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xanthe87's review
emotional
sad
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? It's complicated
4.5
Stepbrother Dearest is the first book in this new series by Willow Dixon. It's loosely connected to the Never Have I Ever series with Gray being Eli's brother and coworker with Kai at the Crimson Club.
Gray and Caleb never expected to see each other and it's only because Gray needs to go to the ER after being attacked outside of work and Caleb is the nurse who works on him. They haven't seen each other in years and there is a lot of animosity that neither wants to work through but Caleb ends up being the only option to watch over Gray for concussion checks.
There are a lot of walls up with Gray feeling a lot less than Caleb with regards to his recent living situation, his job, the problems he had in school, and his father leaving his family to go to Caleb and his mother. Whereas Caleb was constantly put down by that man, held to an impossible standard and kicked out when he graduated for being gay. It's a slow going process for these two men to build something between them. My heart went out to both of them as they have each experienced emotional trauma at the hands of the same man but pitted against each other. Gray's job is also cause for concern with two unscrupulous bosses who are only out for themselves so money worries are a massive concern for him, yet another thing he compares himself against to Caleb. Regardless of these differences and negative feelings, there's an undercurrent of attraction that they both want to deny as they are each other's perfect match but they also somehow become each other's support system. It's a sweet and very hot development that gives them both what they need - Caleb somewhere safe after a hard shift in the ER and Gray having a person for himself with his best friend and brother now having his own partner. I love that we got to interact with the rest of the guys from the Crimson Club and others from the Never Have I Ever series. I'm looking forward to what stories will be coming up for the other dancers, especially the twins who are quite the crazy characters.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
Gray and Caleb never expected to see each other and it's only because Gray needs to go to the ER after being attacked outside of work and Caleb is the nurse who works on him. They haven't seen each other in years and there is a lot of animosity that neither wants to work through but Caleb ends up being the only option to watch over Gray for concussion checks.
There are a lot of walls up with Gray feeling a lot less than Caleb with regards to his recent living situation, his job, the problems he had in school, and his father leaving his family to go to Caleb and his mother. Whereas Caleb was constantly put down by that man, held to an impossible standard and kicked out when he graduated for being gay. It's a slow going process for these two men to build something between them. My heart went out to both of them as they have each experienced emotional trauma at the hands of the same man but pitted against each other. Gray's job is also cause for concern with two unscrupulous bosses who are only out for themselves so money worries are a massive concern for him, yet another thing he compares himself against to Caleb. Regardless of these differences and negative feelings, there's an undercurrent of attraction that they both want to deny as they are each other's perfect match but they also somehow become each other's support system. It's a sweet and very hot development that gives them both what they need - Caleb somewhere safe after a hard shift in the ER and Gray having a person for himself with his best friend and brother now having his own partner. I love that we got to interact with the rest of the guys from the Crimson Club and others from the Never Have I Ever series. I'm looking forward to what stories will be coming up for the other dancers, especially the twins who are quite the crazy characters.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical trauma
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