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Shadows You Left
ERIK
The white picket fence.
The happily-ever-after.
That life was never meant for him.
For years he’s been bouncing from city to city—from one cage fight to another.
That’s his outlet. That’s pain Erik can control.
But in Seattle, everything changed.
River’s an artist.
He’s a pretty boy.
He does yoga.
Someone so soft shouldn’t be intrigued by Erik’s rough edges.
RIVER
His life was quiet. He had a simple routine.
Designing tattoos, avoiding drama. Well, mostly.
Then Erik comes along—scarred and dangerous, shrouded in mystery.
A mystery River can’t resist trying to solve.
Maybe a secret as dark as his own.
Neither of them expected a relationship so complicated, so intense.
Neither of them expected…each other.
Erik and River are both trying to escape a shadowed past.
But the thing about shadows the faster you run, the faster they chase you.
The white picket fence.
The happily-ever-after.
That life was never meant for him.
For years he’s been bouncing from city to city—from one cage fight to another.
That’s his outlet. That’s pain Erik can control.
But in Seattle, everything changed.
River’s an artist.
He’s a pretty boy.
He does yoga.
Someone so soft shouldn’t be intrigued by Erik’s rough edges.
RIVER
His life was quiet. He had a simple routine.
Designing tattoos, avoiding drama. Well, mostly.
Then Erik comes along—scarred and dangerous, shrouded in mystery.
A mystery River can’t resist trying to solve.
Maybe a secret as dark as his own.
Neither of them expected a relationship so complicated, so intense.
Neither of them expected…each other.
Erik and River are both trying to escape a shadowed past.
But the thing about shadows the faster you run, the faster they chase you.
350 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 20, 2019
3 people are currently reading
284 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
May 19, 2019
Dark, dramatic, and gritty!
Shadows You Left is a sultry, character-driven romance that takes you on a journey into the lives of Erik and River, two tormented and tortured souls who together discover the comfort, solace, and unconditional love they each need to battle all their internal demons.
The prose is poetic and enticing. The characters are consumed, damaged, and impulsive. And the plot told from alternating POVs is a somber tale of friendship, family, addiction, hope, patience, violence, grief, heartbreak, and the art of tattooing.
I have to admit this was a really tough one for me. There is no doubt that Sierra and Brooke can write a beautiful story about unconventional relationships that push people to understand and accept that there is no one norm when it comes to loving another person. And even though I am confident that some readers will absolutely love the tragic gloominess of Shadows You Left, unfortunately for me it was a tad too long and a little too stormy for me to enjoy it as much as I would have liked.
Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Shadows You Left is a sultry, character-driven romance that takes you on a journey into the lives of Erik and River, two tormented and tortured souls who together discover the comfort, solace, and unconditional love they each need to battle all their internal demons.
The prose is poetic and enticing. The characters are consumed, damaged, and impulsive. And the plot told from alternating POVs is a somber tale of friendship, family, addiction, hope, patience, violence, grief, heartbreak, and the art of tattooing.
I have to admit this was a really tough one for me. There is no doubt that Sierra and Brooke can write a beautiful story about unconventional relationships that push people to understand and accept that there is no one norm when it comes to loving another person. And even though I am confident that some readers will absolutely love the tragic gloominess of Shadows You Left, unfortunately for me it was a tad too long and a little too stormy for me to enjoy it as much as I would have liked.
Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 15, 2020
ETA (6/15/2020): Downgrading my original rating and deleting the review due to Taylor Brooke's abusive behavior toward BIPOC folks.
Read
October 9, 2019You know how sometimes you read a book and at the beginning, middle, end, and after, you just.. don't even know how you feel? Did I hate this? Like it? Tolerate it?
Thus my experience with SHADOWS YOU LEFT.
This is definitely angsty and.. well, yeah. Angsty.
That's all I got.
Thus my experience with SHADOWS YOU LEFT.
This is definitely angsty and.. well, yeah. Angsty.
That's all I got.
Read
December 26, 2020ETA 6/16/20: Due to recent revelations about Taylor Brooke’s harmful and abusive behavior toward BIPOC and LGBTQ+ people, I no longer recommend their books. I am allowing the review to stand for transparency but I am clearing the star rating. I do want to note that I still support Jude Sierra's writing and am sorry that she's been impacted by this.
Taylor Brooke and Jude Sierra are a dream team. Gorgeous prose, richly developed characters, and a captivating plot had me glued to the pages. No matter what Erik and River have to work through, hope and healing is at the center of this story and I could not have loved it more.
CW: addiction, codependency, casual drug use, alcoholism, violence (cage fighting), grief, reference to death of a loved one, anxiety, panic attacks, reference to death by overdose
Disclosure: I received an advanced copy from the authors.
Taylor Brooke and Jude Sierra are a dream team. Gorgeous prose, richly developed characters, and a captivating plot had me glued to the pages. No matter what Erik and River have to work through, hope and healing is at the center of this story and I could not have loved it more.
CW: addiction, codependency, casual drug use, alcoholism, violence (cage fighting), grief, reference to death of a loved one, anxiety, panic attacks, reference to death by overdose
Disclosure: I received an advanced copy from the authors.
May 28, 2019
Raw, deep, metaphoric. That was this book. 2 men learning to get through their past hurts and traumas so that they can be with the person they love. Learning to love even with your and their baggage. This book had you cheering for both MC’s through their struggles and wanting so hard for them to make it on the other side so they would be together. This is not a fluff book. Both characters have to dig deep and open themselves up to the possibility of love. And watching them is a struggle at times because you want to shake them both. They both make mistakes but when dealing with the cards they had it’s understandable. And in the end it’s a work in progress because this kind of work takes time and lots of healing.
The smexy scale is a fade into black style so beware of that. I do wish it was written in because boy would that have been explosive, and not just because of the sex itself, but because some of the “do you want to hurt parts” would have been amazing to experience with them.
The smexy scale is a fade into black style so beware of that. I do wish it was written in because boy would that have been explosive, and not just because of the sex itself, but because some of the “do you want to hurt parts” would have been amazing to experience with them.
January 31, 2020
DNF @ 6%.
I guess when I glanced over the blurb, I missed where Erik was a cage fighter. I don't like reading book with bloodsports, be it boxing, muay thai, MMA, etc.
But what killed it for me, and drove me nuts for two days was that River thinks that Erik smells like leather and vanilla.I would love to be a MC in a MM romance so that I, too, can smell of leather, vanilla, sugar, spice & everything nice. But,I find it hard to believe that a guy who lives above a Thai restaurant and shares their ventilation system (something that Erik points out as a downside to living about it) wouldn't he also smell like a Thai restaurant - coconut, lemongrass, jasmin rice, cilantro, curry, etc? Not vanilla and leather.
I guess when I glanced over the blurb, I missed where Erik was a cage fighter. I don't like reading book with bloodsports, be it boxing, muay thai, MMA, etc.
But what killed it for me, and drove me nuts for two days was that River thinks that Erik smells like leather and vanilla.I would love to be a MC in a MM romance so that I, too, can smell of leather, vanilla, sugar, spice & everything nice. But,I find it hard to believe that a guy who lives above a Thai restaurant and shares their ventilation system (something that Erik points out as a downside to living about it) wouldn't he also smell like a Thai restaurant - coconut, lemongrass, jasmin rice, cilantro, curry, etc? Not vanilla and leather.
May 22, 2019
Listen, this book is poetry about the pain of love and loss. This book is visceral, bloody, and achingly sweet. I loved it. It’s a romance that’s dark because life is sometimes dark and not because it’s trying to be edgy.
Loved it!
(Fighter books are such a weak spot for me!!! Also, I would’ve lost my shit in the best way if River had been trans. Alas, only in my wishes)
Loved it!
(Fighter books are such a weak spot for me!!! Also, I would’ve lost my shit in the best way if River had been trans. Alas, only in my wishes)
Read
June 16, 2020I found Shadows You Left to be a rather slow read that took a while for me to really become engaged.
Content warnings include: alcoholism, drug abuse, violence, emotional abuse and gaslighting, semi-explicit sex on-page that occasionally gets quite rough, anxiety, panic attack; mentions of death through overdose, eating disorder, child abuse, cheating.
I expected it to be quite dark and gritty, but for me it mostly... wasn't?
Shadows You Left deals with quite a few heavy topics, with both River and Erik bringing their own baggage and pasts they would rather keep buried deep. But for me, the book was mostly about these two guys falling deeply in love, so fast and hard they barely recognize it (and sure as heck don't acknowledge it at first.)
Despite the rough edges of their lives, they go on wonderfully cute dates and so many scenes were absolutely adorable and outright fluffy!
I was fascinated by the way this book handled sex scenes - because Erik and River have quite a lot of sex. Yet I wouldn't label it erotica, given that the sex is often... barely described? The book doesn't shy away from explicity or details, but it usually focuses rather on how the characters feel during or after the fact, or focus on one specific moment, rather than going through the entire scene second by second. It worked very well here, and I enjoyed this style.
The writing style in general is very beautiful. It's almost poetic at times, without becoming flowery or over-the-top, and I loved the acute, lyrical metaphors and describtions that were always right on point, leaving an ache from their precision but also inspiring awe from their beauty.
Despite the writing, it took me a while to really get into it. I was never bored, but the first 50% or so felt sort of aimless. Only after about two thirds in I really got invested in Erik and River and wanted to read on about them at all costs - not that reading ever was a chore; it was always pleasant and flowed well even before that point, but it didn't leave me itching to read more at first.
Most of the darker themes of the book were a constant in the background. I loved how they were all handled in the end, and how their not-always-resolution came to pass. Here love or a relationship doesn't magically make everything sunshine and rainbows, and no false promises about never hurting another are made. Instead common ground is found and fought for.
I also liked how casually the character's queerness was handled. Almost all characters are queer: River is bi and Erik is demiromantic, and there are more queer side characters.
Speaking of, I also adored those.
Both Erik and River have respective circles, siblings, friends, coworkers, who take up space in their lives and are more than just a side sentence here and there. They play big roles not just in their lives but for the plot as well. I loved Desiree and Cheyenne especially, and Jadis and Pax intrigued me with what was hinted at of the things going on with them.
Overall a very pleasant read that I enjoyed greatly. I mean, it has pretty detailed discussion and describtions of dragon tattoos, and what's not to like about that?!
I received an ARC and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
Content warnings include: alcoholism, drug abuse, violence, emotional abuse and gaslighting, semi-explicit sex on-page that occasionally gets quite rough, anxiety, panic attack; mentions of death through overdose, eating disorder, child abuse, cheating.
I expected it to be quite dark and gritty, but for me it mostly... wasn't?
Shadows You Left deals with quite a few heavy topics, with both River and Erik bringing their own baggage and pasts they would rather keep buried deep. But for me, the book was mostly about these two guys falling deeply in love, so fast and hard they barely recognize it (and sure as heck don't acknowledge it at first.)
Despite the rough edges of their lives, they go on wonderfully cute dates and so many scenes were absolutely adorable and outright fluffy!
I was fascinated by the way this book handled sex scenes - because Erik and River have quite a lot of sex. Yet I wouldn't label it erotica, given that the sex is often... barely described? The book doesn't shy away from explicity or details, but it usually focuses rather on how the characters feel during or after the fact, or focus on one specific moment, rather than going through the entire scene second by second. It worked very well here, and I enjoyed this style.
The writing style in general is very beautiful. It's almost poetic at times, without becoming flowery or over-the-top, and I loved the acute, lyrical metaphors and describtions that were always right on point, leaving an ache from their precision but also inspiring awe from their beauty.
Despite the writing, it took me a while to really get into it. I was never bored, but the first 50% or so felt sort of aimless. Only after about two thirds in I really got invested in Erik and River and wanted to read on about them at all costs - not that reading ever was a chore; it was always pleasant and flowed well even before that point, but it didn't leave me itching to read more at first.
Most of the darker themes of the book were a constant in the background. I loved how they were all handled in the end, and how their not-always-resolution came to pass. Here love or a relationship doesn't magically make everything sunshine and rainbows, and no false promises about never hurting another are made. Instead common ground is found and fought for.
I also liked how casually the character's queerness was handled. Almost all characters are queer: River is bi and Erik is demiromantic, and there are more queer side characters.
Speaking of, I also adored those.
Both Erik and River have respective circles, siblings, friends, coworkers, who take up space in their lives and are more than just a side sentence here and there. They play big roles not just in their lives but for the plot as well. I loved Desiree and Cheyenne especially, and Jadis and Pax intrigued me with what was hinted at of the things going on with them.
Overall a very pleasant read that I enjoyed greatly. I mean, it has pretty detailed discussion and describtions of dragon tattoos, and what's not to like about that?!
I received an ARC and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
May 19, 2019
It's so rough but so poetic at the same time.
I suspected I'm in for a treat when I received this book. A tough-to-swallow-but-so-worth-it-treat. I was right - only I didn't know how tough as well as how worth it would be.
Mind the content warnings, dear readers (also yay for content warnings though I'm not surprised those two authors gave warnings for their book).
I was not able to read Shadows You left in one go - but I didn't want to do that anyway. Instead I enjoyed it while taking reading breaks to just let everything sink in. To let my mind work through the words and emotions. To experience everything.
Shadows You Left is no book you read for a nice distraction; it is a book that makes you suffer and feel your own demons rise to the surface, but while it does make you feel your darker parts it takes you by the hand and leads you through everything back to safety.
Last Words: This is one of the heaviest books I have read in my life but it is heavy in the best of ways and I can't wait to go on this journey again.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy through the NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.
I suspected I'm in for a treat when I received this book. A tough-to-swallow-but-so-worth-it-treat. I was right - only I didn't know how tough as well as how worth it would be.
Mind the content warnings, dear readers (also yay for content warnings though I'm not surprised those two authors gave warnings for their book).
I was not able to read Shadows You left in one go - but I didn't want to do that anyway. Instead I enjoyed it while taking reading breaks to just let everything sink in. To let my mind work through the words and emotions. To experience everything.
Shadows You Left is no book you read for a nice distraction; it is a book that makes you suffer and feel your own demons rise to the surface, but while it does make you feel your darker parts it takes you by the hand and leads you through everything back to safety.
Last Words: This is one of the heaviest books I have read in my life but it is heavy in the best of ways and I can't wait to go on this journey again.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy through the NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.
November 15, 2020
Erik ha estado huyendo durante años de un evento trágico de su pasado, algo que lo carcome de culpa y no le permite perdonarse. River se preocupa profundamente por las personas que le importan, desea curar a todos, a raíz de una infancia difícil. Cuando ambos se conocen en una sala de tatuajes, la atracción inmediata que sienten el uno por el otro lentamente los conduce a algo más que tal vez ayude a sanar las almas de los dos.
Los personajes "problemáticos" que se salen del molde de la perfección porque cargan alguna pesada carga emocional siempre son interesantes de leer. Aunque existe una delgada línea entre lo que genera empatía y lo que podría parecer sufrimiento gratuito para los personajes. Afortunadamente en este libro la empatía brota a borbotones por estos dos chicos, Erik y Riven, que han sufrido lo suyo en el pasado y aunque sufren en silencio, logran pasar por seres humanos funcionales. Es solo gracias a su encuentro y posterior relación que empiezan a aceptar que no están bien del todo y buscan mejorar, no por la otra persona sino que al ver reflejado su dolor en el otro, finalmente están dispuestos a aceptar que si el otro merece sanar y ser amado, ellos mismos también. Que se establezca esa postura claramente en un diálogo de Steven a River se agradece, porque muchos autores disfrutan escribir en romance eso de "Quiero ser mejor persona por ti" o que un personaje sacrifique su salud mental por "salvar" a otro. NO se debe basar el bienestar emocional de uno en otras personas, por más que los ames.
Ambos protagonistas tienen cicatrices, pero su carisma y la inmensa química que existe entre ellos aligera un poco la trama. Si bien su atracción es instantánea y empiezan su relación como simple sexo casual, la creciente intimidad entre ellos y lo que van descubriendo el uno del otro, hace que su romance sea muy seductor y desees ver que ambos salgan adelante.
Los personajes secundarios quedan un poco ahí de fondo y me hubiera gustado saber más de Janis y Pax especialmente, porque la narración deja caer pistas de unas vidas muy interesantes y con algunos secretos que por River y Erik estar tan ocupados, no salen a relucir.
Aunque la resolución tarda en llegar, luego todo se resuelve y es un poco decepcionante ver que aparentemente la tenacidad de uno es suficiente para sanarse. ¡Pedir ayuda profesional nunca está de más!
El nivel de inglés es intermedio. Hay abundancia de diálogos y el vocabulario no es muy complicado, así que es sencillo de entender. Incluso las escenas de sexo, que no son explicitas pero están narradas muy bien.
Lo Mejor
La química entre River y Erik. Y los tan atinados consejos de los amigos sobre las relaciones tóxicas.
Lo Peor
Creo que haría falta una secuela para ver el resultado de la sanación de Erik y River. Además de conocer más a todo el círculo de amigos, que hay unas historias que parecen prometer mucho.
Citas
There once was a dragon who had a taste for lively things, things of green and gold—lush things, untamable things. But as soon as he had what he wanted, everything turned to soot in his mouth. This dragon had lived in the attic of Erik’s mind for decades, spurred on by stories told at his bedside about fiery breath and leathery wings, brave knights, and caves full of riches
If nothing lasts forever, will you be my nothing?
Support and love and understanding are one thing—saving is another.
It’s okay to fight for love, River. If he’s what you want, do it. But not at your own expense. You should support a partner, but they need to do the same for you. And it’s not wrong to want to be with someone who can do that. Who is willing to learn if they don’t know how.
Los personajes "problemáticos" que se salen del molde de la perfección porque cargan alguna pesada carga emocional siempre son interesantes de leer. Aunque existe una delgada línea entre lo que genera empatía y lo que podría parecer sufrimiento gratuito para los personajes. Afortunadamente en este libro la empatía brota a borbotones por estos dos chicos, Erik y Riven, que han sufrido lo suyo en el pasado y aunque sufren en silencio, logran pasar por seres humanos funcionales. Es solo gracias a su encuentro y posterior relación que empiezan a aceptar que no están bien del todo y buscan mejorar, no por la otra persona sino que al ver reflejado su dolor en el otro, finalmente están dispuestos a aceptar que si el otro merece sanar y ser amado, ellos mismos también. Que se establezca esa postura claramente en un diálogo de Steven a River se agradece, porque muchos autores disfrutan escribir en romance eso de "Quiero ser mejor persona por ti" o que un personaje sacrifique su salud mental por "salvar" a otro. NO se debe basar el bienestar emocional de uno en otras personas, por más que los ames.
Ambos protagonistas tienen cicatrices, pero su carisma y la inmensa química que existe entre ellos aligera un poco la trama. Si bien su atracción es instantánea y empiezan su relación como simple sexo casual, la creciente intimidad entre ellos y lo que van descubriendo el uno del otro, hace que su romance sea muy seductor y desees ver que ambos salgan adelante.
Los personajes secundarios quedan un poco ahí de fondo y me hubiera gustado saber más de Janis y Pax especialmente, porque la narración deja caer pistas de unas vidas muy interesantes y con algunos secretos que por River y Erik estar tan ocupados, no salen a relucir.
Aunque la resolución tarda en llegar, luego todo se resuelve y es un poco decepcionante ver que aparentemente la tenacidad de uno es suficiente para sanarse. ¡Pedir ayuda profesional nunca está de más!
El nivel de inglés es intermedio. Hay abundancia de diálogos y el vocabulario no es muy complicado, así que es sencillo de entender. Incluso las escenas de sexo, que no son explicitas pero están narradas muy bien.
Lo Mejor
La química entre River y Erik. Y los tan atinados consejos de los amigos sobre las relaciones tóxicas.
Lo Peor
Creo que haría falta una secuela para ver el resultado de la sanación de Erik y River. Además de conocer más a todo el círculo de amigos, que hay unas historias que parecen prometer mucho.
Citas
There once was a dragon who had a taste for lively things, things of green and gold—lush things, untamable things. But as soon as he had what he wanted, everything turned to soot in his mouth. This dragon had lived in the attic of Erik’s mind for decades, spurred on by stories told at his bedside about fiery breath and leathery wings, brave knights, and caves full of riches
If nothing lasts forever, will you be my nothing?
Support and love and understanding are one thing—saving is another.
It’s okay to fight for love, River. If he’s what you want, do it. But not at your own expense. You should support a partner, but they need to do the same for you. And it’s not wrong to want to be with someone who can do that. Who is willing to learn if they don’t know how.
May 11, 2019
“But River saw now, so clearly, that Erik was broken…perhaps still breaking. He was the light and the dark, the chiaroscuro of poison and loss and anger, and under it all, a terrible need for love. Perhaps it was ego, then, because River wanted Erik to want love. Specifically, his.”*
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Running from his past, fighting, and drugs are all Erik knows until he meets his sexy new tattoo artist. River is intrigued by the enigmatic man in his chair who collects dragon tattoos for every fight he wins. Their chemistry is undeniable, and soon they are engaged in an intense carnal relationship. Both men hold their emotional wounds close, but revealing all their broken parts is the only way to make their love last.
SHADOWS YOU LEFT includes a refreshing cast of non-binary, LGBT, and polyamorous characters. The subject matter is a mix of the darkness of addiction and death and violence, along with the light of friendship in the form of people who stand by those they care for no matter what.
The emotion this modern day love story evokes is raw and real. Seattle, with its forests and food trucks, provides the perfect setting. This story delivers the feels, while the dragon tattoos provide the kind of magic one can find in a rainstorm or an art exhibit.
Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to experience this book in advance of its release.
*Please note that my review is based on uncorrected text.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Running from his past, fighting, and drugs are all Erik knows until he meets his sexy new tattoo artist. River is intrigued by the enigmatic man in his chair who collects dragon tattoos for every fight he wins. Their chemistry is undeniable, and soon they are engaged in an intense carnal relationship. Both men hold their emotional wounds close, but revealing all their broken parts is the only way to make their love last.
SHADOWS YOU LEFT includes a refreshing cast of non-binary, LGBT, and polyamorous characters. The subject matter is a mix of the darkness of addiction and death and violence, along with the light of friendship in the form of people who stand by those they care for no matter what.
The emotion this modern day love story evokes is raw and real. Seattle, with its forests and food trucks, provides the perfect setting. This story delivers the feels, while the dragon tattoos provide the kind of magic one can find in a rainstorm or an art exhibit.
Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to experience this book in advance of its release.
*Please note that my review is based on uncorrected text.
May 8, 2019
This was a difficult read for me, not just because of the drugs and the fighting--although there were copious amounts of both--but because a big part of the storyline was Erik unknowingly triggering River's unresolved issues with his alcoholic mother.
Both of these characters are very broken when they come into each other's lives. River is a tattooist whose mother has been trying to contact him (again) for money for her rent, but she swears that she's sober! And Erik...
Erik has been running from his past for longer than the span of this story. Currently that running has taken him as far as Seattle, where he is a bartender by night, and a cage fighter by... later in the night.
When these two meet each other, they fall into bed together with the intent that it'll just be this one time. Erik is demiromantic, and he's aware that he doesn't tend to fall for people easily, or at all, especially after Lee.
And yet something keeps pulling these two together over and again, despite the fact that, as I said, for the majority of this book until either of them start talking, they are not good for each other. River knows that, but Erik just believes he's not good for anyone, including himself.
It's a hard hurt/comfort novel to read, but I feel like it ended on a good point for both characters. A 'happily for now' if not 'happily ever after'.
Both of these characters are very broken when they come into each other's lives. River is a tattooist whose mother has been trying to contact him (again) for money for her rent, but she swears that she's sober! And Erik...
Erik has been running from his past for longer than the span of this story. Currently that running has taken him as far as Seattle, where he is a bartender by night, and a cage fighter by... later in the night.
When these two meet each other, they fall into bed together with the intent that it'll just be this one time. Erik is demiromantic, and he's aware that he doesn't tend to fall for people easily, or at all, especially after Lee.
And yet something keeps pulling these two together over and again, despite the fact that, as I said, for the majority of this book until either of them start talking, they are not good for each other. River knows that, but Erik just believes he's not good for anyone, including himself.
It's a hard hurt/comfort novel to read, but I feel like it ended on a good point for both characters. A 'happily for now' if not 'happily ever after'.
May 30, 2019
I really, really enjoyed this book. I won an arc and It’s a solid four stars from me. The writing is beautiful and lyrical, River and Erik have such visceral chemistry that I was rooting for them from the jump.
Their first kiss was one of the best I’ve read in a while, and their connection was so utterly believable.
Erik’s self destruction and his shame and guilt for what happened in his past was painful to read, and it grew a little frustrating to be kept in the dark for quite so long to find out why he felt that way. Though once we found out, it worked.
The plot thread with River’s mom was abandoned for the circuitous drama between River and Erik that soon grew tiresome. Their push and pull, _are we or aren’t we_ left me a little weary towards the end there, they have the same argument at leas three times, and only the depth of their connection and my empathy for them as a couple kept me going.
I think this story could have been 10% shorter and would have worked just as well, if not better
All in all I’m definitely going to look for more from both of these authors!
Their first kiss was one of the best I’ve read in a while, and their connection was so utterly believable.
Erik’s self destruction and his shame and guilt for what happened in his past was painful to read, and it grew a little frustrating to be kept in the dark for quite so long to find out why he felt that way. Though once we found out, it worked.
The plot thread with River’s mom was abandoned for the circuitous drama between River and Erik that soon grew tiresome. Their push and pull, _are we or aren’t we_ left me a little weary towards the end there, they have the same argument at leas three times, and only the depth of their connection and my empathy for them as a couple kept me going.
I think this story could have been 10% shorter and would have worked just as well, if not better
All in all I’m definitely going to look for more from both of these authors!
June 14, 2019
DNF at 50%
This was a tough read for me. I found myself putting it down several times. There just is really no plot tow this. The main characters-Erik and River have some huge issues. they find each other. They have sex--have some time apart. Have sex again. The authors just kept giving us the daily lives of these two without much more thought to it than that. I was bored. I did make it to 50% before I stopped.
Not for me.
*Complimentary copy provided via Netgalley for an honest review.
This was a tough read for me. I found myself putting it down several times. There just is really no plot tow this. The main characters-Erik and River have some huge issues. they find each other. They have sex--have some time apart. Have sex again. The authors just kept giving us the daily lives of these two without much more thought to it than that. I was bored. I did make it to 50% before I stopped.
Not for me.
*Complimentary copy provided via Netgalley for an honest review.
August 9, 2019
A trip!
I really enjoyed this but I also found that the way some parts were written had me a bit muddled. I think that might be how the characters were feeling at the time - fighting through their many motivations so I can’t exactly say that was a bad thing. I just wanted them to get to a place where they were both at peace so bad and that’s what kept me reading. It’s insane to think that out of such suffering and hurt, something beautiful can arise. I loved all the dragon imagery and stories about tattoo artistry. 3.5 stars!
I really enjoyed this but I also found that the way some parts were written had me a bit muddled. I think that might be how the characters were feeling at the time - fighting through their many motivations so I can’t exactly say that was a bad thing. I just wanted them to get to a place where they were both at peace so bad and that’s what kept me reading. It’s insane to think that out of such suffering and hurt, something beautiful can arise. I loved all the dragon imagery and stories about tattoo artistry. 3.5 stars!
August 26, 2019
Got this at Netgalley!
This was honestly a perfect M/M love story, i loved River and Erik and their journey to get to know and love each other. Just so perfect and good! Jude Sierra and Taylor Brooke know how to capture a reader!
This was honestly a perfect M/M love story, i loved River and Erik and their journey to get to know and love each other. Just so perfect and good! Jude Sierra and Taylor Brooke know how to capture a reader!
May 20, 2019
Excellent! The characters in this M/M contemporary romance are intriguing and captivating. River and Eric are two broken souls who are rocked by their attraction to each other. It is unexpected, intense, and swift. They both have secrets and pasts they don't want to talk or think about and each has handled their pasts very differently. They shouldn't work but they definitely do. The chemistry between them jumps from the pages. I enjoyed their story very much and would definitely recommend it to everyone.
Read
June 3, 2022
Trigger & Content Warnings
Ableism
Cheating
Anxiety & panic attacks
Parent with alcoholism mentioned
Alcohol consumption
Recreational drug use & abuse
Death from overdose recounted
Blood & physical injury depiction
Ableism
Cheating
Anxiety & panic attacks
Parent with alcoholism mentioned
Alcohol consumption
Recreational drug use & abuse
Death from overdose recounted
Blood & physical injury depiction
May 20, 2019
3,5 stars
This book gave me mixed feelings. The first half of the book was really slow. They started out as maybe some kind of friends with benefits, but they weren't really friends. But even though they had a lot of sex the sex scenes was really tame and I just needed more from that half of the book. It was full of emotions, doubt, self-hate, pain, passion and so much more but it was a little confusing and I needed a little more. It just didn't catch me as much as it should and I really started to doubt if this book would get good.
But then I got to the last half of the book and it was like they have heard my prays for something more. The sex scenes were still tame but everything else improved. All the emotions got way more in dept and you could truly understand why they felt as they felt. I was starting to really like these guys and got more and more hooked on the book.
I love a good fighter romance, and when you put not one but to tortured souls in it too it just has to get you feeling all sorts of things and this book did that for me. I was hating on Erik so often because you could just see everything he did to punish himself but when he was with River he was such a sweet guy and really showed his heart (sometimes). But at the same time I started rooting for him I also really wanted River and Erik together but I was just as much if not more rooting for Erik and just wanted to see how he started growing and learning his way in life without pain.
I normally isn't a fan of books with too many drugs in it, but even though we got around some addictions and some of the people in the books took drugs a couple of time it wasn't the dominant part of the book and that made it okay for me.
I can't choose who I like most in this book River or Erik. They are so different and affected me to completely different levels. River is so sweet, and caring it almost hurt to see how much people took advantage of him and just walked all over him and he never thought about himself only the other person. I wanted to be his friend, the person he could talk to and get no judgment from or just give him some support.
Erik, on the other hand, was the complete opposite. He was in so much pain and lived in self-hate and it was so hard to sit on the sidelines and read about how he was so destructive in his own life. How he hungered for love and kindness but at the same time just wanted the pain to take him away.
The ending is what I liked the most in this book. You really saw the difference in them as a couple, you saw them try to really be there for each other and meet each other halfway. How they started caring for each other's pain and not just their own. They got to be the person that meant something to the other. It was so inspiring to read a book where the tortured soul didn't have to change just learn to share it with someone.
So all in all if you can read a really really slow burn book the first half of the book then this was a beautiful story that I think really many people would love and really feel deep in their hearts.
This book gave me mixed feelings. The first half of the book was really slow. They started out as maybe some kind of friends with benefits, but they weren't really friends. But even though they had a lot of sex the sex scenes was really tame and I just needed more from that half of the book. It was full of emotions, doubt, self-hate, pain, passion and so much more but it was a little confusing and I needed a little more. It just didn't catch me as much as it should and I really started to doubt if this book would get good.
But then I got to the last half of the book and it was like they have heard my prays for something more. The sex scenes were still tame but everything else improved. All the emotions got way more in dept and you could truly understand why they felt as they felt. I was starting to really like these guys and got more and more hooked on the book.
I love a good fighter romance, and when you put not one but to tortured souls in it too it just has to get you feeling all sorts of things and this book did that for me. I was hating on Erik so often because you could just see everything he did to punish himself but when he was with River he was such a sweet guy and really showed his heart (sometimes). But at the same time I started rooting for him I also really wanted River and Erik together but I was just as much if not more rooting for Erik and just wanted to see how he started growing and learning his way in life without pain.
I normally isn't a fan of books with too many drugs in it, but even though we got around some addictions and some of the people in the books took drugs a couple of time it wasn't the dominant part of the book and that made it okay for me.
I can't choose who I like most in this book River or Erik. They are so different and affected me to completely different levels. River is so sweet, and caring it almost hurt to see how much people took advantage of him and just walked all over him and he never thought about himself only the other person. I wanted to be his friend, the person he could talk to and get no judgment from or just give him some support.
Erik, on the other hand, was the complete opposite. He was in so much pain and lived in self-hate and it was so hard to sit on the sidelines and read about how he was so destructive in his own life. How he hungered for love and kindness but at the same time just wanted the pain to take him away.
The ending is what I liked the most in this book. You really saw the difference in them as a couple, you saw them try to really be there for each other and meet each other halfway. How they started caring for each other's pain and not just their own. They got to be the person that meant something to the other. It was so inspiring to read a book where the tortured soul didn't have to change just learn to share it with someone.
So all in all if you can read a really really slow burn book the first half of the book then this was a beautiful story that I think really many people would love and really feel deep in their hearts.
May 9, 2019
3.5 stars rounded up
The first thing that drew me to this book was that one of the characters did yoga since I do yoga as well. Once I began reading, I did truly love the characters. Both River and Erik were really well developed and I could understand the reasons behind their thoughts and actions and feelings. It gave a really intimate tinge to the book. I really liked that the both River and Erik actually began communicating and putting in the work for a relationship instead of just holding in all the things that needed to be said out loud. It made their relationship more believable, despite the relatively short timespan.
However, I do agree with the other reviews in that the book was perhaps a little too long. There were sections that were very verbose, and these were typically the angsty sections, which made the overall feel of the book a little depressing. This isn't necessarily bad, but it will definitely bother some people. Also, I read this book at a time when everything was really hectic in my life, so the slower pace and character-driven storyline was a positive for me, but for the reader wanting thrill and fast-paced reading, this is not the right book.
One thing that I really felt was a weakness and a lost opportunity for the book was that since so much time was spent on Erik and River's characters, that space was taken away from the secondary characters like Desiree, Cheyenne, Pax, Jadis, Val, Bev, and Steve. They came across as really one dimensional and it almost felt like they had a role to play for the story and beyond that, there was nothing to them. This made them seem almost like they weren't real. It was especially difficult to get over this since I felt like there was so much potential in the side characters, if more time had been spent on fleshing them out. Also, there were a few things that felt unresolved at the end, like
Overall, I really enjoyed the main characters in this book and their development. It is a slower book and more character driven, so future readers should keep that in mind.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
The first thing that drew me to this book was that one of the characters did yoga since I do yoga as well. Once I began reading, I did truly love the characters. Both River and Erik were really well developed and I could understand the reasons behind their thoughts and actions and feelings. It gave a really intimate tinge to the book. I really liked that the both River and Erik actually began communicating and putting in the work for a relationship instead of just holding in all the things that needed to be said out loud. It made their relationship more believable, despite the relatively short timespan.
However, I do agree with the other reviews in that the book was perhaps a little too long. There were sections that were very verbose, and these were typically the angsty sections, which made the overall feel of the book a little depressing. This isn't necessarily bad, but it will definitely bother some people. Also, I read this book at a time when everything was really hectic in my life, so the slower pace and character-driven storyline was a positive for me, but for the reader wanting thrill and fast-paced reading, this is not the right book.
One thing that I really felt was a weakness and a lost opportunity for the book was that since so much time was spent on Erik and River's characters, that space was taken away from the secondary characters like Desiree, Cheyenne, Pax, Jadis, Val, Bev, and Steve. They came across as really one dimensional and it almost felt like they had a role to play for the story and beyond that, there was nothing to them. This made them seem almost like they weren't real. It was especially difficult to get over this since I felt like there was so much potential in the side characters, if more time had been spent on fleshing them out. Also, there were a few things that felt unresolved at the end, like
Overall, I really enjoyed the main characters in this book and their development. It is a slower book and more character driven, so future readers should keep that in mind.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
May 27, 2019
3.5 stars
The proper word to describe this romance is “angsty.”
The main characters both have baggage, and a lot of it. Erik is a cage fighter whose fights serve as a sort of penance for a tragic event in his past for which he blames himself. He commemorates his wins with tattoos, and that’s how he meets tattoo artist River. The two of them are immediately attracted to each other, but Erik’s moods and secretiveness worry River, who has a history of codependent relationships with his addict mother and crazy ex-girlfriend.
The authors did a great job of exploring the deepening feelings of two men who are attracted to each other almost in spite of themselves. Erik is convinced that River is too good for him and that he doesn’t deserve the happiness he feels when they are together. For his part, River sees the good in Erik but can’t help falling into his accustomed caretaker role in response to Erik’s physical and emotional pain. Their relationship is almost equal parts affection and anguish.
I think the book dwells the tension between these two aspects of their romance a little too long. It’s a very “interior” story, with all of the focus on the conflicting emotions felt by Erik and River. The push and pull between them as they come together and then retreat repeats over and over again. It’s a relief to both the characters AND the reader when they finally accept that their love is strong enough to be worth fighting for rather than running away from each other.
I did really appreciate that when they decide that they want to be together, it’s not presented as magically healing all their problems, as sometimes happens in romance novels. There’s a recognition that each of them is going to have to continue to work on overcoming their own issues in order for them to have a healthy relationship.
If you love romances with lots of angst, I’d suggest giving this one a try. I’m curious if the authors are going to collaborate again, because there’s a nonbinary character in this one that I would like to see more of in another book.
A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.
The proper word to describe this romance is “angsty.”
The main characters both have baggage, and a lot of it. Erik is a cage fighter whose fights serve as a sort of penance for a tragic event in his past for which he blames himself. He commemorates his wins with tattoos, and that’s how he meets tattoo artist River. The two of them are immediately attracted to each other, but Erik’s moods and secretiveness worry River, who has a history of codependent relationships with his addict mother and crazy ex-girlfriend.
The authors did a great job of exploring the deepening feelings of two men who are attracted to each other almost in spite of themselves. Erik is convinced that River is too good for him and that he doesn’t deserve the happiness he feels when they are together. For his part, River sees the good in Erik but can’t help falling into his accustomed caretaker role in response to Erik’s physical and emotional pain. Their relationship is almost equal parts affection and anguish.
I think the book dwells the tension between these two aspects of their romance a little too long. It’s a very “interior” story, with all of the focus on the conflicting emotions felt by Erik and River. The push and pull between them as they come together and then retreat repeats over and over again. It’s a relief to both the characters AND the reader when they finally accept that their love is strong enough to be worth fighting for rather than running away from each other.
I did really appreciate that when they decide that they want to be together, it’s not presented as magically healing all their problems, as sometimes happens in romance novels. There’s a recognition that each of them is going to have to continue to work on overcoming their own issues in order for them to have a healthy relationship.
If you love romances with lots of angst, I’d suggest giving this one a try. I’m curious if the authors are going to collaborate again, because there’s a nonbinary character in this one that I would like to see more of in another book.
A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.
June 20, 2019
Drama, Intensity, Dark Past!!
Synopsis:
Erik is on the run from his past. Never settling in one place, he cannot come to terms with what happened. Fighting is his thing... but don't mistake it for a boxing match! He is into cage fighting for high stakes and no rules! Multiple times a week, he gets into the cage at the darkest clubs in Seattle to earn his living the rough way. When he's not fighting, he's an average (ok... below average) bartender!
River is a tattoo artist with a sweet face and invisible scars. He has been hurt by people that he loved with all his heart, but he hasn't lost faith yet. When he meets Erik at the bar, they have an instant connect... but how will they both overcome their own scars? Will they make it?
Review:
In a word this book is INTENSE. I picked it up and thought I would finish it within a couple of days but I had to read it in smaller chunks to process it. The emotions are high... the drama is rich and the fights are brutal.
This book is all about the protagonists - Erik and River. The authors have built their characters with care and attention to detail. If you plan to read this for detailed sex scenes... DON'T!! Erik and River are very real and relatable... they both have real life problems like bank balance and peer pressure. I love how bits of their past comes out over the course of the story. Their ups and downs... the moments of love and moments of hope. Everything comes together to create a unique story with a dark edge.
I'd definitely recommend this book to readers who like books with a dark side! A great piece of writing and amazing characters.
Synopsis:
Erik is on the run from his past. Never settling in one place, he cannot come to terms with what happened. Fighting is his thing... but don't mistake it for a boxing match! He is into cage fighting for high stakes and no rules! Multiple times a week, he gets into the cage at the darkest clubs in Seattle to earn his living the rough way. When he's not fighting, he's an average (ok... below average) bartender!
River is a tattoo artist with a sweet face and invisible scars. He has been hurt by people that he loved with all his heart, but he hasn't lost faith yet. When he meets Erik at the bar, they have an instant connect... but how will they both overcome their own scars? Will they make it?
Review:
In a word this book is INTENSE. I picked it up and thought I would finish it within a couple of days but I had to read it in smaller chunks to process it. The emotions are high... the drama is rich and the fights are brutal.
This book is all about the protagonists - Erik and River. The authors have built their characters with care and attention to detail. If you plan to read this for detailed sex scenes... DON'T!! Erik and River are very real and relatable... they both have real life problems like bank balance and peer pressure. I love how bits of their past comes out over the course of the story. Their ups and downs... the moments of love and moments of hope. Everything comes together to create a unique story with a dark edge.
I'd definitely recommend this book to readers who like books with a dark side! A great piece of writing and amazing characters.
May 30, 2019
3.5 stars? I love Jude Sierra's books normally, so it was interesting to see what was the same and what was different in this collaboration. It has the same crystal clear, realistic characterizations of messy people embroiled in all their issues and fucked up pasts. It has the same awkward start that had me threatening to DNF, before settling into something beautifully full and intimate.
Things that were different- the pacing was better. There were fewer moments of confusion about what the author was trying to convey. Definite pluses.
But it was also strangely maudlin. The first half particularly kept insisting on a connection that hadn't been creditably sold yet. It almost.. turned intimacy into a kink? It didn't feel like it was attached to these people initially, didn't build naturally. It felt really heavy handed.
And my god, the amount of hands grasping neck napes, thumbs framing throats, lips grazing jawlines, legs splaying over laps, chests pressing to chests, fingers tangling. I usually love the shit out of that stuff, but here it was, to put it mildly, excessive.
I'd be really interested to read a book by Taylor Brooke now and see if her strengths (and weaknesses) map with what I've seen here. It's kind of fun to pick that stuff apart!
Anywho, despite the flaws there's definitely enough here that I liked that I will probably read more if they decide to colab again.
Things that were different- the pacing was better. There were fewer moments of confusion about what the author was trying to convey. Definite pluses.
But it was also strangely maudlin. The first half particularly kept insisting on a connection that hadn't been creditably sold yet. It almost.. turned intimacy into a kink? It didn't feel like it was attached to these people initially, didn't build naturally. It felt really heavy handed.
And my god, the amount of hands grasping neck napes, thumbs framing throats, lips grazing jawlines, legs splaying over laps, chests pressing to chests, fingers tangling. I usually love the shit out of that stuff, but here it was, to put it mildly, excessive.
I'd be really interested to read a book by Taylor Brooke now and see if her strengths (and weaknesses) map with what I've seen here. It's kind of fun to pick that stuff apart!
Anywho, despite the flaws there's definitely enough here that I liked that I will probably read more if they decide to colab again.
May 19, 2019
*I received a copy of Shadows You Left via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
Shadows You Left by Jude Sierra and Taylor Brooke is a New Adult romance novel that is difficult to describe. It is intensely character-driven; the back copy, in fact, consists essentially of brief, poetic descriptions of our two main characters, Erik and River, with no mention of a plot other than “Erik and River are both trying to escape a shadowed past”. That sounds like an active focus, doesn’t it? But really it didn’t feel like there was a lot actually happening, other than character development. I realize that sounds like a criticism, but I did enjoy the book. It’s very atmospheric and it’s easy to get sucked in just by the description, and that carries the story along without the need for a more structured plot.
Erik is the more active character; he’s the one actually running from his past, moving from city to city and cutting off contact with his family and former friends. Now he’s in Seattle, where he’s bartending part-time and cage-fighting every week. He gets tattoos to commemorate his wins, and that’s where he meets River.
River is a tattoo artist with a quiet life. He had a chaotic childhood and is now interested in avoiding as much chaos as possible. Except he’s drawn to Erik, who is about as chaotic as you can get.
This is a dark story, with themes of alcoholism and drug abuse, physical and emotional violence, anxiety and panic attacks, and other gritty topics. Erik and River’s relationship is definitely unhealthy at times, although they both recognize that and try to address it in different ways. The story does get lighter as it goes, with some of the heaviness mitigated as Erik and River open up to each other about their respective traumas and start to heal from them.
I’d recommend this for readers who like character-focused, intense, atmospheric stories.
Shadows You Left by Jude Sierra and Taylor Brooke is a New Adult romance novel that is difficult to describe. It is intensely character-driven; the back copy, in fact, consists essentially of brief, poetic descriptions of our two main characters, Erik and River, with no mention of a plot other than “Erik and River are both trying to escape a shadowed past”. That sounds like an active focus, doesn’t it? But really it didn’t feel like there was a lot actually happening, other than character development. I realize that sounds like a criticism, but I did enjoy the book. It’s very atmospheric and it’s easy to get sucked in just by the description, and that carries the story along without the need for a more structured plot.
Erik is the more active character; he’s the one actually running from his past, moving from city to city and cutting off contact with his family and former friends. Now he’s in Seattle, where he’s bartending part-time and cage-fighting every week. He gets tattoos to commemorate his wins, and that’s where he meets River.
River is a tattoo artist with a quiet life. He had a chaotic childhood and is now interested in avoiding as much chaos as possible. Except he’s drawn to Erik, who is about as chaotic as you can get.
This is a dark story, with themes of alcoholism and drug abuse, physical and emotional violence, anxiety and panic attacks, and other gritty topics. Erik and River’s relationship is definitely unhealthy at times, although they both recognize that and try to address it in different ways. The story does get lighter as it goes, with some of the heaviness mitigated as Erik and River open up to each other about their respective traumas and start to heal from them.
I’d recommend this for readers who like character-focused, intense, atmospheric stories.
Read
June 11, 2019DNF ~33%. Normally I give one-star ratings to DNFs, but since I really think this is more of a personal preference, and less about the book being terrible, I'm going to leave off a rating.
I really wanted to like this one, but it just wasn't working for me. It wasn't necessarily bad, it just really didn't capture my interest, and considering that the book is on the long side, I just couldn't commit to finishing it. A lot of people seemed to love the writing style here, but I thought it felt a little off and stilted, like it was trying too hard. I was also pretty disappointed by the lack of heat here. It's more of a mature rating as opposed to explicit, and considering how much of their connection is based on sex, and that there is even kink introduced, I personally felt the book suffered for not having at least some of the smut be more detailed and explicit.
I really wanted to like this one, but it just wasn't working for me. It wasn't necessarily bad, it just really didn't capture my interest, and considering that the book is on the long side, I just couldn't commit to finishing it. A lot of people seemed to love the writing style here, but I thought it felt a little off and stilted, like it was trying too hard. I was also pretty disappointed by the lack of heat here. It's more of a mature rating as opposed to explicit, and considering how much of their connection is based on sex, and that there is even kink introduced, I personally felt the book suffered for not having at least some of the smut be more detailed and explicit.
May 22, 2019
Erik asks River to give him a tattoo. They find they are both attracted and try to see where it goes. This is hard for Erik since he is often moving around and has trouble with trust.
River does not want to get his hopes up. He knows Erik is struggling to define himself. River normally sticks to his routine, however, his longing for Erik puts him at a whole new level.
This book has so much in it. These characters are seriously in need of one another. The story can be dark at times. I actually liked how they were together and found that if I made it past the grit, there was good heat and and friendship.
***This ARC copy was given in exchange for an honest review by Netgalley and its publisher.
River does not want to get his hopes up. He knows Erik is struggling to define himself. River normally sticks to his routine, however, his longing for Erik puts him at a whole new level.
This book has so much in it. These characters are seriously in need of one another. The story can be dark at times. I actually liked how they were together and found that if I made it past the grit, there was good heat and and friendship.
***This ARC copy was given in exchange for an honest review by Netgalley and its publisher.
June 16, 2019
5 stars for this story because it not only made me feel, but it made me think too. Mostly about the influence over others, that which we've experienced and that which we've exerted. When does it become harmful and when should we listen? Where is that fine line between knowing our own mind and having no insight regarding what guides our decisions? Erik and River seem to get tangled up in that and the secrets they feel they must keep. But here's the thing - when they get untagged a little bit, they discover they've found the best thing ever. And they're smart or lucky enough to realize they want to fight to keep it, even if it's not what others might have wanted for them. They are great together and for each other.
July 18, 2019
Sometimes you're just in the mood for something majorly angsty, and this hits the mark. Erik cut himself off from anyone who cared about him following his best friend's overdose, and now works as a bartender/underground cage fighter without putting down any real roots anywhere. But he meets tattoo artist River, who is dealing with his own issues with an alcoholic mother, and they form a connection that starts off raw and passionate, with a lot of pain and tenderness all mixed up together. It grows out of codependency into something big and real and healing that neither expects. Well written, really emotional, dark but ultimately hopeful.
May 29, 2019
This was a great book. It was passionate, thought-provoking, edgy and I loved the main characters. The supporting cast was great too! I loved Jadis!!
This book isn't a smooth ride... it's difficult in parts. I can see how it would be real challenging and potentially triggering book for some folks. For me... It was a pleasure. The characters were so well thought out, realistic and imperfect. I love that.
The prose is smooth and almost poetic sometimes, without being over-the-top.
I loved it.
This book isn't a smooth ride... it's difficult in parts. I can see how it would be real challenging and potentially triggering book for some folks. For me... It was a pleasure. The characters were so well thought out, realistic and imperfect. I love that.
The prose is smooth and almost poetic sometimes, without being over-the-top.
I loved it.
June 9, 2019
Thoroughly enjoyed devouring this.
River and Erik's story is two broken people finding something they didn't even know they wanted from what was supposed to be a one night stand. Brooke and Sierra are both excellent writers in their own right, and this team project is a seamless weaving of perception, points of view, and emotion that pulls in the reader and won't let go, much like these men do to each other. An angsty tale with a hopefully ever after that is a fantastic read.
River and Erik's story is two broken people finding something they didn't even know they wanted from what was supposed to be a one night stand. Brooke and Sierra are both excellent writers in their own right, and this team project is a seamless weaving of perception, points of view, and emotion that pulls in the reader and won't let go, much like these men do to each other. An angsty tale with a hopefully ever after that is a fantastic read.
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