reedkaye's review
4.0
This story had many events going on that held my attention from the beginning. Dylan and Bas had a positive relationship from time they were younger. After Dylan’s dad dies Bas has to return to the place that holds good memories for him. The difference is both men are grown now and the attraction is there from the beginning. The secondary characters brought a lot to the story. The total difference in these two guys make it interesting how they interact with each other and their friends. I’m looking forward to the next book in this series.
lyssachelle's review
4.0
***4 stars***
I’m attempting to go outside my comfort zone with ARC’s lately, so when I saw an age gap step brothers book, I snapped it up. It’s not too far outside my comfort zone but probably not a story I’d usually pick. However, joke’s on me because this ended up being a sweet story of found family.
Dylan and Sebastian became stepbrothers when Dylan’s mechanic father Samuel married Sebastian’s mother. Sebastian was a teenager and looked up to his new older stepbrother and idolized the new stepfather that treated him like his own son. The parents soon broke up but Sebastian stayed in touch with Samuel, sending each other letters up until Sebastian began law school, when they tapered off. It isn’t until Samuel passes away that Sebastian finds out he’s inherited half of Samuel’s garage. The other half belongs to Dylan, who works there…and who’s just gotten older and hotter. The men contend with their grief, as well as the fallout of the will and Samuel’s wishes.
I really liked Dylan and Sebastian, together as well as individually. I feel like the author gave us more of a sense of Dylan’s personality than Sebastian’s. Dylan felt more sharply drawn, in terms of discussion of his physicality as well as personality. The romance felt a little fast, but it’s definitely not instalove. Semi-instalove? Quick love? Expeditious-relationship? PDC-romance? Something along those lines. The two have not been in contact for 20 years, and the time spent between them was two years with Sebastian as a young teen and Dylan as an adult. While it works to remove the (very slight) ick factor of them being stepbrothers, it also doesn’t lend itself to a real past to bring them together.
One unexpected part of the story was how much we got to know Samuel. He’s already gone when the story starts, but his presence is felt throughout the entire novel in Dylan and Sebastian’s discussions and memories. It’s bittersweet, Dylan has lost his father, business partner, and friend while Sebastian has lost the chance to reconnect with the best father figure he’d ever had. That was more emotion than I expected to feel for a stepbrothers romance…
I will admit, I was a little nervous on the age gap angle when I realized Dylan was an adult when he met Sebastian. When I read the line “The last time he saw Dylan was when he was fourteen and Dylan twenty-two,” I made the note of “Oh, no.”
However, there was only a minor crush on Sebastian’s part so if you’re looking for taboo, you’ll have to look elsewhere.
My big nitpick is
There are a few comments that are sexist/ignorant, particularly one right off the bat that really rubbed me the wrong way.
“Her black T-shirt, featuring some band he’s never heard of, clings to her body and is cut low enough to reveal quite a lot of cleavage. He shudders at the thought of having to defend her deposition, if she ever tried filing a workplace sexual harassment lawsuit.”
Sir. SIR. What the actual fuck. You’re an employment lawyer??
Nothing was enough to make me stop reading but it did put a sour taste in my mouth.
ALSO. Sebastian says he’s a pescatarian but still eats chicken in a Cobb salad. (Minor, I know, but it’s mentioned several times!)
Overall, this is a sweet story and worth reading. I think this will end up being a series, so while I’m not actively looking forward to the next story, I will most likely read it. This is right up your alley if you need a sweet, slow, low angst story.
**I received this as an ARC and this is my honest review.**
I’m attempting to go outside my comfort zone with ARC’s lately, so when I saw an age gap step brothers book, I snapped it up. It’s not too far outside my comfort zone but probably not a story I’d usually pick. However, joke’s on me because this ended up being a sweet story of found family.
Dylan and Sebastian became stepbrothers when Dylan’s mechanic father Samuel married Sebastian’s mother. Sebastian was a teenager and looked up to his new older stepbrother and idolized the new stepfather that treated him like his own son. The parents soon broke up but Sebastian stayed in touch with Samuel, sending each other letters up until Sebastian began law school, when they tapered off. It isn’t until Samuel passes away that Sebastian finds out he’s inherited half of Samuel’s garage. The other half belongs to Dylan, who works there…and who’s just gotten older and hotter. The men contend with their grief, as well as the fallout of the will and Samuel’s wishes.
I really liked Dylan and Sebastian, together as well as individually. I feel like the author gave us more of a sense of Dylan’s personality than Sebastian’s. Dylan felt more sharply drawn, in terms of discussion of his physicality as well as personality. The romance felt a little fast, but it’s definitely not instalove. Semi-instalove? Quick love? Expeditious-relationship? PDC-romance? Something along those lines. The two have not been in contact for 20 years, and the time spent between them was two years with Sebastian as a young teen and Dylan as an adult. While it works to remove the (very slight) ick factor of them being stepbrothers, it also doesn’t lend itself to a real past to bring them together.
One unexpected part of the story was how much we got to know Samuel. He’s already gone when the story starts, but his presence is felt throughout the entire novel in Dylan and Sebastian’s discussions and memories. It’s bittersweet, Dylan has lost his father, business partner, and friend while Sebastian has lost the chance to reconnect with the best father figure he’d ever had. That was more emotion than I expected to feel for a stepbrothers romance…
I will admit, I was a little nervous on the age gap angle when I realized Dylan was an adult when he met Sebastian. When I read the line “The last time he saw Dylan was when he was fourteen and Dylan twenty-two,” I made the note of “Oh, no.”
However, there was only a minor crush on Sebastian’s part so if you’re looking for taboo, you’ll have to look elsewhere.
My big nitpick is
Spoiler
that the plot line involving the will is slightly convoluted. Sebastian receives half of the garage and, if he accepts, he must stay in town for six months and help run the garage. If he declines, Dylan will run the garage and Sebastian will receive half the quarterly profits for two years. It’s a good way plot wise to keep Sebastian around but also was a little complicated. Adding to that there’s the addition of Dylan’s old friend Artie, who challenges the will. This eventually amounts to nothing and is resolved fairly quickly. The challenge does bring Dylan and Sebastian closer together, in a way, but it also is slightly pointless. It’s sweet that Samuel apparently collected lost, unloved boys like Pokémon, but it just felt unnecessary and possibly just a set up for a future book for Artie.There are a few comments that are sexist/ignorant, particularly one right off the bat that really rubbed me the wrong way.
“Her black T-shirt, featuring some band he’s never heard of, clings to her body and is cut low enough to reveal quite a lot of cleavage. He shudders at the thought of having to defend her deposition, if she ever tried filing a workplace sexual harassment lawsuit.”
Sir. SIR. What the actual fuck. You’re an employment lawyer??
Nothing was enough to make me stop reading but it did put a sour taste in my mouth.
ALSO. Sebastian says he’s a pescatarian but still eats chicken in a Cobb salad. (Minor, I know, but it’s mentioned several times!)
Overall, this is a sweet story and worth reading. I think this will end up being a series, so while I’m not actively looking forward to the next story, I will most likely read it. This is right up your alley if you need a sweet, slow, low angst story.
**I received this as an ARC and this is my honest review.**
moonechika's review
3.0
3.5
i'm really very amazed by how detailed everything was here.
it was a nice read, but it.. somehow felt unsatisfying? lacking?
— some rant towards the characters that DOES NOT affect rating.
and the issue with Art and Sebastian, are like pot kettle. i find that sebastian have no rights tbh. ok he sent letters, BUT stopped after a while. then he didnt even came back to visit Samuel?? like bruh. and then wanna feel jealous that he might have been replaced?? so ridiculous. he only came back bc Samuel passed. or else he would just go about his normal life. that.. is not how you treat someone when you think of them as a father figure.
also the drama was... pointless?
ps does Art and Benny have a thing
i'm really very amazed by how detailed everything was here.
it was a nice read, but it.. somehow felt unsatisfying? lacking?
— some rant towards the characters that DOES NOT affect rating.
Spoiler
it felt so.. unfair for Dylan, who gave everything towards the shop, just for things to be given back to him halved. like.. things could be easier and less stress for Dylan, if he didn't have to worry about a dead man will, did Samuel not think that?and the issue with Art and Sebastian, are like pot kettle. i find that sebastian have no rights tbh. ok he sent letters, BUT stopped after a while. then he didnt even came back to visit Samuel?? like bruh. and then wanna feel jealous that he might have been replaced?? so ridiculous. he only came back bc Samuel passed. or else he would just go about his normal life. that.. is not how you treat someone when you think of them as a father figure.
also the drama was... pointless?
ps does Art and Benny have a thing
punkrockromance's review
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
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