Flare

Style #1

by Jay Hogan

FLARE
My own fashion label. The shiny new sign above the door means everything. My dream. My life. Worth every gruelling hour I’ve spent making it happen. Nothing can stop me now. Not the fear. Not the nightmares. Not my sad excuse for a love life. And certainly not Beckett Northcott, the sexy English professor who wouldn’t know a fitted shirt if it slapped him in the face and who has flannel down to an art form.

I don’t date for a very good reason, and yet Beck makes me want to break every damn one of my rules. But with my debut at Fashion Week looming, my business in trouble, and Beckett Northcott peeling open my terrified heart to a future I’ve never imagined, the threads of my carefully woven life are unravelling at the seams.

I could walk away. Or I could take a chance that Beck and I might just have what it takes to fashion a new life, together. A fresh design from a new cloth.

This book contains references to past sexual assault.

Genres: Romance, M M Romance, Contemporary, LGBT, Mental Health, Queer, Abuse

422 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 21, 2022

About the author

Heart, humour and keeping it real.

I am a two times Lambda Literary Award Finalist—2020 for DIGGING DEEP and 2024 for THE ART OF HUSBANDRY.
I have also received the The Romance Writers of New Zealand 2021 Romance Book of The Year Award for OFF BALANCE.
I am a New Zealand author writing mm romance and romantic suspense primarily set in my home country. I write character driven romances with lots of humour, a good dose of reality, and a splash of angst. I’ve travelled extensively, lived in many countries, and in a past life I worked as a critical care nurse and a counsellor. My family love and somehow put up with me, and my gorgeous Cocker Spaniel thinks I spend too much time at my desk but keeps my feet warm.

Join my reader group to keep up with my news.
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https://www.jayhoganauthor.com where you can buy my audiobooks direct at a discount.

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Reviews

[Cadiva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, that was a ride and a half and I loved every bit of the tumultuous journey.

Flare is set in Auckland's high fashion world and its two central characters couldn't be more different if they tried, an opposites' attract romance which worked on every level for me.

Rhys is just the type of man I adore to read about finding a happy ever after, he's someone who suffered great trauma (read the trigger warnings, the effects of it are a critical part of the plot which unfolds many years later) and has learned to control and compartmentalise his life.

He's sharp, spikey, but also achingly vulnerable and lonely, though he would never let himself think about it.

Beckett, by contrast, is a lumberjack of a man, an English Professor of Poetry who doesn't hide his romantic soul half as well as he thinks he does. He's also unexpectedly found himself having to parent his 16-year-old nephew Jack and it's his struggles that throw the two men in to each other's orbit.

There'll be no plot spoilers here but, like with all Jay's stories, there is a solid and strong sense of place, a cast of both blood and found family to bring depth and strength to the narrative and it's this which is a such a draw for me with Jay's writing.

She creates a compelling tale which feels like you're being given a window into real peoples' lives, as they struggle to deal with emotions, with teenage fears and hormones, with the consequences of choices either made or abandoned.

But, most of all, they're about love. About the missing puzzle piece which slots into place when you find someone who will not only be your rock, they'll also lean on you too when no-one else will comfort them.

My only niggle relates to something I won't spoil which happens late in the story and which, for me, just felt like maybe one dramatic step too far.

Not that it doesn't fit within the plot, it does, but on top of everything else, it felt more like it was redundant given the other tension arising elements which had worked beautifully for me and which had already driven key moments to fruition.

It also didn't ruin anything either, which is why it's only a niggle and not something which affected my enjoyment of the book.

Overall though, this story is a triumph and I cannot wait for more in the series.

#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review

[Drache.... (Angelika) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reread 03/2025.
I enjoyed it on my reread, too, even if I didn't love it as much as the first time.
I'm not going to reread the rest of the series at this point, though, because the first book had been my favourite and I don't want to be disappointed.
4 stars.
------------
Read 04/2023
5 stars.
I loved Rhys and Beck's story so much!
Their characters, chemistry, and slow getting together were written beautifully.
Jay Hogan is a master at getting me to care deeply for her main and side characters.
This was awesome and I don't even know why I didn't read this sooner since I had loved Sass.
I'm looking forward to reading Strut now, and then rereading Sass! Yay..

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked all the characters in this story. Even the side characters. Even the teenagers. I really liked Rhys and loved reading about his store and his fashion line. Loved Beck, he may be one of the kindest and most understanding characters I have read.

I just felt this book really needed one more trip to the editor. It was so long and went on forever. There were so many side plots. I'm not sure I've read a book with so many side plots going on. Several events happened all at once in the third act. It was just so much. Too much to keep my fully engaged toward the end. I see the second book is just as long so yikes about that.

[Ariana (mostly offline) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like Jay Hogan and her writing, but, unfortunately, I was not bowled over by this first instalment in her new series.

Don’t get me wrong, there are quite a few things I enjoyed here:
The banter is cute, the secondary characters, Kip in particular, are great, and I did like both the main characters. The addition of a more serious note, in the form of a traumatic incident in Rhys’s past, was appreciated and felt well explored. I loved how different both men are.

However, for me …

… the insta-everything was a bit too much. One look and both guys are totally beside themselves, and while everyone else clearly gets the vibes, neither man seems to ‘see’ it. Which is constantly mentioned. I just wasn’t buying it.
… there was just too much glaring and staring. Too much mention of how beautiful and hot the other guy is, too much emphasis on superficial things.
… I did not get why Beck blamed himself for the only ‘fight’ the guys have. Throughout the book he is the epitome of the supporting partner, a knight in a very very shining armour (you might get blinded by his perfection) and, imo, he doesn’t really do much wrong here either.
… all the added drama (which is often a characteristic in Jay’s books) towards the end, felt a bit contrived and thrown in just to create tension.

I have to admit that fashion isn’t my thing, and I struggled a bit to share Rhys’s excitement about it. Still, I liked this enough to try book 2, whenever it hits the shelves.

[Cyndi (hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's no secret that I love Jay Hogan. Her Southern Lights and Painted Bay series' are home to some of my favorite M/M couples and her writing is always gorgeous. She excels at hurt/comfort romances and creates such an amazing level of intimacy between her characters that they tend to stay with you for a long time after their story ends. I've been looking forward to her new Style series for awhile and, while I didn't 5 star love this first installment like I'd hoped, I'm really excited about what's to come.

I loved the circumstances that put Rhys and Beck in each others orbit. It was refreshingly different and provided the perfect platform to introduce several of the side characters that I hope to see front and center in future books. Rhys and Beck couldn't have been more different from each other if they'd tried and it was fun seeing them stumble over each others personalities and interests, insulting each other along the way and apologizing more than any two people should ever have to.

The relationship between Rhys and Beck was not easy. Rhys was sexually assaulted as a young man and his mind and body still clung to the trauma. He lived his life within defined lines to keep from triggering that trauma, but doing so had made past relationships untenable and the idea of ever finding love a pipe dream. Then Beck came along and his patience and support were almost too good to be true. At times I got annoyed by how much weight Rhys placed on the value and necessity of sex in their relationship. My little ace heart doesn't understand sex as a priority, so when it becomes this make or break thing between two people who obviously love each other I get my hackles up and go searching for my soap box. However, the author did a great job at explaining WHY it was so important to Rhys and I truly understood and appreciated it after that.

All of the side characters were fantastic, but I think my favorite character arc was that of Beck's nephew, Jack. He was 16 and his entire life had been flipped upside down because of a bad decision his mother made and he was handling everything in that glorious way so many teenagers do - by acting out. I loved watching him adapt, learn and change, all the while taking the absolute piss out of his poor uncle.

The reason I took away one star was based on the way this book made me feel vs the way I've felt reading books by this author in the past. There was a side plot that wasn't my favorite and felt a little unnecessary, but my rating was mostly based on the feels and I just didn't have as many as I usually do. I'm still 100% in on this series, though, and can't wait for the next book.

[Caz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've given this an A- at AAR, 4.5 stars

Jay Hogan marks the beginning of her new Style series with Flare, a story set in the world of high fashion  featuring talented up-and-coming designer Rhys Hellier and Beckett Northcott, an English professor who wouldn’t recognise haute couture if it asked him out for a drink and then got up and danced on the bar.  It’s an odd-couple pairing but it works brilliantly, the author’s trademark mixture of warmth, humour and heartfelt emotion combining to create an immensely satisfying romance between two people with a lot of baggage to unpack.

Rhys is thirty-four and has worked hard to make a name for himself on the New Zealand fashion scene.  After learning his craft working for a prestigious label, he’s going it alone with his own boutique – Flare – and label of the same name.  Running a business, designing, establishing himself and getting ready for the upcoming Fashion Week leaves little room in his life for anything else, but he loves what he does and is absolutely committed to making Flare a success.

One afternoon, Rhys returns from a coffee run to discover that his assistant Kip has caught a teenaged boy attempting to steal some jewellery from the shop.  The police officer called in tells Rhys the boy’s uncle – whom he lives with – is on the way, and also that she believes the lad – Jack - when he says he’s never done anything like this before.  While they wait for Jack’s uncle to arrive, Rhys suggests that, as this is a first offence, perhaps it would be better to have Jack make amends by working in the shop for a few hours a week after school than charge him with theft and put him into the system.  Rhys has just put the idea to Jack when his uncle arrives – and Rhys is rendered temporarily speechless.  Beckett Northcott is absolutely not the sort of guy Rhys usually goes for, but something about this big, broad-shouldered man with the scruffy beard, nondescript, ill-fitting clothes and the beautiful eyes  completely captivates him – and It’s been a long, long time since Rhys has felt such a strong pull of attraction to anyone.

Beck, an English professor at the local university, has recently become guardian to his sixteen-year-old nephew following his sister’s imprisonment for stealing thousands of pounds from her employer.   Jack is understandably a mess of emotions, full of anger and resentment towards his mother for caring so little about him that she’d do something so stupid, angry at himself for still loving her, and he’s acting out, the attempt at shoplifting just one way of trying to work through his feelings.  Beck sees all this and recognises it – he’s just as furious at his sister’s selfishness as Jack is – but is trying to do the best for Jack in difficult circumstances.  He agrees to the idea of Jack working at Flare after school, and can’t deny that the chance to see the store’s gorgeous owner again won’t exactly be a hardship.

Rhys and Beck are likeable, well-rounded characters who are complex, flawed and very real. Rhys is a survivor of sexual assault (see note below), who has refused to let it hold him back; he’s tough, resilient and determined to succeed, but has never really processed what happened to him, instead locking it away and acquiring a variety of coping mechanisms that enable him to compartmentalise and control his life – but which can’t keep the bad memories at bay all the time. One of those mechanisms has been a no-relationship rule; casual sex and one night stands are things he can control, and the one time he did try something more, it blew up in his face, his partner eventually becoming fed up with Rhys’ unpredictability and unwilling to give him the time and space he needed to feel comfortable with different ways of sexual interaction.

Rhys has vowed never to get involved with anyone again, but something about Beck tempts him to break all his self-imposed rules. Beck’s quiet strength, his gentleness and understanding make Rhys feel safe in ways he’s never experienced before – but is letting him in worth the risk of heartache when Beck decides Rhys has too much baggage and just isn’t worth the trouble? That Rhys and ‘normal’ aren’t words that belong in the same sentence?

In Flare, Jay Hogan has created a wonderful, sexy, slow-burn romance with chemistry so strong it leaps off the page, as, after a couple of false starts, Rhys acknowledges that he doesn’t want to spend the rest of his life letting his past trauma interfere with his chance to be loved, and decides to take a leap of faith and go for it with Beck. It’s not plain sailing – and Rhys’ blow hot/blow cold attitude is somewhat frustrating – but Beck, the big marshmallow with a love of flannel and romantic poetry, is there for him all the way, ready to catch him if he falls and to provide a safe space for him to begin to face and deal with his issues. As is always the case in books by this author, the romance is beautifully written and developed, full of humour, insight and poignancy, and it’s clear that she’s taken great care to treat Rhys’ situation with sensitivity and respect.

The vibrant supporting characters add depth and richness to the story; I suspect sassy Kip and Rhys’ long-time friend, photographer Hunter, will feature in their own stories later in the series, and I really hope we’ll see more of Jack and his friend Drew, a young trans man for whom Rhys provides the safe and non-judgmental space he doesn’t have at home.

There’s an interesting secondary plotline running through the story that begins when Rhys discovers that someone has stolen one of his most successful designs and is now producing cheap copies. I liked the insight into the workings of the fashion industry this provides and it certainly amps up the tension and intrigue in the story – but there’s an event near the end that felt like overkill; Rhys and Beck have a lot to overcome (Beck has his demons, too) and their emotional journey provides plenty of tension and drama on its own, which made this particular event feel a little redundant.

That’s my only criticism however, and it didn’t in any way detract from my overall enjoyment. Flare is another terrific story from the pen of this talented author; a compelling tale of love and healing featuring well-developed characters , a close-knit family of blood and of the heart, and plenty of sass, humour and feels. I thoroughly enjoyed it and am eagerly looking forward to the next in the series.

Note: The prologue describes the lead up to a sexual assault, which, while not graphic, is distressing to read; the assault is referred to throughout the novel. There are also instances of homophobic and transphobic language.

[~Nicole~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jay Hogan rarely disappoints so this book was pretty good. I wanted it to be a 5 stars for me but there were a few things that bothered me so I’ll try to explain why it’s only a 3,5 stars .
First of all I found Rhys character a little annoying and I couldn’t like him 100% but most of all I found him to be a less defined replica of Cameron from Crossing the touchline, like a MiniCam crossed with a MiniJudah from Off Balance -with the difference that Cam and Judah were sassier and less annoying. They were also unique characters, quirky and authentic. Flare was full of cliches, from the main characters to the side ones . Beck was too good to be true , Kip was the assistant we find in every book with entrepreneurs (sassy and take charge) and everybody and their mother wanted a piece of our MCs (from the waiters in a restaurant to a small firefighter working on a fire and who flirts with the victim 🙄 or why not the detective who investigates the fire) . The book lacked the originality I came to expect from Jay Hogan’s books, it lacked the good dialogues but abounded in cheesiness and cliches. It is a good book tho and I felt for Rhys’s fight to overcome the horrible experience form his teens.

[Ami · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This one is rather long, is it? 😬

First of all, this book started with a rather harrowing sexual assault chapter. So if it triggers you, skip that prologue. That prologue of course made a big impact on our hero, Rhys, since it influenced his life and how he approached/connected to others with sex. Then came Beck, an English professor, whom with his nephew Jack, just pushed into Rhys' life.

I definitely enjoy the "family-you-make" trope in this book. Rhys with his store manager, Kip, and his best friend Hunter. Beck with his nephew, Jack, or his best friend Rafe. And there are several other people who are in the periphery of our story, probably waiting for their stories to be told by Jay Hogan (book #2 definitely featured Hunter and Alec).

BUT, I don't know... the book didn't hit me as strong as other Hogan's books. Maybe because the world of fashion hasn't been a favorite of mine. Or maybe because almost EVERYBODY in this book seems to have similar characteristics... like, they are pretty much interchangeable (except maybe for Beck).

So, it was a good read but not my favorite of Hogan so far. Having said that, Hogan has increased my interest with the rest of the casts

[Rin (indefinite hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

not for the faint of heart

Please heed the trigger warnings: the book starts with the rape of a MC when he was a minor. It’s not on page but the beginning of it is, and later there are some more gory details given with all of the really traumatic and painful feelings that go along with it. Please please please keep this in mind if SA is a trigger for you. It is for me and it was really tough to get through. This is the core reason why one of the MC’s struggles with connecting to men so it’s talked about frequently.

I almost DNF’d in the first quarter of the book. Beck’s language toward Rhys was really problematic. The use of “prissy” and “flaming gays”… just… no.

Most of the story centers around Rhys’ physical challenges surrounding his SA, and I really really do appreciate the authors clear understanding of what it’s like in the wake of it. As a SA survivor, it’s easy to get wrong. This book for us though, is really really heavy. I’d honestly probably encourage SA survivors to NOT read this. Sorry.

There also needs to be a trigger warning for transphobia.

There is A LOT of development that needs to happen between Beck and Rhys and it felt impossible to tackle in this book when we still felt only about half way by the end. There is a lot going on in this book and it felt a bit chaotic, like the author set up a ton of plot points then realized in the last quarter they had to wrap them all up and it was a bit dizzying.

I was disappointed when Rhys and Beck finally do the deed, what should have been monumental and really special, was full of cheesy lines and other useless banter and it was a bit of a let down after 90% of the book built us up for it.

I wanted to be happy by the end. I guess I was. But I felt like there was something missing, a click that tied everything together… I think maybe it was between Rhys and Beck. Maybe it was all the work that still needed to be done…. I guess it just felt unfinished. The work as an SA survivor and their support system is never done, so maybe that’s impossible to portray as full circle in a 300 page book. The final 10% felt rushed and like an “oh crap gotta finish quick” and I just kind of felt.. meh, after such a high emotion book.

What I’ve read of this author I’ve really enjoyed (Painted Bay) so I will most likely read the next book coming out. But I will proceed with extreme caution.

[martina (the life of a chaotic reader) · Rating 3 out of 5]

i had high hopes but they crashed very soon.
weird, i know. everyone loves this and i just don’t.
it felt 1,000 pages long. it was very repetitive. it was an endless cycle of fight, leave, make peace and repeat.
sometimes even for the same things.
the first part, the getting to know each other, was way too long and dragged. then it was fight, fight, fight and tons of drama. too much in too little pages at the end.

so i think that with a few changes of the storyline and the pacing, this would be a great book. right now, not so much.

[Chappy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another triumphant success by Jay Hogan. It takes a talented author to bring such complex characters to life. Rhys is struggling and there are no quick fixes for his issues...this makes it all the more realistic. The love that develops between him and Beck is breathtaking.
Can't wait for more.

Rhys kind of reminds me of Christian Siriano from Project Runway.

[True Loveislovereview · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, that started quite heavy.

Rhys is a fashion designer with his own label Flare, it’s his life.
A dark cloud hangs over Rhys’ life, and he can’t seem to get rid of it. He closes up when someone gets too close, he has good reasons to do, but he’s tired, tired of his fears.
Meeting Beck brings him just where he doesn’t want to be, close to someone, vulnerable.

Beck is a lumberjack, a professor, a poet, a romantic, his beard is rough, his clothes are far from fashion, his heart is pure, his soul gentle, there are scars.
Beck’s sister is behind bars, and Jack his nephew lives with him for the future time.

Jack work at Rhys his fashion shop, to pay some debts. That’s how Rhys meets Beck.

Talking about complicated lives is an understatement, I even had doubts they would make it together. I can’t get into details, it would take too much away from this beautiful story.
Beck and Rhys start a relationship, doubts, struggle, fear, a lot of passion, sweetness, it’s all there.
The struggle with trauma from the past was hugely present in the here and now.
There’s also trouble with the hard world of fashion.

There are secondary characters with a big solid place in this story, I loved them dearly, hopefully, some of them will have their own story.

This was a super intense story, a hard road, with beautifully layered characters.
What I loved a bit less was a tiny bit too much miscommunication or/and misunderstanding.
The whole story was entertaining and enthralling.
I loved Rhys but it was Beck who stole my heart with his warmth.

[Cat the bookworm (semi hiatus ish) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not-quite-smooth romance set in the world of fashion and glitz.

The book starts with a prologue that's hard to stomach: 17 year old Rhys gets raped in a gay nightclub. Thankfully, the actual rape fades to black, but it's still enough to have your heart break for him.

17 years later, Rhys is THE new star in New Zealand's fashion scene, owning an exclusive boutiques/label called "Flare". When he catches a teenager, Jack, shoplifting, he decides to give him a chance by not pressing charges, but letting him work for him for a few weeks. Jack lives with his uncle, Beck. And so the story of Rhys and Beck begins.

What I liked: the way they fell in love, and the endless patience Beck had with Rhys, who's still suffering from lingering aftereffects from his rape. Rhys is an artist through and through, a glittery butterfly who has learned to hide his PTSD even from people he considers friends, but I loved his determination to find a way to deal with his darkness - all for the sake of Beck.

Beck on the other hand is the perfect boyfriend, kind, patient, loving and understanding. And I've been really happy to see them both happy in the end.

What I also loved are the plethora of well developed and interesting side characters, who are being set up for the upcoming books of this series. At the same time, this very thing kept me from giving this book 5 stars - with so many characters and with a more or less criminal side trope, there wasn't enough time to develop the relationship between Beck and Rhys. Also, I felt like some plot lines were set up and then quickly forgotten - such as the dinner invite by Rhys' mother, or the actual resolution of how Rhys's designs were stolen, or the relationship between Jack and his mother.

Also, I'm a bit confused about the upcoming couples, almost everybody is gay and there are heated stares and obvious interest between all of them. Maybe they'll all end up in a gigantunormous polyamorous relationship 🤔

3.5 stars, rounded up because of Beck - such a perfect book boyfriend doesn't deserve less than a 4 stars book rating.

[Papie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed most of this book, but it also dragged and dragged.

I loved Rhys and Beck. Rhys’s past trauma gave this story just enough angst, and I loved seeing them work through it.

I adored the teenagers, which is pretty rare for me. I want to know more about Drew especially.

I love fashion, and I loved all the descriptions of clothes, fabrics, models. But at the same time, everyone seemed so shallow, and at least part of that is due to a lack of depth in the writing. Especially when it came to Kip. I am sure there is more to him than good looks, sass, and hookups, but it was missing here.

The drama was tiresome, and I skimmed a ton starting at 65%ish.

Now to read book 2, or not to read book 2? 🤔

[Kaje Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up, with characters I really loved. Rhys is a young fashion designer on the edge of professional success. He's also a man whose personal life has been constrained and limited by the sexual assault he suffered in his late teens. A poorly-remembered roofied experience has given him a host of triggers and panic. He finds it easiest to deal by having very limited stranger-sex that he can control to his specifications, and not getting entangled in a romance with someone who might want more.

Then he meets Beck, the big, lumberjack of an English professor who is the uncle of a teen he catches shoplifting. And suddenly, romance is calling to him, whether he feels ready for it or not.

Beck is coping with a nephew suddenly in his care, who's angry and hurt at his mother's criminal conviction and all the changes in his life. Beck's not looking for a relationship right now. But Rhys rings all his bells, and despite the bad timing, Beck can't help wanting to woo this skittish, beautiful man. He's a romantic - poetry is his subject - and Rhys is a man who deserves the romance he wants to give. But Rhys's reactions are unpredictable, and Beck feels a little out of his depth in yet one more part of his life.

I appreciated the realistic approach to sexual abuse recovery, the prominence of therapy, and the acceptance that "healing" is a work in progress, not a single goal. (And yay for not making a rape survivor bottom for his first sex with the new love interest like some "proof" that they're fine now they're in love; that's ubiquitous in the genre and bugs the heck out of me.) The secondary characters are also great fun, from Kit, Rhys's wonderful shop assistant, to Jack, a very real teenager, and more. I look forward to seeing some of them in the next book in the series.

With all the natural angst in this story, (including a unique antagonist arc specific to the fashion industry) the drama at the end was a bit unnecessary (and then faded too easily in the aftermath - he would totally have gotten bail for just property damage, and that would have been a big new looming trauma for Rhys)

But that's a niggle in a book I truly enjoyed, with main characters I loved (yeah, Beck is too good, but he's a sweet teddybear and I adore him.) Jay Hogan has the skill to write stories I can't put down (It's 2 AM? So what?) and men I care about. An autobuy author.

[Nelly S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Everything about you fills my heart, and I just want more of it.”
“You say that now. But things can change.”
“Of course they can. But that applies to all relationships. The universe could fuck with either one of us—change everything about our lives in an instant—an illness, an accident, anything. Sex is something we do. It’s not all of who we are. We’ll work it out. There are a million paths to an orgasm, sweetheart, and at forty, I’ve traveled most of them. Love is a much rarer treasure, and if we have that, we have a head start on the rest.”

Did I enjoy it? Of course I did! I’m a huge fan of Jay Hogan’s work. I mean what’s not to love about a romance between an up and coming fashion designer and English professor? I loved Rhys and Beck; they’re such wonderful characters and great together. The side characters are also colorful and full of personality. But man there’s enough angst and drama to give you whiplash! Past sexual assault. Ongoing PTSD. An angry nephew whose mom is in prison. A trans teen who’s being bullied. Arson. It’s almost too much and would have been so in the hands of a lesser writer. But the writing is beautiful as usual and despite everything, somehow the relationship still develops in a credible way and the story works.

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a mini-vacation and picked this book, Lemme start by saying Jay Hogan is one of my fav authors and I have high expectations for her books. I knew this one was going to be a long one, I usually don't care for it.
But this book had so many characters and side plots (A child, a criminal side plot) It was all very distracting. there wasn't enough time for the development of the characters. Also, there was too much insta- love and everything- By the end of the book, I was bored.
But, I'm still invested enough to read the 2nd book in the series lol.

[Marthea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prawda jest taka, że nie ma w moim ciele ani jednej komórki, która byłaby obiektywna w trakcie czytania książek Jay Hogan. Uwielbiam je i trafiają w każdą moją pozytywną strunę. Zatem - niespodzianka 😁 Piąteczka i tutaj 😁😂

[Aki | nose buried in books | ❤️ | · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely not my favourite by this author. However it's well written and despite the drama and the mc past trauma, it isn't a depressing storyline

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

3.75 stars

Flare opens the new Style series from Jay Hogan set on the edge of the high fashion world. I say on the edge since Rhys is an emerging designer getting his first collection ready for Fashion Week. The main focus of the story takes place in Rhys’ personal life set around his high end clothing store.

The prologue sets up the foundation of Rhys’ character and then we see him 17 years after a traumatic assault. He’s moved on with his life as a designer and is on the edge of public success, but he’s never dealt with the impact of the trauma and that is bleeding into every area of his life. He’s tried dating, but without the right partner to work with him on his issues, finding a long-term relationship hasn’t worked out for him. Rhys is attracted to Beck from the start, but keeps shutting his own thoughts down as he can’t allow himself to reach for more.

Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.

[BevS · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up from me. So many guys in this, the first of Jay's new series, that I want to pair up to get down and dirty with each other [Kip...and dare I say Leon?, Alec and Hunter coming in book 2 Strut, Rafe, Aaron Carmichael and even Callum, the therapist]. Yes, called it for the arsonist 👍, hoping the fact that Rhys has given info on his rapists [even long after the event] will mean that the police will be able to do something about it and LOVED the mention of Stefan Hamilton from Tamarillo Tart and his jewellery business.

So, so happy we have a new series from Jay Hogan, sigh. 🥳🥳🥳

[MaDoReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sería un 3,5 pero no redondeo a 4 porque lo insta nunca me termina de convencer, y es una pena, creo que retrata muy bien todo lo relacionado con la violación y los traumas que deja en las víctimas (bonus que lo hace sin “pene mágico salvador” ), la autora se ha documentado y se agradece.
Por lo demás, me ha gustado la química que hay entre ellos, que está muy conseguida y casi me hace olvidarme del instalovelust,

[Bibliophile · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, but not my favorite Jay Hogan series. I think the MC's making choices they couldn't believe they were making at the beginning of the story...took me out of the story. I have a hard time believing characters are real if they complete acts or think thoughts that are seemingly out of character. That said, the story DID get better once they were in a relationship. And I appreciated how they both tackled past trauma. I'll definitely read the next book in the series and will keep my fingers crossed that I will like it more.

[Emily Souza · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book so much more than I actually liked it. The premise was interesting, and it had so much potential, but it just fell flat for me. There was so much going on that the last 20ish% of the book was just drama. So. Much. Drama. Like...unnecessary drama when there was already so much that Rhys and Beck needed to work through within their relationship, never mind outside of it. And even with all that going on, there was so much left unanswered too. It was just...a lot. Too much.

And all that doesn't even dive into the trigger warning for sexual assault - if that's a trigger for you, be verrrrrrry cautious picking this up. It is heavily shown and discussed throughout the book.

I'm conflicted, because there were some really bright spots here, but a lot of them were dimmed by the constant heaviness (not a bad thing, just that it exists here), Beck's verging-on-homophobic language towards Rhys in their first few interactions, and the blatant transphobia that should have had a trigger warning too.

I felt like I should be happy for Rhys and Beck, especially in the epilogue, but I was mostly just overwhelmed and a little bit disappointed.

[Amos24601 · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 angsty stars rounded up to 4.

This was a busy, busy book. There was so much going on that it was sometimes difficult to keep track of it. Maybe this was partially because it’s the first book in a new series and sets up several future story arcs, but it was exhausting at times keeping track of all the little threads that pulled this book together.

Rhys has a boatload of veritable landlines, both emotional and physical, based on a trauma suffered in his youth. While he has spent most of the last 17 years trying avoid dealing with it, Beck comes along and makes him want to live a different life, a life full of chances, love and family. I found Rhys to be frustrating at times, as the sheer amount of mixed signals he sent out was astounding. Beck was so incredibly patient with him.

Beck is dealing with an incarcerated sister and raising his 16 year old nephew. Whirlwind Rhys blows in and flips his world upside down. Really, Rhys is exactly what Beck needs. Part of my frustration with these two was that they keep stepping on each other’s toes, over and over again,right from the start. They are always apologizing to one another and making assumptions. It gets to the point that they mostly laugh about it, but it was a lot.

Still, the story that was woven throughout of redemption, healing and taking a leap of faith was quite beautiful. To see how Rhys came alive the more Beck pulled him out of his shell was sweet. This is a book that packs an emotional punch, but still leaves you smiling.

Trigger warning for mentions of sexual assault, transphobia and homophobic slurs.

*I received an ARC of this book from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest opinion.

[Lelyana's Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book came with warning : sexual assault in the past. If you have trigger about this, you can escape the prologue and it's fine to start with chapter one.




I liked the whole bunch of characters in this story. I adored Beck and his patience facing Rhys's issues and everything's going on in his life, including his nephew. He's a true book boyfriend we're all needed.
Rhys was definitely hit the jackpot when he met Beckett that day.
True to his words, he's trying and Beck was a perfect support system, along with everyone, Jake, Kit, Hunter, Leon, even Drew (you'll meet them later and I'm positive you'll like all the gang).
Flare has a lot to tell, I mean a lot.


Flare is an angst book, a hurt comfort between two men, and making a family, their chosen family. Not an easy one for Beck and Rhys, but they're sure made it to the end.

A little struggled with the detail of fashion in this story, I gave Flare a solid 4.
Patience is the key, especially with the frustratingly UST about their sex life.

If you're a fan of Hogan, and familiar with her writing, Flare is definitely worth the wait.

[Courtney Bassett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not fluffy but oh so good!

I’ve been looking forward to this book because I love Jay and that cover is AMAZING.

It was fun to see a slightly grumpy middle-aged professor and a sharp-tongued fashion designer fall head over heels for each other, despite their own insecurities. There were so many swoon-worthy moments of romance! The side characters all had so much depth and I’m very much looking forward to more in the series.

**a bit spoilery here**
What I wasn’t expecting, along with the fashion, was what felt like a very authentic journey of recovery from assault. The incident isn’t graphic and takes place 17 years previous to the story, but it still very much affects the character’s life and relationships. There is hurt/comfort in spades here, and no magic d*ck… there’s therapy and ups and downs and lots of communication and understanding. Overall, though, it feels empowering and encouraging. It was just a beautiful book.

[꧁•Zakiyya•꧂ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the blurb for this story and maybe that's why my expectations were so high. I was sad that I couldn't immediately get into Rhys the way I wanted to. I felt as though, every time he took a step forward, he immediately took a step back. Even though all his feistiness, I only really started to get into him at around the 90% mark, when he made the decision to report his assault. 


Beck though, my word, Beck was everything and more. Totally swoon-worthy and absolutely dreamy. I practically had to fan myself when he recited poetry for Rhys...😍😍 I loved Beck instantly and he is who ultimately made this an enjoyable read for me...💙💙

[Bona Caballero · Rating 3 out of 5]

Las novelas de Jay Hogan suelen ser lentas, más de personajes que de trama. Tira mucho del tópico «opuestos que se atraen», a veces con un aire enemies to lovers, y otras, no. Esta novela es de las segundas: son diferentes, pero se gustan y se llevan bien desde el principio.
Rhys Hellier (34) diseña de ropa. Su negocio empieza a tirar para arriba, con su boutique requetecara y su estreno en la Fashion Week neozelandesa que no será la de Milán, pero en Oceanía cuenta. Beckett Northcott (40) es un profesor de literatura inglesa que no presta la más mínima atención a su apariencia, lo suyo es la franela. Pero estas diferencias no les impide sentirse atraídos el uno por el otro. Lo que tienen que superar más bien es la dificultad de Rhys de tener una relación estable, por algo que le ocurrió en el pasado.
Crítica más extensa, en mi blog.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded to 5

[ I received a digital arc for an honest review]

Flare is the start of the Style series by Jay Hogan. An opposites attract romance between a fashion designer and an English professor.

With Beck, I wanted more. With Beck, I wanted to change. I wanted everything. With Beck, I was greedy.

Rhys is on the cusp of his career dreams coming true. His up and coming clothing line has a spot in Auckland's high fashion week and he needs to focus on everything going as planned. He isn't prepared to encounter a man that pushes all his buttons and makes him want more than the lonely life he's been living. Beck is an over worked English professor struggling to parents his sixteen yea old nephew, whose attempts at shop lifting at Rhys store put him in the mains orbit. They have trouble ignoring the chemistry between them but Rhys is an assault survivor and it makes their relationship fair from easy but Beckett will do whatever Rhys asks of him because to him Rhys is worth keeping in his life in whatever form that may be.

"I want you, every part of you, no matter how that looks, no matter if nothing changes."

Right from the start this was an emotional heavy one and my heart broke for Rhsy. The story followed Rhys as he he tries to side step someone sabotaging his effort of a successful fashion week it was also about Rhys personal healing from the events in the books prologue. RHys is a sexual assault survivor who is strong and brave, and his struggles, fears and relationship dreams was crushing. His reality when it comes to relationships might never be what he wants it to be even with all the work he's doing with his therapist. Beck was an amazing and support partner to Rhys. Yes he was extremely physically attracted to him but to him that aspect came second to his emotional connection to him. I loved his patience and understand over what he went though. Intimacy looked different to them that you're average romance story but that made it no less passionate or beautiful.

"Have I told you how much I like you, Mr. Hellier?
"Not in the last few hours."
"How very remiss of me. Well, I do. I like you a whole lot." I hesitated. "Even if the words feel completely inadequate."

Rhys and Beck's relationship wasn't easy or smooth sailing but they never gave up. Beck is dealing with his own insecurities because of a child hood of bullying over his cleft lip. It takes him a while to believe someone as beautiful as Rhys could find him equally attractive. They have their ups and downs and communication is very important with them. Rhys may forget the communication part at one point but it doesn't take him long to realize running wont solve anything. I loved how they both had emotional support outside of their relationship. Rhys with his best friend Hunter and his therapist and Rhys with his best friend Rafe. Both side characters helped them see when they have overstepped or not communicated properly.

"We all fuck up, sweetheart but this..." I pressed my flat hand over his heart.. "This will never disappoint me."

Overall , Flare was another successful emotional romance by author Jay Hogan and I can't wait to find out what other books she has in store for the series. This was an Opposites attract romance with a slow burn, flirting, healing, trust, heartfelt poetry, persistence, support, found family, and unconditional love.


TW: Sexual Assault, PTSD, homophobic slurs