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Blockers #1
C*ck Blocked
It’s not easy being someone you’re not.
Grayson Darling is suddenly the new Hollywood “it” guy and needs a break from stardom. As an American actor turned heartthrob, Gray rose to superstar status as a romantic lead on a popular streaming service – but it’s getting harder to hide who he really is.
To his legions of female fans, he’s a handsome, single and straight man.
But it’s all a made-for-TV lie.
Needing a holiday during the show’s summer hiatus, Gray books a stay at a rural Ireland B&B, where he hopes the scenery and solitude will spark creativity to finish his first screenplay. And allow him time to figure out who and what he wants to be to the world.
Gruff and steady Niall O’Reardon wonders if this is all life has to offer him now that he’s retired from the Gaelic football league and has taken over his family farm in Boyle, Ireland, where hard work is simply a fact of life. A place where dreams get shoveled up along with the sheep muck. He has no illusions that he’ll find the perfect love or start a family someday.
Until his new handsome American B&B guest shows up, messing with his ideas on what love is supposed to be, giving him hope that he can have it all and that perfect isn’t just a fantasy.
But choices must be made, and the truth has consequences. And hearts and reputations are on the line and need to be protected.
Grayson Darling is suddenly the new Hollywood “it” guy and needs a break from stardom. As an American actor turned heartthrob, Gray rose to superstar status as a romantic lead on a popular streaming service – but it’s getting harder to hide who he really is.
To his legions of female fans, he’s a handsome, single and straight man.
But it’s all a made-for-TV lie.
Needing a holiday during the show’s summer hiatus, Gray books a stay at a rural Ireland B&B, where he hopes the scenery and solitude will spark creativity to finish his first screenplay. And allow him time to figure out who and what he wants to be to the world.
Gruff and steady Niall O’Reardon wonders if this is all life has to offer him now that he’s retired from the Gaelic football league and has taken over his family farm in Boyle, Ireland, where hard work is simply a fact of life. A place where dreams get shoveled up along with the sheep muck. He has no illusions that he’ll find the perfect love or start a family someday.
Until his new handsome American B&B guest shows up, messing with his ideas on what love is supposed to be, giving him hope that he can have it all and that perfect isn’t just a fantasy.
But choices must be made, and the truth has consequences. And hearts and reputations are on the line and need to be protected.
152 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 24, 2021
108 people are currently reading
457 people want to read
About the author
K.C. Kassidy
6 books145 followersK.C. Kassidy is the LGBTQ pen name for Sierra Hill, an award-winning author of 30+ books.
K.C. Kassidy loves a good romance where the most unlikely characters will have their meet-cute and end up with HEA's, regardless of their gender or sexual orientation.
K.C.'s favorite LGBTQ authors are Annabeth Albert, Marley Valentine, A.M. Johnson, Sarina Bowen, Eden Finley, Garrett Leigh and Christina Lee and Riley Hart.
K.C. Kassidy loves a good romance where the most unlikely characters will have their meet-cute and end up with HEA's, regardless of their gender or sexual orientation.
K.C.'s favorite LGBTQ authors are Annabeth Albert, Marley Valentine, A.M. Johnson, Sarina Bowen, Eden Finley, Garrett Leigh and Christina Lee and Riley Hart.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
June 26, 2021
Pass the Guinness While I Enjoy the Show
3.5 stars - Like a good Irish girl, I love me a pint of Guinness. All the Irish lilt and descriptions of life in Ireland have me yearning for a pint. Of course, the two leading men in this book leave me yearning for something else entirely! 🌋🚿🌬
Niall and Grayson are strong and beautiful together. They were fun to get to know. Mr. Gruff & Mr. Sunshine. 😡🌞
I did like the book but I struggled with the pace of the last couple of chapters. The book went from the slow but steady pace of a marathon to a 40-yard dash without warning. There were two major events in that span of pages, neither getting an appropriate telling. To properly handle the events that occurred, at least a couple more chapters would've been warranted.
Throughout the book, Grayson struggles with trying to manage how others perceive him, acknowledging the toll it takes on him and his supportive family to remain closeted. I can't imagine how hard that can be.
Niall has been publicly out for years but having to try to keep a lid on his feelings and attraction are tough. It was nice to see this unflappable man opening and lightening up as the relationship grew.
I'm voluntarily reviewing an ARC of this book.
3.5 stars - Like a good Irish girl, I love me a pint of Guinness. All the Irish lilt and descriptions of life in Ireland have me yearning for a pint. Of course, the two leading men in this book leave me yearning for something else entirely! 🌋🚿🌬
Niall and Grayson are strong and beautiful together. They were fun to get to know. Mr. Gruff & Mr. Sunshine. 😡🌞
I did like the book but I struggled with the pace of the last couple of chapters. The book went from the slow but steady pace of a marathon to a 40-yard dash without warning. There were two major events in that span of pages, neither getting an appropriate telling. To properly handle the events that occurred, at least a couple more chapters would've been warranted.
But having to keep it going in my real life and faking it in order to preserve the integrity of my career has become too much to manage. I’m so tired of hiding who I am from the world and pretending to be someone I’m not— a straight man.
-- Grayson Darling / Geoffrey Lancer
Throughout the book, Grayson struggles with trying to manage how others perceive him, acknowledging the toll it takes on him and his supportive family to remain closeted. I can't imagine how hard that can be.
Niall has been publicly out for years but having to try to keep a lid on his feelings and attraction are tough. It was nice to see this unflappable man opening and lightening up as the relationship grew.
I'm voluntarily reviewing an ARC of this book.
August 4, 2023
DNF at 30%.
This is just ridiculous. The metaphors, the inner monolog, the instalust.
From the first day they meet, it goes like this for chapter after chapter:
"A burst of self-deprecating laughter escapes his mouth, and the sound is fucking glorious. Like church bells ringing on Easter Sunday morning. Except instead of filling my soul, it goes straight to my groin. "
This is just ridiculous. The metaphors, the inner monolog, the instalust.
From the first day they meet, it goes like this for chapter after chapter:
"A burst of self-deprecating laughter escapes his mouth, and the sound is fucking glorious. Like church bells ringing on Easter Sunday morning. Except instead of filling my soul, it goes straight to my groin. "
June 18, 2021
2.5 stars
So, before I write this review, I read the updated version that included the epilogue that was being held hostage in the first version. Spoiler alert. It's never good form to expect readers to sign up for your newsletter to get the ending of a story. A bonus scene is fine, but not that actual end of the book.
This book is apparently the first venture into MM for this author and I would encourage them to read more in the genre before writing a second book. This was just a hot mess express from the very first chapter.
Not to sound like a broken record, but like some of the other reviewers have said, this was just riddled with stereotypes, cliches and changing backstories. etc. This was a solid concept, but the follow through was just meh.
My biggest complaint about this book is the ending and the epilogue. If you've read any of my reviews, you know how I feel about books ending on a sex scene. I hate it with the passion of 10,000 men.
The real killer for me wth this story was the last chapter. It was super rushed and you literally have the death of Niall's father on the day Grayson leaves. Two pages later they are kissing in the lobby of a. hotel. The end?!?!? The epilogue was ok, but I just wasn't impressed and definitely not a book I loved or would bother re-reading.
*I received an Arc, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.*
So, before I write this review, I read the updated version that included the epilogue that was being held hostage in the first version. Spoiler alert. It's never good form to expect readers to sign up for your newsletter to get the ending of a story. A bonus scene is fine, but not that actual end of the book.
This book is apparently the first venture into MM for this author and I would encourage them to read more in the genre before writing a second book. This was just a hot mess express from the very first chapter.
Not to sound like a broken record, but like some of the other reviewers have said, this was just riddled with stereotypes, cliches and changing backstories. etc. This was a solid concept, but the follow through was just meh.
My biggest complaint about this book is the ending and the epilogue. If you've read any of my reviews, you know how I feel about books ending on a sex scene. I hate it with the passion of 10,000 men.
The real killer for me wth this story was the last chapter. It was super rushed and you literally have the death of Niall's father on the day Grayson leaves. Two pages later they are kissing in the lobby of a. hotel. The end?!?!? The epilogue was ok, but I just wasn't impressed and definitely not a book I loved or would bother re-reading.
*I received an Arc, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.*
June 18, 2021
Hmm well I had to sit with this one before getting my thoughts together for a review. First I have absolutely no idea how the cover and the title of this book actually relates to the story. It’s not a huge deal but kind of a pet peeve. That said I did like the characters for the most part Niall was growly and grumpy but also had a sense of humor and I enjoyed his whole family a lot. I thought the author did a good job with incorporating the Irish slang but also making it clear what they meant.
Unfortunately I did not love Grayson especially at the end. I don’t want any spoilers but his choices really turned me off. I also thought the writing was full of cliches that didn’t make sense or were contradictory. For example during a steamy scene one MC felt his finish approaching then in the next sentence it came “barreling out of nowhere”. I did think the chemistry between the main characters was good and I love a growly big man in bed with a touch of dominance but I didn’t feel as much emotional connection as I wanted.
Finally I was super disappointed in the pacing of the story. More than 50% was lead up and then the end was abrupt and left so many unanswered questions. It drives me absolutely insane when authors spend an entire book having a character worry about something then barely address it at the end.
The epilogue was meh barely wrapping up the things both characters had literally agonized over for the entire book with a paragraph or two about how they had been through a lot but got through it. like?? Okay but them facing their issues, together and apart, is what I wanted to see, not just be very briefly told about it a year later.
I know this was characterized as a slow burn but if you’re going to do that you should at least take the time to show what happens to all the issues that took up more than half the book before the MCs got together. Overall I thought this was okay but not great.
Unfortunately I did not love Grayson especially at the end. I don’t want any spoilers but his choices really turned me off. I also thought the writing was full of cliches that didn’t make sense or were contradictory. For example during a steamy scene one MC felt his finish approaching then in the next sentence it came “barreling out of nowhere”. I did think the chemistry between the main characters was good and I love a growly big man in bed with a touch of dominance but I didn’t feel as much emotional connection as I wanted.
Finally I was super disappointed in the pacing of the story. More than 50% was lead up and then the end was abrupt and left so many unanswered questions. It drives me absolutely insane when authors spend an entire book having a character worry about something then barely address it at the end.
The epilogue was meh barely wrapping up the things both characters had literally agonized over for the entire book with a paragraph or two about how they had been through a lot but got through it. like?? Okay but them facing their issues, together and apart, is what I wanted to see, not just be very briefly told about it a year later.
I know this was characterized as a slow burn but if you’re going to do that you should at least take the time to show what happens to all the issues that took up more than half the book before the MCs got together. Overall I thought this was okay but not great.
June 22, 2021
3.5 stars. Grayson Darling wants to retreat from his current life for a while and finds himself in a little Irish B&B, part of the sheep farm owned by the O’Reardon family. The hard work is mostly run by Niall, an ex-Gaelic football league player.
Niall is built like a brick house. Grayson is impressed by the grumpy man.
Grayson and Niall are instantly smitten by each other. Only there’s no place in Niall’s life for a Yankee deep in the closet, who will return home after a month, back to be the straight actor.
“I may not be the most sentimental of men, but my heart is still a delicate organ.”
Niall’s big and smaller head talks different languages, his big one tells him to keep his distance and his smaller head is blindly following Gray.
At first sight a strange combination, a movie star and a farmer but they fit well, when you can forget the part about a closeted actor and a man who wants to protect his heart.
I liked this story but it has also some minus points.
The interactions were hot and attractive, it started somewhat slow, but after their first interaction, the heat is on.
There is a lot of lust, I missed some emotional connection, some romance, I had the feeling it missed a step from lust and fun to the point where there is talk about ‘soul mates’ and a hea. That was fine of course, but I missed some emotional build-up, it was more physical.
What I didn’t get was the use of his Hollywood name, no actor uses his stage name in rl.
Overall a hot story, there are some wonderful secondary characters, the life on the farm and the story around both men’s work were well done, the end was a bit sudden and not fully satisfying. The total picture was entertaining and enjoyable!
Niall is built like a brick house. Grayson is impressed by the grumpy man.
Grayson and Niall are instantly smitten by each other. Only there’s no place in Niall’s life for a Yankee deep in the closet, who will return home after a month, back to be the straight actor.
“I may not be the most sentimental of men, but my heart is still a delicate organ.”
Niall’s big and smaller head talks different languages, his big one tells him to keep his distance and his smaller head is blindly following Gray.
At first sight a strange combination, a movie star and a farmer but they fit well, when you can forget the part about a closeted actor and a man who wants to protect his heart.
I liked this story but it has also some minus points.
The interactions were hot and attractive, it started somewhat slow, but after their first interaction, the heat is on.
There is a lot of lust, I missed some emotional connection, some romance, I had the feeling it missed a step from lust and fun to the point where there is talk about ‘soul mates’ and a hea. That was fine of course, but I missed some emotional build-up, it was more physical.
What I didn’t get was the use of his Hollywood name, no actor uses his stage name in rl.
Overall a hot story, there are some wonderful secondary characters, the life on the farm and the story around both men’s work were well done, the end was a bit sudden and not fully satisfying. The total picture was entertaining and enjoyable!
June 26, 2021
It was good in the beginning, lots of promised of a good cheeky story, especially when it was a movie star and a retired football player in the picture.
But it was stopped there. There's no chemistry between Gray and Niall.
And the book title was like, what? No correlation about that except that someone said the cattle had them c*ck blocked. That was it.
And the rest was downhill deeper and deeper. I was tempted to DNF this but I did some skimming instead.
Maybe, this one was just not my cuppa.
Read
June 13, 2021DNF. Time of utterly disappointment: 29%.
Damn, first time I need to DNF a book in a very long time. I’m so disappointed right now, because the blurb sounded so good and I loved the cover and I was having expectations, but this story just didn’t work for me at all.
Some inconsistencies in the first few chapters, the use of both kilometres and miles, the kind of reasoning that doesn’t make sense to me.
But, having said all that, those were things that annoyed ME, which probably means it was me and not the book.
I’m not rating because I didn’t even get to 50%, and it seems unfair to me to rate based on just 29% of the book.
Such a bummer.
ARC kindly given to me by GRR, and this is my honest review
Damn, first time I need to DNF a book in a very long time. I’m so disappointed right now, because the blurb sounded so good and I loved the cover and I was having expectations, but this story just didn’t work for me at all.
Some inconsistencies in the first few chapters, the use of both kilometres and miles, the kind of reasoning that doesn’t make sense to me.
But, having said all that, those were things that annoyed ME, which probably means it was me and not the book.
I’m not rating because I didn’t even get to 50%, and it seems unfair to me to rate based on just 29% of the book.
Such a bummer.
ARC kindly given to me by GRR, and this is my honest review
November 30, 2021
3.75 STARS
I love a celebrity romance and one set in Ireland or somewhere else I wish I was😉
So, I was excited about that.
Grayson/Geoffrey was a sympathetic character to me. I live in L.A., it’s very common knowledge how many celebrities stay in the closet for their career.
Especially when your packaged as a sex symbol. So, I did understand that and can’t imagine having to live that way.
Niall, the big, broody, gorgeous former Irish footballer. Yummy, and he know helps run the family farm and B&B 😍so adorable and swoony!
I liked that he was gruff with smirks and light humor mixed in. Otherwise I wouldn’t have liked him. Definitely like that balance.
I loved their subtle dancing around their attraction at first.
I adored Niall’s family! They are scene stealer’s!
Loved them so much!
I enjoyed this book. It was entertaining, cute, sweet and sexy! It hit me in the feels quite a few times as well.
I love a celebrity romance and one set in Ireland or somewhere else I wish I was😉
So, I was excited about that.
Grayson/Geoffrey was a sympathetic character to me. I live in L.A., it’s very common knowledge how many celebrities stay in the closet for their career.
Especially when your packaged as a sex symbol. So, I did understand that and can’t imagine having to live that way.
Niall, the big, broody, gorgeous former Irish footballer. Yummy, and he know helps run the family farm and B&B 😍so adorable and swoony!
I liked that he was gruff with smirks and light humor mixed in. Otherwise I wouldn’t have liked him. Definitely like that balance.
I loved their subtle dancing around their attraction at first.
I adored Niall’s family! They are scene stealer’s!
Loved them so much!
I enjoyed this book. It was entertaining, cute, sweet and sexy! It hit me in the feels quite a few times as well.
June 16, 2021
Such potential but, unfortunately, the story just didn’t reach it. Overall, the concept is solid, the characters are engaging and generally likeable, but the content was too inconsistent and missing to hit the mark.
Grayson’s character had a lot of potential. Hugely successful actor, closeted to his public, who’s trying to finish a screenplay to give him an escape route from acting, so he can come out and live his life the way he wants. He had the start of a good backstory, but the detail was lacking. And then, in his internal dialog, his backstory changes a bit as we get deeper in the book. I think, in an attempt to add some detail to his story, the author accidentally changes it.
Niall’s character was amazing. He was a great guy, with a strong story. And his family, farm, B&B… they all just worked well together to carry the majority of the story.
But then we start getting towards the end and the repercussions of one major event just fizzle out. The response was lackluster and not realistic.
I really wanted to enjoy this book. I love stories where the characters are given a lot of time to be introspective and come to those life-changing realizations. This book tried but just couldn’t deliver. With some additional content and the critical eye of an editor, the story could be great.
I rated it at 3-stars because of the potential and its attempt to get there.
Grayson’s character had a lot of potential. Hugely successful actor, closeted to his public, who’s trying to finish a screenplay to give him an escape route from acting, so he can come out and live his life the way he wants. He had the start of a good backstory, but the detail was lacking. And then, in his internal dialog, his backstory changes a bit as we get deeper in the book. I think, in an attempt to add some detail to his story, the author accidentally changes it.
Niall’s character was amazing. He was a great guy, with a strong story. And his family, farm, B&B… they all just worked well together to carry the majority of the story.
But then we start getting towards the end and the repercussions of one major event just fizzle out. The response was lackluster and not realistic.
I really wanted to enjoy this book. I love stories where the characters are given a lot of time to be introspective and come to those life-changing realizations. This book tried but just couldn’t deliver. With some additional content and the critical eye of an editor, the story could be great.
I rated it at 3-stars because of the potential and its attempt to get there.
June 24, 2021
C*ckblocked is Sierra Hill writing as KC Kassidy. This is her first MM book and I think she did a good job.
I love MM romances and my husband is from Ireland so this one caught my eye.
I really enjoyed the characters in this book. Niall and Grayson are completely different types of people living different kinds of lives. One is a Hollywood star. The other a farmer in Ireland. You would think they wouldn’t get along but they really had great chemistry and I enjoyed them together.
The writing is good and the book is set at a good pace. The setting is great and I loved being in another country.
The one thing I did miss was the lack of an epilogue. I always love them. I feel like they tie up a story nicely and leave me satisfied. Without one here I kind of felt like I wanted more.
This is a quick fun read with great secondary characters.
An arc was provided for an honest review.
I love MM romances and my husband is from Ireland so this one caught my eye.
I really enjoyed the characters in this book. Niall and Grayson are completely different types of people living different kinds of lives. One is a Hollywood star. The other a farmer in Ireland. You would think they wouldn’t get along but they really had great chemistry and I enjoyed them together.
The writing is good and the book is set at a good pace. The setting is great and I loved being in another country.
The one thing I did miss was the lack of an epilogue. I always love them. I feel like they tie up a story nicely and leave me satisfied. Without one here I kind of felt like I wanted more.
This is a quick fun read with great secondary characters.
An arc was provided for an honest review.
June 24, 2021
I'm not gonna lie this was not my favorite from this author. I felt like there were sweet and sexy moments but the story felt rushed in the end. And I'm a little bummed there was no epilogue. I felt like the ending was abrupt.
While I liked Niall and Gray, I just felt the story was off for me. There was chemistry and sexiness but I didn't feel the connection. I didn't feel the pull to these characters.
It wasn't the worst story but it wasn't a favorite either. Nonetheless I gave it a shot but it was just ok for me.
While I liked Niall and Gray, I just felt the story was off for me. There was chemistry and sexiness but I didn't feel the connection. I didn't feel the pull to these characters.
It wasn't the worst story but it wasn't a favorite either. Nonetheless I gave it a shot but it was just ok for me.
June 28, 2021
This was so cute and adorable, low steam and low angst. Loved Niall and Grayson 💗💗.
If anything, this was just too short! It ended too suddenly for me and I would have liked to have seen the story play out a little bit more.
But still a recommended read😍.
3.5 ✨✨✨
If anything, this was just too short! It ended too suddenly for me and I would have liked to have seen the story play out a little bit more.
But still a recommended read😍.
3.5 ✨✨✨
January 13, 2024
2.3 stars (Kindle - Stuff your Kindle purchase). I was going to give this a 2.5 or 2.6, but I didn't want it to appear as a 3 star (thanks, Goodreads). Spicy. Good story. Needs significant editing + maybe more pages? It started slow, then BAM, everything was happening at once, then the ending just fell flat because it was rushed. With a little effort, this could be a solid 3 star (or more) book.
June 13, 2021
This is the first Book of K.C's i have read & if i'm being honest (which i always am) the 1st Man/Man relationship book i have ever read. I LOVED IT!! K.C gave me everything i wanted. The love between two people, the damn issues that have one running from himself & basically becoming his own C*ock Blocker lol. Niall & Gray's story was heartwarming, laugh out loud funny & seriously opens your mind up to the real issues some people have & deal with when they base their lives on an image they can't get free from. It's all about being true to yourself & second guessing is shit & gets you no where lol. I love Niall & Gray this was truly a 5🌟 & a new author i will enjoy from now on.
June 23, 2021
4.5 Stars.
If you’ve heard of Sierra Hill and have read her work, then you’ll know that she’s planning on releasing books under a side pen name (KC Kassidy) and she’s broaching into MM books. I’ve been following her for a while and have been able to give her books a read and thought that they were such greats, so when I heard that she was branching out a little, I wanted to get on board and see what her creative mind would come up with and after being lucky enough to give C*ck Blocked a read I have to say that I’m rather impressed by her work.
I know for a fact that whenever an author either comes out to start writing with another pen name or they are new to the writing scene things can get a bit interesting as the target audience are in two minds as they’ve got to see if the writing matches up to their other author name or if the writing is gripping and interesting enough to keep you engaged.
And after reading it, I think that she did a great job because no one really understands what it’s like for celebrities to live their day to day lives (the only people who understand and get it is celebrities themselves) and with the way the world is currently the fact that this is an MM book, it made all the difference and you could understand and relate in some way to it. Nowadays it’s starting to become more accepting to try and be who you are and to allow yourself to explore your sexuality. But even that being the case, for celebrities who never get to live their personal life as personal it’s harder for them as they don’t want to get judged for being with the same sex or whatever the outcome is of their sexuality. Some people tend to think that it’ll ruin their careers or that it’ll make people view them in such a negative way.
I love how she managed to breach this topic, but whilst it made for an excellent lesson, it is also such a captivating story. I know for a fact that I’m hooked and I’m looking forward to seeing what else is written for this series.
At times I will say that it did seem a little fast paced, as this is meant to be set for a month and that Niall’s sister (Nancy) is away for the first two weeks of Grayson staying.. However it really does seem that instead of the four weeks, that it’s really only a week through the book that goes by. I would have loved for it to have been a bit longer because then you could have been able to get into all of the unknowns, seen how things were between all the characters and get to dive deeper into how both Niall and Grayson were around each other.
Honestly with a few little things added to this book I think it would be incredibly amazing, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t love the story, there’s just things that KC Kassidy needs to look at a little and then it would be completely perfect for you.
Overall though, it was a great read and I loved how open Niall was with who he was, obviously it’s still hard on him because people judge him for the way he is, but at the end of the day our sexuality isn’t a choice, it’s just how we’re born.
Grayson has been living two lives, in public to everyone, including his fan base he’s seen as the most incredible talented straight guy and everyone wants to know who he’s with, when he plans on settling down. Yet in private, he’s queer and tends to find a guy who is happy living in private because he doesn’t want his career to come crashing down on him.
Even though Grayson has been given such an amazing opportunity, he doesn’t see himself in front of the camera’s anymore, if anything he wants to be the one directing the camera’s and what’s being shot. But in order for that to happen he needs to finish off writing his screenplay and the only way he can get that done is by taking some time away from LA and just getting it written. Luckily for him, he’s got an amazing assistant and she ends up sending him to somewhere in Ireland that’s quiet and not well known in the hopes that he’ll get it finished so he can go ahead and pitch it.
Yet he’s a little nervous that he’ll be recognised by the owners of where he’s staying and doesn’t want to indulge in too much. But he’s given a lot to think about when he meets Niall who is open about who he is and what he wants in life.
Will Grayson work things out and be able to live the life he wants??? Will Niall be the one to break him free from everything that he’s surrounded in???
If you’ve heard of Sierra Hill and have read her work, then you’ll know that she’s planning on releasing books under a side pen name (KC Kassidy) and she’s broaching into MM books. I’ve been following her for a while and have been able to give her books a read and thought that they were such greats, so when I heard that she was branching out a little, I wanted to get on board and see what her creative mind would come up with and after being lucky enough to give C*ck Blocked a read I have to say that I’m rather impressed by her work.
I know for a fact that whenever an author either comes out to start writing with another pen name or they are new to the writing scene things can get a bit interesting as the target audience are in two minds as they’ve got to see if the writing matches up to their other author name or if the writing is gripping and interesting enough to keep you engaged.
And after reading it, I think that she did a great job because no one really understands what it’s like for celebrities to live their day to day lives (the only people who understand and get it is celebrities themselves) and with the way the world is currently the fact that this is an MM book, it made all the difference and you could understand and relate in some way to it. Nowadays it’s starting to become more accepting to try and be who you are and to allow yourself to explore your sexuality. But even that being the case, for celebrities who never get to live their personal life as personal it’s harder for them as they don’t want to get judged for being with the same sex or whatever the outcome is of their sexuality. Some people tend to think that it’ll ruin their careers or that it’ll make people view them in such a negative way.
I love how she managed to breach this topic, but whilst it made for an excellent lesson, it is also such a captivating story. I know for a fact that I’m hooked and I’m looking forward to seeing what else is written for this series.
At times I will say that it did seem a little fast paced, as this is meant to be set for a month and that Niall’s sister (Nancy) is away for the first two weeks of Grayson staying.. However it really does seem that instead of the four weeks, that it’s really only a week through the book that goes by. I would have loved for it to have been a bit longer because then you could have been able to get into all of the unknowns, seen how things were between all the characters and get to dive deeper into how both Niall and Grayson were around each other.
Honestly with a few little things added to this book I think it would be incredibly amazing, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t love the story, there’s just things that KC Kassidy needs to look at a little and then it would be completely perfect for you.
Overall though, it was a great read and I loved how open Niall was with who he was, obviously it’s still hard on him because people judge him for the way he is, but at the end of the day our sexuality isn’t a choice, it’s just how we’re born.
Grayson has been living two lives, in public to everyone, including his fan base he’s seen as the most incredible talented straight guy and everyone wants to know who he’s with, when he plans on settling down. Yet in private, he’s queer and tends to find a guy who is happy living in private because he doesn’t want his career to come crashing down on him.
Even though Grayson has been given such an amazing opportunity, he doesn’t see himself in front of the camera’s anymore, if anything he wants to be the one directing the camera’s and what’s being shot. But in order for that to happen he needs to finish off writing his screenplay and the only way he can get that done is by taking some time away from LA and just getting it written. Luckily for him, he’s got an amazing assistant and she ends up sending him to somewhere in Ireland that’s quiet and not well known in the hopes that he’ll get it finished so he can go ahead and pitch it.
Yet he’s a little nervous that he’ll be recognised by the owners of where he’s staying and doesn’t want to indulge in too much. But he’s given a lot to think about when he meets Niall who is open about who he is and what he wants in life.
Will Grayson work things out and be able to live the life he wants??? Will Niall be the one to break him free from everything that he’s surrounded in???
June 20, 2021
The premise for C*ckblocked was really promising.
The tv heartthrob, closeted Grayson Darling, goes off to a remote location in Ireland. He wants to stay under the radar – and away from paparazzi – and finish writing his screenplay in peace. Then there’s the grumpy B&B owner/sheep farmer Niall who might not know who Grayson is but he sure inspires many of Niall’s shower time self-loving sessions.
There were a lot a liked about this read, and also a lot that I didn’t like. And, I’m sorry to say, that in the end, my dislikes won out.
I’ve encountered many reviews complaining that a particular MM romance was written like a an FM one, only with the woman exchanged for a man. I didn’t really understand what that meant.
Not until C*ckblocked.
Because it had that exact feel.
I think a major reason might have been the abundance of clichés.
There’s sizzling and sparks straight through heavy clothing just by the most casual of touches. There’s stumbling and unintentional colliding ending in moments rife with tension.
There are long inner monologues extolling on the beauty and sexiness of the other MC.
The insta-lust is so strong that neither of the MCs can think about anything else for the rest of the book.
Also, the dialogue. Good dialogue is my weakness. Bad and limited dialogue is a pet peeve. And unfortunately, the real-time conversations between Grayson and Niall are awkward at best. It’s supposed to be banter. I think. It’s supposed to be funny and cute. But it’s just… No. And in between these cringe-worthy, short exchanges, there’s a whole lot of describing and telling how they’re so attracted to each other and how much they like each other. But there’s no showing it. Meaning it’s not actually believable.
To be fair, the story picked up a bit after the halfway mark. Once the uncomfortable and embarrassing introduction and so called banter were over and done with. So the second half was way better than the first. Gray and Niall got over themselves and gave in to their desires. And I thought the story would end on that high note. It did end happily – naturally. But in a very rushed and strange way. Meaning I was left with a very unsatisfied feeling. There’s an epilogue available for download but I’m not even tempted to read it.
The writing in itself is good. But the style of writing, with the telling and not showing, and the generally sappy inner monologues. It wasn’t my kind of read.
Also, there were quite many small misses that should have been caught by an editor. Extra words, and sentences where it was obvious Cassidy had thought to write one thing then changed her mind towards the end. And other things too. Like Grayson having a tightly trimmed beard but still getting beard burn on his face from Niall. And them facing each other in bed and Grayson still describing Niall’s sexy back. Or them facing each other in a row boat when Niall’s rowing and Gray is in the bow. In themselves, these small things aren’t a problem. But when added up, they become one.
And there’s more. Like Niall’s loving sister that I’m guessing you’re supposed to like. She leaves Niall alone for two weeks to manage the B&B AND the farm AND taking care of their elderly father all by himself, all without any warning or remorse.
And feeding antibiotics to small lambs as a preventive measure?
As far as I know that was banned many, many years ago in Europe.
Okay. Sorry. This story rubbed me the wrong way in many ways it seems.
But for me this is still a 3-star because the writing wasn’t bad per se. And I’m sure there are people who will love this story. I just didn’t.
https://reflectionsofaswedishgirl.blo...
* A free copy of this book was kindly provided by the author *
The tv heartthrob, closeted Grayson Darling, goes off to a remote location in Ireland. He wants to stay under the radar – and away from paparazzi – and finish writing his screenplay in peace. Then there’s the grumpy B&B owner/sheep farmer Niall who might not know who Grayson is but he sure inspires many of Niall’s shower time self-loving sessions.
There were a lot a liked about this read, and also a lot that I didn’t like. And, I’m sorry to say, that in the end, my dislikes won out.
I’ve encountered many reviews complaining that a particular MM romance was written like a an FM one, only with the woman exchanged for a man. I didn’t really understand what that meant.
Not until C*ckblocked.
Because it had that exact feel.
I think a major reason might have been the abundance of clichés.
There’s sizzling and sparks straight through heavy clothing just by the most casual of touches. There’s stumbling and unintentional colliding ending in moments rife with tension.
There are long inner monologues extolling on the beauty and sexiness of the other MC.
The insta-lust is so strong that neither of the MCs can think about anything else for the rest of the book.
Also, the dialogue. Good dialogue is my weakness. Bad and limited dialogue is a pet peeve. And unfortunately, the real-time conversations between Grayson and Niall are awkward at best. It’s supposed to be banter. I think. It’s supposed to be funny and cute. But it’s just… No. And in between these cringe-worthy, short exchanges, there’s a whole lot of describing and telling how they’re so attracted to each other and how much they like each other. But there’s no showing it. Meaning it’s not actually believable.
To be fair, the story picked up a bit after the halfway mark. Once the uncomfortable and embarrassing introduction and so called banter were over and done with. So the second half was way better than the first. Gray and Niall got over themselves and gave in to their desires. And I thought the story would end on that high note. It did end happily – naturally. But in a very rushed and strange way. Meaning I was left with a very unsatisfied feeling. There’s an epilogue available for download but I’m not even tempted to read it.
The writing in itself is good. But the style of writing, with the telling and not showing, and the generally sappy inner monologues. It wasn’t my kind of read.
Also, there were quite many small misses that should have been caught by an editor. Extra words, and sentences where it was obvious Cassidy had thought to write one thing then changed her mind towards the end. And other things too. Like Grayson having a tightly trimmed beard but still getting beard burn on his face from Niall. And them facing each other in bed and Grayson still describing Niall’s sexy back. Or them facing each other in a row boat when Niall’s rowing and Gray is in the bow. In themselves, these small things aren’t a problem. But when added up, they become one.
And there’s more. Like Niall’s loving sister that I’m guessing you’re supposed to like. She leaves Niall alone for two weeks to manage the B&B AND the farm AND taking care of their elderly father all by himself, all without any warning or remorse.
And feeding antibiotics to small lambs as a preventive measure?
As far as I know that was banned many, many years ago in Europe.
Okay. Sorry. This story rubbed me the wrong way in many ways it seems.
But for me this is still a 3-star because the writing wasn’t bad per se. And I’m sure there are people who will love this story. I just didn’t.
https://reflectionsofaswedishgirl.blo...
* A free copy of this book was kindly provided by the author *
June 22, 2021
This is a quick-reading rom-com book. I like the Irishisms and how the slangs are used without compromising the understanding for those who are not familiar with all that. The premise of this story was so interesting and it had the potential to be an amazing book, but it didn't fully reach it.
The characters were both nice, well developed, and had interesting lives. But the chapters dragged a lot, in both POVs, with ongoing inner monologues, few poor dialogues, and too much telling and not showing. There's a lot of banter between the MCs, they seem to get along well, and we get that it was a case of insta-lust, but it takes half the book for them to finally kiss, and it was a little disappointing- quick and not really explosive.
I didn't understand how Niall and his sister could be managing the farm and the B&B all alone, without any help, and even worse, his sister thinking it's ok to go away on vacation for 2 weeks while there's a new guest arriving (not to mention her offering that Niall would take the guest sightseeing!). And later, it was him who left her alone there. Anyone who has ever been on a farm for a few days knows how much work it is to care for livestock and everything else. The same goes for a B&B.
The end felt abrupt and things were just settled in a few pages. Even a sad event that occurred almost at the end was quickly brushed off as though it was meaningless when I believe it was a major occurrence and should have been better dealt with.
Finally, the choice to offer the epilogue only for those who subscribe to the author's newsletter isn't nice. Epilogues are a common part of romance books, it's a way of showing that the couple is happy in the long haul and shouldn't be held back like that. A bonus scene with the newsletter would have been much nicer.
I'll say again that the plot was very interesting and had great potential. I think it lacked a good beta team to set the story on track.
The characters were both nice, well developed, and had interesting lives. But the chapters dragged a lot, in both POVs, with ongoing inner monologues, few poor dialogues, and too much telling and not showing. There's a lot of banter between the MCs, they seem to get along well, and we get that it was a case of insta-lust, but it takes half the book for them to finally kiss, and it was a little disappointing- quick and not really explosive.
I didn't understand how Niall and his sister could be managing the farm and the B&B all alone, without any help, and even worse, his sister thinking it's ok to go away on vacation for 2 weeks while there's a new guest arriving (not to mention her offering that Niall would take the guest sightseeing!). And later, it was him who left her alone there. Anyone who has ever been on a farm for a few days knows how much work it is to care for livestock and everything else. The same goes for a B&B.
The end felt abrupt and things were just settled in a few pages. Even a sad event that occurred almost at the end was quickly brushed off as though it was meaningless when I believe it was a major occurrence and should have been better dealt with.
Finally, the choice to offer the epilogue only for those who subscribe to the author's newsletter isn't nice. Epilogues are a common part of romance books, it's a way of showing that the couple is happy in the long haul and shouldn't be held back like that. A bonus scene with the newsletter would have been much nicer.
I'll say again that the plot was very interesting and had great potential. I think it lacked a good beta team to set the story on track.
June 28, 2021
C*ck Blocked tells the story of television star, Grayson Darling and Irish sheep farmer, Niall O'Reardon. When Gray decides to take a vacation in the Irish countryside to finally finish his first screenplay, he doesn't expect to fall for the roguish farmer who owns the B&B he's staying at. Niall doesn't expect to fall for the handsome American either, but their connection is undeniable from the moment they set eyes on one another and they can't help but follow where it leads them.
This book had a really good premise and I was hooked in by it's plot. But from the beginning the book just felt off to me. The characters felt superficial and very surface level. It's not like they didn't have a lot going on in their lives or that they were airheaded. It just felt like the book barely scratched the surface on who these people could be.
It felt like the characters were well aware of who they were and what their issues and problems are, but their inner monologues were just different variations of the same things. I would have loved it if the author dug a little deeper and rounded out their characters a little more.
Looking past the character issues, the actual plot was still pretty interesting. The characters had some interesting dialogues and there were a lot of parts that were written really well. But there were moments where the flow was off and this made the story feel stilted.
The books had the potential to be really good, but it fell just a little flat for me. It was too short for the story to be fleshed out in a good way, and because of that there was just a lot of missed content that would have made this story so much better.
I would recommend this book if you're looking for a short summer romance!
*I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.*
This book had a really good premise and I was hooked in by it's plot. But from the beginning the book just felt off to me. The characters felt superficial and very surface level. It's not like they didn't have a lot going on in their lives or that they were airheaded. It just felt like the book barely scratched the surface on who these people could be.
It felt like the characters were well aware of who they were and what their issues and problems are, but their inner monologues were just different variations of the same things. I would have loved it if the author dug a little deeper and rounded out their characters a little more.
Looking past the character issues, the actual plot was still pretty interesting. The characters had some interesting dialogues and there were a lot of parts that were written really well. But there were moments where the flow was off and this made the story feel stilted.
The books had the potential to be really good, but it fell just a little flat for me. It was too short for the story to be fleshed out in a good way, and because of that there was just a lot of missed content that would have made this story so much better.
I would recommend this book if you're looking for a short summer romance!
*I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.*
December 6, 2021
✍𝔹𝕆𝕆𝕂 ℝ𝔼𝕍𝕀𝔼𝕎 ✍
𝐓𝐈𝐓𝐋𝐄: C*ck Blocked.
𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑: K.C Kassidy.
𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒: Blockers.
𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆: ⭐⭐⭐
𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐌: 🔥🔥🔥
𝐅𝐄𝐄𝐋𝐒: 💘💘.
Let me start by saying I gave this book a 3.5. It almost made it to the 4⭐ mark but because of the last part of the book it just missed the mark for me.
𝘐'𝘭𝘭 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘯.
𝐋𝐞𝐭'𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤.
This story follows TV heartthrob Grayson Darling (𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞).
𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘢 𝘛𝘝 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘣.
Grayson decided to get away from the pressures of daily life and hiding his sexuality from the world and finally complete his screenplay so he heads off to a nice quiet B&B in Ireland.
Where he meets the owner of the farm he'll be staying on. The gruff, grunting, gorgeous Niall.
Now this is where it all gets a little tricky for me.
These two are wonderful characters. They had chemistry and sparks right from the beginning and it was really beautiful to see them develop both separately and together.
𝐁𝐮𝐭
For a man who has spent his whole life acting straight and terrified that he will be discovered, Gray didn't seem at all bothered by Niall or his family knowing his "𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵" and I'm not sure how or when it happened but after spending some time enjoying each other in the bedroom I turned the page and they were in love.
𝘊𝘶𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵.
I even went back to see if I'd somehow missed something. But no.
The end of the book fell a little flat for me because it felt like the author had tried to build the story and the beauty of the location so well in the beginning that it was a rush in the end to fit everything in.
The HEA although sweet was over shadowed by a sad event
𝘕𝘰 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩.
that it felt like it wasn't given it's proper moment therefore I found I couldn't connect with either event.
But all that said.
Did I enjoy the book?.
𝘠𝘦𝘴.
Would I recommend it?.
𝘈𝘣𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺.
Would I read it again?
𝘋𝘶𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘥, 𝘕𝘰.
𝐓𝐈𝐓𝐋𝐄: C*ck Blocked.
𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑: K.C Kassidy.
𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒: Blockers.
𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆: ⭐⭐⭐
𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐌: 🔥🔥🔥
𝐅𝐄𝐄𝐋𝐒: 💘💘.
Let me start by saying I gave this book a 3.5. It almost made it to the 4⭐ mark but because of the last part of the book it just missed the mark for me.
𝘐'𝘭𝘭 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘯.
𝐋𝐞𝐭'𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤.
This story follows TV heartthrob Grayson Darling (𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞).
𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘢 𝘛𝘝 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘣.
Grayson decided to get away from the pressures of daily life and hiding his sexuality from the world and finally complete his screenplay so he heads off to a nice quiet B&B in Ireland.
Where he meets the owner of the farm he'll be staying on. The gruff, grunting, gorgeous Niall.
Now this is where it all gets a little tricky for me.
These two are wonderful characters. They had chemistry and sparks right from the beginning and it was really beautiful to see them develop both separately and together.
𝐁𝐮𝐭
For a man who has spent his whole life acting straight and terrified that he will be discovered, Gray didn't seem at all bothered by Niall or his family knowing his "𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵" and I'm not sure how or when it happened but after spending some time enjoying each other in the bedroom I turned the page and they were in love.
𝘊𝘶𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵.
I even went back to see if I'd somehow missed something. But no.
The end of the book fell a little flat for me because it felt like the author had tried to build the story and the beauty of the location so well in the beginning that it was a rush in the end to fit everything in.
The HEA although sweet was over shadowed by a sad event
𝘕𝘰 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩.
that it felt like it wasn't given it's proper moment therefore I found I couldn't connect with either event.
But all that said.
Did I enjoy the book?.
𝘠𝘦𝘴.
Would I recommend it?.
𝘈𝘣𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺.
Would I read it again?
𝘋𝘶𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘥, 𝘕𝘰.
June 25, 2021
3.75 stars for K.C. Kassidy's first foray into MM Romance!
C*CBLOCKED was a lot of fun, with a lot of sweet coming from Niall's Dad Seamus, and a lot of funny from his sister Nan and the sheep!
Grayson is an American actor who's been starring as a straight hero in a British love story for the last five years while hiding his identity. I felt for him, Fiona was such an awful co-star, and even his manager Simmy wasn't supportive, seemingly only out for the money she could get if she got Gray to agree to another season of his show.
Niall is a gruff Irish sheep farmer, who used to be a high ranking member of the GAA. I don't understand Irish football, but I'm assuming it's similar to the other kinds of Internation football. He's much more accepting of his identity, but he's been hurt badly in the past, and I think he could see that happening again with Grayson if he's not careful.
There were parts of this book that were SO SPICY!! Hot da*n, Gray and Niall fell into a beautiful rhythm together once they stopped trying to avoid their own fears! K.C. Kassidy had me worried right up until the very end whether the ending would turn out right, it was sweet and sexy, the ending was just a little rushed and needed a little more development.
3. 75 spicy stars for Gray and Niall and my first book by K.C. Kassidy! I'll definitely be waiting to read what she writes next!!
C*CBLOCKED was a lot of fun, with a lot of sweet coming from Niall's Dad Seamus, and a lot of funny from his sister Nan and the sheep!
Grayson is an American actor who's been starring as a straight hero in a British love story for the last five years while hiding his identity. I felt for him, Fiona was such an awful co-star, and even his manager Simmy wasn't supportive, seemingly only out for the money she could get if she got Gray to agree to another season of his show.
Niall is a gruff Irish sheep farmer, who used to be a high ranking member of the GAA. I don't understand Irish football, but I'm assuming it's similar to the other kinds of Internation football. He's much more accepting of his identity, but he's been hurt badly in the past, and I think he could see that happening again with Grayson if he's not careful.
There were parts of this book that were SO SPICY!! Hot da*n, Gray and Niall fell into a beautiful rhythm together once they stopped trying to avoid their own fears! K.C. Kassidy had me worried right up until the very end whether the ending would turn out right, it was sweet and sexy, the ending was just a little rushed and needed a little more development.
3. 75 spicy stars for Gray and Niall and my first book by K.C. Kassidy! I'll definitely be waiting to read what she writes next!!
July 11, 2021
I was given a copy of this book to read and reivew for Wicked Reads.
Spotting the ridiculous Irish cliches in this book would be a great drinking game. The book is riddled with slightly misjudged (and painfully twee) Irish colloquialisms. I concede that the story of a famous American actor hiding away on a working Irish farm and falling for the farmer was never going to be realistic but good romance allows me to fall for characters in the most implausible settings.
I enjoyed the sexual tension between Niall and Grayson and there’s a fabulously steamy barn scene. Unfortunately, it is the romance that really doesn’t work here. Too many inconsistencies confuse readers. Grayson’s backstory is confusing and messy. Neither man is developed enough for readers to fully engage with him. The build up of sexual tension ends abruptly. Without spoilers, the chain of events at the end is anything but romantic. And honestly, I feel like Niall’s sheep are more developed characters than the family members he and Gray live with.
So. This wasn’t a favourite read. The blurb had potential but the writing didn’t quite support the concept.
Spotting the ridiculous Irish cliches in this book would be a great drinking game. The book is riddled with slightly misjudged (and painfully twee) Irish colloquialisms. I concede that the story of a famous American actor hiding away on a working Irish farm and falling for the farmer was never going to be realistic but good romance allows me to fall for characters in the most implausible settings.
I enjoyed the sexual tension between Niall and Grayson and there’s a fabulously steamy barn scene. Unfortunately, it is the romance that really doesn’t work here. Too many inconsistencies confuse readers. Grayson’s backstory is confusing and messy. Neither man is developed enough for readers to fully engage with him. The build up of sexual tension ends abruptly. Without spoilers, the chain of events at the end is anything but romantic. And honestly, I feel like Niall’s sheep are more developed characters than the family members he and Gray live with.
So. This wasn’t a favourite read. The blurb had potential but the writing didn’t quite support the concept.
June 22, 2021
Grayson is an American superstar. As an actor, he gets recognized for his portrayal of a WW2 love story, that went viral. To escape the madness that comes with being a superstar and to finally finish his screenplay, he flees to a farm in Ireland. What he does not expect is to meet the hot keeper of the Inn he is staying in. Niall is openly gay. He is a retired football player and is now keeping his family farm afloat. Because his sister, who normally manages the Inn, is on vacation, he is tasked to keep the guest company and show him around. He does not expect to feel the attraction between them. But can the attraction survive when Niall finds out who Grayson really is?
I must say I liked the story. There were some really funny parts in it and the characters' attraction felt organic. The writing style was also pretty good and the story caught me at the beginning.
The only point of critic was the missing Epilogue, but as the author kindly included the epilogue now without subscribing to the newsletter, this point is now resolved.
Pretty good book, and if you like celebrity romance stories, a must-read.
*I received this book as an ARC. I chose to leave an honest review.*
I must say I liked the story. There were some really funny parts in it and the characters' attraction felt organic. The writing style was also pretty good and the story caught me at the beginning.
The only point of critic was the missing Epilogue, but as the author kindly included the epilogue now without subscribing to the newsletter, this point is now resolved.
Pretty good book, and if you like celebrity romance stories, a must-read.
*I received this book as an ARC. I chose to leave an honest review.*
June 13, 2021
Grayson is a Hollywood star now, but he is living so deep in the closet he doesn’t see any way out. He has been told that being honest with who he is would mean the end of his career. He escapes to Ireland to get away and work on a secret project that will hopefully move him more to a producing role than a starring one. Niall runs a small B&B in a tiny town with his sister and their dad. He is also a rather busy sheep farmer. He does not recognize Grayson and it is a breath of fresh air to the other man. These two have instant chemistry but it gets harder for Grayson to figure out what he really wants in life the more he is around the other man. Niall left behind fame and fortune when he retired from sports, determined to help his dad out on the farm. They both have to figure out what risks are worth taking in order to find peace and happiness in their lives, especially when LA starts intruding into Niall’s small Irish village. A sweet story and a quick read that is well worth it.
July 14, 2021
I’m all in for Gay Romance and C*ck Blocked by KC Kassidy is definitely one that I was super excited to get my hands on. I loved the plot immensely and the characters were funny and incredibly charming.
I definitely loved Niall a lot more, but that makes sense, since he is out and happy with his life, unlike Grayson. I don’t want to have to hide who I am, even if it is with my dream guy.
I really don’t want to give much away, because the ending still has me floored. Check it out and let me know what you think.
I really can’t wait to see where this series goes, so definitely count me in for Book 2!
Thank You to @gayromancereviews and @k.c.kassidyauthor for including me in the tour and sending me a copy of the eBook in return for an honest review.
I definitely loved Niall a lot more, but that makes sense, since he is out and happy with his life, unlike Grayson. I don’t want to have to hide who I am, even if it is with my dream guy.
I really don’t want to give much away, because the ending still has me floored. Check it out and let me know what you think.
I really can’t wait to see where this series goes, so definitely count me in for Book 2!
Thank You to @gayromancereviews and @k.c.kassidyauthor for including me in the tour and sending me a copy of the eBook in return for an honest review.
June 15, 2021
This story had a really good premise. And there were some things that happened that I really felt like they could have just pulled my heart strings right out into ugly cry mode, but that is not what happened. I can not pinpoint specifically what it was without giving away spoilers. I honestly felt like there was so much more that could have been done with this story to make it a 5 star! It really had the protentional to get my tears and then give me all the happy butterflies. I will definitely read the next story in the series because I absolutely believe in this author and have loved so many of her other books she has released under another name. This one just didn't hit with me. ☹
June 30, 2021
I received a free copy to read and review for Wicked Reads
This was a total miss for me. The blurb sounded great and I dove into the book the day it hit my e-reader. Ugh, I was so disappointed. Niall was super sweet, growly and fit what I would call your typical stereotype of an Irish person. Gray was a typical Hollywood stereotype. There was chemistry but it was a slow burn book. Super slow, kinda boring and I found myself skimming a lot hoping for it to get better. The end of the book felt rushed and I hate that, spent soooo much time on that slow burn but couldn't wait to get the book done???? The epilog wasn't much better. Not sure if I want to try the next book in the series.
This was a total miss for me. The blurb sounded great and I dove into the book the day it hit my e-reader. Ugh, I was so disappointed. Niall was super sweet, growly and fit what I would call your typical stereotype of an Irish person. Gray was a typical Hollywood stereotype. There was chemistry but it was a slow burn book. Super slow, kinda boring and I found myself skimming a lot hoping for it to get better. The end of the book felt rushed and I hate that, spent soooo much time on that slow burn but couldn't wait to get the book done???? The epilog wasn't much better. Not sure if I want to try the next book in the series.
June 25, 2021
*3.5 stars*
This is a cute and fun read. I liked both Gray and Niall, and I thought they had great chemistry. They pulled me in with their complete opposites-attract, grumpy/sunshine dynamic. I really liked how it created a slow burn feel to the romance, giving focus on both Gray and Niall’s introspection of their lives. I did, however, feel that the pacing was a little off. There is a lot of build up over the story and the characters agonising over some issues which were then lacking in their resolution. Overall, an enjoyable story with a lot of potential that wasn’t quite reached.
This is a cute and fun read. I liked both Gray and Niall, and I thought they had great chemistry. They pulled me in with their complete opposites-attract, grumpy/sunshine dynamic. I really liked how it created a slow burn feel to the romance, giving focus on both Gray and Niall’s introspection of their lives. I did, however, feel that the pacing was a little off. There is a lot of build up over the story and the characters agonising over some issues which were then lacking in their resolution. Overall, an enjoyable story with a lot of potential that wasn’t quite reached.
June 23, 2021
I loved this very sexy book. Gray needs a place to get away from stardom and finish the screenplay he is working on. He finds himself staying at a rural Ireland B&B where he encounters the very sexy Niall. There is an attraction from the start. Gray is tired of hiding behind the straight actor image that is his life. He is tired of not being able to be his true self. The two get to know each other and the attraction grows. Can the two overcome the obstacles and find love? I loved this book from start to finish. I highly recommend.
June 25, 2021
A romance set in rural Ireland is a no-brainer click for me and it was a good read with strong characters and a HEA...
but, I had trouble with some of the pacing throughout the book and especially at the end, where I feel that the author may have just gotten to their word count and said "done" as fast as they could. I also wonder if the title is strictly for shock value, since I don't see a strong correlation with the text.
I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion
but, I had trouble with some of the pacing throughout the book and especially at the end, where I feel that the author may have just gotten to their word count and said "done" as fast as they could. I also wonder if the title is strictly for shock value, since I don't see a strong correlation with the text.
I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion
June 19, 2021
I thought that this was a great book. I loved Niall; he looks and acts tough but is really sweet and wears his heart on his sleeve. Gray is struggling to find himself when he has been acting everyday of his life just to appease his fans. These two meet so when Gray wants to hide away and work on his dream. These two have a great slow burn comedic romance but then the real world comes crashing back into their bubble, and tragedy strikes, these two have some decisions to make about who they really want to be and who they want to with. I really enjoyed this book and I can’t wait to see what is in store for us next. I would recommend it book and Ms. K.C. as a great author.
I received a free e-book copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
I received a free e-book copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
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