Encounter

by Kat Sinclair

Some scars run deep...

Nineteen-year-old Galen prefers to live his life in the slow, safe lane, but his life is completely upended when he’s kidnapped by his father’s shady business rival for ransom. Even more chaos comes in the form of Chast, the dangerous, yet strangely alluring, mercenary hired to rescue him.

When the two are forced to stay together for his protection, Galen finds himself inexplicably drawn to Chast’s raw and unapologetic personality. And while Chast views Galen as nothing more than an amusing distraction and a great payday, an extraordinary discovery linking Galen to his past piques his interest.

Despite their twenty-year age gap and wildly different worlds, the key to overcoming Chast’s dark past and Galen’s troubling home life might lie within each other.

Their bizarre encounter might not be a mere coincidence, but a stroke of fate after all.

Content Warning: This story includes mentions and realistic depictions of self-harm, suicidal ideations and suicide, bullying (physical and mental abuse), human and animal death, and includes violence, generally adult language and sexual/mature topics.

Genres: Contemporary, M M Romance, Romance, Dark, Crime, Military Fiction

481 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 4, 2022

About the author

Born and raised in Czech Republic, Kat is a chronic overthinker who writes character-driven gay (M/M) stories with just enough spice and angst. Besides falling in love with fictional people, Kat enjoys spending time with animals, gaming, doing DIY projects, and getting stronger in the gym.

More stories can be found under the pen names of RIPLEY SINCLAIR for fantasy, urban fantasy, and straight romance & QUINN SINCLAIR for sapphic W/W romance (coming soon).

To be kept up to date on the latest and future releases, gain access to various sneak peeks, and to read the exclusive bonus chapters, join Kat Sinclair's free Substack Newsletter at: katsinclair.substack.com

Reviews

[nark · Rating 3 out of 5]

"i drifted aimlessly through life all these years, but ever since we’ve been spending time together... i’ve been happy again."

✦ this was pretty good. could have been way better though. had a lot of potential for greatness.
✦ make sure to read the trigger warnings for this book if you have any. most of them happen on page.
✦ the mcs - Chast and Galen - had a pretty nice, lowkey codependent connection. despite being very different people, with a substantial age gap, they were super sweet together. they also both just felt very real as characters.


"there was only one person i felt hopelessly, uncontrollably free to release whatever chaos was raging inside my soul around. Chast."

✦ Chast can kind of be a dick sometimes, but he's pretty decent for a contract killer i guess. very much someone who just goes with the flow, kind of chaotic sometimes.

"how could someone be so strong, so intimidating and scary... yet so kind and soft?"

✦ Galen, my sweet, sweet boy. i related to him a lot. he is shy, constantly anxious, feels like an outsider. has trouble building connections with people, despite craving them. has a lot of deep rooted issues. i just wanted to wrap him in a blanket and keep him safe from the world.

"does everyone feel like this? so exhausted by social interaction, so desperate to stay protected — rigid and tucked away — yet longing for a change that was never going to happen?"

✦ some things really bothered me in this book. the dead wife trope first of all. it seemed like Chast never really got over her, and a lot of the time Galen seemed second to his dead wife, and i hate that in romances.
✦ Galen's character growth was pretty amazing for the most part. i didn't like where the author went with him towards the end of the book though, i just don't think it was necessary. but imma stay quiet on that, because it's a major spoiler.
✦ the actual plot was a little bit of a mess in general tbh. there wasn't really any overarching storyline, more like a combination of a lot of little plot lines that would randomly pop up. idk how to even explain it well tbh. this book just didn't really have a great structure or pacing.
✦ considering the very uncomplicated and messy plot that this had, i think that this book could have been at least a 100 pages shorter.
✦ the last 20% or so was one drama after another. most of it seemed unnecessary. the author was probably like "hmmm let's make these two suffer.. why not!!" i just really tend to dislike when authors make their characters suffer unnecessarily towards the very end of the book. like you could have made all that shit happen in the middle, and then have the characters move on from all the trauma, and get some actual happiness in the end. but idk, maybe that's just me.
✦ this definitely wasn't a bad book and despite it being pretty long, i read it very fast. it just needed some extra polishing in my opinion.

"i smiled, holding the handle, and slowly closed the door until it clicked. we were going to move forward. taking everything good with us and leaving all the bad things here. none of it could follow us. only good would be in our future — for the first time in my life, i truly believed that."

[♡ cal ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

trigger warning: self-harm, suicide, attempted suicide, animal brutality, physical and mental abuse

It was never planned or expected. Nothing with us was. Against all odds, it was what I loved about it so much. The way I was driven by my instincts when I was around Chast, and how right and easy it felt. Like I didn't have to overthink or analyze. We just did it. We let whatever it was pulling us together guide us, and whenever he touched my skin, it was like I could feel his energy filling me, pushing all of those dark thoughts away.

➥ i gagged. this book won't be for everyone but i'm so happy right now that it was for me.
➥ heavy as hell! make sure you're in the proper mindset (is that what is called?) before picking this one up.
➥ this one is a big boy seriously. a 500 pages of slow burn romance full of grief, hurt, and rediscovering one self? yes please.
➥ the moment i saw the word kidnapped in the blurb, i immediately picked this up. for some reason, i didn't really read the blurb here. i thought i was getting this spicy erotic thing but i was shocked that i found... different things. sex was hot no doubt but kat sinclair handled the heavy topics really well. she served and i was fed.

"I'm sorry," he murmured between our kisses, and his other hand quickly found its way to my nape, pulling me in. "I'm so sorry." He huffed into my mouth before his soft, wet tongue pushed in

➥ got draggy a bit for me. i don't think that page count was justified. it needed quite bit of trimming down but that's me. there were lots of moments with zola... and i don't care about her.
➥ everyone was shit even the love interest was shit at some point lmao. i hate the dad. i hate grandparents. i hate the cousins who they're better than everyone else. in wendy william's voice, death to all of them.
➥ the romance was this big crazy roller coaster for me. one minute i was swooning especially with how chast treats galen. while the next i was pulling my hairs out due to fucking frustrations especially with how, again, chast treats galen.
➥ and lastly, that cover is gorgeous tho.

[Claudie ☾]

dnf at @ 12%

The setting’s been a little ridiculous from the start, and getting worse by the minute. Also, the mercenary/bodyguard MC is a fucking asshole, taking his 19-yo charge to a strip club, on the clock, because he’s bored (the boy’s been kidnapped just days before and barely recovered), and going on in his head that “the poor kid probably hasn’t touched a woman ever. And at that age, that’s a fucking shame.” Fuck you, you assuming bastard. PASS.

[yaishin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I pushed through a head splitting migraine to finish this book you better believe I loved it to hell and back😭. And that cover *swoon*.

I only wish the author had written even the therapy parts because I needed it too to forgive Chast and not feel guilty.

I also loved how it just teetered on the edge of cliché but managed to still be unique, my favorite type of storyline.

[Amur Thera · Rating 3 out of 5]

The good
+ The slowburn romance
+ Chast's romantic side
+ Galen overcoming his fears and anxiety by making himself feel stronger instead of hiding behind other people (they could easily have made Chast his protector, but instead he became his coach and that's great)
+ Chast's respect for Galen when he realizes how much it took to actually call him
+ Chast falling first. I just have a weakness for the unexpected of the two falling first
+ Zola. She's a great friend
+ Gregory. He's a great friend too
+ Chast's love letter. Adorable!
+ Chast coming to see Galen's music competition performance
+ Chast going full John Wick

The neutral
o I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. My review remains honest and unbiased
o The storyline with Blake didn't really have a conclusion and that made me sad. I would have liked some kind of final in-your-face
o Chast was forced to retire. I didn't really mind, but it would have been a stronger show of his dedication had he decided to retire voluntarily

The bad
- Chast was a real dick to Galen the first half of the book. While it was part of his character, I didn't really get the warm fuzzy feelings that Galen did and I didn't really understand why he kept coming back
- Their first breakup. I really thought Galen would have been more understanding, because Chast had already shared his own insecurities by then
- Their second breakup. It was really clear Chast had some kind of traumatic flashback to his own abusive father and wasn't all there, but Galen didn't see that until much too late
- The fact that there were two breakups. I could have lived with the second, but two of them is a lot
- No real conclusion to Galen's family storyline. I kind of want to see him bringing Chast to a family dinner. Can't wait to see what he has to say to his grandfather


Overall, it was a good and entertaining book. Unfortunately, I wasn't wowed, especially because breakups are one of my pet peeves and it happened twice in this book. However, the story was very well-written and I couldn't put it down anymore once they finally started their romantic connection.

[Alix Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Merci beaucoup à l’auteure de m’avoir fourni cet ARC (advanced reader copy) en échange d’un avis personnel honnête.

Un incroyable voyage émotionnel, j’ai eu le cœur tellement molesté et liquéfié! Des sensations tellement puissantes, un véritable coup de cœur. J’adore ce style de standalone, compacte avec tout ce qu’il faut dedans.

Le livre démarre sur les chapeaux de roue, on plonge directement dans l’action avec l’enlèvement de Galen par des hommes de mains d’un concurrent de son père. Un père froid et absent qui est la quintessence de la négligence et de l’exigence à l’excellence. Son point de vue à la fin m’a une fois de plus tiraillé le cœur.

C’est un slow-burn tendu où les personnages prennent leur temps à s’apprivoiser. Un délicieux age gap entre Chast, mercenaire tueur à gages très moralement gris, et Galen, jeune étudiant et pianiste introverti détestant pourtant plus que tout la solitude et manquant désespérément l’amour d’une famille.

J’ai adoré cet amour aussi beau que cru et à vif. Galen trouve en Chast la force d’essayer des choses hors de sa zone de confort, de sortir de sa coquille, il se débat pour gagner son indépendance et contre ses émotions négatives qui l’entraîne vers le fond. Tout en aidant Chast à sa manière à entamer ses propres batailles.

L’auteur m’a impressionné avec sa manière d’aborder la perte, le deuil, la solitude, la souffrance mental et les extrémités auxquelles on est parfois poussé pour y échapper. Elle transfigure les différences pour révéler ce mutuel besoin d’appartenance, cette nécessité de se sentir relier à quelqu’un d’important pour nous et pour qui on tient une place égale.

[Samuel Alexander · Rating 2 out of 5]

For the full review and Video reviews go here Reading Is My Drug

This book seemed like something I would enjoy. I went into this with high expectations. Age gap, accidental romance, introvert versus killer, I mean what is there not to love about this? Yet I didn’t leave this story fulfilled. This was written well enough for me to binge read. Honestly I got a good 70+ percent into this before bowing out at about 1 AM. But I kept getting more annoyed with it as I dug deeper and it became more about convincing myself that what was going to happen wasn’t going to happen and that some of the plot issues were not indeed issues than actually enjoying a book I could’ve finished in one day.

Firstly this book gets a hard recommendation. Like extra stupid-hard. More on that at the end of this review. But, again, you should read this book even though I’m not going to give it the best review. Next for anyone who has triggers there is cutting mentioned in detail and I don’t think there was a trigger warning. I don’t have any triggers but it’s something to consider before delving into this story. And I do use spoilers sometimes but I try to be vague about them or pick ones that happen within the first third of the story, in this case the main plot stickler was revealed within that third if, as at least one reviewer said, much too late.

Galen, is this Gay as in Gabriel or Gal as in gallon? Don’t know and I said both in my video review. Either way, I love this name. I got him. His anxiety triggered me because I have anxiety issues and the fact I was annoyed or bothered by some of his choices thus having my own anxiety from it was an easy way to get me on board with how he responded to his own trauma. It was easy to connect with him right down to the cutting, and get inside his head and enjoy the journey of him getting better.

Chast is fun as well. A hired killer who doesn’t sweat the job he has. He kills people and gets paid to do it then goes home to feed his cat. I’m here for this. What I like about him is how he learns to accept things about himself through his interactions with Galen. Even to the point of coming out to him and himself.

These were the only two things that kept me going. Beyond that, not so much.

First there’s the big secret of the book. It’s not big enough for a number of reasons to cause a breakup. During the entire book whenever Galen has a problem he calls Chast. Chast almost always comes to his rescue. Chast listens to his problems. Reveals so much about himself in return and they both bond through Chast’s past trauma and Galen’s present troubles. It even got to the point that Galen finally stands up to his bullies, mind you he loses the fight but progress is progress.

Before revealing the secret there’s the other issue I had. His grandparents appear to be very elitist and don’t like him because he’s Asian. Sigh. But, his dad married an Asian and had a child with her, before she died obviously, so what is with all the sibling rivalry with Galen’s uncle? If he was bold enough to marry someone his parents would hate if he cared so much about their opinion why didn’t he just give up Galen when mom was out of the picture? Surely he loved her or at the very least was using her to piss off his parents yet the one encounter with them I get the impression from both Galen and his father that his entire existence revolves around seeking their approval and besting his brother. If that is the case, why did he marry someone like Galen’s mother in the first place and as I said, keep him. All those actions speak to a man trying to pave his own way outside his parent’s and brother’s shadow so it seemed odd.

Chast had his issues too. The big secret I’m going to mention now which was held out on for longer than it should have been because, like I said, it’s a perfectly reasonable reaction for someone suffering from grief and not at all the type of thing to warrant a breakup. He got in an accident with his wife, 20 years ago and she died because she had forgotten to put on her seat belt. This was a nice touch because Galen thinks it’s weird he always makes him buckle up. I on the other hand thought it was weird Galen thought this was weird because, yeah. Buckle up. But, it came from a deeper place.

The secret is that Galen was born within thirty minutes of her passing. Which isn’t revealed for a bit later. He keeps looking at the dates like it can’t be possible. He even tries to keep Galen at a distance both before and after it’s revealed to readers. It seemed odd every time. Especially when he himself says he knows that Galen is not his wife. So if he is clear on this point what is the issue? They share a bed together. They kiss. They give each other orgasms as the book progresses. So for someone on the fence about this coincidence he’s slowly, like I said above, embracing the fact that he’s into men and women and none of this would’ve happened without Galen, or if he hadn’t come across Galen’s file when that fated phone call from him occurred.

My issue with this is you could see where it was going. After a while it got to the point where I was forcing myself to believe it wouldn’t happen, just like I convinced myself Galen would just break into this mystery room. It’s perfectly reasonable for someone to not be lost on the coincidence of his wife’s death and Galen’s birth. It’s also acceptable for some part of him to wish that he could be a reincarnation of her. He did ditch this idea but the biggest thing that is perfectly fine about this is that there is nothing wrong with believing fate brought them together and that the universe had decided a void in his life needed to be filled and Galen was that person.

It would’ve been easier to buy into if he was struggling with how the relationship was forcing him out of his comfort zone, finding out who he was, and bringing up memories of the love of his life that he didn’t want to deal with. Instead, it read like he thought the only reason he liked him was because of the dates. However, because of his own thoughts, and the way their relationship grew there was little evidence to support that was the only reason he liked him. And again even he himself admitted this.

So when Galen finally finds out, he storms out of the apartment. At least I think he does. I decided at this point I couldn’t keep reading. After Chast revealed so much deep information with him and learned some things about himself, after they both bonded over their own separate traumas, with all the times Galen had a bad day and called Chast and he was always there for him, with all their training to help him stand up for himself leading to that actually happening, and even with it allowing him to be a better friend to his best friend, the list is endless of the number of things Chast did that helped him and how he, in turn, helped Chast, but he just gets mad and says you’re only interested in me because you think I’m your dead wife, which isn’t even true, and ends their situation. This felt so wrong and ungrateful and devalued everything Chast had done for him. He himself is struggling with anxiety, depression, a loveless father-son relationship and a mother who took her own life. After Chast is there for him through the entire book Galen, of all people, should understand why Chast was struggling with their relationship, which by this point he had clearly come around to embracing. This was his chance to offer the same love and support Chast had given him and it was used as a device, predictable device, to drum up tension that their relationship already had and have a big blowout.

The reason this wasn’t an I didn’t like it but it still gets four or five stars read for me is that with the issues I had this date situation was the main one. It was the glue holding together the tension that would ultimately lead to the big dramatic scene which I didn’t even have the emotional energy to read. And it was the one thing that seemed real, relatable, and understandable to the fact that I couldn’t see either character, especially Galen, not understanding it for what it was and how it related to how Chast’s behaviour seemed off sometimes. Again Galen most of all with his condition should’ve been sympathetic to the psychological implications that this one thing could cause and how it directly related to things he had learned about Chast. If it was something else that I could not agree with but still get on board with it would’ve been an easy four or five stars. Like I said there’s a lot going on in this book but the progression of the relationship was solid and I enjoyed that. I honestly started off thinking I’m not liking some plot choices but it’s probably still a solid 4 or 5 stars but the more I dug into it the more I realised in this case, unfortunately, those choices weren’t the type I could gloss over and make it make sense in my brain.

All that to say this story missed the mark for me but is this a no on recommendation? Not this time. As far as I can see this story should be a hit. If you read this review and any of this type of drama and tension is why you read romance, you will love it. That’s my stance here. I may not have been able to write an ‘I didn’t like it but’ review this time around, but that doesn’t change the fact I think fans of the genre will absolutely love it.

I received and ARC for honest feedback of this novel

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off a big thank you to the author herself for reaching out to me and inviting me to read and review her book, I'm so glad that I did because it has 2 of the things I love in a romance , one its m/m romance which is some of my all time favorite romance to read , and two its a romance where there is an some what age gap , and even though though is a some what twenty-year one ,the author does amazing job of write the story line , as well as her characters. Its not a fast burning romance or it didn't feel like that to me , it felt like a slow burning one where the characters took their time to get to know one other even though they both had a some what troubled pasted. And in the end the they both over came that and realized they was meant to be together, out of all the characters the one I didn't like the most was the father but the more I read , the more I saw him grew and realized that it was time to put his son's happiness before anything else. So check this out if you love a good romance where love over comes everything.

[Caia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished ‚Encounter‘ by Kat Sinclair
‼️I received an ARC & this is my honest and unbiased review‼️
1. MainTrope/Genre: slow burn / MM Romance
2. SubTrope/Genre: age-gap / opposites attract / hurt&comfort // contemporary (dark) Romance
3. Audioperformance: None
📔481p // estm. Time ~12-14h (KU)
🏳️‍🌈 representation of gay and bi characters
👍 Warnings provided by the author (Check the Slides!!)
👍 There are beautiful character designs of Galen and Chast on authors instagram >> @itskatsinclair
⚠️ pls take the warnings seriously keep safe & sane 🤍💚
📔4⭐️
I loved that this Book was written in dual POV
Galen & Chast were both super sweet & sensitive souls who find each other through an unexpected encounter.
Based on the Blurb I thought this would be a longer "forced proximity" situation as it turned out to be.
The first 'Encounter' is intensive but short.
Both Main Characters were well written & I could totally feel all the hurt/comfort as well as the inner turmoil based on anxiety & abandonment issues (Galen) as well as the grief (Chast)
The support&side Characters were lovely (or easy to hate)
(I'm still in my redemption-arc-love & wouldn't be opposed to read some short novellas about one or two side-characters)
While it's not a full "open end" there were imo two or three minor plot-lines still open & I would've loved to know what happened or might happen in the future with these people (especially) in Galens life.
I'm a sap and sucker for HEAs so I would've loved a short Epilogue maybe a few yrs later.

The author was introduced to me by bookstagrammer @enajunca ❤️ thank you!!

‼️I would recommend this book to ppl who love an Age-Gap Romance as well as Slow Burn & aren't afraid of violence/mental-health issues or themes like grief.

I am always open for discussion If you decide to read a book based on my review feel free to tag me I would love to hear your thoughts :)
(I write all my reviews based on my personal opinion, you can consider all of my posts as unpaid commercial 😉)

[DLB2572 · Rating 5 out of 5]

The emotional journey that these two MCs experience is filled with many ups and downs but it is worth the ride in the end. From the way that Galen and Chast meet to their HEA, you will definitely be eager to get to the next chapter to see what's coming. I am so glad that I didn't pass this one by.

I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion.

[EQUUS · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was rarely more conflicted about rating a book than I was with this one. In the end I've decided that really great writing and realistic, in-depth character development, at least where Galen is considered prevailed over the things I didn't like. Also my reviews never contain spoilers, but this time it couldn't be avoided.
Just a fair warning - if you start reading you'll get more than you've bargained for. Not all in a good way because there's no trigger warnings whatsoever on Amazon at least there weren't any last time I've checked (release day) and there are many that a lot of readers would find disturbing. There are at the beginning of the book. I have almost no triggers (except animal mistreatment and death) but general liking or understanding of main characters is a requirement. Actually I love flawed characters, angst that goes with it, I have no problems with violence, I've actually read some books involving serial killers and psychopaths that had more redeemable qualities or at least appeal than Chas - at least in the first 30% of the book. Things change where Chas is considered and frankly I was barely able to put the book down after that but it was done way to late in the story. Since the book is written in dual POW there were more than enough opportunities to develop Chas's character earlier in the story.
Arrogant, inconsiderate, but most of all incompetent, as a body guard. Being able to kill indiscriminately (that was another proverbial nail in the coffin for me) like a well trained robot doesn't make him suitable to protect anyone. His job was keeping Galen safe not getting him into trouble. Galen's father was paying him enough that he could stand an evening of boredom. But no. In just one afternoon he left him alone in the car in dangerous part of the city with a gun Galen had no idea how to use while running an "errand". In fact he did it twice. Like that wasn't enough he takes a nineteen years old, clearly traumatized boy to a shady strip bar/brothel where he's obviously a regular, buys him a drink and a prostitute while he's entertaining himself with another. As expected everything goes to s**t. At this point I was ready to DNF and I continued reading just because I felt obligated because I've received an ARC. This is just one example, there's more but I won't go into it.
Maybe I'll consider reading another book from this author due to great writing, but only if ALL of the triggers are listed after the blurb.

[Cfragra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book hooked me in from the first chapter. The author truly managed to illustrate Galen's anxiety and overthinking in a very realistic and credible way.

I really like that we slowly got to see a more humanised version of Chast, caring for Galen, his cat and his friends. I must admit that at first I was a little bit weirded out by the age gap, but I soon got over it seeing how much he cared for Galen and how he made sure he wasn't forcing him to do anything he didn't wasn't comfortable with.

It was so sweet to see how they both needed and relied on each other in different ways, Galen finding his rock in Chast and feeling safe and accepted, and Chast finding in Galen a way back to his more humane and caring version of himself.

I really liked every moment of this amazing story, but I would have liked to see a conclusion to Galen's conflict with Blake.

All in all, I would totally recommend this book.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Galen and Chast take you on an emotional journey that they experience. This story had you wanting to keep reading to find out what happens next. The side characters were well written. I enjoyed seeing Chast fall first and the respect he had for Galen. Galen overcame his fears and anxiety by making himself feel stronger and not hiding. I thought it was a good and entertaining book. I received an ARC of this book for my honest review.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Encounter is a slowly evolving unlikely love story. I have to say that I was captivated by the actions of each of the main characters. Chast was this crazy killer bodyguard for hire but with a heart. Galen is frightened and timid about everything in life, second-guessing every action. Their backgrounds are so different, yet they are drawn together. I enjoyed reading this story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, kudos to Kat Sinclair for some absolutely phenomenal character development in this story. I'm fairly sure I'm far from the only one who went into this book absolutely despising Chast for a good long while - because let's face it, he was an absolute dick at the start, treating Galen, the clearly traumatized and anxiety-plagued teenager he's supposed to be protecting, like shit. Imagining an eventual romance blossoming between these two seemed (in addition to seriously unhealthy) completely impossible.
And yet... Sinclair managed to not only make it possible, but actually get me invested in the characters and their messy, messed up process of developing feelings for each other. Not many authors could pull that off.

Now, be warned, this is not an easy, feel-good sort of read. This book is intense.
Very intense, and very painful, in so many ways, tackling a number of heavy subjects.

Wrapped up in a very well written slowburn romance that drew me in far more than I could possibly have expected after first being introduced to the two characters in question, Encounter throws the reader into a world of hurt involving extreme violence, physical and psychological abuse, self-harm, anxiety and depression, toxic family relationships and more.
Any reader considering this book would be well advised to take the content warnings seriously.

(On that note, I have to say, I read the "animal death" warning after I'd already picked up the book, thought to myself "oh fuck, I'm going to hate this", and spent large parts of the book seeing coming precisely what ended up happening on that front. I ended up skimming that entire section but it's probably still going to give me nightmares. It's the one part of all the brutal, fucked up, painful things in this book that I really wish the author had left out, not just because I hate that shit and have gotten to the point where every time a beloved pet turns up in a book, movie or show, I spent the entirety of it in a state of dread waiting for something like this to happen, but because the book could have been written without it. That didn't need to be the trigger for the fuckery that followed.)


*** I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. ***

[Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first story I’ve read by this author. It appears the author hasn’t written many but this one sure came across as being much more experienced. The characters are both so dysfunctional. Galen, gay and nineteen years old lives with his dad. His dad is beyond strict. He is the most unfeeling person I’ve run across. Even though Galen is an adult his dad leaves him alone in this huge house for long periods of time. At the same time, he controls Galen’s school and time. His grandparents are snooty and Galen’s dad is always working for their approval even at the price of his son. His grandparents are never going to feel he good enough. Can his lack of an ego let him develop this relationship.
Chast has his own issues. Twenty years ago his wife was in an accident and died. He is still grieving losing her. There is a weird dilemma for Chast that tie his dead wife and Galen. He also is straight until he isn’t. Chast has also dealt with a awful father. His was verbally and physically abusive. Chast is having a hard time with the age gap. There is so much to overcome.
The story flow kept my attention. The only thing that stood out to me was when Galen was afraid for Chast to see his scars. He should for sure have seen them in the shower before. Overall I really liked this story and will read more from this author.

[Tashyka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Angry and suppressed, Galen, 19, is the narrator of this story. Galen's father has high expectations for him, therefore he lives a sheltered existence, isolated from the rest of society. As a result of his mother's premature death and the nagging thoughts that plague him, he resorts to poor coping techniques.

Galen is kidnapped and held for ransom after his father's shady business deal goes awry. To find Galen and bring him back alive, a professional "fixer" is brought in, and an odd connection is forged.

Having lost his wife in a horrible accident, Chast is also dealing with the effects of bereavement. Without her, he would have become a wall of isolation.

If you've never read a book by Kat Sinclair you're missing out. Her debut novel, Encounter, delved into the complexities of grieving, mental health, bully culture and the oppressive nature of high society families in a way that I was blown away by.

Suicide, self-injury, sorrow and organized crime are among the warnings.

Galen and Chast's relationship is tumultuous and destructive, despite the fact that this is a romance. Despite the fact that I don't support certain of Chast's actions towards Galen, These are two highly disturbed individuals that are struggling with their own personal trauma that is at the root of their actions.

[Lexicdark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Talk about chance encounter story line! This book is hard on the feels people, it will get you. Chast and Galan are no ones definition of couple goals as they fumble their way towards each other. I like that the relationship doesn't start with a bang, or insta type love/attraction, but through a series of brave moments and saying yes.

I'm not overly sure, but this book spans like 6 months at least, I feel it might be closer to a year. But it shows you that sometimes, the best things take a little time to work through. And given Galen's nearly debilitating anxiety, it's a surprise he is able to leave the house to go to school. I think my favorite part of this book is Galen's progression of confidence. First with Chast and their interactions; slowly with less stuttering, then occasional initiations, and then almost no filter and making demands. And the fact that confidence bleeds over into his family interactions and school life is amazing.

Really liked this beat of a story, 4.5 stars.

[Amy Voce · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is slow burn dual pov romance with forced proximity and hurt/comfort, trauma/healing themes.

We follow 19 year old Galen a anxious and suppressed teenager. Galen leads a sheltered life, ostracized and dealing with his dad's unrealistic expectations. He finds unhealthy coping mechanisms to deal with his his mothers untimely death and ever intrusive thoughts.

After his fathers shady business transaction goes haywire, Galen is kidnapped and held to ransom. Chast a professional "fixer" is brought in to find Galen and bring him back alive and an unlikely friendship is formed.

Chast is also struggling with grief following his wife's tragic death. He is unable to move forwards and became a wall of solitude in her wake.

Encounter is the first book by Kat Sinclair I have read and for a relatively new author I was incredibly impressed by this intense book that deep dives in to the complexities of grief, mental health, bully culture, homophobia and the oppressive nature of high society families.

There are trigger Warnings such as suicide, self harm, grief, organised crime, violence and murder.

Whilst this is a romance Galen and Chasts road there is turbulent and toxic. Whilst I don't condone some of the action Chast takes towards Galen. These are two very troubled souls who are dealing with their own trauma that is at the heart of their behaviours.

[Babara-Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

STUNNING SLOW BURN!

If I could give this book ten stars I would!
Oh my word I cannot find the right words to describe this book it was so emotional and dark!

A slow burn that makes you confused whether Chast is bisexual or just pansexual in the beginning but as you as reader progresses with the story it seeps through in the most emotional, dark and deepest way..........

Galen's emotional growth intensifies with the friendship that he and Chast forms and later progresses to the fulfillment they both strive for!

It was an intense roller coaster ride filled with angst, hurt comfort, self harm and the culmination to overcome fear in trusting other people to believe in you as a person!

Now I have a book hangover but need to complete my other ARC's!


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I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Nina Diab · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let me just say, this book is a lot. I got an advanced reader copy and this is my honest review. There weren't any trigger warnings when I signed up, but there were at the beginning of the book itself. This story was darker than I expected. I do have some anxiety, so some things I had to skip over. The story itself is well written, and it's the first book I've read by this author. These characters felt very realistic to me, and both had their own issues to work through, and both were influenced by their respective pasts. Though at different times, both of them made choices that are far different than I thought they should/would have, or that were needlessly dramatic, in my opinion. Interesting storyline that kept me going. 4 stars.

[Juniper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Galen and Chast’s story is definitely quite the ride, and I was impressed by the way the story manages to weave together intense topics and themes in ways that, while powerful, aren’t overwhelming. There’s a lot going on here, but amidst the development of an unexpected romance (which is great in and of itself) there’s also personal growth, in different ways, for each character. I enjoyed being surprised, at times, by where the story went and who felt what for whom— there’s something a little unpredictable about the whole book, and that usually added to my overall feeling of engagement. Overall, an interesting read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Eli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly Amazing

Originally I just bought this book because it sounded interesting and had a lot of pages... but when I started reading it, I could do nothing else. I couldn't put it down. The romance was beautiful and the characters wormed their way into my heart without even trying. I cried for sure and the book broke my heart, but I am so glad to have experienced this story. The ending was amazing! Well written, well done! I will never forget!

[Emily Pennington · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Rescue . . .

This story goes to places I don’t want to go. It was much darker than I expected and I decided not to finish reading it. The story is about Galen who is kidnapped by his father’s business rival and held for ransom. Then Chast, a troubled mercenary is hired to rescue Galen. Things just got so tangled up with both of their issues that the story was not fun or entertaining and not worth the discomfort of reading it. It may be perfect for some readers who like to investigate those deep psychological factors, but it didn’t draw me in.

[Elki de Haan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually did not finish this one. What I read was kinda okay… Lets keep it at that.

[MM Book · Rating 5 out of 5]

Be prepared to bawl your eyes out. Kat Sinclair really knows how to tug at your heartstrings with Gale and Chast's story. I really hope there's more. I didn't want this story to end. I wanted more about them and Gale's relationship with his family. .
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked Encounter by Kat Sinclair. I liked Chast and Galen's story. This book is a lot longer than most books that I normally read, and it was a little slow in parts, but I loved the character development and how much they changed through the book. I will say that from about the 80 percent mark to the end of the book the events in the book had me crying off and on. The author did a great job of engaging my emotions.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Riven · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, thank you to BookSirens and to the author Kat for the ARC copy!

I read this in between my daily life in almost every free moment that I had. It gripped me right from the get-go and kept me thoroughly entertained right until the last page.

Chast's romantic side was definitely a highlight, along with the array of important topics discussed throughout. The representation of gay and bi characters was a big part of it all for me.

Just a delight of a book throughout.

[Crishes24 · Rating 4 out of 5]

9/10

The only detail that bothered me was that at the end, everything wrong with his life seems to go away, fixed itself, with his suicide attemped.

Like if you ever have trouble with your parental, they dont agree with something, just try to kill yourself and they wont mind anymore. If you boyfriend left you, just ky and he'll come back.

I know that in no way the autor is suggesting that suicide is good but it does have that connotation.