One Night with Rhodes by Eden Finley is Book 4 of the One Night series. It can be read as a stand-alone story, however, to really understand all the other characters you should probably read the other books first. I have not read any of the other books and while the story line made sense, there were definitely personal dynamics in the group that I didn’t really get.

To summarize, Blair is bisexual but doesn’t think his coming out went very well. His friends seemed a bit weird about it so he really doesn’t mention any of his same-sex hookups. His parents didn’t really take it all that well, either, which is an issue he has to deal with by the end of the book. He has always had a bit of a crush on Garrett but assumed he was straight. As the older brother of his best friend, he was pretty much off limits.

Garrett acts like a womanizer but is totally hiding, denying, and trying to ‘get over’ his very real desire for other guys. Blair turns up on his doorstep heartbroken and one thing leads to another and they end up naked. Garrett doesn’t deal with that very well and they have an on again off again fling for years.

So, the story basically starts and ends at the same point in time with the middle of the book being about the journey they took to get there. It is a bit meandering at times and I did find myself losing interest at times because the story spans many years.

Garrett has some serious issues about coming out of the closet. Yes, he has a good reason, which you will learn about during the meandering journey of his life. But, even before a guy he was dating suggested it, I really thought he needed some serious therapy. He gets the help he needs at the end of the book and you do get a happily ever after between him and Blair but there is a TON of angst in the middle of the story as he tries to deal with his issues.

These characters are not actually ‘together’ for most of the story. They are friends…they are lovers…they hate each other. Honestly, they bounce around quite a bit. Both characters date other people, although all the ‘other’ relationships are pretty much off page and discussed very generally. I did feel that the other relationships they were in actually took up more of the book than the actual relationship between Blair and Garrett. I would have liked to see the focus be more on their relationship, although this was a book of self-discovery I think rather than actual romance.

You will switch perspectives as you move through the story. It was nice getting both characters points of view. They both have their own emotional struggles to deal with when it comes to their sexuality and they were both given equal focus in the story.

Overall, this was a fairly good book. I think it dragged a bit and I wanted more of these characters together and maybe a little bit less angst but in general, it was a solid story.

One Night with Rhodes was such an easy book to fall into and just enjoy. It is the only book that I’ve read from the One Night series and the first Eden Finley book I’ve read. Reader can go into this book and enjoy it without having read the other in the series.
Blair and Garrett have always known each other. Garrett is the older brother of Blair’s friend Hunter who happens to have the second book in the series. They’ve always been in the same circle of friends but never dated due to a bro-code and Garrett is a straight manwhore. All of that changes one night when Garrett kisses Blair. This is where they embark on a five year casual but exclusive hook up thing that doesn’t really work but it puts them on the path that might work, one day, if only that pesky closet wasn’t there for someone to hide in.
The story flowed well for me. Readers are given major events at different points in time of what is going on with Blair and Garrett. Some of the events puts them closer to a happily ever after while other things happen that puts them at odds with each other. Finley delivers this as first person point of view from each man. It’s clearly marked at the beginning of each chapter who we’re getting the details from. It’s also clear from the dialog and character personality as to who we are reading. The alternating points of view never got confusing or jumbled.
My only complaint is that I would have liked a little more page time with Garrett and Blair after they got their relationship figured out. All in all I still thoroughly enjoyed the book. I do not plan on going back to read the other books in the series. Those characters were entertaining as secondary characters here but not interesting enough for me to want to read their book. I am however looking forward to reading the next in the series.
Favorite quote, Blair to Garrett: “I wish we didn’t keep fucking each other up.”

3.5 Stars. One Night with Rhodes is the 4th book in the One Night Series but is easily read as a stand alone (I haven't read the previous books). Overall, its a sexy, enjoyable but angst-filled book. This was my first Eden Finley book and I really enjoyed it. I'll definitely be looking to see what else she has written.

This book covers a six year time span and I have to admit I was a little confused at first. I thought maybe I was dealing with flashbacks (turns out I wasn't) and the first few chapters I kept having to go back and look to see if it was Garrett's or Blair's POV I was reading. Once I figured out the timeline and got to know the characters a bit better so that I could tell which POV I was reading I settled into a really good book.

The relationship between Garrett and Blair is definitely a slow build, very complex and full of angst. Blair is bisexual and not completely comfortable with his sexuality although he does come out to his friends and family in the beginning. However, his family thinks it was just a phase. He only had the one boyfriend and when he dumped Blair right after he came out he hasn't had another relationship with a man. His friends didn't really say anything to him about his "coming out" so in essence it was like he went right back into the closet. Garrett is very deep in the closet and doesn't want anyone to know he is gay and in fact has trouble even admitting it to himself. When Blair's boyfriend breaks up with him he goes to his best friend Hunter's only to find he isn't home and so Hunter's older brother Garrett takes him out to help him forget about it for awhile. The two share a very hot kiss and then Garrett pulls back and shuts Blair out. Garrett is an emotional mess and has a lot of deep seated fears and guilt that he hasn't dealt with. Blair sees this and wants to help Garrett as much as he can. He's always had a bit of a crush on him but mostly he knows that Garrett doesn't have anyone he can talk to about his sexuality so he wants to be that guy for him. However, the chemistry between the two is off the charts and more often than not they end up hooking up and then Garrett gets scared and runs away.

Normally, the constant hook-up and run away would drive me insane and to a point it did but not as much as I expected. I really felt for both Garrett and Blair and the emotional roller coaster they were both on. I really liked that there was a friendship between the two men and I got caught up in the emotional pull of this book. The book lagged just a bit in the middle and the final resolution seemed a little rushed but I believed the HEA and was very happy to see how it all works out for the men. The secondary characters were enjoyable and although there were a lot of backstory relationships going on with those characters it didn't take too much away from the main characters. I thought the sex scenes were sexy and very well done.

I enjoyed this book and the characters were likable. I'll definitely look for more M/M books from Eden Finley.

One Night with Rhodes
One Night #4
Eden Finely

This was my first Eden Finely book. I really enjoyed this story. Great romance read between Garrett and Blair.
Garrett was afraid to come out and tell his friends and family that he is gay. Blair who had previously came out to his friends and family that he is bi befriended Garrett and let him confide in him. They also had chemistry between each other but Garrett was too afraid of someone finding out. So he pushed Blair away. Then over the course of several years they had developed feelings and they had to overcome their fears in order to make things work between them.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for my honest review.

First time reading Eden Finley's books and ill say this, I can't wait to read more. Even if this is book 4 I understood what was all happening, but I'll be reading the other's when I can.

Both Garrett and Blair do have a history, Blair is best friends with Ryan 'Hunter' who is Garrett's baby brother and all attended high school together with their other friends. Blair was attractive to Garrett since then but never said anything. Blair being Bi has come as a shock to his friends and even more hurt is his mother's reaction especially if she can have those grandbabies she keeps harping on Blair with. He has his fair share of women and is classes as a manwho®e but the one time he comes out with a boyfriend t her were shocks but even worse when said bf is actually in a relationship and cheating Blair is heartbroken.
Garrett also has his share of women in the past but he was more attracted to men but covered it up for years even since high school. But when the booze takes the filter off his mouth and brain will his dark secret come out to Blair and what happens next and what he does on and off for 5 years to Blair, his family, friends and himself, no wonder why Blair puts the brakes on.

a good read.

This was the first book that i have read in the series but it was fantastic, now I'm going to have to read all of the other books in the series!

I got this book as an ARC from NetGalley. Normally I will not read a book in the middle of a series, I will go back and start with the first one, but since I got an advanced copy of this, I read it. Plus it sounded really good. AND it was--I was not disappointed at all. I actually absolutely loved it! ONWRhodes has all my favorite elements of a novel for instance: it was all in first person with chapters either from the point of view of Blair or Garret, kind of epic as it took place over several years and they knew each other when they were younger, two totally hot guys, one really confused and one actually amazingly confident (Blair). Blair is the best (love his name too). Blair is best friend's with Garret's younger brother which is how they have known each other for years. Blair is bi but his friends don't really acknowledge it that much, and he has always liked Garrett who is older, straight, and quite the womanizer. Turns out he is not so straight but is in complete denial and although he and Blair start an off-again, on-again relationship, Garrett can not handle anyone else knowing at all or actually even telling anyone he is gay. So he fakes it for years. He hurts Blair so many times because of his denial and poor Blair, he takes it because he loves Garrett and even in spite of all that, they remain friends, close friends actually. Garrett loves him too but never tells him really and moves 10 hours away just to be openly out. Eventually he realizes what he needs to do to be happy. I really love Blair and Garrett. They are one of my new favorite couples and so great when they are together. I look forward to reading the first three books in this series about Blair's other friends because they all seem funny and each of them has a story I couldn't quite figure out through the bits of them woven in to this book.

I don't know if it's because I haven't read the first three books (although from reading this one, I get the feeling that there is a LOT of overlap with the characters and what's going on in their books and this one, so I never felt lost or anything) but I felt like this book really, really dragged and I struggled to even finish it.

I'm usually fine with books that switch perspective and go through a long span of time, but for whatever reason it was hard to remember whether the chapter was Blair's or Garrett's, and for about the first half of the book, I thought I was reading flashbacks mixed in with present day chapters instead of a continual length of time starting back in 2013 or whatever and going through 2018, since some chapters had a month and year, and then the next few wouldn't. I think if the chapter headings had been more consistent and always had the month/year, I wouldn't have been so confused.

There's just a lot of drinking, a LOT of hook ups, a LOT of back and forth, a lot of dumb people making dumb mistakes, one of them is in a relationship, and when Blair and Garrett finally get their acts in gear and get things figured out, I don't know if I cared anymore.

I felt like 90% of the book was Garrett running away from his problems, and I think with tighter editing, that could have been cut down to more like 60-70% and we could have gotten some time with the two of them really being a couple rather than having to read about them being in other relationships and being told what they're doing. Or the whole story could have been shorter, because I swear Blair and Garrett spent more time apart than together, so it's hard to buy into their love for each other when the only time they spend together is a hookup and then a fight.

I'm in the minority here based on the average review, but I just can't recommend this one for a friends to lovers and coming out of the closet type of story.

I received an ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Remarkable journey
This is not one of those stories that has a little fluff and an HEA... oh no! This is a grab you by the balls, gets your attention, and guts you kind of stories. I found my emotions on a rollercoaster ride of epic proportions throughout this book. The ups and downs, insecurities and all around struggles of these two men were so on point that it made me sob by the time I made it to the end.
Brilliant writing and witty dialog earns this book a spot in the re-read category.

This book is #4 in the One Night series. This book can be read as a standalone novel. To avoid spoilers and understand the series, I recommend reading series in order.

Blair tells his friends he is attracted to both sexes. They really have nothing to say. He figures that means they do not approve. He cannot help the way he feels for his best friends older brother. Since that is just a dream, he keeps looking for the "one."

Garrett does not want to be attracted to men. It is becoming increasingly difficult to hide that he is. He has always had a playboy reputation with women. What he wants is a real relationship that he does not have to hide.

Theirs is a complicated relationship. I love the banter, the heat, the laughter, and more. This series is so much fun since it is about a group of friends. There is something for everyone. I hope to see more of these characters.


***This ARC copy was given in exchange for an honest review, by Netgalley and its publisher.

** ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review **

One Night with Rhodes by Eden Finley is a light sexy M/M romance. New to Ms. Finley's work I was excited to read and conquer another M/M novel.

This romance takes you on a journey with Blair Rhodes and Garrett who have grown up together, friends in common, but behind their persona lies their secret sexuality. For Blair, his friends and family have known him to be "bi" but when his sights have always been on Garrett things take a turn. "Blair was confident in who he was-he knew he liked both men and women -and I admired him for that."
Garrett has known he has been different, especially since school age and a tragic event which he holds so much grief for he can't let himself be happy in his sexual nature. Blair and Garrett find a rhythm that is an on-again-off-again relationship, but always coming back to a strong friendship. Blair shows Garrett what a relationship with him would entail, but Garrett is so fearful of what would happen if he "came out" of the closet. What will eventually happen to the two? Can Garrett push through his fear for his love for Blair and will Blair keep opening up his heart for Garrett?

Heartbreaking tale of both men struggling to find their way, but this romance is full of love, friendship and loyalty to a T. I adored this book, however, there was a lot of back and forth pieces that sometimes I think it was a little redundant! I wanted to hug Garrett and Blair multiple times in their search of themselves and to find the solace of friendship and family comfort that they yearned for.

3.5 Stars

So I'm constantly trying new authors and I'm so glad to have read this book because it was I couldn't put it down. It was such an addictive read and I LOVED the characters and the secondary characters. The plot was quite different and I was sucked right in. Definitely a recommended read!

I'll start by saying, the story was good, and I completely understand how messed up Garrett was. I know he had to work out his issues and face his past demons and make amends for his past mistakes and transgressions, but I really wish the author had concentrated more on him trying to get the help he needed earlier in the story, so the main characters could have had more page time as a couple. The majority of this book is spent with Garrett and Blair either in a relationship with other people or hooking up with random strangers. It was sad and so frustrating to read this. By the time they do finally get together it was almost too late for me and I was just about beyond caring. I'll be honest, it took a lot of willpower not to throw my iPad against the wall. This story was emotionally taxing to read.

While there is a nice epilogue, the ending still felt much too rushed. I loved the resolution, but I wish the execution had been different. Blair and Garrett get together finally and bam! Epilogue. There were situations and issues that I felt should have been resolved on page.

This review sounds negative and really that wasn't my intention. The writing is good, I really enjoyed the author's writing style. The chemistry between Blair and Garrett was out of this world and as far as I can tell, this was the author's first MM book. Sometimes you can tell when an author transitions from MF to MM, but that's not the case here. This book felt very organic in that respect. The sex scenes between Garrett and Blair were passionate and beyond hot. *fans self*.

All in all, this was a good book. My main problem with this book was that I hated the fact that the main characters spent most of the book having sex with other people. This may not bother others, but in my opinion, if you love someone, you won't want to sleep with others. To me, whether you're in a relationship or not with that person it still feels like cheating, at least emotionally. Still, if that doesn't bother you, I'd definitely recommend it!

* Copy provided to me via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. *

Really enjoyed this one!

This is a story about two guys that are struggling with being out, coming out, how it will effect their relationships with their friends and family, acceptance of who they are, and succumbing to the love they feel for one another.

Garrett... The poor guy was a mess of fear. I adored him even if I was frustrated with him a lot. But you can't begrudge someone of their feeling's and he was a emotional wreck. He was having a really hard time with guilt, shame, and accepting who he was. He was letting his sexuality define him a lot of the time which made him quite squirrelly. He was known by his family and friends as a Man-whore, but a lot of it was for show. He felt he had to always be on. He had to pretend to be someone else in front of everyone so they wouldn't see the real him. Except, Blair. Blair saw him. Blair got him. Blair was the only person he felt like he could be the real him.
Blair recently came out to his friends and family when he declared to have a boyfriend named Marc. It was kind of anticlimactic with his friends considering they didn't say much and when only a week later his boyfriend breaks up with him they just never mention it. Like it never happened. His parents just seem to think since Blair also likes females that it's just something like a phase. The night of Blair's breakup he's heartbroken and needing a distraction so he heads to his best friends Hunter's place in hopes for a night out of drinks and a rebound. Instead he ends up with Hunter's older brother Garrett for a night out of drunken comfort. Blair has always had a bit of a crush on the older brother of his best friend and is completely shocked when Garrett's lips lands on his for a steamy kiss. This is all that happens because Blair can see the struggle and fear that is going on inside of Garrett and refuses to do anything while drunk. Plus he can see how skittish Garrett is. He has right to be because from here on we have a lot of back and forth with Garrett doing a lot of running.

The story is quite heart breaking seeing both men struggle so much inside and outside of their relationship. It was really hard watching Garrett struggle with accepting himself.
But the story was also full of love. These two men were really good together. Great chemistry and some really steamy sexy times. I loved them.

This book also has a lot of fun and funny side characters that made the book even more enjoyable. I will definitely be checking out the rest of the series.

Happy reading dolls!

I did not enjoy this book.It was too much hard work.
I found myself constantly having to go back to the chapter headings to remind me whether it was Blair or Garrett whose point of view was being expressed which indicates to me that the main characters were not sufficiently differentiated.
I realise this is part of a series but always feel that books should be readable as standalones:there was too much going on in this that I did not understand.Eventually I just wanted to reach the end and did not really care much if the main characters got it together.The sex was pretty unconvincing-I just did not see this relationship at all.
Another issue for me was the representation of Blair's bisexuality-totally unconvincing as all his emotional attachment was male-oriented.
The book was over-long and the epilogue added nothing-except as a hook for those who want a sequel.

One Night With Rhodes,
is the latest in the one night series,for me new,it could be read
as a standalone.but I will pick up the others as well.
It was a fun,light sexy read.about discovery yourself and your sexuality.