I've reviewed the first bundle yesterday (read it
here), so here goes the rest...
Blurb
Volumes Four, Five and Six of the Upending Tad series:
Prized Possession:
With Tad's reservations firmly on the one-eighty, he's finally more at ease exploring this intriguing new part of himself, especially where his attraction, and affections, for Scott are concerned. But when their evening plans get cancelled, Tad winds up watching the guy in action at the gym instead. Kickboxing lessons lead to sparring, which in turn leads to a face-off more erotic than Tad could have ever imagined. With huge new boundaries crossed, both men are floored like never before. Have these milestones finally put all Tad's hang-ups behind him?
Bringing It Home:
It’s Friday night and Tad finds himself doing pretty much what he’d expected. Celebrating with his friends at a night club in honor of their buddy Breck’s birthday. The music’s pumping, drinks are flowing, as laughter and dancing bodies abound.
Nothing too outlandish, nothing unusual.
Until Scott and his own crew show up at the place. Funny how the one person Tad prefers above all others is the last person he wants to see. But now that he’s spotted the guy across the room, he can’t seem to take his eyes off him. Which winds up being a very bad thing. Seems Scott out in public with other attractive men is a much different story than Tad’s used to.
As one disturbing event after another unfolds, Tad splits before he loses his mind. But the breather he needs he does not get. In fact, things just go from bad to worse, the night ending on a note he never would have imagined. As things between Scott and him hit rock bottom, the only direction left must be up. If only Tad’s life would follow such a formula. But the path he’s been walking lately has never been that simple.
With a world of revelations finally revealed, can Tad find it in himself to make peace with Scott’s past so they can finally head into the future?
Afterglow:
With his secret out and uncertainty behind him, Tad finds himself in this new, incredible place. A place where, finally, he can just be himself. Which means no more over-analyzing every feeling Scott stirs inside him. Because now Tad has the confidence to act on them instead. To be with the guy that he’s head over heels for in every imaginable way. In public. In private. Without any reservations. An internal freedom he never knew existed until Scott came and unlocked the door. Experience their story’s epilogue installment, filled with playfulness and promise, laughter and love. And, yup, some of that hot stuff, too.
Warning: Contains gloriously explicit gay sex.
Intended for mature audiences only.
Review
(All reviews originally posted on Goodreads)
RATING:
Hhholy effing lahwd!!!
Where do I even start with this one???... Hmmm, for starter, as soon as it came to my attention that this is out, I was right there 1-clicking this baby. And I’m up to my eyeballs with other ARCs and reviews to write, but no, this took precedence over all that. Yes, that’s how excited I was with this one...
I suppose I can talk mostly about the hotness factor in this one, which is nothing new, if I may add, with this series, but that may just come across as pervy *g* and the last thing I want to do is to overlook the story itself. But mother marshmallow, the tension!!! And is it ever hot!!!
Smexy times aside, I like seeing Tad just increasingly giving thoughts to the idea of him and Scott, and seeing that new comfort level to Tad’s line of thinking when it comes to Scott. But now, he’s also starting to deal with the bigger implications of it all. And because most of the awkwardness is gone, I thought Tad showed a new side here. There is a confidence level which felt dichotomous, given the ongoing struggle in his head, yet so appropriate, and in turn, shifted the dynamics a little between the 2.
Which then leads me to Scott... oh Scott... With that slight shift in their dynamics, I really liked seeing him accommodating Tad and giving/being what Tad needed at that moment... sigh... I'm really trying to not give anything away...
And of course, not just with this book but throughout the series, I just love the banter b/w these 2, and the wry sense of humor, self-deprecating at times (esp from Tad), that everything just feels completely natural. Gawd, I’m just so enamored with those 2, seriously!
Picking this up, I wasn’t really sure how Kora will move these 2 men along, seeing how very new things still are, especially for Tad on so many levels, but you know what, I've not been disappointed so far, nope, not at all. There is one more book to the series so no HEA yet... I just trust she will take me on a good ride right til the end... I think... I hope...
Lastly, like I already told Kora, now I will anxiously but patiently wait for the last book.
RATING:
I would so miss Tad and Scott!!! And their smexy times! What! Just sayin... teehee
I tend to review right after I finished a book as I want to write things down when things are fresh in my head and I want to capture my immediate feelings. For this one, since I felt like I read it too fast the first time, I re-read it again just to be sure. Erm, fine, who am I kidding?! I re-read it right away just because I wanted to, and i guess in a way, I wasn't prepared to say bye to those 2 just yet...
We finally get Tad and Scott's HEA, yes indeed! And I couldn't be happier how things worked out for those 2.
Tad was finally ready to acknowledge what's going on with him but of course, it's one thing to deal with it with people you know and another thing with the public in general. But due to what's happened and what Scott has pointed out, it finally cemented the decisions in his head and propel him to move forward. Scott was too good for words. He gets it but he's human after all. I think this is the first time I've seen Scott to be really vulnerable when it came to Tad. Luckily for him, Tad knows how much of a gift he's getting from, with and through Scott.
I swear, those 2 are just too delish for words! Enamored is an understatement when it comes to how I feel about these 2. Yes, yes, I know they're fictional, but I can't help it if Kora made me care that much, ok? Tad's unassuming thoughts and words, Scott with his alpha sensitive ways... the natural witty banter, the sincere honest emotions, the ever-lovin' smokin' hotness... sigh... what's not to love, tell me!!!
I do admit that things with Tad may appear to have resolved quite easily, but I didn't care. Also, I felt a bit of a dunce when Tad acknowledged the metaphors that each leg of his journey represented. I dunno why but I felt I should have gotten that but didn't. O well... at least it was laid out nicely for me at the end, kinda like Cliff notes.
Regardless, I'm happy and sad at this sorta end of their journey. I know there will be an epilogue by fall, which can't come fast enough, but with Tad and Scott now getting their HEA, I really will miss those 2... sigh...
I've said this to Kora, and I'll say it here again. Kora may have just singlehandedly turned me into an m/m reader and if her books are the only m/m books I've read, I'm a happy camper...
Kora, you f#@king rock!!! Thank you ever so much for giving me Tad and Scott! Definitely will go down in my reading history as one of most fave MCs... just sayin...
RATING:
What a sweet hot epilogue!!!*g* I say you can really feel the afterglow effect!
With the idea of Tad and Scott being a couple still being so new for both of them, it was endearing to see and feel the emotions swirl in their heads, letting it settle in and be empowered by it.
There's much playfulness to their interaction but it's because that's the kind of people they are, that's the kind of dynamics they have.
Having Scott's POV, it was nice to see both Tad and Scott analyzing their feelings for each other putting them on a more equal footing rather than seeing only Tad being unsettled from it all. As much as this is a lot of firsts for Tad, Tad, as it turns out, also brought out a lot of firsts for Scott.
Tad was his usual bratty sweet self and Scott was his usual sensitive alpha making sure he reads Tad right... *swoon*
This rating is more for the series as a whole. Now I will truly miss these 2!
Kora has given me a lot of smexy times, yes, with what felt like little story, yes, but ultimately, it really was all about Tad and his journey with Scott to get him, both of them, to the afterglow of their union, yes!
FLOVE Tad and Scott, no doubt! And FLOVE you, Kora!
(Now on to Max and Sean... Kai and Breck... and whoever else you want to introduce to us, Kora:p)
And there you have it, folks! If I wasn't clear enough in my reviews, Kora is who sealed the deal for me when it came to M/M genre. So for that, thanks, Kora, for opening my eyes into the wonderful world of M/M romance.
Thanks for dropping by!
~Leftie
