When Roan Parrish announced that Rend was going to about Matt & Rhys, I wasn't sure what to think because it was my first time reading about a couple already together. Needless to say that next time I won't doubt the ability of an author to write a great story. I felt for Matt the first half of the book, he was always wondering when Rhys would abandon him just like everyone else did. I loved Rhys, the way he never gave up on Matt even though, at times, it seemed like there was no hope.

Not quite what I was expecting. I loved the first book and was a little disappointed in this story. I guess I was expecting a different kind of book and when it wasn’t what I thought, I couldn’t quite get in to. I know, I know. My fault.

I think I will have to do a re-read and I hope that this time around it will have a different outcome for me. This kind of happened with the author prior series (Middle of Somewhere).

Hands down, Roan stole my heart with RIVEN, so imagine my surprise when I see REND in NetGalley begging for me to read? I mean honestly, after Caleb and Theo stole my heart, I couldn't pass up the chance to get swallowed down into the love story of Caleb's friend Rhys, Rhys of course was briefly introduced previously, hello rockstar - yummy.

Unfortunately though, as you can see clearly, I was perhaps not as pleased as I thought I would going in... let me explain before you bash my brains in! 

First off, I did really enjoy the characters for what it was worth, but where I liked them, their cons of their personalities, the romance and their overall development out weighed the pros too dramatically to ignore. Let me say though I did like a lot about Rhys and Matt. Rhys was actually delicious, he is what I would have expected him to be, he had a very drool worthy, alpha-male personality that was meant to be fawned over. But - and this is unfortunately a huge BUT... his caveman presence left several moments between the romance awkward. More to pinpoint my opinion it was the moments where he felt he needed to uphold dominance in the relationship, stating a basis of ownership over Matt that was constantly mentioned was just.... different. I am all for some Dom/Sub or dirty talk, but there is a definitely an unappealing way of doing it. During their sex scenes it was a constant talk of "you're mine" or "you belong to me" tidbits that really irked me. It was a possessiveness that I just could not appreciate in the sense that I think Roan was trying to convey with this couple. I think it was meant to be represented as 'love will conquer all' theme, I personally just could not see that for what it was. 

Matt, on the other hand was a little bit more to my appeal at first. I liked his inferior personality, I know, shocker that never happens with me. But I say this because at first, seeing his struggles with self-esteem was rather powerful, it was beautiful in many senses. He was relatable from that point however, even then it becomes rather apparent this is what leads the entirety of the drama. Even with the big issue in their relationship rooting into the plot, it is more or less because Matt is struggling mentally and it took eighty percent of the book to finally deep dive into the root of not only the unhealthy dynamic of Rhys and Matt's romance but Matt's complete lack of being a responsible adult. 

And as you can see where this might be going, the romance between Rhys and Matt was rather back and forth because of this struggling mental issues with Mat verses the 'savior of all' personality Rhys hovered over Matt. It was an endless merry-go-round of drama that quite frankly left my brain pounding from the spinning it was doing. Another factor that was rather noticeable about this romance was that these characters were not only one-dimensional but had zero character development. Matt and Rhys were completely codependent on one another, regardless of the steam-filled (still at some points awkward) sex scenes. They had a chemistry, it was there, but again, just not in a healthy spectrum, at least in my opinion. 

Bottom line, I am a diehard fan of Roan Parrish - I will follow her into the depths of any corner to binge read her delicious creativity however REND left me unsatisfied. I do not know if I just could not get on board with the overall dynamic of the romance between Rhys and Matt or that the actual backbone of the drama was rather lack luster with such an overplayed build, even anti-climatic. Either way, something, somewhere along the lines REND was just not as I had hoped. It wasn't her writing style either, Roan is on point (normally) with her books, but just - ugh I don't even know where to go from this. Maybe it has something to do with being a followup to RIVEN, nothing can touch Calab and Theo at this point...their story was simply beautiful and this was unfortunately too much of a too little dynamic that left me cringing more than swooning. 

Here is hoping that REND delivers more on my obsession spectrum, especially after RIVEN, I need something to pick up the pieces of my despair from this second installment. Don't let me down Roan!

This book is very emotional. Matt doesn't know what he wants and never even thought to ask. I found the story compelling and I loved the ending. So many feels, but be prepared for a roller coaster ride #rend #netgally

<I>I know there's more to everything you say, but I like how you make me feel like there's time to learn everything about you.</I>

Oh look there's feels and emotions spilling out all over the place. What a surprise! Not.

<I>He looked like a Viking and moved like a rock star. He kissed like he wanted to fuck me through the wall of the diner and touched me like he wanted to wrap me up in a bear hug. And all of it just made me want more.</I>

I honestly don't even know how to write this review. I loved RIVEN so much and I was so excited for REND. I wanted to see how Parrish spun a love story when the couple was already together. And let me tell you it wasn't all sunshine and roses but oh god it was sweet, real, raw, and hard. The romance is something of an opposites attract in the sense that their backgrounds are very different, they are moving through life with very opposing experiences and expectations, and yet met and fell in love and married and continue to love one another. Powerfully. And that was beautiful and hot and heartbreaking and oh god I just love Rhys. That man.. ugh. I want one.

"<I>If you're worried about offending me because you came from a perfect family and, like, know how to love, and I'm basically a Dickensian waif, don't bother.</I>"

I'm pretty sure I choked back tears a dozen times and definitely cried at least twice, so. Know what you're getting into here. But it's a Parrish story so I mean.. you probably already know. Her books aren't always easy reading, they can feel overwhelming with the highs and equally harsh with the lows, but that's life and it makes that (second, for these two) happily ever after even more deserving. Just be prepared for the feeeeels.

Also giving me feels? I'm pretty sure we have a third book on the way and that makes me so happy, too.

In Riven, I feel in love with Rhys. And was wanting his story. I assumed the story was going to be a prequel but instead it was done where the story took place before and after Riven. And that was brilliant.

When we first meet Mattie and Rhys I always assumed they had a great healthy relationship and they do, but they had to work for it.

"When Rhys loves someone it doesn't occur to him to dwell on their weaknesses."

Mattie is a bit broken from his past in regards to being left behind. Which means he can't trust in Rhys's love for him and that he won't be left behind.

"He gets so sad. I know I should tell him . . .things. But sometimes . . . I just can't. I can't tell him that the world's not a shiny place. You know? His world is so shiny."

As Rhys goes away on tour, Mattie starts to fall apart. Which was the catalyst for Mattie to have to change things about himself. I adore this series and I especially adore Rhys and how he loves and sees the world.

". . . You can't fucking save people, Nyland." Caleb's voice was steel. "You can only be there for them when they save themselves. . . "

My only beef were the long chapters, I always prefer shorter chapters.

I expected to like this book because I absolutely enjoyed Riven, the first book. As I was reading the story I started to understand why Matt had acted the way he did in Riven. I enjoyed reading about the beginning of the relationship between Matt and Rhys, was enjoying the flow of the story.
And then, boom, there were all these emotions I didn't know how to handle. I felt overwhelmed just like Matt and confused like Rhys. And it blew my mind. It was incredible to read and feel the intensity of the story. Wow. Absolutely wow! That was intense - and not in any bad way. Just one of those books that is going to linger in my mind for a long time!

Riveting book. I was so captivated from beginning to end that I couldn’t put it down. I love books that have angst, and intense. This was book was very emotional. Matt had issues from his childhood. Low self-esteem, abandonment, and thinking he’s not good enough because where he came. Rend was just a ray of sunshine and that’s what Matt need to get over his issues. Rend being on the go didn’t help Matt but made him start doubting his love and commitment to him. Theo and Caleb from the first book are just what Matt. Theo kept him on his toes and tried to get Matt to open up. The communication between Rend and Matt was not there. I’m glad that Rend was able to get Matt to finally open and get help for his issues. Loving someone is hard enough but when you throw in emotions and self-doubt it can be toxic to any relationship. I hope I’m not giving too much of the plot away with my review. This book was romantic, dark, sexy, and sometimes funny. Roan Parish always writes books that I have to keep tissues by my side. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did.

Rating: 3.25 stars out of 5

After a whirlwind romance, a man with a painful past learns to trust the musician who makes him believe in happy endings.

Matt Argento knows what it feels like to be alone. After a childhood of abandonment, he never imagined someone might love him—much less someone like Rhys Nyland, who has the voice of an angel, the looks of a god, and the worship of his fans.

Matt and Rhys come from different worlds, but when they meet, their chemistry is incendiary. Their romance is unexpected, intense, and forever—at least, that’s what their vows promise. Suddenly, Matt finds himself living a life he never thought possible: safe and secure in the arms of a man who feels like home. But when Rhys leaves to go on tour for his new album, Matt finds himself haunted by the ghosts of his past.

When Rhys returns, he finds Matt twisted by doubt. But Rhys loves Matt fiercely, and he’ll go to hell and back to triumph over Matt’s fears. After secrets are revealed and desires are confessed, Rhys and Matt must learn to trust each other if they’re going to make it. That means they have to fall in love all over again—and this time, it really will be forever.

I truly had to think about the formatting of this story and the author's expectations for it's promise when writing this review because I think it was a huge factor in how I ended up feeling about the characters and this novel.  You see, in  Rend (Riven #2) by Roan Parrish the story opens right as the two men meet, jump immediately into a  relationship and then the first chapter proceeds when they are already married.  Boom.  It's a done deal.  The reader has no time to relate to the men, establish a connection to each one, let alone be  able to evaluate any chemistry or depth of relationship.

I believe that was intentional.  Because the marriage and relationship as we slowly find out isn't based on reality.  Matt hasn't been truthful about his background and deep emotional issues with Rhys.  Nor has Rhys dug deep beneath the surface with  Matty. It's a marriage based on wishes, dreams, and smoke. And lots of sex and love.  But that's oddly insubstantial here because it has no honest foundation.

There is no honest communication between the lovers and, really the reader and Matty too.  We know he is truly a troubled and haunted individual who needs professional help.  Which, horrifyingly no one suggests he gets until 84 percent into the story.  Abandonment issues and the foster care system have done a number on him mentally, emotionally, and that carries over to physically.  We see those results...oh him, his marriage, and his partner who he doesn't talk to until 80 percent into the story.   Which is when we learn enough about them to start connecting with them all as Rhys and Matty haul together the pieces of their lives, marriage and uncover who they are together....honestly.

Up until then?  Matty remains something of an enigma to all around him and us.  Not a good thing.  He has a close friend, Grim, in Florida.  We don't see or really hear him to gain any insight into Matty himself until the end of the story, another element lost.

So I understood that the format was to slowly reveal who Matty truly was to Rhys and even himself as he came to grips with his past.  But it came at the loss, at least for this reader, of any connection to their relationship, a sense of questioning why no one got this man the help he so obviously needed earlier on, and just a sense that had we been able to see more of the real Rhys and Matty we see at the end at other parts in the story, this   wouldn't have felt like such cold read than the romance it ended up being.

I did love Theo and Caleb from Riven, the first story.  Plus Max.  As I said, I think the format kept me from getting to know the characters until too late in the story.  I did learn to love them then and their very HEA.  That's a terrific ending

There's another story  in this series on the horizon   and  I know I will have to see who that's about.  If you are a fan of this series, you no  doubt have already picked up and read this story.  It works as a standalone too.

The first book in this series was just ok for me but this one, fantastic. It was such an emotional roller coaster but I loved every minute of it. Loved it.

Genre: MM Romance
Steamy?: Yes (Very)
Cliffhanger?: No
Can be read as Standalone?: Yes
Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

This is going to be hard to review as I may not be able to effectively express my thoughts to the level of eloquence showcased in Roan's writing... but I'll try to give this gem justice.

This story was AWESOME!! I didn't know if I was going to like this book. We were introduced to Rhys in Riven and I honestly thought his story was going to be boring. I mean, how interesting can a story about a happily married man be?

Oh, Roan proved it can be VERY interesting.

I couldn't put this book down! In her usual fashion, Roan crafted a full-bodied story that encompassed the intricacies of not just marriage and relationships but life in general. The thing I probably love the most about reading Roan's stories is how the realistic thoughts, words and feelings expressed by her characters really brings them to life. Her characters are always believable and endearing and I am always left wanting more.

Bravo - yet another brilliant work of art!

I give Rend 4.5 out of 5 stars.

In some ways, I enjoyed Rend more than Riven. In other ways, Riven was better.

Rhys. Oh, Rhys. *sigh* I adore him. He's loving and tender and sweet. He's like a huge puppy dog that just wants to love and be loved. He feels emotions passionately and wears his heart on his sleeve.

Matt is a tortured soul for being so young. He tore at my heart too many times to count over the course of the book. His anxiety and fear came across the page so well.

Parrish flawlessly paints with words the internal battles waging within Matt. Matt has some pretty deep wounds. I ached for him to find and be comfortable with his happy place. When you don't feel like you deserve something good, it's hard at time to accept it.

The sexy times between Rhys and Matt made me uncomfortable at times. There are tender moments but there are more rough (for lack of a better word) scenes. Those latter types of scenes lost me and left me a bit put off. And there was A LOT of sexy times. I get that these two have the passion, but I kinda wanted less sexy times and more tender moments. Don't get me wrong, there were many tender moments, but the sex scenes overshadowed the tender ones.

I read this book about a week (or two) ago but I still haven’t stopped thinking of it so I’m finally writing the review.

You must read this book because it’s about an ESTABLISHED COUPLE and those are a rarity in the romance community or tbh in any community unless it’s a sequel... and this book is so much better than any you’ve ever read for sure. I bet.
This is about Rhys, a musician who is going on tour and Matt, his husband who was introduced into the foster care system as a child and has severe abandonment issues. Naturally Rhys going on tour creates barriers and this is about how they bridge the gap...
It’s told from a single PoV (Matt’s) and it’s the best thing that could’ve happened to this book. Unlike the last one which was a double PoV.

This book is a dive into the mind of an insecure adult. And for once, it’s not about how they look and it’s not a teenager in high school. Matt has a fear of being abandoned and truly hates being a burden on the one person he TRULY loves. And he does love Rhys, they both absolutely and unequivocally love each other and that fact is never questioned on our part. Matt talking in circles and that’s understood, by me at least. The book gets intense right at the 50% mark and omg does shit go down...
The arguments are honestly the best part of the book. I loved it!!!!! (THIS IS NOT THE REVIEW YOU SHOULD BE READING IF YOU WANNA KNOW ABOUT THE WRITING) I’m trash for scenes where the couple tell each other how much they love each other amidst all the yelling they’re doing. I terras this book as soon as I finished it for the first time.
honestly they just love each other so much it’s amazing experiencing all that and it’s so spectacular to watch the back and forth and all the raw love that Matt is unable to shape that is just flying around. Theo was in this book and that was great!

JUST READ THE BOOK OKAY?!

This is the second in this rocker (?) series, told from the perspective of Matt Argento about his marriage to musician Rhys Nyland. I read Riven and thought Matt and Rhys had a fairly great thing going on, at least through the perspective of Caleb and Theo. You never know what's going on behind closed doors. Rhys is craving a husband and family like he grew up with and Matt doesn't believe he deserves anything. A whirlwind courtship and quick marriage didn't get them the happily ever after they were looking for until things fell apart and they started telling the truth and really getting to know each other.

My heart broke for Matty and his horrible past. Am I naive to think that some caseworker during his eleven years in the system should have noticed he needed to talk to a shrink? He goes by Grim through his entire youth, that's a clue right there. Do they really not care at all? Parrish does a wonderful job with his deteriorating grasp on daily life during Rhys' two month tour. I was sad to see how often the pair turn to sex to avoid difficult feelings.

I loved Theo reaching out in his completely awkward way to make friends with Matt. I had to chuckle to myself each time the four had to call/text and explain their significant others particular brand of crazy to their friend. Friends are our chosen family is never more more clear than in this book, from Grin to Huey and Theo and Caleb.

I was expecting a very different book when I got this one, that'll teach me not to read the blurb, but I was pleasantly surprised by the good storytelling and deep feelings is gave me about a subject I never really understood.

3.5 stars

I had the pleasure of reviewing Rend and it was wonderful. I am new to Roan Parrish's writing and I will be looking for more from this author. Rend takes you on an emotional journey with Matt and Rhys and lets you see what working at love is like.

Roan Parrish is so incredibly talented. Rend is very powerful and so moving; you are IN this story with the main characters, right from the beginning. Warning: Make sure you have a box of kleenex nearby--You're going to need it. Rend is the story of Rhys and Matt. If you read Parrish's excellent novel Riven, you've already met Rhys. Rend is a standalone story, but you do see Caleb and Theo again (the main characters from Riven), which was wonderful. I like checking in with characters I liked in previous books, but it's also important to me that I can pick up a book without having read a previous book in a series, and not feel lost--perfectly done here. Like Riven, Rend is a very passionate love story between two well developed characters with amazing and very hot chemistry. But it's so much more than that! Matt is a very troubled man--his childhood is full of sorrow, and he spent much of it in the foster system. He carries a lot of emotional scars, and he can't quite believe that he has found someone like Rhys. Rhys is big and beautiful and full of life, and has had a very different upbringing than Matt's. Rhys is a songwriter and musician, and his career is taking off. They both believe they have a strong foundation, but those beliefs are tested when Rhys goes on tour for a few weeks, and Matt begins to unravel. Rend deals with anxiety, depression, self-doubt, self-loathing--really challenging emotions, and the author addresses them very realistically and sensitively. Rhys and Matt have such different perspectives on things, it's very interesting watching them trying to work through the challenges that Matt's anxiety and self loathing issues bring to the relationship. In a really strong subplot, Matt works for a non-profit that helps young people trying to learn skills and find work, and he's finding a lot of value and self esteem in helping people that come from backgrounds like his own. I think it's important that we see that Matt ISN'T just his pain and his past, he is his present, and he does a lot of good in the world, and he's really good in his relationship (most of the time)--but he has some issues he needs to work through. I really felt for these characters. My heart broke for both of them at different moments in the book, and I cried more than I expected to. Matt especially really got to me. I really loved him, and wanted him so badly to reach for his happiness. This is an excellent read. The love scenes are very well written, very steamy, and I found they stayed with me. Each love scene felt very in character for this pair, and really added to the book.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Rend, in its way, it even better than Riven, which was so good. But it's not a fair comparison. They are very different romances. Riven is meet-cute, getting to know one another, struggles and division and eventually such a great HEA.

Rend is a story of after. After a quick marriage, before Matt and Rhys know each other as well as they think they do. It's told from Matt's point of view, and Matt had a rough childhood. Parrish eases the reader in. ...By the time I reached the middle, more or less, the point at which Matt's Big Bad Past really hits him hard, I KNEW why he did what he did and hid what he hid. I knew what his silence was for. I just about used up an entire box of tissues from there to the end, despite some laughs. I adored how Theo and Caleb played such important parts.

But it's more than that. In a very real sense, this novel illustrates what privilege looks like from the outside. From underneath, looking up. It's heartbreaking. Reaching their real HEA is not simple, not easy, but it is all heart.

3.5 stars. I give Roan Parrish credit for writing a book about the real work that happens after two people get married, especially when they have said "I Do" after only knowing each other for a short time. I also give her points for eschewing the typical romance novel arc: couple falls in love, bad stuff happens, couple breaks up, and then reunites for the happy ending. Having worked in the child welfare field, I absolutely appreciate her highlighting the challenges faced by the youth who age out of the foster care system.

All this good stuff, but I can't quite give Rend an unqualified recommendation. It felt like the plot was a little thin, and was padded with NUMEROUS sex scenes that didn't necessarily do anything to move the story along. It was satisfying to see Matt and Rhys achieve a deeper understanding about themselves and each other, but banging each other silly didn't seem to be the key to reaching that point. Also, the character development was a little too one-sided; Matt had to do all of the heavy lifting, while Rhys' slightly unnatural possessive streak was shrugged off as an endearing trait.

Very happy to see Theo and Caleb from Riven, and it was especially cute to see Matt and Theo strike up an awkward but sincere friendship.

ARC received from Net Galley in exchange for honest review.

Emotional and poignant. What a captivating love story! I loved the insecurities and vulnerabilities in both men. It made them even more endearing. I loved the emotional verbal vomit Rhys texted Matt after their first coupling. It was raw open honest and heartfelt. I agonized and empathized with Matt for his past experiences and their effects on his present and his happiness. I liked that Rhys wanted "all" Matt's truths-ugly and raw, and he was there to support and help Matt. I liked how Caleb became the voice of reason and support when Rhys needed it most. Mona was a beacon of support and never forced or pushed and I appreciated that approach. Great read I highly recommend.

I tend to either wildly love Roan Parrish’s books or dislike them intensely, and Rend, my friends, falls squarely in the ‘wildly love’ category.  Although much of its subject matter is somber and heavy, the author deftly balances the darkness with a passionate romance that’s heartbreakingly tender, romantic and moving.  Rend takes the second chance at love trope and twists it, putting its characters (and readers) through the proverbial wringer on the road to happily ever after.  Our principal pair is a study in contrasts, and I was totally invested in each of these characters, their issues, and their love for each other from beginning to end.  Rend, Ms. Parrish’s ode to a gothic love story, is alternately painful and lovely, and ends with a hard earned, satisfying and hopeful happily ever after.

Unlike Riven (which you don’t have to read in order to enjoy this story) which is told in dual PoVs, Rend takes place entirely in the PoV of Matt Argento, a minor secondary character in the previous novel.  After a childhood of abandonment and deprivation, Matt falls desperately and totally in love with Rhys Nyland - a handsome, wholesome and happy stranger - who picks him up in a bar.  In the prelude, which we later discover is a flashback, the pair meet, and instead of the hook-up Matt expected, they wind up sharing a late night meal, talking and getting to know one another, and forging a surprisingly intense connection.

Matt, who originally hoped for distractingly good sex and maybe a good night’s sleep on a comfy mattress (he shares a crowded apartment and sleeps on the couch), is charmed and irresistibly drawn to Rhys.  Rhys is sweet and funny, charming and kind, and obviously delighted with life and Matt, and doesn’t seem in any hurry to get him into bed. It’s new and different from what Matt’s accustomed to, but he can’t resist the big man.  When Rhys says goodnight after only a heated kiss and request for his phone number, Matt’s confused - he thought they had great chemistry, but Rhys doesn’t push for anything more.  Instead, he arranges for them to meet up several times over the next few days, further endearing himself to Matt, but frustrating him.  Smitten, wracked by the lust he feels whenever Rhys is near, and bewildered by Rhys’s interest, Matt finally just asks Rhys what they’re doing:

...I texted him, Do you have sex?

He wrote back immediately:  Yes.

I responded:  Great.  Wanna have it with me?

Rhys:  More than anything.

And I was left speechless yet again, completely undone by his endearing brand of deep impact honesty.

OK I’m coming over, I wrote finally, suddenly convinced the whole thing would fall apart if I waited.

Yay!  Rhys responded, and I found myself grinning despite myself.

The ensuing liaison and Rhys’s confession about what he wants from Matt and why, thrill and scare Matt in equal measure.  He sneaks away while he thinks Rhys is asleep, but moments later, a love note (in the form of a text) shocks him into returning.  When the prelude ends, Matt is hopeful for the first time in years, but doubtful it can last.  After all, everyone he’s ever loved has abandoned him... eventually.

From this completely absorbing prelude, the story jumps forward two years, and we find Matt and Rhys happily married and living in Sleepy Hollow, New York.  The relationship is idyllic - they’re besotted, can’t keep their hands off each other, and are committed to being together forever.  Matt represses any worries he has and he thinks he’s fine until Rhys leaves to go on tour in support of his new solo album, when doubts and fears from Matt’s past overwhelm him.

Rend unfolds as Matt unravels.  Interspersed with vignettes of Rhys and Matt’s whirlwind romance and impetuous marriage, we watch Matt slowly fall apart while Rhys goes on the road and lives out his musical dreams.  Matt tries and mostly succeeds in hiding his struggles from Rhys, but as the days go by he finds it harder and harder to cope on his own in Sleepy Hollow.  Plagued by darkly pessimistic thoughts telling him he isn’t good for Rhys and that he can find someone else, he can’t sleep and doesn’t eat, and he finds himself returning - over and over again - to the last ‘home’ he knew, before he was passed from foster home to foster home.  He’s haunted by the ghosts of his past and the fear that Rhys will reject him once he knows his darkest secrets.  Rhys suspects something is off about Matt, but when he finally returns home to his husband, it’s nearly too late.

Although Rend largely focuses on Matt’s physical and emotional breakdown, the author (wisely) frames them within the context of his marriage and relationship with the love of his life, Rhys.  Rhys is Matt’s heart; his enormous capacity to love and be loved holds the disparate parts of the novel together.  He’s joyful and loveable and kind and honourable as well as fiercely protective and possessive of Matt.  I loved every scene with Rhys; his deep and abiding faith in Matt and their marriage, and his unwillingness to give in to Matt’s doubts and fears, his big heart... it’s just... wow.  Ms. Parrish’s characterization of these two men is supremely well realized; I understood them, their struggles, their hopes and dreams, and I was completely engrossed in their love story.  Rhys helps Matt confront his demons and rewards his trust with a possessive and all-consuming love - the kind Matt craves and needs.  Rend doesn’t flinch from the pain and damage of Matt’s childhood or its long term effects on every facet of his life; this is a starkly beautiful portrayal of a marriage in trouble and the lengths two men will go to in order to find happiness together, forever.

When I finished the terrific first book in the Riven series, which featured a famous musician eager to escape the limelight (Theo Decker) and a musician/recovering addict (Caleb Whitman) hiding himself away, I was curious where Ms. Parrish might go in book two.  Riven seemed a bit of a closed loop - the principal pair found their happily ever after, and the only significant secondary character, their extremely likeable/loveable friend Rhys Nyland, was happily married.  Rend was an unexpected and marvelous surprise.  I enjoyed revisiting Riven’s characters, and Theo and Caleb both have terrific cameos in Rend, but this novel more than stands on its own.  Rhys, a classic beta hero, is a wonderful contrast to Matt.  Their poignant and heartbreaking journey to happily ever after feels real and authentic, and fans will root hard for them.  This is one second-chance love story that will twist you up, wring you out, and then leave you wanting more.

Buy it at: Amazon/Barnes & Noble/iBooks/Kobo