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Tap That Brewery #2

Eternal Hoptimist

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Ethan

I’ve got a reputation as too quick to fall in love among the merry band of misfits I co-own Tap That Brewery with. Relationships are all rainbows and unicorns until I inevitably get dumped. I’ve had enough of being kicked to the curb, so I make a dating hiatus my New Year’s resolution.

My resolve is challenged when I keep bumping into a gorgeous guy whose “date me” vibes are as potent as his pheromones. Resolution aside, I don’t even have time for romance because I’ve got to help my great-aunt save her house—the one place I felt safe in as a kid. But when I discover the gorgeous guy is not only hot but an attorney who might be able to help me? I get an idea that just might put my resolution to the test…

Parker

I’m on the cusp of being named the youngest partner in my law firm’s history. Except for the pesky detail that I’m unattached, and no single attorney has been promoted to partner. I never fail when I set my mind to something. If only I had a boyfriend to help me seal the deal.

But how am I going to find a boyfriend when I can barely manage to sleep with my workload? When a cute guy with an addictive smile proposes an arrangement that might get me the promotion of my dreams, there’s a chance I could have it all. As long as he doesn’t object first.


Eternal Hoptimist is a low angst, steamy, and sweet MM contemporary romance about two men who fake date their way to love. It’s book two in the Tap That Brewery series, which features four best friends who co-own a queer brewery together. It’s full of teasing as a love language, found family, spicy education, and a small town you'll wish you could visit. Each book can be read as a standalone, though you may find it most enjoyable to read the series in order. The jokes hit better that way. Happily ever afters are guaranteed, and no cliffhangers!

344 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 10, 2022

117 people are currently reading
106 people want to read

About the author

Lee Blair

22 books169 followers
Lee Blair is a queer author from Oregon who writes low angst, funny, M/M contemporary romance. She's constantly amused by the antics of her two ginger cats, considers daydreaming about future trips to Scotland a part-time job, and is obsessed with Schitt's Creek to an alarming degree.

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5 stars
196 (43%)
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181 (39%)
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65 (14%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
Profile Image for KaylaMarie.
131 reviews13 followers
October 22, 2023
✰4 stars✰

This was fun and sweet and cute… and totally what I needed during my busy week.

I agree with the marketing on this, i.e. being low angst, steamy and sweet.

There was an insta attraction/lust in this one, but there was a true build in actual romance and a relationship.

Something about his energy drew me in as he animatedly spoke with two guys. God, that smile.


Both main characters, Ethan and Parker, had great character development throughout the story. It really allowed them to realize what they both wanted, and I also really liked the emphasis on consent that these two had — and I don’t just mean in the bedroom. Parker was very respectful of Ethan’s dating boundaries and any bound that as set between them. I thought that was great!

“For so long, I thought the only way to find love was to mold myself into the person I believed someone else would want. There’ve been dozens of versions of me, but when I met you, I was the only me who mattered. I love you so much.”


I think this has been a great series so far, and I’m excited for the next one to come out so I have another easy, cozy read to indulge in!
Profile Image for Nick Vallina (MisterGhostReads).
817 reviews25 followers
March 20, 2023
Ethan, the taproom bartender and over-all customer-facing employee of the Tap-That Brewery is always quick to fall in love and change himself to fit to his parterns' interests. And then he gets inevitably dumped for not being himself. That's why he's decided to swear off dating as his New Year's Resolution. Unfortunately he meets a man at a party in Portland who he has an instant connection with. Their conversations are electric and their dancing even more so. After sharing a phenomenal New Years kiss, Ethan is whisked away by his drunk best friend Austin without even getting the guy's number. Oh well. No dating right now anyway, right?

Parker works too much to date. He is putting in sixty hour work weeks as an attorney in his push to become the firm's youngest partner. Unfortunately there is a weird (and tbh kinda toxic) focus on only promoting people in relationships. Too bad Parker doesn't have time to date and devote to building a relationship..so much so that he doesn't even consider it. Until he runs into Ethan on New Years. And then again at the brewery while with his family.

Eventually the two, being so magnetic, reconnect in more than one-off moments and decide to make an arrangement; free legal advice for Ethan to help his relative Rosie who is dealing with a land developer trying to buy her house, and a fake boyfriend for Parker. Totally makes sense, right?

Eternal Hoptimist started out super cute and totally my vibe. I love the tropes involved. I got a little put off when about 50% of the way through it just became a copy-paste of the wikipedia article about kink. Like. If you took a shot every time the author typed the word kink you would literally die. I guess that part isn't the most appealing for an asexual reader, eh? That's just a me problem. I really love these characters and look forward to reading the next book in the series despite it being about my least favorite character, Ty (Ty is annoying just to be annoying? I haven't seen a redeeming quality yet lol). Ethan and Parker are just as cute at Austin and Caleb were in the first book.
Overall I definitely recommend checking out this series.
Profile Image for Heather MMRomanceReviewed.
1,729 reviews83 followers
October 16, 2022
Eternal Hoptimist is a sweet, steamy and slightly kinky story with lots of great tropes to explore - the meet-cute, fake dating, kink exploration, found family, family drama, work-life balance and more...

As with other Lee Blair stories, this book is a low angst look at the budding relationship between Ethan and Parker and takes us through a year of their lives... the one miss for me is that the timeline jumps a bit to make the book more event based and focuses on them out and doing things more than them exploring their kinks or the relationship I would have loved to see more development of the kink relationship and more steam, even if the book had to be a little longer.

It was great to see the other guys from Tap That interspersed in the book and Hector was a lovely side character who needs his own HEA in Dahlia Springs! I look forward to both Tyler and Nate's books, as well as Seth and Hector finding their people!

This is a lovely weekend read and a great book if you are looking for a low angst romance
Profile Image for Monika .
2,340 reviews39 followers
January 30, 2024

*sigh* I was a little disappointed with this one. The guys were great but the story was focused too much on Parker's exploration of his kinky side with Ethan.

**There is a bonus epilogue you can download at the end. I was hoping for something sweet but it ended up beginning a chapter of nothing but sex. Sadly, another disappointment.

● Fake relationship turns to a real one
● Small town
● Great friends
● Great family and found family
● Some sweet moments but not enough
● Low angst
● More than likeable MCs... Ethan & Parker
● Kink exploration
● Focused too much on sex (IMO)
● Satisfying enough ending, I guess
● This one didn't really do it for me
● Took me longer to read than it should have
● This one needs to go on my "Is it me or the story?" shelf

Profile Image for Darcy.
14.4k reviews543 followers
December 13, 2025
It was interesting to see how this one evolved. At the start, both Ethan and Parker were hiding so much of their core selves, but once they let themselves shine through the connection became very solid. They had fun supporting the other and just being in each other's company. I did worry a bit when Aunt Rosie told Ethan what she really wanted and how Parker helped, was glad when the guys talked to Ethan and helped him see things from a different angle. I also think Parker made the right choice at the end, he had out grown what he originally set out to accomplish and his life will be better with this other option. It was nice to see how happy they were at the end!
Profile Image for Janet Hunt.
3,538 reviews46 followers
October 11, 2022
Eternal Hoptimist is the second book in the Tap That series. I loved this one even more than the first and I seriously loved Pitcher Perfect. Parker is extremely busy with work but yearns for a boyfriend. Ethan has made a New Years resolution to stay single for a while. These two were fun to read, low angst and dare I say fluffy? But they felt fairly realistic, and I feel in love with Ethan and Parker as they did each other. Overall, a fantastic read! Well written with pacing that flowed, sucked me right in!
Profile Image for Melissa Polk.
Author 11 books70 followers
January 22, 2024
Uhm. So Ethan is.. my favorite character now? Wow. I had a feeling I knew about 95% of the "twists" in this book and I was right (which doesn't bother me at all--not even a little). And you know what? When a couple of them happened.. I still got teary-eyed. Yep. That's the mark of great writing and storytelling. So much love for this series. Now to find a way to curb my impatience until the next book comes out!

re-read: lovelovelovelovelove! also I was right, 24 Dares should definitely come *after* this book.
Profile Image for diana.
261 reviews
March 9, 2024
onto the next book or how i like to call it, will seth be taking over some of the marketing too, so tyler can focus on romance, like he did with austin's and ethan's responsibilities.
by the end of this series, my man is gonna run the entire brewery while everybody else is busy kissing.

also, i would die for hector. ✨hector supremacy✨ all the day
Profile Image for Sarah C.
367 reviews2 followers
October 13, 2022
Nothing prepared me for how much I was going to love this book. I should've known - based solely on the fake dating trope - but nothing prepared me. First, I loved the reason behind the fake dating - that Parker's work has some out dated thing where they almost never promote anyone to partner that isn't in a serious relationship or that doesn't have a family. After all, they are a FAMILY company. It provides something a bit more interesting to it, as well as some stakes that they don't get caught.

And then, Blair adds a few other layers to this story. Ethan and Parker both have a bad dating history. Parker tends to find himself too busy for his partners. Ethan tends to find himself in falling too hard and too fast for people that don't reciprocate. In fact, he's sworn off dating - right as he meets Parker on the dance floor on New Years Eve. They share a near kiss but then are interrupted, only to meet again shortly after at the Brewery.

The two men make a deal. Ethan will be Parker's fake boyfriend if Parker helps Ethan with his aunt's property in another state - offering legal advice to deal with the developers who are trying to buy it from under her. The deal expands quickly - into Ethan helping Parker explore kink as well because Parker's very curious. This leads to some incredibly spicy scenes between them.

One thing I loved about this book - and about both of the Tap That Brewery books so far - is that while the books are low angst, they still have stakes. They both have a lot of external pressures. I also love that they both have some semblance of a life outside of one another. It makes the relationship feel real, them trying to find time to be together, wanting to spend more time together, etc but having to balance it with the responsibilities that come with Parker's law career and Ethan's business. I also, personally, love how amazing they are at communicating most things. Because I love good communication in my book couples.

All in all, they were an incredibly sweet couple. This book had just the right balance between fluff and external pressure while staying very low angst. The spice levels were amazing. This book just hit the right spots, and hit them harder than I ever thought it would.
Profile Image for Jen + Maxie (smut.readers.society).
176 reviews13 followers
October 12, 2022
Lee Blair has done it again. Our love for the Tap That men continues to grow. Ethan and Parker’s journey together was sweet, a lil’ kinky and a lot hot!

Ethan’s New Year’s resolution is a self-imposed dating hiatus. He was always thinking his next relationship was “the one” and tried to mold himself to be who he thought his partner desired. Tired of trying to be someone he wasn’t, he decided that taking a break to focus on himself was what he needed.

Parker’s goal to be named the youngest partner at Sullivan Brothers law firm was within reach. The only problem was his firm, which placed a heavy emphasis on “family”. Every lawyer that was a partner had a significant other. Parker had been so focused on his career that he never had time for dating. But if he couldn’t show the firm that he was in a committed relationship, he could kiss making partner goodbye.

When Parker first spotted Ethan across the bar on New Year’s Eve, he was instantly enamored. After his assistant secretly had the bartender send Ethan a drink, telling him it’s from Parker, the two start talking. They hit it off and have one sizzling kiss at midnight.

The guys keep running into each other in the weeks that follow. Parker mentions the dilemma regarding his firm and not being in a relationship while Ethan tells him about his great-aunt Rosie and her battle with some developers back in Kansas. So Ethan suggests a deal. Parker can help him with Rosie in exchange for Ethan pretending to be his boyfriend at the upcoming work events. When Parker reveals his interest in exploring kink, Ethan decides to introduce him to Kink 101.

However, their “fake” relationship and sex-only deal starts crumbling when it becomes anything but fake. But Parker can’t devote the time he should to someone else and Ethan made that resolution to himself.

While Eternal Hoptimist can be read as a standalone, it’s much better to read the series in order and meet all the hilarious, lovable Tap That guys. And while you’re at it, go ahead and read everything else by Lee!!
Profile Image for Meredith (SweetReadsandTreats).
1,209 reviews26 followers
October 15, 2022
I love when a series gets even better with each new addition. Eternal Hoptimist, book 2 in the Tap That Brewery series, follows Ethan, the sunshine of the group. Ethan is a very interesting character. He is perfect for hospitality, loves taking care of those he is involved with, and also is lightly into kink. He is referred to as a service top. This book touches on the lighter side of kink in a way that many people would feel comfortable exploring in their own lives. I loved exploring this lighter side of kink and the dynamic it brought to Ethan and Parker’s relationship.

After another bad breakup, Ethan makes a New Year’s resolution to stop dating. However, after a kiss that leaves him with more than just warm fuzzies, his resolve is put to the test. Things get even more heated when his kiss partner turns out to be a property lawyer who can help Ethan save his great-aunt’s house. Parker is on the cusp of becoming a partner at his law firm, but the firm’s “family values” culture makes his single status a problem. After learning about this, Ethan proposes a trade: he will pretend to be Parker’s boyfriend for legal help for his aunt. No strings attached. However, what starts as a simple plan quickly heats when they realize how perfect they are for each other.

I loved the dynamic in and out of the bedroom between Parker and Ethan. I also loved how the rest of the guys are just as present in this story too, plus some new faces. I will also add that Eternal Hoptimist is a bit steamier than Pitcher Perfect too. The writing was just as strong as the first book with a lot of great dialogue, humorous moments, light angst, and a lot of sweet feels. The guys are in their mid-thirties and act like it too which for me is a bonus. Lee hinted at some really tantalizing plot threads for future books and I can’t wait to get my hands on Dom’s story (one of Ethan’s roommates), but also Hunter, Parker’s assistant.
504 reviews10 followers
October 11, 2022
When “Eternal Hoptimist” came out, I HAD to read it since reading “Pitcher Perfect” and absolutely LOVED it! It’s the second book in the “Tap That Brewery” series by Lee Blair who is an awesome author! If you haven’t read “Pitcher Perfect”, you must! Yes I’m shamelessly letting readers know about these 2 books! I absolutely love series that centers around a particular brewery in a small town and the characters in them. One quirky thing about these books are the “texts” between the characters which makes it so endearing because we get to glimpse into the characters who texts. Also, who wouldn’t love this minor character, Hector who makes this story very likable!!!!! Like other reviews, I’d proclaim that this series should be made into a gay Hallmarkesque TV movie series/Movie series! The characters are awesome and the stories are just so enjoyable!!!! More than 5 stars!!!!

The story focuses on Parker, who’s on track to become one of the big partners of a law firm but the only thing that seems to hurt his chance is he is single! During New Year Eve, he was at a bar with Hector, his assistant and other co-workers when he spied a guy with a very nice smile. However, he didn’t want to hit on the guy, even after Hector’s prodding. Finally Hector went to the bartender and whispered in his ear. The bartender brought a drink to that guy. That guy came over to talk with Parker and he found out that the guy’s name was Ethan. He is one of the 4 co-owners of the “Tap That Brewery”. This led to something between them. In order for Parker to try to nab the big partner position, Ethan proposed that they be “fake boyfriends”. But did that end in that “fake boyfriends” ideology? That’s for you to pick up the book and find out what happens!!! A wonderful page-turner book for me!
Profile Image for Drew H.
437 reviews14 followers
February 12, 2024
BABIES. Put Service Tops In More Romance Books 2024!

Highkey the premise of this was goofy as hell. (Or maybe I just want it to be.... please tell me Corporate America doesn't actually still have these old boys clubs where you're unpromotable if you're not married....... this truly is why I became a librarian, the corporate agenda will never ever be for me.) It made me downright uncomfy at times, but oh well, it was meant to. The whole point of making it that stupid would be so I'd spend the book rooting for Parker to leave his job lol and mission accomplished. I loved every single millisecond of his baby's first kink storyline, it was done pretty well for the time in which they had to tell it. I really liked that it didn't need to be a full dom-sub relationship to satisfy what Parker needed to get out of it.

I also love Ethan's service top dynamic, and the way it fed into his chronic people pleasing and losing himself in the personalities of the people he tries to date. It was very Percy Jackson fatal flaw teas of him, how his greatest strength of making sure his partner is taken care of and centering their pleasure can also have a huge negative impact on him. My one wish was that we'd gotten to see a little more of that people pleasing, it would've been hilarious if Ethan's book was actually books 3 or 4, and in the background of the earlier books, we could've seen him adopting interests and traits of people he tried to date. I know that kind of flies in the face of these books where showing the future MCs dating other people is lowkey taboo, but it would've been great to see.

This one is still slightly edged out for me in favor of Tyler's book coming up next, but honestly I kind of love that, each book is getting progressively better!
Profile Image for Xanthe.
2,528 reviews46 followers
October 11, 2022
This series has provided such easy, fairly low angst reads so far. Here we have the second of the Tap That Brewery owners and best friends, Ethan, eternal relationship guy, make a new years resolution to stay away from guys for a while .... and then meet a guy fairly close to perfect for him. Parker isn't looking to date anyone, more focused on making partner at his law firm but he's instantly drawn to Ethan's smile and sunshine personality. It's only meant to be friends, and then it's only meant to be an agreement to help each other out but their chemistry sparks from the first moment they meet and it just evolves and deepens as we go through the story. Trust is also pretty quick to build between them, helping Ethan as he shows Parker into a while new work that he's been wanting to explore for so long, with several scenes that are hot and ever so slightly kinky. With it being fairly low angst in the relationship, it's easy to enjoy what goes on between them, knowing that their HEA is coming and one that they both deserve, especially Ethan after how he's been underappreciated in his previous relationships.
We get more time with the Tap That crew, always a lot of fun to be around with the constant teasing and bickering. Their text chat group is very entertaining. There's also Parker's family, Ethan's great aunt Rose and Parker's assistant, Hector that bring a lot of personality to the story. All very important people to our MC's. The main drama comes from Parker's workplace with his possible promotion and Rose's fight for her home and both bring to light what's important in people's lives.
An entertaining and heated romance that's easy to enjoy. I'm looking forward to who is coming next in the series, either Ty or Dom.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
Profile Image for Jae.
881 reviews1 follower
November 28, 2023
Ethan has a habit of diving into relationships head first and contorting himself in an effort to please the person he's with. After getting dumped and having his heart broken too many times, Ethan's New Year's resolution is not to date for a year. He wants to focus on the business he owns with his friends, put himself first for once, and try to help his great-aunt Rosie hang onto the land that a developer is keen to scoop up. When he meets a hot attorney on NYE, Ethan finds his resolve being tested.

Parker is close to making partner at his law firm, but the company is hyper-focused on family. Parker knows his chances will be better if he's in a relationship. Too bad the handsome guy he met at a NYE party has sworn off dating. However, when Ethan learns that Parker needs a boyfriend, he offers a deal: he'll play the part so long as Parker lends his legal expertise to help Rosie. It's a perfect solution on the surface, until both of them start falling for the other. Will one of them be brave enough to step up and admit that this is more than an arrangement?

Lovely story. I liked how once Ethan stopped trying so hard to be who he wasn't, he finally found someone who wanted him just the way he was. They were so good for one another, even though their busy careers and the distance between them presented serious obstacles. High steam in this one, as it delved into kink. That's not necessarily my cup o' tea, but it wasn't over the top, and I appreciated the responsible way the main characters went about it. I enjoyed reconnecting with familiar characters and meeting new ones. Parker's legal assistant, Hector, was especially spicy!

Delightful book, four stars.
1,036 reviews14 followers
October 13, 2023
I was looking forward to Ethan's character, his love for love caught my eye in the first book, so I was excited to seeing who he would fall for. This book was definitely different than what I expected, I honestly thought this one was going to be more full of fluff, just given how Ethan's character was portrayed in the first book. It wasn't full of fluff, it was different and unexpected, which I can appreciate.

Ethan is tired of falling too hard and too fast for people, only to get his heart broken. So, he swore off of relationships for a year. Too bad the year he decided to take a hiatus from relationship is the year he meets a man that would be worth risking his heart.

I enjoyed the buildup of Ethan and Parker's relationship, it was a slow burn with a dash of friends with benefits mixed in. A situationship if you will. The pacing of the story was nice, I liked that both Ethan and Parker's character grew and developed throughout the story.

I really adored getting more banter between the tight knit group of friends, I can't help but smile when I read their bantering. I was surprised by how steamy this book was, I wasn't expecting it after the first book being not so full of steam, but it worked for these characters.

I loved seeing more characters get introduced, and how the friend dynamic just keeps growing! It made me get all sorts of feels.

I'm on to book 3!! I can't wait to see who's story is next! Will it be Dom, Ty, Seth, or Hector? I guess I'll find out soon!
Profile Image for Heather Duff.
1,839 reviews37 followers
October 7, 2022
Eternal Hoptimist, second in the Tap That series, is a really hopeful, low-angst story, with some beautiful self-discovery and some light kink!

I’m really vibing with Lee Blair’s style. Sometimes low-angst stories can feel a little too fluffy, but she still captures a gamut of emotions and internal dilemmas to keep it feeling grounded and emotionally satisfying. What I especially love though, is the fun nature of this series. Both between the MCs, but especially amongst the brewery-owning BFFs. Though fiercely loyal, these friends love to poke fun and tease.

Sweet Ethan is a hopeless romantic and people pleaser, always falling hard and fast. On New Year’s eve, when he’s made a resolution to take a breather from dating, he meets a gorgeous guy. When by chance they meet again they strike a deal. Parker’s legal services for Ethan’s boyfriend skills to help Parker win a Partnership at his firm. Parker is determined to become the youngest partner in a very ‘family-values’ firm.

What these don’t count on is how perfect they really are together. The amazing support and acceptance they show each other is beautiful, and even better when they learn their bedroom fantasies are also shared. These fake boyfriends may be fooling themselves, but as their agreement gets reworked and clauses add, it’s going to be harder and harder to believe it isn’t real.

Here’s hoping Lee writes quickly because I hate waiting and I really want the next book.

4.5 stars
Profile Image for Sophie Reads Stories.
287 reviews
October 30, 2023
I loved the first book in this series, Pitcher Perfect - it had small town, found family, meet cute, low angst and slow burn story with a HEA.

Eternal Hoptimist builds on that vibe but instead of a slow burn we are blessed with kinky scenes and a bit more bdsm scenes. Plus, fake dating! I love a good fake dating turning into a HEA for the couple.

Ethan is someone who loves to fall in love, but each time he does, he ends up changing so much of himself that he loses himself in the relationship, only for it to end - leaving him heartbroken. So, he makes a New Year's resolution that is done with dating. New year, new him.

Parker knows the meaning of hard work and working toward his career goals - youngest partner at his law firm. But he won't get it if he doesn't have a boy- or girlfriend as his firm sees single people as undependable. Which is a joke, as almost all the partners get divorced quite soon after making partner - the unhealthy work expectations making a happy homelife impossible.

So, what is a newly single guy and a guy needing a boyfriend to do? Why pretend to be dating! Ethan is happy because he genuinely likes Parker and Parker's legal knowledge can help a family member, while Parker is happy because he also genuinely likes Ethan and he can help him become a partner.

What could possible go wrong? Or right! Of course, both men start catching feelings and when Parker confesses that he has, certain desires he wants to explore, and Ethan realises that he can help in said exploration? Well then the two REALLY catches feelings.

I really enjoyed the book and seeing how Parker and Ethan realise over time that they are actually perfect for each other!

I had to download the next book immediately after finishing Eternal Hoptimist because this series is just so good!
3,019 reviews19 followers
October 12, 2022
Although Ethan is on a dating hiatus because his track record has not been good - he falls too easily and things end abruptly - when he spots Parker on New Year's Eve he is interested. Parker is so busy trying to make junior partner at his law firm that he does not have time to date, or have a boyfriend, or fall in love. And yet, when he spots Ethan across the bar on New Year's Eve he is intrigued. Then they keep running into one another and the more they do, the more they see that they have chemistry and there is real interest on both of their parts. When Ethan, in need of legal advice to help his favorite aunt suggests to Parker, who is in need of a romantic partner to be taken seriously by the equity partners to be considered for partner,  that they barter - Ethan will be Parker's plus one for some help with his aunt's situation they enter into an easy liaison. Their timing is right. They are the answers that each needs. The pace of his fall in love with Parker finally has Ethan not falling in love too soon and being with Ethan helps Parker to understand that his focus needs to be on what's really important. And that is not making junior partner at the law firm. This story was so pleasant with two main characters that I liked and lots of supporting characters that it would be fun to get to know.
I received an ARC from GRR and am voluntarily leaving a review. 
50 reviews
September 15, 2024
This book is more of a 3.75/4ish stars. I rounded up because I really did enjoy reading the book overall, but I felt like to much was left off the page for this story to really grasp the level of trust and dynamics built in Ethan and Parker’s relationship. I was a little hesitant reading the book since I am not a big fan of “fake relationship” with the possibility of becoming more trope, but it was executed wonderfully in this story. What I struggled with was that kink 101 was what lead to more occurring in the relationship and it was barely touched on rather then a few passing moments. I feel like the author could have offered even snippets of those moments without making the book to spice heavy to show how the trust and relationship grew. Being in a relationship with any kink requires so much trust, understanding, and respect and though we heard about consent and enjoying what they tried afterwards I would have liked to see the emotional bond that had been built through their exploration more in depth. Especially since the growth from Parker’s happiness in his relationship, exploration, and sense of understanding himself led to such drastic changes in his life. The book was a great second for this series and I did enjoy meeting Parker and Ethan and seeing their HEA.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Sophie ARGINTARU.
926 reviews12 followers
June 11, 2023
Je suis fan de cette série... notamment grâce à nos quatre héros qui partagent leur vie professionnellement et amicalement. C'est une véritable fraterie ! Ils se sont séparés après leurs études pour mieux se retrouver autour de ce projet. Les petits amis doivent parvenir à s'intégrer dans cette dynamique, et le talent de Lee Blair, c'est de savoir équilibrer la relation amoureuse tout en nuançant les fluctuations relationnelles entre amis... en intégrant les parents plus ou moins défaillants ou compréhensifs. Ajoutons que les deux héros de cette histoire sont différents des deux précédents, ce qui évite le danger de tomber dans une intrigue trop répétitive.

Même si c'est un peu trop "american dream" et bourré de bons sentiments, je suis tombée vraiment sous le charme de ces personnages attachants, ces petites scènes pleines d'émotion, les failles et faiblesses, les élans de générosité. En plus, comme pour le précédent roman, les relations professionnelles sont parfaitement intégrées et apportent un plus à l'intrigue. Les points de départ des prochaines histoires sont distillés et je n'ai qu'une seule attente, la sortie des tomes suivants !
1,897 reviews7 followers
October 11, 2022
Another great Tap That story

I loved the four friends in Pitcher Perfect and was so glad they're back. This time, Ethan is in the spotlight but the other three are not far behind, with their usual snark and banter making me laugh again.
I like fake relationship stories and this one definitely did not disappoint. Ethan wanted to be loved but needed time out to take stock and figure out where he was going wrong with his choices. Parker was a workaholic who literally didn't have time for relationships. The chemistry between them from the moment they met was obvious and as fake boyfriends, they were so compatible but their arrangement was purely material, until it wasn't. I loved how each man turned out to be exactly what the other needed and wanted, once they got out of their own way, and the way their relationship developed slowly and organically was perfect.
The group texts continue to delight, and seeing Austin and Caleb happy was an added bonus. Lee continued to tease us with Dom's history and added a mystery man for Tyler, maybe. Can't wait.
Profile Image for Allyn.
533 reviews
October 10, 2022
Eternal Hoptimist is sweet, sexy, and an awesome continuation of the Tap That series. After a string of bad relationships, Ethan has made a New Year’s resolution to stop dating for awhile. He meets Parker, a real estate lawyer looking to become the youngest partner at his firm. Parker’s major obstacle is that his firm prefers their leadership to have families, and he doesn’t have time to date. The two enter into an agreement where Parker helps Ethan with legal advice in exchange for Ethan to pretend to be his boyfriend at work functions. The two have undeniable chemistry together, so they decide to use their arrangement to have no-strings sexy times. This leads to some serious feelings for both men. I love how Ethan helps Parker reassess his priorities and explore hidden parts of himself. Instead of twisting his personality to fit into an ideal of someone’s perfect partner, Ethan can finally be real with Parker. I love all of the men at Tap That brewery and can’t wait for the next book in the series.
4,855 reviews18 followers
October 13, 2022
Gripping steering wheel hoping to guide these guys. Parker, is up for being named youngest partner of the firm. The only roadblock is the partners prefer comitted partners. Parker, needs to find a personal partner. Unfortunately, Parker is a workaholic who has no time to date much less find his person. Ethan, part owner of Tap has relationship problems. He keeps picking the wrong person and keeps getting dumped. These two, have locked eyes across the pub and around a few times. When they meet, they find they each have unique problems and their skill sets can provide solutions. Will Parker help Ethan with his Aunt's property? Can Ethan help Parker with a faux temporary partner? Will their mutual attraction complicate or help? Both men are really nice and provide entertainment in trying to reach their goals while getting acquainted. Excellent support group on both sides. Nice theme, well done! Hot cover art! I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Toddles.
872 reviews6 followers
August 22, 2024
I love this series!!!! It's a great mix of character and plot! This second addition to the series had more meat than the first. And wayyy more spice.

Ethan, a serial dater, swears off relationships on the wrong damn day. Out with the boys on NYE, he meets Parker, a real-estate lawyer.

Instant chemistry and life hangups from both men bring challenges, including being afraid to properly communicate their feelings (I hate this trope so much).

The friendship group is the same as book 1 but even funnier! The group texts are hilarious. I said in my review for book 1 that Dom is my favorite bc he is so mysterious, but we learned a bit more about him that had me more intrigued than before! Nice update on Austin and Caleb. This book straddles their epilogue, so we have some good content about them. Ty.... is Ty! Lol!

The Spice was 4/5🌶. Kink play was brought into the scene but wasn't overly done or too much. It was just about perfect for this series.
658 reviews6 followers
October 10, 2022
This is the 2nd book in the Tap That Brewery series and I liked it just as well as the first. Low angst, fake boyfriends that have immediate chemistry, introduction to kink for one MC and lots of appearances from the boys in the previous book. Ethan makes a deal with himself to not date for awhile after a series of disastrous breakups. That all changes when the man he meets on NYE, Parker, needs a fake boyfriend to impress his law firm. The more time they spend together the closer they become. However, both have been hurt by past relationships and are wary of opening their hearts. They settle on a kinky friends with benefits role in addition to the fake boyfriends. But, with a little help (or more like gently pushing…looking at you Hector) from their friends and family they find their way to a HEA. Looking forward to reading Ty’s book next!
Profile Image for Kashonna Shaw.
493 reviews4 followers
October 12, 2022
Oh this one hurt my heart. Both Parker & Ethan are trying so hard for different things that they don't truly see when a good thing comes along.
Ethan wants a loving partner so bad that he changes himself everytime he is with someone. He wants the relationship to work out, so he pretends to like all the things his partner does. He never is truly himself and they sense it and leave him. As a result, he has decided to take a break from relationships at the wrong time.
Parker is such a workaholic. He is killing himself to make partner at a law firm he doesn't really like. He kps putting everything on the backburner and not trying to find what he likes or wants.
When these two team up to help each other out I was happy. They are two lost souls that are looking for their mate.
Definitely recommend. But should be read after vol 1 to get a good picture of all characters.
Profile Image for Joanne Mccorkell.
1,642 reviews14 followers
October 3, 2022
I loved how the pretend relationship allowed both Parker and Ethan to show their true selves. Meaning when they fell for eachother, it was the real them. Ethan didnt pick up fad hobbies, he didnt have to defend his friendship or explain his long hours.
Parker was similar, as he got to know Ethan, he wasnt twisting himself in knots to spend time with Ethan, seperate to his family as Ethan helped him rebuikd that relationship. Also, as Hector was his right hand, he didnt have to explain that relationship either.

They helped eachother decompress and when they FINALLY decided to be honest and give it a proper go. They took it day by day, with stressing about the future or creating future problems.

I loved seeing the guys of tap that, canr wait for the next books in the series
1,969 reviews10 followers
October 10, 2022
I loved this book!

This book is amazing! The second in the Tap That Brewery series and it’s Ethan’s turn! He will meet Parker on New Year’s Eve and it will change both their lives. I love the way their relationship changes and develops as the story evolves. Ethan’s lovable but crazy friends/business partners are back and in rare form! Add in his sassy Great Aunt Rosie and you have a wonderful and heartwarming story. As in any great love story, the two will have their hurdles and ups and downs but in the end, they both realize what a wonderful gift they have in each other and it will lead them to their happily ever after together.

I read an ARC copy of this book and am volunteering my honest review.
Profile Image for Juniper.
3,391 reviews24 followers
October 11, 2022
Ethan and Parker’s story is an enjoyable take on the “fake relationship with real chemistry” trope, and it’s low in angst while still being emotionally nuanced, with a cadre of compelling supporting characters (it’s not technically necessary to have read the first book in the series, also built around the chosen family of friends who run a brewery together, but if you enjoy this book, odds are you’ll like that one too, and these are definitely characters worth spending time with). I liked Ethan and Parker together— there’s a level of trust and compatibility there that allows both of them to fit well together and open up to each other. Their romance made for a fun read, and I look forward to the next story in this series.

*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
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