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Finding Forever #1
A Kind of Forever
Ry and Cart were inseparable in college: two innocent kids in love who thought they could take on the world. But when a photograph of the two of them at an LGBTQ protest outed Ry to his conservative family, his parents forced him to leave college and convinced Cart their relationship was something Ry regretted.
Twelve years later, they’re given a second chance.
Since they last saw each other, Cart has moved on. Sort of. He relocated to San Francisco, became a human-rights lawyer, and fell in love again and got married, only to lose his husband to cancer. Still reeling from the loss, he’s devoted himself to the struggling LGBTQ youth center his late husband founded. Then Ry joins the law firm where Cart works. The moment they see each other, Cart can tell Ry’s changed. Gone is the sensuous and enthusiastic lover Cart remembers, and in his place is a man who looks at Cart with disgust. The last thing Cart needs is having to figure out what’s going on with his former lover, but he can’t ignore the strong emotions resurfacing between them.
When Ry returned to his hometown of San Francisco, he knew being near his parents again was going to be a challenge. For twelve years, they’ve been manipulating him with threats of being disinherited and losing his trust fund. It worked when he was younger, getting him to leave college and agree to conversion therapy in the hopes of getting away and returning to Cart. But the camp caused him so much trauma, he can’t even look at another man without experiencing a panic attack. Now his goal is to beat his parents at their own game by pretending to be the dutiful, straight son they want. Two more years, and he’ll succeed. Then he sees Cart again and realizes what really matters to him. He just needs to find a way for Cart to realize it too.
Trigger Warnings: This book contains references to attempted suicide, conversion therapy, depression, and self-harm, as well as depictions of PTSD and panic attacks.
Twelve years later, they’re given a second chance.
Since they last saw each other, Cart has moved on. Sort of. He relocated to San Francisco, became a human-rights lawyer, and fell in love again and got married, only to lose his husband to cancer. Still reeling from the loss, he’s devoted himself to the struggling LGBTQ youth center his late husband founded. Then Ry joins the law firm where Cart works. The moment they see each other, Cart can tell Ry’s changed. Gone is the sensuous and enthusiastic lover Cart remembers, and in his place is a man who looks at Cart with disgust. The last thing Cart needs is having to figure out what’s going on with his former lover, but he can’t ignore the strong emotions resurfacing between them.
When Ry returned to his hometown of San Francisco, he knew being near his parents again was going to be a challenge. For twelve years, they’ve been manipulating him with threats of being disinherited and losing his trust fund. It worked when he was younger, getting him to leave college and agree to conversion therapy in the hopes of getting away and returning to Cart. But the camp caused him so much trauma, he can’t even look at another man without experiencing a panic attack. Now his goal is to beat his parents at their own game by pretending to be the dutiful, straight son they want. Two more years, and he’ll succeed. Then he sees Cart again and realizes what really matters to him. He just needs to find a way for Cart to realize it too.
Trigger Warnings: This book contains references to attempted suicide, conversion therapy, depression, and self-harm, as well as depictions of PTSD and panic attacks.
286 pages, ebook
First published January 28, 2021
142 people are currently reading
400 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
July 8, 2022
(3.5 stars)
I received an ARC from GRR and this is my honest review.
This book was a nice surprise for a debut, and I loved many things about it so let's start with those:
- I love second chance- romance and this was perfectly done. I could feel the ache and the pining for each other.
- I love the pace.. not all the book happened in a couple of days which I always appreciate,
- The push and pull was believable and done. well. A story like that needs hesitation and if everything was very smooth going, it wouldn't have been.
- The sex scenes were well done and hot... always a bonus
- I loved that Sam, the ex-husband, was not swept under the rug. he was present but not overly so.
- iI loved the author's writing style. it was smooth and expressive.
Niggles:
The conversion therapy and suicide attempts were kinda glossed over. I can understand that the book was about the second chance, but for a 12-year separation, with not 1 but 3 suicide attempts, conversion therapy where his sister intervened to make it stop..., for me i would have loved this part to actually rip me open.
- The sex for me, as hot as it was, too soon.
-Ry's family stuff was a bit unclimactic. his parent's leaving with basically no fight, after everything...
All in all, a good book, and I'm definitely reading book 2. I'm intrigued with the premise.
I received an ARC from GRR and this is my honest review.
This book was a nice surprise for a debut, and I loved many things about it so let's start with those:
- I love second chance- romance and this was perfectly done. I could feel the ache and the pining for each other.
- I love the pace.. not all the book happened in a couple of days which I always appreciate,
- The push and pull was believable and done. well. A story like that needs hesitation and if everything was very smooth going, it wouldn't have been.
- The sex scenes were well done and hot... always a bonus
- I loved that Sam, the ex-husband, was not swept under the rug. he was present but not overly so.
- iI loved the author's writing style. it was smooth and expressive.
Niggles:
The conversion therapy and suicide attempts were kinda glossed over. I can understand that the book was about the second chance, but for a 12-year separation, with not 1 but 3 suicide attempts, conversion therapy where his sister intervened to make it stop..., for me i would have loved this part to actually rip me open.
- The sex for me, as hot as it was, too soon.
-Ry's family stuff was a bit unclimactic. his parent's leaving with basically no fight, after everything...
All in all, a good book, and I'm definitely reading book 2. I'm intrigued with the premise.
February 2, 2021
I’m a bit speechless, it was an overwhelming narrative.
Hurt, so much hurt.
The blurb says a lot about this story. So I’ll keep it short about the content.
Ry and Cart were young and so in love. Until a photograph, with them kissing, destroyed everything. Ry’s conservative, Chinese origin parents, who were absurd rich, took the reins and Ry disappeared. Ry’s father convinced Cart that Ry regretted their relationship.
After twelve years they meet again. Ry is the new lawyer at Westborough, Martin, and Chase, where Cart already works as a lawyer. Cart is shocked, angry, and lost.
Facing Ry after all these years is not what he expected, the beautiful sensual boy turned into a frightening deer, hurt and anxiety in his eyes.
Cart lost his husband Sam three years ago to cancer, he left behind an LGBTQ youth community center and Cart will continue their work there.
“there was not going to be a second chance for them. Too much had happened. To Ry. To him. Too much damage.”
Ry is traumatized, has panic attacks, is on medication, and struggles through life.
So far a bit about the content, there is much much more.
The author has a wonderful way of writing. How the men were pictured and their life story, did something to me. My heart, hurt for them.
Both men were vulnerable, strong, passionate, and full of compassion. Their love was indestructible.
Every part of the story was excellently and fluently woven. It was solid and plausible.
Some side characters were of importance to this story. Like Ry’s sister Jen, Suzanne the LGBTQ center director, Cart’s colleague and friend Jake, and last but not least Sam.
There are people I will not mention because, ugh.
While it was a heavily loaded story, there were also beautiful sunny and uplifting parts to find, I think it was well balanced. I loved everything about this story, even though I had questions about why Ry, in his state of mind, contacted Cart in the first place. I put it aside and enjoyed the ride.
The emotional parts were so delicate, it touched my heart, the sexual parts were sweet, mindful, and at times steamy. Precious was the love they had for each other, highly intense.
The plotline was intriguing and convincing.
So yeah for me this is a wonderful addition to my shelf.
I’m looking forward to read the next installment, about Jake and Micah.
Hurt, so much hurt.
The blurb says a lot about this story. So I’ll keep it short about the content.
Ry and Cart were young and so in love. Until a photograph, with them kissing, destroyed everything. Ry’s conservative, Chinese origin parents, who were absurd rich, took the reins and Ry disappeared. Ry’s father convinced Cart that Ry regretted their relationship.
After twelve years they meet again. Ry is the new lawyer at Westborough, Martin, and Chase, where Cart already works as a lawyer. Cart is shocked, angry, and lost.
Facing Ry after all these years is not what he expected, the beautiful sensual boy turned into a frightening deer, hurt and anxiety in his eyes.
Cart lost his husband Sam three years ago to cancer, he left behind an LGBTQ youth community center and Cart will continue their work there.
“there was not going to be a second chance for them. Too much had happened. To Ry. To him. Too much damage.”
Ry is traumatized, has panic attacks, is on medication, and struggles through life.
So far a bit about the content, there is much much more.
The author has a wonderful way of writing. How the men were pictured and their life story, did something to me. My heart, hurt for them.
Both men were vulnerable, strong, passionate, and full of compassion. Their love was indestructible.
Every part of the story was excellently and fluently woven. It was solid and plausible.
Some side characters were of importance to this story. Like Ry’s sister Jen, Suzanne the LGBTQ center director, Cart’s colleague and friend Jake, and last but not least Sam.
There are people I will not mention because, ugh.
While it was a heavily loaded story, there were also beautiful sunny and uplifting parts to find, I think it was well balanced. I loved everything about this story, even though I had questions about why Ry, in his state of mind, contacted Cart in the first place. I put it aside and enjoyed the ride.
The emotional parts were so delicate, it touched my heart, the sexual parts were sweet, mindful, and at times steamy. Precious was the love they had for each other, highly intense.
The plotline was intriguing and convincing.
So yeah for me this is a wonderful addition to my shelf.
I’m looking forward to read the next installment, about Jake and Micah.
May 12, 2024
I struggled to get past the first few chapters - the premise for their having broken up in college days seemed a little far-fetched and didn't engender sympathy for the MCs. The Machiavellian shenanigans giving rise to all manner of strife became clearer throughout the read ramping up to sufficient excitement/drama levels that I persisted with the story line til the very end; 2.5 stars eventually rounded up to 3.
Read
February 20, 2022DNF 36% ugh again miscommunication/misunderstanding and honestly I don’t get grownups who can’t stand up to their parents and let them control their lives
February 26, 2021
4.5 Stars - ‘A Kind of Forever’ begins 12 years after the events of Marie Sinclair’s wonderful prequel novel, ‘A Winter’s Dance’. It isn’t necessary to have read ‘A Winter’s Dance’ to enjoy ‘A Kind of Forever’, but I highly recommend that you do so.
In ‘A Kind of Forever’. Stryver Lee (Ry) and Sydney Carlton (Cart), former roommates and lovers at Harvard, find themselves 12 years later working in the same San Francisco law firm - Westborough, Martin, and Chase - where Cart, a junior partner, works on LGBTQ and human-rights issues and Ry, who has just joined the firm, works on immigration cases.
Much of the story takes place in Ry and Cart’s favorite restaurants throughout the city
and in the Castro.
In college Ry, a Chinese-American apparent heir to the fortune of wealthy conservative parents in San Francisco, and Cart, the only child of a single parent, was a scholarship student, fell madly in love. At the time, Cart was openly gay and active in the campus LGBTQ movement; Ry because of his family pressures, was not.
Now, it’s 12 years later, and these two men have had completely different life experiences. For many years Cart had been happily married to Sam Mitchell, the founder of a highly successful LGBTQ youth center in the Castro named in Sam’s honor. Tragically, Sam had died of brain cancer 3 years earlier. During those same years, Ry had been forced by his parents to undergo conversion therapy.
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review.
‘A Kind of Forever’ is the story of what happens when these two former lovers reconnect and the struggles each man has to go through learning to understand and accept all the things that have happened over that 12 year period.
At the time of their first law firm meeting Cart had purchased and renovated a 3-story Noe Valley townhouse, and Ry was living in a SoMa loft apartment that, from my reading I imagine appeared very much like this.
There are things that can be criticized about ‘A Kind of Forever’ including the fact there there is so much repetition of past events; that an extraordinary amount of time is spent describing the sexual interactions of the main characters; and that some completely improbable - though wonderful - plot twists occur toward the end.
But all this can be forgiven by the wonderful cast of characters Sinclair has created. In addition to Ry and Cart, there is Suzanne, the director of the Sam Mitchell LGBTQ youth center; Diego, the center’s chief social worker; all of the current residents, staff, and volunteers of the Center; Ry’s 10-month younger sister, Jen (the rock of his life); Jen’s finance, Stephen a psychologist specializing in treating the trauma experienced as a result of conversion therapy; Ry’s cruelly, manipulative parents; Jake, Cart’s best friend in the law firm; Mr. and Mrs. Sung, the owner’s of Ry’s favorite small Chinese restaurant; and so many more.
Be sure to notice the blurb’s ‘Trigger Warning’ about references to attempted suicide, conversion therapy, depression, and self-harm, as well as depiction of PTSE and panic attacks. They’re all there. As are descriptions of the power of love, forgiveness, compassion, the importance of friends, and the beauty of life’s second chances.
‘A Kind of Forever’ reinforced my view of the damage that has been done to so many young men and women forced to participate in ‘conversion therapy’ and how important it is for future generations that any form of conversion therapy be banned.
In the end, I came away very pleased with this novel, and look forward to the next book in Marie Sinclair’s ‘Finding Forever’ series.
In ‘A Kind of Forever’. Stryver Lee (Ry) and Sydney Carlton (Cart), former roommates and lovers at Harvard, find themselves 12 years later working in the same San Francisco law firm - Westborough, Martin, and Chase - where Cart, a junior partner, works on LGBTQ and human-rights issues and Ry, who has just joined the firm, works on immigration cases.
Much of the story takes place in Ry and Cart’s favorite restaurants throughout the city
and in the Castro.
In college Ry, a Chinese-American apparent heir to the fortune of wealthy conservative parents in San Francisco, and Cart, the only child of a single parent, was a scholarship student, fell madly in love. At the time, Cart was openly gay and active in the campus LGBTQ movement; Ry because of his family pressures, was not.
Now, it’s 12 years later, and these two men have had completely different life experiences. For many years Cart had been happily married to Sam Mitchell, the founder of a highly successful LGBTQ youth center in the Castro named in Sam’s honor. Tragically, Sam had died of brain cancer 3 years earlier. During those same years, Ry had been forced by his parents to undergo conversion therapy.
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review.
‘A Kind of Forever’ is the story of what happens when these two former lovers reconnect and the struggles each man has to go through learning to understand and accept all the things that have happened over that 12 year period.
At the time of their first law firm meeting Cart had purchased and renovated a 3-story Noe Valley townhouse, and Ry was living in a SoMa loft apartment that, from my reading I imagine appeared very much like this.
There are things that can be criticized about ‘A Kind of Forever’ including the fact there there is so much repetition of past events; that an extraordinary amount of time is spent describing the sexual interactions of the main characters; and that some completely improbable - though wonderful - plot twists occur toward the end.
But all this can be forgiven by the wonderful cast of characters Sinclair has created. In addition to Ry and Cart, there is Suzanne, the director of the Sam Mitchell LGBTQ youth center; Diego, the center’s chief social worker; all of the current residents, staff, and volunteers of the Center; Ry’s 10-month younger sister, Jen (the rock of his life); Jen’s finance, Stephen a psychologist specializing in treating the trauma experienced as a result of conversion therapy; Ry’s cruelly, manipulative parents; Jake, Cart’s best friend in the law firm; Mr. and Mrs. Sung, the owner’s of Ry’s favorite small Chinese restaurant; and so many more.
Be sure to notice the blurb’s ‘Trigger Warning’ about references to attempted suicide, conversion therapy, depression, and self-harm, as well as depiction of PTSE and panic attacks. They’re all there. As are descriptions of the power of love, forgiveness, compassion, the importance of friends, and the beauty of life’s second chances.
‘A Kind of Forever’ reinforced my view of the damage that has been done to so many young men and women forced to participate in ‘conversion therapy’ and how important it is for future generations that any form of conversion therapy be banned.
In the end, I came away very pleased with this novel, and look forward to the next book in Marie Sinclair’s ‘Finding Forever’ series.
April 27, 2021
I feel horrible saying this, but this book made me never want to read anything ever again.
God, it was sooooo boring. I definitely would have DNF’d if I hadn’t picked up about 10 novels recently and abandoned them halfway through. My poor reading challenge was suffering.
So this book. It started out well! It was well written, and there was some nice tension between Ry and Cart and I wanted to learn more about their pasts.
But then it was just... sex. Just boring, repetitive sex that didn’t make me give much of a shit about either character, and honestly if I have to read the line ‘pearly strings of cum’ ever again in my lifetime I’ll scream.
I’m all for sex in books when there’s a nice build up, a reason for the sex to happen, or some genuine sexy connection. But there just wasn’t. It was sex for the sake of sex, and they didn’t seem connected at all in any other way than fucking, for all Cart insisted he’d be ‘fine’ if they never had sex again.
And Ry’s trauma was soooo glossed over. It was like ‘I don’t want to trigger your anxiety’ but the anxiety was treated like it was just a vague concept that didn’t hold any meaning.
And honestly, I fucking hated Cart. He was an asshole. Ry told him he’d been through conversion therapy and he basically still thought he was selfish and he was mad at him even though his parents were controlling his life. And then he didn’t give Ry enough space and pushed him into things and I just hated him!!! He only cared about himself and his dick.
I think the biggest peeve for me here was after Ry had been sexually assaulted in the club, and Cart and Jake rescued him. He’s been SEXUALLY ASSAULTED and sleeps in Cart’s bed and wakes to hear him loudly wanking in the shower??? Could you not hold off until the potentially traumatised man in the next room had left? And then to drop the towel on purpose?? It was such a dick move.
So yeah, I’m mad about this book. I wanted it to be over so badly and now it finally is.
And I’m a bit mad that we didn’t find out why Jake was researching dementia and there’s no way I’m reading any more of this series to find out.
God, it was sooooo boring. I definitely would have DNF’d if I hadn’t picked up about 10 novels recently and abandoned them halfway through. My poor reading challenge was suffering.
So this book. It started out well! It was well written, and there was some nice tension between Ry and Cart and I wanted to learn more about their pasts.
But then it was just... sex. Just boring, repetitive sex that didn’t make me give much of a shit about either character, and honestly if I have to read the line ‘pearly strings of cum’ ever again in my lifetime I’ll scream.
I’m all for sex in books when there’s a nice build up, a reason for the sex to happen, or some genuine sexy connection. But there just wasn’t. It was sex for the sake of sex, and they didn’t seem connected at all in any other way than fucking, for all Cart insisted he’d be ‘fine’ if they never had sex again.
And Ry’s trauma was soooo glossed over. It was like ‘I don’t want to trigger your anxiety’ but the anxiety was treated like it was just a vague concept that didn’t hold any meaning.
And honestly, I fucking hated Cart. He was an asshole. Ry told him he’d been through conversion therapy and he basically still thought he was selfish and he was mad at him even though his parents were controlling his life. And then he didn’t give Ry enough space and pushed him into things and I just hated him!!! He only cared about himself and his dick.
I think the biggest peeve for me here was after Ry had been sexually assaulted in the club, and Cart and Jake rescued him. He’s been SEXUALLY ASSAULTED and sleeps in Cart’s bed and wakes to hear him loudly wanking in the shower??? Could you not hold off until the potentially traumatised man in the next room had left? And then to drop the towel on purpose?? It was such a dick move.
So yeah, I’m mad about this book. I wanted it to be over so badly and now it finally is.
And I’m a bit mad that we didn’t find out why Jake was researching dementia and there’s no way I’m reading any more of this series to find out.
February 19, 2021
This was heartbreaking and lovely.
May 13, 2022
*Plot Spoilers below*
While the overall plot was good and the characters sketched out well, I found the homophobic Asian parent trope to be tired, problematic and frankly quite dangerous in contributing to stereotypes of backwards folks from the Global South. It is not to say that such instances don’t take place but the contrast that is created in Ry’s parent’s homophobia simply because they are from China, along side his saving being associated with Western culture paints a problematic picture. One way this could have been avoided would have been to have Ry connect more with his Asian culture in other ways—through language or food or having a prominently present Asian community that supports him throughout the book and not just at the very end—which would have then presented the homophobia and the obstacles created by it as something rooted in his parent’s individual understanding and not generalized as something that is embraced by Asianness per se. Or conversely, it would have added more nuance to depict a more holistic picture of the reality that surrounds immigrants from Asia where societal pressure to assimilate causes harmful proximities to whiteness and “accepted” ideologies. As an Asian, it deeply hurt me to see elders in our communities depicted in this way without any three dimensional sense of where it came from. In the end, Ry can only live an authentic life by completely severing his ties to his family and (by the rules presented in this book) to his Asianness which only serves to reinforce a stereotype that Asian communities and immigrant communities are backwards, not open to fluid sexual and gender identities, and oppressive. A sensitivity reader or further research into the intricacies of Asianness and queer Asians would have greatly benefited this otherwise well written story.
While the overall plot was good and the characters sketched out well, I found the homophobic Asian parent trope to be tired, problematic and frankly quite dangerous in contributing to stereotypes of backwards folks from the Global South. It is not to say that such instances don’t take place but the contrast that is created in Ry’s parent’s homophobia simply because they are from China, along side his saving being associated with Western culture paints a problematic picture. One way this could have been avoided would have been to have Ry connect more with his Asian culture in other ways—through language or food or having a prominently present Asian community that supports him throughout the book and not just at the very end—which would have then presented the homophobia and the obstacles created by it as something rooted in his parent’s individual understanding and not generalized as something that is embraced by Asianness per se. Or conversely, it would have added more nuance to depict a more holistic picture of the reality that surrounds immigrants from Asia where societal pressure to assimilate causes harmful proximities to whiteness and “accepted” ideologies. As an Asian, it deeply hurt me to see elders in our communities depicted in this way without any three dimensional sense of where it came from. In the end, Ry can only live an authentic life by completely severing his ties to his family and (by the rules presented in this book) to his Asianness which only serves to reinforce a stereotype that Asian communities and immigrant communities are backwards, not open to fluid sexual and gender identities, and oppressive. A sensitivity reader or further research into the intricacies of Asianness and queer Asians would have greatly benefited this otherwise well written story.
February 14, 2021
This was one hell of a fantastic, poignant, powerful, intense, raw, gritty, gripping, grab-you-by-the-feels, heartbreaking yet ultimately hopeful, dark, emotionally charged, angst filled, painful, amazing, slow burning, and totally awesome start to an intriguing new series. This is a new-to-me author, and I can't wait to see what happens next.
December 23, 2021
Steamy, complex, hard.
Grown-ups dealing with their shit.
You should read this book.
Grown-ups dealing with their shit.
You should read this book.
February 8, 2021
Get to this goodness! Get to this goodness, now !
A really well-written tale of what it means to stand up for who you are, to battle the mocking demons of society and past trauma, to lose love and to find it again..in a new city, new circumstances as someone anew..but just as untainted and pure.
Though the book can be read as a standalone, I seriously recommend reading the prequel novella which will take us to the very beginning of Ry and Cart's story-to the time they were two young men trying to find their place in the world,with hope and dreams for a future together..a forever for just them and the soul-stirring love they share.
This book is set 12 years in the future, with the Ry and Cart crossing paths again-as two very different men, all thanks to the one single photograph that became the face of 'love is love'. Cart still reeling from the loss of his husband and the gripping sense of loneliness uncovers the truth about how Ry was forced to leave him behind, attend conversion therapy and how thanks to his parents, Ry is suffering and slowly ebbing away..a victim to the voices in his head and the ghosts of the past.
As the duo face the past, help face each other's demons, they rekindle the embers of the love they had never lost.. the addictive, bone aching need they felt for one another. But with Ry's parents and Cart's lgbt center crumbling, would love last the second time around ? The author's writing style and diction is brilliant and the romantic verses are truly poetic. Words. Such beautiful words. I just can't believe it's the author's debut novel.
My heart went out for Ry and for the hundreds of such faceless Ry's in the world.
And when it comes to the story, One word-Pulchritudinous. Heartbreakingly beautiful. It was so so beautiful to read the way the MCs rediscovered parts of their old selves, accepted the reality of new circumstances and decided to choose their forever-their own kind of forever.
The story will take you through it all. And in my eyes, Ry and Cart's story is a love letter to the notion that true love is forever and that love in all its forms triumphs through. This story will forever occupy a very special place in my heart.
A really well-written tale of what it means to stand up for who you are, to battle the mocking demons of society and past trauma, to lose love and to find it again..in a new city, new circumstances as someone anew..but just as untainted and pure.
Though the book can be read as a standalone, I seriously recommend reading the prequel novella which will take us to the very beginning of Ry and Cart's story-to the time they were two young men trying to find their place in the world,with hope and dreams for a future together..a forever for just them and the soul-stirring love they share.
This book is set 12 years in the future, with the Ry and Cart crossing paths again-as two very different men, all thanks to the one single photograph that became the face of 'love is love'. Cart still reeling from the loss of his husband and the gripping sense of loneliness uncovers the truth about how Ry was forced to leave him behind, attend conversion therapy and how thanks to his parents, Ry is suffering and slowly ebbing away..a victim to the voices in his head and the ghosts of the past.
As the duo face the past, help face each other's demons, they rekindle the embers of the love they had never lost.. the addictive, bone aching need they felt for one another. But with Ry's parents and Cart's lgbt center crumbling, would love last the second time around ? The author's writing style and diction is brilliant and the romantic verses are truly poetic. Words. Such beautiful words. I just can't believe it's the author's debut novel.
My heart went out for Ry and for the hundreds of such faceless Ry's in the world.
And when it comes to the story, One word-Pulchritudinous. Heartbreakingly beautiful. It was so so beautiful to read the way the MCs rediscovered parts of their old selves, accepted the reality of new circumstances and decided to choose their forever-their own kind of forever.
|"Loving me? It scares me because I don’t think I ever stopped.”“That’s good because I know I didn’t. You kept me going, Cart, the memories of you, of us. They helped me know what was real and true. What to believe.”|
The story will take you through it all. And in my eyes, Ry and Cart's story is a love letter to the notion that true love is forever and that love in all its forms triumphs through. This story will forever occupy a very special place in my heart.
February 4, 2021
I’m really not sure how to express how wonderful this book is
I read the prequel to this in the Wonderland giveaway. I knew something big was coming, and after the prequel that tugged at my heart and the sneak peek at the book to come, that I had to read it. For the second time in a week, I read a debut novel for an author. But the other had been pumped by big authors supporting him. This book had been pumped by rec’s alone, and I knew it would be tough. As someone who tends to shy from angst heavy books, this one was absolutely worth it. Cart and Ry’s journey is truly unique and special from the beginning. The story has all the aspects between the pain, the love, the sex, the angst, the drama. It ALL WORKS. The trauma Ry had to work through and the side characters and plots... it all worked. What an absolute marvel for this debut novel. I cannot wait for more.
I read the prequel to this in the Wonderland giveaway. I knew something big was coming, and after the prequel that tugged at my heart and the sneak peek at the book to come, that I had to read it. For the second time in a week, I read a debut novel for an author. But the other had been pumped by big authors supporting him. This book had been pumped by rec’s alone, and I knew it would be tough. As someone who tends to shy from angst heavy books, this one was absolutely worth it. Cart and Ry’s journey is truly unique and special from the beginning. The story has all the aspects between the pain, the love, the sex, the angst, the drama. It ALL WORKS. The trauma Ry had to work through and the side characters and plots... it all worked. What an absolute marvel for this debut novel. I cannot wait for more.
February 25, 2021
Woah, I did not realize this is this authors first full length novel; it was an incredible debut! Having just finished a sweeter book I was ready for all the angst and this book delivered it in spades (in the best possible way). But throughout the book, even when the MCs seemed to think all was lost, I could definitely feel the hope that it would all work out. The HEA came on a little out of nowhere for me (these two were first loves 12 years ago, I would’ve liked a little more getting to re-know each other prior to the I love yous), but I still felt the author did a great job of showing that their love was true. Definitely make sure you read the blurb, there is some triggers in here that you should be aware of prior to reading. Heartbreaking at times, lovely throughout, this book is a great second chance romance and I look forward to seeing what this author does in the future!
August 31, 2022
Huh.
There's a lot wrong with this novel.
I read it, for a given definition of "read." I skimmed sections--wordy sex scenes, repetition, over-described memories, very stupid character stuff, over-explaining everything--and I am surprised to say the author somehow also managed to make an important confrontation almost insignificant, and then the epilogue was just. Dorky. Like, it had enough issues. But she didn't even do the one thing I wanted to see.
Read it and see for yourself. Or heed the warning. Up to you.
There's a lot wrong with this novel.
I read it, for a given definition of "read." I skimmed sections--wordy sex scenes, repetition, over-described memories, very stupid character stuff, over-explaining everything--and I am surprised to say the author somehow also managed to make an important confrontation almost insignificant, and then the epilogue was just. Dorky. Like, it had enough issues. But she didn't even do the one thing I wanted to see.
Read it and see for yourself. Or heed the warning. Up to you.
August 27, 2021
This book was hard to read. It was amazing and possibly one of my favorite books that I've read recently, but it was incredibly hard to read. The pain that Ry and Cart are going through and the themes of the book are palpable and heavy. Make sure to heed the trigger warnings mentioned at the beginning of the book, because some of this content could be incredibly triggering for the wrong reader.
Now with that in mind, let's discuss this beautiful and amazing story.
Cart and Ry were together twelve years ago. They were students at Harvard, roommates, and so deeply in love that neither could imagine it ending. And then a picture of the two of them kissing at a protest went viral and the world crashed around them. Ry's homophobic father came and took him away, sending him to a type of hell that would haunt him for the next decade. He also told Cart that Ry regretted what had happened between them and paid him off to stay away from Ry. Hearts were broken, but time marched on.
In the present day, Cart is a widower and a human rights lawyer. His husband died a few years before the start of the story and you can feel sam's presence on ever page. This is probably one of my favorite parts of the story. The fact that Ry and Cart talk about Sam. The fact that Sam's pictures are still up in the house and that Sam's presence in Cart's heart and life are never once negated or made to seem like a lesser love. Instead, its just shown that Cart was lucky enough to find two people who qualified as the love of his life.
This book also deals with Ry's trauma in a beautiful way. Cart deals with it in a beautiful way too. The fact that its over a decade after the trauma occurred makes it feel more realistic that Ry is able to make great strides in overcoming the trauma shortly after he and Cart are reunited. It is also incredibly realistic that while he makes strides forward, there are still setbacks. There are still moments where the trauma and his responses completely overwhelm him and those were the reasons that I sometimes had to put the book down. Those were the reasons it took a little longer to finish this book than it did others.
Because this book is heavy in the rawness of the emotions. It is heavy in the rawness of the trauma and the realistic dealing with it. It is also fulfilling in the love story between Cart and Ry. There may be a bit of instalove and I think they could've spent a bit more time getting to know who they became before that first I Love You dropped, but that's a personal preference. The fact is they were a love that spanned a decade, that survived loss and pain and absence, only to finally find one another and get their much deserved HEA.
So while this book is heavy, I would call it a must read.
** ARC PROVIDED BY GRR **
Now with that in mind, let's discuss this beautiful and amazing story.
Cart and Ry were together twelve years ago. They were students at Harvard, roommates, and so deeply in love that neither could imagine it ending. And then a picture of the two of them kissing at a protest went viral and the world crashed around them. Ry's homophobic father came and took him away, sending him to a type of hell that would haunt him for the next decade. He also told Cart that Ry regretted what had happened between them and paid him off to stay away from Ry. Hearts were broken, but time marched on.
In the present day, Cart is a widower and a human rights lawyer. His husband died a few years before the start of the story and you can feel sam's presence on ever page. This is probably one of my favorite parts of the story. The fact that Ry and Cart talk about Sam. The fact that Sam's pictures are still up in the house and that Sam's presence in Cart's heart and life are never once negated or made to seem like a lesser love. Instead, its just shown that Cart was lucky enough to find two people who qualified as the love of his life.
This book also deals with Ry's trauma in a beautiful way. Cart deals with it in a beautiful way too. The fact that its over a decade after the trauma occurred makes it feel more realistic that Ry is able to make great strides in overcoming the trauma shortly after he and Cart are reunited. It is also incredibly realistic that while he makes strides forward, there are still setbacks. There are still moments where the trauma and his responses completely overwhelm him and those were the reasons that I sometimes had to put the book down. Those were the reasons it took a little longer to finish this book than it did others.
Because this book is heavy in the rawness of the emotions. It is heavy in the rawness of the trauma and the realistic dealing with it. It is also fulfilling in the love story between Cart and Ry. There may be a bit of instalove and I think they could've spent a bit more time getting to know who they became before that first I Love You dropped, but that's a personal preference. The fact is they were a love that spanned a decade, that survived loss and pain and absence, only to finally find one another and get their much deserved HEA.
So while this book is heavy, I would call it a must read.
** ARC PROVIDED BY GRR **
January 22, 2023
4 stars
This was a difficult book to read because of the glimpes of what Ry went through at the conversion camp. Luckily there were just hints, Ry never tells all the abuses he suffered.
Cart had a difficult past too, after losing Ry, he found happiness again with Sam. But fate intervened again, ripped his husband away from him.
The story starts when they unexpectedly meet after 12 years and they're both in a difficult place: Ry cannot have sex with anyone, Cart cannot trust anyone with his heart. And to add tension to an already uneasy situation, there's the fact that neither of them tried to contact the other during all the years apart. Cart believed Ry's father and always thought Ry abandoned him, while Ry was being tortured at the conversion camp. So, they tried to reconnect with each other between insecurities, miscommunications and fears.
One thing I didn't understand: Ry told Cart that during the tortures, the thought of Cart was the one who kept him sane, that he never stopped loving him. But during the times he felt better, he tried to date other men (failing and trying to kill himself after that); so why not look for Cart, even if it was just for closure? I found unbelievable that none of his therapists or his sister suggested him to reach out for his true love. He didn't fight for the love of his life, instead he fought for his trust fund (in this regard, I strongly appreciate Jen's story and her resolution to live her own life).
Anyway, when they finally reconnected, there were a lot of beautiful and emotional moments (). I loved very much how Cart was able to ground Ry, to keep him safe and loved.
I particularly appreciated how the author handled the dead husband trope, balancing Cart's feelings for the two loves of his life.
The HEA is sweet and everything goes the way it was meant to be.
This was a difficult book to read because of the glimpes of what Ry went through at the conversion camp. Luckily there were just hints, Ry never tells all the abuses he suffered.
Cart had a difficult past too, after losing Ry, he found happiness again with Sam. But fate intervened again, ripped his husband away from him.
The story starts when they unexpectedly meet after 12 years and they're both in a difficult place: Ry cannot have sex with anyone, Cart cannot trust anyone with his heart. And to add tension to an already uneasy situation, there's the fact that neither of them tried to contact the other during all the years apart. Cart believed Ry's father and always thought Ry abandoned him, while Ry was being tortured at the conversion camp. So, they tried to reconnect with each other between insecurities, miscommunications and fears.
One thing I didn't understand: Ry told Cart that during the tortures, the thought of Cart was the one who kept him sane, that he never stopped loving him. But during the times he felt better, he tried to date other men (failing and trying to kill himself after that); so why not look for Cart, even if it was just for closure? I found unbelievable that none of his therapists or his sister suggested him to reach out for his true love. He didn't fight for the love of his life, instead he fought for his trust fund (in this regard, I strongly appreciate Jen's story and her resolution to live her own life).
Anyway, when they finally reconnected, there were a lot of beautiful and emotional moments (). I loved very much how Cart was able to ground Ry, to keep him safe and loved.
I particularly appreciated how the author handled the dead husband trope, balancing Cart's feelings for the two loves of his life.
The HEA is sweet and everything goes the way it was meant to be.
January 28, 2021
A Kind of Forever is an emotional and powerful second chance romance by Marie Sinclair.
Way back when, Ry and Cart were dating and in love. Until Ry disappeared without an explanation.
Set in San Francisco, this one is one hell of a read. Ry's past is full of pain and anguish, all caused by his controlling, homophobic parents.
As for Cart, he's now grieving the loss of his husband Sam and helping to save Sam's LGBTQ youth center.
Upon their reunion, the anger and animosity are both intense. What follows is a beautiful tale of regret and forgiveness. It's a tale with family issues, as Ry can't come out to his family. Their story includes panic attacks and so damn many flashbacks to conversion therapy.
In the end, it's an impressive story with explanations, apologies, and acceptance. It's story of trying to deal with one's own past, as well as another's. And I couldn't put it down.
This is a story with plenty of heavy topics and heavy moments. Take note of the trigger warnings and avoid if conversion therapy or attempted suicide is a hard no for you.
The writing flows well, with a great pace. The characters are well developed and their storyline emotional and intriguing. The great thing is, despite all the heaviness involved, the author manages to keep things lighter than one would except.
A Kind of Forever is a stellar read. My first time reading a Marie Sinclair book, I am in love with this one and look forward to reading more from this newish author.
Way back when, Ry and Cart were dating and in love. Until Ry disappeared without an explanation.
Set in San Francisco, this one is one hell of a read. Ry's past is full of pain and anguish, all caused by his controlling, homophobic parents.
As for Cart, he's now grieving the loss of his husband Sam and helping to save Sam's LGBTQ youth center.
Upon their reunion, the anger and animosity are both intense. What follows is a beautiful tale of regret and forgiveness. It's a tale with family issues, as Ry can't come out to his family. Their story includes panic attacks and so damn many flashbacks to conversion therapy.
In the end, it's an impressive story with explanations, apologies, and acceptance. It's story of trying to deal with one's own past, as well as another's. And I couldn't put it down.
This is a story with plenty of heavy topics and heavy moments. Take note of the trigger warnings and avoid if conversion therapy or attempted suicide is a hard no for you.
The writing flows well, with a great pace. The characters are well developed and their storyline emotional and intriguing. The great thing is, despite all the heaviness involved, the author manages to keep things lighter than one would except.
A Kind of Forever is a stellar read. My first time reading a Marie Sinclair book, I am in love with this one and look forward to reading more from this newish author.
February 6, 2021
4.5 stars
Ry and Cart fell in love in college, and they were blissfully happy, until things fell epically apart. Twelve years later, they’re reunited. Cart is a widower balancing his work as an attorney with his struggle to keep his late husband’s LGBTQIA+ youth center afloat. Ry is dealing with the years of trauma his homophobic parents have imposed on him, as well as their continued labrynthine machinations to control him. There’s a lot of history, a lot of pain, and a million reasons they won’t make it a second time, but in spite of all of it, the pull between them is as strong as it ever was. I respect the delicacy with which the author has handled the material here: Ry’s post-conversion-therapy trauma is extensive, and his triggers and panic attacks are portrayed unflinchingly but respectfully. Love isn’t the magic bullet that miraculously “fixes” him with a single kiss, which lends realism as well as weight to Ry’s journey. I felt for Ry, and for Cart, and I loved how generous they were with each other, even when it was obviously hard to do. Ry’s parents were, frankly, horrible. Their presence on the page felt almost poisonous, and I don’t think I’ve ever loathed fictional people more. There were a couple plot points I couldn’t quite track-- Ry seems to alternatively not know, then know, the details of Cart’s life without him, for example, but overall I found this to be a well-written, moving love story about two people who weather a great deal and still manage to be together.
*I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Ry and Cart fell in love in college, and they were blissfully happy, until things fell epically apart. Twelve years later, they’re reunited. Cart is a widower balancing his work as an attorney with his struggle to keep his late husband’s LGBTQIA+ youth center afloat. Ry is dealing with the years of trauma his homophobic parents have imposed on him, as well as their continued labrynthine machinations to control him. There’s a lot of history, a lot of pain, and a million reasons they won’t make it a second time, but in spite of all of it, the pull between them is as strong as it ever was. I respect the delicacy with which the author has handled the material here: Ry’s post-conversion-therapy trauma is extensive, and his triggers and panic attacks are portrayed unflinchingly but respectfully. Love isn’t the magic bullet that miraculously “fixes” him with a single kiss, which lends realism as well as weight to Ry’s journey. I felt for Ry, and for Cart, and I loved how generous they were with each other, even when it was obviously hard to do. Ry’s parents were, frankly, horrible. Their presence on the page felt almost poisonous, and I don’t think I’ve ever loathed fictional people more. There were a couple plot points I couldn’t quite track-- Ry seems to alternatively not know, then know, the details of Cart’s life without him, for example, but overall I found this to be a well-written, moving love story about two people who weather a great deal and still manage to be together.
*I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 12, 2022
A Kind of Forever was a heart wrenching story about two men who fight to get their second chance at love. Ry and Cart were inseparable in college until a picture outed Ry to his conservative family. They forced him to leave college and go to conversion camp. Fast forward 12 years and Cart is working to keep the LGBTQ youth center his late husband opened afloat. Ry joins the law firm where Cart is also working. When they see each other again Cart doesn’t even recognize the man before him. Gone is his lover that had so much life and love and compassion and in his place is a shell of the man he once was. Ry has been through so much. Conversion therapy really was not kind to him and he has struggled with even looking at a man ever since. He cant be who he truly is because he would lose everything. Eventually he is finally able to see that what his family wants for him really isn’t everything and what he truly wants is the love he once shared with Cart. This book left me speechless. It is a truly beautiful story about second chances and true love. It was heart wrenching at times but also very warm and full of love.
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.
POV: 3rd Person Dual POV
Standalone or series: Book 1 in the Finding Forever series
Would I recommend it: 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ highly recommend!! 🤩
Would I read it again: Most definitely!
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.
POV: 3rd Person Dual POV
Standalone or series: Book 1 in the Finding Forever series
Would I recommend it: 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ highly recommend!! 🤩
Would I read it again: Most definitely!
January 30, 2021
A solid 4.5 stars for this book from me. I’ve loved so many things about it but particularly how real their relationship was built. Both characters had traumatic backgrounds so it made sense that they’d pace themselves in that rebuilding - both from a physical and mental point of view. A couple of times while reading the book I thought to myself that the author was dragging the MC’s issues a bit too much, but the more I thought about it, the more I realised that it couldn’t have been done in any other way. Rushing any aspect of their relationship would have felt too fake. Nobody gets over that kind of drama in 5 pages.
The only reason I’m not giving this book a full five stars mark (although I’ve rounded up my 4.5 to 5 here) is because the final face to face meeting between Ry and his dad was extremely anticlimactic for me. There had been such a build up about the kind of terrible person the father could be, that just have him sitting down and saying “I’m disappointed in you” left me completely deflated. Not that I was expecting a full kidnapping or similar, but yeah, I was hoping for more.
Glad to see that Jake will be getting his own book too. There was enough about him in this story to make me curios about what’s to come (although I haven’t read the free two chapters included at the end. I will wait for the full length book)
The only reason I’m not giving this book a full five stars mark (although I’ve rounded up my 4.5 to 5 here) is because the final face to face meeting between Ry and his dad was extremely anticlimactic for me. There had been such a build up about the kind of terrible person the father could be, that just have him sitting down and saying “I’m disappointed in you” left me completely deflated. Not that I was expecting a full kidnapping or similar, but yeah, I was hoping for more.
Glad to see that Jake will be getting his own book too. There was enough about him in this story to make me curios about what’s to come (although I haven’t read the free two chapters included at the end. I will wait for the full length book)
January 30, 2021
This is an excellent start to a new series and I absolutely loved it. A Kind of Forever is beautifully written, sweet, funny, sexy, gritty, very emotional, heartbreakingly sad, uplifting, full of hope, deals well with some very difficult issues, the characters are amazing and I could not put it down. Ry and Cart meet again after being apart for twelve years and they are so different now that they will have to begin all over again if they want to be together. Neither of them has had an easy life since they parted but Ry is by far the most affected by his past and his only support has been from his sister and her partner. His parents did everything possible to control and change him but in spite of the horrors he has been through he wants to be able to have a relationship with Cart. There are some incredibly tender and difficult moments between Ry and Cart as they learn to navigate their new relationship and discover how to deal with the trauma from Ry's past. I love that Cart is continuing his late husbands work, how brave and determined Ry is, the secondary characters are wonderful, the ending is perfect and I can't wait to read the next book in this incredible new series.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book.
February 9, 2021
If you're looking for a book with real life circumstances and how characters deal with consequences of previous actions then I highly recommend this book!
Ry and Cart began their relationship as roommates/best friends and became lovers until a viral picture at an LGBTQ rally goes viral.
Ry has grown up under the watchful and controlling eye of his parents. When their picture makes its way back to them, they take steps to ensure that Ry and Cart are never to be back together again.
Cart is left alone and heart broken. When Ry's father shows up at their dorm room, he doesn't want to believe what he is saying it true. As time passes and he can't find Ry and texts and phone calls go unanswered, Cart has no choice but to believe that even though he loves Ry, Ry didn't truly feel the same way.
Now 12 years later, Cart and Ry are working at the same law firm. Cart has moved on, got married and watched his husband die at the hands of cancer. Well at least he thinks he has moved on.
There are some trigger warnings within this book such as discussions on previous suicidal attempts, conversion therapy, depression and self harm.
Ry and Cart began their relationship as roommates/best friends and became lovers until a viral picture at an LGBTQ rally goes viral.
Ry has grown up under the watchful and controlling eye of his parents. When their picture makes its way back to them, they take steps to ensure that Ry and Cart are never to be back together again.
Cart is left alone and heart broken. When Ry's father shows up at their dorm room, he doesn't want to believe what he is saying it true. As time passes and he can't find Ry and texts and phone calls go unanswered, Cart has no choice but to believe that even though he loves Ry, Ry didn't truly feel the same way.
Now 12 years later, Cart and Ry are working at the same law firm. Cart has moved on, got married and watched his husband die at the hands of cancer. Well at least he thinks he has moved on.
There are some trigger warnings within this book such as discussions on previous suicidal attempts, conversion therapy, depression and self harm.
February 7, 2021
This is one of the most powerful emotional reads I have read in a long time. If you are one who gets really emotional and attached while reading like me then either plan for this or read it in stages because it will affect you. I’m not going to get you a rehash of the blurb or give you a lot of details because you want to go in without influence. There is only one detail I have to talk about. I truly hate Roy’s parents. You’d think with what they went through they could at least try. Though I could say a bunch more it wouldn’t be in any nice terms or language. I can’t stress enough the importance of reading the trigger warnings. This makes the book seem negative but it’s not. Those positives though are very hard earned. I will add that I’ll go back and read this again. As much as I enjoyed it, I do believe going in again after some time will make it even more so. Having been through the emotional journey once I’d like to see the details that I missed because of them. Overall this is a very good read and the writer’s skill is what made it so.
February 21, 2021
This book is very moving and powerful but PSA here. I can’t imagine how people can think it is ok to put someone through what the character Ry goes through. I know it happens in real life but the idea of conversion therapy is just an anethema to me. Don’t read this book if you have any kind of PTSD or trauma from something like that because this book will be all too real. This was my first book by this author. It is beautiful and terrible all at the same time. What Ry goes through in his head is something no one should have to fight and the fact that his own family puts him through it is even worse. Again I know this actually happens and it makes me sick to my stomach. This book is very good. Cart trying to understand what Ry has been through and Ry trying to be strong enough to overcome it is written so well here. This author did an amazing job. This book is not a light read but it is worth it. They come through so much to find their happiness.
January 27, 2021
High angst second chance romance.
Dual POV, fleshed out MCs, past to come to terms with, finding the way back to each other.
My heart broke for both Cart and Ry. Especially for Ry. I think conversion therapy camps is one if the most horrific things I've learned about since starting reading mm books. Ry's parents are the worst and I liked that there was no redemption for them.
The book was more angsty than I expected but there were happy moments too. Cart and Ry are vulnerable yet strong and the mix was very well written. They have a lot to overcome and some back and force was justified considering their history. Emotions were strong and real and I could feel their love for each despite all the doubts.
The book ends with HEA and epilogue that made me happy.
I thoroughly enjoyed this well written story and the author writing style, will definitely read the next book from her.
Dual POV, fleshed out MCs, past to come to terms with, finding the way back to each other.
My heart broke for both Cart and Ry. Especially for Ry. I think conversion therapy camps is one if the most horrific things I've learned about since starting reading mm books. Ry's parents are the worst and I liked that there was no redemption for them.
The book was more angsty than I expected but there were happy moments too. Cart and Ry are vulnerable yet strong and the mix was very well written. They have a lot to overcome and some back and force was justified considering their history. Emotions were strong and real and I could feel their love for each despite all the doubts.
The book ends with HEA and epilogue that made me happy.
I thoroughly enjoyed this well written story and the author writing style, will definitely read the next book from her.
February 8, 2021
I enjoyed this emotional, angsty tale about two young men who fall in love, are separated, then meet up again 12 years later for a second chance at love. Sounds simple, but Ry and Cart's journey is a lot more complicated than that, and there is a ton of lies, heartbreak, conditioning, and confusion involved. Ry's homophobic parents and the things they put him through have left scars and trauma, and Cart is reeling from the loss of his husband. They would seem to have no chance together, but the connection is still there. This is a deeply touching and in some ways horrifying read, especially as regards the conversion therapy tactics and effects. Ry and Cart are well-developed, realistic characters, and their story is often sad and traumatic, but there are good times too and a bit of humor.
I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.
I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.
February 24, 2021
This is the first book I’ve read of this author’s. I will be adding her to my watch list. This story made me cringe, cry and sigh. I find it hard to believe parents can do the stuff some of them do to their children. This has a few examples of that. This book also brought hope to me for the way the two characters had a strong attraction to each other and so much joy between them. I feel the main characters draw you to them almost instantly and hold on till the end. The story flow is consistent and I just wanted to keep reading. The sex is high heat and sadly I have to say I’ve never been so glad for the characters to have sex. This is a very emotional story and I can’t wait to find out more about this author and her books. I received a free copy from GRR and thank them for finding this author for me.
March 1, 2021
This book hit all my emotional buttons. Ry and Cart were inseparable, college sweethearts whose photo of them kissing went viral. Roy’s parents, ultra conservative and very manipulative, sent him away to conversion therapy and paid off Cart after lying to him about Ry’s feelings. Fast forward 12 years later and Ry and Cart are reunited in a twist of fate, so it seems, and end up working at the same law firm. The plot building and really emotional descriptions of Ry’s and Cart’s pain is so well written. Cart is a widow after his husband Adam does of cancer. He then feels guilty for reuniting and still loving Ry. This book was just so good. And the side characters were also intriguing enough to make this a very well-written story with just enough angst. Add on the manipulating parents Ry has and you have a book that’s just so hard to put down.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 6, 2021
My heart...
A member of the GRR arc team I'm on recommended this book, which was offered as a complimentary read after it had already been published. I took a chance on a new-to-me author and I am so glad I did.
Marie Sinclair has crafted a beautiful novel, a love story featuring two broken characters who fight for their HEA.
There are some trigger warnings necessary, but I think Marie deftly handled the situations without being unnecessarily graphic or overly vague.
Her prose is beautiful, and the book is paced perfectly. I have been fortunate enough to visit San Francisco, where the book is set, and I could see it clearly in her descriptions of the locations.
I appreciate that it takes time on both sides to resolve the longstanding issues that separated these guys.
I highly recommend this book, and am eager to read the next one!
A member of the GRR arc team I'm on recommended this book, which was offered as a complimentary read after it had already been published. I took a chance on a new-to-me author and I am so glad I did.
Marie Sinclair has crafted a beautiful novel, a love story featuring two broken characters who fight for their HEA.
There are some trigger warnings necessary, but I think Marie deftly handled the situations without being unnecessarily graphic or overly vague.
Her prose is beautiful, and the book is paced perfectly. I have been fortunate enough to visit San Francisco, where the book is set, and I could see it clearly in her descriptions of the locations.
I appreciate that it takes time on both sides to resolve the longstanding issues that separated these guys.
I highly recommend this book, and am eager to read the next one!
January 23, 2021
This is a hard read with trigger warnings for conversion therapy and suicide attempts (all prior to the events in the book but very central to the story).
Ry and Cart are meant to be together but Ry's parents are extremely controlling and closed minded and they send Ry away for conversion therapy.
12 years later, they find themselves working for the same law firm and must face some hard truths about themselves in order to move forward.
This is high angst, high drama reading, however there's enough lightness to balance this out; the author chooses not to exploit every potential drama, which also helps keep things balanced.
I will now be waiting for Jake and Micah's story.
I received an ARC and have chosen to leave an honest review.
Ry and Cart are meant to be together but Ry's parents are extremely controlling and closed minded and they send Ry away for conversion therapy.
12 years later, they find themselves working for the same law firm and must face some hard truths about themselves in order to move forward.
This is high angst, high drama reading, however there's enough lightness to balance this out; the author chooses not to exploit every potential drama, which also helps keep things balanced.
I will now be waiting for Jake and Micah's story.
I received an ARC and have chosen to leave an honest review.
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