Joanna Chambers is a insta-buy, no-brainer read for me. And she did not disappoint with Tribute Act.

I really enjoyed the coupling of Nathan and Mack. The tension as the two determine if they're going to admit their feelings or not had me screaming "TELL HIM!" while at the same time, feasting on their delicious stubbornness.
.
I loved the setting of this story as well. A character in and of itself.

Tribute Act by Joanna Chambers is the 8th book in the Porthkennack Series. I was not lost starting with this book. I will admit there probably are things I did miss but really didn’t affect my enjoyment of the story itself.
Nathan has come to settle into his childhood home. He his sister needs an organ transplant and the match is his stepbrother Mack. Nathan takes a lot of responsibility for things he cannot change in this book. He really carries the weight of the world sometimes.
Mack, he is prickly and doesn’t get close to people easily. He has a ton of layers, and as I read this story I slowly was getting more and more. He is a deep character I truly loved him.
Some notes I had when reading this book. One it is written in dual POV. I liked that part cause it lets me get into both character’s heads. There is mention of some triggers here. Domestic and emotional abuse. Violence, kidnapping, self-harm, and panic attacks.
This is a very emotional read and I so glad I picked it up. I loved this story and would love more like them in the future.


Five Shooting Stars

I received this book as an ARC back in December but wasn't quite feeling the first chapter and put it to the side. Picked it back up and it felt like I inhaled it!
Told from Nathan's pov, he and Mack meet each other on a night out and have a somewhat sweet but still steamy one night stand. While it's clear Mack has some intimacy issues, Nathan aims to please his man. I would have liked if this soft intimacy was explored a little more but what there was was nice. 😘
At home Nathan is dealing with personal and business problems with both the illness of his sister Rosie and bearing the greater burden of the family ice cream business. Mack shows up again as the stepbrother Nathan's never met largely due to a tension with Derek, his father, from an unknown cause.
There's some light angst and lots of feels between the two main characters. "I'm never too busy for you, Nathan." I even really enjoyed the side storylines involving the family business and Mack's music. Did each chapter have to start with the dad's song lyrics though? 4 stars

Every time I pick up a new book in this series, I think I found my favorite. The thing his, at 9 books in, I really don't think I can pick just one. They all add a new layer to life in the small town of Porthkennack. Even though they can all easily be read as a standalone, every once in a while readers get a glimpse of previous characters. What's even more fun is that since the books in the series are written by several different authors, those glimpses add even more layers.
 
Over the past several weeks, I've read a couple of books that involved relationships between family members that aren't exactly related. Tribute Act was the first. Under other circumstances, this might have bothered me, but Nathan and Mack grew up not even knowing each other. I guess what I'm getting at is, don't let the familial relationship turn you away from this one. There was so much more to this story than that.
 
I loved these guys. Nathan and Mack didn't just jump into a relationship. I liked the slow burn, even though they had a previous encounter before they knew their connection to each other, they didn't jump into anything. They came from incredibly different backgrounds, which was kind of sad because Nathan had everything Mack didn't, including the love and support of Mack's father. (Just a side note, I really didn't like the guy...) I loved Nathan's mom though and his sister was great. What she was going through gave her a totally different perspective than most kids her age.
 
The next book in the Porthkennack series is One Under by J.L. Merrow, who was the author who began the series with Wake Up Call. I can't wait to see what she has in store for the next set of characters.

I was a bit leery of this book because I'm not a fan of stepbrother romance. (out of the kazillons of people in the world you can't find anyone to bang but a relative??) But.....it is Joanna Chambers so I decided to give it a try. I ended up really enjoying it.

The story is explained well in the blurb. I thought the way the plot unfolded was entertaining. I really liked both Mack and Nathan and I enjoyed seeing how their relationship unfolded. The family was pretty realistic. I have to say I really disliked Derek. Too many men like him in real life. He never redeemed himself for me.

Overall this was a solid, enjoyable addition to this series.

**ARC received through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

Nathan and Mack first meet when Nathan escapes for one night from his business and family obligations to have fun and blow off some steam. Their one-night stand was great, but both feel more than just a physical connection that night.

However, neither expect to ever run into each other again. That is until an odd family connection brings the two back together in a very awkward and tense situation.

I immediately connected to Nathan. He’s extremely down-to-earth, and his worries are relatable. He’s concerned with his business and his family, and he also thinks that he could stand to lose a few pounds. He’s your average joe.

Plus, Nathan has heart in spades.

Mack comes off as pretty standoffish at first. But it’s obvious that it’s a defence mechanism, the result of a less-than-perfect childhood. There’s an underlying vulnerability behind Mack’s hard exterior that made me root for him from the start.

It’s also obvious from the get-go that Mack isn’t as indifferent to Nathan as he pretends to be.

Despite their hook-up early in the book, Mack and Nathan’s relationship builds quite slowly. Bit by bit, the two become friends. They settle into a routine while Mack recovers from his surgery, neither willing to admit that they’re falling for each other.

I thought they were incredibly sweet together. Nathan has an urge to take care of Mack, while Mack can’t help but respond to someone finally putting him first.

Though there’s a fair bit of angst and lack of communication in this book, the romance was fairly mellow. I found it easy to just sit back and watch Mack and Nathan fall in love.

However, I wasn’t entirely won over by Mack and Nathan’s family. They took a lot, without giving much back. I just couldn’t forgive the selfishness as easily as Nathan and Mack did, even though I thought it was all entirely realistic.

It takes Nathan and Mack time and hard work to get to a place where they can have their happy ever after. But once the two get their act together, it’s obviously the real deal for them.

Overall, I enjoyed ‘Tribute’. Mack and Nathan’s romance isn’t particularly grand, but it’s realistic and relatable. If you’re looking for a slow MM romance with a lot of focus on family, give this book a try!

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Sarah – ☆☆☆☆
I enjoyed both the romance and the family drama in the newest addition to the Porthkennack series. This the story of two stepbrothers who meet for the first time as adults, only learning about their family relationship after hooking up together. And their family relationships are pretty messy.

I really loved Nathan. He knows his family’s weaknesses, but he holds them all together regardless. And when Mack enters his life, he can’t help but feel guilty about their very different experiences of the same family.

I wanted to love Mack, but I never felt like I had an opportunity to properly know him. His terrible experiences with his family have left him quiet, closed off, and afraid of intimacy. I feel like I needed Mack’s first-person narration to help me understand his thoughts and feelings – but we don’t get Mack’s perspective until the epilogue. This is Nathan’s story. His is the narrative voice (and I loved his narration), but we only ever see Mack through Nathan’s eyes, which doesn’t completely work for such an insular character.

As this book focuses on a liver transplant and complex family estrangement, it is an angsty story and it isn’t always an easy read. The situations and emotions aren’t quite as dramatic as those in the Garrett Leigh books in this series, but the more ordinary family tensions work well against the small town Porthkennack setting.

This story stands alone better than most of the other Porthkennack books. I didn’t recognise many of the characters from earlier books and there aren’t really any references to earlier events. There also isn’t as much of a distinct sense of Porthkennack itself in this story as there is in some of the other books. New readers may find this book easier to get into, but I missed some of the overlap I’ve come to expect in this series.

I just had a terrible time putting this book down - I felt so much for both Nathan and Mack. While Nathan had a good childhood, with a loving mother and father and later a supportive stepfather, his stepbrother wasn’t so lucky. But he turned out pretty good anyway because he’s willing to step up for a half-sister that he doesn’t know when she needs a liver and he’s a match. That doesn’t mean he’s forgiven his dad for his past … which makes things just all sorts of awkward. Especially with Nathan and Mack’s recent past.

Nathan is a fixer by nature and he’s pretty much given up his life to help run the family business. A night out to blow off some steam leads him to his only one-night-stand. And his inability to fix his sister puts him face-to-face with the same guy. In addition to be a fixer, Nathan is also pretty much a relationship only guy so having Mack around gives him a chance to get to know him better. And as his feelings grown and he finds out more about Mack’s past all he wants to do is make things right. Which means that Mack has to come to terms with what happened with his dad all those years ago.

Everything is from Nathan’s POV so we only get glimpses into what Mack is feeling but it’s enough to know how conflicted he is to be back. There’s so much family drama mixed in with the couple’s deepening relationship that they are going to have to work at it if they want to have a future. But that’s the ultimate question – does Mack have feelings for Nathan? Is he willing to give up his nomad ways and settle down? Can he find it in himself to talk to his dad and put the past behind him? It’s a lot but if they are willing to try it could lead to something amazing for them both.

Joanna Chambers’ Tribute Act is the fourth book I’ve read in Riptide’s Porthkennack collection, and it also marks the fourth book in this ~verse I loved spending a little time with. This is such a great assortment of authors and characters and stories, and Tribute Act is another terrific addition to it.

If you aren’t familiar with the collection, it’s a mix of historical and contemporary romances all set in the fictional Cornish town of Porthkennack. Each book can be read independently and in no particular order, so the town itself is the only recurring element. This book marks Chambers’ second contribution to the collection—the first, A Gathering Storm, a historical I loved immensely—and is a family drama that underscores a complicated romantic buildup between Nathan Bridges and the stranger he meets one night in a bar.

Nathan is a romantic at heart. Not much for one-night stands, he’s always been a relationship kind of guy. For him, sex is a connection rather than just a means to scratch a proverbial itch, but a long ago promised night out with his friend Gav soon brings Nathan face-to-face with a man who makes him want to bend his rules and spend the night having sex with no strings.

Mack MacKenzie is a drifter. His father hasn’t been a part of his life since a falling out when Mack was just a teenager, following his mother’s death. The fight, abandonment and its resulting emotional scars left a feral Mack in its wake—distant and unwilling to invest in anything resembling vulnerability or commitment. Being tied down to one place or one person isn’t in his wheelhouse of life goals, and the word family is just that, a word rather than a concept Mack can relate to in an appreciable way. This is the heart and soul of his character—Mack doesn’t do attachments, obligations or long-term anything.

When Mack shows up in Porthkennack to help a half-sister he wasn’t aware even existed, he and Nathan are shook to discover they share a connection, and that their one-off has just become a lot more complicated than either of them could have possibly imagined. I loved this added bit of conflict, which bolstered what could have been just another ‘strangers passing in the night’ romance, and gave it enough of a unique edge to keep the story from feeling rehashed or too familiar.

The turmoil the family was enduring, the reason Mack ended up in Porthkennack to begin with, the unresolved anger over his father’s abandonment, their inability to communicate, was all integrated into the story seamlessly alongside what was building between Nathan and Mack. And, I love the subtle metaphor of Nathan feeding Mack affection and caring in small, unobtrusive bites so Mack wouldn’t run scared. Nathan was nurturing Mack’s soul at the same time as he was helping to heal Mack’s body, and it gave solid proof of Nathan’s tendency to be a carer, often at the expense of his own needs, and I felt a huge amount of empathy for Nathan’s longing for something Mack wasn’t willing to give him. Or, wasn’t able to express wanting because the desire to stay in one place, maybe trying to put down roots, was such a foreign concept to Mack.

The title of the book was a nice reveal, and I love the way it drew a direct correlation between Mack and his father rather than between Nathan and Mack. We get lots of second chance stories in the romance genre, but it’s not often that we get to see the chance for redemption happen outside of the romantic arc. It added to the heartwarming family feel of the reading in a welcome way, the holiday touch only increasing that warmth and upping my affection for the characters.

Tribute Act is equal parts sweet and angsty, with complex family dynamics which add realism and layers to Nathan and Mack’s irresistible and undeniable chemistry. While Gav was more a vehicle to bring Nathan and Mack into each other’s proximity than a fully realized character, the rest of the supporting cast shored up the storyline so well. Joanna Chambers is always a go-to author for me, and she hasn’t let me down yet.

5 Stars

When Nathan’s parents' business gets into trouble and his sister Rosie gets sick, Nathan decides to give up his life and job in marketing and move from London back home to Porthkennack to help run their ice cream parlor. When his stepfather's estranged son, Mack, shows up to be tested to as a possible liver donor for their sister Rosie, Nathan slowly starts to fall in love with him, but he knows once Mack has finished what he came to Porthkennack to accomplish, he’ll pick up and leave, leaving Nathan behind broken hearted.

I loved Nathan, I especially loved that he’s not perfect and his insecurities about himself are very relatable. He is sweet and is his family’s rock. Mack, I wasn't so sure about. He rubbed me the wrong way with how standoffish he was and truthfully, the first time he and Nathan are together, his no kissing rule, well, I didn’t like it and I agree with Nathan, kissing is the good part. Not getting Mack’s POV, didn’t help endear him to me either, but in the end he won me over, the very end, because this is a slow burn and my only real complaint about the story was, I would have liked more time with Nathan and Mack as a couple and the author could have extended the very last scene, but I loved the ending just the same.

Nathan and Mack had amazing chemistry and when they finally gave into the attraction, it was passionate and hot.

I’ve only read a couple of Ms. Chambers' stories, but man, I’ve been missing out. I absolutely love her writing style, it flows well and is very easy to read. I also love this little Cornish town where these stories are set, I’ve read a few of the books in the series, and the ones I’ve read have been really excellent and enjoyable. I’ll definitely be checking out this author's backlist of books. This was a very enjoyable and highly recommended story!

*copy provided by author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Nathan's left a good job in the city to return to Porthkennack to help his step dad and mom with the family ice cream business. He's pretty much keeping everything together for everyone. When he goes to a club with a friend, he meets Mack, a one night hook-up to release sexual tension. They part the next morning thinking they won't see each other again.

That is until Mack shows up at Nathan's family home. Turns out he's the son of Nathan's stepfather. Things are awkward, especially since Mack and his father do not get along, and he's there to donate half of his liver to his ill half-sister. Saying it's complicated is an understatement.

Mack and Nathan end up spending quite a bit of time together when Nathan becomes his caregiver as he's recovering. These two make their way back to the bedroom, and things are good, but there's always the threat that Mack is going to leave. Nathan realizes the true depth of his feelings --the question is whether Mack will care or not.

Nathan's journey is quite interesting as he comes significant realizations about his past relationships. I liked him. Mack was a bit harder to like as he wasn't very communicative. But his relationship with his father and the deep scars that Mack carried around was a very interesting part of this story. Family disagreements can turn into years of no communication, and it's not easy to come back from that.

I've read 3 Porthkennack stories now and I've loved everyone of them. I love the covers to the series and these stories. Tribute Act was a very satisfying story of love, family and forgiveness.

An ARC was provided for review.

Tribute Act was a good story. A fine story. But, honestly, from Joanna Chambers I expect to be blown away every time.

I've had mixed emotions about the Porthkennack series, but the one I REALLY loved was A Gathering Storm. Maybe I'm just into Joanna Chambers when she writes historicals?

I honestly don't love it when a book starts off with the two MCs jumping into bed. One of my favorite aspects of a story is the sexual tension (I live for it!), and so when the sex is right off the bat I always feel a little... deflated. I think that's why, even though the story was sweet and emotional and had a lot of potential, I just felt a little disconnected from it.

I always say this, but if it takes me more than 1-2 days to read a story, no matter the length, I'm just not that into it. I happily read Tribute Act but I also had no problem putting it down. That always worries me.

There was lots of loneliness, lots of angst, and lots of family issues that needed resolving, all of which got a little tiresome for me, especially with me not 100% into the romance. The writing was great, as always, but I just couldn't get past the "like" stage.

I'll always pick up Joanna Chambers' books, no matter what, but I think she's written better. I'd recommend starting with her historical romances because they are just flat-out lovely.

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

I really enjoyed the book. I wasn’t fond of the ending, I wish there was one more chapter, or an answer at least! I had a hard time with the step brother thing, but ended up loving it. I loved them both. The story is full of
Overcoming. Of dealing with your past and moving forward as Mack had to do. I’m glad that they found each other and wanted to give themselves a goner being together

Tribute Act is the 8th book in the Porthkennack Series but can easily be read as a stand alone. This book centers around Nathan who is a fixer and is told from his POV. Nathan likes to take care of people and he is hardwired to fix their problems. He quit his job in London and returned home to save his family's business to the extent that he even gave his inheritance to do so. He is busy taking care of his mother, his sister, his stepdad and the family business and doesn't spend much thought/time on himself. He meets Mack who is aloof and doesn't like to be touched much and obviously hiding some pretty deep pain. The two have a very hot hook-up and are shocked when they come face to face and find out they are step-brothers.

Nathan has some insecurities that make him very down to earth and lovable and he is such a giver. A very sweet, real guy you can't help but like. Mack doesn't let anyone in and we find out that a lot of that has to do with the fact that his father abandoned him at age 15. You can't help but just want to hug him and help him (that's the way Nathan feels as well).

Nathan and Mack's family play a big role in the book and are great secondary characters. While Derek, the stepfather/father isn't a villain you can't help but want to smack him a couple of times. He isn't the most likable character but it keeps the book well rounded.

I love a good hurt/comfort book and this one had that in spades. I loved how the relationship progressed and built. The only thing I do wish is that it hadn't jumped time quite so much. I loved the little moments between Nathan and Mack and could have read more of them.

I like the way the story progressed. I'm a sucker for hurt-comfort, and this story has both in spades. Mack is a wounded bird; his physical scars heal quickly, but his heart takes much longer to mend.

I really enjoyed this story and having the epilogue in Mack's POC was a perfect end. This was my first book by Joanna Chambers but I'll be taking a look at her other books to find a few more to read!

Four beautiful stars!

A simple hookup turns complicated when said hookup shows up at your parent's house. <---love that trope!

<b>It's a poignantly beautiful love story.</b>

Nathan is the "fixer". He fixes everyone's problems. He takes anything and everything on his own shoulders and solves whatever needs a solution. But who takes care of Nathan? Even though he's been in several relationships, he's never been in love.

Mack is the most desperately lonely character I've ever read about. My heart HURT for him. He keeps everyone at a distance, yet he is the one who sees that Nathan has needs too. He's the one to help and point out to others that Nathan deserves appreciation and a whole lot of thanks. Mack is the one who steps up to lend a hand when no one else see's Nathan's needs.

I was rooting for these two the entire time I read the story. I wanted them to find a way to connect so bad. I must have been really stressing because I felt a whole lot of relief at the HEA.

I really wanted Derek and Mack's conversation. Some sort of detailed view into their progress forward. That's the only reason why this is a four star instead of five for me. Otherwise, perfect.

Gorgeous story. I loved it.

3.5 Stars

I thought Tribute Act had great bones but I can’t say I connected with the story on a particularly deep level. Nathan and Mack were both likeable characters but I just didn’t feel like I got to know them – particularly Mack, as we were only privy to Nathan’s somewhat predictable POV. Despite this, Tribute Act made for an easy, feel-good read and I enjoyed many things about it.

I thought it was refreshing to have a male MC with body image issues in Nathan, something I don’t often come across in the genre . It obviously affected his confidence and self-esteem during his more vulnerable moments in a way that was very relatable. It was subtly done and I liked that it gave his character some added depth without it defining him or the story.

The stepbrother element didn’t bother me at all but I must say I wasn’t too convinced about Nathan and Mack as a long-term couple either. I could easily picture them getting attached, and the setting was certainly ideal for a lot of sexual tension but I didn’t really feel any sparks between them. I thought that them being related (although not by blood) also muddied the waters a lot considering the present circumstances surrounding their sister and Mack’s past history with their dad. I felt that too many factors were at play when it came to Mack’s decision to stay or go – rightfully so – but which in turn diluted the romance factor for me even further.

Now, while I thought the romance was somewhat lacking, I loved how central the family element became and in the end that actually made the story for me. I was intrigued by the dad’s backstory and I liked the way the author connected his past music career with the present. I didn’t look up the featured song to see if it was real or fictional, but I thought it was a sweet and poignant touch nevertheless. Having read a handful of books in this series, this was only the second book that featured a more touristy side of the little seaside town, so I enjoyed seeing that side of Porthkennack as well through the family’s little ice cream shop.

All in all, Tribute Act didn’t blow me away but I enjoyed it nonetheless. It’s not the book I would recommend if you’re looking to check out the series, but it’s still a solid addition to the Porthkennack universe.

4.5 stars I found this a touching, emotional read. Somehow it slammed into my core.
It's not an outstanding story as in i would scream or faint...no... but I felt it all and was so impressed by it.
(Jo)Nathan is a very considered person... sweet, thoughtful, a cuddler, a people pleaser and a fixer. I loved Nathan and on the other hand I wanted to shake him to stand up for himself.
He did everything for everyone, sweet of course, but he just got lost on the way.

"I was fed up being taken for granted"
"I wanted someone to take care of me for a change"

He had a one night and was such a sweet guy he wanted to kiss but no... not allowed... the eyes of Mack tells a story..

Shocked to see him again at his parents house, as the son of his stepfather he understands this guy wants nothing to do with him...

Family matters are in this story... surgery, recovery, music, sex, friendship and rejection.
Growing love and no words about it.... afraid for disappointments...

Through the eyes of sweet Nathan we see all the love and hurt in his emotional life, his friendship and feelings with and toward Mack... the possibilities but also the inability to speak up for himself.
Beautiful written, emotional journey with a desperation that made me I cried hard.
At the end...I just wanted to see some more happy moments between them.
Thank god they have their HEA

4.5 Stars

Nathan is a fixer, he needs to control things, to help others, but he longs for someone that will take care of him. He's ambivalent of what to think when Mack, his stepbrother, comes to Porthkennack to donate half his liver to their sister. For one part, Mack turns out to be the last man Nathan hooked up with and is very attracted to. For the other, he feels bad that he wasn't able to help their sister himself.

I loved Nathan. He was such a caring, loving man. He was a bit of a control freak, but that was understandable considering how much everyone leaned on him. I wasn't too sure what to make of Mack at first, but the more I learned about him, the more I liked him. The chemistry between Nathan and Mack was electric and the progression of their relationship was very natural. I might have wanted to shake them up a bit at a point of the story, but I just adored them together. They were hot and sweet and really complemented each other's personalities.

I liked Nathan's mom and Rosie, even if I was a bit aggravated that they didn't back up Nathan and Mack a bit more in some instances (I really wanted to scream when Rosie started crying at some point). I wasn't sure what to think of Derek, Mack's father and Nathan stepfather. He seemed like a nice guy, but between how ungrateful he seemed with Nathan after all his help and then how he refused to apologize to Mack, I just wanted to throat punch him.

I really enjoyed this book, it was a great addition to the series, which is one of my favorites. I had read other books by Joanna Chambers, mostly historical, but she did a great job with contemporary as well and I'll be looking forward to reading more in the future.

All in all, Tribute Act was an amazing read, angsty and sweet and hot and entertaining. Very recommendable!

*** Copy provided to me by Riptide Publishing via NetGalley for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***