for all of it. I want authors to go back to this. I’m guessing money is the reason, but I’m so nostalgic about stories like this. Back to the basic. Plus I love a good famous person story. The writing was great the smexy was freakin HAWT and the side characters we cool.
Ahhh this was a great love story. It was so sweet and innocent. First real love. Two broken, lost men, finding their homes. Don’t let the length scare you. It was Worth every page. I feel like I miss stories like this. Where you get to live every moment with the character. Nothing is written off page. No time jumps, no being told what happened. Being there for all of it. I want authors to go back to this. I’m guessing money is the reason, but I’m so nostalgic about stories like this. Back to the basic. Plus I love a good famous person story. The writing was great the smexy was freakin HAWT and the side characters we cool.
August 4, 2023
Really enjoyed this overall, probably rounding up from 3.5 stars. It’s focused on the development and growth of the two mcs, which is what I love to read. The author’s voice is compassionate and delightful. I did feel like this slow burn suffered a bit from the pacing. The two mcs are both so sure they are worthless for so long, and that got repeated a little too much for me, weighing down the story arc. But it made me want to keep going with the series (stand-alones). I agree with others that from the cover and seeming focus on porn I wouldn’t have wanted to pick it up. But that’s not the focus of this very sweet book.
October 21, 2017
lovely slow burn romance.
Two emotionally scared guys finds solace in each other
Two emotionally scared guys finds solace in each other
February 9, 2018
I’m really liking this series!
February 4, 2018
This book was absolutely awesome. This book was a page turner that I just couldn't stop reading until the end. I had absolutely loved reading this book. I would highly recommend this book.
March 12, 2018
Two actors walk into a porno
Another fantastic book in the 8 million hearts series that will have you dying to turn the page to see what comes next!
Gray and Tyler were the leads in this book, a sweet match that had a long journey to take to end up together. Each man had their own baggage. Gray has his history in porn coupled with a recent loss and break up, leaving him confident that he's just a washed up old man with not many future prospects. Tyler is a young TV star who has screwed up his life so many times that now he has no job prospects, and accidentally auditioning for an artsy porn movie has him sure that there are no future plans for him, and he might as well take what he can get. Early on the two become fast and easy friends. Gray feels protective of Tyler, but also looks to him for the 'how-to' of the acting. Tyler feels safe with Gray, confident that he can open up a nd be himself, and also enjoys showing the older man that he isn't as worthless as he believes. This friendship holds strong as the filming begins and builds a base for an amazing relationship.
Tyler has some major emotional issues in his past as we get to learn about him. He has been acting since he was six, when he landed a role in a corny but popular kids show. His father has been his manager since then, and we fast learn that his father has not been the most supportive. While Tyler certainly made some poor life decisions, it becomes more and more clear that he was emotionally abused and manipulated by his father. Acting may be all he's done but his father locked it into all he could do, and the constant assertions that Tyler is an idiot and irresponsible have left him dependent on his father. This new movie has him working away from his father for the first time ever, and while it opens hisn eyes in some ways, Tyler still feels that he is incompetent and too dumb to do things on his own, leaving him floundering in his life decisions.
Gray has some pretty deep emotional issues as well. While he has not been told that he is no good, he feels that life has unequivocally shown him that. With a mother who never cared, a boyfriend who wouldn't come out, no education, and an ended career in porn, Gray sees himself as being someone of no worth and rather unlovable. Having been left by his father, mother, adoptive aunt, and boyfriend, he has some abandonment issues, but sees it as his fault. Throughout the filming he grows close to Tyler, but he is positive that he isn't worthy of being loved by Tyler, and never pursues anything further as he thinks it would just be one more person to leave.
Each man has to get beyond their emotional pasts to see each other, but they don't have to do it alone. Working in close quarters and being intimate for the film, they are often there for each other through the tough hurdles they encounter. As the filming comes to a close they use this time to make new decisions about their futures, even when they think they have to go at it alone. While there are plenty of misunderstandings between the two, they still believe in each other and support each other, making it a beautiful friendship long before it goes any further. This was a hot, funny, wonderful book that had me dying to know what would happen and leaves me excited for the next book!
Another fantastic book in the 8 million hearts series that will have you dying to turn the page to see what comes next!
Gray and Tyler were the leads in this book, a sweet match that had a long journey to take to end up together. Each man had their own baggage. Gray has his history in porn coupled with a recent loss and break up, leaving him confident that he's just a washed up old man with not many future prospects. Tyler is a young TV star who has screwed up his life so many times that now he has no job prospects, and accidentally auditioning for an artsy porn movie has him sure that there are no future plans for him, and he might as well take what he can get. Early on the two become fast and easy friends. Gray feels protective of Tyler, but also looks to him for the 'how-to' of the acting. Tyler feels safe with Gray, confident that he can open up a nd be himself, and also enjoys showing the older man that he isn't as worthless as he believes. This friendship holds strong as the filming begins and builds a base for an amazing relationship.
Tyler has some major emotional issues in his past as we get to learn about him. He has been acting since he was six, when he landed a role in a corny but popular kids show. His father has been his manager since then, and we fast learn that his father has not been the most supportive. While Tyler certainly made some poor life decisions, it becomes more and more clear that he was emotionally abused and manipulated by his father. Acting may be all he's done but his father locked it into all he could do, and the constant assertions that Tyler is an idiot and irresponsible have left him dependent on his father. This new movie has him working away from his father for the first time ever, and while it opens hisn eyes in some ways, Tyler still feels that he is incompetent and too dumb to do things on his own, leaving him floundering in his life decisions.
Gray has some pretty deep emotional issues as well. While he has not been told that he is no good, he feels that life has unequivocally shown him that. With a mother who never cared, a boyfriend who wouldn't come out, no education, and an ended career in porn, Gray sees himself as being someone of no worth and rather unlovable. Having been left by his father, mother, adoptive aunt, and boyfriend, he has some abandonment issues, but sees it as his fault. Throughout the filming he grows close to Tyler, but he is positive that he isn't worthy of being loved by Tyler, and never pursues anything further as he thinks it would just be one more person to leave.
Each man has to get beyond their emotional pasts to see each other, but they don't have to do it alone. Working in close quarters and being intimate for the film, they are often there for each other through the tough hurdles they encounter. As the filming comes to a close they use this time to make new decisions about their futures, even when they think they have to go at it alone. While there are plenty of misunderstandings between the two, they still believe in each other and support each other, making it a beautiful friendship long before it goes any further. This was a hot, funny, wonderful book that had me dying to know what would happen and leaves me excited for the next book!
November 13, 2017
Gray for You is 2nd in the 8 Million Heart series, and confession time, we didn’t read the first installment and didn’t feel like we missed much. Picking up this book we thought Gray, maybe it was a May-December, and it is a bit, but it is a slow-burn, lovely romance of 2 people trying to find themselves, and finding each other.
The good?
- Slow-burn: This is a fantastic example of a slow-burn romance, with not a lot of serious angst. It is friends feeling something more and slowly realizing the person beside them are the person they want to be beside them forever. There is a warm feeling between Gray and Tyler and it just cocooned us and made us fall in love right along with them. But it is slow-burn, there is lots of stolen glances, long looks and sighs, all things that make this a great romance.
- Banter: We love a book with some serious banter and these boys have it. There is a funny scene about Tyler bottoming for the first time and it is laugh out loud fun.
- The similarities: We really enjoyed how both Tyler and Gray were finding their way back. Tyler spectacularly crashed and burned publically, and has paid for his mistakes for the last year. And Gray is getting out of a 8 year relationship and has retired as a porn star. They both are looking for new experiences, and to move past what everyone thinks about them and truly find themselves.
- Sex: Well, what could we say about a ex-porn star and a virgin – MAGIC! The chemistry between these men does not disappoint between the sheets.
The not so good?
- The premise: Okay, so it could be believable that a fallen actor would take on a role in an erotic-porn-indie film? And not really realize it? I think there might have been a different situation that forced Gray and Tyler together. Sorry, we didn’t really buy it.
- Internal dialogue: here is a lot of internal dialogue and it does get a bit much after a while, just talk to each other for goodness sake!
- Lots going on: There is a lot going in the Gray for you. A lot. They are filming a movie, falling in love, Gray owns a bar, just got out of a relationship and the guy wants him back, Tyler is dealing with an abusive father and re0-connecting with his brother…..and on and on and on.
We really like Gray for You, it is a solid read, and a fantastic example of a slow-burn romance. We haven’t read the first book in the 8 Million Hearts series, but honestly we didn’t miss any of the backstory.
The good?
- Slow-burn: This is a fantastic example of a slow-burn romance, with not a lot of serious angst. It is friends feeling something more and slowly realizing the person beside them are the person they want to be beside them forever. There is a warm feeling between Gray and Tyler and it just cocooned us and made us fall in love right along with them. But it is slow-burn, there is lots of stolen glances, long looks and sighs, all things that make this a great romance.
- Banter: We love a book with some serious banter and these boys have it. There is a funny scene about Tyler bottoming for the first time and it is laugh out loud fun.
- The similarities: We really enjoyed how both Tyler and Gray were finding their way back. Tyler spectacularly crashed and burned publically, and has paid for his mistakes for the last year. And Gray is getting out of a 8 year relationship and has retired as a porn star. They both are looking for new experiences, and to move past what everyone thinks about them and truly find themselves.
- Sex: Well, what could we say about a ex-porn star and a virgin – MAGIC! The chemistry between these men does not disappoint between the sheets.
The not so good?
- The premise: Okay, so it could be believable that a fallen actor would take on a role in an erotic-porn-indie film? And not really realize it? I think there might have been a different situation that forced Gray and Tyler together. Sorry, we didn’t really buy it.
- Internal dialogue: here is a lot of internal dialogue and it does get a bit much after a while, just talk to each other for goodness sake!
- Lots going on: There is a lot going in the Gray for you. A lot. They are filming a movie, falling in love, Gray owns a bar, just got out of a relationship and the guy wants him back, Tyler is dealing with an abusive father and re0-connecting with his brother…..and on and on and on.
We really like Gray for You, it is a solid read, and a fantastic example of a slow-burn romance. We haven’t read the first book in the 8 Million Hearts series, but honestly we didn’t miss any of the backstory.
September 30, 2017
We first met Gray in book 1 (Adams Song) now this is his story and what an amazing story.
Gray was dumped by his boyfriend Ethan when he needed him the most after the death of Maggie, a women who has shown Gray motherly love and basically saved his life!
Violet, who Gray knows from the porn industry approaches him with a acting job offer in an adult film of a M/M book. Gray would play Wyatt, a calculus teacher who falls in love with a 18 year old student at their boarding school.
After being knocked down by Ethan about his acting career it takes Gray's real friends to convince him to do it.
Tyler, a child acting superstar has just come out of a year in rehab after a humiliating arrest. His dad refused to bail him out this time and like his so called friends hasn't spoken or tried to contact him in that year. Tyler decides to visit and stay with his brother Luke for a while. Apart from Luke the only other person in the business, his manager calls him with a possible film role. As usual Tyler doesn't read the email just arrives at the audition. He doesn't know what the role is but when he sees his costar for the first time it should click. He does a read through of the first scene and quickly accepts the role.
Once filming starts he finally realises what sort of role this is. He has always questioned his sexuality but is this really the way to find it out, having sex on screen?!
Gray notices that Tyler freezes in scenes and also that Tyler's having as panic attack. Gray quickly makes out that he's been feeling sick so Violet calls an end to the days filming. He asks Tyler to follow him, that's when Tyler confesses he's never done this before. With Gray's understanding, guidance and encouragement filming starts again but why does he feel the need to protect Tyler?
With both of them fighting their feelings, can they decide if its either Wyatt & Dylan (acting) or Gray & Tyler that's real?
This book is told in alternating POV which helps you get to know the characters better and seeing into their past.
I would recommend this book and look forward to book 3.
I received an arc in return for an honest review
Gray was dumped by his boyfriend Ethan when he needed him the most after the death of Maggie, a women who has shown Gray motherly love and basically saved his life!
Violet, who Gray knows from the porn industry approaches him with a acting job offer in an adult film of a M/M book. Gray would play Wyatt, a calculus teacher who falls in love with a 18 year old student at their boarding school.
After being knocked down by Ethan about his acting career it takes Gray's real friends to convince him to do it.
Tyler, a child acting superstar has just come out of a year in rehab after a humiliating arrest. His dad refused to bail him out this time and like his so called friends hasn't spoken or tried to contact him in that year. Tyler decides to visit and stay with his brother Luke for a while. Apart from Luke the only other person in the business, his manager calls him with a possible film role. As usual Tyler doesn't read the email just arrives at the audition. He doesn't know what the role is but when he sees his costar for the first time it should click. He does a read through of the first scene and quickly accepts the role.
Once filming starts he finally realises what sort of role this is. He has always questioned his sexuality but is this really the way to find it out, having sex on screen?!
Gray notices that Tyler freezes in scenes and also that Tyler's having as panic attack. Gray quickly makes out that he's been feeling sick so Violet calls an end to the days filming. He asks Tyler to follow him, that's when Tyler confesses he's never done this before. With Gray's understanding, guidance and encouragement filming starts again but why does he feel the need to protect Tyler?
With both of them fighting their feelings, can they decide if its either Wyatt & Dylan (acting) or Gray & Tyler that's real?
This book is told in alternating POV which helps you get to know the characters better and seeing into their past.
I would recommend this book and look forward to book 3.
I received an arc in return for an honest review
September 26, 2017
Gray for you is a M/M romance book in the 8 Million Hearts Book series. After reading the first book Adams song I was so happy to get a chance to read an ARC for Gray for you. And the book definitely wasn't a disappointment!
I spent every free moment during my weekend and beginning of the week reading Gray for you and it was very enjoyable use of my time. What I first noticed about the book in addition of the gorgeous cover was the length of the book. I like long book so I was pleasantly surprised that the book is over 500 pages long! And let me tell you this is a nice change after reading several books with 200 hundred pages and feeling a bit disappointed about the rushed ending etc. So YAY finally a book with some serious reading required :D
Okey so the main characters of the book are Gray and Tyler. Gray we already meat in Adam's song and know that he is a retired porn star keeping a bar in lower Manhattan. I liked him in Adam's song and I liked him even better during this book. Tyler on the other hand is former child actor who has been blacklisted after he was convicted of a drug trafficking even though he doesn't even remember buying the drugs at all.. On the surface it looks that the two men don't have anything in common but they have been in a relationship where they have been emotionally/mentally abused.
When they get a common job opportunity Tyler and Gray become friends but because they are both suffering from severe self doubt the road to anything more is a rocky emotional one. What can I say the characters are not perfect but I did fall in love with them anyway! They are wonderful caring men who fail to realize their own self worth and keep thinking how the other one can't really be interested in him...
Okay yeah I loved the characters Gray and Tyler and I was happy to hear a little bit of Adam and Ben as well... but really the storyline was also very well written and this book just kept me captivated right until the end.
What more do you want to know? The book is amazing so start reading it already ;) :)
I spent every free moment during my weekend and beginning of the week reading Gray for you and it was very enjoyable use of my time. What I first noticed about the book in addition of the gorgeous cover was the length of the book. I like long book so I was pleasantly surprised that the book is over 500 pages long! And let me tell you this is a nice change after reading several books with 200 hundred pages and feeling a bit disappointed about the rushed ending etc. So YAY finally a book with some serious reading required :D
Okey so the main characters of the book are Gray and Tyler. Gray we already meat in Adam's song and know that he is a retired porn star keeping a bar in lower Manhattan. I liked him in Adam's song and I liked him even better during this book. Tyler on the other hand is former child actor who has been blacklisted after he was convicted of a drug trafficking even though he doesn't even remember buying the drugs at all.. On the surface it looks that the two men don't have anything in common but they have been in a relationship where they have been emotionally/mentally abused.
When they get a common job opportunity Tyler and Gray become friends but because they are both suffering from severe self doubt the road to anything more is a rocky emotional one. What can I say the characters are not perfect but I did fall in love with them anyway! They are wonderful caring men who fail to realize their own self worth and keep thinking how the other one can't really be interested in him...
Okay yeah I loved the characters Gray and Tyler and I was happy to hear a little bit of Adam and Ben as well... but really the storyline was also very well written and this book just kept me captivated right until the end.
What more do you want to know? The book is amazing so start reading it already ;) :)
January 8, 2025
. Gray, Ben's good friend who owns their local bar, Maggie's. We know Gray is quiet, keeps to himself...and used to be a 🌽 star. Now, since he inherited the bar, and an entire Manhattan building, and a house in the Hamptons, he's comfortable enough to not have to act anymore.
Until his friend Violet, who is now an independent filmmaker, reaches out to him to start in the movie Foresight, which is based on a gay romance novel of the same name. It is being made, produced, and released via crowdfunding, because it has real sex between the two lead male actors.
When Gray shows up to audition, he, Violet, and the rest of the personnel are shocked when Tyler Lang also shows up to audition for the other lead. Tyler Lang is a former child star, a very famous actor who just finished a stint in rehab and a halfway house and is now desperately looking for work. It's the only way to make his manager father -- who is a lying scumbag -- happy with him again.
Tyler and Gray do a scene read together, and it's electric. So they're both hired, and strike up a friendship. While chatting with Gray, Tyler finds out with a shock that he apparently didn't read the script very well because he's straight...and now he has to be on the receiving end of sex with Gray.
But even though his father and everything he has done in his life is screaming out for him to not take this movie, he wants to. Because he's pretty sure that he's always secretly liked men, and he sure as hell likes Gray. What he doesn't like is Gray's ex Ethan who is always sniffing around, or the fact that Gray seems so much more put together than he is. But is Gray finally the one person who will make Tyler feel like he's not a miserable failure?
Oh man, poor Tyler. I felt so bad for him the whole time, with the rough upbringing and the constant attention on every single mistake. I loved the movie being the setting for our two men to fall in love. So unique. Loving this series too, @spencerspearswrites !
Rating 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Until his friend Violet, who is now an independent filmmaker, reaches out to him to start in the movie Foresight, which is based on a gay romance novel of the same name. It is being made, produced, and released via crowdfunding, because it has real sex between the two lead male actors.
When Gray shows up to audition, he, Violet, and the rest of the personnel are shocked when Tyler Lang also shows up to audition for the other lead. Tyler Lang is a former child star, a very famous actor who just finished a stint in rehab and a halfway house and is now desperately looking for work. It's the only way to make his manager father -- who is a lying scumbag -- happy with him again.
Tyler and Gray do a scene read together, and it's electric. So they're both hired, and strike up a friendship. While chatting with Gray, Tyler finds out with a shock that he apparently didn't read the script very well because he's straight...and now he has to be on the receiving end of sex with Gray.
But even though his father and everything he has done in his life is screaming out for him to not take this movie, he wants to. Because he's pretty sure that he's always secretly liked men, and he sure as hell likes Gray. What he doesn't like is Gray's ex Ethan who is always sniffing around, or the fact that Gray seems so much more put together than he is. But is Gray finally the one person who will make Tyler feel like he's not a miserable failure?
Oh man, poor Tyler. I felt so bad for him the whole time, with the rough upbringing and the constant attention on every single mistake. I loved the movie being the setting for our two men to fall in love. So unique. Loving this series too, @spencerspearswrites !
Rating 🔥🔥🔥🔥
December 4, 2017
3.5 Stars rounding down because it couldn't be rounded up... I'm not exactly sure what to express about these books. I read the first 2 in the series today. The first one, Adam's song was great. But I have to say there is a growing trend in the two books. 1. Is strange sudden realizations. 2. Very poor communication skills. 3. Above and Beyond Over reactions 4. Soft characters: Meaning emotionally fragile. There are no alphas to speak of. 5. They talk way too much about their feelings. And for men that doesn't feel very realistic.
I know this sounds bad, but if you like these types of stories. Along with well written work. Lots of mush. Decent covers (Aside from the guys head on Gray For you.). Loving characters. And hot sexy, then this is for you.
I found myself loving it a lot. While at other times cringing--based on their communication skills (Oversharing or not sharing at all). It's as if at times they can pour their hearts out but at the same time they suck at expression themselves. It a conundrum and makes little sense to me.
The author does write comprehensive sex scenes. With lots of feels and the occasional over the top mushiness.
I was living high on the hog with this book until the last 1/4 of the book. That's where I was let significantly down. The running away part was so childish. The weakness in the characters makes me feel icky. And I have to say, the mush factor at the end of this book was 10X and I am not a mush factor kinda chick. I like romance, sex, intrigue, but the end of this book felt like weepy weakness and lots of squishy reassurances. If it weren't for that, it wouldn't no double been a 4 star IMO. I just gotta say the ending ruined a good part of the book for me. Not to mention I called the 'dad' aspect from the get-go. That's also a going trend in these stories, poor father figures. Which makes me wonder if this something the author has personal experience is and why it's so prominent in these 2 books.
I know this sounds bad, but if you like these types of stories. Along with well written work. Lots of mush. Decent covers (Aside from the guys head on Gray For you.). Loving characters. And hot sexy, then this is for you.
I found myself loving it a lot. While at other times cringing--based on their communication skills (Oversharing or not sharing at all). It's as if at times they can pour their hearts out but at the same time they suck at expression themselves. It a conundrum and makes little sense to me.
The author does write comprehensive sex scenes. With lots of feels and the occasional over the top mushiness.
I was living high on the hog with this book until the last 1/4 of the book. That's where I was let significantly down. The running away part was so childish. The weakness in the characters makes me feel icky. And I have to say, the mush factor at the end of this book was 10X and I am not a mush factor kinda chick. I like romance, sex, intrigue, but the end of this book felt like weepy weakness and lots of squishy reassurances. If it weren't for that, it wouldn't no double been a 4 star IMO. I just gotta say the ending ruined a good part of the book for me. Not to mention I called the 'dad' aspect from the get-go. That's also a going trend in these stories, poor father figures. Which makes me wonder if this something the author has personal experience is and why it's so prominent in these 2 books.
December 28, 2017
I read this book as part of an arc program. I loved this book! It was an emotional read that made you laugh and want to cry and hug Gray and Tyler. Gray was a former porn star who grew up in foster care after his mother abandoned him. When he was outed in high school, he left home and went to New York. Gray wanted to be an actor and found it wasn't as easy as he thought. He was homeless when Maggie found him and took him in. Maggie became the mother he never had and accepted him, until she died from cancer. Maggie left Gray the bar she owned and the building it was in, including an apartment where he lived. Gray recently split with his long time boyfriend Ethan and was in a bit of a rut. When a friend asked him to star in a movie she was directing, he refused, until he read the book about an older man/ younger man love story. Gray accepted the role of the teacher and was looking forward to filming, even though he really thought he would be terrible at it. Tyler was a former child star who grew up partying and was in trouble for drugs and other antics. When his father cut him off after his last arrest, he was left alone and broke. No one in Hollywood wanted to work with Tyler and he decided to come home to his mother in New York. His agent contacted him with an audition for a movie and he jumped at the chance before anyone could tell him what it was about. Tyler lands the role and then finds out after the fact it is basically porn. Tyler is unsure if he is gay and he doesn't know what to do, if he should do the movie, or if he will drop out. This was a great story. I loved these characters. Tyler's relationship with his father broke my heart. He was so sweet and he really needed someone like Gray to show him that. Gray was a great guy who was treated badly by everyone in his life except Maggie. I really loved reading this book and watching them fall in love. I would like to see Luke and Micah with their own happiness. Great one!
September 25, 2017
Happy to say that this was an enjoyable way to spend my weekend. As with the last book I read by Spencer Spears, "Adams Song", this book was also a full weekend read which is a nice pace from some authors I've read lately. Nothing worse then getting sucked into a book only to have it wrap up too quickly and that was definitely not the case with this book.
So first we meet (or re-meet as the case may be) Gray, an ex porn star, who now owns and runs a bar he inherited from a lady he considered his aunt. He is adrift without direction and while he now has gobs of money, he has no real love connections other then his no good ex, whom he definitely better off without. At first I wasn't too fond of this character for some reason. As we get more back story though I understood better why he had the overly "boo hoo for me" attitude we see in the beginning.
Our second MC is Tyler, who is an ex child star, that once burned brightly on the TV screen but now is simply burnt out and can't seem to find a job anywhere after spending a year doing a stint in a rehab type group home. Both characters come together to audition for a part in a group funded film and as they shoot the scenes their connection moves from friends to more but both are leery of being hurt and doubt the other could really want the other. The author did a good job of giving each character a back story that supported their self doubt and worries as the storyline progresses.
It was also nice to get to touch base with a few past characters as well and I look forward to seeing more from this group of friends hopefully as the series continues. It's going to continue right? Ugh, I hope it continues. Lol
I received a copy of this book to review.
So first we meet (or re-meet as the case may be) Gray, an ex porn star, who now owns and runs a bar he inherited from a lady he considered his aunt. He is adrift without direction and while he now has gobs of money, he has no real love connections other then his no good ex, whom he definitely better off without. At first I wasn't too fond of this character for some reason. As we get more back story though I understood better why he had the overly "boo hoo for me" attitude we see in the beginning.
Our second MC is Tyler, who is an ex child star, that once burned brightly on the TV screen but now is simply burnt out and can't seem to find a job anywhere after spending a year doing a stint in a rehab type group home. Both characters come together to audition for a part in a group funded film and as they shoot the scenes their connection moves from friends to more but both are leery of being hurt and doubt the other could really want the other. The author did a good job of giving each character a back story that supported their self doubt and worries as the storyline progresses.
It was also nice to get to touch base with a few past characters as well and I look forward to seeing more from this group of friends hopefully as the series continues. It's going to continue right? Ugh, I hope it continues. Lol
I received a copy of this book to review.
February 11, 2020
I was really looking forward to Gray's story. I do think that I enjoyed this audiobook more than Adam's Song, the first book in the series, but it was decent as well. There is just something inherently good, if a bit gullible, about Gray. He runs the bar he inherited, but his real dream was always to be an actor; and not the adult kind from his past. However, a friend from the business is doing an indie-film based on a popular book, so he's going to do one last adult film.
Tyler Lang was a child star that shone brightly, but like many, became tarnished, and eventually has almost burned out. He got in some trouble, but he is ready to get back to work. When his agent sends him a script, and both she and his brother tell him to read it, he glances at it, then heads for the auditions.
The story is great in that the MCs become close friends before anything else. Gray has this problem with allowing toxic people to remain in his life, and Tyler is in the closet and under his father's thumb. But, although the attraction is strong between Gray and Tyler, I'd say it's in the last 20% give or take that the two admit their feelings to each other.
Overall, even though this is considerably longer than most books of it's kind, I think the author does a good job with the characters and the plotline. I wasn't really surprised by the plot twists thrown in, but they did keep things interesting. And, in the end, our MCs get their happily ever after.
As this is the second book I have had the pleasure of hearing Michael Fell narrate, I have to say I am still pleasantly surprised. I have my go-to narrators that I know will do a fantastic job, and so far, Mr. Fell has left me impressed.
Happy listening!
* I received a free copy of this audiobook and I am leaving my honest review. *
Tyler Lang was a child star that shone brightly, but like many, became tarnished, and eventually has almost burned out. He got in some trouble, but he is ready to get back to work. When his agent sends him a script, and both she and his brother tell him to read it, he glances at it, then heads for the auditions.
The story is great in that the MCs become close friends before anything else. Gray has this problem with allowing toxic people to remain in his life, and Tyler is in the closet and under his father's thumb. But, although the attraction is strong between Gray and Tyler, I'd say it's in the last 20% give or take that the two admit their feelings to each other.
Overall, even though this is considerably longer than most books of it's kind, I think the author does a good job with the characters and the plotline. I wasn't really surprised by the plot twists thrown in, but they did keep things interesting. And, in the end, our MCs get their happily ever after.
As this is the second book I have had the pleasure of hearing Michael Fell narrate, I have to say I am still pleasantly surprised. I have my go-to narrators that I know will do a fantastic job, and so far, Mr. Fell has left me impressed.
Happy listening!
* I received a free copy of this audiobook and I am leaving my honest review. *
September 2, 2024
OAnother excellently written 2nd 'series' book from Spencer Spears, as compared to book 1 (Adam's Song)
It is just a slower burning book than book 1 (Adam's Song), with a story line of an early-20s washed-up former child star/teen idol, falling for a very experienced 30yo ex-porn star in an 'art-house' gay live-sex indie movie. That build-up simply enhances the story-arc of 'Grey for You.'
On the one and, Adam's Song (book 1) has the falling-in-love with-your-best-friend-of-7-years trope. Adam can write the perfect song in an afternoon but gets utter, gagging stage fright when singing to more than 10 people. On the other hand Ben, who has a much better sinigng voice, lands a contract with a large but cookie-cutter approach to its talent and turns Ben into a member of a 'boy band of one', singing saccharine pop songs and ballads - his contract is coming up for renewal and until the label offers silly money for a 5 year extension, has no intention of renewing.
Going back to 'Gray for You', it has a slower pace, but both main protagonists find themselves falling in love with each other, but neither knowing how to express their feelings, despite having to have live sex on the set. Due to his highly public profile, Tyler has been deep in the closet for years and doesn't know how to tell Grey, whilst the older Gray, despite being completely comfortable having sex on camera, can't believe that anyone would ever want to see himself as a serious actor.
In both cases, but 'Gray for You' in particular, misunderstanding after misunderstanding ensue, with no little amount of angst, to the promised HEAs.
Spencer Spears is one of my favourite authors, and I'm just about to start book three, Oliver Ever After, in the '8 Million Hearts' series,
It is just a slower burning book than book 1 (Adam's Song), with a story line of an early-20s washed-up former child star/teen idol, falling for a very experienced 30yo ex-porn star in an 'art-house' gay live-sex indie movie. That build-up simply enhances the story-arc of 'Grey for You.'
On the one and, Adam's Song (book 1) has the falling-in-love with-your-best-friend-of-7-years trope. Adam can write the perfect song in an afternoon but gets utter, gagging stage fright when singing to more than 10 people. On the other hand Ben, who has a much better sinigng voice, lands a contract with a large but cookie-cutter approach to its talent and turns Ben into a member of a 'boy band of one', singing saccharine pop songs and ballads - his contract is coming up for renewal and until the label offers silly money for a 5 year extension, has no intention of renewing.
Going back to 'Gray for You', it has a slower pace, but both main protagonists find themselves falling in love with each other, but neither knowing how to express their feelings, despite having to have live sex on the set. Due to his highly public profile, Tyler has been deep in the closet for years and doesn't know how to tell Grey, whilst the older Gray, despite being completely comfortable having sex on camera, can't believe that anyone would ever want to see himself as a serious actor.
In both cases, but 'Gray for You' in particular, misunderstanding after misunderstanding ensue, with no little amount of angst, to the promised HEAs.
Spencer Spears is one of my favourite authors, and I'm just about to start book three, Oliver Ever After, in the '8 Million Hearts' series,
September 24, 2017
“Heart-wrenching romance dressed up in slutty clothes” (from the book)
Gray and Tyler both have had horrible childhoods which have left them feeling insecure and just barely coping with the world. Gray, a former porn star and Tyler (possibly gay), a former child star, will be the stars of a film based on a book about a gay school teacher and one of his students. This is an outstandingly romantic story which draws you in from the beginning and when it’s ended makes you wish it had gone on forever.
The thing that I found outstanding, after the incredible romance, is the humor in the story:
“So it’s porn, basically. Like, porn dressed up in fancy
clothes,” I said. “I quit, Vi. I’m not doing that anymore.”
“I’d argue it’s a life-changing, heart-wrenching romance
dressed up in slutty clothes,” Violet countered.”
and within the sex that Gray and Tyler had. From my experience, when you’re in love, sex can be fierce and wild but the majority of the time it’s romantic with laughter. Beautifully written, absolutely loved it! Spencer wrote this in the story which I will plagiarize for this review:
“The author made the characters, their hopes and fears and their love, so real, exploring what it meant for them to live their lives fully. And by the end of it, I was convinced that somehow, I could be living mine more fully as well.”
*I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for a review. I also plan to purchase this book for my own library.
Gray and Tyler both have had horrible childhoods which have left them feeling insecure and just barely coping with the world. Gray, a former porn star and Tyler (possibly gay), a former child star, will be the stars of a film based on a book about a gay school teacher and one of his students. This is an outstandingly romantic story which draws you in from the beginning and when it’s ended makes you wish it had gone on forever.
The thing that I found outstanding, after the incredible romance, is the humor in the story:
“So it’s porn, basically. Like, porn dressed up in fancy
clothes,” I said. “I quit, Vi. I’m not doing that anymore.”
“I’d argue it’s a life-changing, heart-wrenching romance
dressed up in slutty clothes,” Violet countered.”
and within the sex that Gray and Tyler had. From my experience, when you’re in love, sex can be fierce and wild but the majority of the time it’s romantic with laughter. Beautifully written, absolutely loved it! Spencer wrote this in the story which I will plagiarize for this review:
“The author made the characters, their hopes and fears and their love, so real, exploring what it meant for them to live their lives fully. And by the end of it, I was convinced that somehow, I could be living mine more fully as well.”
*I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for a review. I also plan to purchase this book for my own library.
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