Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

Thank you to net galley for this chance. I enjoyed this book i love the chemistry the ending made me cry i would like for more on this to see more from this author.

This was really enjoyable and a perfect summer/holiday read. The sexual chemistry between the two leads was really convincing and I raced through the pages- I found that the contrasts between the two characters was handled really well and their struggles to communicate and find love, rather than simply a quick hookup were very relatable. There was a lot of emphasis on their sexual connection which was handled well- a really enjoyable read.

The writing was amazing but the plot dragged on a bit and the ending while realistic was definitely sadder than I thought it would be. Overall it was a good read.

It is a great source of admiration when someone can write about real people. Not just perfect bookboyfriends or the perfect settings to make them look better. this book was as real as they get in the outside world. phenomal writing, the story was not as interesting as i hoped but theres talent in this book for sure.

The Light Reflected by Will Freshwater was the first I read from this author. It was an interesting and compelling story, set in Providencetown and part of a series. I did not read the first one Favorite Son prior to picking this up but do plan to in the future.

I did have a few issues with the POV and keeping up with the changes within chapters, it didn’t take away from the story for me though. Once I picked this up it only took me a few sittings to get through it. I was hooked into the story and our MCs.

Without giving too much away I was a little sad with the ending, but it had me feeling emotional by the time it was coming to a close. Special thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a copy to review.

The Light Reflected by @willlivestowrite is a book I’ve had my eye on for a while now, so when I got the chance through @netgalley to have a read I jumped straight in.

This is a story of summer love. Or two best friends turned lovers. Max, who is a resident of Provincetown, and Danny, a rich kid who comes to the island every summer with his family. These two friends couldn’t have come from different lives, with Max working 2 jobs to help keep his family afloat and plan his escape of the island.

What starts as a budding romance between the two friends takes a turn as family expectations and youthful inexperience threaten to come between them.

I will admit, I got so confused by the timeline during the first few chapters of this book. But that was my own fault and not the fault of the author 😅

The way this story plays out feels natural and not forced with an interesting case of side characters. Some throughly enjoyable for various reasons, and some you can’t help but dislike. Even those who take one action that spoils your view of them (I’m looking at you Josie).

The ending for me is where I felt a bit let down. I know that it’s how summers end, everyone drifts back to their own lives, but I was hoping for something a bit more after becoming invested in this summer romance. The epilogue seemed mildly unnecessary to me, but it helps to set the scene for what I assume is the next book in the series. One which I will have to pick up!

This one really wasn't for me. I loved the idea of the story and the blurb seemed to promise so much. It just didn't follow through in the telling of the story though sadly. The POV seemed to jump around all of the time and I found it really hard to connect with the characters. It wasn't too bad, but then things happened towards the end of the book which just left me not really liking any of them or caring what happened.
The other thing that I didn't enjoy was the sexual description of things such as playing the trumpet or getting an ear pierced. It seemed immature and unnecessary. It was a really short read though, so that's something.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

This book was really frustrating, yet really good. The characters were realistically flawed and saw the consequences of their actions. The ending was unsatisfying yet satisfying. It captured young love and how young adults navigate those relationships. Their flaws were human, and you get to see how impactful they can be on relationships and others.

I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. (I posted this on Goodreads)

I wanted to like this more than I could. The narrative was very choppy and the sexy parts just weren't quit sexy enough, eh? Plus the supporting characters function in weird ways within the story, and so nothing quite pays off...

Unfortunately, this book wasn't for me. I think the main reason why is because of the writing style Will Freshwater has. I wasn't bored while reading I got up to the 26% mark in the book I didn't feel anything while reading there wasn't anything that grasped my attention to make me want to keep reading. I also think the plot is moving slowly, which is another reason I didn't finish the book.

I wasn’t prepared for this book. It was everything I don’t usually read, yet I liked it.

My main problem was with the point of view. It changed in the middle of chapters with no warning, and at times it was hard to follow. Most of the book is a flashback to understand why we’re in the situation we’re in at the beginning, in a very roundabout way. I won’t say the author misleads us, but I was expecting some kind of happy ending, which I never got.

Yes, I didn’t have a problem with the not happy at all ending. It fit the characters and their story, though it was still sad. Melancholy and resignation were what I felt, and I didn’t mind. I also get that it was some sort of prequel to the author’s debut novel, but I’m afraid it didn’t end happier anyway. Fingers crossed it did.

Why did I think it was okay for Max to not have a happy ending? He wasn’t exactly a bad guy, but some of his choices were very selfish, and he made stupid decisions for all the wrong reasons. He was human and flawed. As a young gay man with a limited dating pool–he lives on a small island–and a recent past of not being really attractive, he’s in search of love and connection. Though his best friend Danny ends up offering him all of that, he isn’t mature enough, nor experienced enough, to recognize what they could have. By always chasing the next best thing, he misses on what’s simply good. Which doesn’t mean he was the only person responsible for his downfall, and one particular event, while somewhat deserved, made me feel second hand unfairness.

One element felt unrealistic, but it’s often the case with MM stories: everyone seemed to be gay, or at least bisexual. The whole island was described as some gay paradise. Suspension of disbelief well needed here.

The writing was good overall. I didn’t care much for the historical and architectural bits that felt a bit like regurgitated wikipedia. But there were a lot of very good extended metaphors. It participated with the mood, or color, of the book.

If you’re looking for a love story, this isn’t it. But if you want the coming of age of a flawed character, it’s a good point to start from.

Quickie

- Series: Provincetown #2 (can be read as a standalone)
- Hashtags: #MM romance #small town romance #opposite sides of the track #friends to lovers #bisexual #new adult
- Triggers: no HEA, mention of past deaths and sickness
- Main couple: Max Balais & Danny Cavanaugh
- Hotness: 3/5
- Romance: 2/5
- + the author has a way with words
- – no HEA is tough…

Will Freshwater writes flawed characters that make interesting decisions (some of which are puzzling, to say the least). This was an quick read that struggled with pacing, but offered plenty of emotion and plot to keep a reader entertained.

Although I am glad to have had the opportunity to review this title, this rating will be a 2/5 because of clumsy pacing, and a difficult, at times, to follow perspective.

<b>✰2.5 stars✰ rounded up</b>

This one might be on me for not liking it. The type of POV and time jumps that this story had were not my cup of tea.

It wasn't consistent flipping between the point of views which was the hardest part for me. It seemed like it was written in third person omniscient for parts of it and third person limited for others, but you never knew when one was happening necessarily so I had to reread a lot of passages a few times over. I thought I was going crazy while not understanding something that was happening or not understanding who was feeling what. That confusion just really took me out of the story.

The actual story at the root of it all could have been a hit for me, but the writing style just wasn't for me so I couldn't get into it the way I wished I would have been able to.

MM, Contemporary, Romance.

The book was an easy to read page-turner. It has twists and turns that I didn't see coming.

There was plenty of emotion and angst.

I didn't really like the pacing of the book. Whilst the characters were well written to be flawed, I just couldn't get behind their actions.

This book is a prequel to the first instalment, which I have not read. I didn't really feel any connection to the characters but that may be my own fault for not reading the first one.

Smart and Sexy, Will Freshwater writes of friendships, romance, and sexual entanglements in this great read. Three dimensional characters elevate this book to something hugely enjoyable- and have given me a newfound urge to visit Provincetown

Max has had a thing for his best friend, Danny for a long time, and having him back for the summer is going to be rough. But, when their summer heats up and the two cross lines they never have before, the summer is proving to be the best ever.

In an attempt to keep Danny there with him permanently, Max does the unthinkable, which could ultimately end them before they really even began.

The reason this didn’t hit the mark for me was the pacing and the way it ended. I don’t dislike the ending in itself. Honestly, it was somewhat realistic, but it felt so unnecessary. Max’s reasons for doing what he did to keep Danny close were so manipulative and his actions gross. What did he think would happen?

This is the worst book that I read this year. Tbh I was liking it at the start but the characters went through such unrealistic stuff and their decisions.were so PROBLEMATIC and wrong did not agree to the end and those smut scenes were super cringe.