Torn by Rick R. Reed
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The thought of having to pick between two vastly different, both perfect loves gives me anxiety. Fortunately, by the time I reached the end of this story, I was happy with the 'choice' as well as the ending.

The first section of this book follows Ricky as he plods across Brighton with his best friend, partying and sleeping with every bloke he makes eye contact with. It's set in 1995 where you were more concerned with getting off, not as much with what you'd end up catching. And there was some of that as well.

So our Ricky keeps running into Walt, who's hot and fun and studious. They get on well and decide that they want to see where it goes. After trading addresses and phone numbers, Walt walks away and Ricky lets him go...sadly.

Back at home in Chicago, Ricky meets Tom. He's everything that Walt isn't, but they just seem to fit. After spending weeks together, Walt calls and pops the bubble around him and Tom.

As much as I would love to go on there is no way I'm spoiling this read for you. You have to read it yourself to find the treasure at the end, but it was well worth the read. Rick R. Reed knows how to spin a story and give just enough information to hook you in. The specifics of each relationship unraveled at their own pace, giving way to understanding by the reader as you go.

I felt this was well done and a charming tale of a few months of Ricky's life in which he hoped to find Mr. Right and ended up with some options for the position as well as a few tough decisions.

Effortlessly fun and charming, I really enjoyed this story.

*Galley copy generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. Cross posted to http://gaybook.reviews/ *

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The Perils of Intimacy by Rick R. Reed
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The emotions in this story were so real and raw and powerful. Two broken souls both fighting to be better, hurting others in the process. How much forgiveness can be expected when you've caused so much hurt? This story is about second chances and mending what's broken to be deserving of them.

Jimmy is a recovering addict. It's been two years and he's got it together. But when Marc walks into his cafe and asks for a cinnamon roll, Jimmy has to figure out if he's worthy a second chance.

Marc has a sense of deja vu when it comes to Jimmy but can't place why. Could he be one of his many hookups? The feeling of rightness he gets from Jimmy overpowers his judgement and after 48 hours, he's left back in a place where he felt he'd been at his worst.

I loved Miriam, Jimmy's sponsor. I loved Kevin, Jimmy's roommate. In fact, each and every side character had something remarkable to add to their story, something that shifted the axis of their worlds. This was very well written and thought through with extraordinary depth.

Honestly, this book just gutted me, but the emotional whirlwind was well worth the ending. This is THE book about redemption and forgiveness. It was full of hope and heartbreak and pain, but brought so much light and happiness. Oh, and personally, a nod to the Golden Girls will make me smile every time. As well as this beautiful cover.

Recommended to everyone. Amazing work of art.



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