Take a photo of a barcode or cover
2/5 spice
Tropes:
Best Friends to lovers
Marriage of Convenience
Close proximity
Gay awakening
LGBTQIA rep
Latinx MCs and culture
Trauma/healing
Dual POV
Just... all the feels.
My rollercoaster of emotions was chaotic. I honestly went from anger to giddiness to "holy moly that was hot" to sweetness and then back to anger. I was ready to jump in the book and fight. But honestly this was such a great balance of real life and happy romance. I couldn't put it down and I really enjoyed getting to know these characters. Han and Kenny were just the best of friends and easily the sweetest couple. I was crying at their happy ending. Just... all the feels.
Overall, I highly recommend this book for all fans of LGBTQIA romance, MM romance, diverse characters, romances with heavy topics, and drag shows. Please read the trigger and content warnings before starting this book.
Thank you to Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and offered voluntarily.
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Biphobia, Homophobia
Minor: Addiction, Abortion, Death of parent, Abandonment, Deportation
These boys loved each other SO much before they ever realized they were in love. And I adore a friends to lovers story when the author can really sell their backstory/friendship and Sonora Reyes does a great job with that here.
This has some really great things:
- Marriage of convenience for citizenship, featuring childhood best friends. (Of course I'll marry you. I'd do anything for you, bro.)
- How is anyone going to find this plan of ours believable if we don't practice kissing first?
- Joke's on you guys, everyone else already knew you were in love.
- Queer awakening
- Autism and executive dysfunction rep
I do think the final 25% of this book struggled a little in terms of story progression. There are a lot of external factors at play in Han and Kenny's story and it was a lot to try and wrap up without feeling like we were rushing through it all.
But oh, that final chapter and epilogue just warmed my heart so thoroughly 🥹💕
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Deportation
Minor: Addiction, Biphobia, Child abuse, Cursing, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol
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Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Deportation
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Grief, Alcohol
Minor: Abortion
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Biphobia, Blood
Minor: Abortion
Graphic: Addiction, Biphobia, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Deportation
*Not meant to downplay the emotional stress and distress of the situations discussed in the book, which were represented very well.
Moderate: Biphobia, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, Alcohol
Minor: Ableism, Addiction, Child abuse, Cursing, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Abortion, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail
Oh. My. Gosh. I just gobbled this up in less than 24 hours. I decided to read the ARC (thanks Forever!) and listen to the audiobook (thanks Sonora!) at the same time, which was a first for me, but did not disappoint. I genuinely couldn't put it down. Before I get more into it (no spoilers), I would just like to say there are serious topics talked about in this book. I advice looking at the trigger warnings AND the Author's Note mentioned in the beginning of book before reading it. I could relate to different aspects of both Han and Kenny, from the people pleasing to the fear of commitment. But these boys stole my heart with their words and actions. This book isn't just packed with romance either. I was cackling up a storm at some points, while tears streamed down my face at others. The side characters were all so diverse and gave an extra layer to the already well-written story. Sonora does a great job highlighting everyone's diversity, while still making it all come together in a neatly wrapped story, full of what the world needs a lot of right now: hope. Hope for a better and more diverse, accepting future. That's what this book gave me.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cursing, Homophobia, Death of parent, Pregnancy
Minor: Addiction, Racism, Grief, Abortion
There was a trigger warning for physical and emotional abuse, but I feel like it needed to be more specific. It’s also probably my fault too, because I just assumed it was either parental abuse or past abuse since it wasn’t a very clear warning. I think it would’ve been better to have a more specific trigger warning for that situation. I’m not even someone who really needs trigger warnings. However, I believe others would benefit from a more precise warning.
I loved everyone else in this book, though. I loved the side characters, Leti and Tatiana!! They were amazing and so fun. I really enjoyed their connections to our main characters. I enjoyed our main characters as well, even if I feel like Kenny needs some serious help to undo all the damage Jackie did to him. Han was amazing. His family was amazing. I really loved them all.
The plot was good, I enjoyed Han’s journey to realizing he was gay. I loved his friendship and relationship with Kenny. This book is full of so much love and care for these characters and the world they’re navigating. It’s truly a story of hope and finding joy, even when it feels hopeless. I truly loved watching these characters in this book, living and loving every chance they could.
I really enjoyed their growth together and separately. They both deserve so many good things, and I adore them. I can’t wait to read Sonora’s next book!
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Alcohol
Moderate: Addiction, Cursing, Homophobia, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Deportation