Positively phenomenal! A unique spin on the friends to lover theme with an amazing relationship-based story.

Andrew Thompson and Caleb Lakes meet and become the best of friends while young teenagers. The story takes us through the next 20 years of their lives as they maintain their status as best friends with benefits. The question is whether or not they can ever move past this point.

I loved both of these very well developed characters. Caleb was sweet, charming, an amazing friend, and a very strong person. It was adorable how he always had to be dressed to perfection. Andrew is brilliant, graduating from school early and ultimately becoming a top neurosurgeon. He’s extremely kind but also very lonely due to his brilliance. He longs for a permanent relationship, but repeatedly chooses men who cheat on him.

However, when he and Caleb don’t have current boyfriends, they take advantage of their amazing sexual chemistry. All of the amazing sex scenes took place with Andrew and Caleb. Even though they both had other boyfriends throughout the story, it was mostly told to us through discussions between Andrew and Caleb. There was a lot of dialogue in this story, which is something I enjoy, and a good portion of it was told while these two were engaged in sexual activity.

It was hard to imagine enjoying a story where the two lovers aren’t truly romantically involved — at least in their eyes. To the reader and their friends, it was obvious these two were meant for each other. However, the author managed to make me believe that their relationship worked for them, and thankfully there wasn’t a lot of angst in the story. I almost wanted things to happen faster, but in all honesty, they weren’t ready for it. By the time they figured it out, I was crying happy tears!

If you enjoy an amazing friends to lovers with benefits theme with great dialogue, strong characters, and an interesting life journey, this more than fits the bill.

Originally reviewed for The Romance Reviews. Complimentary copy provided by author/publisher for an honest review.

BLURB

At fourteen, Andrew Thompson and Caleb Lakes become best friends. As the years pass, they stand by each other through family trauma, school, and the start of their careers. They share their first sexual experiences as friends, learning and experimenting. And they talk each other through countless dates and breakups. Decades of trust and loyalty build a deep and abiding friendship —until Andrew suffers a tragedy. Caleb moves in with him, and the parameters of their unique relationship blur.

Wrestling with feelings he can’t articulate, Andrew spirals into self-loathing. Caleb struggles to help his friend heal, but he longs for more than Andrew can give him. After so many years, neither man knows how to break out of his established role. After all, boyfriends come and go, but best friends are forever.