BarbsBooks

3 Stars

I actually really liked most of this book despite the rating. The best friend to lover story in this book was wonderful. It was a long wait but so worth it. I fell in love with both of the MCs and found myself truly invested in them as not only a couple but also as individuals. Not that they would have been happy without each other because Brett and Cory’s lives were better from the moment they met.

Brett’s POV definitely gave the story a distinct voice. He’s been physically and verbally abused most of his life. He dropped out of school to get a job to escape the abuse but that didn’t help his low self-esteem. He’s thrilled to get a job as a busboy for a local bar. The same day he meets Cory. Cory is a scrawny freshman in high school when they meet. Cory’s dad works at the bar Brett was just hired to work at and it doesn’t take him long to realize he’s not a great dad to that sweet boy living above the bar. He pretty much immediately decides his purpose in life is to take care of Cory.

Cory is the smart and sweet child of an alcoholic who barely considers Cory as a human being. He doesn’t keep food around or come home at night or support him in anyway besides letting him live in his apartment. Cory is just grateful to be with his dad that he overlooks his shortcomings as a father.

Everything changes the day he meets Brett. The two become best friends and yet they don’t ever speak about it. It just is. Suddenly Cory has someone there for him. Someone to give him rides, fill up his pantry with food or just watch a movie with on a Thursday night. The two basically become inseparable. Brett has a someone who is happy to see him, which sadly is enough for him. Both boy and man fall in love after a couple of years as best friends but Cory doesn’t know if Brett is even gay and Brett thinks Cory deserves someone much better than him so they both keep their feelings secret. Quite a bit of angst follows and it’s carried on for a good amount of the story. It actually works because it would have squicked me out if he’d made the moves on sweet young Cory. I think the progression of their relationship was realistic and the abuse and neglect tugs at your heart so you can’t help but be drawn in.

The rest of Whit's review can be found at
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