Ahreluth
Hooked
I really enjoyed this. It's a relatively short read, but it packs a lot of warmth, chemistry, and emotion into a novella.
Cal and Archie worked for me almost immediately. Archie is awkward in a way that feels genuine rather than exaggerated, while Cal is confident and successful without ever tipping over into arrogance. Their chemistry is obvious from the start, but what I enjoyed most was watching Cal slowly try to figure Archie out as the story unfolded.
There aren't huge twists or dramatic plot turns, but there was enough tension to keep me invested. I also really liked the supporting cast, who felt like actual people rather than set decoration and added something meaningful to the story.
What stuck with me most were the quieter moments. There's a scene where Archie is lying awake listening to a ticking radiator, and for some reason that tiny detail perfectly captured the feeling of wanting something and not being able to stop thinking about it, as well as embody London, and the building and world that Archie lives in.
More than anything, though, this was exactly the kind of story I needed right now. It's warm, romantic, hopeful, and left me feeling like maybe anything's possible. I even felt a little better about the world than I did when I started! If you're looking for an M/M romance you can finish in an afternoon and walk away from with a smile, I'd definitely recommend it.
I really enjoyed this. It's a relatively short read, but it packs a lot of warmth, chemistry, and emotion into a novella.
Cal and Archie worked for me almost immediately. Archie is awkward in a way that feels genuine rather than exaggerated, while Cal is confident and successful without ever tipping over into arrogance. Their chemistry is obvious from the start, but what I enjoyed most was watching Cal slowly try to figure Archie out as the story unfolded.
There aren't huge twists or dramatic plot turns, but there was enough tension to keep me invested. I also really liked the supporting cast, who felt like actual people rather than set decoration and added something meaningful to the story.
What stuck with me most were the quieter moments. There's a scene where Archie is lying awake listening to a ticking radiator, and for some reason that tiny detail perfectly captured the feeling of wanting something and not being able to stop thinking about it, as well as embody London, and the building and world that Archie lives in.
More than anything, though, this was exactly the kind of story I needed right now. It's warm, romantic, hopeful, and left me feeling like maybe anything's possible. I even felt a little better about the world than I did when I started! If you're looking for an M/M romance you can finish in an afternoon and walk away from with a smile, I'd definitely recommend it.
I really enjoyed this! It's a moody MM noir romance built around secrets, corruption, and the messy history bubbling under the surface of Carino Bay.
The chemistry between the two leads was excellent, they feel like actual adults with baggage, history, and flaws. Felix is running from a life he doesn't want and Jay is trying to hold onto what's important to him, they crash into each other in Carino Bay and sparks fly.
Carino Bay itself was interesting as well, the wider cast really helped make the town feel like a queer community, which I liked seeing. There was good tension between the queer community and the wealthy people trying to reshape the town, it felt like Carino Bay was more than a backdrop and I would love to see more stories about the people we got to know during the book.
The way all the secrets unraveled had a couple of twists that genuinely made me gasp, especially because in hindsight the clues were there. I love when a reveal makes you look back and go, ohhh, I missed that, but it was right there. It wasn't all past trauma and big secrets though, there were some super cute scenes between the MCs, especially one involving mini-golf (and a fibreglass parrot!) that showed how well they clicked.
The romance here is more character driven and emotional than spicy (scenes fade to black), I really liked the intimacy between the characters. If anything, I would have liked more time with Felix, Jay, and Carino Bay, mostly because I enjoyed the world and wanted to see more of it.
I'd recommend this if you like secrets, suspense, and emotional baggage with your romance, and if you enjoy real adult characters who are messy, but with enough chemistry to make the mess worth it.
I received a free copy of this book as an advanced reader copy and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I really enjoyed this! It's a moody MM noir romance built around secrets, corruption, and the messy history bubbling under the surface of Carino Bay.
The chemistry between the two leads was excellent, they feel like actual adults with baggage, history, and flaws. Felix is running from a life he doesn't want and Jay is trying to hold onto what's important to him, they crash into each other in Carino Bay and sparks fly.
Carino Bay itself was interesting as well, the wider cast really helped make the town feel like a queer community, which I liked seeing. There was good tension between the queer community and the wealthy people trying to reshape the town, it felt like Carino Bay was more than a backdrop and I would love to see more stories about the people we got to know during the book.
The way all the secrets unraveled had a couple of twists that genuinely made me gasp, especially because in hindsight the clues were there. I love when a reveal makes you look back and go, ohhh, I missed that, but it was right there. It wasn't all past trauma and big secrets though, there were some super cute scenes between the MCs, especially one involving mini-golf (and a fibreglass parrot!) that showed how well they clicked.
The romance here is more character driven and emotional than spicy (scenes fade to black), I really liked the intimacy between the characters. If anything, I would have liked more time with Felix, Jay, and Carino Bay, mostly because I enjoyed the world and wanted to see more of it.
I'd recommend this if you like secrets, suspense, and emotional baggage with your romance, and if you enjoy real adult characters who are messy, but with enough chemistry to make the mess worth it.
I received a free copy of this book as an advanced reader copy and am voluntarily leaving a review.
