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Blow Me Away
Things are about to get spicy...
Showing up solo to a wedding where his ex is the best man? That's a hard pass, even for the brazen and confident Noah Harper. Thankfully, his bestie has a brilliant plan: Take her straight as an arrow brother Nick as his fake boyfriend instead.
Nick is happy to pretend—a free trip to Hawaii is hard to pass up—but apparently it will cost him exactly one existential crisis when sharing a hotel room with the charming and funny Noah turns unexpectedly...complicated.
Their flirting is starting to feel pretty real and when the suddenly curious hockey jock Nick wants to experiment? Hold on to your lei, honey, because things are about to get spicy!
What to Expect: Fake boyfriends, guy talk, secret experiments, hot as heck first times, a bi-awakening and of course a heaping dose of swoon!
Showing up solo to a wedding where his ex is the best man? That's a hard pass, even for the brazen and confident Noah Harper. Thankfully, his bestie has a brilliant plan: Take her straight as an arrow brother Nick as his fake boyfriend instead.
Nick is happy to pretend—a free trip to Hawaii is hard to pass up—but apparently it will cost him exactly one existential crisis when sharing a hotel room with the charming and funny Noah turns unexpectedly...complicated.
Their flirting is starting to feel pretty real and when the suddenly curious hockey jock Nick wants to experiment? Hold on to your lei, honey, because things are about to get spicy!
What to Expect: Fake boyfriends, guy talk, secret experiments, hot as heck first times, a bi-awakening and of course a heaping dose of swoon!
344 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 10, 2022
53 people are currently reading
1632 people want to read
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January 16, 2022DNF AT 79%
There is nothing wrong with this book, I was quite enjoying it and it was a lot of fun to read. I really wish I enjoyed this one more than I did.
I absolutely love a good bi-awakening in books, I just didn’t like how biphobic some of the comments of one of the main characters in the book sounded.
One of the main characters (Noah) spent a lot of the book invalidating Nick’s bisexuality and I just couldn’t stand behind that.
Your bisexual boyfriend doesn’t owe you to not be attracted to women because he is dating a man. And sentences like this quote from the book, are really hurtful. A little part of me hates that he likes women. Okay, fine, a big part.
Your bisexual boyfriend is not gay because he is dating a man.
Your bisexual boyfriend is also not straight because he is into women.
Your bisexual boyfriend does not have to only be attracted to men because he is currently dating a man.
Your bisexual boyfriend is not not attracted to men because he is also attracted to women.
Your bisexual boyfriend is not going to cheat on you with every girl on the planet so if we please could stop that stereotype, it would be appreciated.
Your bisexual boyfriend does not deserve to be trusted less because of his sexuality.
Also, if the bisexual guy you’re into wants to have sex with a woman when you’re not dating, there is nothing wrong with that, he doesn’t deserve to be made feel like he is evil because he wanted to sleep with a woman.
Oh and also, your bisexual boyfriend does not owe you the fact that he will come out of the closet for you. Or when he will come out. That's his timeline to decide when he feels ready, not yours.
I very much understand how all of these are just stereotypes associated with anyone who’s bi and that the character who said them probably meant no harm by saying them and by the way he acted, but as someone who’s also bi and has heard all of those things too many times, from people I dated or wanted to date, let me tell you, they really hurt. These comments just cut really deep and they aren’t nice to hear, at all.
I just want to point out that Noah is doing his Master's degree in Psychology with a focus on sexuality, so the way he acted like bisexuality does not exist kind of rubbed me the wrong way, because he has a lot of years of studying that tells him differently. Also, Noah, who studies sexuality, made a lot of comments negating the fact that Nick could be having a bi-sexual awakening and acted like he couldn't be into men because he only thought that he was into women before then. Every class in sexual studies tells you how sexuality can be fluid and I just didn't like how he made so many comments that go against what he's studying.
I received a copy of this book, and this is my honest review.
There is nothing wrong with this book, I was quite enjoying it and it was a lot of fun to read. I really wish I enjoyed this one more than I did.
I absolutely love a good bi-awakening in books, I just didn’t like how biphobic some of the comments of one of the main characters in the book sounded.
One of the main characters (Noah) spent a lot of the book invalidating Nick’s bisexuality and I just couldn’t stand behind that.
Your bisexual boyfriend doesn’t owe you to not be attracted to women because he is dating a man. And sentences like this quote from the book, are really hurtful. A little part of me hates that he likes women. Okay, fine, a big part.
Your bisexual boyfriend is not gay because he is dating a man.
Your bisexual boyfriend is also not straight because he is into women.
Your bisexual boyfriend does not have to only be attracted to men because he is currently dating a man.
Your bisexual boyfriend is not not attracted to men because he is also attracted to women.
Your bisexual boyfriend is not going to cheat on you with every girl on the planet so if we please could stop that stereotype, it would be appreciated.
Your bisexual boyfriend does not deserve to be trusted less because of his sexuality.
Also, if the bisexual guy you’re into wants to have sex with a woman when you’re not dating, there is nothing wrong with that, he doesn’t deserve to be made feel like he is evil because he wanted to sleep with a woman.
Oh and also, your bisexual boyfriend does not owe you the fact that he will come out of the closet for you. Or when he will come out. That's his timeline to decide when he feels ready, not yours.
I very much understand how all of these are just stereotypes associated with anyone who’s bi and that the character who said them probably meant no harm by saying them and by the way he acted, but as someone who’s also bi and has heard all of those things too many times, from people I dated or wanted to date, let me tell you, they really hurt. These comments just cut really deep and they aren’t nice to hear, at all.
I just want to point out that Noah is doing his Master's degree in Psychology with a focus on sexuality, so the way he acted like bisexuality does not exist kind of rubbed me the wrong way, because he has a lot of years of studying that tells him differently. Also, Noah, who studies sexuality, made a lot of comments negating the fact that Nick could be having a bi-sexual awakening and acted like he couldn't be into men because he only thought that he was into women before then. Every class in sexual studies tells you how sexuality can be fluid and I just didn't like how he made so many comments that go against what he's studying.
I received a copy of this book, and this is my honest review.
January 14, 2022
The beginning was a bit rocky. I was almost turned off by Noah and Becca's first interaction but I pushed on. I'm glad I did because once you get to Nick and Noah the story gets so much better.
Noah is in need of a date for his sister's destination wedding. He doesn't want to show up alone and face his engaged ex Jordan on his own. His best friend Becca offers her brother Nick. Thats her straight brother Nick!
Turns our Nick might not be so straight. During the trip in Hawaii things get heated up between him and Noah. Some extra activities take place between the two. They agree to the plan of what happens in Hawaii stays in Hawaii but when back home the two can't seem to stay away from eachother.
Noah doesn't want to be Nick's experiment and Nick is trying to figure out his feelings. This make them both very hesitant to start something but the chemistry is just too strong.
Overall a solid read. I love the fake boyfriend trope with a HEA. Plus there's Nick's bisexual awakening & all the first time experiences with Noah 🔥🔥🔥. It all worked for me. First read by this author and I believe I shall check out more 😉
*ARC provided by GRR, this is my honest review.
Noah is in need of a date for his sister's destination wedding. He doesn't want to show up alone and face his engaged ex Jordan on his own. His best friend Becca offers her brother Nick. Thats her straight brother Nick!
Turns our Nick might not be so straight. During the trip in Hawaii things get heated up between him and Noah. Some extra activities take place between the two. They agree to the plan of what happens in Hawaii stays in Hawaii but when back home the two can't seem to stay away from eachother.
Noah doesn't want to be Nick's experiment and Nick is trying to figure out his feelings. This make them both very hesitant to start something but the chemistry is just too strong.
Overall a solid read. I love the fake boyfriend trope with a HEA. Plus there's Nick's bisexual awakening & all the first time experiences with Noah 🔥🔥🔥. It all worked for me. First read by this author and I believe I shall check out more 😉
*ARC provided by GRR, this is my honest review.
March 12, 2022
“It’s Noah, dressed in tiny rainbow booty shorts, shirtless, hair styled, looking like a tasty fucking snack. Yup. Just had that thought.”
January 18, 2022
3.5 fake or not so much stars
Like a lot of people, I had some trouble with the first chapters. I didn't really get the dynamic between Noah and Becca until later in the novel. It was only when things got a little less awkward between Noah and Nick - somewhere between chapter 3 et 4 - that I started enjoying myself. I like fake boyfriend and bi-awakening stories, but it sounded a bit too much like a sex-teaching trope here, which I'm mostly over right now.
The second part of the book was sweet, with anticipation, butterflies and cute scenes, like the museum one. A lot of questions and emotions were flying around, which kind of made up for the "senseless" sex from before. There was some mild miscommunication, but I liked that they discussed their relationship early enough that we could get a bit of their love story on paper. Some good points go to Becca, who proved to be a pretty fun and supportive friend, and Noah's family. Nana. Was. Gold!
Like a lot of people, I had some trouble with the first chapters. I didn't really get the dynamic between Noah and Becca until later in the novel. It was only when things got a little less awkward between Noah and Nick - somewhere between chapter 3 et 4 - that I started enjoying myself. I like fake boyfriend and bi-awakening stories, but it sounded a bit too much like a sex-teaching trope here, which I'm mostly over right now.
The second part of the book was sweet, with anticipation, butterflies and cute scenes, like the museum one. A lot of questions and emotions were flying around, which kind of made up for the "senseless" sex from before. There was some mild miscommunication, but I liked that they discussed their relationship early enough that we could get a bit of their love story on paper. Some good points go to Becca, who proved to be a pretty fun and supportive friend, and Noah's family. Nana. Was. Gold!
October 27, 2022
one, if there's anything worse than going alone to a wedding your ex and his boyfriend are going to be at, its them finding out you hired a fake boyfriend because of them💀. Noah's mom and sister just letting them know like it was nothing more than gossip was a shit thing to do, especially since the ex and his boyfriend were openly churlish.
two, if your boyfriend hasn't said that he loved you back yet, the absolute last thing you need to do is send your sister/his best friend to talk him into saying it💀.
two, if your boyfriend hasn't said that he loved you back yet, the absolute last thing you need to do is send your sister/his best friend to talk him into saying it💀.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 17, 2022
Review soon
January 10, 2022
After a slightly rocky start I warmed into it - I really don't appreciate insulting your bestie as a form of love. Reclaiming slurs is not my thing.
Nick and Noah were fun. I love the fake relationship trope and it was done well. Nick got curious fast but the relationship took a while to develop which worked.
While I enjoyed them together I didn't feel that much beyond physical attraction between them. They had a great friends vibe.
The highlight for me was the lack of family drama. Everyone was really supportive
Nick and Noah were fun. I love the fake relationship trope and it was done well. Nick got curious fast but the relationship took a while to develop which worked.
While I enjoyed them together I didn't feel that much beyond physical attraction between them. They had a great friends vibe.
The highlight for me was the lack of family drama. Everyone was really supportive
January 15, 2022
Like other reviewers said the beginning was kind of a rough start it took my a few chapters to get into the two MCs. Once it picked up I found myself invested in Nick and Noah. One thing I absolutely do not like though is when one of the MCs tries to hookup with someone else to forget about the other. I will DNF a book if they go through with it. Nick didn't do it (thank goodness) so I continued but I think if an author is going to take that route we HAVE to get it in that character's pov. I would have liked to actually see Nick decide not to do anything (they didnt even kiss) with that rando. I didnt like being on the outside with Noah watching him go up those stairs😖
Another thing is I'm not sure we really got closure with Noah's ex. We see that Jordan's fiance is a total creeper and Jordan finds out later they were fake dating at the wedding but we don't see him get put in his place or anything, he just kind of pops up towards the end to be be annoying.
Overall I feel like this was 3.5/4 star read and enjoyed it!
Another thing is I'm not sure we really got closure with Noah's ex. We see that Jordan's fiance is a total creeper and Jordan finds out later they were fake dating at the wedding but we don't see him get put in his place or anything, he just kind of pops up towards the end to be be annoying.
Overall I feel like this was 3.5/4 star read and enjoyed it!
January 14, 2022
First of all, this 3-star rating is a 2.5 rounded up. I never do that, but I really struggled with deciding on a star rating altogether, but I couldn't bring myself to rate it 2 stars because there's nothing technically wrong with it, and I mean that in: there are no technical errors here. "Blow Me Away" meets the standards of a decent book in terms of plotting, grammar and dialogue. It is, on the whole, innocuous and mostly unobjectionable.
However, I object to it because I was 1. bored and 2. annoyed.
Noah doesn't want to go to his sister's destination wedding single because a groomsman is his recent ex, who will be attending with his fiance in tow. Noah's best friend volunteers her straight younger brother as his fake boyfriend for the week in Hawaii. I LOVE fake dating. It's my favorite trope. I was really looking forward to the pair getting to know each other and getting hot and heavy on the beach.
Yes, that does happen. Nick does an excellent job as a fake boyfriend and one kiss sets them off on a journey of bisexual exploration.
Here's where my first complaints come in: there's a lot of time skips in the novella. Hawaii breezes by. I really thought the bulk of the novella was going to be there, but nope, it's just the beginning. The time skips happen throughout. Sometimes, it's a day or two. Other times it's a week or more. If I didn't know this wasn't the author's first and only book, I would say this was the crutch of a newbie writer. It seems like the author didn't know how to sustain tension within the moment and had to come at it when it had cooled down a bit and approach it from a "it's been a while and this hasn't been resolved" sort of way. It not only felt lazy, but it also really disconnected me from the narrative tension so that it all felt episodic in a bad way. The connection between Nick and Noah was constantly stalled for long periods.
Nick and Noah had a decent connection, with Nick as generally nice and laid back and Noah as a "sassy gay" who called his best friend a bitch and slut for fun and relished in talking about how much he loved dick. That's an archetype that I usually don't mind, but there wasn't much else to him. This takes me to my next major issue.
One of the major things we learn about Noah is that he's pursuing his master's in sexuality studies. I don't know the author's background or how much research actually went into this facet of Noah's life, but I can tell you as someone who studied a bit of sexuality and gender as an undergrad and who has read things pretty casually in the 8 years since, Noah's attitude and language do not reflect the sort of learning and understanding a person at that level of academia would have. If you don't want to read my detailed breakdown, I get it. Skip to the next paragraph. First, Noah is pretty dismissive of people who are "experimenting" with their sexuality. He has been burned by some people who used him for some gay kicks in the past, but that doesn't mean that a person who participates in non-straight sex but who ultimately decides that they are straight is a terrible person who should be scorned. He knows about the Kinsey scale because he himself mentions it in relation to the fluidity of sexuality. (But also, a master's level academic would know the Kinsey scale is a bit reductive and that human sexuality is not as simple as a two-dimensional sliding scale.) Further, in a "sexuality" conversation with Nick where Noah ostensibly shows off his knowledge, Noah talks about "theories" on the origin of an individual's sexuality: that it's innate, that it's part of how one is raised, or that it's a choice. No academic worth their salt would even entertain the "sexuality is a choice" option. Yes, Noah says he doesn't think it's a choice. But he should know better than to even mention it as a viable option, because it's not. It's rooted in homophobia and anti-LGBTQ rhetoric. It's insulting to the community as a whole, and he would KNOW that, both as a gay man and as a sexuality academic. Noah also displays a level of biphobia that is not cool. He pretty much doubts that Nick could be bisexual because Nick freaks out about being recognized while they are making out. Coming out is a deeply personal thing and it's often not easy in the masculine athletic space that Nick inhabits. Noah doesn't have any empathy for that, and you would think that sort of research would be part of his studies: sexuality in those spaces is a pretty well-researched topic (it was covered in my Intro to Sociology course!) On top of that, Noah expressed HATRED for the fact that Nick is still attracted to women. Not jealousy, HATRED. That is messed up, and he really should be examining that, especially if he wants to work within the LGBTQ community as a researcher or whatever. Expressing hatred over a bisexual's attraction to a gender that is not your own is pretty messed up.
I also didn't think the bedroom scenes were that great. I actually SKIPPED OVER ONE. I never do that. I live for spicy scenes in my romances. But they are all so short and perfunctory of "let's try XXXX now!" that there wasn't much build-up either narratively or within the individual scenes.
Also, the communication between Nick and Noah sucked, and it was exacerbated by the fact that they would have a bigger plot thing happen between them, and then they wouldn't address it for days or longer after. Such: as Nick goes to a club with the intention of telling Noah how he feels. He tows him to the bathroom and instead of talking to him, Nick kisses Noah. Noah gets pissed at the hot-and-cold he's getting from Nick and storms off. Nick doesn't immediately go after him and actually tell him what his intentions had originally been. Instead, they both let days pass? Nick had gone to the club with the mission of confessing his feelings and asking Noah to be his boyfriend but then lets it sit for days after Noah pushes him away. Even after talking it over with his sister, Nick delays again. It's boring.
Overall, I hated this reading experience. I didn't connect with anything and that left things open for me to nitpick, hence my earlier rant on sexuality studies. When a story is good, the connection between characters strong and the sex scenes steamy, I can overlook those things because they're details. But when the big things aren't doing it for me and I want the whole experience to end, my brain has room to notice those smaller things (although the issues with Noah's attitude about bisexuality is NOT small) and complain about them.
| I received an ARC, and this is my honest, freely given review. |
However, I object to it because I was 1. bored and 2. annoyed.
Noah doesn't want to go to his sister's destination wedding single because a groomsman is his recent ex, who will be attending with his fiance in tow. Noah's best friend volunteers her straight younger brother as his fake boyfriend for the week in Hawaii. I LOVE fake dating. It's my favorite trope. I was really looking forward to the pair getting to know each other and getting hot and heavy on the beach.
Yes, that does happen. Nick does an excellent job as a fake boyfriend and one kiss sets them off on a journey of bisexual exploration.
Here's where my first complaints come in: there's a lot of time skips in the novella. Hawaii breezes by. I really thought the bulk of the novella was going to be there, but nope, it's just the beginning. The time skips happen throughout. Sometimes, it's a day or two. Other times it's a week or more. If I didn't know this wasn't the author's first and only book, I would say this was the crutch of a newbie writer. It seems like the author didn't know how to sustain tension within the moment and had to come at it when it had cooled down a bit and approach it from a "it's been a while and this hasn't been resolved" sort of way. It not only felt lazy, but it also really disconnected me from the narrative tension so that it all felt episodic in a bad way. The connection between Nick and Noah was constantly stalled for long periods.
Nick and Noah had a decent connection, with Nick as generally nice and laid back and Noah as a "sassy gay" who called his best friend a bitch and slut for fun and relished in talking about how much he loved dick. That's an archetype that I usually don't mind, but there wasn't much else to him. This takes me to my next major issue.
One of the major things we learn about Noah is that he's pursuing his master's in sexuality studies. I don't know the author's background or how much research actually went into this facet of Noah's life, but I can tell you as someone who studied a bit of sexuality and gender as an undergrad and who has read things pretty casually in the 8 years since, Noah's attitude and language do not reflect the sort of learning and understanding a person at that level of academia would have. If you don't want to read my detailed breakdown, I get it. Skip to the next paragraph. First, Noah is pretty dismissive of people who are "experimenting" with their sexuality. He has been burned by some people who used him for some gay kicks in the past, but that doesn't mean that a person who participates in non-straight sex but who ultimately decides that they are straight is a terrible person who should be scorned. He knows about the Kinsey scale because he himself mentions it in relation to the fluidity of sexuality. (But also, a master's level academic would know the Kinsey scale is a bit reductive and that human sexuality is not as simple as a two-dimensional sliding scale.) Further, in a "sexuality" conversation with Nick where Noah ostensibly shows off his knowledge, Noah talks about "theories" on the origin of an individual's sexuality: that it's innate, that it's part of how one is raised, or that it's a choice. No academic worth their salt would even entertain the "sexuality is a choice" option. Yes, Noah says he doesn't think it's a choice. But he should know better than to even mention it as a viable option, because it's not. It's rooted in homophobia and anti-LGBTQ rhetoric. It's insulting to the community as a whole, and he would KNOW that, both as a gay man and as a sexuality academic. Noah also displays a level of biphobia that is not cool. He pretty much doubts that Nick could be bisexual because Nick freaks out about being recognized while they are making out. Coming out is a deeply personal thing and it's often not easy in the masculine athletic space that Nick inhabits. Noah doesn't have any empathy for that, and you would think that sort of research would be part of his studies: sexuality in those spaces is a pretty well-researched topic (it was covered in my Intro to Sociology course!) On top of that, Noah expressed HATRED for the fact that Nick is still attracted to women. Not jealousy, HATRED. That is messed up, and he really should be examining that, especially if he wants to work within the LGBTQ community as a researcher or whatever. Expressing hatred over a bisexual's attraction to a gender that is not your own is pretty messed up.
I also didn't think the bedroom scenes were that great. I actually SKIPPED OVER ONE. I never do that. I live for spicy scenes in my romances. But they are all so short and perfunctory of "let's try XXXX now!" that there wasn't much build-up either narratively or within the individual scenes.
Also, the communication between Nick and Noah sucked, and it was exacerbated by the fact that they would have a bigger plot thing happen between them, and then they wouldn't address it for days or longer after. Such: as Nick goes to a club with the intention of telling Noah how he feels. He tows him to the bathroom and instead of talking to him, Nick kisses Noah. Noah gets pissed at the hot-and-cold he's getting from Nick and storms off. Nick doesn't immediately go after him and actually tell him what his intentions had originally been. Instead, they both let days pass? Nick had gone to the club with the mission of confessing his feelings and asking Noah to be his boyfriend but then lets it sit for days after Noah pushes him away. Even after talking it over with his sister, Nick delays again. It's boring.
Overall, I hated this reading experience. I didn't connect with anything and that left things open for me to nitpick, hence my earlier rant on sexuality studies. When a story is good, the connection between characters strong and the sex scenes steamy, I can overlook those things because they're details. But when the big things aren't doing it for me and I want the whole experience to end, my brain has room to notice those smaller things (although the issues with Noah's attitude about bisexuality is NOT small) and complain about them.
| I received an ARC, and this is my honest, freely given review. |
January 13, 2022
What a fun read! At the beginning, it did seem like the author was trying just a bit too hard to be funny and casual, and it came off as a little rushed, but after a couple of chapters I was invested in the characters and cheering for them.
You'll need to suspend your disbelief, of course, because this is a rom-com, not an angst-fest, so Nick's bisexual awakening isn't traumatic. This isn't intended to be a literary masterpiece, it's intended to entertain, and I was definitely entertained.
I loved the sassy Nana, and Noah and Nick had great chemistry. If you're looking for a quick, fun read that's got plenty of steam, I recommend this book. The author is fairly new, but has a few more books out, and I'll definitely give them a try.
You'll need to suspend your disbelief, of course, because this is a rom-com, not an angst-fest, so Nick's bisexual awakening isn't traumatic. This isn't intended to be a literary masterpiece, it's intended to entertain, and I was definitely entertained.
I loved the sassy Nana, and Noah and Nick had great chemistry. If you're looking for a quick, fun read that's got plenty of steam, I recommend this book. The author is fairly new, but has a few more books out, and I'll definitely give them a try.
December 26, 2021
I'll be honest. The beginning of this book was not good. It was awkward and stilted, and a few chapters in I was convinced it would be a chore to finish it. But, fortunately, I was wrong. And after the first - and way too rushed - part, the story found its stride and ended up being a cute, low-angst read.
But the beginning... It feels like Bloom tried to speed through the boring stuff to jump right to the fun and dirty.
Now, I like smut as much as the next girl, but in this case, the boring stuff were actually essentials like establishing the personalities of the MCs and creating credible and interesting backgrounds to the story. Rushing those aspects of story-building is never a good idea.
As it were, to me, the entire bi-awakening smut-fest was just *meh* since I hadn't really started to care for either Noah or Nick yet.
And don't even get me started on the incredibly fast and angst-free way Nick switches teams.
It only got better once they left Hawaii and got back to the real world. Then, the story started making sense, with both of them not being able to forget their fling but instead craving more. Where Noah doesn't really want a curious straight guy – or a closeted gay one – but still can't forget about Nick. And where Nick is fighting his wants as well as his own, and others', prejudice. At this point I cared for them both and was completely invested in the story.
There's is no real angst or controversy in this read. There's no drama or fight. But it still works. The last two thirds of the book was quite delightful and was generally a feel-good and fuzzy story.
In conclusion, I do recommend Blow Me Away to lovers of low-angst romance. The beginning of the book is only 2-star writing, but the middle and end are 4-star material. So I feel that an overall 3-star rating is justified.
However, I don't get the cover picture. Sure, it's funny and suggestive. Pretty much the perfect cover for a raunchy romance. That is, if one of the MCs were wearing makeup. But since neither Noah or Nick wears lipstick, the cover is just weird.
* A free e-copy of this book was kindly provided by Gay Romance Reviews *
https://reflectionsofaswedishgirl.blo...
But the beginning... It feels like Bloom tried to speed through the boring stuff to jump right to the fun and dirty.
Now, I like smut as much as the next girl, but in this case, the boring stuff were actually essentials like establishing the personalities of the MCs and creating credible and interesting backgrounds to the story. Rushing those aspects of story-building is never a good idea.
As it were, to me, the entire bi-awakening smut-fest was just *meh* since I hadn't really started to care for either Noah or Nick yet.
And don't even get me started on the incredibly fast and angst-free way Nick switches teams.
It only got better once they left Hawaii and got back to the real world. Then, the story started making sense, with both of them not being able to forget their fling but instead craving more. Where Noah doesn't really want a curious straight guy – or a closeted gay one – but still can't forget about Nick. And where Nick is fighting his wants as well as his own, and others', prejudice. At this point I cared for them both and was completely invested in the story.
There's is no real angst or controversy in this read. There's no drama or fight. But it still works. The last two thirds of the book was quite delightful and was generally a feel-good and fuzzy story.
In conclusion, I do recommend Blow Me Away to lovers of low-angst romance. The beginning of the book is only 2-star writing, but the middle and end are 4-star material. So I feel that an overall 3-star rating is justified.
However, I don't get the cover picture. Sure, it's funny and suggestive. Pretty much the perfect cover for a raunchy romance. That is, if one of the MCs were wearing makeup. But since neither Noah or Nick wears lipstick, the cover is just weird.
* A free e-copy of this book was kindly provided by Gay Romance Reviews *
https://reflectionsofaswedishgirl.blo...
January 29, 2022
This was cute in that fake relationship turns real kinda deal. Also hey turns out I’m gay or bi thing was also going on.
January 17, 2022
Noah Harper is about to go to his sister’s wedding, but he really isn’t looking forward to it. It just so happens that his sister’s fiancé happens to be the brother of his ex-boyfriend. Joshua will of course be there along with his fiancé. They broke up a year ago and 2 months after separating he announced he was engaged to a professor at their university. His best friend Becca comes up with an idea about how he doesn’t have to show up alone. She offers her straight brother Noah to go with him as his boyfriend. Noah only agrees as he has nowhere to stay for a few weeks and his sister twists his arm.
This is a bi-awakening story, and the good old fake boyfriend trope is also used here. Nick and Noah have met a few times before, due to Noah being best friends with his older sister. Nick takes to the whole fake boyfriends quite well and doesn’t even flinch at a bit of PDA. He gets along great with Noah’s family straight away and no one has any idea that they aren’t together romantically. Being so close to each other causes Noah to get drawn into his own ruse and he ends up kissing Noah. Poor Nick is very confused because he likes the kiss very much. After another kiss and Nick asks Noah a favour. While they are in Hawaii Nick wants to explore how much he is attracted to men. Noah in the end agrees to the idea and he starts to help Nick explore his attraction to Men.
Both men are very different, but they seem to work well together. Nick isn’t one for relationships and is focused on his college hockey games. He hasn’t thought about his future and is just going with the flow. Noah on the other hand wants a relationship and doesn’t really play around. He knows in a round about way what he wants in life and that isn’t being someone experiment. That’s why he has only agreed to do this for the duration of the trip, and they will go their separate ways. We all know that it never works out like that and feeling always come about.
They both compliment each other well and I loved watching them get to know each other. Nick is feeling a pull towards Noah and doesn’t know how to feel about it. The lines get blurred as their time together continues and they act more like real boyfriends. Nick really confuses Noah with how touch feely he is with him. He is always touching him and is starting to act more like this is all real. Nick’s first sexy times start off with just touching and overtime build up. Noah doesn’t want to scare Nick, so they are going at his pace. As their time together draws to an end, Nick wants to try everything they can. He gets more passionate, and their last time together is the hottest so far.
When they return home, they stick to their terms and just remain friends. They just text each other and that leads to the engaging in a bit of sexy phone times. They try to just remain friends, but they are both developing feeling for each other. There is a time when things go wrong, and Noah cuts him out. Then it’s up to Nick to make the next move and I am very proud of how he handles it. I kept wondering how it would all work out and they could be together. Neither of them wants to be hurt and especially Noah. He has been through so much already in his relationships and he deserves the best.
I loved the secondary characters, especially nana, she was a hoot. I didn’t like the names that Noah and Becca called each other, it just wasn’t right or even funny. Noah’s sister wasn’t nice to him, and you could see that when she was around Joshua. The whole Noah and Joshua thing really want cleared up at all and that kind of bugged me. At times it was also hard to keep track of the time that past, it seemed to bounce about a bit and was hard to tell where we were in time. Also, I felt that a lot of the stories in both of these series were the same just wrote a bit differently. It would be nice to see a few different themes and not just a reused plot! It was a good 4 star read for me and I cannot wait to read the rest of the stories in the series.
I received this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.
This is a bi-awakening story, and the good old fake boyfriend trope is also used here. Nick and Noah have met a few times before, due to Noah being best friends with his older sister. Nick takes to the whole fake boyfriends quite well and doesn’t even flinch at a bit of PDA. He gets along great with Noah’s family straight away and no one has any idea that they aren’t together romantically. Being so close to each other causes Noah to get drawn into his own ruse and he ends up kissing Noah. Poor Nick is very confused because he likes the kiss very much. After another kiss and Nick asks Noah a favour. While they are in Hawaii Nick wants to explore how much he is attracted to men. Noah in the end agrees to the idea and he starts to help Nick explore his attraction to Men.
Both men are very different, but they seem to work well together. Nick isn’t one for relationships and is focused on his college hockey games. He hasn’t thought about his future and is just going with the flow. Noah on the other hand wants a relationship and doesn’t really play around. He knows in a round about way what he wants in life and that isn’t being someone experiment. That’s why he has only agreed to do this for the duration of the trip, and they will go their separate ways. We all know that it never works out like that and feeling always come about.
They both compliment each other well and I loved watching them get to know each other. Nick is feeling a pull towards Noah and doesn’t know how to feel about it. The lines get blurred as their time together continues and they act more like real boyfriends. Nick really confuses Noah with how touch feely he is with him. He is always touching him and is starting to act more like this is all real. Nick’s first sexy times start off with just touching and overtime build up. Noah doesn’t want to scare Nick, so they are going at his pace. As their time together draws to an end, Nick wants to try everything they can. He gets more passionate, and their last time together is the hottest so far.
When they return home, they stick to their terms and just remain friends. They just text each other and that leads to the engaging in a bit of sexy phone times. They try to just remain friends, but they are both developing feeling for each other. There is a time when things go wrong, and Noah cuts him out. Then it’s up to Nick to make the next move and I am very proud of how he handles it. I kept wondering how it would all work out and they could be together. Neither of them wants to be hurt and especially Noah. He has been through so much already in his relationships and he deserves the best.
I loved the secondary characters, especially nana, she was a hoot. I didn’t like the names that Noah and Becca called each other, it just wasn’t right or even funny. Noah’s sister wasn’t nice to him, and you could see that when she was around Joshua. The whole Noah and Joshua thing really want cleared up at all and that kind of bugged me. At times it was also hard to keep track of the time that past, it seemed to bounce about a bit and was hard to tell where we were in time. Also, I felt that a lot of the stories in both of these series were the same just wrote a bit differently. It would be nice to see a few different themes and not just a reused plot! It was a good 4 star read for me and I cannot wait to read the rest of the stories in the series.
I received this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.
January 15, 2022
***Spoilers splash here and there***
https://ladiikeiii.wordpress.com/2022...
Hmm is this book of the guys from the team that they guys from “Bromance Chronicles series” played against with Blake and Cormac book? If soo I hope there’s more books because now I’m curious Whitaker sound really familiar because I remember reading about the hockey coach who was gay in the book “Pucked Up Love”… I believe his name was Whitaker.
If this is I am lot excited plus after getting to the end of this book and realizing that it’s actually going to be a actual series i believe. After this book. Definitely got my excited at a high. Because I definitely enjoyed every book by Billie Bloom so far.
With this book I liked Nick and Noah. But can’t remember if they were mentioned anywhere hmm 🤔 or at least Nick. But I think he was in Pucked Up Love. But who knows… I can’t remember. Lol but anyways.
I definitely enjoyed this book. I felt like deep down Nick was bisexual anyways it just had to take the right person to bring it out of him. I was glad that his mom was understanding of his sexuality. I figure since his sister was bisexual too. No need to hate one child when you don’t hate the other.
Plus I think the Jordan guy was annoying and the Andrew professor dude was more likely cheating on him probably. Jordan was mad jealous of Noah and Nick relationship. I could tell every time he pop up. Plus Noah sister Kate didn’t have to tell Jordan that their relationship was fake… she had to be a gossip probably was jealous of their relationship. Prob wanted Nick herself or one of her brother more likely. That’s what I think.
I was glad when Nick told him don’t listen to what anyone has to say about their relationship since they both know that what they have with each other is real. Plus it was cute that Noah asked Nick to marry him in the end. Noah grandma was correct about them getting married too. Noah didn’t really take her serious but Nick did…
https://ladiikeiii.wordpress.com/2022...
Hmm is this book of the guys from the team that they guys from “Bromance Chronicles series” played against with Blake and Cormac book? If soo I hope there’s more books because now I’m curious Whitaker sound really familiar because I remember reading about the hockey coach who was gay in the book “Pucked Up Love”… I believe his name was Whitaker.
If this is I am lot excited plus after getting to the end of this book and realizing that it’s actually going to be a actual series i believe. After this book. Definitely got my excited at a high. Because I definitely enjoyed every book by Billie Bloom so far.
With this book I liked Nick and Noah. But can’t remember if they were mentioned anywhere hmm 🤔 or at least Nick. But I think he was in Pucked Up Love. But who knows… I can’t remember. Lol but anyways.
I definitely enjoyed this book. I felt like deep down Nick was bisexual anyways it just had to take the right person to bring it out of him. I was glad that his mom was understanding of his sexuality. I figure since his sister was bisexual too. No need to hate one child when you don’t hate the other.
Plus I think the Jordan guy was annoying and the Andrew professor dude was more likely cheating on him probably. Jordan was mad jealous of Noah and Nick relationship. I could tell every time he pop up. Plus Noah sister Kate didn’t have to tell Jordan that their relationship was fake… she had to be a gossip probably was jealous of their relationship. Prob wanted Nick herself or one of her brother more likely. That’s what I think.
I was glad when Nick told him don’t listen to what anyone has to say about their relationship since they both know that what they have with each other is real. Plus it was cute that Noah asked Nick to marry him in the end. Noah grandma was correct about them getting married too. Noah didn’t really take her serious but Nick did…
January 11, 2022
I love a good fake dating book, but I usually find the InstaLove part to be frustrating. Billie Bloom managed to give me the fake dating WITHOUT the InstaLove, and then threw in a bisexual awakening for good measure. And I was here for it.
Blow Me Away starts with Noah needing a date to his sister's destination wedding in Hawai'i. His best friend suggests that he take her straight brother and play pretend. After all, he needs cash and a place to stay while she's got a friend visiting that week. Surprisingly, Nick agrees. For a thousand dollars, he will pretend to be Noah's boyfriend and enjoy the free trip to Hawai'i. Once there, he plays the boyfriend role well and obviously starts to realize he's attracted to Noah.
This book veers away from the traditional fake dating plot around fifty percent. They go home from Hawai'i and have to figure things out. The second half of the book takes place over an indeterminate length of time - which is my only flaw in the book. The time jumps are barely labeled, so sometimes they get missed and suddenly, you find that you're several weeks in the future and you feel like you've missed some pages.
You haven't.
But the time jumps prevent the story from being too mired down in narration and also avoids the InstaLove so it is a price I will happily play.
Blow Me Away is a low angst and high heat dual POV romance with fake dating that somehow still manages a slow burn, a bisexual awakening, and a really cute love story. Also somehow it also feels like its friends to lovers. This was my first Billie Bloom and will not be my last, because she managed to blend these tropes together in a fun way that made me very happy.
** ARC PROVIDED BY GRR AND THIS IS MY HONEST REVIEW **
Blow Me Away starts with Noah needing a date to his sister's destination wedding in Hawai'i. His best friend suggests that he take her straight brother and play pretend. After all, he needs cash and a place to stay while she's got a friend visiting that week. Surprisingly, Nick agrees. For a thousand dollars, he will pretend to be Noah's boyfriend and enjoy the free trip to Hawai'i. Once there, he plays the boyfriend role well and obviously starts to realize he's attracted to Noah.
This book veers away from the traditional fake dating plot around fifty percent. They go home from Hawai'i and have to figure things out. The second half of the book takes place over an indeterminate length of time - which is my only flaw in the book. The time jumps are barely labeled, so sometimes they get missed and suddenly, you find that you're several weeks in the future and you feel like you've missed some pages.
You haven't.
But the time jumps prevent the story from being too mired down in narration and also avoids the InstaLove so it is a price I will happily play.
Blow Me Away is a low angst and high heat dual POV romance with fake dating that somehow still manages a slow burn, a bisexual awakening, and a really cute love story. Also somehow it also feels like its friends to lovers. This was my first Billie Bloom and will not be my last, because she managed to blend these tropes together in a fun way that made me very happy.
** ARC PROVIDED BY GRR AND THIS IS MY HONEST REVIEW **
January 13, 2022
Fake boyfriend stories are always so good and Blow Me Away was no different! I loved Noah and Nick's progression from casual friendship to something more, both in Hawaii and once they got back home. I was pleasantly surprised to see that most of the story takes place after they get back from the wedding instead of their entire relationship focused on those few days they were away together. Nick was more than your typical dude-bro character and I was so happy to see him really finding his way into what would make him happiest. Noah was such a great character who truly deserved to finally find his HEA. I was a little disappointed there wasn't a bigger confrontation between Noah and his ex. I really felt like Noah deserved that moment of triumph over such a terrible human being plus it felt very unresolved between Noah, his ex, and the ex's new fiancé. Overall, this was a fun, sweet read with great characters and an interesting storyline! I received an ARC for an honest and fair review.
January 7, 2022
Blow Me Away is a sweet, fun, entertaining and quick story with interesting characters. This book felt a bit rushed and stilted to me in the beginning and I had a difficult time connecting to the characters but once they return home I really like how Noah and Nick deal with their feelings for each other and how their relationship evolves. They are a cute couple but Nick has a few decisions to make if he wants to be with Noah. Some of the secondary characters are intriguing and the ending is good but I wish that there was a bit more angst in this story as the issues felt a little bit too easy to resolve.
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.
December 19, 2021
2 1/2 stars
I’m not sure why this one didn’t connect for me, but I struggled with the dialogue in this book. Some of it felt forced, and that detracted from my overall enjoyment of the book. Admittedly, it started to take away from the plot for me, so I had to skim quite a bit of the book to avoid some of the superficial and repetitive dialogue, especially at the beginning of the book. As a result, my main take away is that there was some genuine dialogue that fit the tone of the book, and, unfortunately, that prevented me from really believing the love story between the two main characters.
*ARC provided by Gay Romance Reviews, and I have given my honest and voluntary review.*
I’m not sure why this one didn’t connect for me, but I struggled with the dialogue in this book. Some of it felt forced, and that detracted from my overall enjoyment of the book. Admittedly, it started to take away from the plot for me, so I had to skim quite a bit of the book to avoid some of the superficial and repetitive dialogue, especially at the beginning of the book. As a result, my main take away is that there was some genuine dialogue that fit the tone of the book, and, unfortunately, that prevented me from really believing the love story between the two main characters.
*ARC provided by Gay Romance Reviews, and I have given my honest and voluntary review.*
March 8, 2022
I really enjoyed Nick and Noah's story. It was a best friend, fake relationship, college romance.
The beginning was a little rough I thought. The book moved really quickly which was nice. Noah's family was pretty awesome. Nana had me laughing. Nick fit right in with them I thought.
I did feel like there were some things missing with Noah's ex Jordan and his new fiance. The fiance seems to hit on Nick, but then it's left at that. It just didn't seem to fit into the story. And I think that's because it was just put out there and then left hanging. It didn't take away from the story, but it didn't seem to fit.
The beginning was a little rough I thought. The book moved really quickly which was nice. Noah's family was pretty awesome. Nana had me laughing. Nick fit right in with them I thought.
I did feel like there were some things missing with Noah's ex Jordan and his new fiance. The fiance seems to hit on Nick, but then it's left at that. It just didn't seem to fit into the story. And I think that's because it was just put out there and then left hanging. It didn't take away from the story, but it didn't seem to fit.
December 19, 2021
The best description that I can come up with for this book is stilted. It doesn't have a good flow, since it's one of those types of books that goes through a longer period of time and doesn't utilize appropriate transitions between time periods. It's not hard to follow, but it is a very amateur type of storytelling. I'm sure there will be people who like this book for its sweetness and relatively low angst, but for me I thought the bad outweighed the good, starting with the ex-boyfriend plot that wasn't even close to fully realized and ending with the pat resolution to the story. 2.5 stars for giving me something easy to read while I battle the stomach flu.
January 16, 2022
Fake dating to what happens in Hawaii stays in Hawaii... Blow Me Away is a low angst, low drama bi-awakening fake relationship trope that was well written and schmoopy in a good way.
Read my full review here: http://www.mmromancereviewed.com/2022...
Read my full review here: http://www.mmromancereviewed.com/2022...
January 11, 2022
This was my first book by this author and her style is sweet with heat to perfection!! I adored these two and the premise of fake dates with low angst. The romance a took time to blossom and it was a lot of fun to read I will definitely read more by her!
*arc received this is my honest review*
*arc received this is my honest review*
January 10, 2022
Absolutely loved it!!
My first book by this author and most definitely not my last.
This book is a sweet, sexual awakening and absolutely hot as hell.
Nick is the hockey jock paid to be a fake boyfriend to his sisters best friend and oh my does he pull it off! I loved Nick’s character and his willingness to not only experiment but to open his sexuality.
Noah was lush and I loved his family so much. I loved his interactions with each of the different characters.
Love this trope so much, it’s sweet, low angst and easy to read.
My first book by this author and most definitely not my last.
This book is a sweet, sexual awakening and absolutely hot as hell.
Nick is the hockey jock paid to be a fake boyfriend to his sisters best friend and oh my does he pull it off! I loved Nick’s character and his willingness to not only experiment but to open his sexuality.
Noah was lush and I loved his family so much. I loved his interactions with each of the different characters.
Love this trope so much, it’s sweet, low angst and easy to read.
April 4, 2022
I wanted a fake dating in Hawaii book, like the description promised, and that is not what I got. They fake dated for the *briefest* moment. I guess they were in Hawaii. The author said we were in Hawaii, so I guess we were? But it wasn't relevant to the plot, tone, vibe, setting. And, again, we were there for the *briefest* moment.
I could forgive this because synopses are hard, but the book itself was just not very good.
The pacing was off. We rushed through scenes. Time hopped. And this added to a lack of overall grounding in the novel. Many, many times I had no idea where we were or who was there. It is hard to immerse yourself in something when the scene setting is brushed past. It was like they were floating in a blank void sometimes.
The two MCs both had four-letter N names, Nick and Noah. This is a Writing 101 mistake. Or it would be if I struggled to tell the characters apart. Fortunately, one of them was obnoxious and annoying and he would snap his fingers, call his friend a quirky slur, and I knew it was the walking stereotype MC.
Speaking of Noah...he was the least realistic grad student ever written. He talked about gender and sexuality like an 18-year-old who had just taken an Intro course at his state university and was now AWARE. He threw out the most basic knowledge like it was ground-breaking. Which it would be for Straight Nick, I guess, but that was NOT how the author delivered the dialogue from Noah's perspective.
Some of the steamy scenes were good, but then others were thunked into the narrative. A lot of telling instead of showing, making it hard to engage with the moments and feel along with the MCs.
Also, there was something wrong with the formatting on my kindle version. I have the font, etc set up so that one screen page equals about 1.5 book pages. But my kindle version registered it as twice my usual page numbering.
I could forgive this because synopses are hard, but the book itself was just not very good.
The pacing was off. We rushed through scenes. Time hopped. And this added to a lack of overall grounding in the novel. Many, many times I had no idea where we were or who was there. It is hard to immerse yourself in something when the scene setting is brushed past. It was like they were floating in a blank void sometimes.
The two MCs both had four-letter N names, Nick and Noah. This is a Writing 101 mistake. Or it would be if I struggled to tell the characters apart. Fortunately, one of them was obnoxious and annoying and he would snap his fingers, call his friend a quirky slur, and I knew it was the walking stereotype MC.
Speaking of Noah...he was the least realistic grad student ever written. He talked about gender and sexuality like an 18-year-old who had just taken an Intro course at his state university and was now AWARE. He threw out the most basic knowledge like it was ground-breaking. Which it would be for Straight Nick, I guess, but that was NOT how the author delivered the dialogue from Noah's perspective.
Some of the steamy scenes were good, but then others were thunked into the narrative. A lot of telling instead of showing, making it hard to engage with the moments and feel along with the MCs.
Also, there was something wrong with the formatting on my kindle version. I have the font, etc set up so that one screen page equals about 1.5 book pages. But my kindle version registered it as twice my usual page numbering.
June 2, 2022
dnf @ 30%
Instalove, shallow characters, cringy dialogues
Instalove, shallow characters, cringy dialogues
July 11, 2023
I’m out the reading slump and finished a book, everyone cheered.
January 11, 2022
This book is part of the First Times series and the story starts with Noah Harper moaning to his best friend Becca (Rebecca) Thorpe about needing someone to go with to the wedding of his older sister Kate in Hawaii. The problem isn’t his sister getting married, but that the groom’s best man is his ex-Jordan Burkle, the man who broke his heart and will be parading around his new fiancé. Even his own gran gets that he can’t turn up there without someone on his arm! Becca suggests her takes her brother Nick, who although he is straight, is extremely hot and needs somewhere to stay for the very week of the wedding! Noah is not short of money, as his gran was a Wall Street whizz, so he can treat Nick Thorpe to a free trip in exchange for pretending to be his date for the week. Both Noah and Nick attend the same college. Noah is doing his masters in psychology, with a focus on sexuality, whilst Nick is an undergraduate studying business, with a minor in biology and also a hockey player on the college team. Nick agrees to the deal Becca makes with Noah and they fly off to Hawaii and have to meet all of his family!
Nick does a great job of convincing everybody that he is actually Noah’s boyfriend and it gets so easy, he starts to want more. He finds his body reacts a lot quicker to a kiss with Noah than it ever did with any girl he had been with. He asks Noah to show him some moves and asks if he will let him experiment with his sexuality whilst they are in Hawaii. Noah is a little reluctant, not wanting his heart broken if he gets too much into Nick and falls for him, only for Nick to go back to women as soon as they get back. With Nick being his best friend Becca’s brother, it would make that friendship awkward. Noah is still extremely worried about facing his ex-Jordan and his new fiancé Andrew, apparently a professor at the college they both attend and much older too. Thankfully, Nick is more than eager to experiment and is easy to be with, finding his role easy to play and showing that Noah has made a much better catch! They agree that their experimenting will stay on Hawaii and that they will go back to their normal lives once back home, but both find that difficult to do. They end up texting each other daily and flirting, but not actually meeting up due to Nick’s busy schedule in his final year. When they do meet at Noah’s apartment and are in view of the street below, someone recognises Nick and makes a comment about what he is doing and with who, which leaves Nick running for the door.
He hasn’t come out as bi or gay to anyone and his relationship with Noah is still in its infancy. He didn’t react well to the comment and feels upset about how he reacted, but Noah refuses to talk to him, having taken his reaction to heart. Things continue on a rocky path for a while, until Nick stalks him until he can get him alone and actually talk about his reaction. Nick has spent the time apart reading up on gay sex and practising with certain objects, knowing he wants more with Noah, if only he can persuade him that he is serious. Coming out as bi or gay is difficult at first, but his hockey team and coach are very open minded and don’t even blink an eye when he introduces Noah as his boyfriend. He has yet to tell his parents or Becca, but she is a simple step to take and since Noah is her best friend, she already thinks of him as a brother, so she is getting an added extra. Lots of first times for Nick as he falls head over heels for Noah and is the first to say the L word to the other. Each is at a point in their life where everything could change in just a few short months, as both of them are sue to finish their degrees and don’t know what their next steps are going to be. It is early on in their relationship with each other and it will only continue if both parties are willing to compromise on where they end up next and none has to make too big of a sacrifice for the other. My first MM storyline, but it was done with a gentle touch with many firsts, steamy experimenting and bi-awakening, leading to a HEA ending. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
Nick does a great job of convincing everybody that he is actually Noah’s boyfriend and it gets so easy, he starts to want more. He finds his body reacts a lot quicker to a kiss with Noah than it ever did with any girl he had been with. He asks Noah to show him some moves and asks if he will let him experiment with his sexuality whilst they are in Hawaii. Noah is a little reluctant, not wanting his heart broken if he gets too much into Nick and falls for him, only for Nick to go back to women as soon as they get back. With Nick being his best friend Becca’s brother, it would make that friendship awkward. Noah is still extremely worried about facing his ex-Jordan and his new fiancé Andrew, apparently a professor at the college they both attend and much older too. Thankfully, Nick is more than eager to experiment and is easy to be with, finding his role easy to play and showing that Noah has made a much better catch! They agree that their experimenting will stay on Hawaii and that they will go back to their normal lives once back home, but both find that difficult to do. They end up texting each other daily and flirting, but not actually meeting up due to Nick’s busy schedule in his final year. When they do meet at Noah’s apartment and are in view of the street below, someone recognises Nick and makes a comment about what he is doing and with who, which leaves Nick running for the door.
He hasn’t come out as bi or gay to anyone and his relationship with Noah is still in its infancy. He didn’t react well to the comment and feels upset about how he reacted, but Noah refuses to talk to him, having taken his reaction to heart. Things continue on a rocky path for a while, until Nick stalks him until he can get him alone and actually talk about his reaction. Nick has spent the time apart reading up on gay sex and practising with certain objects, knowing he wants more with Noah, if only he can persuade him that he is serious. Coming out as bi or gay is difficult at first, but his hockey team and coach are very open minded and don’t even blink an eye when he introduces Noah as his boyfriend. He has yet to tell his parents or Becca, but she is a simple step to take and since Noah is her best friend, she already thinks of him as a brother, so she is getting an added extra. Lots of first times for Nick as he falls head over heels for Noah and is the first to say the L word to the other. Each is at a point in their life where everything could change in just a few short months, as both of them are sue to finish their degrees and don’t know what their next steps are going to be. It is early on in their relationship with each other and it will only continue if both parties are willing to compromise on where they end up next and none has to make too big of a sacrifice for the other. My first MM storyline, but it was done with a gentle touch with many firsts, steamy experimenting and bi-awakening, leading to a HEA ending. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
January 7, 2022
Blow Me Away by Billie Bloom is a quick, spicy read featuring fake dating that quickly morphs into real dating, and a star hockey player's bisexual awakening.
Noah was in trouble. His sister might be the one getting married, but the groom's best man is his ex. Noah absolutely cannot face his ex and his ex's new fiancé alone. Cue Nick - tall, muscular and handsome little brother of Noah's BFF. Nick might be straight, but for the right price he's willing to be Noah's wedding date for the week. Except. . . the closer Nick gets to Noah, the less he's pretending. As their time together winds down, neither want it to be over. But Noah doesn't want to just be Nick's experiment, and Nick isn't sure who he truly is anymore. But if Nick and Noah can work though their differences, they might just blow each other away.
I enjoyed Bloom's take on fake dating. Would I have loved to see more into Nick's head as he was coming to terms with who he truly is? Definitely yes. Nick had to go through a lot and work though a lot in his head, but it seemed like a missed opportunity for major character development that I felt mostly fell short. Nick realizing he was attracted to Noah was a huge, life-altering moment, yet I saw Nick as being much the same at the end as he was at the beginning. Nick was a good character, but I would have loved to see him development a bit more as he grew within the story.
Noah was a bit more complex as a character, and a bit more expressive. He was relatable in not wanting to attend a wedding single when he knew he ex would be there. He was also relatable in not wanting to be Nick's plaything or experiment; no one wants to feel used like that. I thought their dynamic together was great. Noah is a few years older than Nick and knows his goals and dreams. Nick, like when it comes to his attraction, is still figuring things out.
For the length of the book, there was honestly more plot development than I was expecting and that was a pleasant surprise. There was plenty of spice - don't get me wrong - but Bloom made Blow Me Away deeper than just a physical relationship featuring a guy experiencing his awakening. The ups and downs of Nick and Noah's relationship was by far my favorite part of the story; I loved their intense connection.
Even though I would have liked to be in Nick's head a bit more, especially as he handled his changing orientation, I thought Bloom did a excellent job at writing the rocky start to Nick and Noah's relationship. With plenty of spice, Blow Me Away is a great read for anyone not wanting to get too deep into the psychological aspects of bisexual awakenings.
A huge thank you to the author for providing an advanced copy of Blow Me Away via Gay Romance Reviews.
Noah was in trouble. His sister might be the one getting married, but the groom's best man is his ex. Noah absolutely cannot face his ex and his ex's new fiancé alone. Cue Nick - tall, muscular and handsome little brother of Noah's BFF. Nick might be straight, but for the right price he's willing to be Noah's wedding date for the week. Except. . . the closer Nick gets to Noah, the less he's pretending. As their time together winds down, neither want it to be over. But Noah doesn't want to just be Nick's experiment, and Nick isn't sure who he truly is anymore. But if Nick and Noah can work though their differences, they might just blow each other away.
I enjoyed Bloom's take on fake dating. Would I have loved to see more into Nick's head as he was coming to terms with who he truly is? Definitely yes. Nick had to go through a lot and work though a lot in his head, but it seemed like a missed opportunity for major character development that I felt mostly fell short. Nick realizing he was attracted to Noah was a huge, life-altering moment, yet I saw Nick as being much the same at the end as he was at the beginning. Nick was a good character, but I would have loved to see him development a bit more as he grew within the story.
Noah was a bit more complex as a character, and a bit more expressive. He was relatable in not wanting to attend a wedding single when he knew he ex would be there. He was also relatable in not wanting to be Nick's plaything or experiment; no one wants to feel used like that. I thought their dynamic together was great. Noah is a few years older than Nick and knows his goals and dreams. Nick, like when it comes to his attraction, is still figuring things out.
For the length of the book, there was honestly more plot development than I was expecting and that was a pleasant surprise. There was plenty of spice - don't get me wrong - but Bloom made Blow Me Away deeper than just a physical relationship featuring a guy experiencing his awakening. The ups and downs of Nick and Noah's relationship was by far my favorite part of the story; I loved their intense connection.
Even though I would have liked to be in Nick's head a bit more, especially as he handled his changing orientation, I thought Bloom did a excellent job at writing the rocky start to Nick and Noah's relationship. With plenty of spice, Blow Me Away is a great read for anyone not wanting to get too deep into the psychological aspects of bisexual awakenings.
A huge thank you to the author for providing an advanced copy of Blow Me Away via Gay Romance Reviews.
January 22, 2022
In desperate need of a date for his sister's destination wedding after the best man broke his heart Noah seeks the help of his best friend. Her suggestion is her very straight brother, Nick. Noah never thought the hottie would agree, but Nick is in desperate need for some cash and a free vacation. Noah has himself a hot fake boyfriend for the destination wedding.
Noah is a very smart guy. He is currently in grad school, and has big plans for his future with big goals. He is outgoing but not the stereotypical gay man. I LOVE that Billie did that, I am not about stereotypes. Noah is awesome. He is funny, super smart, and has a big heart. He has no interest in helping a straight man practice, he is not interested in getting his heart broken again. I totally felt for Noah. He has already had his broken once in recent months, he wasn’t ready for that to happen again.
Then there is Nick. I really adored him. Nick really jumped right into the fake boyfriend thing, and was more than happy to rub it into Noah’s ex. Nick is a college hockey player and a senior. He is really unsure of what his future holds, and is a little envious that Noah has it all figured out. But Nick really doesn’t know what his future holds, and he doesn’t feel good about it. But he does know he likes spending time with Noah. The pair have a lot of similar interests and they enjoy each other's company, it doesn’t feel surface level and fake like so many college relationships are. I love the fake relationship trope, so I was fully prepared for this to be a slow burn But I was happily surprised that it wasn’t that slow! Noah gives Nick a lot to think about and when the pair kiss the reaction Nick had was not what he expected. I love that it was a surprise but he wasn’t going to stew on it and wasn’t awful to Noah. While the pair is young I appreciated that they continued to have open conversations about what was happening and feelings. The connection they have is very evident. And when they are together there are lots of sparks, and it is hot! I love how they take it slow, but that doesn’t mean they keep their hands to themselves and lots of experimenting happens for Nick. While it confuses him, he also knows that it has never been like this before. But what will happen when they aren’t in Hawaii anymore?
Do you love a spicy MM with a bi-awakening? I would highly recommend this book. It is funny and steamy! You will be cheering for this couple from the start! I dove right into their Nice Guys Finish First- Bromance Chronicles series after this book! All pretty quick reads and available in KU!
Noah is a very smart guy. He is currently in grad school, and has big plans for his future with big goals. He is outgoing but not the stereotypical gay man. I LOVE that Billie did that, I am not about stereotypes. Noah is awesome. He is funny, super smart, and has a big heart. He has no interest in helping a straight man practice, he is not interested in getting his heart broken again. I totally felt for Noah. He has already had his broken once in recent months, he wasn’t ready for that to happen again.
Then there is Nick. I really adored him. Nick really jumped right into the fake boyfriend thing, and was more than happy to rub it into Noah’s ex. Nick is a college hockey player and a senior. He is really unsure of what his future holds, and is a little envious that Noah has it all figured out. But Nick really doesn’t know what his future holds, and he doesn’t feel good about it. But he does know he likes spending time with Noah. The pair have a lot of similar interests and they enjoy each other's company, it doesn’t feel surface level and fake like so many college relationships are. I love the fake relationship trope, so I was fully prepared for this to be a slow burn But I was happily surprised that it wasn’t that slow! Noah gives Nick a lot to think about and when the pair kiss the reaction Nick had was not what he expected. I love that it was a surprise but he wasn’t going to stew on it and wasn’t awful to Noah. While the pair is young I appreciated that they continued to have open conversations about what was happening and feelings. The connection they have is very evident. And when they are together there are lots of sparks, and it is hot! I love how they take it slow, but that doesn’t mean they keep their hands to themselves and lots of experimenting happens for Nick. While it confuses him, he also knows that it has never been like this before. But what will happen when they aren’t in Hawaii anymore?
Do you love a spicy MM with a bi-awakening? I would highly recommend this book. It is funny and steamy! You will be cheering for this couple from the start! I dove right into their Nice Guys Finish First- Bromance Chronicles series after this book! All pretty quick reads and available in KU!
January 18, 2022
Reviewed for Love Bytes – 2.5 Hearts
To ‘stick it’ to his ex-fiancé, Noah needs a fake boyfriend for his sister’s wedding. Noah’s best friend, Becca, volunteers her straight brother, Nick. Nick is always up for something new and a challenge but was unaware of the revelation Noah would be.
Blow Me Away is billed as something spicy, and it is undoubtedly that. However, it is more of a Tikka Masala than a Madras, and, my reading experience didn’t reflect the words in the title of the book.
The tale is told in the first person from the viewpoints of Noah and Nick. As I received an uncorrected proof – I won’t be commenting on any technicalities. While worldbuilding is negligible, conversations are quirky and entertaining. And it is the dialogue I’d have liked to see more of to flesh out the story itself.
Noah and Nick are delightful characters. Noah is a rather dramatic individual with a heart. Nick is a curious man with an open mind, willing to have new experiences and see where they may lead.
The lion’s share of the book is sexually-orientated, interspersed with brief social situations that lead to the next bedtime experience, which given the storyline – I get. But sex alone, a story does not make. The dialogue was sufficiently snarky to have been used to, more effectively, deal with social encounters outside of the bedroom and would have added more substance to the narrative in a way that was sympathetic to the arc.
Blow Me Away is low on angst, heavy on explicit intimacy, and simplistic in story. There will always be a time, place, and market for this book genre, and as already said, Nick and Noah are adorable. Sadly, while reading, my heart rate hardly changed.
I found the story a lighthearted, sweet read, with cute characters and quirky conversations. However, it was more sex than substance for my reading tastes, and I’d have preferred more action outside of the sheets than between them – hence the mediocre mark.
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for
Love Bytes.
To ‘stick it’ to his ex-fiancé, Noah needs a fake boyfriend for his sister’s wedding. Noah’s best friend, Becca, volunteers her straight brother, Nick. Nick is always up for something new and a challenge but was unaware of the revelation Noah would be.
Blow Me Away is billed as something spicy, and it is undoubtedly that. However, it is more of a Tikka Masala than a Madras, and, my reading experience didn’t reflect the words in the title of the book.
The tale is told in the first person from the viewpoints of Noah and Nick. As I received an uncorrected proof – I won’t be commenting on any technicalities. While worldbuilding is negligible, conversations are quirky and entertaining. And it is the dialogue I’d have liked to see more of to flesh out the story itself.
Noah and Nick are delightful characters. Noah is a rather dramatic individual with a heart. Nick is a curious man with an open mind, willing to have new experiences and see where they may lead.
The lion’s share of the book is sexually-orientated, interspersed with brief social situations that lead to the next bedtime experience, which given the storyline – I get. But sex alone, a story does not make. The dialogue was sufficiently snarky to have been used to, more effectively, deal with social encounters outside of the bedroom and would have added more substance to the narrative in a way that was sympathetic to the arc.
Blow Me Away is low on angst, heavy on explicit intimacy, and simplistic in story. There will always be a time, place, and market for this book genre, and as already said, Nick and Noah are adorable. Sadly, while reading, my heart rate hardly changed.
I found the story a lighthearted, sweet read, with cute characters and quirky conversations. However, it was more sex than substance for my reading tastes, and I’d have preferred more action outside of the sheets than between them – hence the mediocre mark.
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for
Love Bytes.
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