I had a blast reading Dating Ryan Alback. I started reading it and I couldn’t stop. It was a feel good, fun read that I would enjoy reading time and time again. J E. Birk did a fantastic job of bringing out the worst and best in her characters with a storyline that was a little unpredictable, romantic and just plain enjoyable.

Ryan Alback is an actor that is totally secure in his abilities, his sexuality and his friends. He is totally insecure with his love life. He has major trust issues, issues with the press and issues with people trying to run his life for him. He agrees, reluctantly, to a weekend getaway with a man he doesn’t know. He’s sure that everything will go wrong, that he’ll be a fan that is looking for nothing but publicity. Amazingly, he gets the total opposite and is more than presently surprised.

Jason Santos is just a middle-America, plain old middle school teacher. It’s a dare that brings him into the inner circle of one Ryan Alback and he has no idea what to expect or get out of the weekend he’ll spend with him. What could they possibly have in common besides him being a middle school teacher and Ryan playing a middle school teacher? Surprisingly, a lot!

One small misunderstanding leads to a bigger misunderstanding which leads to two very upset, lonely men who can’t believe that they feel this way after one weekend. But, trust issues can hamper whatever feelings could have been forming. Especially when accusations are thrown. Especially when one of them walks away.

I loved the way Dating Ryan Alback flowed off the pages. Jason and Ryan were so well written. They were fun and funny. The situations they got themselves into and out of were amusing. The supporting characters were just as fun and I have never read such supporting and wonderful parents as Ryan and Jason’s. The moms were just hysterical!

J. E. Birk definitely found a new fan in me. She wrote interesting characters, flaws and all, that kept me interested and turning page after page. She wrote a story that had a little bit of everything in it. Her sex scenes were well written and I loved that they didn’t just jump into the sack … she built them up to it. Then, when it finally happened, she made it entertaining, sexy and fun. And, that’s just what this story was … pure entertainment.

In the last couple months, I’ve read a LOT of m/m romance, which I’d actually never read before outside of YA. Dating Ryan Alback I requested ummmmm a while ago on a whim because the cover and premise were both fucking adorable. I’d never read anything from Riptide Publishing at that point, and I’m always skeptical of publishers I’ve never read before. That adorable golden retriever and Hollywood romance suckered me in. Unfortunately, the prose and characterization aren’t strong enough to make the great premise shine.

The concept here is basically and m/m Win a Date with Tad Hamilton, which I was totally all about. Jason Santos’ best friend signs him up for the contest on a talk show to win a date with star Ryan Alback. Of course, he didn’t want to win, but of course he does. Ryan’s deeply sensitive about the media, and he’s surprised and pleased to not be paired with a huge fan determined to instagram every moment.

The character development just isn’t strong enough. There’s no emotion behind anything, no heat to the sex scenes (even the clever one where they draw out of a hat), and no real impact to the character arcs. Ryan’s arc is to learn how to trust again after his first serious boyfriend threatened to out him; he doesn’t. Right at the end, he once again accuses Jason of talking to the tabloids; this only resolves because they catch the snoop and Jason forgives him. His emotional arc is half-assed at best.

Jason’s emotional arc is to get over his ex who he thought was his one true soulmate. He’s given a choice between the two at the end, and he makes his decision because, as he fades to unconsciousness in a climactic scene where he’s injured, he thinks of Ryan. Good plotting this is not. The two seem to have very little to talk about ever, their banter is painfully awkward, and also very little chemistry. The best character is Ryan’s dog Alby, but he’s under-utilized imo.

Of the twelve of these I’ve read in the last two months, Dating Ryan Alback was the worst. It’s a cute idea but the writing just was not strong enough to pull it off.

A twist on the trope of Movie star falls in love with Average Joe, I loved it!
This is the first time I have read anything from this author and I will be on the lookout for more in the future. Loved the romance and plot in this story, kept me entertained and engrossed in the storyline!
3.5 stars

~3.5 Stars~

I’m in a place right now where cute, shmoopy books are what I need to mainly be reading. I know many of you feel me on that. The world is freaking me out at unhealthy levels –so, I need a little escape, ya know?!? Dating Ryan Alback by new-to-me author J.E. Birk fit the bill nicely. It was sweet, but with just the right amount of drama, so it wasn’t schmaltzy. Just a cute, feel-good romance, with an adorable cover!

Ryan has a fateful Valentine’s Day talk show appearance, wherein he gets teased about being single. Again. And, after which he agrees to be set up on a blind date with a man of the show’s choosing. The man the show picks is, of course, Jason, and a weekend getaway to Vermont is planned by the studio. The date is definitely awkward at times, not many blind dates aren’t, but mostly it’s obvious that they have more in common than either one realized, and that they really do have a connection.

Both guys are relatable and likeable from the get-go. Our title character is a former teen drama star, turned serious actor, who loves nothing more than hanging out at home with his neurotic rescue pup. And then we have Jason Santos who doesn’t just play a teacher on TV, he actually is a middle school teacher. Jason is amazing at his job, which he also truly loves, and works tirelessly to try to get his passion project, nonprofit program Family First, off the ground. Both characters were intelligent, caring, and hardworking, albeit each with a little bit of baggage.

Ryan was burned by a former boyfriend—a less successful fellow actor—who threatened to out him anyway when Ryan said he wasn’t ready to come out together. In a preemptive move, Ryan decided to come out on his own, on his own terms. But, as a result of everything that happened, he has extreme trust issues which cause him to unreasonably and mistakenly lash out at Jason during their weekend in Vermont when a tabloid story about them surfaces.

Luckily, Ryan’s best friend, Danny, who I completely loved, shows up in New York to talk some sense into him, and once his show goes on hiatus, Ryan takes the time to travel to Colorado to try for another shot with Jason. Though initially still angry, Jason does give Ryan another chance, and things get back on track for our guys. There were some nice moments in this second half of the book. They learn a lot about each other’s character, and about the old hurts they are both holding on to. I also loved the scene where Ryan spends time in Jason’s classroom and reaches out to one of the students. All of the interactions seem very genuine.

I had fun with this one. The flow was good and the writing style easy-going. If you’re looking for something light but with enough substance to keep you engaged, I recommend giving this one a go. I look forward to checking out more from this author.

Reviews shared on Goodreads, Amazon, B & N and V's Reads: http://wp.me/p3AKEA-2d7

Ryan Alback is a successful TV actor who made it through child stardom with his head on, well, pretty good. He was closeted as a teen, and only came out under pressure from a boyfriend looking to advance his standing. Ryan has never gotten over this betrayal, and though he is out, he's mostly celibate, fearing another opportunist.

Enter a talk show host, who gets Ryan to admit that he's lonely on her show. Grand plan: find Ryan a man!

Jason Santos is a seventh-grade teacher in Denver and he's determined to find a way to pay for his community program that serves kids who are undocumented, or have undocumented parents. He hasn't dated in a year--not since his ex turned down his marriage proposal and he limped away from their relationship. Now, his BFF has entered him into the contest for a date with Ryan Alback, and Jason is, meh. He'd never get picked. Until he does!

Their date is a weekend away in a Vermont B & B, and it seems to go great. Ryan fears Jason will be a fan-boy, but Jason's totally cool and they seem to hit it off. Until the stories begin to leak, and Ryan accuses Jason of selling him out.

Thing is, that didn't happen, and Ryan is mortified that he hurt a man with whom he had begun to build a tentative rapport. Ryan seeks out advice, and begins to establish publicity on his own terms--before reaching out to Jason again. Jason isn't excited about the jerk showing up, but Ryan makes a super pretty apology. Plus, Jason's only human; he adored Ryan when he was a child star.

There's some other drama down the road, including bad exes and strung-out seventh graders, but the story is all about Ryan finding peace in his career while Jason find balance in his life. It seems these guys will make it, and I do love when that happens.

Post goes live 19 MAY

Dating Ryan Alback was a very pleasant surprise. It had a good storyline, decent writing, and characters I liked. There were a couple instances of what felt like the author’s voice coming through rather than the characters – such as hitting us over the head with the whole standardized test issue. I am in total agreement with the complaints, but it felt forced.

There was also the oddity of Jason supposedly knowing that Ryan couldn’t get over his hangup easily and yet the moment Ryan begins to doubt, he explodes. That seemed odd to me. He was going all “Don’t you know me at all!” when in fact, no, Ryan didn’t. They’d only gone out a couple times by then.

That aside, I enjoyed the book. I loved the secondary characters – from Ryan’s friend Danny who is one of the few that has an in with Ryan’s dog Alby (all it takes is a lot of treats) to Jason’s parents. All of the characters felt real, which is impressive. I did find the sex scenes unneeded and unmemorable. The story could most definitely stand on its own.

If you’re looking for a light romance with enjoyable characters and a pretty decent storyline, give Dating Ryan Alback a try. I know I’m glad I did.

Liked Ryan and Jason a lot. A nice easy, breezy romance. Would definitely read more by this author!

In Dating Ryan Alback by J.E. Birk, Ryan is a successful Hollywood actor with a bad breakup in his past that has him gun shy to open up to another guy. His friend and talk show host decides he needs to find love and hosts a contest to find him the perfect guy. That guy is Jason Santos.

Jason is a middle school teacher who was dumped by a long time boyfriend and is still nursing a broken heart. He agrees to let his friend enter him in a dating contest just so she will stop bugging him. Crazy enough, he actually WINS the contest and he and Ryan hit off. Until a horrible misunderstanding, a whole bunch of anger and ugly words, and a split after what seems to have been a perfect weekend.

The rest of the story is a meandering tale of ‘I was a jerk’ and ‘I still like you’ and ‘lets get to know each other’ and a little bit of ‘how can we make a life together’. It was a unique story line but I didn’t really feel like I connected too much to the characters.

Ryan is very private despite being a celebrity and Jason is a nice guy. He’s a very overworked teacher who is down to earth and quite normal. After their brief weekend together, the guys spend a while apart. Jason is in a funk, gets depressed. Goes off partying and hooks up with a random guy. He is a bit of a mess, honestly. However that whole section seemed a bit out of character for him.

Their chemistry was lackluster and while there was a small amount of on page sex, it was not really well portrayed and it really didn’t seem to flow all that smoothly. There is off page sex that just fades out completely. There was one part that seemed just glaringly unrealistic to me. After they get back together and make up, they want to go away for the weekend together. No one brings lube or condoms. Really? A weekend getaway with someone you are physically in a relationship with and you don’t bring the stuff to have sex? That seems a bit unrealistic

The other little point that really bugged me was that Jason told Ryan that Sam (his ex) was his soul mate and he didn’t think people got more than one in a lifetime. It seemed sort of harsh. Would you really say that to a guy you were dating?

You also don’t really get a happily ever after with this book. There is no real summary of how they are going to actually make the relationship work in the long run. They say the words but no details about the realities of making a lifetime together. With one of them a celebrity actor and them not living in the same state, I just wonder how that is going to work.

Dating Ryan Alback by J.E. Birk was an okay story. I think the story line had promise but the characters just didn’t grab me and there were a few small areas that just bugged me about the way situations were written. Overall not a bad book but not one I was thrilled with.

There is so much I want to say about this book. There were so many elements to it, that made it a surprise for me.

I had not read anything by J.E. Birk before Dating Ryan Alback, so I really wasn't sure what to expect. It looked like a sweet, romantic book (and c'mon, look at that cover, doesn't that say "sweet and cute" all over it?), with fluffy bunnies, kittens and puppies falling all over the place. And it was (minus the bunnies and kittens, and with the dog being somewhat neurotic). This book made me laugh out loud at points. Case in point, this dialogue between Jason and Natalia (Jason's best friend):

"Dramatic? Did you call me dramatic? My last date took me to a gyro place. Gryos, Jason!"

"I like gyros," Jason answered mildly.

"Yes, yes, we all like gyros..."

I had several laugh out loud moments highlighted. Ones that I highlighted that later became a bigger part of the storyline. In the end, though, this was a fun, romantic comedy.

Until I realized that there was a sub-plot that made it so relevant to current day politics that I was shocked at the idea that this must have been written well before the U.S. presidency had even been decided. The author nailed the issue so hard, I was in awe at how accurate a portrayal of something that I hadn't even realized was truly happening (and literally has increased exponentially in the last month). The author's portrayal of this situation made it hit home even more. And as you read her interview, you'll see this was deeply personal for her.

All in all this book was such a hit with me, and as I processed it over the next couple days, it felt even more like heaps of fun, with a side of reality thrown in, which I am hoping is how all the readers feel about it.

4 stars

Somewhere between a 3.5 & 4... cute read. ;)

This is one of those super sweet romances that has a couple of characters who you can't help but want to be happy. I have to admit though that I got a little annoyed at Ryan more than once...

Jason had no desire to enter the contest, much less hope to win, but his well meaning friend gave him no choice. Ryan was a 'victim' of the same kind of well meaning friend. The weekend date had absolutely no hope of going anywhere for either one of them, only it did... almost.

There was a whole lot that I liked about Dating Ryan Alback. The supporting characters were great, including the dog. The chemistry between Jason and Ryan was great too... when they weren't trying to fight it. Honestly, the only thing that I didn't like about Dating Ran Alback was Ryan. Well, to fair, I didn't exactly not like him, I just didn't like the way he jumped to conclusions. I could forgive him the first time, but... you're just going to have to read this one for yourself and see if you feel the same way.

I received Dating Ryan Alback in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Dating Ryan Alback is a sweet story with little angst but loads of drama, and that’s not a contradiction. I was always rooting for Ryan and Jason to get their HEA, not because they are perfect for each other (initially, they’re not!) but because they’ve both got secrets and pasts that make you know they deserve it.
Ryan is a TV star, who was once played a teenager on a long running Disneyesq show about high school kids. For reasons that are not revealed until later in the book, Ryan came out as gay during the show’s run, but his character continued to be heterosexual and the show continued to be a success. He’s also done at least one movie and is now in another show about education, but this time playing a teacher. This show is grittier and shows a more realistic side of students and teachers.
Jason is a real life 7th grade teacher whose students are faced with crises that no child should have to confront, specifically, when an undocumented parent is sent back to Mexico, leaving the child, who is a citizen of the United States, behind with little support. Jason is passionate about setting up a place where kids feel comfortable about telling what’s going on in their lives and offering them the support they may not have. The only catch is finding funding. In addition, Jason is out as a gay man but recently broke up with a long term lover, an event that broke his heart.
Ryan broke up with a boyfriend and hasn’t dated since then. He is set up by his publicist to be on a talk show and do a kind of dating game sketch. Viewers can send in biographies and pictures of gay friends to be chosen for a weekend date with Ryan. Ryan hates this. He’s a very private person. One of Jason’s friends sends Jason’s information in and surprisingly, he is chosen as the blind date for Ryan. The date goes well until something happens that causes them to know this would never work.
There are several secondary characters, some more critical than others, including parents, the talk show host, best friends, and those exes. Oh, and the drama I mentioned? There’s quite a bit of it.
I read this book cover to cover in one sitting and enjoyed every minute of it. The MCs are heroes to each other but have to struggle to aim for an HEA. In the end, they may have only an HEA for now but it looks like that happy ever after is not far off.

Well... this was different.

We all know the trope - rich actor meets regular guy and romance ensues. And this book has that trope, except the way the rich actor meets the regular guy is unusual.

Ryan Alback, the actor in question, is a very private person and hates the limelight. He loves his job, but doesn't like being in the public eye. He's more or less a recluse, after a bad Hollywood relationship turned very sour and Ryan felt used.

During an interview shortly before Valentine's Day, the talk show host launches a Dating Game - people can write in to the show to possibly win a basically blind date with the hot actor. Reluctantly, Ryan agrees.

Fast forward a few weeks, and Jason Santos, a somewhat shy teacher who only allowed his friend to enter him if she would then leave him alone about his love life (or lack thereof), has been chosen as Ryan's perfect date, and the talk show is paying for a long weekend at a nice romantic hotel.

Both men have been burned in the past, and neither expects anything good to come from this weekend date, but they find that they do have some major things in common, and actually enjoy themselves. I really liked how the author didn't make things easy for them - their early interactions are rather awkward, like you'd expect two men to behave after having been put in the same location as nothing more than a publicity stunt.

Ryan had a very difficult time trusting Jason, and Jason seemed to be still very hung up on his ex-boyfriend (the guy who refused his marriage proposal and broke his heart), and I didn't really feel that there was any kind of spark at first between the two men.

Both of them were also really nice guys - Ryan being super normal and not blinded by his success, and Jason intent on starting a non-profit to help kids whose parents were undocumented immigrants.

Over the long weekend in Vermont, as they spend time together, both men realize that there might be something there after all, despite their somewhat unconventional way of meeting.

Of course, smooth sailing is out of the question, and Ryan's distrust for most people rears its ugly head when a tabloid posts pictures of them together, with what seems to be a quote from Jason.

I understood how Ryan could have misjudged this situation, and how angry he was, so angry that he wouldn't even listen to Jason defend himself and deny the accusation.

Obviously, at that point, the weekend is over and Jason flees the hotel at once, heading home and moving on.

I liked this a lot, and I was engaged from start to finish. Their story just easily flows, with ups and downs, and at no time was I bored. There aren't any major lulls, nor are there any rapid time jumps, and the development of their relationship seemed natural in the time frame in which it takes place.

Both Ryan and Jason must learn to trust each other, and this obviously takes time, especially considering how they both have been hurt before. I liked that Jason didn't look at Ryan as some famous movie star, but took the time to get to know the person behind the famous face. He also had some backbone, and didn't easily let Ryan off the hook.

What bothered me a bit, because I wanted them to have a HEA, is that at the end of the story it's not quite clear how they'll actually plan to be together - is Ryan going to move? Is Jason? Still, that didn't distract me from my enjoyment.

Extra points for including a sweet dog (Alby) who's afraid of her own shadow but who warms up to Jason eventually just the same as her owner. The rest of the supporting cast (Ryan's actor friend who gives him some long-overdue advice, Jason's teacher friend who meddles) was well done.

There is but little steam in this book, and while there are a few bedroom scenes, they're not super explicit. This story didn't need it - it's a sweet and adorable romance, and it should be read as such.

Recommended.

Dating Ryan Alback by J.E. Birk is an adorably cute and entertaining read with a bit of angst thrown in for good measure. It takes a celebrity with paparazzi issues and a self imposed loner unable to let go of the past and puts them together. What could happen?

Ryan Alback is a successful actor who hates being in the limelight. Contradictory you say? Well he enjoys the job but hates the publicity that comes with it. He longs for a boyfriend but having been burned in the past he is a tad jaded.

Jason Santos has a family that loves and supports him, a meddling best friend and is a successful middle school teacher. He loves his job but maintains a non-existent love life as the result of a marriage proposal rejection. His dream is to start a non-profit assisting families separated by immigration issues.

Suddenly both Ryan and Jason are thrown into the much dreaded limelight. How these two get into this situation is comical, a talk show celebrity dating contest. First, Ryan’s agent agrees to the contest without discussing it with him. Second, Jason agrees to let his best friend enter him into said contest believing there is no way he could win and this will get her off his back for a few months.

Well guess what, Ryan and Jason are headed on a getaway weekend in Vermont!

Both dread the weekend but once there things go well for the two men. They are enjoying each other’s company, meshing well together and having a good time. Enter the paparazzi. Combine that with Ryan’s past and the the getaway weekend ends poorly. That’s it right? Nope...

When Ryan is presented with an alternate view of the weekend he seeks out Jason for a do-over.

Insecurities prevail, the ex returns and the paparazzi meddles again. What could happen, right? Well grab a copy and find out!

All together there is humor, angst, heartache, and love wrapped into a delightfully light story without a lot of mind boggling depth. The story flows well with the characters being engaging and entertaining.

A slight niggle with Dating Ryan Alback….Ryan and Jason's story ends without providing closure. Maybe there will be a sequel to tie up the loose ends, maybe not. We will just have to use our imaginations in the meantime. Even with this….well worth my time spent between the pages of this one.

A copy of Dating Ryan Alback was provided to Kimmers’ Erotic Book Banter, by Riptide Publishing, at no cost and with no expectations in return. We offer our fair and honest opinion on behalf of our readers.

Dating Ryan Alback was a cute book without much angst. I liked the concept of the book but the chemistry between Ryan and Jason just fell flat for me.

Ryan is an actor who wants to keep his private life private no matter what. Although he is starring on a television show he hates publicity. Ryan has some serious trust issues but his agent convinces him to do a publicity stunt where he is set up on a date with someone.

Jason is a teacher who's friend convinces him to let her enter him in the contest. He doesn't expect to win and lets her just so she'll stop bugging him about his lack of love life. Jason is still hung up on his ex who he was with for seven years. He thinks his ex is his soul mate and can't understand what went wrong.

So between Ryan's lack of trust and Jason still being hung up on his ex the "bonding" scenes between the two just didn't seem to work for me and it all just seemed a bit awkward. It comes as no surprise when a tabloid gets the details of their date Ryan blames Jason and he isn't nice about it! Jason not knowing about Ryan's past gets angry and leaves.

I thought the scene where Jason goes out and gets drunk and trades hand jobs in a bar with some random stranger to be a bit out of place. I'm not sure why that was in the book and threw me off somewhat. His motive was never really clear - was he trying to forget Ryan? Was he mad at Ryan? Did it have anything to do with Ryan at all?

I also didn't buy Jason's ex all of sudden showing up a year later with a change of heart. It seemed a bit contrived and almost obvious.

The book ended with a HFN. The two didn't really ever make any big plans for the future except for a vacation together over the summer. I don't think they were living together at the end more of a feeling of well let's see what happens.

Thoroughly enjoyable.

Ryan Alback doesn't date. Despite being a young, gay irresistible actor there are no great loves in his life. Apart from his family and his dog he is on his own and it seems things will stay that way.

Until a talk show host decides to set him up on a date.

Jason Santos was not keen to go on the date with Ryan Alback. Sure the guy is good looking, but Jason has had his one shot at love and has been rejected by some one he saw as his soul mate.

But both guys go on the date and seem to have fun. When the date ends on a sour note it looks as if that is the end of that but it isn't because despite their differences and the distance between them both men are deeply attracted to each other. And so they start to see each other and work through their issues, hopes, dreams and fears and do they get there?

This is a really lovely story and a great romance. As the two men negotiate their 'lumps and bumps' the reader will find a desire to cheer them on as both men grope and stumble towards the beauty and potential of love and life with each other.

The author has a witty way of writing and the story comes together really well. The most attractive aspect of this story is the romance. It is realistic, engaging and with a good cast of characters.

I will definitely be keeping my eyes open for future stories from this author.

Coy provided by Riptide Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for a unbiased review.

3.5 Stars

I loved the cover, it's adorable and the premise was different and unique. The story was pleasant, but that's all. While the book was cute, funny, a bit sexy and entertaining, it was missing a spark of excitement and chemistry between the main characters. It was just kind of an okay read.

The characters were likable and sweet. I loved Ryan's dog, Alby, and I enjoyed the interaction with Jason's co-worker and students, as well as with Jason and Ryan's parents. The story is well-written for the most part, but the ending felt very rushed and a bit unfinished.

The story is good, it just wasn't for me. I'm sure plenty will love it. Recommendable!

*Copy provided to the reviewer via NetGalley for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement.*

3* Started off great, but the leads break up and one hooks up with someone else, and then his ex comes back and he's conflicted...Not quite my idea of a romance.

This started off well and despite the circumstances of their meeting, Ryan and Jason had a certain something that was pretty obvious from the start. I couldn't quite believe how blinkered Ryan could be, and that he'd believe something so readily about Jason, despite having no proof and despite knowing how the paparazzi operates, and so he deserved to be dumped. I got that and I agreed with that. What I wasn't OK with is that Jason then went back home, got drunk off his head and ended up getting off with someone he met at a club, and the next thing, he comes home and Ryan's waiting and they're almost back together. Technically, they'd broken up - not that they were really anything concrete before the break-up - so it wasn't cheating, but still I'd have expected Jason to be at least a little conflicted over it, or at least thinking over it and having some regrets. The author just glossed over this.

Before they can clear the air entirely, Jason's ex is also back on the scene and Jason is confessing that the ex wants him back and that he's conflicted over how he feels about it...

Yes, it's a romance and the leads end up together, but I didn't believe in the 'them'. I read about it, I saw that Ryan made attempts to make amends, but everything felt a little too rushed and too unspoken. The tale ended without a definite HFN and certainly without any hint of a HEA, so for me, this didn't entirely work, despite the author's writing being so decent.

ARC courtesy of Riptide Publishing for my reading pleasure.

I received this ARC from Netgalley for an honest review.
This is a quick fun read with a premise that I have read before. The side stories are what interested me the most. Both characters are likable and why I really liked this book.