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ssarahreads's review against another edition
5.0
Audio re-listened on 12/9-2021.
Audio listened on 20-21/9-2019.
Audio listened on 20-21/9-2019.
fernanda28's review against another edition
emotional
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? Yes
3.0
megwoman25's review against another edition
4.0
MM Romance
Friendship Set On Fire
4 Stars ⭐️
Audiobook Narrators: 5 Stars ⭐️
I have been trying to read this book for years but I’d always stop around 15% bored and unable to connect to it. However, this is one of the included books in my Audible subscription so I decided to give it another go and I’m so thankful I did because the voices made this come alive and I LOVED IT! I planned to get rid of Audible after my 3 month free trial but this book made me realize I just need to find the right narrators because a book I once thought was so boring became heartfelt, cozy and sexy. Josh and Caleb’s relationship was so incredibly special but listening to their voices made me feel like I was in this cocoon of love and affection and then the sex scenes were even hotter because of it. One of the narrators gasped and panted during the sex scenes and it was just so hot.
So these two escape a cult and start a new life with members who already escaped. I was happy we didn’t stay in the cult very long because it was just a terrible place and it really fucked up our boys especially Josh. I just wanted to hug him and let him know it was okay. His reaction to seeing how free the real world was compared to what his entire life had been like made me teary at times. I loved that by the end of this book he had accepted himself and was more comfortable in his own skin. Caleb seemed more put together but he had demons as well and they played out late in the book. I actually wasn’t a fan of the whole Miriam thing and it’s why I didn’t rate this higher. I understood why it was happening but it just felt like it was there to create last minute drama and it took me out of the story. I also found myself checking out during some of the more domestic scenes with Maggie and family but overall I really enjoyed this book.
I had almost written off this author because the only books I liked by Bowen until now was Him/Us but this definitely gave me the green light to try more. This is a two book series and I’m excited book 2 is included with my subscription too even if it’s not the same couple. Fingers crossed
Friendship Set On Fire
4 Stars ⭐️
Audiobook Narrators: 5 Stars ⭐️
I have been trying to read this book for years but I’d always stop around 15% bored and unable to connect to it. However, this is one of the included books in my Audible subscription so I decided to give it another go and I’m so thankful I did because the voices made this come alive and I LOVED IT! I planned to get rid of Audible after my 3 month free trial but this book made me realize I just need to find the right narrators because a book I once thought was so boring became heartfelt, cozy and sexy. Josh and Caleb’s relationship was so incredibly special but listening to their voices made me feel like I was in this cocoon of love and affection and then the sex scenes were even hotter because of it. One of the narrators gasped and panted during the sex scenes and it was just so hot.
So these two escape a cult and start a new life with members who already escaped. I was happy we didn’t stay in the cult very long because it was just a terrible place and it really fucked up our boys especially Josh. I just wanted to hug him and let him know it was okay. His reaction to seeing how free the real world was compared to what his entire life had been like made me teary at times. I loved that by the end of this book he had accepted himself and was more comfortable in his own skin. Caleb seemed more put together but he had demons as well and they played out late in the book. I actually wasn’t a fan of the whole Miriam thing and it’s why I didn’t rate this higher. I understood why it was happening but it just felt like it was there to create last minute drama and it took me out of the story. I also found myself checking out during some of the more domestic scenes with Maggie and family but overall I really enjoyed this book.
I had almost written off this author because the only books I liked by Bowen until now was Him/Us but this definitely gave me the green light to try more. This is a two book series and I’m excited book 2 is included with my subscription too even if it’s not the same couple. Fingers crossed
readingwithjen_'s review against another edition
4.0
This was a really interesting story. For the most part, it was a really enjoyable friends to lovers "it's always been you" mm romance. The subplot of escaping a polygamist cult and dealing with the emotional and religious trauma it created was something I've never read in a romance. My one star deduction comes from how drastic the miscommunication in the 3rd act conflict was. Caleb's reaction to the situation seemed out of nowhere and an overreaction for the situation. But even with that, I still enjoyed the story.
hemmel_mol's review against another edition
3.0
I was entertained without any hangups. Narration was ok. Some similarities with Forbidden Rumspringa. Interchangeable main characters.
Up to the next.
Up to the next.
winemakerssister's review against another edition
3.0
An interesting tie-in to the Bountiful/True North series, with more information on the polygamist cult in Wyoming where Isaac, Anna, and Zach were from.
A sweet love story of two guys who grew up together in Paradise, a polygamist cult. Since the elder men want multiple wives, there's very little use for young men. Many of them are removed from the cult, and that's what happens to Joshua. Caleb sneaks out and finds him and together they make their way to Maggie who has built a sanctuary for cult runaways in western MA.
It was going along swimmingly until the narrators changed. Teddy Hamilton did a wonderful job as Joshua, but Dake Bliss' Caleb was horrible. I actually felt unease as I listened. I finally gave up and figured this was a DNF.
Themes: m/m romance, cult, polygamy
A sweet love story of two guys who grew up together in Paradise, a polygamist cult. Since the elder men want multiple wives, there's very little use for young men. Many of them are removed from the cult, and that's what happens to Joshua. Caleb sneaks out and finds him and together they make their way to Maggie who has built a sanctuary for cult runaways in western MA.
It was going along swimmingly until the narrators changed. Teddy Hamilton did a wonderful job as Joshua, but Dake Bliss' Caleb was horrible. I actually felt unease as I listened. I finally gave up and figured this was a DNF.
Themes: m/m romance, cult, polygamy
france2001's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
indiekay's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars
I've been reading a lot of Sarina Bowen books lately, so I decided to read this one next. It's one of her earlier books, which would explain why it has a definite different feeling to the rest of her books I've written.
Content warning: religious cult, internalised homophobia, MC gets beaten and kidnapped, MC almost dies of starvation and cold, attempted hijacking, gun mention, postpartum depression, mentions of secondary character getting beaten and gang-raped.
While the content warnings might make it sound like this book is VERY serious and depressing, the characters don't really fixate on their sorrows too much. They're survivors, and they find ways to be happy in their new lives, even with their terrible upbringing.
I enjoyed this, though the book has a liiittle too many sex scenes for my liking, which were about repetitive and made the plot drag out a lot. But, I did enjoy the found-family aspects of this story, and Josh figuring out that he's good with babies was very cute.
I've been reading a lot of Sarina Bowen books lately, so I decided to read this one next. It's one of her earlier books, which would explain why it has a definite different feeling to the rest of her books I've written.
Content warning: religious cult, internalised homophobia, MC gets beaten and kidnapped, MC almost dies of starvation and cold, attempted hijacking, gun mention, postpartum depression, mentions of secondary character getting beaten and gang-raped.
While the content warnings might make it sound like this book is VERY serious and depressing, the characters don't really fixate on their sorrows too much. They're survivors, and they find ways to be happy in their new lives, even with their terrible upbringing.
I enjoyed this, though the book has a liiittle too many sex scenes for my liking, which were about repetitive and made the plot drag out a lot. But, I did enjoy the found-family aspects of this story, and Josh figuring out that he's good with babies was very cute.
haileeraye's review
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse and Sexual content
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Child abuse