short read! it was enjoyable.

so much feelings, happiness then shock then anger then sadness then heartache, then happiness once again. i wish we got more and longer of them both after everything.

Trey and Rainn meet at a bar one night and hit it off--they really fit one another well. Rainn is gay and Trey bisexual, but their connection is instant and pretty intense. After dating about 6 months, Trey takes Rainn to a tattoo parlor for his first ink, matching dragon tattoos for the shoulders, the will link them in ink and love, as a Christmas present.

The next day, tragedy strikes and Rainn is inexplicably incarcerated for years after defending himself from a mugging. Trey came to visit for the first while, citing their strong love and bond, but soon the visits are sporadic and the letters unanswered. After 7 years, Rainn is released, alone in the world but for an older cousin who takes him in. It's still his miserable Baltimore suburb, but life is turning around. If only he could get over Trey's abandonment.

This was a little bit of a miss for me, because the reason for the years of separation seemed so flimsy. I wasn't sure if it was an indictment of the justice system in the US, which surely needs overhaul, or just not being tuned in to the system here. The author is not an US native, but as one I can say I'd be appalled at such a situation, and there would have been significant outcry for the defense.

This is a novella and it moved very quickly through the big dramas and into the romance aspect. I struggled with how quickly it all came back together, with Rainn seeking out Trey and having their reconnection story progress so quickly. I didn't feel a real strong connection for either character, though I think I could understand Trey's reasons for pulling back, and his heartfelt sorrow about it.

I read a review copy of this novella provided by NetGalley.

It took me a while to get into this book but once I did I enjoyed it, very well written and all the characters were believable, some I liked, some I didn't but the storyline was interesting.
Cover caught my attention, definitely worth a read ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I loved the sound of this second chance romance. It was a very quick read and while I didn't dislike it, it was so short that it just left me feeling that there was something missing. Our two heroes, Rainn and Trey are very much in love but when faced with something that changes both of their lives they drift apart. Seven years later they find themselves in each other's company again.
There was so much potential here but I just feel that it wasn't given the chance to come to anything. The book was over almost before it had begun. The last chapter even finished before I expected it to and we were left almost as though there should have been some kind of epilogue of conclusion.
Being so short it was a very quick read. I managed this in one sitting.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was a roller coaster of a novella!

It started off so nice and everyone's happy and laughing, then BAM something happens and it all falls apart and the world moves on. This story is ultimately about second chances and not losing faith in people you love. It is an MM romance which I love and I think that was executed very well.

Love the cover by the way!

Thank you to NetGalley and NineStar Press for the earc in return for an honest review.

This was a very well paced and quick read. I felt so bad for Rainn and all the changes that happened to his life while he was locked up. I am very glad that he had a support system with his family and that things started to look up for him regarding Trey.