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In Vino Veritas #2
Counterpoint
One playboy. One perfectionist. So many secrets.
I’m considered the biggest playboy in Burlington, Vermont. The party boy. The guy who lives in the moment and makes decisions with no thought for the future. But people don’t know my past. They don’t know why I make the choices I do. Even my best friend doesn’t know the truth about me. Actually, there are a lot of things he doesn’t know…like the fact that I had a one night stand with his brother last year.
Did I mean to hook up with Aaron? Um, no. Mistakes were made, okay? But unlike most of my mistakes, this one has lasting consequences. Aaron works at the law firm where circumstances are forcing me to be their errand boy. Now we see each other every day. Aaron’s such a nervous wreck he keeps tripping over the copy machine. I’m surprised he hasn’t ended up in traction yet.
He and I are opposites in almost every way. He’s got a GPA higher than Mount Mansfield, and I’m barely going to graduate college. He grocery shops with a spreadsheet, and I’ve got YOLO tattooed on my body. But Aaron sees things in me that no one else does, and I see things in him he doesn’t see in himself. Before I know it, we’re sharing late-night office picnics, evenings out at the bar, and long, hot afternoons on my boat. I’m having the best summer of my life, but there’s no way this can end well. My bff will kill me if he ever finds out how thoroughly I’ve corrupted his brother…
Counterpoint is an opposites-attract forbidden romance featuring an incense-filled law firm, meddling friends, and angst and humor in (mostly) equal parts. It stars Jeremy Everett and Aaron Morin, who first appeared in the Vino and Veritas story Booklover, but Counterpoint is a standalone novel.
I’m considered the biggest playboy in Burlington, Vermont. The party boy. The guy who lives in the moment and makes decisions with no thought for the future. But people don’t know my past. They don’t know why I make the choices I do. Even my best friend doesn’t know the truth about me. Actually, there are a lot of things he doesn’t know…like the fact that I had a one night stand with his brother last year.
Did I mean to hook up with Aaron? Um, no. Mistakes were made, okay? But unlike most of my mistakes, this one has lasting consequences. Aaron works at the law firm where circumstances are forcing me to be their errand boy. Now we see each other every day. Aaron’s such a nervous wreck he keeps tripping over the copy machine. I’m surprised he hasn’t ended up in traction yet.
He and I are opposites in almost every way. He’s got a GPA higher than Mount Mansfield, and I’m barely going to graduate college. He grocery shops with a spreadsheet, and I’ve got YOLO tattooed on my body. But Aaron sees things in me that no one else does, and I see things in him he doesn’t see in himself. Before I know it, we’re sharing late-night office picnics, evenings out at the bar, and long, hot afternoons on my boat. I’m having the best summer of my life, but there’s no way this can end well. My bff will kill me if he ever finds out how thoroughly I’ve corrupted his brother…
Counterpoint is an opposites-attract forbidden romance featuring an incense-filled law firm, meddling friends, and angst and humor in (mostly) equal parts. It stars Jeremy Everett and Aaron Morin, who first appeared in the Vino and Veritas story Booklover, but Counterpoint is a standalone novel.
278 pages, Paperback
First published September 8, 2022
162 people are currently reading
2032 people want to read
About the author
J.E. Birk
15 books213 followersJ.E. Birk was raised in Vermont and is now adulting in Colorado with intermittent success. She is a long-time lover of stories, and she writes and reads in worlds where imperfect characters find their happily ever after.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews
September 14, 2022
*** I reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.***
Counterpoint is an entertaining story featuring people who are not looking for anything serious, but find a real connection even when the timing of it could not be worse. Aaron and Jeremy have a secret hookup, which is complicated for many reasons, the two biggest ones are they work together and Jeremy is Aaron's brother's best friend, therefore any sort of secret relationship would be a disaster.
Even thought all of the complications and forbidden aspect of this relationship Aaron and Jeremy are drawn to one another, their chemistry is something they cannot ignore and eventually they develop strong feelings for one another that is anything but simple. I enjoyed reading this story and felt it is a great addition to the V&V world.
Counterpoint is an entertaining story featuring people who are not looking for anything serious, but find a real connection even when the timing of it could not be worse. Aaron and Jeremy have a secret hookup, which is complicated for many reasons, the two biggest ones are they work together and Jeremy is Aaron's brother's best friend, therefore any sort of secret relationship would be a disaster.
Even thought all of the complications and forbidden aspect of this relationship Aaron and Jeremy are drawn to one another, their chemistry is something they cannot ignore and eventually they develop strong feelings for one another that is anything but simple. I enjoyed reading this story and felt it is a great addition to the V&V world.
October 10, 2022
I was excited to read this because I really liked Booklover by this author. And of course, I love the small town vibes of V&V and loved all the familiar characters that pop up in this.
This book was definitely enjoyable and I had a good time reading it. I liked both characters and the relationship they had with each other.
Looking forward to reading more in this series!
This book was definitely enjoyable and I had a good time reading it. I liked both characters and the relationship they had with each other.
Looking forward to reading more in this series!
September 4, 2022
4,5 ⭐️ Loved this more than I expected, really pleasantly surprised!
This book is the second one in the new In Vino Veritas series in Sarina Bowen's world of True North. Like the first series, it is set in Burlington, VT, and the cast of characters present in each book starts to feel like meetings with old acquaintances, which warms me like a blanket on a cold winter's day. It's not like these books can not be read as a stand alone, because they work perfectly fine like that, but you'll miss out on the connections between the characters and the story's behind them, and that would be a shame. It really does make the story's more enjoyable if you've read more books in these series. My advice would be to start out with the original Vino & Veritas series, which, like this, is a collaboration of wonderful authors with lots of different tropes and story's to enjoy.
This new series got me all excited, because I loved that first series. J.E. Birk is one of the authors who also participated in the first series Booklover, and this one basically continues from that one. No worries, you don't miss out if you haven't read that one, because it's one of the few I haven't read yet either, and it didn't feel like I fell into the midst of a story, so it works perfect as a stand alone.
This is the story of Aaron and Jeremy. Jeremy is Aaron's brother's best friend, and even though they hooked up once a few months ago (and kept that a secret), they have agreed not to speak about that again. On the surface Jeremy seems a laid back kind of guy who doesn't take life too seriously. He lives one day at the time and enjoys everything life has to offer, including attending party's and get laid as often as he can. The words YOLO are literally tattooed on his body (a particular body part ;)) and he lives it to the max. It got him the reputation of being not much more than a fun, but shallow, playboy and party animal in the town of Burlington.
He's got his reasons, though. Jeremy has fled from his life in Boston with no intention of returning, no matter how hard his mother and uncle push him. He's made a promise to his dad, and he won't break that, no matter what. If it means he's got a not so flattering reputation, so be it.
There's a lot more behind his reasoning than you might think at first. Slowly it's revealed why he lives his life the way he does. Driven by fear and by a loss he can't accept, there comes a moment where Jeremy has to face the decisions he makes and decide whether he lets his life rule by this fear, or if he will find the strength to do the things he's scared of.
One of the reasons for that is Aaron. They have great chemistry together and after their secret hookup, they both long for a repeat. But Aaron is only home for the summer - he's doing an internship at a Burlington lawyer practice until he has to return to Harvard again. And it doesn't help that they see each other daily since Jeremy started to work there as well. Another complication is the fact that Jeremy is Aaron's brother's best friend and that he's practically part of the family, almost like an adopted son. But feelings can't easily be lead by rationalizing and inconvenience - up to a point they can no longer deny them.
I loved Aaron and Jeremy together. They were sweet and caring and had great chemistry. There were a couple of times that I got impatience with Jeremy and I just wanted him to get his head out of his ass, because he was about to throw away the best thing that happened to him in a long time only because he was stubborn and scared and had somehow convinced himself that Aaron deserved better without asking Aaron if he agreed.
There were quite some steamy scenes in this one, and even though there are some conflicts, it's not angsty. There are a lot of feelings involved, and in the end, the author did manage to touch my heart when Jeremy finally does what was overdue a long time ago.
The story is told from both pov's. There's a lovely cast of secondary characters, some old and new, and I loved the writing. The story is perfectly paced, it's funny at times, hot, and touching too. In short: it has about everything I want in mm romance!
I kindly received an ARC from Heart eyes Press and this is my unbiased, voluntary and honest review
This book is the second one in the new In Vino Veritas series in Sarina Bowen's world of True North. Like the first series, it is set in Burlington, VT, and the cast of characters present in each book starts to feel like meetings with old acquaintances, which warms me like a blanket on a cold winter's day. It's not like these books can not be read as a stand alone, because they work perfectly fine like that, but you'll miss out on the connections between the characters and the story's behind them, and that would be a shame. It really does make the story's more enjoyable if you've read more books in these series. My advice would be to start out with the original Vino & Veritas series, which, like this, is a collaboration of wonderful authors with lots of different tropes and story's to enjoy.
This new series got me all excited, because I loved that first series. J.E. Birk is one of the authors who also participated in the first series Booklover, and this one basically continues from that one. No worries, you don't miss out if you haven't read that one, because it's one of the few I haven't read yet either, and it didn't feel like I fell into the midst of a story, so it works perfect as a stand alone.
This is the story of Aaron and Jeremy. Jeremy is Aaron's brother's best friend, and even though they hooked up once a few months ago (and kept that a secret), they have agreed not to speak about that again. On the surface Jeremy seems a laid back kind of guy who doesn't take life too seriously. He lives one day at the time and enjoys everything life has to offer, including attending party's and get laid as often as he can. The words YOLO are literally tattooed on his body (a particular body part ;)) and he lives it to the max. It got him the reputation of being not much more than a fun, but shallow, playboy and party animal in the town of Burlington.
He's got his reasons, though. Jeremy has fled from his life in Boston with no intention of returning, no matter how hard his mother and uncle push him. He's made a promise to his dad, and he won't break that, no matter what. If it means he's got a not so flattering reputation, so be it.
There's a lot more behind his reasoning than you might think at first. Slowly it's revealed why he lives his life the way he does. Driven by fear and by a loss he can't accept, there comes a moment where Jeremy has to face the decisions he makes and decide whether he lets his life rule by this fear, or if he will find the strength to do the things he's scared of.
One of the reasons for that is Aaron. They have great chemistry together and after their secret hookup, they both long for a repeat. But Aaron is only home for the summer - he's doing an internship at a Burlington lawyer practice until he has to return to Harvard again. And it doesn't help that they see each other daily since Jeremy started to work there as well. Another complication is the fact that Jeremy is Aaron's brother's best friend and that he's practically part of the family, almost like an adopted son. But feelings can't easily be lead by rationalizing and inconvenience - up to a point they can no longer deny them.
I loved Aaron and Jeremy together. They were sweet and caring and had great chemistry. There were a couple of times that I got impatience with Jeremy and I just wanted him to get his head out of his ass, because he was about to throw away the best thing that happened to him in a long time only because he was stubborn and scared and had somehow convinced himself that Aaron deserved better without asking Aaron if he agreed.
There were quite some steamy scenes in this one, and even though there are some conflicts, it's not angsty. There are a lot of feelings involved, and in the end, the author did manage to touch my heart when Jeremy finally does what was overdue a long time ago.
The story is told from both pov's. There's a lovely cast of secondary characters, some old and new, and I loved the writing. The story is perfectly paced, it's funny at times, hot, and touching too. In short: it has about everything I want in mm romance!
I kindly received an ARC from Heart eyes Press and this is my unbiased, voluntary and honest review
September 17, 2022
Audio - 5 Stars
Story - 3.25 Stars
Story - 3.25 Stars
August 29, 2022
This book is essentially a companion piece to J.E. Birk's previous Booklover as it follows along with Jamie's brother Aaron and best friend Jeremy but it will work as a standalone.
I liked this book, I found it to be a perfect blend of the anxieties of new adulthood (both are in the final years of their university education, Aaron at Harvard Law, Jeremy at Moo U) and the carefree nature of youth.
Jeremy is a complex character and, while I loved his joyful spirit, I also found him intensely frustrating as he vacillated between his carefree give no damns attitude and the vastly more true to his real personality as a caring and giving young man dealing with what's essentially unresolved trauma.
Aaron is, on the face of it, more of an open book, he's responsible, he's determined but inside he's still vulnerable, anxious and suffering from fear of failure and disappointing his family.
Together they're an opposites attract mess of lustful feelings but also honest and true support and I loved reading them navigating their way through their secret summer romance and falling in love along the way.
The tension drivers in this book all come from outside the relationship in the main. There is some brief angsting over their longevity past the summer but it's clear to the reader, if not to them, that it won't be the issue they think it is.
Jeremy's secret is one that made my heart ache for him, I felt his fears and his stubbornness was perfectly justifiable but I was also very pleased at the direction things went with his family.
Like with book one, each chapter has a title which gives you a clue what might occur during it and I found them both amusing and insightful.
With guest appearances from Briar and Jamie and the gang at V&V, this is a lovely addition to the expanded World of True North series.
#ARC kindly received from the author via Sarina Bowen's Heart Eyes Press in return for an honest and unbiased review
I liked this book, I found it to be a perfect blend of the anxieties of new adulthood (both are in the final years of their university education, Aaron at Harvard Law, Jeremy at Moo U) and the carefree nature of youth.
Jeremy is a complex character and, while I loved his joyful spirit, I also found him intensely frustrating as he vacillated between his carefree give no damns attitude and the vastly more true to his real personality as a caring and giving young man dealing with what's essentially unresolved trauma.
Aaron is, on the face of it, more of an open book, he's responsible, he's determined but inside he's still vulnerable, anxious and suffering from fear of failure and disappointing his family.
Together they're an opposites attract mess of lustful feelings but also honest and true support and I loved reading them navigating their way through their secret summer romance and falling in love along the way.
The tension drivers in this book all come from outside the relationship in the main. There is some brief angsting over their longevity past the summer but it's clear to the reader, if not to them, that it won't be the issue they think it is.
Jeremy's secret is one that made my heart ache for him, I felt his fears and his stubbornness was perfectly justifiable but I was also very pleased at the direction things went with his family.
Like with book one, each chapter has a title which gives you a clue what might occur during it and I found them both amusing and insightful.
With guest appearances from Briar and Jamie and the gang at V&V, this is a lovely addition to the expanded World of True North series.
#ARC kindly received from the author via Sarina Bowen's Heart Eyes Press in return for an honest and unbiased review
September 3, 2022
Counterpoint is Book 2 in the In Vino Veritas reboot of the lovely world of True North. And, it’s another outstanding release. It felt like a cozy blanket on a cold Vermont night, complete with spiked hot chocolate and your favourite comfort food. It was sweet, sexy, and deeply felt.
Jeremy is great. A fun, live life for the now and forget the rest kinda guy. But he’s hiding from some tough truths. Ones that mean he’ll never actually truly enjoy life until he’s faced them. He’s a vibrant guy and I love how he defends and protects Aaron.
Speaking of Aaron…le sigh. What a lovely guy. He’s always had so much pressure about what to do with his life, and he’s burdened himself with the opinions of others. It’s oppressive and messing with his head.
With Jeremy teaching Aaron to let go, and Aaron gifting Jeremy quiet comfort, these two are set to be beautiful together.
Jeremy is great. A fun, live life for the now and forget the rest kinda guy. But he’s hiding from some tough truths. Ones that mean he’ll never actually truly enjoy life until he’s faced them. He’s a vibrant guy and I love how he defends and protects Aaron.
Speaking of Aaron…le sigh. What a lovely guy. He’s always had so much pressure about what to do with his life, and he’s burdened himself with the opinions of others. It’s oppressive and messing with his head.
With Jeremy teaching Aaron to let go, and Aaron gifting Jeremy quiet comfort, these two are set to be beautiful together.
November 12, 2022
Burlington, VT
Jeremy and Aaron have a past no one else knows about. Now, Aaron's brother got him a job at the Law Office... Aaron's Office !
Aaron has one more year of school,
he's tall, curly brown hair, and committed to his future.
Jeremy has dirty blonde hair, light blue
eyes and in need of work.
These two have family issues in common and still want each other. We see outside influences and fears, that keep them from considering more from each other.
Later, when it's love on the line, they still hold back, until they can't wait another minute.
We get caring men, deep thoughts, and a smooth plot to get us our satisfaction.
ENJOY !
======
Jeremy and Aaron have a past no one else knows about. Now, Aaron's brother got him a job at the Law Office... Aaron's Office !
Aaron has one more year of school,
he's tall, curly brown hair, and committed to his future.
Jeremy has dirty blonde hair, light blue
eyes and in need of work.
These two have family issues in common and still want each other. We see outside influences and fears, that keep them from considering more from each other.
Later, when it's love on the line, they still hold back, until they can't wait another minute.
We get caring men, deep thoughts, and a smooth plot to get us our satisfaction.
ENJOY !
======
September 10, 2022
Counterpoint was a bullseye of a story for an opposites attract trope. The direction that Birk took the opposites theme was unique to me and really captivated me as a reader. There was nothing trite or cliché of both lead’s circumstances and that’s what honestly kept me reading until the end. Both characters and their complex personalities were developed nicely and in a realistic and relatable manner.
However …
There are multiple plot points in this story outside of Aaron & Jeremy’s journey that took a lot of the shine right off this story and that saddens me. They felt like they were put in the story for dramatics and that makes me #twitchy because had they been fleshed out properly, they would have enhanced the storyline but as they are, they just dragged the real focus away from what was important. I’m not going thru a play-by-play because I never do. I don’t think it’s enough to not recommend this book, but they happened so *shrug*
Overall, I enjoyed this story a lot more than Booklover and if half star rating existed, you’d see this as a 3.5 star, but they don’t and it’s not a 4 so 3 it is :)
However …
There are multiple plot points in this story outside of Aaron & Jeremy’s journey that took a lot of the shine right off this story and that saddens me. They felt like they were put in the story for dramatics and that makes me #twitchy because had they been fleshed out properly, they would have enhanced the storyline but as they are, they just dragged the real focus away from what was important. I’m not going thru a play-by-play because I never do. I don’t think it’s enough to not recommend this book, but they happened so *shrug*
Overall, I enjoyed this story a lot more than Booklover and if half star rating existed, you’d see this as a 3.5 star, but they don’t and it’s not a 4 so 3 it is :)
June 23, 2022
College undergraduate Jeremy is always the life of the party (and a ray of sunshine), but there's a reason for his approach to life as a nonstop-celebration. Law student Aaron has always been able to set a goal and achieve it, but he's still reeling from a recent blow to his confidence.
Both of them know getting together is a bad idea, but neither of them can resist their strong physical attraction... or the emotional connection that begins to bloom as soon as they give in.
Watching these two trust each other with their respective pasts and vulnerabilities was just as sweet as their summertime, secret romance. This opposites-attract, best-friend's-brother story is full of so much warmth and hope--and it's FUNNY, from each and every Jeremy-ism to the quirky, wild extended cast of family and friends.
Don't miss this one. It's the kind of book you'll want to curl up with again and again.
Both of them know getting together is a bad idea, but neither of them can resist their strong physical attraction... or the emotional connection that begins to bloom as soon as they give in.
Watching these two trust each other with their respective pasts and vulnerabilities was just as sweet as their summertime, secret romance. This opposites-attract, best-friend's-brother story is full of so much warmth and hope--and it's FUNNY, from each and every Jeremy-ism to the quirky, wild extended cast of family and friends.
Don't miss this one. It's the kind of book you'll want to curl up with again and again.
September 4, 2022
A busy but comfortable read, with engaging characters. Jeremy and Aaron had a one-night thing together and now agreed to never mention it again. Working together makes this somewhat impossible, and running in the same friends/family apartment circle, even more. They are attracted to each other.
Jeremy is more approachable than Aaron, they are quite the opposite! The slow burn wasn’t to my liking, but that’s me. They sure needed their time.
Both have a past that makes them who they are in the present. Getting to know the facts was emotional and made them understandable. Wishing them a loving future together was beyond dispute. And they got it!
A story with a laugh and a cry, with nicely layered characters, and a solid plot, even though there’s a lot of fuss I could have done without. But that’s me, with fuss and a lot of characters!
Jeremy is more approachable than Aaron, they are quite the opposite! The slow burn wasn’t to my liking, but that’s me. They sure needed their time.
Both have a past that makes them who they are in the present. Getting to know the facts was emotional and made them understandable. Wishing them a loving future together was beyond dispute. And they got it!
A story with a laugh and a cry, with nicely layered characters, and a solid plot, even though there’s a lot of fuss I could have done without. But that’s me, with fuss and a lot of characters!
September 10, 2022
i really liked until about 75%? then it became cheesy and predictable and i got bored ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.
May 24, 2022
This book is such a delight! It's hard to pull off an authentic, engaging 'opposites attract' love story but J.E. Birk did it, and did it perfectly. Aaron is so relatable and likable and Jeremy is one of the most charming characters I've ever read. I adore him. I also felt the weight of his secret like it was my own and wanted to reach into the book and hug him. The story moves at a satisfying pace and both pulls at your heartstrings and makes you jump for joy. And the side characters are so much fun! You really don't want to miss this one.
September 27, 2022
I enjoyed this one.
Brother's best friend
Bisexual
Secret relationship
Expiration date
Dual POV
Hurt/Comfort
Opposites Attract
Likable characters
I thought Jeremy & Aaron were great together, though, I do think it took Jeremy a little long too come around. It disrupted the flow for me a bit.
Enjoyable overall.
3.5 Stars
Brother's best friend
Bisexual
Secret relationship
Expiration date
Dual POV
Hurt/Comfort
Opposites Attract
Likable characters
I thought Jeremy & Aaron were great together, though, I do think it took Jeremy a little long too come around. It disrupted the flow for me a bit.
Enjoyable overall.
3.5 Stars
September 13, 2022
J.E. Birk is a new to me author. This was my first book by this author and I’m glad it was. I feel like this book was a very good introduction to the author and their work and it just made me want to read more of their work. So, I want to thank this series for introducing me to a new author and for making me want to read more of their books. Therefore, I always want to read multi-author series and this series really delivered on that front for me.
Brief Summary
Jeremy is what could be considered a playboy and he doesn't really want to settle down. He hooks up with his best friend's brother, Aaron. They end up working together and having to spend a lot of time together and they fall in love in the process.
”He makes me more than I could ever be without him.”
One of my favourite thing to read about is a good forbidden romance. I especially adore the best friend's brother trope. So I was really excited to read this one because of this trope. And I was happy to see how important to the book this trope was. I like how it was a central focus of the book. I liked how it was a reason for them not to be together but they couldn't ignore the connection that they have. I always love reading about characters who are forbidden to date each other and who really try not to, but who end up being so into each other that just cannot deny their attraction to each other. It was the case in this book and I really enjoyed reading all about it. This just made the book so much more enjoyable to me and it was just so entertaining to me.
I also always adore a good opposite attracts in books and I just really enjoyed how it was done in this book. I loved how Aaron and Jeremy were very different from each other but they both loved that about each other. I liked how them being different from each other wasn't an issue but a strength that they used to their advantage to show each other new things and new life experiences that they never would have experienced before meeting each other. Jeremy is the easy-going guy who is always ready for anything and Aaron is the more nerdy guy who doesn't really like to socialize and who likes to plan everything. But they complimented each other very well and they were a wonderful couple. I really liked how their differences just made them together for each other and how it showed that they were made to be together.
“You are the most extra human being alive sometimes; you know that?” He sighs into my skin happily. “And please don’t ever try to be anything else”
Another thing that I just adore reading about in books is some good emotionally heavy moments and it was the case in this book. It had some very emotional moments that just really got to me and just enhanced the reading experience for me. I really liked the vibe of this book, I liked how it had its emotional moments but how it was also full of much lighter moments that made me laugh while I was reading the book, it was a perfect mix of everything and it made for a super enjoyable reading experience.
Also, I really enjoyed the romance in this book. It was super sweet and had so many cute moments that made my heart melt. I always love reading about a super sweet romance and this one really worked for me.
Sadly, as much as this book had so many moments that I loved and so many super cute relationship moments that I just adored, I had a lot of issues connecting to this book as much as I wanted to. But I still had a super good time reading it, even if sometimes it just didn't connect with me as much as I hoped it did.
This book was a really lovely introduction to the author for me and I'm really glad I had it, it really made me want to read more of this author's books, so I would like to thank this series for the introduction.
I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest opinion
Brief Summary
Jeremy is what could be considered a playboy and he doesn't really want to settle down. He hooks up with his best friend's brother, Aaron. They end up working together and having to spend a lot of time together and they fall in love in the process.
”He makes me more than I could ever be without him.”
One of my favourite thing to read about is a good forbidden romance. I especially adore the best friend's brother trope. So I was really excited to read this one because of this trope. And I was happy to see how important to the book this trope was. I like how it was a central focus of the book. I liked how it was a reason for them not to be together but they couldn't ignore the connection that they have. I always love reading about characters who are forbidden to date each other and who really try not to, but who end up being so into each other that just cannot deny their attraction to each other. It was the case in this book and I really enjoyed reading all about it. This just made the book so much more enjoyable to me and it was just so entertaining to me.
I also always adore a good opposite attracts in books and I just really enjoyed how it was done in this book. I loved how Aaron and Jeremy were very different from each other but they both loved that about each other. I liked how them being different from each other wasn't an issue but a strength that they used to their advantage to show each other new things and new life experiences that they never would have experienced before meeting each other. Jeremy is the easy-going guy who is always ready for anything and Aaron is the more nerdy guy who doesn't really like to socialize and who likes to plan everything. But they complimented each other very well and they were a wonderful couple. I really liked how their differences just made them together for each other and how it showed that they were made to be together.
“You are the most extra human being alive sometimes; you know that?” He sighs into my skin happily. “And please don’t ever try to be anything else”
Another thing that I just adore reading about in books is some good emotionally heavy moments and it was the case in this book. It had some very emotional moments that just really got to me and just enhanced the reading experience for me. I really liked the vibe of this book, I liked how it had its emotional moments but how it was also full of much lighter moments that made me laugh while I was reading the book, it was a perfect mix of everything and it made for a super enjoyable reading experience.
Also, I really enjoyed the romance in this book. It was super sweet and had so many cute moments that made my heart melt. I always love reading about a super sweet romance and this one really worked for me.
Sadly, as much as this book had so many moments that I loved and so many super cute relationship moments that I just adored, I had a lot of issues connecting to this book as much as I wanted to. But I still had a super good time reading it, even if sometimes it just didn't connect with me as much as I hoped it did.
This book was a really lovely introduction to the author for me and I'm really glad I had it, it really made me want to read more of this author's books, so I would like to thank this series for the introduction.
I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest opinion
August 24, 2022
Counterpoint by J.E. Birk is apart of the Vino and Veritas series. I haven't read the previous set of books that came out in this series last year, but I'm so glad I was able to read this book this year.
J.E. Birk is a new-to-me author, and after reading this I'm definitely going to be browsing their backlist.
I really enjoyed Jeremey and Aaron. Aaron is just adorable and so sweet, he reminds me of myself actually. I'm not usually clumsy either but when I'm nervous or stressed then I get clumsy or make mistakes I wouldn't usually make. So, I fell in love with his character right off the bat, yes he made mistakes just up and leaving his family but he's been trying to med them. He's determined to try to make things better with his family, and to not lie to Jaimie again... Until he has to lie to Jaimie again when he and Jeremey start fooling around.
Jeremey is Burlington's playboy, he's known for parting and one night stands. His friends don't know about the things he keeps buried, about the things he runs away from, the reason why he has yolo tattooed to his butt. Only one person knows all of that, and that person is Aaron. The one person he knows he'll never be good enough for but the one he wants anyway.
I loved, love, loved this story. You can tell the time and effort the author took in writing this story! The characters are all so great! They have a reason to be in the story and they all contribute to moving the story along in a good place. They each have their own backstory and background. The storyline was thought-out and written really well.
I have to be honest I wasn't a fan of Jeremy's character for over half of the story, he was just avery difficult character to like. He didn't take life seriously, which in some ways is a good thing, but in others not so much. By keeping all of the things he's struggling to himself, he ends up hurting those around him. Not to mention he almost cost Aaron his job by going out on a bender.
I really enjoyed this story despite not moving Jeremy's character. When Jeremey goes and visits his dad in the care home? Instant tears! I can't even imagine what that feels like, for the person you love more than anything not remembering you. I can't even imagine.
I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to read a unlikable character and an adorable and slightly clumsy character help each other in so many ways, then this is the book for you!
*I received an early copy of this book and this is my honest review.*
J.E. Birk is a new-to-me author, and after reading this I'm definitely going to be browsing their backlist.
I really enjoyed Jeremey and Aaron. Aaron is just adorable and so sweet, he reminds me of myself actually. I'm not usually clumsy either but when I'm nervous or stressed then I get clumsy or make mistakes I wouldn't usually make. So, I fell in love with his character right off the bat, yes he made mistakes just up and leaving his family but he's been trying to med them. He's determined to try to make things better with his family, and to not lie to Jaimie again... Until he has to lie to Jaimie again when he and Jeremey start fooling around.
Jeremey is Burlington's playboy, he's known for parting and one night stands. His friends don't know about the things he keeps buried, about the things he runs away from, the reason why he has yolo tattooed to his butt. Only one person knows all of that, and that person is Aaron. The one person he knows he'll never be good enough for but the one he wants anyway.
I loved, love, loved this story. You can tell the time and effort the author took in writing this story! The characters are all so great! They have a reason to be in the story and they all contribute to moving the story along in a good place. They each have their own backstory and background. The storyline was thought-out and written really well.
I have to be honest I wasn't a fan of Jeremy's character for over half of the story, he was just avery difficult character to like. He didn't take life seriously, which in some ways is a good thing, but in others not so much. By keeping all of the things he's struggling to himself, he ends up hurting those around him. Not to mention he almost cost Aaron his job by going out on a bender.
I really enjoyed this story despite not moving Jeremy's character. When Jeremey goes and visits his dad in the care home? Instant tears! I can't even imagine what that feels like, for the person you love more than anything not remembering you. I can't even imagine.
I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to read a unlikable character and an adorable and slightly clumsy character help each other in so many ways, then this is the book for you!
*I received an early copy of this book and this is my honest review.*
September 4, 2022
5 Stars
I absolutely loved Aaron and my heart went out to him regarding all the insecurities he dealt with concerning doing a good job with the clerkship at the law firm.
I’m not crazy about the “I’m a playboy and don’t want a serious relationship” characters, but after learning the secret that Jeremy is keeping, it was actually understandable that he was like he was. And my heart absolutely broke for him, both for the current situation he was facing and the unknown of the future. (Sorry, I don’t want to give the secret away either)
While Jeremy and Aaron were definite opposites, they fit together perfectly and they complemented one another. They had amazing chemistry and were super sweet and sexy together.
I love this little town of Burlington and I’ve read so many books set here, it kind of feels a bit like coming home. I really loved the law firm setting where Aaron and Jeremy worked and I adored the partners, Iris and Tom. I also loved Aaron’s family.
This was really great read. It was well-written and flowed well. It’s been quite some time since I picked up a book that I didn’t want to put down, but that was the case here. This was a real page-turner and highly recommendable!!!
* Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. *
September 27, 2022
4.5 STARS
Aaron and Jeremy’s story is fun and also very emotional in a satisfying, smart way.
It’s an opposites attract and brother’s best friend/secret hook-up romance in the beginning.
I loved that the two had known each other and had a friendship of sorts already.
I loved the way they trusted each other and were a safe place to share their fears and doubts.
Both men are dealing with insecurities and uncertainty about themselves and their future.
Both have family issues, a lot of emotional pain and regret as well.
I can’t forget the blazing hot chemistry and sexy times between them. The flirting, the hooking up in secret is so fun.
I love these characters and their connection so much.
They are the perfect balance of raw emotions and chemistry.
They are so hot together and they have fun.
They laugh and bring out the best in each other.
The secondary characters are great.
I adore this story of two lost men who find themselves and hopefully one of a kind love together.
Aaron and Jeremy’s story is fun and also very emotional in a satisfying, smart way.
It’s an opposites attract and brother’s best friend/secret hook-up romance in the beginning.
I loved that the two had known each other and had a friendship of sorts already.
I loved the way they trusted each other and were a safe place to share their fears and doubts.
Both men are dealing with insecurities and uncertainty about themselves and their future.
Both have family issues, a lot of emotional pain and regret as well.
I can’t forget the blazing hot chemistry and sexy times between them. The flirting, the hooking up in secret is so fun.
I love these characters and their connection so much.
They are the perfect balance of raw emotions and chemistry.
They are so hot together and they have fun.
They laugh and bring out the best in each other.
The secondary characters are great.
I adore this story of two lost men who find themselves and hopefully one of a kind love together.
September 9, 2022
Counterpoint is the second release in the In Vino Veritas series and is an opposites attract, forbidden best-friends-brother romance. This was an excellent read and had some Seriously heartfelt moments whilst Jeremy and Aaron gave in to their palpable attraction. That started as a ill advised hook-up but was destined to be so much more. These two, seriously... Be still my beating heart! They're too cute.
May 23, 2022
Charming, hilarious, heartfelt, meaningful, sweet and sexy, and so much fun to read. I love Jeremy so so much. And Aaron, happy sigh. Don’t miss this one, whether or not you read Booklover (although what are you waiting for?) This book is everything I want in a romance novel.
and side note: it has the best chapter titles ever.
and side note: it has the best chapter titles ever.
September 8, 2022
Counterpoint is the second book in the new M/M series In Vino Veritas, and it is part of Sarina Bowen’s World of True North. It is a standalone, so you don’t need to read any other book, but it is closely connected to the Vino and Veritas series and to the other books in the new series, especially Booklover.
Counterpoint is the story of Aaron and Jeremy. Aaron is the older brother of Jeremy’s best friend, Jamie. And besides the whole best friend’s brother thing, it’s a secret relationship with opposites attract thrown in to spice things up.
Aaron is a Harvard law student spending the summer working at a Burlington law firm for the summer so he can be close to home. He’s a perfectionist who’s had a rough time with his self confidence after his time working at a Boston law firm the year before. And he’s trying, unsuccessfully, to keep his attraction to Jeremy under control, which makes him even more awkward and clumsy than normal.
Jeremy is the player of his group of friends. He’s always after a good time, not caring about anything more than enjoying the moment. The thing about Jeremy is that he’s hiding a secret. Also, he’s extremely attracted to Aaron, but is adamant about staying away from him.
Jeremy’s plan to keep away from Aaron goes to hell when he finds himself in need of a summer job to be able to afford to stay in Burlington for the summer after being cut off by his mother. Thhe thing is, the job Jamie helps him find is at Aaron’s same law firm, so they can no longer avoid each other. And after trying to stay away they decide to have a fling for the summer, except they catch feelings.
Counterpoint is fun, steamy and filled with a wonderful set of side characters that make the story very compelling. I had a great time reading it, and it a great addition to the World of True North and the In Vino Veritas series. The way the books in this new series connect is really cool, so I recommend reading all of them.
Counterpoint is the story of Aaron and Jeremy. Aaron is the older brother of Jeremy’s best friend, Jamie. And besides the whole best friend’s brother thing, it’s a secret relationship with opposites attract thrown in to spice things up.
Aaron is a Harvard law student spending the summer working at a Burlington law firm for the summer so he can be close to home. He’s a perfectionist who’s had a rough time with his self confidence after his time working at a Boston law firm the year before. And he’s trying, unsuccessfully, to keep his attraction to Jeremy under control, which makes him even more awkward and clumsy than normal.
Jeremy is the player of his group of friends. He’s always after a good time, not caring about anything more than enjoying the moment. The thing about Jeremy is that he’s hiding a secret. Also, he’s extremely attracted to Aaron, but is adamant about staying away from him.
Jeremy’s plan to keep away from Aaron goes to hell when he finds himself in need of a summer job to be able to afford to stay in Burlington for the summer after being cut off by his mother. Thhe thing is, the job Jamie helps him find is at Aaron’s same law firm, so they can no longer avoid each other. And after trying to stay away they decide to have a fling for the summer, except they catch feelings.
Counterpoint is fun, steamy and filled with a wonderful set of side characters that make the story very compelling. I had a great time reading it, and it a great addition to the World of True North and the In Vino Veritas series. The way the books in this new series connect is really cool, so I recommend reading all of them.
August 23, 2022
I adored Jeremy and Aaron and loved getting to spend more time with Jamie and Briar too! Jeremy has this playboy persona and is the life of the party. His past exploits certainly are the stuff of legends, but he’s so much more than those things. The reason why he has adopted the lifestyle and outlook he has is also pretty heartbreaking. Aaron was a character I wanted to know more about after Booklover. It’s so worth it to see everything come full circle—to know that he gets this chance here with his brother and his whole family, to see him back in VT. He’s a guy who has dreams but also has roots. I was cheering for them to get their HEA, and this one was pretty special.
September 25, 2022
Really enjoyed this follow up with Jeremy and his heartbreaking background.
September 8, 2022
Sometimes two wrongs do make a right. At least they do in J.E. Birk’s Counterpoint, the second book in the In Vino & Veritas series. Vino & Veritas, the titular fictional, inclusive bookstore/wine bar located in Burlington, Vermont, set in Sarina Bowen’s True North world, has already been the subject of an extensive multi-author, shared universe series, Vino & Veritas. This spin-off series, In Vino Veritas, continues with the love stories of some of the side characters we met in the first V&V series.
Counterpoint picks up with Aaron and Jeremy, the older brother and best friend/roommate, respectively, of Jamie, from Birk’s Vino & Veritas book, Booklover. The events of Counterpoint take place after Booklover ends. You don’t have to have read Booklover to enjoy Counterpoint, though, because Birk provides the background you need for Aaron and Jeremy’s story within the text.
Jamie and his boyfriend Briar are now an established couple, and Aaron has returned home and mended fences with his family. However, while the rift caused by Aaron’s abrupt departure for law school after a fight with his father has been healed, his lies about his intention to go to law school and then the ensuing year of silence that followed his departure still lurk like a shadow in the background. It dogs Aaron’s every move as he remains steeped in guilt and regret for his actions. Now he heaps additional pressure on himself in order to make up for his mistake, and because he can’t allow himself to fail and have all the harm he caused be for nothing.
Counterpoint is a story about perfectionism and failure. Jeremy is known as the Playboy of Burlington, a reputation he cultivates by dedicating himself to the philosophy of YOLO: you only live once. He has reasons for his behavior, rooted in his own family drama surrounding his father’s early onset Alzheimer’s and his mother’s ultimatums. Jeremy has a bit of ostrich syndrome, refusing to confront the reality of his father’s situation and his own future. Jeremy shirks pressure and obligation, living life to the fullest and enjoying whatever he wants without thinking too hard about the consequences. This is in counterpoint to Aaron, who takes everything seriously and heaps so much pressure on himself that he both figuratively and physically staggers beneath its weight. It’s not a throwaway plot point that Birk has Aaron suffer from extreme klutziness and lack of coordination when he gets extremely stressed or upset.
Aaron is a perfectionist, always has been, and abhors failure to the point that it paralyzes him at times. While Jeremy may seem like Aaron’s complete opposite, he’s a perfectionist in his own way. He wants to be the perfect son and the perfect partner which is how he justifies his refusal to see his father - he doesn’t want to break down and fail at engaging with his father - and refusal to enter a committed relationship with Aaron - his future has blank spaces and potential to cause Aaron great pain if Jeremy ends up getting Alzheimer’s too. Aaron similarly stays away from his family for that year because he wasn’t the perfect son and couldn’t admit that it may have all been for naught because he’s struggled to fit in during law school and at his summer clerkships.
Birk does a nice job developing Aaron and Jeremy’s characters with depth and complexity. The plot is relatively straightforward, and some elements felt a bit overdone or prolonged. The storyline with Jeremy’s mother and father felt unnaturally attenuated; it could have been explored and resolved in a tighter story arc. That being said, Birk is very good at spinning out romances that have the couple confront real-life issues in order to build a stronger relationship together. Just like with Jamie and Briar in Booklover, Birk keeps the integrity of difficult circumstances posed and makes Aaron and Jeremy navigate those obstacles. The resolution of the challenges felt a bit too easy, especially in relation to Aaron’s career, but it’s not a significant point and easily fits within the story.
Counterpoint is an overarchingly sweet, sometimes funny, hurt/comfort, opposites attract love story featuring endearing mains and lots of fun, meaningful appearances from characters in the original series, in particular Jamie and Briar from Booklover. The found family aspect of this story resonates strongly, leaving the reader happy and satisfactorily fulfilled with the heartwarming resolution. My only complaint is that the story could have been told more compactly which would have maintained the emotional dynamics and plot momentum more effectively. But as it is, it’s still an accessible, enjoyable read I recommend.
Counterpoint picks up with Aaron and Jeremy, the older brother and best friend/roommate, respectively, of Jamie, from Birk’s Vino & Veritas book, Booklover. The events of Counterpoint take place after Booklover ends. You don’t have to have read Booklover to enjoy Counterpoint, though, because Birk provides the background you need for Aaron and Jeremy’s story within the text.
Jamie and his boyfriend Briar are now an established couple, and Aaron has returned home and mended fences with his family. However, while the rift caused by Aaron’s abrupt departure for law school after a fight with his father has been healed, his lies about his intention to go to law school and then the ensuing year of silence that followed his departure still lurk like a shadow in the background. It dogs Aaron’s every move as he remains steeped in guilt and regret for his actions. Now he heaps additional pressure on himself in order to make up for his mistake, and because he can’t allow himself to fail and have all the harm he caused be for nothing.
Counterpoint is a story about perfectionism and failure. Jeremy is known as the Playboy of Burlington, a reputation he cultivates by dedicating himself to the philosophy of YOLO: you only live once. He has reasons for his behavior, rooted in his own family drama surrounding his father’s early onset Alzheimer’s and his mother’s ultimatums. Jeremy has a bit of ostrich syndrome, refusing to confront the reality of his father’s situation and his own future. Jeremy shirks pressure and obligation, living life to the fullest and enjoying whatever he wants without thinking too hard about the consequences. This is in counterpoint to Aaron, who takes everything seriously and heaps so much pressure on himself that he both figuratively and physically staggers beneath its weight. It’s not a throwaway plot point that Birk has Aaron suffer from extreme klutziness and lack of coordination when he gets extremely stressed or upset.
Aaron is a perfectionist, always has been, and abhors failure to the point that it paralyzes him at times. While Jeremy may seem like Aaron’s complete opposite, he’s a perfectionist in his own way. He wants to be the perfect son and the perfect partner which is how he justifies his refusal to see his father - he doesn’t want to break down and fail at engaging with his father - and refusal to enter a committed relationship with Aaron - his future has blank spaces and potential to cause Aaron great pain if Jeremy ends up getting Alzheimer’s too. Aaron similarly stays away from his family for that year because he wasn’t the perfect son and couldn’t admit that it may have all been for naught because he’s struggled to fit in during law school and at his summer clerkships.
Birk does a nice job developing Aaron and Jeremy’s characters with depth and complexity. The plot is relatively straightforward, and some elements felt a bit overdone or prolonged. The storyline with Jeremy’s mother and father felt unnaturally attenuated; it could have been explored and resolved in a tighter story arc. That being said, Birk is very good at spinning out romances that have the couple confront real-life issues in order to build a stronger relationship together. Just like with Jamie and Briar in Booklover, Birk keeps the integrity of difficult circumstances posed and makes Aaron and Jeremy navigate those obstacles. The resolution of the challenges felt a bit too easy, especially in relation to Aaron’s career, but it’s not a significant point and easily fits within the story.
Counterpoint is an overarchingly sweet, sometimes funny, hurt/comfort, opposites attract love story featuring endearing mains and lots of fun, meaningful appearances from characters in the original series, in particular Jamie and Briar from Booklover. The found family aspect of this story resonates strongly, leaving the reader happy and satisfactorily fulfilled with the heartwarming resolution. My only complaint is that the story could have been told more compactly which would have maintained the emotional dynamics and plot momentum more effectively. But as it is, it’s still an accessible, enjoyable read I recommend.
September 7, 2022
~~I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads ~~
This is the second book in this new series based around Vino & Veritas, but could be read as a standalone. I’m very happy to be back in Salina Bowen’s world and reading authors new to me and those well known.
If you have read all the books in these series, you will be well aware of Aaron, who left Jamie struggling to help on the farm when he went off to study law, and of Jeremy, Jamie’s best friend.
These two men have a connection which they don’t quite understand and don’t quite know how to deal with, but it is a thread they don’t want to cut. But the complications of the present as well as the past, make it difficult to imagine anything coming from it.
We learn that Jeremy uses his hook ups to forget his problems with his family, and his intention to remain single is based on a fear of what the future could hold, suddenly he is not quite the playboy. As Aaron starts his legal internship at the same office as Jeremy is working for the summer, the opportunities for the two to be closer are inevitable. But can they live in the present, and what is Jamie going to think.
I loved catching up with Jamie’s family and seeing the rifts heal, and understanding permeates through the book, as distances are closed and relationships rebuilt. It deals with an incredibly difficult subject and no one can judge the decisions of another when faced with such choices. Aaron was such a good friend and partner to Jeremy, it was beautifully written.
Another lovely installment in this series.
September 7, 2022
The best part about all of these books within The World of True North is that you see characters from other books and it feels like you're coming home to old friends. This book can essentially be called a companion novel to Booklover from the Vino & Veritas series because Aaron, one of our MCs in this book is Jamie's brother from Booklover and Jeremy, the other love interest, is his best friend. SADLY (yes I know I am ashamed) that was one from V & V I haven't gotten to yet but you better believe I will be soon after this!
One of the things I really enjoyed about Counterpoint was that it put me in my Moo U feels. Now, I'm not sure if people really do call the University of Vermont, Moo U but either way I feel nostalgic about it when I come back and read a mention of it and that to me is hilarious. I have never even been Vermont but somehow all of these books have me feeling like I HAVE lived there and that I have this network of family and friends there to visit/ come home to when I'm missing them.
Aaron and Jeremy in particular were two that I wanted to wrap up and hug multiple times throughout this book. After a soul crushingly bad review at the last corporate law firm he interned at, Aaron was doubting his ability to practice law once he graduated from Harvard which had him even more upset as he had only recently patched up a falling out he had with his family over leaving for law school in the first place. Jeremy is a playboy or, if we want to get fun and stay on brand, modern day rake who was ALWAYS up for a good time as far as anyone could tell. What we end up finding out is that he's dealing with a LOT of family things (mainly a father who developed early onset Alzheimer's and heavy tension with his mom in result of that) that he keeps hidden from everyone.
Everyone except Aaron. I'm a big fan of the dynamic in romances where one love interest is only able to confide in the other love interest, even way before they get together, because that person makes them feel completely comfortable. Aaron and Jeremy's personalities might be night and day in comparison but as the saying goes, "opposites attract." Throughout the book when Aaron is struggling with work and worrying about what people think of them/ letting them down he thinks "what would Jeremy do in this situation?" and that helps him more than one time let go of his anxiety and settle in to the confident, smart, and capable person that he is. Jeremy on the other hand learns from Aaron what it's like to open up and let people try to help. How much that helps to lighten the very heavy load. The two have their faults but as all of their friends notice, they're better together. Overall another winner in my book!
Huge thanks to Heart Eyes Press for allowing me to read an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!♥
For more of my reviews, please visit:
One of the things I really enjoyed about Counterpoint was that it put me in my Moo U feels. Now, I'm not sure if people really do call the University of Vermont, Moo U but either way I feel nostalgic about it when I come back and read a mention of it and that to me is hilarious. I have never even been Vermont but somehow all of these books have me feeling like I HAVE lived there and that I have this network of family and friends there to visit/ come home to when I'm missing them.
Aaron and Jeremy in particular were two that I wanted to wrap up and hug multiple times throughout this book. After a soul crushingly bad review at the last corporate law firm he interned at, Aaron was doubting his ability to practice law once he graduated from Harvard which had him even more upset as he had only recently patched up a falling out he had with his family over leaving for law school in the first place. Jeremy is a playboy or, if we want to get fun and stay on brand, modern day rake who was ALWAYS up for a good time as far as anyone could tell. What we end up finding out is that he's dealing with a LOT of family things (mainly a father who developed early onset Alzheimer's and heavy tension with his mom in result of that) that he keeps hidden from everyone.
Everyone except Aaron. I'm a big fan of the dynamic in romances where one love interest is only able to confide in the other love interest, even way before they get together, because that person makes them feel completely comfortable. Aaron and Jeremy's personalities might be night and day in comparison but as the saying goes, "opposites attract." Throughout the book when Aaron is struggling with work and worrying about what people think of them/ letting them down he thinks "what would Jeremy do in this situation?" and that helps him more than one time let go of his anxiety and settle in to the confident, smart, and capable person that he is. Jeremy on the other hand learns from Aaron what it's like to open up and let people try to help. How much that helps to lighten the very heavy load. The two have their faults but as all of their friends notice, they're better together. Overall another winner in my book!
Huge thanks to Heart Eyes Press for allowing me to read an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!♥
For more of my reviews, please visit:
June 6, 2023
We met Jeremy and Aaron in Aaron's brother's book and I must admit I didn't see their romance coming. I mean, it was pretty clear Jeremy was keeping a few secrets and all (he was, but they definitely weren't all romance related), but I didn't guess Aaron was one of them.
Hoo-boy, I liked these two together. Maybe it was because Jeremy spilled some of those closely held secrets to Aaron and it made Aaron watch him a little more closely than maybe he would have, but Aaron saw under the playboy façade Jeremy projected to the world. Heck, even J's best friend didn't see the hurt Jeremy was hiding, but Aaron did.
While working together initially seems like THE WORST idea ever for the both of them, it actually turned out pretty well since it forced them to deal with what happened 15 months before. Also, we got to see Aaron's extreme clumsiness when he was dealing with a case of nerves. Yup, Jeremy brought out the nerves in the poor guy.
Some forced proximity, an office nemesis (sort of), a lot of self-induced pressure, sticky family dynamics, friends who have their backs, and two people who have a little baggage to get past before they can find their happily ever after.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
Hoo-boy, I liked these two together. Maybe it was because Jeremy spilled some of those closely held secrets to Aaron and it made Aaron watch him a little more closely than maybe he would have, but Aaron saw under the playboy façade Jeremy projected to the world. Heck, even J's best friend didn't see the hurt Jeremy was hiding, but Aaron did.
While working together initially seems like THE WORST idea ever for the both of them, it actually turned out pretty well since it forced them to deal with what happened 15 months before. Also, we got to see Aaron's extreme clumsiness when he was dealing with a case of nerves. Yup, Jeremy brought out the nerves in the poor guy.
Some forced proximity, an office nemesis (sort of), a lot of self-induced pressure, sticky family dynamics, friends who have their backs, and two people who have a little baggage to get past before they can find their happily ever after.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
Read
November 7, 2022DNF. I'm not quite 15% into this so admittedly, I didn't make it very far. But it had a few things that put me off right away. First, a clumsy MC that is tripping and falling all over the place. Why do authors go there with their characters? Do any of us really know adults who trip and fall with such frequency? Yes, being accident-prone is a thing, but pratfalls and running into copy machines on the daily are not. Ugh. Second, this has the "can't date my sibling's BF" trope which is a fine trope if the reader is given a reasonable explanation as to why dating is a bad idea. But we're not. Instead, we're given to understand that their dating would be nothing short of a disaster. Huh? Why? Bc really, who cares? Who cares if you date my sibling? I get it if we're talking about an overprotective big brother and little sister but that was obvs not the case here in this gay romance. Third, the not-Tim Paige narrator is not working for me at all. Too wooden, too unnatural. Fourth, I'm just not feelin' it. So alas... I'm out.
September 8, 2022
I loved this book!
Booklover, from last year’s Vino & Veritas series, was the first J.E. Birk book I read. I loved it so I was really happy to learn that she was writing another book – Counterpoint – in this new “world of True North” series called In Vino Veritas. We met many of the characters in Counterpoint in Booklover but you don’t need to have read that book to enjoy this one.
Jeremy and Aaron hooked up last year when Aaron was going through a difficult time and it was never supposed to happen again. Then Aaron and Jeremy end up working in the same law firm in the summer and things just happen again.
I loved these two characters. On the surface it seems like they couldn’t be more different. Jeremy is the college playboy, hooking up with other guys and gals; gender doesn’t matter to him. He has a definite YOLO attitude. He has very good reasons for the way he is living his life but he hasn’t shared those reasons, not even with his closest friends. When he finally told Aaron and it felt like a weight was lifted off of his shoulders.
Aaron had a very difficult summer internship last year and it really shook his confidence about his chosen career in law. He was so ashamed that he never told anyone what happened, not even his closest friend at law school. He’s got a clerkship for the summer in a Vermont law firm near his home town and is shocked when he finds out the Aaron is also working there this summer.
This story broke my heart in places but everything was back in place by the end of the book. I shed a few tears but there were also some lighthearted moments. I was intrigued by a few new characters that were introduced and I hope they show up in other books in this new series. It was really great to be back in the Vino & Veritas world.
A copy of this book was provided to me at my request but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author.
***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***
Booklover, from last year’s Vino & Veritas series, was the first J.E. Birk book I read. I loved it so I was really happy to learn that she was writing another book – Counterpoint – in this new “world of True North” series called In Vino Veritas. We met many of the characters in Counterpoint in Booklover but you don’t need to have read that book to enjoy this one.
Jeremy and Aaron hooked up last year when Aaron was going through a difficult time and it was never supposed to happen again. Then Aaron and Jeremy end up working in the same law firm in the summer and things just happen again.
I loved these two characters. On the surface it seems like they couldn’t be more different. Jeremy is the college playboy, hooking up with other guys and gals; gender doesn’t matter to him. He has a definite YOLO attitude. He has very good reasons for the way he is living his life but he hasn’t shared those reasons, not even with his closest friends. When he finally told Aaron and it felt like a weight was lifted off of his shoulders.
Aaron had a very difficult summer internship last year and it really shook his confidence about his chosen career in law. He was so ashamed that he never told anyone what happened, not even his closest friend at law school. He’s got a clerkship for the summer in a Vermont law firm near his home town and is shocked when he finds out the Aaron is also working there this summer.
This story broke my heart in places but everything was back in place by the end of the book. I shed a few tears but there were also some lighthearted moments. I was intrigued by a few new characters that were introduced and I hope they show up in other books in this new series. It was really great to be back in the Vino & Veritas world.
A copy of this book was provided to me at my request but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author.
***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***
September 27, 2022
I don’t know that I will be able to really articulate why I enjoyed this so much, but I will try. In all honesty, not much really happens and there were times that I was a bit bored. But goddamn this hit me in my feels and I cried multiple times. Jeremy’s interactions and him talking about his dad really got to me. And I loved Jeremy and Aaron.
Jeremy is a playboy living his life one day at a time and Aaron is out to prove his brief estrangement from his family was worth his law degree. They both were similar in some ways and where they were different helped them see the best parts of themselves. I also loved the flashback on how it all started and the connection to Jamie and Briar’s story.
Honestly, I think it comes down to the family aspect—both biological and found—and the way Jeremy and Aaron were together. I don’t think this will be for everyone, but for me it hit the spot and I adored this one just as much as Jamie and Briar’s story.
Jeremy is a playboy living his life one day at a time and Aaron is out to prove his brief estrangement from his family was worth his law degree. They both were similar in some ways and where they were different helped them see the best parts of themselves. I also loved the flashback on how it all started and the connection to Jamie and Briar’s story.
Honestly, I think it comes down to the family aspect—both biological and found—and the way Jeremy and Aaron were together. I don’t think this will be for everyone, but for me it hit the spot and I adored this one just as much as Jamie and Briar’s story.
September 13, 2022
3.5-4 stars
well this was an unexpected surprise. i read JE Birks other book from the Vino and Veritas series Booklover and remembered liking, but i remember nothing about the book to be honest lol
overall this book was cute, and predictable, but i still very much enjoyed it! the moments where jeremy wasn't his playboy self and showed his true colors with aaron were my favorites! i definitely will be picking up more JE Birk books, they are quick, fun and easy reads that i thoroughly enjoy!
i also loved the audio, Tim Paige (killed it like always) and Stephen Dexter is a new narrator to me and i really liked his narrations, but sometimes it was a little weird, but overall he did a good job. i will definitely be looking for more books he narrates.
I am excited for the next book Unmanageable, with Scott, haha i feel like that will be a ride, and it has a killer narration (Teddy Hamilton and Jacob Morgan!!)
well this was an unexpected surprise. i read JE Birks other book from the Vino and Veritas series Booklover and remembered liking, but i remember nothing about the book to be honest lol
overall this book was cute, and predictable, but i still very much enjoyed it! the moments where jeremy wasn't his playboy self and showed his true colors with aaron were my favorites! i definitely will be picking up more JE Birk books, they are quick, fun and easy reads that i thoroughly enjoy!
i also loved the audio, Tim Paige (killed it like always) and Stephen Dexter is a new narrator to me and i really liked his narrations, but sometimes it was a little weird, but overall he did a good job. i will definitely be looking for more books he narrates.
I am excited for the next book Unmanageable, with Scott, haha i feel like that will be a ride, and it has a killer narration (Teddy Hamilton and Jacob Morgan!!)
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