Rating: 4 stars
Buy Link: Amazon | iBooks | Amazon UK
Length: Novel
Logan and Christian are the best of friends. Growing up in a small town, they were they only black kids and they bonded in so many ways. They were always close, but it never occurred to them that there was anything besides friendship between them. When it was time for college, there was never a question Logan and Christian would go together. Even though they are not studying exactly what they want to due to their parents’ restrictions, being college roommates together in a larger town allows them freedom they never had.
Logan and Christian are exposed to many new things and new ways of thinking and Christian’s new girlfriend, Charlotte, exposes Christian to ideas about relationships that he never knew were even possible. On a double date with Logan and his girlfriend, new lines are crossed as they men open themselves up to an erotic experience they never could have dreamed of, which then shifts the lines of their friendship as well. Even when they are both free from other relationships, Logan and Christian have to navigate how they fit into each other’s lives without sacrificing their friendship.
There is always something about a childhood friends-to-lovers relationship that appeals to me. I enjoy seeing the history and the bond the characters have and then how that progresses into a relationship. This book offers that, but it also offers a less common type of storyline and I appreciated seeing a different spin.
Logan and Christian grew up in a small Georgia town. While there are a lot of diverse areas in Georgia, as they later find out, their town was predominantly white and the guys grew up only having each other. There is a thread opened up about their town, but it was not explored further and that felt like a missing piece for me.
The guys are ecstatic to be on their own and the different types of people they meet in college expands their view of the world and how they think. Logan and Christian were by all accounts sheltered and when Christian starts dating Charlotte, who is open-minded and labels herself “ethically non-monagamous,” the guys have a lot to explore.
The base of the story here is that Logan and Christian have always had feelings for each other, but never even thought about exploring it, even in their own minds. Charlotte is the catalyst for the men to get their first taste of each other, but it is not an easy road for them. For a good portion of the story, Christian is dating Charlotte. Charlotte is fully on board and encouraging for the guys to explore what there is between them. There is no cheating and everyone is aware of what is going on. As things progress even further between the men, they then are no longer in other relationships. While Charlotte had an interesting vibe, this may not be for you if you only want to see the two MCs together.
The guys have a lot to figure out when they realize that they want a relationship together as it shifts so much of who they thought they were and how the world sees them. The intimate moments are full of exploration and longing, but Christian also has more to figure out and continually leaves Logan in a state of not knowing what to expect or where their relationship is going. While the book ends with Logan and Christian knowing what they want, their story is not finished as a second book is planned and I would certainly go along with them to see what’s next. I would definitely suggest this book for true friends exploring their way to each other along a path that was unexpected for them.
