This book isn’t terrible, but the relatively simple storyline didn’t engage my interest very deeply, and it really didn’t make much of an impression.

The best part is the way the two men meet. Isaac’s sister brings her rough-around-the -edges (but very handsome) boyfriend Logan home for Christmas, only for the guy to hit on Isaac, which is kind of shocking, to say the least. So, it’s a relief to find out that his sister faked her relationship with Logan to get their mom off her back about finding a man. That frees up Isaac and Logan to start dating, but there’s still a major obstacle to their future together—Isaac isn’t out to his parents.

The fact that Isaac isn’t out is the main source of conflict in the book, and it just wasn’t enough to carry the story for me. Logan is great, and Isaac’s parents are horrible, so the possibility of their rejection really didn’t seem like the end of the world. The author tries to add some other drama in the form of Logan’s friends potentially not liking Isaac and then Isaac being worried his friends are mad at him. But Isaac is so clearly off base about that (and really, at one point, my eyes rolled at how immature he was being), that it was hard to buy into his fears.

I did like Isaac and Logan together, and that's what made me finish the book, but it wasn't enough to make this more than an OK read.

A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.

Gotta give Alex Whitehall credit for coming up with a unique way for a couple to meet. It honestly made me like Isaac’s sister from the start. That first meeting also made it clear that I would never be a fan of his parents…

Essentially, Isaac lived two lives. One where he was comfortable in his own skin and was loved, respected and accepted by his friends. The other where he hid who he really was to be accepted by his family. The paths of those two lives never crossed and he was perfectly okay with that… until he risked losing Logan.

Logan didn’t understand how Isaac could keep such an important part of his life away from his family. Unless Logan wasn’t as important to Isaac as he thought he was. He would give anything to share his love for Isaac with the family he had lost. So he pushed…

Both Isaac and Logan made mistakes in Hard Truths. I got really aggravated with both of them more than once. Isaac couldn’t see what was right in front of him and Logan pushed for something when he had no idea how much he was really asking… or risking.

This is the story of not just the love between two men, but it’s also a story that proves that love is love and family isn’t always defined by blood. ❤

Isaac meets Logan at Christmas, as his sister's boyfriend. Talk about your forbidden choices. He will just have to put what he wants aside. He does not believe he is worthy of a great relationship.

Logan has no problem telling Isaac he wants him. He is only doing a friend a favor. Their attraction is obvious to anyone who looks at them together.

The characters had an obvious connection. The sparks definitely fly around them being together. Very realistic, with a slower pace than I expected.


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

Hard Truths started out with a bit of wit and humor. The way Isaac and Logan met, I expected a fun romance with the required bit of angst. There are some amusing and even chuckle-worthy parts along the way, and this pair certainly generates plenty of steam. However, those cheesy puns promised in the blurb quickly became tiresome and Isaac was ridiculously whiny. I get that he was nervous about coming out to his parents, and I could understand that. I even get that he avoided conflict whenever possible, but good grief, he doubted everything. The story is not without its positives, but with my feelings about Isaac, I ended up being rather ambivalent about him getting his happy ending. I did like Logan, and actually found myself torn on whether or not he should just move on. Needless to say, I ended this one with a middle of the road feeling about it. It wasn't a total fail, but it's also not one that I would read again.

Hard Truths by Alex Whitehall is one of those stories that make you think. We all know that there is homophobia and bigotry everywhere still but how do you deal with it when it is your own family that dishes it out. In Isaac's case, he sweeps everything under the rug, seeing them only when he has to in order to keep the peace. Meeting Logan changes everything for him. Not only has he found a connection that most never find but he sees forever with Logan. The only thing in his way is the fear of losing his family. Will Isaac find the strength to fight for what he wants and for what he believes he deserves? This story emphasizes the fact that true family can be found in unlikely places and that yes love is love and the ones who chose to love you no matter what may be the only ones who will stand by you. Well written and nicely steamy. My first Alex Whitehall book but I plan to read more in the future. ARC received by NetGalley for an honest review.

DNF at 26%

The premise is very intriguing and sounds like something I would love. However, since the beginning I have struggled to connect with the characters and the story, and I cannot get into it despite trying. The writing style is something I don't enjoy; one of my pet peeves is breaking the fourth wall between the narrator and reader, which happened in the first chapter. Otherwise the first chapter was fun, but everything happens so fast and the relationship between Isaac and Logan moves so fast within the first few chapters that I don't feel like there's any substance to it. Secondary characters are introduced left and right and I barely remember anyone. Also, the constant cheesy puns and pop culture references and jokes are not helping me to connect with the story. Hard Truths just isn't a book for me.

To be honest I didn't care for this book. Don't get me wrong the book was well written but for some reason I couldn't get into it for some reason. This is my first book by this author and just because this wasn't my favorite book it won't discourage me from trying other books by this author.

I received this book from Net Galley and the publisher for an honest review.

3.5 Stars rounded Up

I want a Jackson in my life!!!

I just had to get that out of my system after a rather emotional ending to the book, but we’ll get back to that later!

“Hard Truths” is more than love story between two men, it was also a story about courage, acceptance, and family.

The book started slow for me in the way I wasn’t emotionally invested by our leading men at first. Isaac and Logan first met on a Thanksgiving dinner Isaac’s parents held and Logan was there posing as his sister bad biker boyfriend. It was intended to distract their parents from questioning them on their still being single and not rushing to provide grandkids to the rents. That Logan hit on Isaac while supposedly dating his sister didn’t endear him to me. Heck, the overall opening left me indifferent. Pigheaded reader that I am I plod on reading - who knows, there might be some gems imminent along the plot. And my patient was rewarded! The story rallied as soon as the guys met again and properly introduced themselves.

“Hard Truths” is told from Isaac’s voice in first person and took close to a year time span from start to finish. He’s a complex character; geeky, witty, pun-loving, and rather bossy yet having deep seated remorse over his family and his inability to come out to his parents. The sparks between him and Logan were instant, made swift by the holiday (it gave time to do stuff together and got to know one another). The intimate moments were scattered here and there and quite sizzling, animated and often amusing. I like how they could kid around even in the throes of passion.

Almost from the start you could guess certain issue between Isaac and Logan would hit the roof at one point in the story. Although - just like Isaac - I was taken aback at the violent recoil. I love that the author didn’t show preferential treatment on the characters, even if Isaac was the main voice of the story. As much as it pained me to see Isaac’s timid approach to his family, I get where he came from, coming from dysfunctional family myself. The toxic somehow ingrained so deep it’s difficult to break out. The same applied to Logan over his hesitance to go to the next step because Isaac not fully out yet. I was pissed he dangle the condition over Isaac’s head, yet I understood why he felt that way.

The dilemma made for a convincing conflict. I was especially pulled in by the emotional spin the story took when all hell (seemed to) break loose and it took the some self-contemplation for the character to make amends. In a sense, the story is a soul-searching journey that is relatable to present day queer (couple) everywhere!

Amidst the heated and tumultuous state of their relationship, their groups of friends were there with their support. Now we get to my favorite part: Isaac’s best friend, Jackson. Among Isaac’s mates, he stuck out the most (at least to me) probably due similarity in mannerism to Isaac. They argued and disagreed over stuff. He was also the one who cut through to Isaac’s stubborn perception by saying the following (I just HAD TO quote his words because it’s so beautiful):
“To me,” Jackson said softly, “family isn’t those people who love you because they’re obligated; it’s the people who love you because they love you. The people who love you because they’re obligated are relatives—linked by blood, but not much else. People who love you because they love you—that’s family. Sue is a relative and family. But I think of you as my family, Isaac.”

He was the icing of the cake that lift up the joy of the story for me. Everyone can use a Jackson in their life!


Advanced copy of this book is kindly given by the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly I think that the cover could have been better for this book. It went well with it but I felt like it kind of brought the book down. Overall I loved the book and loved the plotline.

The idea of this book sounded fun. Sister brings hot fake boyfriend to Christmas dinner. The kind of guy their parents would hate and that Isaac would love. Learning the truth gives Isaac the green light and the two embark on a whirlwind relationship filled with cheesy puns and hot sex. Fun, right?

But this is not that kind of lighthearted read. Beneath the cheesy puns and hot sex is a insecure man afraid of losing the biological family who treats him like crap. In his mind, family is the people your stuck with, the ones that are obligated to be there for you. This perception never made sense to me—especially since there was never any indication that they would...and then they didn’t. It certainly didn’t make sense to his friends who viewed him as part of their chosen family. And it doesn’t make sense to Logan, who was falling hard, but doesn’t want to be Isaac's secret.

Everyone deserves the chance to come out in their own time, so while I didn’t like the ultimatum, I did understand where Logan was coming from. Isaac set the stage when he said he would come out for the right person. As they get deeper into the relationship, say those three little words, and discuss cohabitation, this comes back to bite him hard. Because, while all those things suggest Logan is the right person, Isaac doesn’t want to follow through. This causes insecurities and hurts on all sides.

Told completely from Isaac’s point of view, I thought I would grow to understand him, but instead found myself more and more put off. Starting with his outburst over a reservation flub, right through this his argument with Logan, and then his friends, it was hard to cheer for this HEA. My heart broke when his worst fears were realized, but the way he handled the aftermath only reinforced my growing dislike of him as a character.

I stayed with it till the end because I wanted to know if he figured it out, but I never fell in like, much less love with the story of Isaac and Logan.

When I finished reading my first thought was "that was deeper than it seemed".

It starts out with the always fun trope of fake boyfriend. This one with a twist since the fake boyfriend was Isaac's sister's. Logan is just doing this for a lark. He doesn't expect to find his fake date's brother hot. But neither does he hesitate to make the first move, even if it has to be undercover at the family Christmas gathering.

For me, Logan was perfect. Maybe even a little too perfect. Isaac was exactly the opposite. He was the direct result of his upbringing in a home with "old fashioned" (read bigoted) parents. Isaac is gay, but since he's never had a serious relationship he hasn't felt the need to come out to his parents. With his parents, it's always easier to avoid or switch a topic than to confront their skewed world view. This hard learned lesson translates into his adulthood as a hesitation to confront the hard talks. Isaac internalizes things done and said around him instead of confronting them. His belief system and coping mechanism comes crashing down during his first real romantic relationship.

I had mixed feelings and emotions while reading this story. There were times I felt like it was *too* sweet. Times I thought it was dragging a little. Other times I felt confused by all the different friendships and how they might shift and change moving forward in Logan and Isaac's relationship. My rating needle hovered around 3 stars for most of the story. Then the ending came and I was swept away in a wave of angst and sorrow, confusion and sadness. Finally, understanding and enlightenment with "fluffy feel goods".

By the time I turned the last page I was sure this was a solid 4 star read. I was pretty impressed with how Isaac's upbringing and learned behaviors were portrayed. How they affected him as an adult and how he struggled to overcome them. Very subtle and well done!

Overall, I enjoyed this book quite a bit. The tension between what Isaac wants and his refusal to risk alienating his rather abusive parents was heartbreaking but very real. Working in the mental health field, I've seen the ways in which people refuse to give up on their parents even in the face of unspeakable abuse. My heart hurt for Issac because even though he clearly knew his relationship with them was unhealthy, he still couldn't give up the slim hope for their approval.

I loved Logan a lot. Their relationship was real and flawed, but very loving. I could understand Logan's mixed messages about his desire for Isaac to come out to his parents. He knew intellectually that pushing Isaac would be harmful, but he also couldn't help how it made him feel. That made the aftermath of Isaac's coming out all the more horrific, and Logan's reaction to it was very realistic.

What I really loved about this book is that the impact of the way Isaac's parents treat him wasn't just a plot point. The psychological impact of their abusive relationship came out in the way Isaac handled problems over and over and formed the backbone of the major misunderstanding that occurred at the end of the book. So many times, a character is given a tragic backstory, but there's no real evidence for it having an effect on them.

I enjoyed the story and the writing style enough that I'll definitely try other books by this author.

This was my first book from this author. I wanted to love this book and after reading the synopsis I was hopeful, but it fell a little flat for me from what I was expecting. It started off good when Isaac meets Logan because his sister Sue brings Logan home as her fake boyfriend to meet their parents. Their interactions from the beginning are sexy and flirty. It was a decent story line and I liked Isaac and Logan enough but they never really wowed me like I hoped to be. Unfortunately I found their relationship a bit lacking in substance so I didn’t connect to them as I hoped. Isaac’s inability to see his close friend group for the real family they were to him really bothered me. Meanwhile his ridiculously homophobic parents continued to be the worst case scenario for anyone coming out and I can honestly say how much I disliked them. Isaac gave them too much power in his life. The end left me flat as well and definitely could’ve given me more hope that their relationship would stand the test of time.

Thank you to the Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Isaac dreads family Christmas dinner as they are always pressurising him and his sister to bring home a fiancée so they get to have lots of grandchildren. That’s so not going to happen as he is gay but can’t bring himself to tell them as he knows things will turn out bad. But they are the only family he has so he just has to keep quiet. Things turn out differently this year as his sister has brought her new boyfriend a really hot tattooed biker who definitely has his parents on the defensive taking the heat off him for a change. Things get weird when he finds a spark between him and Logan. I really enjoyed this story. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Hard Truths is the first book I've read by Alex Whitehall. I liked this story Isaac and Logan are fun, intelligent and nerdy and their interaction was awesome. I liked the story, loved the characters and look forward to exploring more by this author

This story was kinda crazy, but in a good way. Isaac meets Logan when he's pretending to date Isaac's sister. Flirting happens and Isaac is so confused. Luckily his sister sets him straight and the two begin a friendship. I liked that they built up to dating. And that there was quite the array of supporting characters. So much happens to Isaac over the course of the story, and thankfully Logan is there to help and support him. I enjoyed them together and look forward to more from the author.

What does it mean to be family? Does family always have to be blood related? Hard Truths explores this when Isaac, closeted to his family, starts dating Logan, who lost his family. When we aren't able to be with our families do we create our own?
*Received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for honest review.

Family get togethers at the Landes house tries everyone's patience. Siblings Sue and Isaac go to each of them out of duty to their parents. Mom and Pop Landes aren't the nicest most loving people but they've birthed and raised their two children and they constantly let those two children know that they need their owed grand babies, now. Sue has a solution to get her parents off of her back. She brings a fake date to Christmas dinner that is sure to shock her parents into not wanting her to continue dating. And it works sort of.

The fake date Logan is more than interested in Isaac. Isaac can clearly see the visual appeal to his sisters new boyfriend. He's having a hard time understanding the rest of the attraction until Logan makes it perfectly clear to Isaac that he's interested in men, not women.

The whole of Hard Truths takes place over the course of a year. Isaac and Logan make for a fun and cute couple. The book is filled with cliches and puns that the characters will point out to you just in case you missed them. Sometimes romances become cliched. Whitehall kept that from happening while creating an entertaining story for these two men.

I would have liked to know more about where this book was set. Isaac's parents are horrible to him. They're not particularly nice to him prior to knowing why he doesn't bring a nice girl home. After they know the exact reason he doesn't have a girlfriend things go from horrible to violent and abusive rather quickly. Living in the south I hear things that his parents say far more often than I'd like. I just didn't get the impression that this book was set in the south.

I initially got a little confused with Roe. The first time I saw they used in reference to this character it didn't make any sense. I kept looking for another person to be mentioned. After a little more page time I discovered there was a gender neutral character and the pronoun usage was spot on after that.

Hard Truths ends the way it should. I like how Whitehall didn't give an ideal resolution to the family drama but instead went with the more realistic solution. Some problems just can't be wrapped up in a pretty solution. Isaac had to face that. It's a good thing he had that amazing support group friends, his real family.

After a meet cute, where Isaac's sister Sue brings home a guy to dissuade her parents from harping on her single status and he ends up surreptitiously hitting on, and giving his number to Isaac (much to Isaac's shock)....and when Sue comes clean about the ruse and why, Isaac decides to give Logan a chance.

Told from Isaac's first person, single POV Hard Truths ultimately explores the difference between blood family and found family.

Isaac and Logan are both smart, sweet, funny, cute nerds and I enjoyed the humor woven throughout the story, which is good because Isaac has a lot of issues and the humor is needed to mitigate the angstier parts of the story.

Isaac, who lives hours from his parents, is completely out of the closet everywhere but home. He has good reason to think his parents (especially his father) would be unsupportive of his relationship with Logan, but, for Logan, having Isaac come out to his parents is necessary to them being able to fully be together.

Like I said though Isaac worries for good reason, and even though he could be exhausting at times, many of the situations he found himself navigating and his thought processes felt real and honest. I loved many of Isaac and Logan's friends, and Isaac's sister Sue was lovely, and their interactions lent to the authenticity of many situations.

I found the pacing a bit slow and had to talk myself out of skimming quite a few times but in the end I loved the humor, I was rooting for Isaac and Logan to make it, and I'm glad readers get a sweet, happy ending.

I enjoyed this book. Alledgedly bad boy biker meets cute nerd but wait there's a twist. The biker isn't such a bad boy and our nerd has tats and piercings. I enjoyed the dynamic between the two and the premise of the story. I'm sure some readers will see the parents as a stereotype but sadly I actually know people exactly like them. Watching Issac work through how to deal with his parents and come out was painful simply because I felt it was realistic. The book was well edited and flowed throughout. I do wish we'd gotten more with the sister but overal I would recommend it as a read.