I enjoyed this book when I read it with my eyes but Nick J. Russo’s performance elevated it even higher. I enjoy all of the audiobooks he performs but I think he is particular wonderful with New Adult stories.

I rarely have such strong emotional responses when listening to a book that I’ve already read but this book just about did me in. It’s a great coming out story and you don’t need to know anything about hockey to enjoy it.

This was the first book I read by Ryan Taylor and Joshua Harwood back in November 2020 but I’ve since read several others and they just keep getting better and better. As has often happened, a great audio performance made appreciate and enjoy this story even more than when I read it.

Below is a copy of what I wrote when I first read this book:

This is the first book I’ve read by Ryan Taylor and Joshua Harwood and I really enjoyed it. It’s being marketed as “a holiday love story” but I think it’s a great story for any time of year.

Nick and Jacob meet under somewhat unusual circumstances when Nick literally catches Jacob when he’s tossed out of his seat on a bus. Bad weather caused the bus to fishtail and the college kids on a trip are forced to spend the night on the road instead of going home.

Nick and Jacob end up sharing a room, and a bed. There’s a spark there between them but neither of them really wants to acknowledge it then and they agree to hang out as friends. Nick isn’t “out” but he confesses his secret to Jacob and soon they become more than friends.

I love the detail that this story went into about the things that Nick goes through after coming out to his team. The story was very compelling and I finished it in one evening. I’ll be looking for more books to read from this writing duo.

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I had worked myself into a proper tizzy. Even after trying on half the things in my closet, I couldn’t decide what to wear. It was ridiculous. I was twenty-four years old, and I’ve been out since I was sixteen, so how could I get so worked up? We were having tacos and a night in the law library, so my usual sweater and jeans would be fine. Besides, Nick was just a guy, so what was the big deal? The big deal, Jacob, is that Nick is the hottest guy you’ve ever touched. Besides which, he makes your insides turn somersaults, and you’ve never felt like such a dizzy queen in your life.

After what had to be dangerous heart palpitations, I finally chose an outfit. I barely managed to pull on the ivory sweater and faded jeans, brush my teeth, and spray on a little cologne before the doorbell rang. Another five seconds looking in the mirror and fanning my face with my hands, and I ran for the living room.

Holy. Fucking. Hell. I was frozen in place. Blond Nordic god. Jeans and a Bulldog hoodie under a leather jacket. Body to fight a war over. Grin that would melt a polar icecap. All this and more was standing at my door, and I couldn’t speak.

“Jacob!” He raked his eyes over me. “You look great.”

I was still having trouble drawing a breath, but I managed to smile. “Are you really the Nick Johnson?” I put a hand on my hip and gave him my best dubious expression. “If you are, why are you at this law geek’s door?”

“Let me in there!” He came barreling through, grabbed me, twirled me around, and set me back on the floor. His grin was wider than ever while he glanced around the apartment. “Wow, this is a great place.”

“You have any trouble finding it?”

He had made it to the far wall to look at my bookcase, and it took him a moment to turn. He folded his arms over his chest. “I just dropped you off here last night. Even a dumb jock can remember something that long.”

Somehow dinner and studying seemed less important than they had a few minutes earlier, notwithstanding the many cases I needed to review when we got to the library. “You want to sit down? I’ve got beer.”

He shook his head. “I don’t drink much during the season. It slows me feel free.”

Nick’s heady scent—woodsy, with a hint of musk—was spreading through the room, and I felt a little lightheaded. “Water? Soda?”

“Nah. I’ll get something to drink with dinner.” He covered the distance to me in three giant steps. Cocking his head, he put his hands on my shoulders and drew little circles with his fingers. “Damn, you are one fine-looking man, Jacob Meyer. You sure you don’t have a boyfriend hidden around here somewhere?”

I stared at the floor and gave a little snort. “No. The kind of guys I like don’t stick around long with a skinny dude who keeps his nose stuck in a casebook.”

“Idiots.” A few beats went by. “Jacob?”

The sound of his voice had me lifting my head. “Yes?”

A peach blush blossomed in his cheeks, and his voice was breathy. “What kind of men do you like?”

I put my hands in my pockets and pressed my knees together, feeling like I was having a hot flash. “Bigger than me, muscular. Confident guys. You know, sort of… in charge. Nice guys.” I snickered and looked into his eyes. “Blond guys.”

He slid his hands down to cradle my elbows and watched me blow out a shaky breath. After he turned his lips up into a cute grin, he winked at me. Good to know. I’ll be on the lookout for you.”

©2020 Ryan Taylor & Joshua Harwood (P)2022 Ryan Taylor & Joshua Harwood