Unfortunately I was not able to finish this book. I could not get into the story. I would like to try to read it again in the future since my tastes are always changing.

3.75 Stars
saac is a closeted gay man who works for a web design company. His parents are super conservative, expecting Isaac and his sister, Sue, to find suitable partners. And, Sue brings home Logan—who has tats and bad manners—to Christmas dinner. Isaac is ashamed to be thirsting after his sister’s boyfriend…until Logan makes it crystal clear he bats for the other side and Sue hired him as a lark to distract her parents.

Turns out Logan and Isaac live quite close to one another. And, with the holidays happening, they have plenty of time to connect for little dates around town. Soon, Isaac’s meeting Logan’s best pals and they are both falling hard for one another. Isaac isn’t ashamed of his good fortune, letting his sister know that he and Logan have hit it off, but he’s not eager to come out to his parents. Logan’s willing to be patient for a bit—but the longer they are together, the more it becomes a stumbling block. Logan wants to build a life with a partner, and while Isaac wants that more than just about anything, he still struggles to find the courage to come out to his bigoted parents. But, Logan can’t really accept a half life of pretending he’s Isaac’s roommate, either. It’s likely that coming out to his parents would cost Isaac his relationships with them, but he won’t lose Sue—who had long guessed that Isaac was gay.

Some of this story was a rather bittersweet read. Isaac’s a good guy and he’s in a tough spot regarding his parents. Sue is a good sister and she’s all for Isaac finding happiness. She tries to intercede with their parents, and Isaac treasures her acceptance. Meanwhile, he looks for reasons to delay the confrontation. He’s also a bit obtuse when it comes to the feelings of his closest friends and allies. All of his queer friends have had struggles with coming out, and some have lost family over it. It’s rather solidified Isaac’s internalized homophobia. It doesn’t help that when Isaac finally does make the big decision, it leads to unexpected tragedy.

I don’t want to reveal too much, but there isn’t a silver lining there—expect blood and stitches–and Isaac needs to learn how to pick up the pieces of his shattered family and make the best life he can with people who know and celebrate his truth. But, even then he really can’t listen to other people’s issues. Logan’s got a genuine fear that he screwed up by prompting Isaac to come out to his parents—and Isaac isn’t able to hear it without thinking it’s a complete rejection of him. Meanwhile, the friends he so cherishes seem to be pulling away. Isaac’s really on a precipice of his own making, in many regards, but he’s pulled back by some sage advice from Sue. Facing the hard truths of his life isn’t easy and leads to serious trouble, but in the end, Isaac and Logan are stronger on the other side, with a love that fulfills them both.

The book itself is rather lighthearted—until the big coming out scene anyway—and Isaac is an engaging and silly narrator. He and Logan make terrible puns with each other and there’s always someone ready with a quip or a joke. I think this made the big kerfuffle in the end even more horrifying. For me, the book’s diction read a bit on the British English side, even though it’s supposedly set in Anytown, USA.

I liked the story, which does have a solid happy ending. It’s also got some yummy-steamy sexytimes and a good cast of characters. I’m glad that Isaac grew up a bit and stopped avoiding the hard conversations, because not all of them were terrible—and most resulted in improved relationships.

I was not a fan of this book, the story was poorly structured, the constant yes/no, I will/I won't was fine for the first few pages, but for the majority of the story, NO.

This is a pity as the basic idea for the story was good, with the love interest moving from a pretend relationship with the sister to (eventually) a real one with the brother. However the telling of the story took away from this.

I stumbled over this book on Amazon and it sounded weirdly familiar, so I checked goodreads if I had already read it. No. But it was on my ARC shelf. Apparently I requested this book on NetGalley ages ago, got approved, put the book in my arc folder on my kindle and promptly forgot about it. I finally read it through and I really liked it. The two things that bothered me were the fact that they said "I love you" way too early for my taste - they were dating for two month, but on page we only saw the first two dates, so it felt kind of rushed, even though it wasn't really - and that immature conflict at the end. That didn't really do anything for the book, in my opinion. I just pissed me off a little bit. I totally wanted to give Isaac a big long hug after what happened with his parents.
Usually I enjoy my books with a dual first person POV, but wasn't mad that in this instance it was just a single POV of Isaac's.

Rating: 3.75 stars

This started off pretty good but then lost me after about the first third of the book. I didn't feel a connection between the two mc's and I didn't care for some of the side characters. There was nothing particularly wrong with the book, it just wasn't my cuppa. It was very meh and one I probably won't remember at all down the road (except for the awesome cover....that I'll remember)



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

This started out really cute, sweet, adorably entertaining.

All the cute and sweet and adorably entertaining faded and left me grumpy. It was fun for me for a while, I just didn't really like about the last third. I liked the characters a lot, but I just didn't really see their connection. I also had trouble with Issac's decisions toward the end of the story. And I really didn't like Logan's friends all that much. I don't know... this just didn't completely work for me.

Isaac knows two things—his parents are racist homophobes, and his sister’s new boyfriend is hot as hell. Thanksgiving, or any holiday, for that matter, is always an anxiety-ridden affair when Isaac and his sister Sue must spend it with their parents. Every time they are together, both siblings get the grilling of their lives over why they aren’t yet married and producing grandchildren. This Thanksgiving, Sue has managed to gobsmack the folks by bringing a tattooed, slightly crass, supposed ex-con to family dinner. Isaac is mystified about how the two of them even met and quickly realizes something is not quite right about Logan. It could be because his life story is just so out there, but it most likely has to do with the gorgeous man groping Isaac’s ass when they were passing one another in the hallway.

Before dinner is out, Sue has confessed via text that she essentially hired Logan, pro bono, to act as her boyfriend. In a smooth move, Logan slipped Isaac his business card and before either man knew it, they were meeting for coffee and were very much interested in getting to know each other better. As Isaac and Logan spent time together, they realized just how much they have in common. Before they can blink, the two are official dating and calling each other boyfriend, meeting mutual friends and falling in love. The only problem is Isaac isn’t out to his parents, and never intended to be unless he found himself in a serious relationship. When Logan asks him to move in, the handwriting is on the wall…but Logan is terrified to lose the only family he has and hopes that Logan will be patient with him as he builds the courage to come out to his folks.

Hard Truths could have been an amazing coming out story that reflects just how we think about family. There are blood relatives and then there are the group of people (not always your relatives) that support you for who you are and stand by you through thick and thin. Apparently Isaac’s view of family doesn’t gel with Logan’s or any of his friends. Isaac is caught up in the idea that if he comes out and his parent’s disown him, he will be left alone—despite the beautifully patient man that loves him and the friends who have always been there for him.

I have to admit I wanted to slap Isaac more than once while reading this novel. He was understandably frightened, but he also had no ties to his horrid parents except the few times a year he was guilted into visiting. His mom and dad were just repulsive; honestly, the author chose not to give them even one redeeming quality, which I felt was a bit unrealistic. Seriously, Isaac was successful, living happily on his own, owed his parents nothing, and apparently didn’t even use them for any kind of emotional support, so why be so invested in their opinions or even in their strange, caustic love?

Then there was Logan, who should have been canonized by the end of this story. Patient does not begin to describe this man. Having lost his own parents to a tragic event, it was all too believable that he would not try and push Isaac to come out—even though it meant Logan was kind of a dirty little secret. Time and again the author showed us how much restraint and love it took for Logan to push down the pain he felt when Isaac refused to acknowledge Logan’s existence to his parents. Over and over, we saw Logan save the relationship by taking a back seat to Isaac’s unreasonable fears, and even grow to love the guy more. Honestly, I would have walked had I been Logan.

To add to the overall strange interactions between Isaac and his parents was the confrontation that occurred with his close-knit group of friends. I’m not going to go into the reasons, but Isaac essentially informs them how he views family, and they are not it. Frankly, I really felt this scene and the subsequent fallout just muddied the already dirty waters that were Isaac’s way of coping and thinking. I get that he was afraid. I understand that telling your ugly-minded parents you are gay is like signing the death warrant on your relationship with them. Here’s the thing, though; as this story was written, Isaac had no relationship with his mom and dad. He endured them. That is not love, and it certainly isn’t family; that is relatives you are stuck with and can’t escape being social with a few times a year.

Hard Truths had a solid plot that could have really been taken to the next level, emotionally, had the author chosen to knock sense into their main character long before the final chapters. Instead, we got a strange story that felt disconnected and mean-spirited. Alex Whitehall has written some lovely stories; unfortunately, Hard Truths does not come off as one of the best examples of this author’s talent.

Reviewed by Sammy

All in all, Hard Truths was just an okay read for me. On the shorter side, I still did struggle with the pace of the book seemingly dragging. The character's were pretty....basic, if not immature and I feel Issacs family (as in his parents) with this exception of his sister were pretty vile. The struggle for the character's in having a relationship...I just often found myself thinking Logan deserved someone....not held toe the restraints of hiding. But overall, an okay read for me.

Hard Truths is my first of Alex Whitehall’s works, and I am happy to say that I enjoyed it a lot!

From the very beginning, I was drawn into Isaac’s life, delighting in the flirting between him and Logan, his sister’s boyfriend. When Isaac figures out that his sister, Sue, is not actually dating Logan, but rather pretending, it is a super cute and funny moment.

What follows is a sweet romance, interwoven with Isaac’s self-discovery, while dealing with “hard truths” he needs to face.

I find both Isaac and Logan to be lovable, smart, and funny; in addition to being very real and flawed.
Isaac’s story is not an easy read, since his parents are awful to him, both verbally and physically. They are racist, homophobic, and all around horrific people.

There are different types of family, which is a major theme throughout Hard Truths. Isaac is hard-pressed to believe he can create his own, the way Logan has, with a group of accepting friends. Instead, he continues to assume his birth family, warts and all, are the only family he can ever have. Thus he holds onto them with all of his strength, despite their deplorable treatment.

To be happy, Isaac will need to learn how to let go of them and their toxic behavior, and accept a group of friends as more important than his biological family. I love this subject matter, as many LGBTQ people do in fact end up creating their own families, full of friends who accept them.

One of the best lines is when a friend tells Isaac, “‘family isn’t those people who love you because they’re obligated; it’s the people who love you because they love you.’” I find this to be relevant for everyone, but even more so for those in the LGBTQ family.

Hard Truths is well written, with genuineness, relevance, and honesty. Alex Whitehall does a fantastic job creating a heartbreaking, emotional, and thoughtful journey in this story. Despite the horrific tone, they manage to provide a lot of sarcasm and clever lines throughout, making it lighter.

Isaac and Logan meet each other at Christmas dinner, when Logan tags along with Isaac’s sister, pretending to be her boyfriend. It’s kind of a humorous meet-cute, and I really liked Isaac and Logan together. Unfortunately, Logan isn’t out to his parents, and he’s not really sure when that will happen as he’s pretty sure they won’t take it well. I thought Logan was really patient with Isaac. He understood that it was Isaac’s choice, but he was obviously a bit frustrated as time went on and the two of them got closer.

Obviously, Isaac eventually comes out, but I won’t spoil anything there. I did really like that the overall “message” of the book was that friends can be family, or that you can make your own family. I feel like this is an important thing to realize sometimes; just because someone is blood, doesn’t mean they are your true family. And on that note, there were some great secondary characters in Hard Truths – with Isaac’s sister, his friends, and Logan’s friends (though I didn’t love Logan’s friends as much and there’s a thread concerning them that I didn’t really feel was cleared up).

In all, I really did like this one, and I thought it felt pretty realistic!

This author’s writing style simply works for me. Whether it’s a holiday short or a full-length novel, I always fall for the characters and story. I really enjoyed Hard Truths, especially because it wasn’t what I’d expected when I first picked it up…it was better. The writing is solid with great dialogue, including a good dose of witty, sarcastic humor that left me chuckling regularly. The author’s ability to weave levity throughout kept things lighter even during the more serious scenes and really made the personalities of the characters vibrant and multi-dimensional.

Hard Truths starts off with an interesting situation when Isaac is hit on by his sister’s new boyfriend at a family holiday gathering. I have to say this may be one of my favorite meet cutes I have ever read. It was different, quirky, and had me smiling over and over again, setting the tone for the bulk of this romance. Isaac and Logan were both well-flushed out, but considering the story is told only from Isaac’s point-of-view, his character development is much more substantial. I found his character really interesting and relatable. His concerns about fitting in, living up to expectations, and staying connected with friends and family all made sense, but the way the author filtered the interactions through those lenses and presented Isaac’s warped view of scenarios in and of itself was eye-opening and made this book especially memorable.

As I mentioned earlier, when I began Hard Truths, I thought I was in store for a different sort of story than I got. From the start, the romance was almost cloyingly sweet; and while it’s always nice when there’s a natural, easy chemistry between characters, things went so smoothly for Isaac and Logan, I wondered where the story would lead. Although I knew there had to be more to it, I hadn’t quite expected the stern, introspective, and in many ways heartbreaking turns parts of the story took. That said, the book never lost its humor, charm, or the solid connection between the men, even when they faced adversity, and I loved how the characters developed and grew over the course of the book. I would definitely recommend Hard Truths to anyone who likes sweet romances with a little oomph to them.

I was so excited to read Hard Truths because the blurb is intriguing - fake boyfriend (only his sister's rather than his), hot tatted up muscular hero, yeah, definitely sounded like my kind of read. Unfortunately, Isaac's ridiculously immature, self-absorbed personality ruined the entire story for me. He put everyone, including himself, through so much unnecessary pain before he ever wised up, and I got bored with it, with him, very quickly. This could have been so much better, it's such a shame that one lousy character ruined so much potential. Hard Truths does have some things going for it, hence the 3 stars instead of 2, like Logan, who's a sweetheart, and Isaac's friends and his adorable, supportive sister. But as the entire story is told from Isaac's POV and he turns out to be an immature idiot, Logan and Isaac's friends and sister were just not enough to save this one.

Hard Truths was an okay read for me. I would have liked it more if I felt it had more depth to it. It was a cute read. But for a shorter book it was very slow at times. I liked Isaac but I loved Logan. They were hot together and I was rooting for them. Although at times I felt Isaac was a bit immature. I could not stand Isaac's family. Well I liked his sister, but his mom and dad sucked. I hated the way they acted like closed minded aholes. My main problem with this book was Isaac's hiding who he was from his parents and hurting Logan because of it. I get he was scared and his parents were jerks but I hated that he let the fear hurt the man he loved. Overall Still it was a okay read.

This is my first read from Alex Whitehall and I will absolutely be coming back for more.
Hard Truths introduces us to Isaac, a gay man who is not out to his parents, and Logan, the man who showed up as Isaac's sister's fake boyfriend for Christmas at their parents. Even more unexpected than Logan's arrival is the spark and connection that is instant for both men.
Upon meeting up once back home, the two men grow closer quickly and have more in common than initially believed. However, Isaac's secret from his parents starts to come between them as their relationship progresses.
I really enjoyed this story about Isaac and Logan. Both MC's draw us in, have their own insecurities but have worked to become strong, independent men. The physical descriptions definitely enhance the enjoyment as you imagine these two men coming together. Whilst there are many serious moments for the two men and with the people around them, they know how to laugh together as well, bringing a smile to your face as you're reading their story.
The thing coming between the two is a struggle for Isaac as to him, family is blood and he doesn't want to lose his parents when he comes out to them. Maybe he needs to learn that you can choose you're family in those around you.
We have quite a few different secondary characters enhancing the story and helping our MC in growing and moving forward, though not all are good experiences. The pacing of the story works really well. We don't spend time on every single moment of the blossoming relationship but take time at the important ones. Alex's writing draws you into Isaac's life and carries you right along with him as he's experiencing this relationship with Logan and every bump along the way.
I definitely recommend this book. Not necessarily a coming of age book as the men are slightly older but coming out to parents is a big deal and Isaac's is one he won't ever forget.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and am happily giving a review.

Self-acceptance and the definition of family fuels this romance that will take readers on a roller coaster ride of emotions from the first page to the last. In a story spanning a year a young man struggles to come out and find a place to call home while finding himself in a whirlwind romance that will change his life irrevocably.

Isaac Landes has been living a dual life. With his friends he finds comfort and acceptance for who he is, an easy connection of playful banter and sweet snarkiness. With his parents though it’s a completely different existence. His parents are very religious and judgmental and it’s held him back from coming out. They want him and his sister to live as they deem proper, constantly harping on them in adversarial and subtly abusive ways. Despite their words and actions Isaac is still desperate to make them proud and the need puts every single one of his relationships in jeopardy after his father’s vile reaction leaves him reeling. Isaac’s a character clearly struggling at the start of the story. His parents have worn him down emotionally and his self-esteem is non-existent to where momentary silence from anyone means rejection. He’s willing to put up with abuse as long as he can still claim his parents as family, while turning away from the lover and friends who have always stood by him...all over misunderstandings. There’s a lot to like about Isaac as he’s a caring person, funny, and has a witty rapport with others. In many other ways though he frustrated me. He seemed far younger than his years, was quick to assume the worst, and let himself remain a victim for far too long by wanting the acceptance of parents who were incapable of it. It’s quite clear that there’s a group of friends who love him, a man that loves him unconditionally, and he purposely pushed them away when he needed them most. He went through a lot of turmoil in this story and though it was a rocky journey it did help him grow up. All the highs and lows made him a stronger person, more worthy of Logan, and it was ultimately a necessary journey to reach a satisfying conclusion.

Logan’s first meeting with Isaac was a memorable one as he was the pretend boyfriend to Isaac’s sister Sue. He made a lasting impression though with his tattoos, brash nature, and aura of danger that led to a whirlwind week of romance and acceptance for the two men. Long ago Logan came out and isn’t interested in being anyone’s dirty little secret, but he’s willing to wait for Isaac in a quiet battle that frustrated me as Logan deserved better. Through all his emotional issues though, Logan stood by patiently waiting for Isaac, a solid and strong support that helped him pick up the pieces when everything fell apart. Logan doesn’t have a traditional family but he has his own group of friends, a colorful and eclectic bunch who were more like family. That definition is one that he wholeheartedly believes in but that took Isaac far longer to accept despite the obvious support the friends give. Logan’s a deliciously sweet and sexy hero who often took a backseat to Isaac’s melodrama. Despite this story clearly depicting Isaac’s evolution, I still ate up every scene spent with Logan and drooled over his sexy bad boy image.

This was an emotionally intense read from the first page to the last. After its charmingly sweet start, the drama kicked in to pull at my heartstrings and kept me on edge waiting for even more heartbreak. As Isaac struggled to find himself, I found myself rooting for these two men amidst their rocky journey to love and acceptance. With a relationship both heartwarming and scorching I found myself quickly consumed by their pairing and was often left blushing by their erotically-charged encounters. They’re a well-balanced couple who support the other as needed. Logan’s a workaholic while Isaac shows him the joys of having a home life. In exchange Logan gives Isaac the strength to be his own person and gives him a place to call home when everything seems to fall apart. Surrounding this memorable main couple is a large cast of secondary characters who are colorful and easy to relate to. They redefine the word family and I cheered for each of them as they were there when they were needed most, despite their own little dramas. Isaac’s parents were truly awful people and he was right in thinking they wouldn’t accept him. Their actions and their prejudices were stereotypical and I felt like booing whenever they came on the scene. Too much time was wasted on them, time that could’ve been spent on getting to know more about Logan. Despite a few quibbles though I found this an engaging read that kept me glued to the pages and its hard-fought journey to a sweet and sentimental conclusion.

I voluntarily read an advanced review copy of this book

Isaac and Logan's relationship started ruff with the whole fake boyfriend situation and got rocky with the to come out or not come out situation. This is a good tale about being true to yourself.

This book was very well written, the characters were very strong, I guess I just get tired of the every m/m or f/f book being about if they want to come out and trying to hide. While it is a valid concern...I just want things to be shaken up a bit.

3.75 Stars

I really dislike closeted characters, and even more, I dislike closeted characters, like Isaac, who are grown adults and financially stable. I understand, to a certain degree, him not wanting to possibly lose his family by coming out, but frankly, he tried to avoid his parents at any cost, plus, they treated him like shit, especially his father, who was just a poor excuse for a human being. I’m not sure what Isaac thought he was going to miss by losing them.

I loved the romance between Isaac and Logan, although I’ll admit it was a bit too sugary sweet at times. I loved seeing the progression of their relationship and they had great chemistry.

I loved Isaac’s friends and sister. They were an amazing support system for Isaac and Logan, even if Isaac couldn’t always see it. *bops Isaac in his head*

The story is well-written, but the pace was a bit slow at times and the story dragged. Still, an enjoyable and recommendable read!

copy provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Sarah – ☆☆☆
Isaac and Logan meet when Logan pretends to be dating Isaac’s sister at a family holiday meal. It’s a cute start to a sweet relationship. It’s an insta-love relationship. Isaac and Logan move from strangers to boyfriends within a week and the story tracks the first year in Logan and Isaac’s life together.

I have to admit that I found long stretches of this book pretty dull. Isaac and Logan both have big friend/family groups and there is a limit to the amount of hipster friendship drama I can tolerate. Not much happens until a very dramatic scene with Isaac’s parents near the end. I didn’t understand Isaac’s relationship with his parents from the start and the key scene felt a little bit too over the top to be believable.

Logan and Isaac are both nice guys – I just didn’t find either of them terribly memorable. For the most part, this is a very low-key romance and some readers will enjoy the ‘slice of life’ realism of the story. I felt a little bit old for this book and I’m guessing Millennial readers might relate better to some of the smaller dramas in the story.

💫💫🌟🌟🌟💫💫4 hard hitting stars💫💫🌟🌟🌟💫💫

The hard truth was, Isaac had let fright rule his life for so long, that he was unable to see the good that was right before him. i enjoyed this read, and the messages that it brought forth. Family IS not only made up of blood, it is the people who stand by us through the thick and the thin. Those ones who would pick up the battle if our armor rusted and fell apart.

Isaac grew a lot in this book. It took him a while, but through it all, he accepted the facts and was able to stand up for himself. For the delectable Logan, plain and simple yum city. It felt as if he were being manipulative and hard on Isaac, but he was a man in love wanting 100% from his partner. The twists and the turns made the book work. In the end, love conquered all.

On one hand, this book was less superficial than I expected, considering the blurb. I love the fake boyfriend trope, and I was looking forward to a fun book. While there was lots of humor, the depth within surprised me.

On the other hand, I would have liked to repeatedly smack Isaac over the head, not only for continuing to hide Logan being his boyfriend, but also for not realizing that family isn't always determined by blood, especially when your parents are homophobic racist jerks.

I think what bothered me the most is that Isaac often sounded much younger than I was told he is, especially when he's around his parents, and that he was too blind to realize that he was hurting Logan, and his friends, with his ridiculous stance. While I could understand his fears, those fears blinded him to what he already has, and he only saw what he stood to lose. He lives a couple of hours away from his parents, and he's out to everyone in his life, except for them. But every time he goes home, it is very clear that not only does he not like his parents, especially his father, but he also mocks and ridicules them. And thus I couldn't for the life of me understand what was stopping him from telling them to shove it and tell them who he truly is.

The romance is definitely whirlwind, much like the blurb promises, and there is hot sex and cheesy puns, and I believed that both Isaac and Logan had feelings for each other. They have a lot in common, and the growth in their relationship felt realistic to me given the timeframe of this book.

I guess Isaac still needed to grow up. And I guess he does by book's end; he just leaves a whole lot of hurt in his wake that could have been avoided, had he been more emotionally mature.

The entire book is written from Isaac's POV, so we don't get a whole lot of true insights to Logan, and Isaac's friends, since his view is somewhat skewered and distorted though his lens. The humor was fun (not cheesy, really), and outside of Isaac's behavior with his parents, I did like him as a person. He's kind and considerate to others - just emotionally stunted. Which is likely a result of his upbringing, but I didn't see the same in his sister, and she grew up in the same emotionally stunted home.

I liked the writing style, and I'm definitely going to check out more books by this author.


** I received a free copy of this book from its publisher in exchange for an honest review. **