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Beyond the Cove #2
Thirst for You
What happens when thirst becomes an obsession that can’t be quenched?
Forty-year-old Zachariah Taylor prides himself on being the overprotective older brother of seven. He owns a successful bar, Zach’s Bar and Grill, in the quiet town of Riverside Falls and loves the life he’s built for himself. But as his siblings move on and find their forever partners in life, he’s starting to feel less and less needed—not to mention old. Suddenly, he’s finding it even harder to ignore the younger man who has pursued him for years, but the twelve years separating them is something Zach can’t seem to overlook.
Twenty-eight-year-old Drew Belford has been in love with the stubborn Zach Taylor for seven years. Sure, he was a kid when they’d first met, but what Zach is determined to ignore is the man Drew has become. Drew, however, is just as strong-minded and refuses to let Zach use their age difference as an excuse to disregard the attraction burning between them. He doesn’t need an overprotective older brother—he needs Zach.
When Drew begins to get unsettling messages from an unknown person, Zach feels helpless in a way he’s never felt before. How can he protect Drew from someone he can’t find? The thought of anyone hurting Drew unleashes years’ worth of pent-up desire Zach has had for the younger man. Is his thirst for Drew enough to protect him from the danger lurking in the shadows, or will the threat of the unknown be enough to dowse the spark of love between them—and silence Drew forever?
Forty-year-old Zachariah Taylor prides himself on being the overprotective older brother of seven. He owns a successful bar, Zach’s Bar and Grill, in the quiet town of Riverside Falls and loves the life he’s built for himself. But as his siblings move on and find their forever partners in life, he’s starting to feel less and less needed—not to mention old. Suddenly, he’s finding it even harder to ignore the younger man who has pursued him for years, but the twelve years separating them is something Zach can’t seem to overlook.
Twenty-eight-year-old Drew Belford has been in love with the stubborn Zach Taylor for seven years. Sure, he was a kid when they’d first met, but what Zach is determined to ignore is the man Drew has become. Drew, however, is just as strong-minded and refuses to let Zach use their age difference as an excuse to disregard the attraction burning between them. He doesn’t need an overprotective older brother—he needs Zach.
When Drew begins to get unsettling messages from an unknown person, Zach feels helpless in a way he’s never felt before. How can he protect Drew from someone he can’t find? The thought of anyone hurting Drew unleashes years’ worth of pent-up desire Zach has had for the younger man. Is his thirst for Drew enough to protect him from the danger lurking in the shadows, or will the threat of the unknown be enough to dowse the spark of love between them—and silence Drew forever?
258 pages, ebook
First published April 10, 2019
173 people are currently reading
390 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 152 reviews
April 30, 2020
This one was, in the vast majority, a total winner for me and I thought it worked very well as the second book in this spin-off series.
It's only not five stars because I was personally disappointed with the way the stalker plot played out. That's totally on me and not in any way a criticism of how Jaclyn wrote it.
It works well and came out of left field so that was a positive and it completely fits within the plot narrative.
***Note, if you don't want any clues as to the villain of the piece, avoid this spoiler. It doesn't identify them but it may be more of a hint to some readers.***
But it is an utterly personal niggle and has no bearing on the pacing and clever plotting of the suspense element.
The romance side of things is excellent and I loved Drew's unshakable feelings for Zach, even if the older man took a bit more warming up.
I love this setting, and I'm seriously stoked for the next couple of books which look likely to be on the cards from the clues given here.
It was nice to catch up with some of the Haven's Cove crew too and made me remember how much I enjoyed that series.
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
It's only not five stars because I was personally disappointed with the way the stalker plot played out. That's totally on me and not in any way a criticism of how Jaclyn wrote it.
It works well and came out of left field so that was a positive and it completely fits within the plot narrative.
***Note, if you don't want any clues as to the villain of the piece, avoid this spoiler. It doesn't identify them but it may be more of a hint to some readers.***
But it is an utterly personal niggle and has no bearing on the pacing and clever plotting of the suspense element.
The romance side of things is excellent and I loved Drew's unshakable feelings for Zach, even if the older man took a bit more warming up.
I love this setting, and I'm seriously stoked for the next couple of books which look likely to be on the cards from the clues given here.
It was nice to catch up with some of the Haven's Cove crew too and made me remember how much I enjoyed that series.
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
September 29, 2021
3.75 Stars
Told in dual POV, 3rd person, it’s the second installment in the “Beyond the Cave” series with characters’ crossover but it can be read as a standalone. There is a 12-year age gap between the MCs but it wasn’t palpable. It’s well-paced, a bit angsty, and a friends-to-lovers story. My major issue here was the reason Zack was pushing Drew. I got tired of this kind of reason in the stories. I’m curious what’s going on between Mayson, Grant, and Sawyer or what is the history between them. All in all, it was a good read, and hope you like it as well!
Told in dual POV, 3rd person, it’s the second installment in the “Beyond the Cave” series with characters’ crossover but it can be read as a standalone. There is a 12-year age gap between the MCs but it wasn’t palpable. It’s well-paced, a bit angsty, and a friends-to-lovers story. My major issue here was the reason Zack was pushing Drew. I got tired of this kind of reason in the stories. I’m curious what’s going on between Mayson, Grant, and Sawyer or what is the history between them. All in all, it was a good read, and hope you like it as well!
November 27, 2019
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 Stars
🔥🔥🔥.5/5 Heat
This series is addicting. Moving on to Ryder’s book next. I have a feeling it’s gonna be my favorite of the three currently available. Not feeling in a reviewing mood at the moment. May come back later and write more.
🔥🔥🔥.5/5 Heat
This series is addicting. Moving on to Ryder’s book next. I have a feeling it’s gonna be my favorite of the three currently available. Not feeling in a reviewing mood at the moment. May come back later and write more.
July 30, 2019
3.5ish Stars
I’m going to start off with a warning: I didn’t read the first book in the series because this can be read as a stand-alone… at 2% I was confused and feeling like I should know some things. But, I kept pushing through.
Names were dropping faster than I could pick them up and it became clear that book #1 should definitely be read (or at least go on a review binge to gain understanding) before this one. However, I’m a special snowflake and decided to ignore this and thus it took a bit to get it all sorted. Luckily, after the first 25ish% the story picked up.
Drew is an extrovert with his sights set on his brother’s best friend A.K.A his boss and owner of the bar he works at. He isn’t shy about his interest much to the annoyance (and sexual frustration) of said owner, Zach. Drew has been biding his time in getting Zach to finally notice him as more than a kid and he expedites it in the most pleasurable of ways when he gets sick of waiting.
Zach is the boss and friends with Drew’s brother and therefore places him on the do not feel/fuck list… even if it’s pure torture to work with him each day and deny those feelings. Let’s not forget the age gap- Zach is 40 and Drew is 28. The way Zach acted, you would have thought he was 80. It’s constantly mentioned and I did want to scream *get over it* many times for this measly 12 year age gap. They have good chemistry and worked well together once they got on the same page.
Things really begin to pick up for Zach and Drew when a stalker is introduced. They come together for safety and comfort during a very scary time. The stalker plot is engaging and well written. I enjoyed the family aspect going on in Riverside Falls and would be open to continuing with this series. Some of the medical stuff left me scratching my head- not in confusion but with bafflement of actual medical policy/procedure/protocol in comparison to the events detailed in this book. Trigger warnings for one instance of homophobia and a stalker.
Recommended.
Copy provided for honest review.
I’m going to start off with a warning: I didn’t read the first book in the series because this can be read as a stand-alone… at 2% I was confused and feeling like I should know some things. But, I kept pushing through.
Names were dropping faster than I could pick them up and it became clear that book #1 should definitely be read (or at least go on a review binge to gain understanding) before this one. However, I’m a special snowflake and decided to ignore this and thus it took a bit to get it all sorted. Luckily, after the first 25ish% the story picked up.
Drew is an extrovert with his sights set on his brother’s best friend A.K.A his boss and owner of the bar he works at. He isn’t shy about his interest much to the annoyance (and sexual frustration) of said owner, Zach. Drew has been biding his time in getting Zach to finally notice him as more than a kid and he expedites it in the most pleasurable of ways when he gets sick of waiting.
Zach is the boss and friends with Drew’s brother and therefore places him on the do not feel/fuck list… even if it’s pure torture to work with him each day and deny those feelings. Let’s not forget the age gap- Zach is 40 and Drew is 28. The way Zach acted, you would have thought he was 80. It’s constantly mentioned and I did want to scream *get over it* many times for this measly 12 year age gap. They have good chemistry and worked well together once they got on the same page.
Things really begin to pick up for Zach and Drew when a stalker is introduced. They come together for safety and comfort during a very scary time. The stalker plot is engaging and well written. I enjoyed the family aspect going on in Riverside Falls and would be open to continuing with this series. Some of the medical stuff left me scratching my head- not in confusion but with bafflement of actual medical policy/procedure/protocol in comparison to the events detailed in this book. Trigger warnings for one instance of homophobia and a stalker.
Recommended.
Copy provided for honest review.
June 16, 2020
I did not care about this romance, Zack was meh and Drew irritated the shit out of me. I do not like pushy characters at all. I kept reading (and I actually enjoyed it) because of the mystery although it was obvious who the stalker was.
May 21, 2020
Re-read May 2020
Had to do a re-read to start Fight for You .
-----------------------
If there’s enough hurt/comfort in a book I tend to overlook several issues I might have with the plot or the relationship. As was the case here.
28 year old Drew has had a crush on the 40 year old Zach for quite a while now, but it looks like the other man just won’t give in. Drew gets that Zach is his boss at the bar where he works, but he’s also his friend. And it is obvious that Zach wants him too.
When Drew realizes he might have a stalker he tries to keep it quiet at first. But when the stalker situation gets worse Zach finds out.
Zach is angry with Drew that he kept something from him, but now that he knows Drew is in danger he will do anything to protect him..
I wasn’t a big fan how Zach kept turning Drew down at first, and I wasn’t happy with how cocky Drew was. But once stuff started to get more intense with Drew’s stalker, Zach manned up and finally admitted his feelings, and Drew let go of the attitude. And that’s when I started to really like this book.
I noticed how sometimes the writing felt a bit off at first. But I noticed it less in the second half, so either the writing improved, or I was just too interested in the hurt/comfort parts that I just overlooked it (more likely).
I was happy with the romance once these guys got together, but it was a bit tiring when they did the push and pull thing at first. Still, this was a nice hurt/comfort romance and I really did end up liking it.
Had to do a re-read to start Fight for You .
-----------------------
If there’s enough hurt/comfort in a book I tend to overlook several issues I might have with the plot or the relationship. As was the case here.
28 year old Drew has had a crush on the 40 year old Zach for quite a while now, but it looks like the other man just won’t give in. Drew gets that Zach is his boss at the bar where he works, but he’s also his friend. And it is obvious that Zach wants him too.
When Drew realizes he might have a stalker he tries to keep it quiet at first. But when the stalker situation gets worse Zach finds out.
Zach is angry with Drew that he kept something from him, but now that he knows Drew is in danger he will do anything to protect him..
I wasn’t a big fan how Zach kept turning Drew down at first, and I wasn’t happy with how cocky Drew was. But once stuff started to get more intense with Drew’s stalker, Zach manned up and finally admitted his feelings, and Drew let go of the attitude. And that’s when I started to really like this book.
I noticed how sometimes the writing felt a bit off at first. But I noticed it less in the second half, so either the writing improved, or I was just too interested in the hurt/comfort parts that I just overlooked it (more likely).
I was happy with the romance once these guys got together, but it was a bit tiring when they did the push and pull thing at first. Still, this was a nice hurt/comfort romance and I really did end up liking it.
June 16, 2022
3.5 rounded up. This was really gripping even though I had issues. The stalker plot was gripping and great, a lot of red herrings and potential suspects (even though I did guess the identity of the stalker I didn't guess the reason). That part was great. However, I had some issues with the romance part. When the book starts Drew has already been in love with Zach for like 7 years but Zach has been turning him down because of the age difference (12 years). Zach has also been in love with Drew but can't admit it. So we don't see them fall in love and don't really understand why they are in love. Just like book 1, you have one MC who is already all in and chasing the other while the other is in denial because of weak reasons. I really liked that when Zach came to his senses he really showed Drew he loved him and they were very sweet together. My last issue is that this story kind of continues in another book that is MMM so I won't read it, that really annoys me (I don't read MMM, the story "continues" in the sense that Drew was not the only one affected by the stalker so the consequences have been hinted at). The 3 MCs have already met here and their relationship has been hinted at. It's a shame but it is what it is. I would still recommend this one.
April 16, 2019
3.5 stars. Hot sex with a satisfying story.
October 10, 2023
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes & tags down below.
He never broke eye contact with Zach when he said confidently, “I know who I am, how to handle my problems, and who I want.” He didn’t know how many times he had to say it for Zach to believe him, but he’d keep trying… at least for now. There was only so much rejection a person could take.
I’ve been on a bit of a reread/relisten kick lately, and this might be the audiobook I’ve listened to the most times out of the ones I own. I don’t really know what it is about it that has got me hooked, but it really just hits every spot for me. There’s outside danger and suspense, there’s pining and a bit of angst between MCs (just enough to keep it interesting, not so much that it hurts your soul), it’s hot, aaand it’s ‘brother’s best friend’ with a 12 year age gap. What’s not to love?
I don’t remember if I figured out whodunnit early on or not the first time I read this, but one of the things I enjoy most is how I feel kinda paranoid alongside Drew when weird shit starts happening. He started to suspect everyone, even friends or acquaintances he’s known for ages, and every time he did, I felt just as sure that there was something weird about that character. It’s not a huuuge intricate mystery, but clever enough to be enjoyable, while the romance bit is entertaining as well.
Drew has been pining over ‘LumberZach’ for years, and that hurts to read sometimes. He hasn’t exactly saved himself, but he hasn’t wanted to be with anyone else either, in fear that Zach would think he had moved on and wasn’t available *wipes tear*. They’re both sweethearts, but Zach is a bit of a stubborn worrywart, and likes to take care of everyone else instead of figuring out his own shit. Luckily, Drew is no doormat, and puts him in his place when needed.
“Jesus, all these years of fucking throwing myself at you and for what? I’m wasting my time on someone who’s so damn scared to live his own fucking life, he has to dictate everyone else’s.”
Highly recommend if you like this kinda romantic suspense. It’s a quick and easy read, and narrated beautifully by Kirt Graves.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Brother’s best friend
Boss/coworker
Age gap
Pining
Stalker (not the fun kind)
Suspense
Camboy
Push and pull
⚠️⚠️ Content warning ⚠️⚠️
Online sex work
Explicit sexual content
Attempted murder
Injured MC
Stalking
Hit by car
Hospitalization
Death of a side character
Mentions of car accident (past, not detailed)
Mentions of death of parents (past, not detailed)
⚠️⚠️⚠️ Book safety ⚠️⚠️⚠️
Cheating: No
OM/OW drama: No
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 3rd person, dual POV
Genre: Contemporary romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
“Ma, do you think I’m pigheaded?” When she didn’t answer, he looked back over at her—and the laugh she was trying to hold in was answer enough. “I say this with all the love in my heart, but… are you kidding?”
“Believe me, if I knew how, I’d write a damn self-help book. How to Get Your Man in 1000 Easy Steps.” “Nice,” Zach murmured. “I don’t think... How to Win Him Over in Seven Long Years… would be a best seller.”
He never broke eye contact with Zach when he said confidently, “I know who I am, how to handle my problems, and who I want.” He didn’t know how many times he had to say it for Zach to believe him, but he’d keep trying… at least for now. There was only so much rejection a person could take.
I’ve been on a bit of a reread/relisten kick lately, and this might be the audiobook I’ve listened to the most times out of the ones I own. I don’t really know what it is about it that has got me hooked, but it really just hits every spot for me. There’s outside danger and suspense, there’s pining and a bit of angst between MCs (just enough to keep it interesting, not so much that it hurts your soul), it’s hot, aaand it’s ‘brother’s best friend’ with a 12 year age gap. What’s not to love?
I don’t remember if I figured out whodunnit early on or not the first time I read this, but one of the things I enjoy most is how I feel kinda paranoid alongside Drew when weird shit starts happening. He started to suspect everyone, even friends or acquaintances he’s known for ages, and every time he did, I felt just as sure that there was something weird about that character. It’s not a huuuge intricate mystery, but clever enough to be enjoyable, while the romance bit is entertaining as well.
Drew has been pining over ‘LumberZach’ for years, and that hurts to read sometimes. He hasn’t exactly saved himself, but he hasn’t wanted to be with anyone else either, in fear that Zach would think he had moved on and wasn’t available *wipes tear*. They’re both sweethearts, but Zach is a bit of a stubborn worrywart, and likes to take care of everyone else instead of figuring out his own shit. Luckily, Drew is no doormat, and puts him in his place when needed.
“Jesus, all these years of fucking throwing myself at you and for what? I’m wasting my time on someone who’s so damn scared to live his own fucking life, he has to dictate everyone else’s.”
Highly recommend if you like this kinda romantic suspense. It’s a quick and easy read, and narrated beautifully by Kirt Graves.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Brother’s best friend
Boss/coworker
Age gap
Pining
Stalker (not the fun kind)
Suspense
Camboy
Push and pull
⚠️⚠️ Content warning ⚠️⚠️
Online sex work
Explicit sexual content
Attempted murder
Injured MC
Stalking
Hit by car
Hospitalization
Death of a side character
Mentions of car accident (past, not detailed)
Mentions of death of parents (past, not detailed)
⚠️⚠️⚠️ Book safety ⚠️⚠️⚠️
Cheating: No
OM/OW drama: No
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 3rd person, dual POV
Genre: Contemporary romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
“Ma, do you think I’m pigheaded?” When she didn’t answer, he looked back over at her—and the laugh she was trying to hold in was answer enough. “I say this with all the love in my heart, but… are you kidding?”
“Believe me, if I knew how, I’d write a damn self-help book. How to Get Your Man in 1000 Easy Steps.” “Nice,” Zach murmured. “I don’t think... How to Win Him Over in Seven Long Years… would be a best seller.”
April 23, 2019
This was okay. I think both Zach and Drew were a bit boring and if the overdone stalker plot wasn't added they would have had nothing to write a book between them about. Zach's reluctance to begin anything with Drew when he clearly desires him wasn't compelling. Drew hanging around for 7 years to try and get something started with Drew was sad to me. It took me a really long time to get through this book. In fact I read two others while reading this one.
I think the next story may be Mason/Grant/Sawyer and if the author can really give these guys the same rich characterization for a whole novel she did in the side character snippets they got in this one, it might be worth picking up.
I think the next story may be Mason/Grant/Sawyer and if the author can really give these guys the same rich characterization for a whole novel she did in the side character snippets they got in this one, it might be worth picking up.
August 27, 2024
That was one creepy dude
June 7, 2025
What happens when thirst becomes an obsession that can’t be quenched?
Forty-year-old Zach Taylor owns a bar in the quiet town of Riverside Falls. He’s built a life that he loves with family and friends. Over the past few years, he’s watched his siblings and his friends gradually pairing up and he can’t help thinking that maybe that part of life has passed him by. He’s had a few girlfriends and some boyfriends over the years, but nothing has stuck; in fact, his previous girlfriend, Lisa, is now dating his best friend, Grant Belford, whose brother, Drew, works at Zach's bar. Zach has known Drew for years, but now, he has to keep reminding himself not to notice that Drew has grown into a very attractive man – and that as his best friend’s little brother, he’s firmly off limits. I hate this way of thinking...and all M/m romances seem to have it. If someone is a good guy and he is your "best friend", why would you ever care if you brother dated them???? Maybe someone can explain that to me.
Drew Belford is twenty-eight and has really cared for Zach as more than a friend for the last seven years. He’s dated some and doesn’t lack for "company" when he wants it, but he just hasn’t been able to get over his crush on his older brother’s best friend. If he was 100% certain there was no chance of Zach returning his interest, then he might be able to move on, but he’s sure he’s caught Zach checking him out more than once, and that the real reason for Zach’s reticence is rooted in his friendship with Grant and there is that twelve year age-gap between them...which, as far as he’s concerned, is totally unimportant. He’s cheerful and chatty... which make him good at his job at the bar...and he can’t resist "pushing Zach’s buttons", a little...Like dropping flirtatious suggestions. In spite of his efforts, Zach seems determined to push him away – and Drew may finally have to accept that things are never going to change.
The suspense plot begins when Drew leaves work late one night to find that his car has a flat tire and he doesn't have a spare, so he has to call Grant to come and pick him up. While he’s waiting, Drew has the feeling that he’s being watched, but all he can see in the dark is a black cat. He returns to the car, but the next day, he sees the tire had been slashed...but again he thinks it's just a stupid prank. As he’s driving home the next night, he notices a piece of paper falling from the passenger seat... he’s absolutely sure that he didn’t put it there. When he he picks it up and reads it says, "Those sounds you hear at night… Feeling like someone’s watching you… I’m always there."
The stalker storyline is well-integrated into the romance...however the romance feels overly drawn out. Zach’s only objections to taking things further with Drew are that he’s an employee...okay, that might under certain circumstances, make sense...and then there's that thing that will forever bug me again; Drew is his best friend's little brother. No, No, No... that’s what just doesn’t, and will never work for me. If you’re friends.... not just friends but BEST friends with someone, wouldn’t you want your sibling to be with this good, decent person that you actually know and like? I loved these characters and the storyline but that alone, lost the story a star.
Forty-year-old Zach Taylor owns a bar in the quiet town of Riverside Falls. He’s built a life that he loves with family and friends. Over the past few years, he’s watched his siblings and his friends gradually pairing up and he can’t help thinking that maybe that part of life has passed him by. He’s had a few girlfriends and some boyfriends over the years, but nothing has stuck; in fact, his previous girlfriend, Lisa, is now dating his best friend, Grant Belford, whose brother, Drew, works at Zach's bar. Zach has known Drew for years, but now, he has to keep reminding himself not to notice that Drew has grown into a very attractive man – and that as his best friend’s little brother, he’s firmly off limits. I hate this way of thinking...and all M/m romances seem to have it. If someone is a good guy and he is your "best friend", why would you ever care if you brother dated them???? Maybe someone can explain that to me.
Drew Belford is twenty-eight and has really cared for Zach as more than a friend for the last seven years. He’s dated some and doesn’t lack for "company" when he wants it, but he just hasn’t been able to get over his crush on his older brother’s best friend. If he was 100% certain there was no chance of Zach returning his interest, then he might be able to move on, but he’s sure he’s caught Zach checking him out more than once, and that the real reason for Zach’s reticence is rooted in his friendship with Grant and there is that twelve year age-gap between them...which, as far as he’s concerned, is totally unimportant. He’s cheerful and chatty... which make him good at his job at the bar...and he can’t resist "pushing Zach’s buttons", a little...Like dropping flirtatious suggestions. In spite of his efforts, Zach seems determined to push him away – and Drew may finally have to accept that things are never going to change.
The suspense plot begins when Drew leaves work late one night to find that his car has a flat tire and he doesn't have a spare, so he has to call Grant to come and pick him up. While he’s waiting, Drew has the feeling that he’s being watched, but all he can see in the dark is a black cat. He returns to the car, but the next day, he sees the tire had been slashed...but again he thinks it's just a stupid prank. As he’s driving home the next night, he notices a piece of paper falling from the passenger seat... he’s absolutely sure that he didn’t put it there. When he he picks it up and reads it says, "Those sounds you hear at night… Feeling like someone’s watching you… I’m always there."
The stalker storyline is well-integrated into the romance...however the romance feels overly drawn out. Zach’s only objections to taking things further with Drew are that he’s an employee...okay, that might under certain circumstances, make sense...and then there's that thing that will forever bug me again; Drew is his best friend's little brother. No, No, No... that’s what just doesn’t, and will never work for me. If you’re friends.... not just friends but BEST friends with someone, wouldn’t you want your sibling to be with this good, decent person that you actually know and like? I loved these characters and the storyline but that alone, lost the story a star.
April 16, 2019
This is the first story in the Haven's Cove/Beyond the Cove series that I have read, and aside from a LOT of character names and how they're all related to each other thrown at the reader at the beginning of the story, I found that it was very easy to jump into Zach and Drew's story. (However, I really enjoyed this one, so I'll be going back to the start of this series very soon to read more about these characters!)
Drew, aged 28, has been infatuated with his boss, Zach, aged 40. Drew now works at the bar that Zach owns, and is still trying to get Zach to admit that he's just as interested. I love me some age gap stories, and the chemistry between Drew and Zach was sexy and fun! I also kinda loved Drew's side job.
This story has some nice mystery wrapped up in it as well - someone is stalking Drew, and although he thinks it's harmless at first, the mystery stalker begins amping up their tactics. Zach, who is a bit too self-sacrificing and trying to be good at keeping Drew off-limits, takes it upon himself to rescue Drew, and this allows their relationship to really grow and deepen.
I never really guessed who the stalker was before the big reveal (although it also, like, didn't work for me? Maybe if I had read previous stories to know these characters better it would have more meaning). I really was here for the romance, and I really enjoyed reading about Zach and Drew falling from lust to love.
Can't wait for some of these other guys to get their story - I want to know more about Grant, Mason, and especially moody Sawyer! He must have a story!
I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Drew, aged 28, has been infatuated with his boss, Zach, aged 40. Drew now works at the bar that Zach owns, and is still trying to get Zach to admit that he's just as interested. I love me some age gap stories, and the chemistry between Drew and Zach was sexy and fun! I also kinda loved Drew's side job.
This story has some nice mystery wrapped up in it as well - someone is stalking Drew, and although he thinks it's harmless at first, the mystery stalker begins amping up their tactics. Zach, who is a bit too self-sacrificing and trying to be good at keeping Drew off-limits, takes it upon himself to rescue Drew, and this allows their relationship to really grow and deepen.
I never really guessed who the stalker was before the big reveal (although it also, like, didn't work for me? Maybe if I had read previous stories to know these characters better it would have more meaning). I really was here for the romance, and I really enjoyed reading about Zach and Drew falling from lust to love.
Can't wait for some of these other guys to get their story - I want to know more about Grant, Mason, and especially moody Sawyer! He must have a story!
I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.
July 20, 2023
4 Stars for the series
Like the Haven's Cove stories, I read all of these in a short period of time. I find the author to be very readable, all the books contain a good balance of drama and romance. While some worked better than others, I enjoyed them all.
This was another good one, that throws in a mystery with a good amount of tension, as well as the romance (I did have the bad guy pegged fairly early on but it was fun to watch the characters figure it out). I'm really looking forward to Fight for You but will stave off the temptation to skip straight to it.
Like the Haven's Cove stories, I read all of these in a short period of time. I find the author to be very readable, all the books contain a good balance of drama and romance. While some worked better than others, I enjoyed them all.
This was another good one, that throws in a mystery with a good amount of tension, as well as the romance (I did have the bad guy pegged fairly early on but it was fun to watch the characters figure it out). I'm really looking forward to Fight for You but will stave off the temptation to skip straight to it.
March 9, 2022
3-3.5 stars
Zach’s hesitation with his age, him being too old for Drew was annoying. But overall a good addition to this series. This can be a standalone, I forgot a lot of the characters from the first book and I didn’t feel too lost in this book.
Kirt Graves does a great job of the narration!
Zach’s hesitation with his age, him being too old for Drew was annoying. But overall a good addition to this series. This can be a standalone, I forgot a lot of the characters from the first book and I didn’t feel too lost in this book.
Kirt Graves does a great job of the narration!
May 22, 2020
Ohhh, I liked this one, even though I was more engaged in the mystery part than the relationship part, I knew it was that bitch the moment she told Drew how sorry she was, and that she knew Zach didn't do serious, she knew everything all the time! I KNEW IT WAS HER! I should have been a detective. 😄
The relationship part was there, just there, at the beginning I understood that Zach was in denial because he practically saw Drew grew up, but he was in that space for more than i thought necessary, so yeah, it was there. At the end I wanted to finish to read Sawyer, Mason and Grant's story though, so yeah it was nice. Good read but not for the love part, but the mystery.
The relationship part was there, just there, at the beginning I understood that Zach was in denial because he practically saw Drew grew up, but he was in that space for more than i thought necessary, so yeah, it was there. At the end I wanted to finish to read Sawyer, Mason and Grant's story though, so yeah it was nice. Good read but not for the love part, but the mystery.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 12, 2020
Hot! And Intense!
Drew and Zach are HOT in this age gap romance.
Zach is very good at denying his feeling for Drew. Drew has been pining for Zach for years.
Something happens in Drew’s life that makes Zach see him in a different light and brings out his protective instincts.
They draw closer together.
The twist and turns will take you to to the VERY unexpected conclusion! It’s hard to shock me but wow I really did not see that coming.
Definitely going to keep reading this series.
I’m loving it!♥️♥️
Drew and Zach are HOT in this age gap romance.
Zach is very good at denying his feeling for Drew. Drew has been pining for Zach for years.
Something happens in Drew’s life that makes Zach see him in a different light and brings out his protective instincts.
They draw closer together.
The twist and turns will take you to to the VERY unexpected conclusion! It’s hard to shock me but wow I really did not see that coming.
Definitely going to keep reading this series.
I’m loving it!♥️♥️
June 6, 2023
Didn't love it but didn't hate it either. Honestly I was more invested in the stalking plot line than I was in the romance.
Though I will say that Zach's worries about the relationship just felt a little ridiculous to me. It was like the author couldn't think of a good reason to keep them apart so was like, I guess we could have Zach worry about the age gap for 7 years and 50% of the book.
Oh well.
Though I will say that Zach's worries about the relationship just felt a little ridiculous to me. It was like the author couldn't think of a good reason to keep them apart so was like, I guess we could have Zach worry about the age gap for 7 years and 50% of the book.
Oh well.
April 14, 2019
I skipped the first instalment, whose blurb did not appeal to me in the least, so my appreciation probably stands at a disadvantage (the opening chapter of this one, full of name-dropping and abbreviated statement of blood or friendship ties, was rather heavy going but otherwise Thirst For You can fairly be read as a stand-alone), but I do not think that either Drew of LumberZack (the ridiculous moniker from hell) could have gained much from being introduced before, for even though they are given the lion's share of space in this book, none of them manages to shine much, especially the younger lead. Zach is rather bland and one-dimensional - the cardboard dependable mature guy, endowed with the proverbial massive basket that hulking top men always get in MM stories, yet otherwise unremarkable. A better writer would have given him more depth instead of making his personality revolve around his bar, his circle of friends and family members, and his absurd refusal to fall for Drew (the latter trait is never really explained out, as if any flesh and blood human being would ever procrastinate for seven long years without any psychological agency). Drew, though, proved to be so irritating a character that I almost felt sorry for Zach - the guy is vain, vapid (the stolen plaid shirt in which he likes to masturbate while taping his for-pay videos reaches the same heights of moronic complacency as his nickname for Zach), petty, whiny, easily discombobulated to an extent predetermined by the plot, needlessly brash and abrasive at every turn (so much so that the supposedly tart Sawyer actually looks merely curt and concerned next to him), and comically inept at communicating with the two fatherly figures in his life so that Zach and his brother Grant might know how far they are patronizing him (or so he is thinking). Worst of all, so soon as he is assured of having his feelings reciprocated by Zach, he turns into a paragon of selfishness who keeps on receiving and receiving as if he were entirely entitled to being the older man's absolute priority; this goes to the point that most everyone caters to his whims, and to such an extent that Sawyer almost sacrifices himself to deflect the stalker's attack, thereby creating a watershed moment from which a romance will be budding between Sawyer and Grant. It is never good when one protagonist in a romance evinces in the reader feelings of irritation that would rather have the writer kill off said character instead of giving him his (wholly undeserved) HEA. The way the entire book has been assembled around the stalking of Drew testifies to the same kind of weak literary chops in evidence in the character depiction: not only does the romance fail to develop naturally on its own - the pacing is off (things do not move smoothly but run on from one incident with the stalker to the other with vast amounts of filler in between), the building of suspense leaves a lot to be desired inasmuch as Mrs Quinn sucks at creating a climate of impeding doom in which most everyone within Drew's social circle could be the perpetrator, and the various false leads and decoys deployed to prevent the reader from guessing who it maight be, end up ringing pathetically preposterous or hollow (there are only three of them: Sawyer, the blond customer of the bar, and Wyatt the owner of the repair shop). By a simple process of crossing down, à la Sherlock Holmes, characters which for one reason or another can hardly be guilty, mostly through a lack of vested interest in both Drew and Zack, I chanced upon the right name, and it was frustrating to no end - not least because the chosen solution fails to tally with several plot points, including the timing of the stalking, of which I can make neither head nor tail. Last but not least, Mrs Quinn either ignores or chose to disregard the genre's most cardinal law - that there must be a satisfactory climax to the building of the tension, for all she provides in the way of a memorable showdown is a miserly final attack of the stalker on Drew alone at Zach's place, which ends up almost as soon as it has begun with one dead and one wounded. In all fairness, it comes with the territory between those covers; the precious little sleuthing which happens indeed belongs in the realm of breezy absurdity (Mason is a really poor cop while Zach, for all his vaunted maturity and worrying about his newfound love match, times and again exhibits just the right kind of memory lapses without which the plot would not progress). Cheesy does not begin to cover that kind of paltry literary execution. Whenever I for one do want vaguely suspenseful and formulaic plotting with no originality whatsoever I avail myself of late-time TV movies, instead of picking up a book; for I am really looking for higher standards in literary offerings. Finally, the writing and storytelling, though solid enough (typos in particular are minimal), strike me as rather unpolished and low brow in Thirst For You: the split POV between Drew and Zach sputters instead of breathing life and complexity into the story (obviously because both leads are not very adequate mouthpieces and make poor reflective lenses of the action); Mrs Quinn has an abiding fondness for repeating ad nauseam the same trite notions about her leads (if we are not told twenty times that Grant is an overprotective brother who took good care of Drew when the two of them lost their parents, or that Zach's brother valiantlty shares custody of his boyfriend's nephews who got orphaned in similar circumstances, then we did not get spoon-fed those tidbits once between the present covers! and so on and so forth), her dialogues are a far cry from being minimally creative given how many clichés or idle small talk they contain, and there is an obvious reliance upon formulas in her scene building that I find grating. Last but not least, Mrs Quinn was not even bothered to narrate all that happens in a logical order; unless she has no awareness of doing it, she likes to postpone for later an event on which she has her narrator (namely Drew) act at once, thereby disrupting in most clumsy fashion the temporal continuum. Two stars and a half rounded down since this cheese fest of a book runs overlong and tried my patience far beyond my lowest expectations.
October 26, 2023
I've given this a B+ for narration and a C+ for content at AudioGals
I reviewed this in April 2022, but somehow forgot to post the review here!
Thirst for You is the second book in Jaclyn Quinn’s Beyond the Cove series, and my first book by this author; it’s an age-gap/best friend’s brother contemporary romance with a suspense sub-plot that is effectively threaded throughout the main storyline, and I didn’t feel I’d missed out on anything by not listening to the first book, so it works just fine as a standalone.
Forty-year-old Zach Taylor owns a successful bar in the quiet town of Riverside Falls where he’s built a life he loves amid family and friends. Over the past few years, however, he’s watched his siblings and his friends gradually coupling up, and can’t help thinking that maybe that part of life has passed him by. He’s had a few girlfriends and boyfriends over the years, but nothing has stuck; in fact, his previous girlfriend Lisa is now dating his best friend, Grant Belford, whose brother Drew works at the bar. Zach has known Drew for years, but now, he has to keep reminding himself not to notice that Drew has grown into a very attractive man – and that, as his best friend’s little brother, he’s firmly off limits.
Drew Belford is twenty-eight and has carried a torch for Zach for the past seven years. He’s dated a bit and doesn’t lack for company when he wants it, but he just hasn’t been able to get over his crush on his older brother’s best friend. If he was 100% certain there was no chance of Zach returning his interest, then he might be able to move on, but he’s sure he’s caught Zach checking him out once or twice and that the real reason for Zach’s reticence is rooted in his friendship with Grant and the twelve year age-gap between them – which, as far as he’s concerned, is totally unimportant. He’s bubbly and chatty – which make him good at his job behind the bar – and can’t resist pushing Zach’s buttons, just a little bit, dropping flirtatious suggestions now and again. But Zach seems as determined to push him away as ever – and Drew may finally have to accept that things are never going to change.
The suspense plot begins when Drew leaves work late one night to find that his car has a flat tyre and he has to call Grant to come and pick him up because he doesn’t have a spare. While he’s waiting, Drew has the unnerving sense he’s being watched – but all he can see wandering around in the dark is a black cat. When he goes back to the car the next day, he sees the tyre was slashed, but puts it down as a stupid prank and thinks no more about it. Then he’s driving home the next night when he notices a piece of paper falling from the passenger seat onto the floor; he’s damn sure he didn’t put it there, so he pulls over and reads:
Those sounds you hear at night… Feeling like someone’s watching you… I’m always there.
Drew is freaked – and angry. Someone’s been inside his car – someone is messing with him, and he’ll be damned if he lets this get to him. But when he begins to receive creepy texts from someone who has obviously been to the bar, he has to admit that this has gone way beyond a joke and he’s scared. He has to tell Zach and Grant what’s going on and ask for help.
The stalker storyline is well-integrated into the romance; so often an author will set up something like this and then seemingly forget about it until the end, but that’s not the case here, and Ms. Quinn does a good job of keeping the momentum going, throwing in a few red herrings along the way. The romance, on the other hand, feels too drawn out; Zach’s only objections to taking things further with Drew are a) he’s an employee (and okay, that does make sense) and b) Drew is his bestie’s little brother, and that’s a trope that doesn’t usually work for me. I mean, if you’re friends with someone, wouldn’t you want your sibling to be with a good person you actually like?
Drew is fun and resilient and I liked his sassiness – even if, at times, he comes across as too pushy – but I found it hard to warm to Zach, who pushes Drew away one minute and sends mixed signals the next; his belief that Drew will soon grow tired of him (after seven years of waiting!) went on for too long and got irritating fast. Zach is forty-going-on-ninety and seems to put everyone else’s happiness above his own; I couldn’t help thinking that if Drew hadn’t been so determined in his pursuit, Zach would never have made a move on his own. But essentially, they’re both one-note characters – Zach is Mr. Protective; Drew doesn’t want his protection if that’s all that’s on the table.
Kirt Graves delivers a well-paced and expressive performance in which all the characters are appropriately portrayed and clearly differentiated. He does a great job with the two principals; Zach’s voice is deep and his delivery is measured, choices which work well to paint a picture of a big man who feels his responsibilities keenly, and he expertly captures Drew’s upbeat personality and good humour, and, in the darker moments, his terror and frustration. He brings a real warmth to their connection, and also uses a variety of tone and accent to render the secondary characters, who are all easy to identify aurally. I did notice a few mispronuncations however; one which really stuck out was saying “yoo” (or “eeew”) for “Eau” (oh) – as in Eau de Cologne, which is said multiple times in quick succession in one particular scene and thus very obvious. Other than that, however, it’s an excellent performance that kept me listening through the weaker points of the story.
Thirst for You takes a handful of oft-used tropes and executes them competently but not at all originally. Kirt Graves’ narration gives the whole thing a real boost, but there’s nothing new to be had in terms of story or characters, and although the suspense plot works fairly well, the romance is less successful.
This review originally appeared at AudioGals.
I reviewed this in April 2022, but somehow forgot to post the review here!
Thirst for You is the second book in Jaclyn Quinn’s Beyond the Cove series, and my first book by this author; it’s an age-gap/best friend’s brother contemporary romance with a suspense sub-plot that is effectively threaded throughout the main storyline, and I didn’t feel I’d missed out on anything by not listening to the first book, so it works just fine as a standalone.
Forty-year-old Zach Taylor owns a successful bar in the quiet town of Riverside Falls where he’s built a life he loves amid family and friends. Over the past few years, however, he’s watched his siblings and his friends gradually coupling up, and can’t help thinking that maybe that part of life has passed him by. He’s had a few girlfriends and boyfriends over the years, but nothing has stuck; in fact, his previous girlfriend Lisa is now dating his best friend, Grant Belford, whose brother Drew works at the bar. Zach has known Drew for years, but now, he has to keep reminding himself not to notice that Drew has grown into a very attractive man – and that, as his best friend’s little brother, he’s firmly off limits.
Drew Belford is twenty-eight and has carried a torch for Zach for the past seven years. He’s dated a bit and doesn’t lack for company when he wants it, but he just hasn’t been able to get over his crush on his older brother’s best friend. If he was 100% certain there was no chance of Zach returning his interest, then he might be able to move on, but he’s sure he’s caught Zach checking him out once or twice and that the real reason for Zach’s reticence is rooted in his friendship with Grant and the twelve year age-gap between them – which, as far as he’s concerned, is totally unimportant. He’s bubbly and chatty – which make him good at his job behind the bar – and can’t resist pushing Zach’s buttons, just a little bit, dropping flirtatious suggestions now and again. But Zach seems as determined to push him away as ever – and Drew may finally have to accept that things are never going to change.
The suspense plot begins when Drew leaves work late one night to find that his car has a flat tyre and he has to call Grant to come and pick him up because he doesn’t have a spare. While he’s waiting, Drew has the unnerving sense he’s being watched – but all he can see wandering around in the dark is a black cat. When he goes back to the car the next day, he sees the tyre was slashed, but puts it down as a stupid prank and thinks no more about it. Then he’s driving home the next night when he notices a piece of paper falling from the passenger seat onto the floor; he’s damn sure he didn’t put it there, so he pulls over and reads:
Those sounds you hear at night… Feeling like someone’s watching you… I’m always there.
Drew is freaked – and angry. Someone’s been inside his car – someone is messing with him, and he’ll be damned if he lets this get to him. But when he begins to receive creepy texts from someone who has obviously been to the bar, he has to admit that this has gone way beyond a joke and he’s scared. He has to tell Zach and Grant what’s going on and ask for help.
The stalker storyline is well-integrated into the romance; so often an author will set up something like this and then seemingly forget about it until the end, but that’s not the case here, and Ms. Quinn does a good job of keeping the momentum going, throwing in a few red herrings along the way. The romance, on the other hand, feels too drawn out; Zach’s only objections to taking things further with Drew are a) he’s an employee (and okay, that does make sense) and b) Drew is his bestie’s little brother, and that’s a trope that doesn’t usually work for me. I mean, if you’re friends with someone, wouldn’t you want your sibling to be with a good person you actually like?
Drew is fun and resilient and I liked his sassiness – even if, at times, he comes across as too pushy – but I found it hard to warm to Zach, who pushes Drew away one minute and sends mixed signals the next; his belief that Drew will soon grow tired of him (after seven years of waiting!) went on for too long and got irritating fast. Zach is forty-going-on-ninety and seems to put everyone else’s happiness above his own; I couldn’t help thinking that if Drew hadn’t been so determined in his pursuit, Zach would never have made a move on his own. But essentially, they’re both one-note characters – Zach is Mr. Protective; Drew doesn’t want his protection if that’s all that’s on the table.
Kirt Graves delivers a well-paced and expressive performance in which all the characters are appropriately portrayed and clearly differentiated. He does a great job with the two principals; Zach’s voice is deep and his delivery is measured, choices which work well to paint a picture of a big man who feels his responsibilities keenly, and he expertly captures Drew’s upbeat personality and good humour, and, in the darker moments, his terror and frustration. He brings a real warmth to their connection, and also uses a variety of tone and accent to render the secondary characters, who are all easy to identify aurally. I did notice a few mispronuncations however; one which really stuck out was saying “yoo” (or “eeew”) for “Eau” (oh) – as in Eau de Cologne, which is said multiple times in quick succession in one particular scene and thus very obvious. Other than that, however, it’s an excellent performance that kept me listening through the weaker points of the story.
Thirst for You takes a handful of oft-used tropes and executes them competently but not at all originally. Kirt Graves’ narration gives the whole thing a real boost, but there’s nothing new to be had in terms of story or characters, and although the suspense plot works fairly well, the romance is less successful.
This review originally appeared at AudioGals.
April 16, 2019
The mystery aspect of this book was a nice change in pace from the previous book. The early online connection one of the main character has adds a nice naughty note to Drew. It adds a nice depth to his character and while it does turn dark it adds some spice to who he is. The struggle he has with those close to him seeing him for who he really is a running thread through the whole story.
While Zach has always seen himself as a protector and even in some ways a step disconnected, Drew won’t allow it stay that way. And watching Zach and Drew finally connect and have to face the terror hunting them gave this story an edge. Not to mention the two of them together is incredibly hot and long awaited. Over all this book had a little bit of everything super sexy times, heartfelt family connection you expect from this author and mystery and danger to round it out. A great addition to this series.
While Zach has always seen himself as a protector and even in some ways a step disconnected, Drew won’t allow it stay that way. And watching Zach and Drew finally connect and have to face the terror hunting them gave this story an edge. Not to mention the two of them together is incredibly hot and long awaited. Over all this book had a little bit of everything super sexy times, heartfelt family connection you expect from this author and mystery and danger to round it out. A great addition to this series.
September 9, 2022
Liked this but would have preferred more of the relationship and less of the mystery, felt like the characters barely had any time alone together once they got finally together.
April 10, 2019
2.5 Stars
I liked the first book of this series, also the first I’d read by the author as a warm, family-centric story. This one is nothing like it in plot. I’m ordinarily a big fan of age gaps and suspense is a favorite genre but this book did not work for me in either sense.
I liked the first book of this series, also the first I’d read by the author as a warm, family-centric story. This one is nothing like it in plot. I’m ordinarily a big fan of age gaps and suspense is a favorite genre but this book did not work for me in either sense.
April 24, 2019
Holy crap, this book took a turn I was SO not expecting! But it was so damn good. Wow. I'm still blown away. The characters turned out to be completely different then what you expect at first. There's so many layers to them. I'm sad, though. I saw the sneak preview of the next book. I'm glad about who it's going to be but I REALLY am ready to hear the story of a certain cop…..and hopefully two others? Lol. Anyway. This is one dynamite book. Totally blew me away.
Zach has always been the big brother. Literally and figuratively. He just has this overwhelming need to protect and care for his family and those he loves. Sometimes he goes a little overboard, but it's done in love. As we remember with Eli. He just wants his loved ones happy. And he's noticed, they all are really starting to settle down, and it's made him look at his own life and the man that loves to drive him to the breaking point of insanity. Drew can't help it. He's been in love with Zach for years. And it's taken years for Zach to really notice him for him, and not the kid he thinks he is. But Drew only wished he had paid more attention before the trouble started. Being stalked and threatened wasn't the highlight of Drew's life, but when Zach realized what he could really lose, he couldn't hold back anymore. And was ashamed at how he made Drew really feel. But now that he's made the decision to Drew his, he may not be able to keep him. And alive.
Zach. The gentle giant. Fierce and protective. But gentle as a lamb when he needs to be. Don't let it fool you, though. He can throw down. I adore him. Yeah, he can be a bit overbearing, but he honestly does do it out of love. And in this case, fear as well. It saddens me at how little he thinks of himself, sometimes. He really wants to be a part of Drew's life, but he's scared Drew would get tired of him because of his age. I hate that. Even as an older man, he's still a good man and a catch. Thank goodness Drew is stubborn as hell lol.
Drew is stubborn. He's waited for seven years for this man, he's not giving up now. Maybe. Zach has pushed him pretty far with everything going on, and Drew has taken a lot. A whole lot. Sometimes you just have to throw in the towel. But he doesn't want to. And Zach has surprised him, so maybe it will work out. But then again, with what he's dealing with, he's never been more afraid in his life.
It's amazing the things we take for granted, until we lose or almost lose them. You'd think with the lesson everyone had to learn in book 1, Zach would have kind of gotten it. But, sometimes it takes others a bit longer.
This book will take you for a trip. Make you realize what you have. Or don't. I really loved the way things have turned. Well, to a point. You'll see what I mean. It's a devastating thing but hopefully turns out for good down the road. It's well worth the ride. I'm really hoping three certain men can get it figured out.
http://lovebytesreviews.com/
Zach has always been the big brother. Literally and figuratively. He just has this overwhelming need to protect and care for his family and those he loves. Sometimes he goes a little overboard, but it's done in love. As we remember with Eli. He just wants his loved ones happy. And he's noticed, they all are really starting to settle down, and it's made him look at his own life and the man that loves to drive him to the breaking point of insanity. Drew can't help it. He's been in love with Zach for years. And it's taken years for Zach to really notice him for him, and not the kid he thinks he is. But Drew only wished he had paid more attention before the trouble started. Being stalked and threatened wasn't the highlight of Drew's life, but when Zach realized what he could really lose, he couldn't hold back anymore. And was ashamed at how he made Drew really feel. But now that he's made the decision to Drew his, he may not be able to keep him. And alive.
Zach. The gentle giant. Fierce and protective. But gentle as a lamb when he needs to be. Don't let it fool you, though. He can throw down. I adore him. Yeah, he can be a bit overbearing, but he honestly does do it out of love. And in this case, fear as well. It saddens me at how little he thinks of himself, sometimes. He really wants to be a part of Drew's life, but he's scared Drew would get tired of him because of his age. I hate that. Even as an older man, he's still a good man and a catch. Thank goodness Drew is stubborn as hell lol.
Drew is stubborn. He's waited for seven years for this man, he's not giving up now. Maybe. Zach has pushed him pretty far with everything going on, and Drew has taken a lot. A whole lot. Sometimes you just have to throw in the towel. But he doesn't want to. And Zach has surprised him, so maybe it will work out. But then again, with what he's dealing with, he's never been more afraid in his life.
It's amazing the things we take for granted, until we lose or almost lose them. You'd think with the lesson everyone had to learn in book 1, Zach would have kind of gotten it. But, sometimes it takes others a bit longer.
This book will take you for a trip. Make you realize what you have. Or don't. I really loved the way things have turned. Well, to a point. You'll see what I mean. It's a devastating thing but hopefully turns out for good down the road. It's well worth the ride. I'm really hoping three certain men can get it figured out.
http://lovebytesreviews.com/
April 21, 2019
Having read the Haven’s Cove series and loved it, I couldn’t wait to jump into this Beyond the Cove novel to check it out. Not only do we get to see some characters from the author’s prior stories, the excellent writing that kept me fully immersed in those stories is well in evidence again here. This is a great age gap romance, with a dose of suspense as well.
Drew is pretty awesome. I love his teasing nature when it comes to Zach, and I admired Drew’s determination and responsible attitude. Zach could be a tad frustrating when it came to Drew mostly due to the difference in their ages—his attraction to Drew and his feelings were blatantly obvious, so when he tried to put Drew off I wanted to give him a good shake. Once he finally gave in, things between them were absolutely scorching (my goodness, that scene in the bar…).
The supporting cast of characters which contained both returning and new people was strong. There’s an ongoing, building danger for Drew which results in moments of suspense, and the author did an excellent job of making it pretty difficult to figure out the true culprit—I definitely wasn’t expecting it to be who it was. She also piqued my interest for several other characters (Avery, Ryder, Grant, Mason, Sawyer), so I will absolutely be sticking around for more.
I’m not usually into mystery aspects in the books I read, but in this story it was done well and I did like the suspense elements. As for who the perpetrator turned out to be…I was not expecting that at all, and it kind of felt like it came out of left field. That was the only point I was a little “meh” about, but the relationship between Drew and Zach, plus the interesting groundwork laid for other characters strongly outweighed that factor.
Overall, Thirst for You was a 4.5-star read for me, and I really can’t wait to read more stories in this series. This can be read as a standalone, but in my personal opinion you should read the Haven’s Cove books and the other Beyond the Cove novel, Drawn to You, first since those stories will give you insight into the other characters…just my two cents. This book is meant for readers 18+ for adult language, some hot sexual content, and a bit of violence.
Drew is pretty awesome. I love his teasing nature when it comes to Zach, and I admired Drew’s determination and responsible attitude. Zach could be a tad frustrating when it came to Drew mostly due to the difference in their ages—his attraction to Drew and his feelings were blatantly obvious, so when he tried to put Drew off I wanted to give him a good shake. Once he finally gave in, things between them were absolutely scorching (my goodness, that scene in the bar…).
The supporting cast of characters which contained both returning and new people was strong. There’s an ongoing, building danger for Drew which results in moments of suspense, and the author did an excellent job of making it pretty difficult to figure out the true culprit—I definitely wasn’t expecting it to be who it was. She also piqued my interest for several other characters (Avery, Ryder, Grant, Mason, Sawyer), so I will absolutely be sticking around for more.
I’m not usually into mystery aspects in the books I read, but in this story it was done well and I did like the suspense elements. As for who the perpetrator turned out to be…I was not expecting that at all, and it kind of felt like it came out of left field. That was the only point I was a little “meh” about, but the relationship between Drew and Zach, plus the interesting groundwork laid for other characters strongly outweighed that factor.
Overall, Thirst for You was a 4.5-star read for me, and I really can’t wait to read more stories in this series. This can be read as a standalone, but in my personal opinion you should read the Haven’s Cove books and the other Beyond the Cove novel, Drawn to You, first since those stories will give you insight into the other characters…just my two cents. This book is meant for readers 18+ for adult language, some hot sexual content, and a bit of violence.
April 11, 2019
Yes! I was so looking forward to Zach's story!
Now I'm going to be impatiently waiting for what I hope is Mason, Grant and Sawyer's story. I want them all together! And maybe Ryder and Avery, I"m looking forward to them too... .Can we just have all of them, right now? I didn't want this one to end!
So, okay... in this one, we have Zach, who we know his own bar, aptly named, Zach's. But then we get to meet and get to know Drew, who is Zach's best friends little brother and the man that Zach has been pushing away for the last seven years since Drew made it well-known that he wanted Zach.
Something about their age gap and the fact that Drew works for Zach, and the fact that Drew is supposed to be off limits as his best friends little brother... but mostly it's the age gap and Zach's own fear standing in there way.
Drew is a little spitfire though. Not ashamed of what he wants or how he goes about getting it. Even if his brazenness does rub some the wrong way. I thought he was charming and sassy.
But, in all the pushing away that Zach does, it gets harder to do when Drew starts getting threats at the bar and a little later in person and they're getting progressively worse, until they try to succeed in getting to him.
I will admit that the person that I thought it was the entire story, wasn't the stalker/murderer. While I do think it was weird who it ended up being and kind of like, whaaaaat? I feel like it was just thrown in at last minute to have this dun dun duuuuun moment. It didn't really make sense, but meh, it kept me guessin, so....
Overall though, I just love this series. I love all the guys, the family, the friends, though I would've liked to have seen what happened with Angie, she just kind of up and left and then with Silvia. I hope Drew got to keep being apart of her life, she was the best. I'm just really looking forward to who's next, and I really hope it's the threeway with Mason, Grant and Sawyer. Or Ryder and Avery... I don't care which... I want them all!
If you haven't read Haven's Cove, you should... then come back to these ones and get more! I recommend them all!
5 stars from me!
Now I'm going to be impatiently waiting for what I hope is Mason, Grant and Sawyer's story. I want them all together! And maybe Ryder and Avery, I"m looking forward to them too... .Can we just have all of them, right now? I didn't want this one to end!
So, okay... in this one, we have Zach, who we know his own bar, aptly named, Zach's. But then we get to meet and get to know Drew, who is Zach's best friends little brother and the man that Zach has been pushing away for the last seven years since Drew made it well-known that he wanted Zach.
Something about their age gap and the fact that Drew works for Zach, and the fact that Drew is supposed to be off limits as his best friends little brother... but mostly it's the age gap and Zach's own fear standing in there way.
Drew is a little spitfire though. Not ashamed of what he wants or how he goes about getting it. Even if his brazenness does rub some the wrong way. I thought he was charming and sassy.
But, in all the pushing away that Zach does, it gets harder to do when Drew starts getting threats at the bar and a little later in person and they're getting progressively worse, until they try to succeed in getting to him.
I will admit that the person that I thought it was the entire story, wasn't the stalker/murderer. While I do think it was weird who it ended up being and kind of like, whaaaaat? I feel like it was just thrown in at last minute to have this dun dun duuuuun moment. It didn't really make sense, but meh, it kept me guessin, so....
Overall though, I just love this series. I love all the guys, the family, the friends, though I would've liked to have seen what happened with Angie, she just kind of up and left and then with Silvia. I hope Drew got to keep being apart of her life, she was the best. I'm just really looking forward to who's next, and I really hope it's the threeway with Mason, Grant and Sawyer. Or Ryder and Avery... I don't care which... I want them all!
If you haven't read Haven's Cove, you should... then come back to these ones and get more! I recommend them all!
5 stars from me!
April 12, 2019
When a character manages to drag the whole book down...
Okay, to get one thing straight: the story was as brilliant as in the first book! And it probably would have been a 5 stars read like the first book but… you know how a book lives because of its characters? Yeah here comes my tiny little problem called “Drew” into the whole story - I just didn’t like that guy AT ALL.
For me there is a big difference between being confident and just being arrogant and Drew was definitely the latter. You could almost say he was sometimes very rude especially to Zach who just wanted to help him. Good lord Zach is a born protector that’s just the person he is so either Drew accepts that or he should have left. Sorry but that pissed me off because he ALWAYS got cranky and sassy with Zach (and others) and even thought the other people deserved to be treated like that. He always expected them to accept him the way he is but of course he had the right to b*tch about everything concerning them… Yeah no dear that’s not how it works lol
Another thing that bothered me was that Zach even did something in the end which he was VERY against in the beginning just to please Drew. And of course the latter didn’t think about coming towards Zach and say it’s alright he doesn't have to ... noooo because he is Drew and he deserves to be treated like a queen *facepalm* Yeah I’m sure you can tell I really wasn’t fond of that guy :)
My whole dislike for him even went so far that I didn’t care about him anymore at some point. And truth to be told I don’t know whether I would have kept going if there wouldn’t have been three other VERY interesting characters *hint hint* who stole the spotlight from the two mains in the end~ Yeah I guess that will be one of the very rare cases for me to read a MMM book though I hope that Avery and Ryder get their HEA beforehand :)
Okay, to get one thing straight: the story was as brilliant as in the first book! And it probably would have been a 5 stars read like the first book but… you know how a book lives because of its characters? Yeah here comes my tiny little problem called “Drew” into the whole story - I just didn’t like that guy AT ALL.
For me there is a big difference between being confident and just being arrogant and Drew was definitely the latter. You could almost say he was sometimes very rude especially to Zach who just wanted to help him. Good lord Zach is a born protector that’s just the person he is so either Drew accepts that or he should have left. Sorry but that pissed me off because he ALWAYS got cranky and sassy with Zach (and others) and even thought the other people deserved to be treated like that. He always expected them to accept him the way he is but of course he had the right to b*tch about everything concerning them… Yeah no dear that’s not how it works lol
Another thing that bothered me was that Zach even did something in the end which he was VERY against in the beginning just to please Drew. And of course the latter didn’t think about coming towards Zach and say it’s alright he doesn't have to ... noooo because he is Drew and he deserves to be treated like a queen *facepalm* Yeah I’m sure you can tell I really wasn’t fond of that guy :)
My whole dislike for him even went so far that I didn’t care about him anymore at some point. And truth to be told I don’t know whether I would have kept going if there wouldn’t have been three other VERY interesting characters *hint hint* who stole the spotlight from the two mains in the end~ Yeah I guess that will be one of the very rare cases for me to read a MMM book though I hope that Avery and Ryder get their HEA beforehand :)
May 5, 2020
Second book in the Beyond the cove series that can be read as a standalone. I loved Zach and Drew so much. I sort of felt bad for Drew because Zach is so dense and stubborn about his feelings. He was unknowingly hurting him.
And seven years of pining?!! Fuuuuck!! That's a long time! Seven years of Zach being stubborn.
The stalker plot. I didn't see that coming. It was a total surprise. I was suspecting a lot of people but it didn't even come close.
I felt like there was a bit too much "I'm his, he's mine" stuff. They think or say that so many times after they got together, I thought that it was a bit too much.
Sawyer. I'm so intrigued by him. I want his backstory so bad! I'm sensing a shitload of angst there. I can't wait for his book!(Especially since it's with Grant and Mason)
The next book is Ryder and Avery and fingers crossed, I can read it as soon as possible!!
And seven years of pining?!! Fuuuuck!! That's a long time! Seven years of Zach being stubborn.
The stalker plot. I didn't see that coming. It was a total surprise. I was suspecting a lot of people but it didn't even come close.
I felt like there was a bit too much "I'm his, he's mine" stuff. They think or say that so many times after they got together, I thought that it was a bit too much.
Sawyer. I'm so intrigued by him. I want his backstory so bad! I'm sensing a shitload of angst there. I can't wait for his book!(Especially since it's with Grant and Mason)
The next book is Ryder and Avery and fingers crossed, I can read it as soon as possible!!
May 20, 2023
There is something about Jaclyn Quinn’s writing that I just fell in love with. She’s one of the first M/M authors I ever read. Her characters and stories just drew me in from the start.
Zach, my giant teddy bear! Protective Zach just brings all the feels and complete love. Drew my adorable little teddy bear! Drew has that personality that just keeps you reading. Drew is out spoken and takes no shit from no one and it’s a pleasure to see! Oh the tears! Happy, sad, they were all over the place! Zach and Drew have their moments but come together and boy when they come together! Hot, hot, hot! Love them.
Oh and the stalker reveal... never saw that shit coming! Excellent work!!
Zach, my giant teddy bear! Protective Zach just brings all the feels and complete love. Drew my adorable little teddy bear! Drew has that personality that just keeps you reading. Drew is out spoken and takes no shit from no one and it’s a pleasure to see! Oh the tears! Happy, sad, they were all over the place! Zach and Drew have their moments but come together and boy when they come together! Hot, hot, hot! Love them.
Oh and the stalker reveal... never saw that shit coming! Excellent work!!
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