What do you think?
Rate this book
Influenced
A MILLION LIKES vs. ONE TRUE LOVE
Bryce Bauman is one half of a famous influencer couple…until his boyfriend dumps him and puts the whole ugly scene online.
Several months later, Bryce is at the end of his rope—he’s lost all his endorsements, along with his so-called friends. Licking his wounds, he escapes to the tiny town of Serenity, Pennsylvania, where he’s surrounded by too much nature and quiet. And…the hot as hell owner of the bed-and-breakfast who makes him think there might be life beyond what’s on a screen.
Matty Wilcox has no time for spoiled brats or social media. He must keep the business running, his grumpy grandfather healthy, and himself deep in the closet. In his little town, there’s no way to come out to his friends and family and have things stay the same, so he’s better off alone.
Except life is complicated now that Bryce is staying at the bed and breakfast—he’s entirely too tempting and not as silly and shallow as Matty first thought. Giving in to his desire could only muddy the waters of the life he’s so carefully built. Any slip up would be dangerous for his business, his friendships, and most importantly, his heart. Besides, there’s no place for small-town Matty in Bryce’s big-city life. The two of them, together, don’t make sense.
Then again, since when does anything make sense when it comes to love—the greatest influencer of all?
Bryce Bauman is one half of a famous influencer couple…until his boyfriend dumps him and puts the whole ugly scene online.
Several months later, Bryce is at the end of his rope—he’s lost all his endorsements, along with his so-called friends. Licking his wounds, he escapes to the tiny town of Serenity, Pennsylvania, where he’s surrounded by too much nature and quiet. And…the hot as hell owner of the bed-and-breakfast who makes him think there might be life beyond what’s on a screen.
Matty Wilcox has no time for spoiled brats or social media. He must keep the business running, his grumpy grandfather healthy, and himself deep in the closet. In his little town, there’s no way to come out to his friends and family and have things stay the same, so he’s better off alone.
Except life is complicated now that Bryce is staying at the bed and breakfast—he’s entirely too tempting and not as silly and shallow as Matty first thought. Giving in to his desire could only muddy the waters of the life he’s so carefully built. Any slip up would be dangerous for his business, his friendships, and most importantly, his heart. Besides, there’s no place for small-town Matty in Bryce’s big-city life. The two of them, together, don’t make sense.
Then again, since when does anything make sense when it comes to love—the greatest influencer of all?
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 11, 2022
122 people are currently reading
305 people want to read
About the author
Felice Stevens
89 books1,717 followersFelice Stevens writes romance because what is better than people falling in love? Her favorite part of a romance novel is that first kiss…sigh. She loves creating stories of hopes and dreams and happily ever afters. Her stories are character-driven, rich with the sights, sounds and flavors of New York City and filled with men who are sometimes deeply flawed but always real.
Felice writes M/M romance because she believes that everyone deserves a happily ever after. Having traveled all over the world, she can safely say that the universal language that unites people is love. Felice has written in a variety of sub-genres, including contemporary, paranormal and has a mystery series as well.
Felice is a two-time Lambda Literary Award nominee and the Lambda award-winner for Best Gay Romance for her book, The Ghost and Charlie Muir, as well as the e-Lit gold medal winner in romance for Broken Silence.
Felice writes M/M romance because she believes that everyone deserves a happily ever after. Having traveled all over the world, she can safely say that the universal language that unites people is love. Felice has written in a variety of sub-genres, including contemporary, paranormal and has a mystery series as well.
Felice is a two-time Lambda Literary Award nominee and the Lambda award-winner for Best Gay Romance for her book, The Ghost and Charlie Muir, as well as the e-Lit gold medal winner in romance for Broken Silence.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
![Profile Image for Carol [Goodreads Addict].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1626057011i%2F10717098._UX200_CR0%2C33%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
April 8, 2022
Influenced is a stand alone, small town MM Romance by Felice Stevens. I love reading about Felice’s wonderful characters and she normally sets her stories in New York where she resides. But, I was so thrilled that she took a step out of the norm and made Serenity, Pennsylvania the focus of this book! I love small town romance because I feel like I can relate better and loved getting to know this little community.
Bryce Bauman has been with his boyfriend, Grant for three years and they have built a business together. They are a very well known influencer couple on Instagram. They live the life of the elite, with constant products being sent to them, being seen at all the trendiest places and plenty of money. Until one day, Grant told him it was over. Bryce should have saved more, planned better but in his defense, he never imagined this happening. He thought they were in love. To make matters worse, Grant and his new boyfriend who was also Bryce’s closest friend, filmed his melt down when they told him and posted it. Bryce’s friends wanted nothing to do with him, he has no job and his savings won’t last forever. He can’t sink much lower. A chance encounter leads him to Rolling Meadows Bed and Breakfast in rural Pennsylvania for some time to figure out his life away from the city.
Matty Wilcox is the owner of Rolling Meadows. Matty loves his life there but never planned to be the person responsible for the actual running of the B&B. His heart was in working the property. He has so many ideas for expanding the gardens and marketing the produce. But after the loss of his parents, he had to step in. Matty grew up in Serenity. It’s such a small, close knit community which is why Matty has kept his true self a secret. There is no way his grandfather or anyone else would accept that he wasn’t interested in women at all. Even if he could share his secret, he would never find anyone here. So he has resigned himself to a life of solitude. Until his new guest arrived. Bryce! The flirty, spoiled city boy who has no business in the country. But it’s his sad eyes that Matty can’t help but notice.
These two couldn’t be more opposite. But are they really? I loved watching Bryce slowly let go of his pain and find the strength hidden inside of him. He had spent so much time following his ex that he really hadn’t learned who he really was. Now is his chance and it was wonderful. And Matty also found strength he had kept pushed down. Bryce slowly showed him that he deserved to be who he wanted to be, to love the part of himself he kept hidden away. Together, these two were just perfect. So many swoons. I loved them so much.
I have to add one other thing here. Tanya, Matty’s friend that does all the cooking for the B&B, is an amazing cook. She made me want to bake all…the…things!!! If I only had the talent.
Once again, Felice has written characters that when faced with road blocks, they talk things out instead of pushing each other away. They listen to one another. They trust one another. It made me love them even more. She also hints that she might not be done with Serenity, Pennsylvania. We might see a couple of the other residents show up in future books and I can’t wait. This was such a joy to read and I hope that you love Bryce and Matty as much as I did.
For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...
Bryce Bauman has been with his boyfriend, Grant for three years and they have built a business together. They are a very well known influencer couple on Instagram. They live the life of the elite, with constant products being sent to them, being seen at all the trendiest places and plenty of money. Until one day, Grant told him it was over. Bryce should have saved more, planned better but in his defense, he never imagined this happening. He thought they were in love. To make matters worse, Grant and his new boyfriend who was also Bryce’s closest friend, filmed his melt down when they told him and posted it. Bryce’s friends wanted nothing to do with him, he has no job and his savings won’t last forever. He can’t sink much lower. A chance encounter leads him to Rolling Meadows Bed and Breakfast in rural Pennsylvania for some time to figure out his life away from the city.
Matty Wilcox is the owner of Rolling Meadows. Matty loves his life there but never planned to be the person responsible for the actual running of the B&B. His heart was in working the property. He has so many ideas for expanding the gardens and marketing the produce. But after the loss of his parents, he had to step in. Matty grew up in Serenity. It’s such a small, close knit community which is why Matty has kept his true self a secret. There is no way his grandfather or anyone else would accept that he wasn’t interested in women at all. Even if he could share his secret, he would never find anyone here. So he has resigned himself to a life of solitude. Until his new guest arrived. Bryce! The flirty, spoiled city boy who has no business in the country. But it’s his sad eyes that Matty can’t help but notice.
These two couldn’t be more opposite. But are they really? I loved watching Bryce slowly let go of his pain and find the strength hidden inside of him. He had spent so much time following his ex that he really hadn’t learned who he really was. Now is his chance and it was wonderful. And Matty also found strength he had kept pushed down. Bryce slowly showed him that he deserved to be who he wanted to be, to love the part of himself he kept hidden away. Together, these two were just perfect. So many swoons. I loved them so much.
I have to add one other thing here. Tanya, Matty’s friend that does all the cooking for the B&B, is an amazing cook. She made me want to bake all…the…things!!! If I only had the talent.
Once again, Felice has written characters that when faced with road blocks, they talk things out instead of pushing each other away. They listen to one another. They trust one another. It made me love them even more. She also hints that she might not be done with Serenity, Pennsylvania. We might see a couple of the other residents show up in future books and I can’t wait. This was such a joy to read and I hope that you love Bryce and Matty as much as I did.
For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...
June 19, 2022
Meh.
The beginning was ROUGH to get through. A shit ton of bad stuff happens to Bryce and he gets swallowed up in it rather than helping himself at all. Then he vacillates between being a likable MC and being a totally jerk for awhile.
Matty was more likable but was also using a woman as a beard for over a decade, and regardless of how gracious she was, that’s still an awful thing to do.
Once we move past this stuff it’s mostly just surface level cuteness with a bunch of minor things happening that would’ve been a lot more interesting I’d been feeling the characters and the chemistry a bit more.
It was okay.
The beginning was ROUGH to get through. A shit ton of bad stuff happens to Bryce and he gets swallowed up in it rather than helping himself at all. Then he vacillates between being a likable MC and being a totally jerk for awhile.
Matty was more likable but was also using a woman as a beard for over a decade, and regardless of how gracious she was, that’s still an awful thing to do.
Once we move past this stuff it’s mostly just surface level cuteness with a bunch of minor things happening that would’ve been a lot more interesting I’d been feeling the characters and the chemistry a bit more.
It was okay.
April 11, 2022
What starts out seeming like it could be full of angst, drama, and heartache, is actually a sweet, slow romance and a story of finding yourself and where you belong.
Not going to lie, my drama-loving heart was eating up Bryce's spiral down the social media star scene (something, like Matty, I know nothing about and care nothing about but that didn't stop me from jumping into the story) just as hard as my heart was aching for him when the story started. Seeing him hit rock bottom before seeking out help was heartbreaking but necessary. He's a fish out of water when he arrives at Matty's B&B and I honestly wasn't sure he would ever find comfort there, but he soon is making a real effort to figure out who he is on his own and out of the City.
Matty is small-town born and bred, deeply closeted, and with a long history, including his fiancee/lifelong friend Emma, a grandfather who is grieving, and a business he never planned to run on his own. He doesn't need Bryce's attitude and airs no matter how good-looking he may be. But his heart doesn't let his brain call all the shots here and he is soon aching for a life he thought he was okay with never having.
This is a slow-burn romance, low on the angst while both men deal with missteps from their past and slowly hope for a future full of love and acceptance. There are plenty of wonderful secondary characters, a strong sense of family - both blood and found - and a swoony romance that felt real. My only minor issue is that I would have liked to see more of Bryce initially acclimating to his stay at the B&B instead of a two-week time jump. I'd recommend this to fans of opposites attract and small-town romance. I'm sure we'll be seeing more of the men from Serenity and I'll be looking forward to it.
Not going to lie, my drama-loving heart was eating up Bryce's spiral down the social media star scene (something, like Matty, I know nothing about and care nothing about but that didn't stop me from jumping into the story) just as hard as my heart was aching for him when the story started. Seeing him hit rock bottom before seeking out help was heartbreaking but necessary. He's a fish out of water when he arrives at Matty's B&B and I honestly wasn't sure he would ever find comfort there, but he soon is making a real effort to figure out who he is on his own and out of the City.
Matty is small-town born and bred, deeply closeted, and with a long history, including his fiancee/lifelong friend Emma, a grandfather who is grieving, and a business he never planned to run on his own. He doesn't need Bryce's attitude and airs no matter how good-looking he may be. But his heart doesn't let his brain call all the shots here and he is soon aching for a life he thought he was okay with never having.
This is a slow-burn romance, low on the angst while both men deal with missteps from their past and slowly hope for a future full of love and acceptance. There are plenty of wonderful secondary characters, a strong sense of family - both blood and found - and a swoony romance that felt real. My only minor issue is that I would have liked to see more of Bryce initially acclimating to his stay at the B&B instead of a two-week time jump. I'd recommend this to fans of opposites attract and small-town romance. I'm sure we'll be seeing more of the men from Serenity and I'll be looking forward to it.
May 3, 2024
I'm not a fan of people that are "famous" for no particular reason other than giving their opinion about something, and we all know that everybody has one of those.
Felice Stevens did a fantastic job of showing us the good, the bad, and the really ugly of the "Influencer" lifestyle. This story had its ups and downs...and while I was very satisfied with the outcome getting there seemed to be sometimes, a bit forced. It was a slow burn romance as it should have been, with one character, Matty grew up in a small Pennsylvania town and in the "closet" with the door firmly shut, locked, and double bolted. Bryce was born and raised in NYC and had been living the "influencer" lifestyle along with his partner, for a few years, until his partner who was also hi boyfriend, dumps him for Bryce’s friend (?). Noone needs friend like that!
Bryce goes off the deep end. It was easy to see that Bryce was immature in the way he approached life after that. He went into a rage along with a downward spiral complete with bad publicity that cost him his contracts...then his agent having had enough, dumps him. After he met a man in a bar on one the worst days of his life, and he was having a lot of those...Bryce agrees to go to a B&B in Pennsylvania to let things settle down and to try to get his life back on track. It turns out to be the best thing that ever happened to him, as he met Matty, the man that will become the love of his life, Matty...the man that believed in him. Matty...who helped Bryce see that the simple life isn’t so bad...that it is okay not to be tied to your phone 24/7...and that self-respect is crucial to true happiness.
One of the secondary characters, Pops (Earl)...Maddy's grandfather was one of my favorite people in this story. He was gruff but he was also good for Bryce, and Byrce was almost a life saver for him. The story was in equal parts, sweet, sexy, and emotional.
Felice Stevens did a fantastic job of showing us the good, the bad, and the really ugly of the "Influencer" lifestyle. This story had its ups and downs...and while I was very satisfied with the outcome getting there seemed to be sometimes, a bit forced. It was a slow burn romance as it should have been, with one character, Matty grew up in a small Pennsylvania town and in the "closet" with the door firmly shut, locked, and double bolted. Bryce was born and raised in NYC and had been living the "influencer" lifestyle along with his partner, for a few years, until his partner who was also hi boyfriend, dumps him for Bryce’s friend (?). Noone needs friend like that!
Bryce goes off the deep end. It was easy to see that Bryce was immature in the way he approached life after that. He went into a rage along with a downward spiral complete with bad publicity that cost him his contracts...then his agent having had enough, dumps him. After he met a man in a bar on one the worst days of his life, and he was having a lot of those...Bryce agrees to go to a B&B in Pennsylvania to let things settle down and to try to get his life back on track. It turns out to be the best thing that ever happened to him, as he met Matty, the man that will become the love of his life, Matty...the man that believed in him. Matty...who helped Bryce see that the simple life isn’t so bad...that it is okay not to be tied to your phone 24/7...and that self-respect is crucial to true happiness.
One of the secondary characters, Pops (Earl)...Maddy's grandfather was one of my favorite people in this story. He was gruff but he was also good for Bryce, and Byrce was almost a life saver for him. The story was in equal parts, sweet, sexy, and emotional.
June 4, 2022
One of Felice's best yet
I absolutely adored this book.
For me, it's Felice Stevens at her best, taking an awful experience for one man and finding a way to bring them to greater happiness.
Here it's social media influencer Bryce, who finds out quickly how fickle his followers are when his boyfriend does the dirty on him and makes out he's the bad guy.
Escaping to a rural B&B he discovers that sometimes it's not the designer's name on your clothes that's important but the people in the found family who give you a home and a future.
I loved Bryce's irrepressible nature once he realised that he was still giving his ex power over him as he hit the ultimate low.
I loved how he was quick to realise that he was finding something more important than likes and followers.
And I particularly loved how he was able to turn his talents to helping not only Matty's B&B but also other businesses in the town to find their new potential.
The sexual exploring and discovery when Matty finally admits his attraction to Bryce are both beautifully emotional and also intimately sensual.
Throw in a great cast of secondary characters and people I hope we'll be hearing more from, and this was a definite addition to my favourites shelf.
I absolutely adored this book.
For me, it's Felice Stevens at her best, taking an awful experience for one man and finding a way to bring them to greater happiness.
Here it's social media influencer Bryce, who finds out quickly how fickle his followers are when his boyfriend does the dirty on him and makes out he's the bad guy.
Escaping to a rural B&B he discovers that sometimes it's not the designer's name on your clothes that's important but the people in the found family who give you a home and a future.
I loved Bryce's irrepressible nature once he realised that he was still giving his ex power over him as he hit the ultimate low.
I loved how he was quick to realise that he was finding something more important than likes and followers.
And I particularly loved how he was able to turn his talents to helping not only Matty's B&B but also other businesses in the town to find their new potential.
The sexual exploring and discovery when Matty finally admits his attraction to Bryce are both beautifully emotional and also intimately sensual.
Throw in a great cast of secondary characters and people I hope we'll be hearing more from, and this was a definite addition to my favourites shelf.
July 18, 2025
This book should’ve been a hot, closeted small-town guy meets a stylish, out-and-proud city guy and that’s usually instant tension, some heat, excitement, maybe fun?
But instead, we get a slow motion scrapbook of errands, casual chats, and not much chemistry.
What you're getting is... everything beige. That's what you're getting with this one.
🟢 Influencer / small town B&B owner
🔵 Both around 30
🟣 Both gay (coming out)
🟠 Ex drama
🟡 Annoying side characters
🌶️ Some beige sex; first times; oral, frotting, penetrative; t/b
Bryce is a complete mess. He's a mess. He's in a hot, instagram-famous couple GG and BB 😄 and does promotions, travelling, partying, new clothes, eating out all the time, the whole thing.
Bryce's boyfriend, a much older guy, who snatched him in a swimwear shooting in Mykonos, cheats on him with his best friend and then Bryce simply loses it. He's drinking all the time, at almost 30 years old he's so dumb that he's trusting random strangers who are trying to lure him into weird situations and he goes without a second thought, he's having public sex, he's vomiting in night clubs, all this while knowing he's still a public figure and everyone's eyes are on him.
Bryce simply can't get over his cheating ex, so whenever he sees him, he's yelling at him or leaving him angry voicemails, so 😄, this guy is off the rails!
Not to mention he still has money to make and all he knows how to do is the influencer gig, so he's shitting where he's eating, all the time, a complete downward spiral.
I honestly thought we were going to get a lot of humour with Bryce going to the countryside and experiencing this spiral, but sadly, we did not. Bryce didn't have a single friend left and the one that was there, was constantly busy and didn't make time for Bryce. No one liked him. Even his agent, whom he knew before Bryce was famous, dumped him. I mean this guy had a really shitty situation.
Then insert tons of side characters throughout the book and you'll get Hal, the therapist, who recommends a small little Bed&Breakfast in a town called Serenity, so that's where Bryce is heading next to experience the beigest gay love story that town has ever seen.
Bryce goes there with all of his shit packed in 5-6 heavy suitcases and struts around the pond, the garden and groundhogs with his brand clothing and shoes. He's talking about doing his brows, his manicure, his skincare, I mean 😆, my god this was a mess! And it could've been so much fun!
Matty is Bryce's love interest, he's a closeted gay man who's been stringing his long-term girlfriend along for 12 damn years, not telling her he's gay, even tried to have sex with her after 9 years of that joke of a relationship, so of course she then becomes bestie with Bryce and Matty and encourages Matty to live his truth and be openly with Bryce.
The romance is surface-level. And 350 pages of it. I could hardly finish it.
Bryce and Matty start hooking up and you know how the spiel goes, on day 2.56 they're suddenly in love, have a bit of a heartbreak along the way, the ex makes his appearance and then they stay together with everyone coming to their senses and being on their best behavior.
“I guess you’re still an influencer, whether you’re getting paid for it or not. You got me to see it was okay to be unapologetically me. You’re so brave and alive.” Matty’s lips teased his. “So bright and beautiful…”
Bryce hummed his pleasure under Matty’s lips and lifted his hips so his jeans could slide off easily. “They didn’t call me BB for nothing.”
🤦
Bryce decides to stay in Serenity and become their unofficial social media promoter, he's still accepting modelling jobs, but he's staying put. He's in a relationship with Matty now, who does come out and they have the least passionate, emotional or amazing love story ever.
I don't know if the author wasn't enthusiastic enough when imagining these guys or what, but the story was completely flat and mundane and the dialogues were lifeless and boring.
I kept expecting Bryce to get some sort of revenge on his ex, just by showing the world how happy he is, what a hot guy he has or just making his social media presence strong with his new life in Serenity, but absolutely none of that happened.
Not interested in any of the side characters or other books from this author, no, thank you.
April 12, 2022
I won't bored you with the story (I'm not good with retelling and summarizing is the main reason) :))
What I loved most about this book was that Bryce and Matty really communicating through their problem. Also the development of a characters, especially Bryce. He used to be a spoiled whiney brat when he came to Matty's B&B. I didn't like him at the moment. But Felice always knows how to make us falling for even the worst character.
I came to loved Bryce even more than I loved Matty. Don't blame me. Even Matty's grandfather loved him more. Bryce has this thing with him to charm everyone.
Matty was deep in the closet and tried to pleased everyone in his small town, just broke up with his long term girl friend, Emma, who surprisingly, a likeable character. I liked Emma, especially she's easily became Bryce best friend and the main support system for Matty.
As for Matty, it was understandable why he's afraid to come out. But the he met Bryce and all bets were off.
There are also some interesting side characters who need their own story, like Levi, and probably Nico, and policeman Deuce :)
I love grandpa 'Pop' and Tanya (Emma's mother) who put character in this story.
Though this one is stand alone, I hope Felice can make this one a series of this interesting small town.
I loved INFLUENCED, and I didn't want this book to end. But I'm sure I can see glimpses of Matty and Bryce again in the near future. Maybe, in Levi's story?
Well done, my friend!
What I loved most about this book was that Bryce and Matty really communicating through their problem. Also the development of a characters, especially Bryce. He used to be a spoiled whiney brat when he came to Matty's B&B. I didn't like him at the moment. But Felice always knows how to make us falling for even the worst character.
I came to loved Bryce even more than I loved Matty. Don't blame me. Even Matty's grandfather loved him more. Bryce has this thing with him to charm everyone.
Matty was deep in the closet and tried to pleased everyone in his small town, just broke up with his long term girl friend, Emma, who surprisingly, a likeable character. I liked Emma, especially she's easily became Bryce best friend and the main support system for Matty.
As for Matty, it was understandable why he's afraid to come out. But the he met Bryce and all bets were off.
There are also some interesting side characters who need their own story, like Levi, and probably Nico, and policeman Deuce :)
I love grandpa 'Pop' and Tanya (Emma's mother) who put character in this story.
Though this one is stand alone, I hope Felice can make this one a series of this interesting small town.
I loved INFLUENCED, and I didn't want this book to end. But I'm sure I can see glimpses of Matty and Bryce again in the near future. Maybe, in Levi's story?
Well done, my friend!
April 11, 2022
Another fantastic story by Felice Stevens..❤️
Influenced is a standalone, small town romance.
Bryce..
one half of a famous influencer couple, until his boyfriend cheat on him with his bestfriend and put the whole ugly break up scene online 💔 with broken heart Bryce did some immature thing and one thing lead to another and soon he find himself in a small town b&b in search for his true self (to find out who he really is, what his true worth), That Matty, the small town farmer runs, and things were 'bout to get interesting.
Matty..
closeted gay, small town farmer and the b&b owner, he doesn't have any time for spoiled brats like Bryce and fully detached from social media. So when Bryce came to the b&b for the first time, Matty tries to ignore him but soon that became impossible and they started to form a friendship.
But life is complicated with Bryce staying at the b&b, and helping the Matty with b&b 's social media accounts and bringing more patrons,- and he is too tempting and not as much silly or brat as Matty first thought 🤔 giving into his desire will only complicate the life Matty soo carefully built.
Bryce slowly shows him that he deserved to be the man he wanted to be. Together they completed eachother 😍 together they were perfect ❤️
Matty shows Bryce, Life beyond spotlight, money and glamour where Bryce shows Matty, how to live and love for himself.
Soo many swoons through out the read. I love both of them 😘
the side characters, such as Tanya, pop, dr. Hal, Levi, Nico and Deuce, was amazing 🤩
I love the Cameo of Jake and Shea🤗🤭🤭
Overall the story was amazing 😊 such a masterpiece ❤️🫀
I hope we will get more book in this series like Levi, Nico or Deuce 's book!!? Maybe in the future.. we can wait😊
#ARC was provided by the Author and this is my honest review
Influenced is a standalone, small town romance.
Bryce..
one half of a famous influencer couple, until his boyfriend cheat on him with his bestfriend and put the whole ugly break up scene online 💔 with broken heart Bryce did some immature thing and one thing lead to another and soon he find himself in a small town b&b in search for his true self (to find out who he really is, what his true worth), That Matty, the small town farmer runs, and things were 'bout to get interesting.
Matty..
closeted gay, small town farmer and the b&b owner, he doesn't have any time for spoiled brats like Bryce and fully detached from social media. So when Bryce came to the b&b for the first time, Matty tries to ignore him but soon that became impossible and they started to form a friendship.
But life is complicated with Bryce staying at the b&b, and helping the Matty with b&b 's social media accounts and bringing more patrons,- and he is too tempting and not as much silly or brat as Matty first thought 🤔 giving into his desire will only complicate the life Matty soo carefully built.
Bryce slowly shows him that he deserved to be the man he wanted to be. Together they completed eachother 😍 together they were perfect ❤️
Matty shows Bryce, Life beyond spotlight, money and glamour where Bryce shows Matty, how to live and love for himself.
Soo many swoons through out the read. I love both of them 😘
the side characters, such as Tanya, pop, dr. Hal, Levi, Nico and Deuce, was amazing 🤩
I love the Cameo of Jake and Shea🤗🤭🤭
Overall the story was amazing 😊 such a masterpiece ❤️🫀
I hope we will get more book in this series like Levi, Nico or Deuce 's book!!? Maybe in the future.. we can wait😊
#ARC was provided by the Author and this is my honest review
April 6, 2022
Oh, this was lovely. I felt really bad for Bryce right from the off, he had a rough time of it but it was easy to see he was a decent person and had been taken in and manipulated by the world he found himself in. Matty was just what he needed at the perfect time and though their attraction was instantaneous, it was fun to watch them fight that attraction and slowly but surely give in to each other. The secondary characters made this a great read too, Pops was a nice addition and his relationship with Bryce was adorable. Maybe we'll return to serenity to Nico or Deuce (or both), I've my fingers crossed!
April 8, 2022
Fantastic story by Felice Stevens. Bryce, half of one of the hottest influencing couples of the moment, falls from grace when his backstabbing boyfriend pulls the rug from under him. He thought he had it all, but sometimes what you want isn’t what you need.
In the beginning, Bryce is an immature, shallow socialite. So when he ends up at a country B&B that Matty, the hard-working small-town guy, runs, you know things are bound to get interesting. Matty barely even knows what Instagram is, and he certainly doesn’t have time for the uppity guy who’s scared of a little garter snake!
But maybe both their worlds need a little shaking up, and small towns always have a way of doing that! Cue the loveable characters around them. Crotchety Grandpa Earl, best friend Emma, mother like Tanya, amongst others, all bring this story to life.
Felice writes a very vivid story that will make you want to open your own country B&B.
< ARC provided and this is my honest review >
In the beginning, Bryce is an immature, shallow socialite. So when he ends up at a country B&B that Matty, the hard-working small-town guy, runs, you know things are bound to get interesting. Matty barely even knows what Instagram is, and he certainly doesn’t have time for the uppity guy who’s scared of a little garter snake!
But maybe both their worlds need a little shaking up, and small towns always have a way of doing that! Cue the loveable characters around them. Crotchety Grandpa Earl, best friend Emma, mother like Tanya, amongst others, all bring this story to life.
Felice writes a very vivid story that will make you want to open your own country B&B.
< ARC provided and this is my honest review >
April 8, 2022
I social possono renderti la vita bellissima. I like ti piacciono. I commenti positivi ti rendono felice. Ma quando crolla tutto i social possono diventare il tuo inferno personale. Il luogo dove tutto resta scritto. Dove nulla si dimentica ed è qui che Bryce si trova ora.
Il suo inferno è IG dove la sua vita e i suoi errori sono visibili al mondo intero.
Un incontro particolare lo porterà in una cittadina sperduta dove incontra Matty. Un bel ragazzo che non si è ancora dichiarato. E non sa come e se vorrà mai farlo.
Questo libro è un viaggio per i due personaggi. Devono scoprire cosa li rende felici. Bryce dovrà imparare a virere senza social e senza essere il fulcro della vita moderna dove tutti lo odiano o ridono di lui.
Matty deve invece imparare che anche le piccole città sono piene di gente gentile che non giudica e se ne frega con chi vai a letto o meno.
Un racconto, un viaggio. Una bellissima lettura che ha i suoi alti e bassi. Un racconto che ti farà ridere, versare qualche lacrima anche ma ti farà scoprire qualcosa si bellissimo. L'amore che I due hanno è speciale.
Ho adorato ogni pagina letta. Bryce e Matty sono adorabili. Sexy anche. Le scene di sesso, anche le prime dove non sanno che fare, sono belle e descritte perfettamente. Steamy!! HOT.
Una lettura consigliatissima!!
Il suo inferno è IG dove la sua vita e i suoi errori sono visibili al mondo intero.
Un incontro particolare lo porterà in una cittadina sperduta dove incontra Matty. Un bel ragazzo che non si è ancora dichiarato. E non sa come e se vorrà mai farlo.
Questo libro è un viaggio per i due personaggi. Devono scoprire cosa li rende felici. Bryce dovrà imparare a virere senza social e senza essere il fulcro della vita moderna dove tutti lo odiano o ridono di lui.
Matty deve invece imparare che anche le piccole città sono piene di gente gentile che non giudica e se ne frega con chi vai a letto o meno.
Un racconto, un viaggio. Una bellissima lettura che ha i suoi alti e bassi. Un racconto che ti farà ridere, versare qualche lacrima anche ma ti farà scoprire qualcosa si bellissimo. L'amore che I due hanno è speciale.
Ho adorato ogni pagina letta. Bryce e Matty sono adorabili. Sexy anche. Le scene di sesso, anche le prime dove non sanno che fare, sono belle e descritte perfettamente. Steamy!! HOT.
Una lettura consigliatissima!!
April 12, 2022
3 stars
Brief summary
Bryce is a social media influencer, and some things happen, and his career is going quite badly because of that, and he feels like he doesn’t have anything left. He goes to stay at a bed and breakfast to heal his wounds and there he meets the owner, Matty. They fall in love.
Matty had never really been with a guy before, so there is a lot of sexual exploration in this book. And I absolutely enjoyed all of it. I loved how Matty was always super mesmerized at how good everything felt and how much he enjoyed everything. The sexual exploration in this book was just so lovely to me and I adored every second of it.
I love small town sittings in books, so much. This book happens at a remote bed and breakfast in a small town, and I loved the ambiance of the book so much. There were a lot of moments of the main characters exploring the town and I just loved that, that was so much fun for me. I just loved the small-town setting in this book, and I had so much fun reading it.
I really enjoyed the romance in this one, they had so many super cute couple moments, and I kept swooning at their couple moments, they were just so sweet.
As much as I enjoyed the romance in this book, I think what really won me over was all the talks about Bryce being a social media influencer and how it worked. I just thought that it was so fun to read about that and I just wanted to know more and more about the topic, that part of the book was just so fascinating to me.
Sadly, I just could not get into this book as much as I wanted to, so even if I found their relationship really cute and I really enjoyed the set up of the book, I just didn’t connect with the book’s story as much as I wanted to.
Regardless, I had a lovely time reading this book and it was a lot of fun to read.
I received an ARC of this book, and this is my honest opinion.
Brief summary
Bryce is a social media influencer, and some things happen, and his career is going quite badly because of that, and he feels like he doesn’t have anything left. He goes to stay at a bed and breakfast to heal his wounds and there he meets the owner, Matty. They fall in love.
Matty had never really been with a guy before, so there is a lot of sexual exploration in this book. And I absolutely enjoyed all of it. I loved how Matty was always super mesmerized at how good everything felt and how much he enjoyed everything. The sexual exploration in this book was just so lovely to me and I adored every second of it.
I love small town sittings in books, so much. This book happens at a remote bed and breakfast in a small town, and I loved the ambiance of the book so much. There were a lot of moments of the main characters exploring the town and I just loved that, that was so much fun for me. I just loved the small-town setting in this book, and I had so much fun reading it.
I really enjoyed the romance in this one, they had so many super cute couple moments, and I kept swooning at their couple moments, they were just so sweet.
As much as I enjoyed the romance in this book, I think what really won me over was all the talks about Bryce being a social media influencer and how it worked. I just thought that it was so fun to read about that and I just wanted to know more and more about the topic, that part of the book was just so fascinating to me.
Sadly, I just could not get into this book as much as I wanted to, so even if I found their relationship really cute and I really enjoyed the set up of the book, I just didn’t connect with the book’s story as much as I wanted to.
Regardless, I had a lovely time reading this book and it was a lot of fun to read.
I received an ARC of this book, and this is my honest opinion.
March 20, 2023
I am going to buy every novel DW performed. As for the story: I liked it. Except for Bryce suddenly having a character transplant. Even when being nice, I can not call this 'character development'.
. After the couple gets together, FS writes once as many chapters about nothing in particular. Just boring every day stuf that makes me happy when it is over and I can crack open a new book.
. After the couple gets together, FS writes once as many chapters about nothing in particular. Just boring every day stuf that makes me happy when it is over and I can crack open a new book.
April 22, 2022
I’ll admit upfront that I’m not into influencers or people being famous for basically no reason so I was a bit concerned if I could relate or like this book and while the whole influencer lifestyle baffles me, I know there are people who do it and make a good living. I think author Felice Stevens did a fantastic job of showing the good, the bad, and the ugly of that lifestyle.
For me, Influenced had its ups and downs and while I was very satisfied with the outcome getting there seemed to be a bit forced at time. This was a slow burn romance as it should have been with one character having grown up in the small town and in the closet with the door firmly shut and locked.
Bryce was born and raised in NYC has been living the influencer lifestyle along with his partner for a few years, but when his boyfriend dumps him for Bryce’s friend, Bryce goes off the deep end. It was easy to see that Bryce was a bit shallow and immature in the way he approached life. Being blindsided sent him into a rage and had him reeling in a downward spiral garnering bad publicity that cost him his contracts and had his agent dumping him. Meeting a man in a bar on one the worst days of his life, Bryce agrees to head to a B&B in Pennsylvania to let things settle down and to get his head on straight. What he doesn’t expect is an appreciation for fresh air, sunshine, and the charming farmer that owns the B&B.
Matty never intended to run the family’s B&B by himself but after the sudden death of his parents, his grandfather’s heart attack shortly after, he had no choice but to forge on and do what needed to be done. He loves the B&B and the farm that he’s put so much time in to growing fresh fruit and vegetables, and he mostly enjoys the people who come to stay with them, but their latest guest who plans to stay for a month, well…he’s not so sure about mister “fancypants” Bryce from the city other than he’s the most beautiful man he’s ever seen.
There’s no doubt that both these men had their own set of problems. Matty unable to acknowledge his sexuality due to the small town environment and his fear of not being accepted by the people in his life and Bryce trying to figure out how to repair his reputation and figure out a way to make a living without going back to working as a waiter or a bartender. While Bryce was kind of a mess when he first arrived, he soon begins to understand the appeal of the town and most of the people who have welcomed him. Bryce’s arrival however has forced Matty to begin to see how empty his life is even after breaking up with his long time girlfriend who he still considers is best friend. These two wind up being just what the other needed; Bryce helped Matty not only increase the B&B’s social media presence but he challenged Matty to be true to himself, on the other hand Matty helped Bryce to see that the simply life isn’t so bad, that it is okay not to be tied to the phone 24/7, and that having self respect was crucial to his happiness.
I adored many of the secondary characters but perhaps my favorite was Pops (Earl), it was easy to see the lost of his daughter and son in law and his recent heart attack had taken away his joy. His gruff demeanor and the distance he put between him and his grandson Matty and the guests of the B&B was a clear indication he was hiding from life. I loved the way Bryce drew him out, slowly like one would do with a wounded animal, and then he took it upon himself to help repair the relationship between Early and Matty. While Pops didn’t understand Bryce, or his lifestyle both professionally and personally, it was also easy to see that he liked Bryce in his own way and enjoyed his company.
Equal parts sweet, sexy, and emotional, I enjoyed Influenced and hope that Ms. Stevens will give us a chance to get to know the other characters in this series soon.
Review copy provided for a voluntary review.
For me, Influenced had its ups and downs and while I was very satisfied with the outcome getting there seemed to be a bit forced at time. This was a slow burn romance as it should have been with one character having grown up in the small town and in the closet with the door firmly shut and locked.
Bryce was born and raised in NYC has been living the influencer lifestyle along with his partner for a few years, but when his boyfriend dumps him for Bryce’s friend, Bryce goes off the deep end. It was easy to see that Bryce was a bit shallow and immature in the way he approached life. Being blindsided sent him into a rage and had him reeling in a downward spiral garnering bad publicity that cost him his contracts and had his agent dumping him. Meeting a man in a bar on one the worst days of his life, Bryce agrees to head to a B&B in Pennsylvania to let things settle down and to get his head on straight. What he doesn’t expect is an appreciation for fresh air, sunshine, and the charming farmer that owns the B&B.
Matty never intended to run the family’s B&B by himself but after the sudden death of his parents, his grandfather’s heart attack shortly after, he had no choice but to forge on and do what needed to be done. He loves the B&B and the farm that he’s put so much time in to growing fresh fruit and vegetables, and he mostly enjoys the people who come to stay with them, but their latest guest who plans to stay for a month, well…he’s not so sure about mister “fancypants” Bryce from the city other than he’s the most beautiful man he’s ever seen.
There’s no doubt that both these men had their own set of problems. Matty unable to acknowledge his sexuality due to the small town environment and his fear of not being accepted by the people in his life and Bryce trying to figure out how to repair his reputation and figure out a way to make a living without going back to working as a waiter or a bartender. While Bryce was kind of a mess when he first arrived, he soon begins to understand the appeal of the town and most of the people who have welcomed him. Bryce’s arrival however has forced Matty to begin to see how empty his life is even after breaking up with his long time girlfriend who he still considers is best friend. These two wind up being just what the other needed; Bryce helped Matty not only increase the B&B’s social media presence but he challenged Matty to be true to himself, on the other hand Matty helped Bryce to see that the simply life isn’t so bad, that it is okay not to be tied to the phone 24/7, and that having self respect was crucial to his happiness.
I adored many of the secondary characters but perhaps my favorite was Pops (Earl), it was easy to see the lost of his daughter and son in law and his recent heart attack had taken away his joy. His gruff demeanor and the distance he put between him and his grandson Matty and the guests of the B&B was a clear indication he was hiding from life. I loved the way Bryce drew him out, slowly like one would do with a wounded animal, and then he took it upon himself to help repair the relationship between Early and Matty. While Pops didn’t understand Bryce, or his lifestyle both professionally and personally, it was also easy to see that he liked Bryce in his own way and enjoyed his company.
Equal parts sweet, sexy, and emotional, I enjoyed Influenced and hope that Ms. Stevens will give us a chance to get to know the other characters in this series soon.
Review copy provided for a voluntary review.
July 1, 2022
Delightful small town romance!
Bryce and his boyfriend Grant are a popular influencer couple on Instagram, but when Grant cruelly dumps him and reveals he’s been cheating on Bryce with his best friend, Bryce has a dramatic downward spiral leaving his personal life and career in ruins. Bryce escapes to a B&B in a quaint rural Pennsylvania town to figure out what he wants out of life, where he meets B&B owner Matty, a lonely and closeted country boy stuck in a rut and needing a change. A few weeks in the country away from the superficiality of his life in New York does Bryce a world of good, lifting his dark mood, revealing his kindness and sweet personality. As Matty and Bryce spend more time together their attraction grows, and seeing Bryce be his out and proud self in his small town inspires Matty to consider finally coming out.
Another sweet romance by Felice Stevens! I love her New York stories so when I heard she was writing a small town romance I wasn’t sure what to think! I love that the story started out in New York and kept some ties to the city to ease us into it. Bryce’s humiliating downward spiral was hard to read, and both men have sad backstories, but other than that the romance was pretty low angst. I just loved Bryce and Matty, loved the small town setting, loved Matty’s supportive ex-girlfriend and BFF Emma, Emma’s sweet mom Tanya who cooks at the B&B, and I especially loved Matty’s Grandpa Earl and the special relationship that develops between Earl and Bryce. There’s also a sweet found family element which I always love. Felice says she’s not done with this town and I’m really hoping a certain mysterious bartender gets his HEA next!
Bryce and his boyfriend Grant are a popular influencer couple on Instagram, but when Grant cruelly dumps him and reveals he’s been cheating on Bryce with his best friend, Bryce has a dramatic downward spiral leaving his personal life and career in ruins. Bryce escapes to a B&B in a quaint rural Pennsylvania town to figure out what he wants out of life, where he meets B&B owner Matty, a lonely and closeted country boy stuck in a rut and needing a change. A few weeks in the country away from the superficiality of his life in New York does Bryce a world of good, lifting his dark mood, revealing his kindness and sweet personality. As Matty and Bryce spend more time together their attraction grows, and seeing Bryce be his out and proud self in his small town inspires Matty to consider finally coming out.
Another sweet romance by Felice Stevens! I love her New York stories so when I heard she was writing a small town romance I wasn’t sure what to think! I love that the story started out in New York and kept some ties to the city to ease us into it. Bryce’s humiliating downward spiral was hard to read, and both men have sad backstories, but other than that the romance was pretty low angst. I just loved Bryce and Matty, loved the small town setting, loved Matty’s supportive ex-girlfriend and BFF Emma, Emma’s sweet mom Tanya who cooks at the B&B, and I especially loved Matty’s Grandpa Earl and the special relationship that develops between Earl and Bryce. There’s also a sweet found family element which I always love. Felice says she’s not done with this town and I’m really hoping a certain mysterious bartender gets his HEA next!
April 12, 2022
Could Matty and Bryce be any more adorable?
Small town romances make my little heart happy. I can't get enough of them. I couldn't wait to devour Matty and Bryce's story.
But Bryce didn't make it easy for me at first. Boy, did he make some bad decisions. I hated how down he was and how he just let himself be taken advantage of. I kept shaking my kindle and telling him to stop. I knew he had to hit rock bottom in order to pick himself up but it was sad to read.
It turned out to be worth it when he finally met Matty. I haven't flown through a 350 page book that fast in a long time. I could not stop reading. They were so much fun to read. Every time they interacted with each other, I wanted more and more. I hated that Matty kept himself hidden and couldn't wait to see him break free and be himself. I loved every minute of their story. They were all kinds of sweet, infinitely sexy and made my heart melt.
My favorite thing about small town romances is the relationships. I love how everyone's lives are entwined. Neighboring families have long-standing history and everyone jumps in to help their neighbors in a pinch. The town of Serenity is idyllic. I love how Matty's family is so connected to Emma's and how Bryce was able to seamlessly fit in. His scenes with Earl were some of my favorite parts of the book.
This is definitely going on the "must re-read" list. Although I might just start re-reading when Bryce arrives on Matty's doorstep.
Small town romances make my little heart happy. I can't get enough of them. I couldn't wait to devour Matty and Bryce's story.
But Bryce didn't make it easy for me at first. Boy, did he make some bad decisions. I hated how down he was and how he just let himself be taken advantage of. I kept shaking my kindle and telling him to stop. I knew he had to hit rock bottom in order to pick himself up but it was sad to read.
It turned out to be worth it when he finally met Matty. I haven't flown through a 350 page book that fast in a long time. I could not stop reading. They were so much fun to read. Every time they interacted with each other, I wanted more and more. I hated that Matty kept himself hidden and couldn't wait to see him break free and be himself. I loved every minute of their story. They were all kinds of sweet, infinitely sexy and made my heart melt.
My favorite thing about small town romances is the relationships. I love how everyone's lives are entwined. Neighboring families have long-standing history and everyone jumps in to help their neighbors in a pinch. The town of Serenity is idyllic. I love how Matty's family is so connected to Emma's and how Bryce was able to seamlessly fit in. His scenes with Earl were some of my favorite parts of the book.
This is definitely going on the "must re-read" list. Although I might just start re-reading when Bryce arrives on Matty's doorstep.
April 14, 2022
This author is new to me but after recently reading Fall guy and loving it, I was looking forward to reading this. Unfortunately this one was just ok to me. The first quarter I almost marked it DNF cause both characters weren't very likeable (especially Bryce). I forced myself to keep reading and although the characters grew to be much less abrasive, I just couldn't get drawn into the story that was low plot, low angst, low steam and characters where the chemisty felt forced to me. The second half did improve but by then it just averaged out overall. I highly recommend Fall Guy though and I am looking forward to reading more from this author.
April 6, 2022
I received an ARC of Influenced by Felice Stevens
Bryce has a pretty good life until the Universe decided he needed to wake up from the bubble he seemed to placed himself in. A bubble that wouldn't let him see what kind of people he surrounded himself with because why see the bad things when you're getting paid to party and wear expensive clothes. Bryce was happy or so he thought until the bubble burst and the reality of his perfect life crashed for all to see. Bryce's life as an Influencer on Instagram and YouTube was a life he thought he had to have but hitting rock bottom and a chance meeting with a kind soul had him rethinking his so-called great life.
Matty had the perfect life with a loving family and his only flaw in this perfect life was that he couldn't be his true self. It was his fear of losing it all that kept him in the closet and forever in a Lather, Rinse, Repeat mode of his small-town life. The death of his parents left Matty's world shattered and while he tried to put the broken pieces back together he couldn't fill in the cracks. Running his parents B and B keeps him busy and trying to reconnect with his grandfather who seemed bitter after losing his daughter and son-in-law. It doesn't help that his grumpy grandfather keeps pushing Matty to get married and give him some grandbabies. Matty saw no other life than the one he's living until a certain bratty guest end up at his B and B for a month-long stay. Setting eyes on Bryce caused the cracks in Matty's life to get bigger and to let in all the what-ifs to a life Matty could truly have.
I love this book and watching Matty and Bryce find each other to heal both their souls has me wanting to take a trip to a B and B in a small town. Bryce annoyed me when he couldn't see how much his 'world' was sending him into a toxic world that his ex tossed him into. Bryce wanted to make a comeback to show his ex that he could be an Influencer without him which left him in a small town B and B surrounded by nature and crawly critters. When Matty and Bryce came together it squeezed my heart and I found myself turning the pages to see how their story ended.
Matty's innocence melted my heart and Bryce finally found his superpower and together they burned up the pages as I read their love bloom into a forever life. I have a feeling I will be reading more about Serenity because there is a Levi, Nico and Deuce story I need to know about.
Bryce has a pretty good life until the Universe decided he needed to wake up from the bubble he seemed to placed himself in. A bubble that wouldn't let him see what kind of people he surrounded himself with because why see the bad things when you're getting paid to party and wear expensive clothes. Bryce was happy or so he thought until the bubble burst and the reality of his perfect life crashed for all to see. Bryce's life as an Influencer on Instagram and YouTube was a life he thought he had to have but hitting rock bottom and a chance meeting with a kind soul had him rethinking his so-called great life.
Matty had the perfect life with a loving family and his only flaw in this perfect life was that he couldn't be his true self. It was his fear of losing it all that kept him in the closet and forever in a Lather, Rinse, Repeat mode of his small-town life. The death of his parents left Matty's world shattered and while he tried to put the broken pieces back together he couldn't fill in the cracks. Running his parents B and B keeps him busy and trying to reconnect with his grandfather who seemed bitter after losing his daughter and son-in-law. It doesn't help that his grumpy grandfather keeps pushing Matty to get married and give him some grandbabies. Matty saw no other life than the one he's living until a certain bratty guest end up at his B and B for a month-long stay. Setting eyes on Bryce caused the cracks in Matty's life to get bigger and to let in all the what-ifs to a life Matty could truly have.
I love this book and watching Matty and Bryce find each other to heal both their souls has me wanting to take a trip to a B and B in a small town. Bryce annoyed me when he couldn't see how much his 'world' was sending him into a toxic world that his ex tossed him into. Bryce wanted to make a comeback to show his ex that he could be an Influencer without him which left him in a small town B and B surrounded by nature and crawly critters. When Matty and Bryce came together it squeezed my heart and I found myself turning the pages to see how their story ended.
Matty's innocence melted my heart and Bryce finally found his superpower and together they burned up the pages as I read their love bloom into a forever life. I have a feeling I will be reading more about Serenity because there is a Levi, Nico and Deuce story I need to know about.
April 6, 2022
I have an amazing time reading this book!!!I love Felice Stevens books! Influenced is Bryce Bauman a famous influencer and Matty Wilcox a B&B owner love story. BB or Bryce and his boyfriend are a famous influencer couple until his boyfriend cheats and dumps him, poor Bryce I hate how they betrayed him!
Bryce lost all his endorsements and he is in a really bad place, so he ask for help and escapes to the tiny town of Serenity, Pennsylvania, here he is surrounded by nature and he doesn’t know what he is doing there, What he doesn’t expect is the hot as hell owner of the B&B.
Matty Wilcox is very dedicated to his B&B and he must keep the business running, he have zero patience for spoiled brats and doesn’t care about social media. He lost his parents and is taking care of his grumpy grandfather, living on a small town were is no way he thinks he can comes out to his family and friends and being accepted so he is so deep in the closet.
Now that Bryce is staying at the B&B things are about to get interesting, Matty is really attracted to Bryce and he is starting to see the real Bryce and his growing attraction to him is making him affair of acting on his desire and lose everything. Besides he thinks that Bryce doesn’t care about stay on a small town.
Bryce just wants to be love and Matty is the most amazing guy he ever meets he is nothing like his ex and he is starting to feel things for him, I love watching them together and enjoy getting to know each other and finally act on his attraction. This two are really sexy together! Their journey is amazing and I love that this is a sweet and no angst love story, I’m definitely in love with Matty and Bryce!!! I enjoy this book so much and I highly recommended!
Bryce lost all his endorsements and he is in a really bad place, so he ask for help and escapes to the tiny town of Serenity, Pennsylvania, here he is surrounded by nature and he doesn’t know what he is doing there, What he doesn’t expect is the hot as hell owner of the B&B.
Matty Wilcox is very dedicated to his B&B and he must keep the business running, he have zero patience for spoiled brats and doesn’t care about social media. He lost his parents and is taking care of his grumpy grandfather, living on a small town were is no way he thinks he can comes out to his family and friends and being accepted so he is so deep in the closet.
Now that Bryce is staying at the B&B things are about to get interesting, Matty is really attracted to Bryce and he is starting to see the real Bryce and his growing attraction to him is making him affair of acting on his desire and lose everything. Besides he thinks that Bryce doesn’t care about stay on a small town.
Bryce just wants to be love and Matty is the most amazing guy he ever meets he is nothing like his ex and he is starting to feel things for him, I love watching them together and enjoy getting to know each other and finally act on his attraction. This two are really sexy together! Their journey is amazing and I love that this is a sweet and no angst love story, I’m definitely in love with Matty and Bryce!!! I enjoy this book so much and I highly recommended!
April 11, 2022
Bryce Batman is a down and out New York influencer. He’s been 1/2 of BB & GG. His boyfriend dumps him for Bryce’s friend. Being a little “upset” he trashed part of their apartment. His former friend films him and literally uses social media to blackball him. Bryce spirals down until he is drinking in a bar by himself. He meets Hal, a therapist who lends and ear and offers his card and help. His form of help is a month at a B&B. He’s spending a month getting himself together.
It’s at the Rolling Meadows B&B in Serenity. There he meets Matty the owner. Where Bryce is a spoiled, bratty and entitled, Matty is quiet, reserved and holding on to a big secret. Yes, he’s a 30 year old closeted gay man. Narnia is way closer to the door than Matty. He wants so badly for someone to see him but he’s afraid he’s going to lose everything he has left. I loved Marty’s grandfather. He’s a crotchety old man who has suffered loss and doesn’t know how to talk to his grandson. Here is where Bryce shines. He sees them and relates on their level.
Bryce shows up a needy, sniveling mess and ends up this amazing strong person who figures out his life. Along the way he helps Matty understand and accept who he is and what he wants. This was a story of figuring out who you are and what you want then going out and getting it. Bryce and Matty were absolutely beautiful together even when they weren’t. When they finally figured out that they wanted each other, it became magical. This was a wonderful book and I look forward to the next story set Serenity.
It’s at the Rolling Meadows B&B in Serenity. There he meets Matty the owner. Where Bryce is a spoiled, bratty and entitled, Matty is quiet, reserved and holding on to a big secret. Yes, he’s a 30 year old closeted gay man. Narnia is way closer to the door than Matty. He wants so badly for someone to see him but he’s afraid he’s going to lose everything he has left. I loved Marty’s grandfather. He’s a crotchety old man who has suffered loss and doesn’t know how to talk to his grandson. Here is where Bryce shines. He sees them and relates on their level.
Bryce shows up a needy, sniveling mess and ends up this amazing strong person who figures out his life. Along the way he helps Matty understand and accept who he is and what he wants. This was a story of figuring out who you are and what you want then going out and getting it. Bryce and Matty were absolutely beautiful together even when they weren’t. When they finally figured out that they wanted each other, it became magical. This was a wonderful book and I look forward to the next story set Serenity.
April 6, 2022
It's said that opposites attract and Matty and Bryce show just how true that is.
GG and BB are "Influencers" on social media sites and are well known for their endorsements. But Bryce discovers rather abruptly the Grant aka/GG is no longer into Bryce aka/BB. Bryce has been unceremoniously dumped for the younger, fresher Scott. His pride and reputation are now buried in booze and publicly sexual flings which were planned as videos to ruin him. Seeking unsolicited help from Hal Rosensweig Bryce travels to Serenity, PA, and Rolling Meadows B&B. And it's here that Matty Wilcox enters Bryce's life. Their meeting isn't an auspicious one. Bryce is out and proud, but Matty is very deep in the closet. Matty's Grandpa Earl, the portrayed grouch, is a major player in both of their lives though; lending his blunt grumbles in interesting ways. Their progression is a kinda slow burn but experiencing their path to fulfillment is a pleasure to read. Therre is something to be said for small town life. As a frequent reader of Ms. Stevens work I enjoyed leaving the hectic swirl of life in NYC for a change of pace. I was given an ARC of this work and this is my honest review.
GG and BB are "Influencers" on social media sites and are well known for their endorsements. But Bryce discovers rather abruptly the Grant aka/GG is no longer into Bryce aka/BB. Bryce has been unceremoniously dumped for the younger, fresher Scott. His pride and reputation are now buried in booze and publicly sexual flings which were planned as videos to ruin him. Seeking unsolicited help from Hal Rosensweig Bryce travels to Serenity, PA, and Rolling Meadows B&B. And it's here that Matty Wilcox enters Bryce's life. Their meeting isn't an auspicious one. Bryce is out and proud, but Matty is very deep in the closet. Matty's Grandpa Earl, the portrayed grouch, is a major player in both of their lives though; lending his blunt grumbles in interesting ways. Their progression is a kinda slow burn but experiencing their path to fulfillment is a pleasure to read. Therre is something to be said for small town life. As a frequent reader of Ms. Stevens work I enjoyed leaving the hectic swirl of life in NYC for a change of pace. I was given an ARC of this work and this is my honest review.
dnf
June 27, 2022DNF at 50%
Obviously I'm in a weird mood, since this is the second book I DNF'd this week. In the book's defense, it really wasn't bad, it just felt too flat and uneventful for me. Plus, I obviously wasn't in a mood for a hero like Matty who was a shy, gay virgin who was way too timid and reluctant to embrace his sexuality, for reasons I didn't really understand. Also, what kind of name is 'Matty' for a 30+ years old guy??? I hated it. I could see it as a pet name between him and Bryce, but to hear everypne call him that (he even introduces himeself as Matty), was like scraping nails on a chalkboard for me.
Anyway, I just couldn't connect with the MCs. I was sorry for Bryce and what happened to him in NY, but his choices were really too bad to make me hurt for him.
I loved the setting though, the B and B and the surrounding countryside really seemed idyllic. In the end though I was more interested in Bryce's and Earl's (Matty's grandfather) relationship, than anything else, so it was time for me to stop :(
Obviously I'm in a weird mood, since this is the second book I DNF'd this week. In the book's defense, it really wasn't bad, it just felt too flat and uneventful for me. Plus, I obviously wasn't in a mood for a hero like Matty who was a shy, gay virgin who was way too timid and reluctant to embrace his sexuality, for reasons I didn't really understand. Also, what kind of name is 'Matty' for a 30+ years old guy??? I hated it. I could see it as a pet name between him and Bryce, but to hear everypne call him that (he even introduces himeself as Matty), was like scraping nails on a chalkboard for me.
Anyway, I just couldn't connect with the MCs. I was sorry for Bryce and what happened to him in NY, but his choices were really too bad to make me hurt for him.
I loved the setting though, the B and B and the surrounding countryside really seemed idyllic. In the end though I was more interested in Bryce's and Earl's (Matty's grandfather) relationship, than anything else, so it was time for me to stop :(
April 13, 2022
I love a good small town romance and once again this author delivers a sweet, sexy story about two men trying to find their place in the world, inadvertently finding their love at the same time.
Bryce and Matty shouldn't work, on paper they have nothing in common: Bryce is escaping a scandal that's so public, it's practically inescapable, and Matty is so far in the closet he's basically having breakfast with Mr Tumnus every morning. How Steven's brings these two men together and starts unpicking and unpacking their layers and beliefs is beautifully done and smoothly executed. You really get to understand both of these characters, their fears and their insecurities. You'll love the cast of characters who surround, support and love Matty and you'll appreciate how much they cheer Bryce on.
All you'll want is an HEA for both these men, which is delivered in that wonderful way this author is known for.
A strong 4 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Bryce and Matty shouldn't work, on paper they have nothing in common: Bryce is escaping a scandal that's so public, it's practically inescapable, and Matty is so far in the closet he's basically having breakfast with Mr Tumnus every morning. How Steven's brings these two men together and starts unpicking and unpacking their layers and beliefs is beautifully done and smoothly executed. You really get to understand both of these characters, their fears and their insecurities. You'll love the cast of characters who surround, support and love Matty and you'll appreciate how much they cheer Bryce on.
All you'll want is an HEA for both these men, which is delivered in that wonderful way this author is known for.
A strong 4 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
July 19, 2022
The beginning of this book was brutal. Like, ridiculously rough. Maybe I’m naive but what the one MC went through seemed gratuitously OTT and I was so frustrated with the author. Then again, I’m barely on social media so maybe our society is that cruel and batshit crazy. In any case, I came thisclose to tapping out. I think the only reason I didn’t was bc I was knee-deep in yard work and didn’t take the time to stop and move on to the next book in my audiobook queue. And then, things turned the corner and became much more palatable. In the end, it was a sweet story and I really liked Bryce and Matty (took a while for me to warm up to Bryce though tbh) and all their small-town family and friends. I don’t know that I recommend it, bc those first chapters pissed me off that badly.
April 5, 2022
I received an ARC to post an honest review and here it is.
Out of all the stories Felice Stevens has written, this one definitely hits the top 5. Its so different on so many levels, because both main characters have been dealt with pain and heartache in their lives, but they still realize that they both deserve happy endings.
Another character I fell in love with was Earl. His story touched something deep inside me. I was so thrilled he found a kindred spirit in Bryce and watching their friendship grow was funny yet touching.
Last but not least I think we could all learn something from this story. We all live in a society where from the minute we wake up, to the time we go to bed, our phone is constantly on and glued to our hands, so every once in a while its nice to get away for a little bit and rediscover what beauty life really holds.
Out of all the stories Felice Stevens has written, this one definitely hits the top 5. Its so different on so many levels, because both main characters have been dealt with pain and heartache in their lives, but they still realize that they both deserve happy endings.
Another character I fell in love with was Earl. His story touched something deep inside me. I was so thrilled he found a kindred spirit in Bryce and watching their friendship grow was funny yet touching.
Last but not least I think we could all learn something from this story. We all live in a society where from the minute we wake up, to the time we go to bed, our phone is constantly on and glued to our hands, so every once in a while its nice to get away for a little bit and rediscover what beauty life really holds.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 3, 2024
3.5
tw - self-destructive behavior, non-consented kisses, homophobia
cw - alcohol, drunk behavior, coming out
the 15% were painful. bryce's behavior was disappointing and very destructive. he was sabotaging himself. his decisions gave me the ick and made me facepalm so hard it actually hurt.
passed that phase, he turns into a very nice man with a lot of qualities. his relationship with matty is what he needed to be the person he really is far from the negativity of social network.
matty's gay awakening, navigating his sexuality was touching.
very nice read. i enjoyed it a lot !
tw - self-destructive behavior, non-consented kisses, homophobia
cw - alcohol, drunk behavior, coming out
the 15% were painful. bryce's behavior was disappointing and very destructive. he was sabotaging himself. his decisions gave me the ick and made me facepalm so hard it actually hurt.
passed that phase, he turns into a very nice man with a lot of qualities. his relationship with matty is what he needed to be the person he really is far from the negativity of social network.
matty's gay awakening, navigating his sexuality was touching.
very nice read. i enjoyed it a lot !
April 4, 2022
Wow, another sweetheart of a story. Bryce fell from Influencing grace in a big way. He thought he’d lost everything. He didn’t realize that what he thought he had wasn’t worth having.
Bryce started out as a shallow, naive party boy. Matty figured him out right away. Rolling Meadows worked it’s magic to help Bryce regain his health and reset his attitude. It helped Matty see that there was more to Bryce that he first guessed.
As in all of Felice’s books, the story is engaging, with wonderful characters. The scenery is vivid. I fell in love with Earl, and the groundhog on the chair. And the snake and hawks and frogs. It’s enough to make you want to move to Pennsylvania and open a B and B!
Bryce started out as a shallow, naive party boy. Matty figured him out right away. Rolling Meadows worked it’s magic to help Bryce regain his health and reset his attitude. It helped Matty see that there was more to Bryce that he first guessed.
As in all of Felice’s books, the story is engaging, with wonderful characters. The scenery is vivid. I fell in love with Earl, and the groundhog on the chair. And the snake and hawks and frogs. It’s enough to make you want to move to Pennsylvania and open a B and B!
April 7, 2022
I empathized with Bryce immediately. It seemed like the piranha were at the ready and out for Bryce's blood at every turn and trying to annihilate a man when he's down. Matty's situation caught at my heart strings too. Coming out in small town USA has to be a very scary undertaking. I loved all the support from friends when Arnie acted out. That epilogue had ne melting!!!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews