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The Cabots #1
Tommy Cabot Was Here
Massachusetts, 1959:
Some people might accuse mathematician Everett Sloane of being stuffy, but really he just prefers things a certain way: predictable, quiet, and far away from Tommy Cabot—his former best friend, chaos incarnate, and the man who broke his heart.
The youngest son of a prominent political family, Tommy threw away his future by coming out to his powerful brothers. When he runs into Everett, who fifteen years ago walked away from Tommy without an explanation or a backward glance, his old friend's chilliness is just another reminder of what a thoroughgoing mess Tommy has made of his life.
When Everett realizes that his polite formality is hurting Tommy, he needs to decide whether he can unbend enough to let Tommy get close but without letting himself get hurt the way he was all those years ago.
Some people might accuse mathematician Everett Sloane of being stuffy, but really he just prefers things a certain way: predictable, quiet, and far away from Tommy Cabot—his former best friend, chaos incarnate, and the man who broke his heart.
The youngest son of a prominent political family, Tommy threw away his future by coming out to his powerful brothers. When he runs into Everett, who fifteen years ago walked away from Tommy without an explanation or a backward glance, his old friend's chilliness is just another reminder of what a thoroughgoing mess Tommy has made of his life.
When Everett realizes that his polite formality is hurting Tommy, he needs to decide whether he can unbend enough to let Tommy get close but without letting himself get hurt the way he was all those years ago.
102 pages, ebook
First published May 12, 2020
About the author
Cat Sebastian
28 books5,942 followersCat Sebastian has written sixteen queer historical romances. Cat’s books have received starred reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Booklist.
Before writing, Cat was a lawyer and a teacher and did a variety of other jobs she liked much less than she enjoys writing happy endings for queer people. She was born in New Jersey and lived in New York and Arizona before settling down in a swampy part of south. When she isn’t writing, she’s probably reading, having one-sided conversations with her dog, or doing the crossword puzzle.
The best way to keep up with Cat’s projects is to subscribe to her newsletter.
Before writing, Cat was a lawyer and a teacher and did a variety of other jobs she liked much less than she enjoys writing happy endings for queer people. She was born in New Jersey and lived in New York and Arizona before settling down in a swampy part of south. When she isn’t writing, she’s probably reading, having one-sided conversations with her dog, or doing the crossword puzzle.
The best way to keep up with Cat’s projects is to subscribe to her newsletter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 614 reviews
August 2, 2026
Watch as she stands with her holding your hand… put your arm 'round her shoulder, now I'm getting colder / But how could I hate her? She's such an angel… but then again, kinda wish she were dead (Heather – Conan Gray).
Oh, I think that was my cue to say the line! “Cat Sebastian is quickly becoming my new favorite author and any new book of hers is sure to slot right into a must read list!” There, how’d I do? Well, as much as it feels like a concession, there’s no denying that Cat Sebastian has quickly become a new favorite author, and after having read the gorgeous After Hours at Dooryard Books, I literally did have the recharged thought that everything in her bibliography has to be picked up at some point in the future. That Hither, Page book! I’ve had that bad boy on my TBR for years but now I’m thinking I need to read it tomorrow. It’s always an exciting time when you’re finding time for new favorites, and Tommy Cabot Was Here only helps to reinforce the idea that Cat Sebastian can do no wrong in the historical fiction sphere. This book follows the reunion of two school boy chums meeting up way later in life after societal norms and familial expectations saw it fit to violently rip them apart. See, Everett (what if I called him “Elliot” this entire review? How annoying would that be?) and Tommy had always been comfortable with each other, but in that comfort was the understanding of an undeniable endpoint. Because how can two men be publicly together in the 20th century? And due to Tommy’s easy charm and powerful name, it was the easiest thing for Everett to see the man’s attention as temporary. “You treated me like a stranger, and all the time I was loving you. All your slick moves, they were once innocent moves." I’m always sympathetic for gays of the past who were forced into the closet out of survival rather than simple preference, and I deeply relate to hiding away the truest parts of yourself for what seems like forever. I mean, for my entire gay life I’ve pretending to be a Charli XCX fan in order to fit in with my homosexual brethren, so I know what’s up. I know this masquerade! No but really, I think a lot of second chance romances tend to lean too hard into nostalgia fueled reminiscing in order to evoke familiarity between the characters, and because of this, they never actually explore new territory with the relationship and typically only ever end up underlining the chasm of distance that has grown between them in the intervening years. It’s the Star Wars: Attack of the Clones approach to relationship building where you just have the characters check off a bunch of unseen events on a list in the hopes that we as the audience will grasp their closeness.
Tommy Cabot Was Here shows how Everett and Tommy have been apart for so long that by the time they start to grow closer, they’re basically wooing new people. Outside of the odd mention here and there, there wasn't a heavy reliance on that “remember when we did this” style of writing that we’re used to seeing in second chance love stories. So yeah, now that it’s clear that I loved this book, let me say that despite there being only three to four characters of note (two of which are Tommy and Everett), I would have actually liked this book more had we only featured the two main leads. You know, go full-on Before Sunrise with it! This happens a lot in any romance story, because even though the romantic pairing is always surrounded by their quirky friends in order to alleviate the heavier aspects of the narrative, I’ve always found friend characters to be unnecessary at best, and irritating at worst. This is leading into my opinion that I, for one, didn’t like Patricia or her role in this novel distinctly because there was nothing wrong with her. It’s just that there’s something about “ally” characters in queer fiction that always rubs me the wrong way, you know? It's as if there’s an unsaid air of “I don’t judge you for being queer and I have immense power over you for knowing your dark secret, so you should be grateful that I’m not harming you” with every one of these characters. Look, I’m not saying there’s something inherently wrong with being an ally, we wouldn’t get anywhere without them (maybe), but there’s always a greater celebration for the straight folks who are cool with our “lifestyle” than the actual queer folk living struggling. I’m just saying, if I were Everett, then Patricia calling me slurs would almost be more comforting than her being some angelic voice of reason figure within the narrative who parades all of her gay friends around like she’s collecting the Infinity Stones. I mean, I know a lot of gays attach themselves to the any “Regina George” ass straight woman they can find to live out their catty Real Housewives of Beverly Hills fantasies, but I’ve never been that genre of homo. At the root of it all, this griping isn’t due to complaints about “historical inaccuracy” or any of that nonsense because I really don’t care (a good story is a good story), it’s not even because Patricia is another “ally archetype” that exists in literally every queer book I’ve ever read, but rather it all boils down to the fact that the way she’s written with a glowing halo and how she has that whole “I’m in with the queers” thing going on ironically displays a lack of agency.
“That’s all I want,” Everett said. “For us to make room for one another.”
You should know that nothing in fiction bothers me more than the unbothered, and if there’s a character who flitters on the outside of the conflict, then I’m always wondering why they were included in the first place. This is my way of saying that as it stands, Patricia in this novel plays the same role as Dane Cook in the movie Dan in Real Life… and as you’re probably aware, comparisons to that ghoul should only ever be taken as an insult. For those who don’t know, Dan in Real Life is a movie about Steve Carrell falling in love with a woman on the way to a family staycation only to find out that this woman is engaged to his younger brother, Dane Cook. Now, obviously Steve Carrell and this lady end up together and everything turns out great in the end, but what you would think was the relationship ruining conflict between Steve Carrell and Dane Cook is actually wrapped up in one scene where it turns out that Dane Cook has a new girlfriend now or whatever. No lingering resentment, no feelings of discontent, no nothing, everything’s great because we’re at the end of the movie! This odd writing choice can only really be explained by what I assume is ego tripping behind-the-scenes, as the then popular “comedian” and big-headed, no lip having ass Dan Cook wouldn’t want to end the film with him being seen as a little cuck boy. But in turn, because he wasn’t allowed to feel normal human emotions like betrayal and seething rage, he's less a character and more a self-insert only there to espouse “good vibes” from the writer. So, I guess what I’m trying to say is that Patricia was my least favorite character not because she’s an obstacle for my favorite Yaoi pairing or whatever, but rather because she’s only there for the Family Stone, “I’m a straight ally” role when I would have enjoyed her quite a bit more if she had been more antagonistic. Obviously, homophobia is wrong. As someone who’s queer myself, I feel I should reiterate that fact (don't call me slurs please), but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen allies who are so well-versed in saying the correct things only to do a full 180 the second someone they personally dislike turns out to be gay. Let me just tell you, the mask goes flying off! Besides, I know I said it wasn’t an issue with historical inaccuracies, but I do have to admit that I had a hard time wrapping my head around the idea of a heterosexual woman in the 1950’s who’s getting a divorce because her husband liked getting dicked down by other men being that cool with it.
I know allies have always existed in queer spaces (maybe), but... nah man, I just can’t see it with this lady. Nonetheless, it’s too late now, but let’s not narrow in on the one aspect of Tommy Cabot Was Here that I didn’t like. This is a good book and I liked it a whoo~oole lot! What makes the romance portrayed in this book so acutely satisfying is that it always feels honest and true to both Everett and Tommy rather than trying to go for tried-and-true staples of the genre. For one, Tommy is a former charmer who has long since lost his confidence like Simba from Lion King, so it makes sense that for a good portion of the story we’d see the man flounder in trying to charm the only person that has ever mattered to him romantically. Whereas with Everett, this dude is so tightly wound that limbering him up wacky inflatable tube man style would take some serious work. Loosey-goosey, he is not. And I just loved how the catharsis to their deep-rooted issues doesn’t come to a head in a Notebook kind of “kiss in the rain” way, but instead they find solace in a more contemplative embrace. Passionate in its restraint and it works for them because anything outwardly affectionate would be disingenuous to both the characters and the time period. Performative, even. These are two men who are used to playing it close to the chest, so a single admission of truth after a lifetime of lying can be a hell of a lot more romantic than several prolonged sex scenes. It’s like in Before Sunset where Jesse finally meets up with Céline again and he spends the entire movie wrestling with his obligations to go home, but he always pushes it just that little bit further talking about, “just a couple more minutes.” Eventually it gets to the point where he’s in her apartment and after sharing a song and dance, Céline straight up tells him that he is “going to miss that plane,” to which he simply replies, “I know.” And sure, you could argue that the whole movie is problematic because he’s totally cheating on his wife or whatever, but that doesn’t change the fact that there’s a beauty in having a true connection with another person despite the context that surrounds it. Trying to find redemption is old hat, but telling the truth? That's the juice! So yeah, I guess what I’m getting at here is that Tommy and Everett were made for each other, and Tommy Cabot Was Here actually achieves the miracle of getting us to think so as well. The author sees it, we see it, and eventually... Tommy and Everett see it! And that's the correct order for a right and proper epiphany, isn't it?
But I watch your eyes as she walks by, what a sight for sore eyes / Brighter than a blue sky, she's got you mesmerized while I die.
Oh, I think that was my cue to say the line! “Cat Sebastian is quickly becoming my new favorite author and any new book of hers is sure to slot right into a must read list!” There, how’d I do? Well, as much as it feels like a concession, there’s no denying that Cat Sebastian has quickly become a new favorite author, and after having read the gorgeous After Hours at Dooryard Books, I literally did have the recharged thought that everything in her bibliography has to be picked up at some point in the future. That Hither, Page book! I’ve had that bad boy on my TBR for years but now I’m thinking I need to read it tomorrow. It’s always an exciting time when you’re finding time for new favorites, and Tommy Cabot Was Here only helps to reinforce the idea that Cat Sebastian can do no wrong in the historical fiction sphere. This book follows the reunion of two school boy chums meeting up way later in life after societal norms and familial expectations saw it fit to violently rip them apart. See, Everett (what if I called him “Elliot” this entire review? How annoying would that be?) and Tommy had always been comfortable with each other, but in that comfort was the understanding of an undeniable endpoint. Because how can two men be publicly together in the 20th century? And due to Tommy’s easy charm and powerful name, it was the easiest thing for Everett to see the man’s attention as temporary. “You treated me like a stranger, and all the time I was loving you. All your slick moves, they were once innocent moves." I’m always sympathetic for gays of the past who were forced into the closet out of survival rather than simple preference, and I deeply relate to hiding away the truest parts of yourself for what seems like forever. I mean, for my entire gay life I’ve pretending to be a Charli XCX fan in order to fit in with my homosexual brethren, so I know what’s up. I know this masquerade! No but really, I think a lot of second chance romances tend to lean too hard into nostalgia fueled reminiscing in order to evoke familiarity between the characters, and because of this, they never actually explore new territory with the relationship and typically only ever end up underlining the chasm of distance that has grown between them in the intervening years. It’s the Star Wars: Attack of the Clones approach to relationship building where you just have the characters check off a bunch of unseen events on a list in the hopes that we as the audience will grasp their closeness.
Tommy Cabot Was Here shows how Everett and Tommy have been apart for so long that by the time they start to grow closer, they’re basically wooing new people. Outside of the odd mention here and there, there wasn't a heavy reliance on that “remember when we did this” style of writing that we’re used to seeing in second chance love stories. So yeah, now that it’s clear that I loved this book, let me say that despite there being only three to four characters of note (two of which are Tommy and Everett), I would have actually liked this book more had we only featured the two main leads. You know, go full-on Before Sunrise with it! This happens a lot in any romance story, because even though the romantic pairing is always surrounded by their quirky friends in order to alleviate the heavier aspects of the narrative, I’ve always found friend characters to be unnecessary at best, and irritating at worst. This is leading into my opinion that I, for one, didn’t like Patricia or her role in this novel distinctly because there was nothing wrong with her. It’s just that there’s something about “ally” characters in queer fiction that always rubs me the wrong way, you know? It's as if there’s an unsaid air of “I don’t judge you for being queer and I have immense power over you for knowing your dark secret, so you should be grateful that I’m not harming you” with every one of these characters. Look, I’m not saying there’s something inherently wrong with being an ally, we wouldn’t get anywhere without them (maybe), but there’s always a greater celebration for the straight folks who are cool with our “lifestyle” than the actual queer folk living struggling. I’m just saying, if I were Everett, then Patricia calling me slurs would almost be more comforting than her being some angelic voice of reason figure within the narrative who parades all of her gay friends around like she’s collecting the Infinity Stones. I mean, I know a lot of gays attach themselves to the any “Regina George” ass straight woman they can find to live out their catty Real Housewives of Beverly Hills fantasies, but I’ve never been that genre of homo. At the root of it all, this griping isn’t due to complaints about “historical inaccuracy” or any of that nonsense because I really don’t care (a good story is a good story), it’s not even because Patricia is another “ally archetype” that exists in literally every queer book I’ve ever read, but rather it all boils down to the fact that the way she’s written with a glowing halo and how she has that whole “I’m in with the queers” thing going on ironically displays a lack of agency.
“That’s all I want,” Everett said. “For us to make room for one another.”
You should know that nothing in fiction bothers me more than the unbothered, and if there’s a character who flitters on the outside of the conflict, then I’m always wondering why they were included in the first place. This is my way of saying that as it stands, Patricia in this novel plays the same role as Dane Cook in the movie Dan in Real Life… and as you’re probably aware, comparisons to that ghoul should only ever be taken as an insult. For those who don’t know, Dan in Real Life is a movie about Steve Carrell falling in love with a woman on the way to a family staycation only to find out that this woman is engaged to his younger brother, Dane Cook. Now, obviously Steve Carrell and this lady end up together and everything turns out great in the end, but what you would think was the relationship ruining conflict between Steve Carrell and Dane Cook is actually wrapped up in one scene where it turns out that Dane Cook has a new girlfriend now or whatever. No lingering resentment, no feelings of discontent, no nothing, everything’s great because we’re at the end of the movie! This odd writing choice can only really be explained by what I assume is ego tripping behind-the-scenes, as the then popular “comedian” and big-headed, no lip having ass Dan Cook wouldn’t want to end the film with him being seen as a little cuck boy. But in turn, because he wasn’t allowed to feel normal human emotions like betrayal and seething rage, he's less a character and more a self-insert only there to espouse “good vibes” from the writer. So, I guess what I’m trying to say is that Patricia was my least favorite character not because she’s an obstacle for my favorite Yaoi pairing or whatever, but rather because she’s only there for the Family Stone, “I’m a straight ally” role when I would have enjoyed her quite a bit more if she had been more antagonistic. Obviously, homophobia is wrong. As someone who’s queer myself, I feel I should reiterate that fact (don't call me slurs please), but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen allies who are so well-versed in saying the correct things only to do a full 180 the second someone they personally dislike turns out to be gay. Let me just tell you, the mask goes flying off! Besides, I know I said it wasn’t an issue with historical inaccuracies, but I do have to admit that I had a hard time wrapping my head around the idea of a heterosexual woman in the 1950’s who’s getting a divorce because her husband liked getting dicked down by other men being that cool with it.
I know allies have always existed in queer spaces (maybe), but... nah man, I just can’t see it with this lady. Nonetheless, it’s too late now, but let’s not narrow in on the one aspect of Tommy Cabot Was Here that I didn’t like. This is a good book and I liked it a whoo~oole lot! What makes the romance portrayed in this book so acutely satisfying is that it always feels honest and true to both Everett and Tommy rather than trying to go for tried-and-true staples of the genre. For one, Tommy is a former charmer who has long since lost his confidence like Simba from Lion King, so it makes sense that for a good portion of the story we’d see the man flounder in trying to charm the only person that has ever mattered to him romantically. Whereas with Everett, this dude is so tightly wound that limbering him up wacky inflatable tube man style would take some serious work. Loosey-goosey, he is not. And I just loved how the catharsis to their deep-rooted issues doesn’t come to a head in a Notebook kind of “kiss in the rain” way, but instead they find solace in a more contemplative embrace. Passionate in its restraint and it works for them because anything outwardly affectionate would be disingenuous to both the characters and the time period. Performative, even. These are two men who are used to playing it close to the chest, so a single admission of truth after a lifetime of lying can be a hell of a lot more romantic than several prolonged sex scenes. It’s like in Before Sunset where Jesse finally meets up with Céline again and he spends the entire movie wrestling with his obligations to go home, but he always pushes it just that little bit further talking about, “just a couple more minutes.” Eventually it gets to the point where he’s in her apartment and after sharing a song and dance, Céline straight up tells him that he is “going to miss that plane,” to which he simply replies, “I know.” And sure, you could argue that the whole movie is problematic because he’s totally cheating on his wife or whatever, but that doesn’t change the fact that there’s a beauty in having a true connection with another person despite the context that surrounds it. Trying to find redemption is old hat, but telling the truth? That's the juice! So yeah, I guess what I’m getting at here is that Tommy and Everett were made for each other, and Tommy Cabot Was Here actually achieves the miracle of getting us to think so as well. The author sees it, we see it, and eventually... Tommy and Everett see it! And that's the correct order for a right and proper epiphany, isn't it?
But I watch your eyes as she walks by, what a sight for sore eyes / Brighter than a blue sky, she's got you mesmerized while I die.
June 20, 2026
MY VERSION OF HEAVEN IS JUST MEN LOVING OTHER MEN SOOOOOO MUCH THAT THEY CRY ABOUT IT, AND THEN GETTING COMFORTED BY THE VERY MEN MAKING THEM CRY🥹🥹🥹🫂🫂💖💖💖💖💖🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠🌈🌈🌈🌈
May 31, 2026
|| 3.5 stars ||
This was a truly lovely second-chance romance story. It managed to exude warmth while also serving an expected dose of heartbreak.
The writing was charming and heartfelt, and the characters continually pulled on multiple of my heartstrings. Something about this just felt so pure and authentic.
This might have been a moderately short read, but it still got me rooting for and swooning over the relationship. It was sweet.
Cat Sebastian books:
The Soldier's Scoundrel - 3.0 stars
Tommy Cabot Was Here - 3.5 stars
This was a truly lovely second-chance romance story. It managed to exude warmth while also serving an expected dose of heartbreak.
The writing was charming and heartfelt, and the characters continually pulled on multiple of my heartstrings. Something about this just felt so pure and authentic.
“I love you.”
Everett reached across the table and took Tommy’s hand. “I love you too.”
And then, God fucking damn it, Tommy’s eyes started to water. “Sorry,” he said.
“There’s nothing to apologize for.” With his thumb, Everett swept a tear off Tommy’s cheekbone. “I think it’s sweet.”
Tommy wrinkled his nose. “Fuck you.”
“I think you’re sweet. You’re adorable.”
“Oh my God.” Tommy tried to cover his face with the hand Everett wasn’t holding, but Everett grabbed that wrist too and used it to haul Tommy to his feet.
“When did you get so cute? I could eat you up.”
“I’m going to sink into the earth,” Tommy lamented.
“I just like you so much, Tommy Cabot.” He put a knuckle under Tommy’s chin, tilting his face up. “I’m really smitten with the person you turned into, even with the crying and the blushing.”
“I’m blushing? Oh, fuck me.”
“I mean, I could. I would. I think I’d do whatever you wanted at this point.”
Tommy groaned. “Wait until you see me sobbing over old picture albums. You’ll be overcome with lust.”
This might have been a moderately short read, but it still got me rooting for and swooning over the relationship. It was sweet.
Cat Sebastian books:
The Soldier's Scoundrel - 3.0 stars
Tommy Cabot Was Here - 3.5 stars
June 18, 2026
This is beautiful. Full of yearning and pain and mutual unrequited love but also full of the joy and relief that comes with finding your way back to someone and something that’s just meant to be.
Gorgeous. And only 4 stars, because I wanted more of them and the ending felt quite abrupt and I’m greedy 😭
Cat Sebastian just doesn’t miss for me and I seriously have no clue why I gave it only three stars the first time I read it lol
Gorgeous. And only 4 stars, because I wanted more of them and the ending felt quite abrupt and I’m greedy 😭
Cat Sebastian just doesn’t miss for me and I seriously have no clue why I gave it only three stars the first time I read it lol
March 10, 2025
This was a low angst time and honestly just very sweet and adorable. Which really shouldn't be a shock with Cat Sebastian. She seems to have the low angst, mid century, historical romance niche locked down.
Probably the biggest surprise was that this was only 100 pages when I had actually thought that this series was full length novels. Not that it's an issue but I had gone in mostly blind and was shocked when I was already 20% in to it before blinking lol.
After living abroad for a number of years, Everett Sloan returns to the US and accepts a position as a teacher in the same boarding school that he himself attended as a youth. Shortly after the school year commences Everett realises that the father of one of the students was his best friend and secret lover from his youth and who he has not had contact with for 15 years.
This is (kind of) a second chance romance in that Everett and Tommy were in an undefined/unacknowledged friends with benefits situation prior to Tommy getting married for the sake of his families expectations and Everett leaving for England.
This was a very low angst story... honestly in some ways it was almost too low angst? Considering the story touches on some heavy topics like Everett going to war, that some of their class mates died in said war, Everett needing to flee the country from his heart break, Tommy processing that he's gay and getting disowned and let go from his job working for his brother not to mention his divorce... And this somehow remained a sweet and light hearted read throughout. I guess it's fine if you aren't looking for something heavy and emotional and it's a thoroughly enjoyable read, but it had the potential to be a story with significantly more depth and meaning and in some ways I'm a bit sad not to get that.
On that note, Tommy, bless your cotton socks but what the actual fuck... Truly the emotional range of a house brick. I had to laugh as Tommy is sitting there talking with his ex-wife about how oblivious he was about Everett in their youth “I was oblivious. Despite the fact that we were very literally having sex and I routinely told him I loved him.” He raked a hand through his hair. “How could I have been so stupid?”. Tommy, you lovely dumb ass, the fact that for 15 YEARS YOU COULDNT GUESS WHY THIS MAN HAD TO DIP AFTER YOU LITERALLY GOT MARRIED TO SOMEONE ELSE!? Jesus Christ my guy.
I loved Tommy's ex-wife Patricia and Harry. They were wonderful side characters and added such a delightful charm to the story.
Tommy and Everett provided a light, fun and enjoyable time and an easy way to lose a few hours in an afternoon reading.
Probably the biggest surprise was that this was only 100 pages when I had actually thought that this series was full length novels. Not that it's an issue but I had gone in mostly blind and was shocked when I was already 20% in to it before blinking lol.
After living abroad for a number of years, Everett Sloan returns to the US and accepts a position as a teacher in the same boarding school that he himself attended as a youth. Shortly after the school year commences Everett realises that the father of one of the students was his best friend and secret lover from his youth and who he has not had contact with for 15 years.
This is (kind of) a second chance romance in that Everett and Tommy were in an undefined/unacknowledged friends with benefits situation prior to Tommy getting married for the sake of his families expectations and Everett leaving for England.
This was a very low angst story... honestly in some ways it was almost too low angst? Considering the story touches on some heavy topics like Everett going to war, that some of their class mates died in said war, Everett needing to flee the country from his heart break, Tommy processing that he's gay and getting disowned and let go from his job working for his brother not to mention his divorce... And this somehow remained a sweet and light hearted read throughout. I guess it's fine if you aren't looking for something heavy and emotional and it's a thoroughly enjoyable read, but it had the potential to be a story with significantly more depth and meaning and in some ways I'm a bit sad not to get that.
On that note, Tommy, bless your cotton socks but what the actual fuck... Truly the emotional range of a house brick. I had to laugh as Tommy is sitting there talking with his ex-wife about how oblivious he was about Everett in their youth “I was oblivious. Despite the fact that we were very literally having sex and I routinely told him I loved him.” He raked a hand through his hair. “How could I have been so stupid?”. Tommy, you lovely dumb ass, the fact that for 15 YEARS YOU COULDNT GUESS WHY THIS MAN HAD TO DIP AFTER YOU LITERALLY GOT MARRIED TO SOMEONE ELSE!? Jesus Christ my guy.
I loved Tommy's ex-wife Patricia and Harry. They were wonderful side characters and added such a delightful charm to the story.
Tommy and Everett provided a light, fun and enjoyable time and an easy way to lose a few hours in an afternoon reading.
June 20, 2026
IT IS CRIMINAL that this is a novella...
I demand a re-write into a full length book, extra time in the developments between them as adult + 3 more books after that of them living in wholesome domestic bliss.
Tommy Cabot, was a larger-than-life teen with the world at his feet. He assumed his horny sessions with Ev was just bouts of teenage experimentation.
Meanwhile, Ev had been inlove. 😭😭😭
(Oooooooooft, unrequited love and childhood bestfriends to lovers, seems to be right up my alley in the last few weeks.)
Tommy get married, Ev left, and a piece of Tommy died causing his soul to wither and he becomes a nervous anxious man who cries a lot. There is a quote about him not realising that his 30's would involve laying on the floor and crying alot, and I resonated with that.
The dynamic switch up between a quiet Ev, and vivacious Tommy in childhood. That became the confident adult Ev, and nervous bean Tommy WAS EVERYHTING.
Tommy realized that he was a shell without his favourite human in his life.
I loved the way these two reconnected.
Cat can do no wrong.
I demand a re-write into a full length book, extra time in the developments between them as adult + 3 more books after that of them living in wholesome domestic bliss.
Tommy Cabot, was a larger-than-life teen with the world at his feet. He assumed his horny sessions with Ev was just bouts of teenage experimentation.
Meanwhile, Ev had been inlove. 😭😭😭
(Oooooooooft, unrequited love and childhood bestfriends to lovers, seems to be right up my alley in the last few weeks.)
Tommy get married, Ev left, and a piece of Tommy died causing his soul to wither and he becomes a nervous anxious man who cries a lot. There is a quote about him not realising that his 30's would involve laying on the floor and crying alot, and I resonated with that.
The dynamic switch up between a quiet Ev, and vivacious Tommy in childhood. That became the confident adult Ev, and nervous bean Tommy WAS EVERYHTING.
Tommy realized that he was a shell without his favourite human in his life.
I loved the way these two reconnected.
Cat can do no wrong.
April 12, 2021
This is a simple, sweet story of two men finding each other after 15 years apart. They were best friends, and more, at boarding school, but in that era there didn't seem to be any way to move forward from the moment of graduation. Everett enlisted, because it was easier than telling golden-boy Tommy Cabot that he wanted something lasting, in a world where "gay" and "lasting" didn't go together.
Tommy went on to marry a society girl, have a son, and Everett tried to put their youthful love behind him. But when Tommy shows up with his young son at the school where Everett teaches, it's clear that his effort to forget was less than successful. Strangely, Tommy isn't the successful polished man that Everett knows from the society pages he couldn't help reading. And when they meet again, it's a new beginning. But Tommy's still a married family man. Keeping his distance would be far safer for Everett's heart. Unfortunately, "safer" has not been his guiding principle where Tommy is concerned.
Given the set-up and the era, this could have been an angsty story. But instead, it's a warm, slow, inevitable slide into second chances love.
Tommy went on to marry a society girl, have a son, and Everett tried to put their youthful love behind him. But when Tommy shows up with his young son at the school where Everett teaches, it's clear that his effort to forget was less than successful. Strangely, Tommy isn't the successful polished man that Everett knows from the society pages he couldn't help reading. And when they meet again, it's a new beginning. But Tommy's still a married family man. Keeping his distance would be far safer for Everett's heart. Unfortunately, "safer" has not been his guiding principle where Tommy is concerned.
Given the set-up and the era, this could have been an angsty story. But instead, it's a warm, slow, inevitable slide into second chances love.
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August 22, 2022
"I want to love you like this," Everett said, brushing his lips across Tommy's, so soft and slow that Tommy almost moaned. "And I want to love you by helping you with that mountain of dishes in your sink. And I want to love you by waking up next to you tomorrow. I want to love you by being there when you do whatever you decide to do next month, or next year. I want to love you any way you need to be loved."
"Everett," Tommy said, almost breathless.
"I don't know what I'm doing either. But I want to love you when we make mistakes, and I want to love you when we don't know what to do. Is that okay?"
with novellas, i've always said i tend to be hesitant bc the book is shorter so there may not be enough development, enough interactions, enough moments to understand the connection or chemistry between the mcs (the way you can with a full length novel) but i admit, while that is the case for some novellas... there are others where it still works. the feels are there. the emotions are present. you still find yourself rooting for the mcs to have their happy ending. this was the case for me with this book.
now, could i have loved this more if it was longer? definitely. while there are some aspects i wish were further developed, the book still packed a punch and hit me with the feels to the point where some scenes made me tear up. the romance, although kinda angsty in the beginning, felt sweet to me overall.
And then, God fucking damn it, Tommy's eyes started to water. "Sorry," he said.
"There's nothing to apologize for." With his thumb, Everett swept a tear off Tommy's cheekbone. "I think it's sweet."
Tommy wrinkled his nose. "Fuck you."
"I think you're sweet." Everett got to his feet. "You're adorable."
"Everett," Tommy said, almost breathless.
"I don't know what I'm doing either. But I want to love you when we make mistakes, and I want to love you when we don't know what to do. Is that okay?"
with novellas, i've always said i tend to be hesitant bc the book is shorter so there may not be enough development, enough interactions, enough moments to understand the connection or chemistry between the mcs (the way you can with a full length novel) but i admit, while that is the case for some novellas... there are others where it still works. the feels are there. the emotions are present. you still find yourself rooting for the mcs to have their happy ending. this was the case for me with this book.
now, could i have loved this more if it was longer? definitely. while there are some aspects i wish were further developed, the book still packed a punch and hit me with the feels to the point where some scenes made me tear up. the romance, although kinda angsty in the beginning, felt sweet to me overall.
And then, God fucking damn it, Tommy's eyes started to water. "Sorry," he said.
"There's nothing to apologize for." With his thumb, Everett swept a tear off Tommy's cheekbone. "I think it's sweet."
Tommy wrinkled his nose. "Fuck you."
"I think you're sweet." Everett got to his feet. "You're adorable."
July 12, 2026
Utterly delightful. The perfect snack. I adored this second chance novella and read it in one sitting. I entirely believed in their situation and re-connection. My god Tommy used to be an utterly clueless man!! I absolutely adored his character progression. Everett felt so real and his reticence in trusting Tommy again made complete sense.
I loved the way these two came together and that there was no doubt in their love once everything was out in the open.
Pat and Harry - great side characters. The kid was there minimally and not annoying at all, perfect. I greatly enjoyed that these characters are in their late 30’s. They feel relatable and genuine, Tommy especially in his newly vulnerable yet capable state.
I don’t read alot of books set in the 1950’s. This setting felt accurate, authentic and had a charming sense of place.
Part of me would have loved more of these two and was sad it ended rather suddenly, the other part of me loves that it was snappy and didn’t drag on. The lead up to the next couple has piqued my interest but I would have loved to read way more pages of these two reconnecting.
4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I loved the way these two came together and that there was no doubt in their love once everything was out in the open.
Pat and Harry - great side characters. The kid was there minimally and not annoying at all, perfect. I greatly enjoyed that these characters are in their late 30’s. They feel relatable and genuine, Tommy especially in his newly vulnerable yet capable state.
I don’t read alot of books set in the 1950’s. This setting felt accurate, authentic and had a charming sense of place.
Part of me would have loved more of these two and was sad it ended rather suddenly, the other part of me loves that it was snappy and didn’t drag on. The lead up to the next couple has piqued my interest but I would have loved to read way more pages of these two reconnecting.
4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
June 23, 2025
Reading this felt like a giant hug. Normally novellas aren't enough for me, but this story was the perfect size. One of the better second chance romance stories out there.
2025 Ripped Bodice Summer Bingo categories hit: Fall (the season or the action), They were roommates, and Construction
2025 Ripped Bodice Summer Bingo categories hit: Fall (the season or the action), They were roommates, and Construction
April 10, 2021
Prior to this book, I’ve only read a few regency era Cat Sebastian books. I think besides Hither Page, which I have yet to read, she tends to stick to those. So I was curious if I would enjoy her writing in a more modern time. Well...1959 is not so modern. But definitely more modern than the ones I’ve read. I still enjoyed her writing style. It did feel kind of old fashioned but that didn’t bother me.
Plot wise, liked this but never got to the loving it stage even though I thought for sure I was getting there a few times. It’s a short book. Only 105 pages. And I think if it had been longer, it would have worked better for me. This is a second chance love story. And Everett and Tommy were so lovely together. Initially I could really feel their heartbreak and yearning.
But their reunion felt rushed and the ending was unsatisfying. I wanted more build up to their reunion then more time spent together after. Just my two cents. It was still worth the read.
Plot wise, liked this but never got to the loving it stage even though I thought for sure I was getting there a few times. It’s a short book. Only 105 pages. And I think if it had been longer, it would have worked better for me. This is a second chance love story. And Everett and Tommy were so lovely together. Initially I could really feel their heartbreak and yearning.
But their reunion felt rushed and the ending was unsatisfying. I wanted more build up to their reunion then more time spent together after. Just my two cents. It was still worth the read.
January 16, 2026
I'm beginning to suspect this author can't write a book I don't like. Luckily for me I still haven't read everything she's written but at this rate I soon will. This shortstory of two childhood friends was both a bit heartbreaking and hopefull. They met at boarding school and soon were as close as could be. Due to the times and some obliviousness Tommy later got married and Everett broke their contact and moved away. Their paths crosses again at the school they met. Everett is now a teacher and Tommy's son is starting there. This is not an angsy story - it's heartwarming. Shout out to Tommy's ex wife who was a wonderful ally 💙
August 13, 2024
I feel Tommy is one of those characters that are just relatable because honestly, same
. “Nobody had told him how much of his late thirties would involve lying on floors and crying.”
This is one of those books and I guess the series would be the same where the story is mostly vibes and no plot and I’m here for it. I feel at this point anything that Cat Sebastian writes I'll love.
“I don’t know what I’m doing either. But I want to love you when we make mistakes, and I want to love you when we don’t know what to do. Is that okay?”
This is one of those books and I guess the series would be the same where the story is mostly vibes and no plot and I’m here for it. I feel at this point anything that Cat Sebastian writes I'll love.
“I don’t know what I’m doing either. But I want to love you when we make mistakes, and I want to love you when we don’t know what to do. Is that okay?”
August 20, 2024
Beautifully written mm romance set in 1959.
I have yet to read a Cat Sebastian book that isn't good.
I have yet to read a Cat Sebastian book that isn't good.
June 7, 2022
I loved everything about this book except the length. I usually don't complain about something as pedestrian as the length of a book but this one unfortunately suffered narratively by being way too short. Everything felt as if it was just beginning and nothing really happened. That being said, I really did love everything about this book. Especially the amount of tears Tommy sheds for no reason, or, really, for every reason ever. A weepy older main character is a lovely change from the stoic manly man stuff that can come through in a romance.
In conclusion, I needed approximately 5 times the amount of pages with weeping Tommy being hugged by Everett.
Read this review and more on my blog: https://horsetalkreviews.blogspot.com/
In conclusion, I needed approximately 5 times the amount of pages with weeping Tommy being hugged by Everett.
Read this review and more on my blog: https://horsetalkreviews.blogspot.com/
August 13, 2024
"I don’t know what I'm doing either. But I want to love you when we make mistakes, and I want to love you when we don't know what to do. Is that okay?"
Yeah, I cried, what about it? Tommy and Everett made me emotional ❤️
January 8, 2023
5 stars! I think I’m in love with Cat Sebastian’s writing. This was short, sweet, funny and sad. It broke my heart to think of young Tommy and young Everett, and their confused feelings. They broke each other’s hearts, but you can’t really fault them.
But Everett had put distance between them for a reason. Staying in Boston would have meant getting his heart broken every time Tommy showed up and slung his arm around Everett’s shoulders, every time Tommy acted like a kiss or a grope or even more didn’t mean anything.
When they find each other again, they are unsure at first. Hurt. But their deep connection and easy friendship are still there, and can’t be denied. I loved their sweetness, their easy banter.
“I’m really smitten with the person you turned into, even with the crying and the blushing.” “I’m blushing too? Oh, fuck me.” “I mean, I could. I would. I think I’d do whatever you wanted at this point.”
Do I wish it was longer? Yes, but not because it felt rushed or unfinished. I just wish I could have spent more time with these two.
But Everett had put distance between them for a reason. Staying in Boston would have meant getting his heart broken every time Tommy showed up and slung his arm around Everett’s shoulders, every time Tommy acted like a kiss or a grope or even more didn’t mean anything.
When they find each other again, they are unsure at first. Hurt. But their deep connection and easy friendship are still there, and can’t be denied. I loved their sweetness, their easy banter.
“I’m really smitten with the person you turned into, even with the crying and the blushing.” “I’m blushing too? Oh, fuck me.” “I mean, I could. I would. I think I’d do whatever you wanted at this point.”
Do I wish it was longer? Yes, but not because it felt rushed or unfinished. I just wish I could have spent more time with these two.
January 3, 2026
~3.5~
Pitch perfect as always from Cat Sebastian, but too short by far. I wanted to know more about Tommy and Everett, their past and their future. So much was left unsaid.
Pitch perfect as always from Cat Sebastian, but too short by far. I wanted to know more about Tommy and Everett, their past and their future. So much was left unsaid.
At some point ... snow began to fall ... There was no mud, no mistakes, just a landscape transformed by something as ordinary as cold and water. And here they were inside, flawed and messy, safe and warm, loved and loving.
January 31, 2026
Ok we can all mark January 30th in our calendars as the day Jamie finally read and loved a historical romance novel. We all thought the day would never come, I usually don’t like anything from the 1900s lolol but I actually really liked this book and am excited to continue the series!! 🩵
April 11, 2021
3.5 stars
A lovely second chance romance. Not much plot. No drama.
A bit too sweet at the end.
Perfect read between longer books if you want something quick and delightful.
A lovely second chance romance. Not much plot. No drama.
A bit too sweet at the end.
Perfect read between longer books if you want something quick and delightful.
September 19, 2024
Re-read and changed my rating from 4 to 5 stars. I really appreciate the depth of the characters, so well written for a story as short as this one.
As I love historical novels, it may sound weird that this is the first time I read a book by Cat Sebastian. I know she's usually known for her regency novels, but when I saw she wrote a book that was set in the 50's, I just couldn't resist, because that's one of my favorite era's to read about. And I became even more enthusiastic when I saw there will be a second book releasing in September.
So, as for this one: it's a novella, only about a 100 pages. I always enjoy to read a novella in between novels and this one was an enjoyment on its own. I loved the feeling of the era, which was well done. I also loved the two MC's, Everett and Tommy. This is a second chance story about two men who used to be friends and roommates when they were at boarding school together fifteen years ago, but they lost contact, mainly because Everett was in love with Tommy and didn't think the feelings were mutual, specially when Tommy gets married. He just needed to guard his heart.
Everett ended up teaching at his former boarding school, and he and Tommy meet again when Tommy's son Daniel will be attending there as well. There's a slow getting to know each other again, but when Everett finds out the real reason for Tommy's divorce, he knows he has to try and take a chance.
I loved Patricia, Tommy's ex, and her friend Harry. They were just fabulous.
I clicked with the author's writing style, so apart from the second book in these series, I know I will be reading more of her books.
If you enjoy a short, historical romance and second chances is your trope, you will enjoy this sweet, well written novella.
As I love historical novels, it may sound weird that this is the first time I read a book by Cat Sebastian. I know she's usually known for her regency novels, but when I saw she wrote a book that was set in the 50's, I just couldn't resist, because that's one of my favorite era's to read about. And I became even more enthusiastic when I saw there will be a second book releasing in September.
So, as for this one: it's a novella, only about a 100 pages. I always enjoy to read a novella in between novels and this one was an enjoyment on its own. I loved the feeling of the era, which was well done. I also loved the two MC's, Everett and Tommy. This is a second chance story about two men who used to be friends and roommates when they were at boarding school together fifteen years ago, but they lost contact, mainly because Everett was in love with Tommy and didn't think the feelings were mutual, specially when Tommy gets married. He just needed to guard his heart.
Everett ended up teaching at his former boarding school, and he and Tommy meet again when Tommy's son Daniel will be attending there as well. There's a slow getting to know each other again, but when Everett finds out the real reason for Tommy's divorce, he knows he has to try and take a chance.
I loved Patricia, Tommy's ex, and her friend Harry. They were just fabulous.
I clicked with the author's writing style, so apart from the second book in these series, I know I will be reading more of her books.
If you enjoy a short, historical romance and second chances is your trope, you will enjoy this sweet, well written novella.
January 20, 2022
I'm glad I read these out of order, while I really liked the second book, this has less depth.
The start is good, interesting characters with history together, earning. But then the story is too rushed. They talk twice and then are together and in love.
It left me still wondering what pushed Tommy to come out to his family and face the life altering disownment. What Everett's life was in the interim, did signing up have impact? Neither character felt fully drawn. Tommy is emotional and given to tears, but we're not shown the capable side of him for comparison. His son Daniel is merely a reason for him being at the school where Everett works. Daniel doesn't have any personality, I don't think he actually speaks in the book.
I found myself skimming through, not caring about the characters. They're 'youthful hijinks' is in the past, we don't see them get to know each other as adults. The feelings felt more hangover from the past than something rekindled.
For me this was too easy, too short a story.
The start is good, interesting characters with history together, earning. But then the story is too rushed. They talk twice and then are together and in love.
It left me still wondering what pushed Tommy to come out to his family and face the life altering disownment. What Everett's life was in the interim, did signing up have impact? Neither character felt fully drawn. Tommy is emotional and given to tears, but we're not shown the capable side of him for comparison. His son Daniel is merely a reason for him being at the school where Everett works. Daniel doesn't have any personality, I don't think he actually speaks in the book.
I found myself skimming through, not caring about the characters. They're 'youthful hijinks' is in the past, we don't see them get to know each other as adults. The feelings felt more hangover from the past than something rekindled.
For me this was too easy, too short a story.
September 15, 2021
Although this is marked as #1 in the Cabots series, I read it second and was perfectly happy with that reading order. :)
This historical romance novella (set in 1959) has a much more muted tone than Peter Cabot Gets Lost (which was full of snicker-worthy banter and lots of humor), but it was a really lovely, warm, kind, and compassionate story about finding hope, courage, and second chances. It's set mostly in the winter, and it was just wonderfully cozy and emotionally moving. I am really looking forward to the next Cabots story that gets released (which will be about Patricia Cabot, Tommy's ex-wife, who was a wonderful side-character in both stories)!
This historical romance novella (set in 1959) has a much more muted tone than Peter Cabot Gets Lost (which was full of snicker-worthy banter and lots of humor), but it was a really lovely, warm, kind, and compassionate story about finding hope, courage, and second chances. It's set mostly in the winter, and it was just wonderfully cozy and emotionally moving. I am really looking forward to the next Cabots story that gets released (which will be about Patricia Cabot, Tommy's ex-wife, who was a wonderful side-character in both stories)!
March 16, 2023
Cat Sebastian heals hearts.
December 14, 2024
I really enjoyed this one. Tommy Cabot Was Here was a heartfelt, heartwarming story that managed to deliver the perfect amount of heartache as well ❤️🩹❤️🥹
Bonus: though not billed as a Christmas story, part of the story happens over the holiday and that was perfect for me because my last attempt at a Christmas story was a huge, disappointing bust so this one was not only a great recovery from that fail, it gave me the holiday fuzzies I’ve been craving.
3.75 stars
Borrowed Tommy Cabot Was Here from the library but enjoyed it so much that I’m anxious to start the next in the series, Peter Cabot Gets Lost. I’m so enthusiastic to start it that although I have it on hold with the library, I’m too impatient to wait the two weeks left on the hold and am just going to buy it now 😅😆
Bonus: though not billed as a Christmas story, part of the story happens over the holiday and that was perfect for me because my last attempt at a Christmas story was a huge, disappointing bust so this one was not only a great recovery from that fail, it gave me the holiday fuzzies I’ve been craving.
3.75 stars
Borrowed Tommy Cabot Was Here from the library but enjoyed it so much that I’m anxious to start the next in the series, Peter Cabot Gets Lost. I’m so enthusiastic to start it that although I have it on hold with the library, I’m too impatient to wait the two weeks left on the hold and am just going to buy it now 😅😆
Want to Read
November 16, 2021Thank you for the gifts, Still not afraid of the dentist elf!
December 25, 2025
This little book is perfect.
Sebastian takes a very slight tale and makes it profoundly moving and just Right. With a very light touch and never falling into the obvious.
She gets the period right (I kind of remember 1959), although I'm not sure anyone was using the word 'gay' the way we do now.
I read it in one sitting and am delighted there is to be a series.
9-23 First re-read (of several, I suspect; this is comfort reading par excellance).5
It was actually kind of soon to revisit this one, but once again I really enjoyed it.
12-25 Second re-read: ditto. Sometimes life makes rereading of faves absolutely necessary. So good.
Sebastian takes a very slight tale and makes it profoundly moving and just Right. With a very light touch and never falling into the obvious.
She gets the period right (I kind of remember 1959), although I'm not sure anyone was using the word 'gay' the way we do now.
I read it in one sitting and am delighted there is to be a series.
9-23 First re-read (of several, I suspect; this is comfort reading par excellance).5
It was actually kind of soon to revisit this one, but once again I really enjoyed it.
12-25 Second re-read: ditto. Sometimes life makes rereading of faves absolutely necessary. So good.
April 15, 2021
Short and sweet without being saccharine or cutsey. I approve. It's set in 1959 (and believably so) and the McCarthy era was coming to an end, so I can believe that there is not an incredible amount of very real fear in there. Also, it's part of a series, so I think I can trust especially this author to further enlighten us about the time period. I liked it. Highly recommended.
November 15, 2021
A super sweet second chance MM romance novella set in the late 1950s America.
I love Cat Sebastian's HR novels and had read her complete backlist. I was keeping this novella pending till the release of the next book in the series but finally, I gave up. This is the 1st Cat Sebastian book based in America. It's the story of Tommy and Everett, who were best friends and lovers while in school. Everett moved away after Tommy married Patricia. Now, 15 years later, they meet again in the same school where Everett is a teacher and Tommy had his son as a student. These long 15 years have changed things between them. Everett is guarding his heart and avoids Tommy at all cost. Whereas once upon confident and rich Tommy is emotional and broken due to his family's betrayal after he came out. Super sweet romance with a bit of angst. Now am waiting eagerly for the release of the next 'Cabot' book.
I love Cat Sebastian's HR novels and had read her complete backlist. I was keeping this novella pending till the release of the next book in the series but finally, I gave up. This is the 1st Cat Sebastian book based in America. It's the story of Tommy and Everett, who were best friends and lovers while in school. Everett moved away after Tommy married Patricia. Now, 15 years later, they meet again in the same school where Everett is a teacher and Tommy had his son as a student. These long 15 years have changed things between them. Everett is guarding his heart and avoids Tommy at all cost. Whereas once upon confident and rich Tommy is emotional and broken due to his family's betrayal after he came out. Super sweet romance with a bit of angst. Now am waiting eagerly for the release of the next 'Cabot' book.
December 3, 2022
It was sweet and heartwarming. Some moments had the grab on me. I liked it, but it doesn’t fit so much to my liking. The writing and storyline was okay actually, but I didnt like it as much as I expected. I can imagine lots of people enjoy this for a short second chance FTL :)
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