We will no longer be reviewing this title..........

Concourse, the fifth book in the Five Boroughs series, gave a much needed HEA to Ashton Townsend and Valdrin Leka. Ashton was introduced in First and First, one of my favorite books in the series, so I couldn't wait to read more about him and his longtime friend/love interest Val. I've read the story of Vashton twice now, and I have to say those two reading experiences were quite different. The first read didn't go as well as I had hoped, but on the second one I ended up liking both the book and the characters much more.

Ashton and Valdrin were two twenty-something-year-old men who kept unnecessarily complicating their lives, and kept making themselves miserable, and that may have driven me nuts a little bit when I read Concourse the first time. Not this time, though. They just had a number of personal issues to work through, and needed a lot of time to put their wants and feelings out in the open, and finally get out of the way of their own happiness. I was more understanding of that this time around.

Ashton was sort of a celebrity, known as A-Town. He came from a wealthy family, had a few million Instagram followers, and made money by appearing in clubs and promoting products on his Instagram profile. On the surface, Ashton led a glamorous and happy life. Underneath it all, he was yearning to gain his family's approval and to stop being the black sheep. He also wanted to do something worthwhile, but most of all he wanted Valdrin. Valdrin was his nanny's son, his friend, his favorite person in the world, the only person he could be himself with, the person who always jumped to his rescue when he needed it, and the person who had been avoiding him for months. The avoidance ended when Valdrin finally answered Ashton's call and came to pick him up from a party. After that Ashton did what he could to make sure Val didn't pull a disappearing act on him once again. For Valdrin it became impossible to continue keeping his distance. One thing led to another then another and then to a week of sheer happiness. Of course, it couldn't be that simple.

Valdrin had his own bag of issues. He was killing himself working two jobs to make a living and pay for his sister's education, he trained hard to become a professional boxer even though he was only doing it to not let his coach down, he'd loved Ashton since they were boys, and he was burdened by a secret regarding him and Ashton's father. That secret was the reason he had stayed away from Ashton, and it was the reason he feared his relationship with Ashton was doomed. However, Valdrin knew Ashton had to know the truth no matter what.

By the end of the book, they would have to deal with Val's secret, realize what they want from each other and from their own lives, and figure out what they want their future to be. Yes, it was a lot, but Vashton made it. The ending was more awesome than I remembered.

I'm so glad to be back in the Five Boroughs world. I forgot how much I liked this series. Can't wait for the rest!

four stars for this story full of drama, angst and hot passion

Yay! Another book by Santino Hassell! This time it's Concourse, the fifth installment of the Five Boroughs Series, but you don't have to have read the others for this, it can be read as a stand alone. I didn't enjoy this quite as much as the previous one but it was still a rather enjoyable read *remembers some hot scenes* *coughes* yes, very enjoyable

Take some childhood friends + emotional issues + difference in social status + attraction and sexual tension so bad you can grill a chicken with it = voilá, you get this package filled with drama and hot scenes from start to finish

The story is about Valdrian (pretty name isn't it, I fucking love his name), a boxer in his free time with not enough passion for the sport but more passion than he wants for his best friend Ashton. Ashton is a pretty androgynous looking guy who likes to wear dresses and clothes almost as much as having sex. I really love the differences between those two and the fact that Ashton just is very androgynous and likes to wear dresses every now and then but it's not a big deal, it just is how it is. I love Ashton, even if I want to punch him in the face sometimes, same goes for Val. They got their noses probably like three times mentally broken while I read the book.

Anyway, Val and Ash both have it bad for each other but neither is willing to admit that they love each other in a romantic way. Throw in Ashton's emotional issues, his asshole brother, Val and his money problems and some stupid decisions and you'd have the cencored version of this. Not to worry for all you NC-17 scenes lovers, there are quite a few hot scenes in there as well!

Personally I found it a bit heavy on the drama and angsty side because even when the apparently hot and relaxed phase came there still was angsting all over it. It weighted the book a bit down in my opinion but I still enjoyed it.

Review shared on Goodreads, Amazon, B & N and V's Reads: https://vsreads.com/2017/07/25/getting-past-the-past-concourse-a-review/

Ashton Townsend, also known as A-Town, is a celebrity of dubious distinction. His family owns a telecom company, but he’s the black sheep known more for his unauthorized sex tape and twitter feed than any of his philanthropy. And that’s okay, Ash supposes. Just because he’s notorious doesn’t mean he can’t help out. Still, Ash knows he’s mostly being used by his hangers on, and expects that’s pretty much all he deserves.

Val is the son of Ash’s former nanny. He’s had a long-standing love for Ash, despite his mixed feelings about Ash and his family. Way back when, Val’s mom sacrificed time with Val and his sister to take care of Ash and his brothers–and that was hard to take. Then, Val was hired by Mr. Townsend on the down-low to help keep Ash out of the tabloids. It was money Val couldn’t turn down–and Val’s still working crap jobs to pay his sister’s college tuition. If he can win a few fights, he will qualify for the Olympic team. Then, he’d have time to do more than work. Being in close proximity to Ash’s life gave Val insight into Ash’s tender nature. Val was ashamed of how few others, including Ash’s own family, really tried to know the tender, loving person Ash was–beneath his glamorous persona. Val has never forgotten. It’s why Val will give up his few hours of sleep to ‘rescue’ Ash from bad situations.

It’s also why Val’s in love with Ash, and now he’s ashamed he ever took money to hang out with Ash, even if he used the money to care for his mom when she was dying. Now he’s not sure what to do. Ash needs his companionship, but the one time they got physical turned bad, fast. Can they build a relationship? Or will A-Town’s circus life upset Val’s training to be an Olympic boxer.

This is a tender romance between long-time friends who are learning how to be lovers. I enjoyed seeing Ash learn he’s worthy of love, even though it was somewhat bittersweet seeing Ash and Val fall for one another. I understood the conflict and why Val held back–both the truth and his love: he didn’t believe he was worthy, either. Expect a good bit of back and forth as Val comes to Ash’s rescue, and Ash learns to stand on his own. They make a good couple eventually, and I liked being in their heads. There are many other characters that interact with both Val and Ash, so now I’m trying to figure out which one might get a book. I’m fairly sure we’ll see one of Val’s toughest opponents find love, soon…. (Fingers crossed!)

Seriously, is there anything that Santino Hassell can’t do? There hasn’t been a single bad book in the Five Boroughs series, and Concourse is the newest and longest of the series so far.

Ashton is a party boy, Instagram star, model, and paid to appear at clubs. He’s vacous and he knows it. The only real thing in his life is his friend Val, son of Ashton’s nanny. Val is an amateur boxer and is not in Ashton’s world at all, unless he’s picking him up drunk from some party, or saving him from some rich lech.

I loved the pair of them, seriously. The strain on the relationship later in the book, due to a secret, for a second I thought it wouldn’t be enough, but given Ashton, and who he is, it works perfectly.

Goddamn, I really, really want a Five Boroughs TV series. I would personally set my Netflix to just loop it over and over. You can read this on its own, but do yourself a favour and read them in order! Can’t wait for the release of Citywide in November which is a Five Boroughs anthology (!!!) of three novellas (!!!). Be still my book-loving heart.

~4.5 Stars~

I have been looking forward to this book, like everyone else, ever since finding out that Ash—who we met briefly in First and First—was one of the MCs. Then, add in that the love interest is an amateur boxer from the Bronx??? The waiting was torture. And, forget about the teasers. My only thought was Gimme! Well, the wait is over, and Santino Hassell has delivered once again.

Like all the Five Boroughs books, Concourse was almost impossible to put down; I basically read it in one sitting. Something about these guys just grabbed me. Hassell has a way of writing characters that makes me feel them all the way to my toes. He writes them with such a sense of truth and realism, you never once doubt that these people could absolutely exist out in the world, and that they do. These New Yorkers…these Manhattan, and Queens, and Bronx natives…these socialites, and teachers, and blue collar guys. Hassell makes them all real and relatable, his narrative so authentic and effortless. It’s not a gift that every author has, but he has it in spades.

In Concourse, I felt both Val and Ashton. Especially Valdrin. I loved his character so, so much. So earnest, and loyal, he was pretty much a giant sweetheart. His feelings for Ashton were epic and so swoon-worthy, albeit secret. But, he made no secret of his feelings about the front Ashton put on for the rest of the world. He knew Ash inside and out. As childhood best friends, and each other’s first crush—though neither knew it was reciprocated—the feelings and devotion run deep. These three passages killed me:

“The real Ashton—the quirky bastard with the smart-ass smile and thrift-store style—could get me to do anything. The Ashton he played for the rest of the world didn’t have the same power.”

“Despite my resentment and my need to hate him the way I hated the rest of his family, my heart had always pounded for the androgynous boy with the false smile and sad eyes. Still did.”

“I could never stop thinking about Ashton, and I would never stop missing the quiet moments when it was just us and he was a devastatingly beautiful force of nature that had calmed just for me.”

Val hasn’t always understood the feelings he has for Ash—and definitely not the attraction, or why he seems to only feel that way about Ashton (I loved how Hassell wrote Val’s demisexuality)—but, he knows that he has to have him in his life. What he doesn’t know is how his world and Ash’s crazy world of clubs and sex parties and paparazzi can fit together.

One thing that surprised me about Ashton, and that I absolutely loved about him, was that he had no trouble at all picturing himself in Val’s world. Cooking for Val…curled up together on Val’s hand-me-down, multicolored couch in his little apartment in the Bronx…away from the A-town persona, and all that comes with it. He’s a force of nature for sure, but what Ashton desperately wants is to be taken seriously…for someone to see him. And, Valdrin does that. Always has. And, Ashton has no problem admitting to himself that he only truly feels complete when he’s with Val.

“There was nothing I wanted more than to be Val’s lover. Maybe it would sound pathetic to him or Meredith or even Charles, but I’d loved Val since we were children. I’d wanted to be his, and only his, since I’d been old enough to understand why the world was so much brighter when we were together.”

The story’s conflict—the secret mentioned in the blurb—pretty much made me want to shake everyone. Ash’s brother Dylan, and the rest of the asshole Townsends, felt like they could use Ashton however they wanted, and manipulate Val as well, and they did. But, it got dragged out and gave me anxiety waiting for the other shoe to drop. *shakes fist at Santino* Though, I liked that Ash took the time away that he needed to think about things, and the resolution was good. I wish Val could have trusted his and Ashton’s feelings for each other and aired things out sooner.

There were a lot of other little things that made this book great—but, one thing that has to be discussed in a bit more depth is the couple of appearances by my favorite 5B character, Nunzio!, and the work of Gateway, the SoHo LGBT youth center where Nunzio now teaches. I loved reading about the center, and everyone’s enthusiasm for growing and adding new programs, and how Nunzio pushes Ashton to believe in himself and his abilities, and to give volunteering there a shot. So, so good.

The other secondary players in Concourse—many of whom we already knew—were also fantastic. It was great to see Charles, Meredith, Steph, Angel, Jace, Aiden, and Chris. But, I loved some of the new characters so much, too! Val’s friend Matt, who trains with him at the gym, was awesome, and I loved his and Val’s rapport and banter. And, Val’s sister Hana was so wonderful. But, the most memorable and scene-stealing new character was definitely Luis. He and Val aren’t fast friends, but Luis proves himself to be someone worth getting to know. I am crossing my fingers that he appears in a future Five Burroughs story!

Concourse is reason number five that the Five Boroughs series, Hassell’s trademark, is one of the best series in the genre. I adored Valdrin, and loved him and Ash together. This best friends-to-lovers story is an excellent addition to the collection.

Amid the shining lights and luminaries of New York, Ashton Townsend glimmers more brilliantly than the rest. Young, rich, and undeniably beautiful, he’s either desired or envied—or both—by just about everyone. He’s also lonely and brutally aware that nobody really knows who he is beneath the façade he’s created. Nobody except his most cherished friend, and most elusive desire, Val.

Valdrin Leka, on the other hand, is a broodingly handsome competitive boxer on his way to going pro for all the wrong reasons. His mother’s full-time position as nanny for the extremely wealthy, entitled Townsend family made growing up in their shadow a bitter pill to swallow—the only exception to that opinion being Ashton. But, as much as he’s always wanted Ashton, letting himself fall completely would surely be a one-sided heartbreak waiting to happen. Or would it?

While I’ve loved each of the Five Boroughs stories—and have a particularly soft spot for the first two—Concourse is exceptional. I liked both characters tremendously from the beginning, and I could not stop worrying about them throughout the entire narrative. The tension that had been building between Ashton and Val for years off-page was a nearly tangible thing, their behavior towards one another practically screaming its veracity and making their shared history easy to accept. The weight of Val’s secrets was likewise dark and viscous, threatening at any moment to destroy the happiness they were so close to realizing.

I also found the writing itself in Concourse to be about as perfect as I could have hoped, and there were quite a few passages that tugged at my heart during my reading. Val and Ashton’s shared hunger for affection is indisputable, and Mr. Hassell once again rips away any artifice with an emotional simplicity that was both irresistible and believable.

“There would have to come a point when I drew boundaries about all this touching, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it yet. Not when he was the only person whose touch I actually felt.”

In addition to Val and Ashton, Concourse introduced some interesting new characters as well as allowed me to get to know some of the others who have piqued my curiosity for a long time now a little better. Val’s sister Hana, his friend Matt, and even Luis, his main competition at the gym, were all welcome additions. I also thoroughly enjoyed seeing more of Stephanie and Angel from the “Queens Squad,” along with Meredith Stone and her ongoing attraction to Tonya. It certainly didn’t hurt that Nunzio, who is still my favorite character of the series, made an appearance or two, and delivered another solid quote that stuck with me:

“…there’s not always weakness in forgiveness.”

With the addition of Concourse, Santino Hassell has ensured that the Five Boroughs series remains among the best I’ve had the pleasure of reading. Though it’s listed as a standalone, there’s no way I could ever endorse one of these stories without strongly recommending the others as well. Val and Ashton are wonderful characters, and learning the truth about Ashton—particularly in contrast to the little we were shown of him in previous novels—makes him even more remarkable. There simply isn’t anything I didn’t like about Concourse. And the paperback looks absolutely perfect on my favorite bookshelf.

I love Santino but sadly this series is becoming more of something not for me...
I love love loved the 1st 3 books in this series and then I just felt if you read 1 you read them all.

I love his writing and his tortured characters but this one was just ok. I could totally put it down and walk away and feel nothing making me want to go back to pick it up...

This was my first ever Santino Hassell and I am so glad I finally picked up one of his books. He is definitely going on my list of awesome MM authors. This story was so cute and fun.

The relationship between the main characters, Ashton and Val was so beautiful and real. It's not often that we get books that aren't insta-love. I absolutely love when we can see the feelings for each other build and build until they realize their feelings. 

”I think I’m in love with you. And I don’t know what to do.”

“I don’t know what to do either. No one has loved me before.”
Ashton as a main character broke my heart and made me feel all my feelings. All he wanted was for someone to notice him for who he truly was and see past all his show of being a shallow 'play boy.' Val was that someone and it was just beautiful. 

And when I was drunk and lonely and falling apart, Valdrin was the only one I needed. The only one I wanted. In the darkest part of the night, when I was raw and on edge, after the parties wound down and everyone else went home with a partner, that reality hit me hard.
This book was so quote worthy and beautiful (how many times can I use that word?) I could go on and on about it. If you haven't read this book, or if you haven't read this series then I highly recommend it. You won't regret it. 

”I do want you. And it’s all going to go to hell soon enough, but I can’t help it. The idea of you being with anyone else drives me insane.”

Concourse was hard for me to get into, but I ended up liking it. I don't think I ever loved it, and there was a bit of a disconnect for me, but it's well written and Val and Ashton ended up being two likable, interesting characters. Aston Townsend is a seemingly vacuous, rich, pretty boy who's famous for being a Townsend, a one time model and now for his Instagram posts of his glitzy, edgy lifestyle. Val is Ash's long time friend, and sometime lover, who has known Ash almost his entire life. Val's mother was Ashton's nanny, and back when they were kids, Ash and Val bonded. There's always been a fierce attraction between the two, and Val has spent most of his life protecting Ash, but their relationship isn't an easy friendship. It's marked with periods of rejection, sadness and even anger, as Val tries to come to terms with his sexuality in the openly homophobic world of boxing that his life now consists of.

I liked Val from the beginning, but sometimes I wanted to smack him because it was obvious that he was hurting Ash every time he rejected the feelings between them. And Ash, sigh...the poor guy just wanted love, Val's love, and sometimes I didn't think he'd ever get it, or at least not the kind of love Ash wanted from Val. There was so much angst going on that sometimes I felt as if I were reading a YA novel, but I suppose it was necessary to show just how much push and pull there was between the two. Thank God that Val (and Ash) got their crap together, because by the time the novel was almost done, I was done, and almost DNF'd what turned out to be a pretty decent book. I just wish that the two men could have gotten together sooner, gotten themselves and their feelings, together sooner, because it was getting to be too much for me to take.

But, now that I've read Concourse, Santino Hassell has made me a fan, and I intend to explore this Five Boroughs world more.

I've loved every one of the installments of the "FIVE BOROUGHS" series , I waited impatiently for this book to be released. and I have never been disappointed when a new book comes out. As always Santino's writing was spectacular and the character development like I expected it, without flaws.
I'll do an especial mention of my beloved Nunzio who made a few appearances, thanks Santino you made us deliriously happy with Nunzio's cameos.
This is a story about best friends that become lovers after been fighting their attraction for years; despite their different upbringings, Valdrin and Ashton had been always in each other's life and have been very affectionate with each other, they have so many issues to deal with before they can be together, it keep them stuck in the middle where they can't continue being friends but can't be lovers either.
After I read about their struggles with their emotional insecurities, Ash’s family detachment and indifference and in Val's case the discovery and acceptance of his sexuality, it was interesting to read how these characters find a way to be together even when Val’s secret can tear them apart forever

I liked the writing and I like this author but the subject material was too angst-filled and I can't read books where one or both characters has feelings for the other, yet they continue to flaunt other partners in front of their faces. I would have liked to have finished it, but I was getting angrier the more I read so I feel it's best if I stop there. I would definitely recommend the book, it just wasn't for me.

Post goes live 29 JUNE

This was a fun story for me. I've been a fan of this series since it first started and I couldn't wait to start this book to find out what was going to happen between Ashton and Val.

I do want to admit though - I was kinda glad that the story seemed more bout Val and what he had been though, and what he was going through. While I do like Ashton's character, he was very much a spoiled brat and acted like it the majority of the time. Whereas with Val, he's very straightforward and to the point.

This book is most certainly a book of "opposites attract". These two men are so completely different that even throughout the book I was wondering how they would be able to make it work. And then when secrets from the past come out in the present, I was on the edge of my seat trying to find out what was going to happen next.

Overall - I did enjoy this story and I can't wait to read more in this series in the future.

I am sad. I have to say that this didn’t really work for me. I won’t go so far as to say I didn’t like it, I love Hassell’s writing too much for that. But this is my least favorite of his books so far. And considering my second least favorite is First and First, I have to think that I just don’t love his wealthy dramas as much as his working class boys.

I very much liked seeing a demisexual as a lead character, and I thought it was represented well (as far as I can tell). I liked that Val was from an Albanian culture and that Ashton played into his own androgyny, was open about his love of sex and fetish, and he spoke his mind.

As always the writing is good. But I felt like I’d been dropped into the middle of Ashton and Val’s relationship. What’s more, because Val was already trying to put distance between the two of them when the book started, and was constantly frustrated, if not angry for much of the book, I felt very much like he didn’t even like Ashton, despite everything else. I just never felt their chemistry outside of sex, because so much of it was supposed to be in the past. The sex was hot though.

Lastly, the whole plot line of two people loving each-other, but refusing to be together for whatever reason has never been one that works for me. This is a personal preference kind of thing. So, all in all, I just think this wasn’t a book that was ever going to light me up. I’m glad to have read it, because I want to read all the Hassell-books, but it wasn’t a big winner for me. Not a flop either, mind you. Just not one for the favorites list.

Concourse was an engaging read and true to Hassell's style with flawed, real and truly fleshed out characters. The main characters Ashton, who's a sweetheart who wants to be accepted and loved but never gets it from his family, and Valdrin, who's always had almost crippling sense of responsibility of his family and Ashton. In that sense of responsibility, Valdrin was very easy to relate with. Ashton and Valdrin were friends even though they were from very different upbringings, Valdrin coming from Bronx with little money and Ashton being socialite and heir from Manhattan. However, they have been friends for years, although sometimes their friendship was quite sexual, almost bordering friends with benefits type of situation.

Concourse was engaging and hard to put down because Valdrin and Ashton had this connection that was very magnetic and there were a lot of push and pull. There were plenty of emotional turmoil with drama and angst because of their life situations and feelings for each other which they battled a lot. I have to admit that some moments were just a bit too dramatic, and I wanted to slap both Valdrin and Ashton because most of the time, they made the situation way more hard than it had to be. But it also showed how messy and scary love really is, and sometimes you are the biggest object to overcome the difficulties that lie before the possibility of relationship with someone.

There were plenty of characters, some of them who were interesting and downright delight such as Nunzio and Matt, and some who I just couldn't connect with any level and was left more irritated than anything else. Anyway, Concourse was entertaining read with truly fleshed out characters, and I really liked the boxing aspect even if I'm not a big sports fan. Ashton and Valdrin were just so cute together, too, so I enjoyed it a lot.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Sarah – ☆☆☆☆☆
Only in Santino Hassell’s New York would a wealthy celebrity club kid and a blue collar amateur boxer make any sense at all. But Ashton and Val are made for each other – the lifelong friends just have to find their way past the many barriers in their way.

These are two prickly, awkward men. They have exquisite chemistry together, but neither man is capable of honestly talking about his feelings. As Val’s mother was Ashton’s nanny, the two boys spent a great deal of time together while they were growing up. They have been friends forever. But Val feels the class gap intensely and he still harbours resentment towards Ashton’s family. Ashton is emotionally needy. He lives for approval – be it from random men or the millions of Instagram fans he seduces with glamorous photos of his celebutante life. In contrast, Val is quiet, serious, and self-contained.

As a romance, this is a frustrating read. I kept wanting to bash some sense into these two and make them talk. Instead, they kept hurting each other. Sexually, Ashton is adventurous and uninhibited. He flirts with gender boundaries and he’s game to try just about anything. Demisexual Val has only felt sexual attraction a couple of times in his life, so his attraction to Ashton has always been both important and confusing. These two know each other better than they know their own family members, but they don’t get each other.

I loved Val and Ashton’s clashing New York realities. Val’s proud working class community is gritty, physical, and honest. Ashton’s world of penthouses and paparazzi is prettier but more superficial and ultimately more dangerous. Their journey towards common ground and a relationship with an equal balance of power is complicated and very slow. I like that both Val and Ashton have to learn to give and take to make their relationship work.

This is another wonderful story by Santino Hassell. He always makes me fall for his characters, even when they are as prickly, selfish, and clueless as Ashton and Val.


Avid Reader – ☆☆☆
M/M Romance

I was sad to put 3 stars down, but I just could not see these two together. Despite their long history, their relationship was flat.

Val is a fighter, but not really. He fights so that he can help his sister through college. He loves Ashton, but it turned into romantic love a long time ago. The angst that he feels about his love for Ashton is both annoying and sometimes sweet.

Ashton has no regard for people, with the exception of Val. He loves Val. But, because of his family never approving of him, he has these deep-seated issues. When his brother comes to him and asks him to flaunt himself in order to close a deal, Ashton simply wants to get the approval, so he says okay.

This story was more about finding yourself. Knowing what makes you happy and not being afraid of going after it. Val knows he doesn't want to fight and Ashton knows he doesn't want people to expect nothing from him the rest of his life.

Overall, this was just an okay story and I didn't feel this was really a romance. The two main characters were friends with benefits until they weren't, but there was a serious lack of communication in their relationship, which just put a damper on things.

I’ve been a fan of this series for a while. It was how I discovered the gritty and awesome writing of Santino Hassell. Some books have been better than others but for the most part I’ve enjoyed the offerings from these NYC boys. CONCOURSE was a bit different. I was expecting to really like it because I kind of love the stories about the twink and the jock stereotype and if someone is able to turn all stereotypes into something amazing is Mr. Hassell. But although I enjoyed CONCOURSE, it didn’t have me turning the pages as fast as I wanted.

I liked the characters individually. Ashton is a rich kid who found fame through social media and a leaked sex tape. He’s never had the love and respect of his family, or anyone really for that matter. Except the one friend he had from childhood. Valdrin. He was the nanny’s son and grew up around this rich family, but always had a connection with Ashton. He’s now a struggling aspiring boxer, without much money, and carrying a lot of guilt and responsibilities on his head.

I was expecting this to be explosive because the setup for these two was amazing! On their own, I really liked their characters and when they were together I could feel the chemistry as well. But the mechanics of how they got together and some of the miscommunication issues were getting to me. I just didn’t understand why they were making everything such a big deal, why Ashton kept falling back on his old ways and making bad decision after bad decision. Why neither one of them was really fighting to get the other one to stay in their lives! I wanted them to want it more.

But aside from that complaint which just slowed down my reading this some, I always enjoy Santino’s books. His characters are full of flaws and I love that about them. This was one that felt a bit more tentative in how they approached each other and maybe not as gritty as I was expecting but a good addition to the series nonetheless.

At first, I wasn’t a fan of Ashton. He came across as self-absorbed and oblivious, an apparent product of his wealth and privilege. Sure, his family had basically written him off, but Ashton’s worries in life were fairly superficial.

It wasn’t until the second half, when Ashton finally started taking a hard look at himself and the changes he needed to make, that I could begin connecting with him.

Val, on the other hand, was immediately likeable. His only concern is to take care of those he loves - his sister and Ashton.

It takes a while for the romance to get going. The two MCs circle around each other for the majority of the book, both of them refusing to make the move that they very clearly wanted to make.

It was incredibly annoying, because the two were so clearly meant to be together. I could have done without the ‘one step forward two steps back’ routine.

But once they finally did give in, it was exactly what I’d hoped it would be. The MCs have to work out the kinks and figure out how to be a couple, but the foundation was already there, built over the years of pining for one another.

The ending was perfect for Val and Ashton. It takes a lot of hard work for them to finally get their HEA, but it was all necessary. These are two flawed men who find in each other the only person who truly understands what makes him tick.

Overall, I liked ‘Concourse.’

Since I first started reading Santino Hassell’s Five Boroughs series, I’ve been fascinated by this gritty and authentic New York set world, wholly different from my own experience. Each story has had unique and flawed characters grappling with their sexuality, their complex lives and their day to day challenges. Concourse is a friends to lovers story at heart, while also showcasing two very different lives and how they’ve managed to grow roots in each other.

Ashton is a party boy, cover model, kink fan, and rich kid, all rolled into one package. Growing up with absentee wealthy parents, his best friend was Val, the son of his nanny. Always looking to fit in, Ashton’s built himself a reputation as a social media flirt on a TMZ level, seemingly uncaring about his reputation. Only Val sees into the heart of him, knowing how miserable he really is, but unable to stop him from making mistakes one after the other.

Val’s life shows a clear dichotomy from the vapid one Ashton lives. He’s working two jobs to help put his sister through college and training to be a boxer. When his mother passed away, he assuaged his anger and frustration by sleeping with Ashton, though since then he’s made it clear it was a one time deal and he and Ashton can only be friends. Lifelong crush on Ash aside, Val’s been keeping a secret he knows will likely ruin the friendship and trust between them when it comes out. Guardian, protector, friend, and confidante, is it worth it to put that all on the line for a chance at real love?

Every story in this series has different themes that are appropriate to the variety of characters and their lives, and this one is equal to the others in displaying the challenges of a working class life versus the kid born with a silver spoon. And yet, Ashton’s life is far from perfect. Trying to be true to his nature, he is an embarrassment to his family for his penchant to wear dresses, engage in risky sexual behavior and a sex tape taken six years before that cemented his poor reputation. His brother’s solution is to whore Ashton out to entice a gay investor into supporting the family company and Ashton is willing to do it for the approval he seeks. Val is the one who sees how unhappy he is, the façade of his life, but he also knows he is powerless to change Ash’s behavior unless Ash wills it.

Val is a conflicted character too, his desire to become a prize winning boxer led by his need for money, to please his coach, and memories of his father more than by real ambition. He’s overworked, underpaid and exhausted. He feels guilty for not being upfront with Ashton about why he won’t take a job offered to him by Ashton’s father that would solve all his debt problems. Combine that with his deep and confusing affection for Ashton and something’s got to give. It does – in the form of a sexual attraction neither can ignore, leading to some steamy scenes between them as they navigate their real feelings for each other.

Along with these two unique and flawed characters, the city of New York gets center stage with the descriptions of the Bronx where Val lives and Manhattan, Ashton’s stomping grounds. Sex parties, boxing rings, cramped apartments and luxury penthouses – it’s all laid out for the reader in grand style. There are some great cameo scenes from previous series characters, as well as some new people in the ever widening circle of Five Boroughs friends. Concourse takes the friends to lovers theme and adds the author's own unique twists to create a compelling story. If you’re looking for sexy, gritty, sometimes shocking but always entertaining romances, the Five Boroughs series should be on your shelf.

This review has been posted at Straight Shootin' Book Reviews and feedback updated with the link. A shorter version will be posted at sale sites. A goodreads review will be posted when blog review is published.

Woah! This story is a hot mess with such an angst worthy plot. I feel like wanting to wring their necks most of the time for being a complete idiots. How they manage survive in each other lives for decades behaving this way, I had no idea?

Ashton is the rich glamorous kid famous for his socialite status, but mainly infamous for his sex tape and his work is to act as a pretty boy toy and updated his huge Instagram follower. He is as flawed and troublesome as a character can be. A total hot mess when it comes to dealing with his feelings and self worth. Ashton had been in love with his childhood friend, Valdrin since forever, but he is permanently put at the friendzone, despite his numerous attempt to seduce Val.

Valdrin is the poor kid from the wrong side of the town. Ever since he got caught up in Ashton's life, he find that he can't steer away from the troubled man. Val is very protective of Ashton, but he never want to act on his feeling due to judgement from others. No wanting Ashton to see him as another guy who want to bang him.

Right from the start, I can see that their weird pseudo platonic relationship is unhealthy. Val always come to Ashton rescue whenever he was summon. Ashton will get all touchy feely and Val accepted it, but chalked it up to 'loving you as a friend'. Ashton get all clingy and Val will embrace him and then subsequently push him away. I believe Val's hot and cold attitude is what drives Ashton to get crazy and indulge himself in more depravity.

The constant push and pull and recurring arguments about how their relationship won't work the main meat of the story. But I'm glad that there isn't any third wheel or cheating going on. That would have make all the angst even more unbearable. There are a few assholes that appear along the way and a despicable family member. But overall, Concourse hit all the right button for those who like their romance a little more bumpy, angsty and intense ride.