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cag168's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I've been really enjoying The Spire series. I love how they are all stand-alone stories exploring different relationships and why the two main characters work together even if on paper maybe they shouldn't. Out of the Spire novels I would say I think For Real might be my favorite yet that I've read. I think what makes For Real my favorite is how much I found myself relating to Toby. Maybe more than I would care to admit. Toby and Laurie are so adorable together. Watching both characters discover more about themself and become more comfortable in their own skin was a fun journey to be on. If you want a fast-paced pace spicy romance novel with fully developed characters that even though at times you want to yell at them for their choices mostly you just root for them to figure things out. I would pick this book up.
meadowslovesbooks's review against another edition
5.0
For Real by Alexis Hall
Book 3, Spires series
I didn’t mean to read this book. In fact I’m up to my eyeballs in ARC’s right now.
Then @shaylovesbooks.xo sent me @letters.from.skye post and I saw younger top (which I love) and quicker than you can yell “SQUIRREL” I was on amazon reading the sample chapters, bought it and read it in a day.
Toby, a baby-dom, and Laurie meet one night at a kink club and have an encounter that neither of them can forget. In fact, both feel ruined by the experience. They both have demons to overcome to their HEA but, oh, is it written so masterfully. Just gorgeous. There is so much feeling, and surprisingly not a ton of angst.
Being able to see into both Toby and Laurie’s heads is fantastic. Toby is young and inexperienced but not immature. He is so good at reading Laurie and dominating him. Reading how Laurie surrenders to Toby, to their relationship and love was just lovely.
Laurie is damaged and reluctant to get involved, being a little gun shy from a previous breakup. The 18 year age gap freaks him out, understandably. His surrender to Toby is stunning.
The schmexy scenes are hot but the emotion behind them is what really got me. HIGHLY, HIGHLY RECOMMEND. One of my top reads of the year.
Book 3, Spires series
I didn’t mean to read this book. In fact I’m up to my eyeballs in ARC’s right now.
Then @shaylovesbooks.xo sent me @letters.from.skye post and I saw younger top (which I love) and quicker than you can yell “SQUIRREL” I was on amazon reading the sample chapters, bought it and read it in a day.
Toby, a baby-dom, and Laurie meet one night at a kink club and have an encounter that neither of them can forget. In fact, both feel ruined by the experience. They both have demons to overcome to their HEA but, oh, is it written so masterfully. Just gorgeous. There is so much feeling, and surprisingly not a ton of angst.
Being able to see into both Toby and Laurie’s heads is fantastic. Toby is young and inexperienced but not immature. He is so good at reading Laurie and dominating him. Reading how Laurie surrenders to Toby, to their relationship and love was just lovely.
Laurie is damaged and reluctant to get involved, being a little gun shy from a previous breakup. The 18 year age gap freaks him out, understandably. His surrender to Toby is stunning.
The schmexy scenes are hot but the emotion behind them is what really got me. HIGHLY, HIGHLY RECOMMEND. One of my top reads of the year.
gina_readsbooks's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
4.0
“There’s risk inherent in most things that matter.”
Massive thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Alexis Hall is an auto-buy and auto-read author for me. He manages to write some incredibly intense, vulnerable stories with the undercurrent of humor that I always love. This one is a bit out of my comfort zone with a significant age gap and some BDSM, but the underlying story is really beautiful.
Laurie hasn’t moved on from his last relationship, though his friends are trying to nudge him through. He meets Toby, who’s nineteen, and they have this instant connection. Laurie is eighteen years older than Toby and struggles with the intense feelings he has. He’s so convinced that he’s wrong for Toby and worried about how it will look.
I particularly loved Toby. He’s so raw and vulnerable. He’s at this point in his life where he feels lost and he just wants Laurie to admit his feelings. There’s a lot that they have to work through, and Laurie eventually becomes the person who helps Toby figure out what he wants to do in life. The way they finally come together just feels so lovely and I did like the slightly ambiguous ending, which really feels realistic.
aplace_inthesun's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This was a netgalley read as I am a total sucker for an Alexis Hall book.
This one did not disappointment. Of all Hall’s books this one is the steamiest I think and it has interesting dynamics in terms of the age gap, the personalities of the two main characters, and their stages in life. This had some intensity to it and a sense of being lonely even when people aren’t actually alone.
There’s some intense BDSM for those who might be sensitive when it comes to that on page but given this was much about how they met and their relationship dynamic, it definitely fit.
Thanks to the publisher for the netgalley copy.
4.5 stars
This one did not disappointment. Of all Hall’s books this one is the steamiest I think and it has interesting dynamics in terms of the age gap, the personalities of the two main characters, and their stages in life. This had some intensity to it and a sense of being lonely even when people aren’t actually alone.
There’s some intense BDSM for those who might be sensitive when it comes to that on page but given this was much about how they met and their relationship dynamic, it definitely fit.
Thanks to the publisher for the netgalley copy.
4.5 stars
moll_ereads's review against another edition
4.0
4.5*. I just absolutely adore Alexis Hall's writing!!!!
a_stylish_bookworm's review against another edition
hopeful
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
I have been in my forbidden romance era and this fits the bill with the age gap romance between Laurie and Toby. They meet at BDSM club and Laurie takes Tony under his wing to show how the relationship works. I liked that Toby is the dominant which books typically has the older character as. I love their interaction and the struggle Laurie had with this relationship. What I found refreshing was Toby's confidence with what he wanted in a relationship. I love the growth journey that happens in this story.
Thank you @sourcebookscasa @netgalley for a copy of this book.
kelliemw's review against another edition
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Thank you to the Author, publisher and NetGalley for the eARC.
Age gaps are not my thing, reading the synopsis and knowing that this book contained one I chose to request it anyway. I have read other of Hall’s books and genuinely loved them. This is a rerelease of the book with bonus materials and I hadn’t read it before so I thought I’d give it a shot. Overall I found both MMC to be genuinely hard to like. They both came with way too many hang ups and while some of them were resolved, I didn’t find the resolutions to be satisfying. As far as the kink in this, I am not an expert in the BDSM scene but the lack of negotiation, and sometimes what felt like coercion was uncomfortable for me. The lack of even using safe words and joking once about the use of a safe word after an attempted scene was uncouth.
I wish I could have enjoyed it more considering how much I enjoyed other books by this author but not every book is for everyone.
Age gaps are not my thing, reading the synopsis and knowing that this book contained one I chose to request it anyway. I have read other of Hall’s books and genuinely loved them. This is a rerelease of the book with bonus materials and I hadn’t read it before so I thought I’d give it a shot. Overall I found both MMC to be genuinely hard to like. They both came with way too many hang ups and while some of them were resolved, I didn’t find the resolutions to be satisfying. As far as the kink in this, I am not an expert in the BDSM scene but the lack of negotiation, and sometimes what felt like coercion was uncomfortable for me. The lack of even using safe words and joking once about the use of a safe word after an attempted scene was uncouth.
I wish I could have enjoyed it more considering how much I enjoyed other books by this author but not every book is for everyone.
analenegrace's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-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
4.0
First, thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an e-arc of one of my faves!
This was the first actual Alexis Hall reread because, for a long time, this was the only one of his older books that the library had! I remember really enjoying this one and I enjoyed it once again, Hall is one of my favorite writers for a reason!
Laurie and Toby's romance could definitely be categorized as erotica because of the number of sex scenes, but each is very important to the plot as our characters grow and change as people. Their age gap dynamic is one of the greatest difficulties in their relationship, and I think Hall handles it well, showcasing the importance of healthy communication once the two finally start communicating.
I really enjoyed the way BDSM was approached in this book; although it was a book with a lot of sex scenes, as it was not treated as particularly taboo, but rather something that connected our MCs and brought together their community.
Another great romance by Hall that I can't wait to get my hands on physically when it comes out!
This was the first actual Alexis Hall reread because, for a long time, this was the only one of his older books that the library had! I remember really enjoying this one and I enjoyed it once again, Hall is one of my favorite writers for a reason!
Laurie and Toby's romance could definitely be categorized as erotica because of the number of sex scenes, but each is very important to the plot as our characters grow and change as people. Their age gap dynamic is one of the greatest difficulties in their relationship, and I think Hall handles it well, showcasing the importance of healthy communication once the two finally start communicating.
I really enjoyed the way BDSM was approached in this book; although it was a book with a lot of sex scenes, as it was not treated as particularly taboo, but rather something that connected our MCs and brought together their community.
Another great romance by Hall that I can't wait to get my hands on physically when it comes out!
who_knew's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I could not possibly recommend this book to anyone irl, but I had a great fucking time reading it.
It was a lot of unserious topics treated seriously and a lot of serious topics handled tactfully. The characters have actually really stuck with me in the few weeks since I finished it.
I remember actually being at the 50-page mark, and I was already sad that the ending was "so close". I wanted to spend more time reading this, but also... the story finished exactly where it should have.
I picked this up less for an age-gap BDSM story than because I've been told to read Alexis Hall a dozen times (and now I totally see why). It was subversive and silly and sweet and hot. This was a great book. I'll reread it as soon as it's not quite so fresh in my mind, no doubt. I might have to read everything by Alexis Hall.
It was a lot of unserious topics treated seriously and a lot of serious topics handled tactfully. The characters have actually really stuck with me in the few weeks since I finished it.
I remember actually being at the 50-page mark, and I was already sad that the ending was "so close". I wanted to spend more time reading this, but also... the story finished exactly where it should have.
I picked this up less for an age-gap BDSM story than because I've been told to read Alexis Hall a dozen times (and now I totally see why). It was subversive and silly and sweet and hot. This was a great book. I'll reread it as soon as it's not quite so fresh in my mind, no doubt. I might have to read everything by Alexis Hall.