I was gripped by this story from beginning to end. Excellent characters and it was fascinating to get to know each ones history. I highly recommend this book.

I really liked Jesse and Ryker. They were both gritty, damaged characters who felt very real to me. Their interactions and the flow of their relationship made sense and that's pretty rare in romance novels honestly! I did think the ex was a little extreme at some points, but not to the point that it took me out of the book. All in all a great read.

This is a great story about overcoming one's demons and finding happiness. It did lag in some parts, but it was a great roller coaster ride and one I hated to see end.

Jesse wasn’t sure he’d ever climb up on stage again. His fingers itched to touch his guitar but what was the point in creating anything the way his bandmates had turned their backs on him. Tish said to him” Way to go.” Jess replied “You think I ruined the concert on purpose?” “What are we supposed to think ? “ she spat. They knew him, how deeply he loved the music, how it was all he had aside from them, and yet…. Jess was in his best friend and bandmate -Kyle-cabin using his blade to cut himself. There was no one left to believe him. Why keep fighting. Ryker was driving to the cabin. Heavy white snow belted his windshield. He finally saw the cabin and pulled over and set his head on the wheel but had a horrible flashback but the wind was so bad it rocked the truck throwing Ryker out of the past. Perhaps giving in would make life easier give himself over to the cold. Jesse opened the door scowling at Ryker and said, ``I think you have the wrong cabin.” Ryker let him know he was coming in. Ryker said he was suppose to be at his cousins cabin and the GPS said it was right here. Then he said his cousins name was Kyle.
When Jesse saw Kyle he was going to choke him with his own bass strings. Jesse than said this was supposed to be his cabin for the next four months. Ryker said maybe everything isn’t about you I just ended my eighth tour overseas and called Kyle and told him the V A clinic said ryker needed a quiet place to acclimate before he started mixing with people again. There was no way Jesse could run right now. Kyle told Jesse Ryker almost died and watched three of his buddies die. “Whatever bull poop you got going on is nothing compared to what he’s been through. As my friend I’m asking you to stick around. I don’t think Ryker should be alone. I can’t stop you if you go but I hope you’ll be the man I know you are.” Ryker than knew why he felt like he had seen this man before. Kyle had sent him a bunch of articles and ryker was very attracted to Jesse that he saw from the articles. Jesse remembered how he’d forgave troy the first time he’d hit Jesse. Jesse hid the bruises with makeup. Jesse never thought love could hurt so bad or leave you so broken.
I love this book. Usually I don’t care for M/M or F/F romances. But this was well done so tastefully and the way it was written was absolutely beautiful. I loved Jesse and Ryker together and how they interacted. I loved Jesse helped Ryker and Ryker helped Jesse. There was so much emotion in this book. This book had PTSD, suicidal thoughts, love, learning to trust again, a rock star, a veteran with issues, an abused person, cutting, nightmares, a violent stalker, snowed in a cabin, and so much more. This was so much more than I thought it would be. I couldn’t put this book down I loved the characters and the ins and outs of this book and I highly recommend this.

Do you like damaged heroes? If you do, you're in luck because here we have two of them.

Jesse is a rock star. He is also a victim. When we meet him he is at rock bottom. At the point where he is losing everything important in his life. A point where he's wondering if there is a point to this life.

Secluded at a friend's mountain cabin during a viscous snowstorm, the last thing Jesse expects is company.

Ryker made a harrowing drive up the mountain in a snow storm to get some personal space at his cousin's remote cabin. He's back from his last tour in the military. The last one that took the lives of several comrades and almost took his own as well. He doesn't understand Jesse's total freak out when he arrives at the cabin. But with the storm blocking road access, they have to sit tight in forced proximity.

The story slowly reveals each man's personal demons. We watch as they tentatively manage to help each other.

If you like dramatic romance stories this will work well for you. I'm more of an action fan myself so it tended to drag a little for me with all the emotional turmoil without accompanying action.

I also have a pet peeve about reading MM Romance. This one is wholly on me, however, it did impact my enjoyment of the story. To be blunt, I don't like MM Romance when I can just as easily (or more easily) picture one of the main characters as a female. This has nothing at all to do with femme male characters which are perfectly fine for me in a romance. It's hard to explain, but it has more to do with the character's actions and reactions. In this story, I had a hard time empathising with Jesse as a male character. As a MF Romance this would have rated higher for me than it did as a MM Romance.

I enjoyed it and believe that with a little editing to cut back on some of the repetitive scenes and toning down Jesse's propensity for drama this could easily be a five star read for me.

Your mileage may vary. ;-) It's difficult not to get personal with a review since we all react uniquely to each story we read. I do recommend this one when you're wanting a character driven story with depth and feeling.

Rating: 2.5

I wasn't invested in this story at all. It felt too slow in the beginning and too rushed at the end. I felt like the characters didn't really have personalities

This book was exactly the slow burn it needed to be for these characters, who are both broken and struggling in their own rights.

Jesse & Ryker really balanced the other out. Ryker became that ear to listen when Jesse had no one to turn to and Jesse became a soothing presence for the nightmare return to reality for Ryker, after being discharged for injuries he'd received while on active duty.

Ryker's patience with Jesse, given everything he's dealt with and the emotional and physical abuse he sustained was the key to him and jesse quietly growing closer and forming a friendship. A trust that ultimately leaves them opening up to each other.

The pacing stuttered about 3/4 in for me, which led me to think the events could spill over to a sequel. I was mistaken and bounced back with getting to know some newly added characters that were a great addition. For both humor and support of our main characters.

I loved these characters and what they meant to one another and how they were able to clasp on to the other to get through personal demons they were both fighting.

A sweet romance & definite recommendation for others!

4.5* Close to being a 5* read for most of the tale, but for the rushed, slightly unsatisfying ending.

This tale comes with warnings about self harm, abuse and suicide ideation, and I'd suggest that you read them and decide if this book is for you, as the author doesn't shy away from these. Some of it is told on page, and some when Jesse confronts his past, and when Ryker has episodes of PTSD. In theory, perhaps these guys shouldn't have worked as a couple, but they did, and believably so, which is why for most of the tale, it was a hard but 5* read for me.

I won't rehash the tale, as the blurb is pretty accurate (other than the instalove, as this did NOT happen - in fact, words of love weren't uttered until close to the end of the tale, and then, only by one guy, with the other eventually getting there right at the very, very end. And, there's no sex here until the very, very end, because neither guy was ready for it, nor did the tale provide an organic opportunity for it, and you know, there was Jesse's abuse to deal with, too), and it's a very believable tale on both fronts. I liked the leads equally and felt for them both in different ways. I think Ryker was excellent for the uptight and closed-off Jesse that the tale starts off with, and Jesse learning to trust, to open up, to let go and confront his past, was all realistically done.

As mentioned, the ending wasn't great - it was rushed and for how slow the book had necessarily been until then, it let the leads down. Yes, the guys did get where readers of romance would want them to be, but the bad guy wasn't dealt with on-page and we didn't get to see either lead's healing. Both needed therapy for different reasons to be able to build a healthy relationship (including the sex part) and an implied HEA wasn't enough for me. Still, despite this, it's a really good read.

ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Ninestar Press, for my reading pleasure.