An NA sponsor and bar owner falls for a man he sees singing karaoke in his bar one evening. Together they end up falling in love and helping each other solve their poor coping mechanisms. I adored this story and I really think the author handles potentially triggering plot lines excellently. While both characters are flawed their growth and humility were excellently navigated through the this well written story. Overall it's a warm yet heart wrenching story that is wonderfully done.

I loved This book! I didn’t want to put it down, and yet I wanted to stretch it out and take my time so it would last. Roan Parrish has a talent for weaving lyrical words into a gorgeous story. She’s so good at drawing the reader into the mind and heart of her characters. She also does a great job with character development, fleshing out what motivates them and carrying them through experiences that help them grow.

Huey is the epitome of strong, silent type. He’s all hard edges and brief words. It’s easier to keep himself closed off and distant in order to maintain the routines that help him stay sober. He’s watched his friends fall hard for the men they love, but believes love is unattainable in his case.

Felix is lively and outgoing. He hates his dead-end job, but loves his family and has worked hard from a young age to support his single mother and younger siblings. He sacrifices so much and so often that he routinely puts his needs last.

I adored these characters and enjoyed watching them come together. Roan Parrish has a knack for pairing seemingly opposite personalities and making them work beautifully. Felix softens Huey’s hard edges and helps him learn to live beyond his routines. Huey is sweetly protective without being overbearing. He helps Felix learn to put his own needs first for a change.

I highly recommend Raze, and can’t wait to see what’s next from this author.

This is easily my favorite book in the Riven trilogy, which is now probably my favorite series by this author. Unlike the first two books, the focus isn't on famous rock stars and the music industry, but instead on two lonely people who are lucky enough to find each other.

We met Dane "Huey" Hughes in Riven as Caleb's NA sponsor, the taciturn no-nonsense bar owner who is always there for his sponsees. But when Dane falls for small but fierce Felix Rainey he slowly realizes that he has closed himself off from his emotions so he can be there for everyone else - and it's no longer working for him. For his part, Felix has also been a caretaker as the oldest child in the family, sacrificing everything while his mother worked two jobs so his younger siblings could have a stable home life. Now there's something, or rather someone, that he wants, and he's determined to be with Dane, despite a not insignificant age difference and Dane's somewhat off-putting tough guy demeanor.

When I was young, I loved the song "Lonely People" by America that started, "This is for all the lonely people, thinking that love has passed them by..." (yes, I had a happy childhood, why do you ask?). Parrish just melts my heart showing through dual POV how Felix and Dane fall for each other, and their early courtship especially is extremely sweet and occasionally awkward. Equally poignant is their personal growth. Felix realizes for the first time that he can plan for a future that doesn't involve working long hours in a coffee shop to support himself and his sister Sophia, but doesn't have a clue what he wants to how to make it happen. And Dane has been a slave to routine and ritual for so long in an effort to stay sober that the explosion of Felix into his life makes him question his future as well. The two have issues to work out, but I appreciate the way Parrish doesn't feel like she has to include any Big Misunderstandings or miserable, drawn-out breakup scenes. They take steps forward and back, like all relationships do, and even after the "I love yous" they realize they still have a ways to go.

I like a lot of characters in the books I read, but I don't always actively find myself rooting for them. Dane and Felix touched my heart because they were ordinary people who never thought they would find love and had to fight to believe they deserved it. Theo & Caleb, and Matt & Rhys from the previous books make a few appearances (Caleb dispensing the wise counsel to Dane this time) but really, I just wanted to spend time with Dane and Felix and watch them try to get it right. Thanks Ms Parrish. The lonely 13 year old me who thought that love had passed me by (fortunately I was proven wrong) thanks you too.

P.S. Adorable kitten alert, because there's nothing like a gentle giant with a tiny kitty to make the reader go "awwwwww."

ARC received from Net Galley in exchange for honest review.

I loved this story. Flawed and damaged characters are my weakness so I quickly fell for Dane! I found the parts dealing with his recovery journey to be so compelling. I feel like I actually learned a lot about how some people deal with addiction recovery that I never really considered before. Felix was sweet and sincere and I thought these two characters truly complimented each other in a way that made each character more compelling when we had the chance to see each of them through the others eyes.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

It’s probably somewhere between 3.5 and 4.

This book is quite in the same vein as the previous books in the series - emotional, sexy, sweet and heartfelt. Huey and Felix are wonderful characters who have to fight their own issues and open their hearts to finally get to be together. It’s a lovely journey, but I somehow didn’t feel invested enough. It’s probably my fault that I kept comparing it to Riven, and I don’t think it’s every going to be easy to match that brilliant love story. This was still a beautiful read and I would definitely recommend it.

I've loved every one of these stories, each for different reasons and with varying intensities, and recommend them all without reservation. Just, pay attention to the rep and plot in case anything's a problem for you.

Huey, for instance is an addict ten years clean, but pretty severely messed up - and it's his own doing. Felix stepped up to help his mom raise his siblings and was so good at it that he fears even thinking about his own dreams. I liked every aspect of family represented in this book - the chaotic-happy, the found family of brothers, and the one that's broken. The epilogue is beautiful.

Really, read all three. Thank me later.

I was given an ARC, this is my honest (grateful, happy) review.

4.5 S T A R S

I leaned in and kissed him, because he was beautiful and alive and today I was a person.

Roan Parrish… is my girl. She’s built herself a cozy little home in my heart, and there she has stayed – writing M/Ms that feel like they have been perfectly tailored to me (Except for Rend, but we won’t talk about that). There’s affection and love, baggage and giggles, swoons and small moments of tenderness, and such a profound respect and grace when it comes to mental health struggles. I honestly do not know how she does it, but I hope that she never stops.

There is just something so special about reading a Parrish novel. Her stories are little pieces of lives that feel so real. I see myself in her characters, I see people in them. Her characters jump off the pages, their emotions and struggles overflow and spill into my hands and my eyes until they become mine, and I am so invested. That’s exactly how I felt while reading Raze. I was so caught up in Felix and Dane’s story. I felt them so deeply and I devoured the pages of this book.

I loved Felix so much. I loved that he wore pastels, shirts buttoned to the collar, and makeup. I loved that he cried and snotted, and was unashamed of his feelings and unapologetic of who he was. In a genre that is full of carbon copies of big, muscled, super alpha male characters, this is so refreshing. He was so sweet and caring, and I just really, absolutely loved him. Can you tell? And I loved Dane, with his quiet calm, need to be in control and his fears. I loved them so much, but what I loved even more was that I've read multiple Parrish novels and I've never seen two characters that are copies of one another. While this book also tackled addiction, the characters, with different life experiences and outlooks, brought different perspectives and ways of processing -- which gave a completely different feel and journey to a situation that is shared with other characters in this series.

Another thing Parrish does exceedingly well is relationship development. Parrish’s characters slide so easily into relationships and yet it doesn’t feel rushed or insta-lovey, but instead like the natural progression of things. And although this is a romance, with sweet characters and completely swoon-worthy moments, in true Parrish fashion it’s so much more than that. It’s an exploration of what happens when two people: with all their little life hurts, their successes and failures, their joys and fears and sorrows, come together and try to build a life together. How they need to learn to exist in a partnership, to be vulnerable and compassionate and learn how to fight with each other, and for their relationship, in a healthy and constructive way. I loved the life lessons and messages that were written in this one, they really spoke to me.

With how much I loved this, I did have one little niggle. At the end, I wish I felt more like Felix had changed his life for himself. Or I guess... gave himself more credit. I mean, I know that he wanted to change his situation throughout the whole book, quit his job, get a career, start building a life for himself. And he did this, I just felt like he gave a lot of the credit to Dane.. Who did support him but in the end it was Felix who put in the time, volunteered, etc. So, that's my one niggle.

Raze is full of quirks and laughs, heartache and struggles -- so many small touches of affection and tenderness that I don’t find in other romances. There is a level of psychological understanding that Parrish waves through her stories that blow my mind. She is seriously gifted and brilliant.

"Rituals are kinda their own magic, aren't they?" Felix said. "Maybe they don't do anything but them remind you what you want."

**Received ARC from Netgalley and publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!**

Raze by Roan Parrish (out 2nd of July 2019)

I was a huge fan of Parrish’s first novel in this series, Riven, so I was incredibly excited to have the opportunity to read the third instalment before its official release. I wasn’t disappointed either.

Raze tells the story of Hugh and Felix. I feel like that’s all you need to know.
We met Hugh in Riven and I really enjoyed getting to know his character and more about his life as a former drug addict and now sponsor. Felix was, in my opinion, the weaker of the two characters, in terms of personality, motivation and honestly, he was a little frustrating for me at times.

Overall the central plot was not what I expected. It threw me for a few twists more than what an MM romance usually does and it was incredibly refreshing. I originally thought this would have a heavy music focus, but I found that I actually enjoyed the fact that it was only a small portion of the book.

This book just made me…happy. It defiantly follows a general structure, or formula, that a lot, if not all, queer adult romances follow but I don’t think this detracted from the overall enjoyable experience of the book and the romance of these two characters. I was also pleased to see cameos of the characters from the previous books, where they didn’t overshadow the current MCs.

As usual Parrish’s writing was solid overall and really drew me into the drama, not to mention the steamy sex scenes.

I would highly recommend this to anyone who’s looking for a somewhat unexpected romance.

I received an ARC from Netgalley.

3.5 Stars!

I've been really looking forward to Huey's story. I was intrigued by his character in the first two books. And I must say he did not disappoint.

However, I will say this is my least favorite book of the series so far. I just didn't care for Felix.

I found him needy, whiny and immature for the majority of the book.

As with the other two books, the writing was great. I would say this one wasn't as angsty and somber and heavy as the other two. But it was still mildy to moderately so. It wasn't rainbows and unicorns and flowers.

Anyone know if this is the end of the series? Maybe some of the band members will have books?

Regardless of my feelings on this particular book, it's a great series. One I definitely recommend.

<b>Absolutely adored this!</b>

I've been enjoying this series so much, and I will definitely say this was my favorite of this series so far - or favorite of the whole series if this is the last book of the series. The last two have been really good and I've enjoyed them so much but have been <i>so</i> angsty that this one feels like a breath of fresh air. That is not to say that this doesn't have angst and that it's a fluff fest, because that is <i>so</i> not the case. But it wasn't as much angst as the past two and it didn't have these two completely blow up their relationship before ultimately fixing it. It was a nice change.

Plus, I just absolutely adored Dane (Huey) and Felix.

Huey is the bartender from the first two books and Caleb's friend and past NA sponsor who is a past addict himself. His real name is Dane Hughes but he doesn't tell anyone that until he meets Felix. Before that for so long he was just known as Huey. Felix calls him Dane though once he learns of his first name.

<b>Huey</b> seems strong and self assured in the previous two books, but then we get to learn more about him in this book and see his POV and learn that's now quite the case. Huey, for the past ten years of being clean, has got a routine down pat and leaves behind an almost steel wall to hide his emotions and feelings behind so he doesn't lose control. He's been able to stay sober with all this routine and control, but he hasn't really been living, at all. He tried to have a relationship 7 years ago, but it didn't work out and he's been by himself ever since.

But then <b>Felix</b> walks into his bar, and into his life, and everything changes. Felix is 25 years old, at least ten years younger than Huey - we never get Huey's exact age in this - and he's the most beautiful person Huey has ever seen.

Felix is 5'8" with no muscles to Huey's 6'4" musclebound body, but Felix likes how big Huey is. And Felix is so sweet and so kind that it draws Huey in.

One thing out of several I loved about this? Felix asks Huey out. As in, neither of them pine away until they give in and kiss and maybe have sex as well, but he actually asks him out, in the most adorable way possible. I feel like not enough mm romance books have the two MC's just <i>asking each other out</i> and this was <i>so</i> refreshing to see. Gimme more MC's asking each other out on a date, just taking the plunge and not just pining away for weeks or months.

The angst was still present in this story, and it centered around, not exactly Huey's struggle with addiction, but how he could actually <i>live</i> his life post-addiction, not just acting almost robotic with the same routine ever single day to keep the addiction in check. For Felix, he's the oldest of 4 siblings and his best friend is his sister, the second oldest, but he always been taking care of them for as long as he could remember, what with their single mom working such long days in order to support everyone. Then when he and Sofia (his sister) were old enough, they got jobs to support the family and then it was just Felix while Sofia tried and got into college.

So Felix has never really done anything for himself, and in his own way he's not really living either, even if it doesn't have anything to do with any addiction, he still is afraid to live his life for himself because he's afraid he'll fail and not be good at anything. He's afraid of no one needing him and being lonely and invisible, but at the same time he doesn't want to seem needy. He's insecure, and that plays a factor in the angst these two share.

But there is no big break up in this, even if there is a few days spent apart at one point and have things to work on, after a few talks with friends and family and whatnot, these two are able to come to each other try to work on it.

I loved Felix and Dane's chemistry, from their first scene together. Dane is just a soft teddybear underneath his hard looking exterior, and Felix is the sweetest, kindest guy and they just worked together, and their sex scenes were phenomenal. They had such passion for each other and such love for each other and I could feel it coming off the page as I read their sex scenes.

They supported each other no matter what, no matter what they wanted to do, and after a hiccup a time or two, they were able to communicate well and learn more about each other and when to give space or not give space and what to do when the other was down or needed comfort. They worked so amazingly well together.

We do get to see Caleb and Theo as well as so Rhys and Matt sprinkled throughout this, so it was great to see them and see them doing so well.

This book was just so solid overall, and I loved all the emotions and the love and the relationships, and I loved Felix and Dane's relationship so much, they were perfect for each other.

Two massive thumbs up from me! Highly recommend, especially if you've been enjoying this series so far <3

I have never requested an ARC so fast in my life. Waking up the next morning to see the approval in my inbox was like Adult Christmas.

So, how did it live up to my huge expectations? It was good. Really good because, as we know, Roan Parrish's books are my fucking catnip. Well crafted, messy characters that I always really root for, very readable, (often beautiful) prose, a focus on the we're-together-now-how-do-we-make-this-work, intimate, unique connections.

Was it my favorite of hers? Nah. It's a little extra heteronormative, a little info dumpy, and every character gives the kind of really good, reasoned advice that sounds like they've been through years of therapy even if they haven't. The inner cogs of the writing show sometimes in ways that they haven't quite since her first book.

It's also all a little.. easier? than I'm used to with her books. But the plot never felt like it was stretched too thin, so that's good. And despite its minor flaws it's still a really solid read! If this had been another author they would definitely be added to the "read more by this person" pile.

I am a big fan of the author and of this series, and I was thrilled to get an advance copy of this one. Once again, she has not disappointed.

Both characters were strong, kind, funny in their own way. I really, really liked that Felix's strong emotions were not described as weak, not criticized, not portrayed as girly or feminine or disparaged. This particular gender stereotype, that men's emotional needs are unmasculine, is widespread in any kind of media in our society, but particularly in romance novels. Sure, Felix was uncomfortable with being emotionally needy, but not because he thought it made him less masculine or weak. Rather, he was concerned about being more emotionally invested than Huey, but that is an understandable, and less gendered, concern when risking one's heart

I did get frustrated that the two men seemed to get emotionally intimate without very much actual conversation. The reader was privy to Huey's extensive and insightful inner dialogue. That guy, sure, I'd fall in love with him too. However, Huey's character is terse and laconic, especially at first, so Felix wasn't hearing or seeing much. Thus I found it strange that he became so attached so quickly. I am all for two characters feeling a connection that can't be logically explained. However, this one didn't seem founded on enough actual interaction.

Other than that, though, I really enjoyed the window into both of these men's inner lives. I appreciated learning more about Huey's journey through recovery and the way that his coping needs changed over time. Similarly, I enjoyed watching Felix's journey as his relationship with his sister changed. When the "rules" of that relationship changed, it forced him to think about his own identity and his own emotional needs in a very realistic and compelling way.

I strongly recommend this book.

This unbiased review was provided in exchange for an advanced readers copy through NetGalley.

I was delighted to get an advance copy of Raze, and I think it may be my favorite book in this marvelous series. (That said, I haven't reread the first two recently, so perhaps I should remedy that.)

It's difficult for me to describe what's so compelling-heartwarming-satisfying about Parrish's books. I think perhaps it's that people in them care so deeply. They don't always take good care of themselves, and of course they make mistakes, but that passion (sexual and otherwise) underlies everything.

It was lovely to get updates on the characters from the earlier books and get glimpses of how they and their relationships have grown. Basically, reading this book felt like being wrapped up in a reassuring hug that went on for hours. I never wanted it to end.

4.5 stars; highly recommended

Felix and Dane just mesh okay? I am not sure how well I can explain this in a review. Usually the older and larger man that is attracted to the younger, smaller man (Felix) usually don't seem realistic to me. Where is the attraction and how can it work? With these two you forget these differences because the characters are so well fleshed you see them as people with strong and intense personalities and those factors become secondary. This duo really were perfect for each other but there is a bit of a journey before Dane realizes this fact.
Dane who goes by his nickname Huey owns a bar and has been sober from his life destroying addictions (drugs) for many years by owning the bar and not being tempted and keeping his life under strict control he feels he is able to exist. Meeting Felix during a karaoke night at his bar puts his ordered life in tail spin. I won't go over the details of the how and why they got together as it will be fun for you to discover this on your own.
The bottom line is what is more important just merely existing or taking a chance and truly living? This is the second book I have had the distinct pleasure of reading from this talented writer and I am waiting for more. Excellent story line and very down to earth and amazing characters. Happy reading! Shared this review to Goodreads.

<i>The world is made up of people and ideas and desires and roaches and, like, hunks of plastic, and puppies.</i>

This is the kind of line that makes me love Roan Parrish’s stories. They are everyday relationships, depicted beautifully. People who are vulnerable but not weak. To quote <a href=https://twitter.com/RoanParrish/status/1119280091303940097 target="blank">her recent tweet</a>, her protagonists’ enemies are themselves. The conflicts in her books aren’t corny, contrived drama that you’ve read umpteen times — they are real issues that arise between people due to the baggage that they bring into a new relationship.

<i>I leaned in and kissed him, then, because he was beautiful and alive and today I was a person.</i>

I loved reading this story of Huey and Felix. At first I was concerned that it would feel like a knock-off of [book:Riven|36135552] due to some parallels with addiction issues, but the Raze characters distinguished themselves. And I alternated between feeling frustrated with and protective of both of them, which I appreciate because it feels <i>real.</i>

<i>His smile was small and sweet, and I was dangerously aware that I’d go to great lengths to be able to put it on his face again.</i>

Sigh. I have to add… This is the first time I’m feeling fewer than 5 stars from Roan. (I haven’t read them all, this is just my fourth, but I’ve felt the previous ones were damn near perfect.) And I’m torn on how much to dwell on the “imperfections” of this one, because they aren’t so much flaws as elements that weren’t <i>quite</i> as masterful as the others. I’m going to put these notes behind a spoiler tag, although I’ll do my best to avoid actual spoilers.

<spoiler>I felt like Huey and Felix kept a little closely to the “boxes” that they were in, for lack of a better way to describe it. They didn’t <i>surprise</i> me, and I am really spoiled with Roan’s characters usually being so dimensional that I can’t always predict what they’ll do.

Also, as brilliant as the psychological insight was, a lot of it was laid down flatter than she usually writes it — borderline telling. I think this was definitely a case of me comparing the book against her previous ones, not against most of what’s out there. But I can’t help it; she’s set the bar really high and there’s a reason I do shit like sign up for NetGalley just to get one of her books early.

Lastly, although I didn't deduct anything for this, I <b>loathe</b> the model chosen for the cover. That does NOT look like Felix to me and it's not working for me on any level. 😂</spoiler>

None of this keeps this book from being a solid recommend! I will await her next release with bated breath.

<i>**ARC requested and received from NetGalley and the publisher.</i>

3* I only enjoyed this tale in the last 15 pages or so. Until then, it felt too inorganic to me to be believable.

I've only read book 2 in this series, and it was one of my few 5* reads for last year. This one, unfortunately, doesn't come close. Sorry.

I read the book blurb-blind, as I saw the author's name and immediately asked for an ARC. I was so excited about getting it, but within about 10 pages, Felix had done something well-intentioned, but completely arrogant, deceitful and underhand and had taken advantage of some people's time, openness, honesty and hopes, and whilst yes, it worked out, it didn't endear me to him.

I think, though, what hit me most was how whiny and whingy and immature Felix was. In his head, it was all about 'me, myself, I' and it made me like him even less, despite by then me knowing how much he'd done for his family. And that same trait was present in Sofia, his sister, who pretty much dumped him alone in their apartment whilst she went off to be a rock star. Yes, she might have dumped a load of money in their joint bank account, and yes, it was a given that she'd be leaving on tour with her new band, but we were told how close the siblings were, and yet there was barely any conversation between them. This clearly contributed to Felix's neediness.

I definitely liked the almost-silent, huge bear of a guy, Huey/Dane, far more. He was a decent guy so scared of falling off the wagon - I won't spoil the tale and tell you which one/s, that he basically became utterly OCD about life. I hoped that Felix would be his Eureka! moment, but tbh it felt like Felix forced himself into H/D's life and his neediness simply appealed to H/D's addiction, because, yes, he might have conquered some demons, but he was still an addict. And he had several addictions that at first you might think are healthy, but the OCD became apparent. At least, though, his rational brain was beginning to realise that, and he sought help from friends and later on, from a NA sponsor and listened, and made changes.

I didn't like the emotional blackmail that caused the angst in this tale, though something needed to happen to force a proper, honest conversation between the guys. I thought Felix was far too needy, incredibly selfish and immature, and it made me like him even less.

I also did a few eye rolls at the number of LGBT characters in this. Yes, I expected the guys from books 1 and 2 to be around, but for Felix's sister to be a lesbian (excuse me if she's that and more) and for her new bandmate to be one, too, and for a security guard who befriends Felix to be one, too, just got a bit tiring. I half expected Padmini to be revealed as one, too, which actually would have been interesting, as Asian (in the British sense of the word) people tend to be of the 'if we don't talk about it, don't ack it, it's not happening' mentality. And yes, I have personal knowledge of that, believe me.

I did like the last 15 pages of the book, as people stopped being selfish and made an effort, but by then, I wasn't anywhere close to liking the tale any more. I think it's the first RP novel that's been less than a 4* read for me. Oh, but I liked little Skeleton very much and that she took to H/D as her person.

ARC courtesy of Random House Publishing Group, Loveswept, and NetGalley, for my reading pleasure.Random House Publishing

Raze was such a great read. I enjoyed all of the characters and the storyline was one that kept me entertained from beginning to end. There were a lot of moments that had me laughing out loud. Huey and Felix's story is one that has struggles, demons, and many more problems but its also loving, supportive and steamy. It's full of great family and friends that love and support each other in the best ways. However, I do wish that Felix was a little stronger of a character. His character was feeling down throughout most of the story when it came to his sister Sofia. I wished he was able to not really move on, but go on in a positive way instead of being so dependent. This is not my first book from this author so I really loved that Theo & Whit, and Rhys and Matty was in this story. I enjoyed having my favorite characters from the previous books in this one. I look forward to reading more books from this author in the future. I hope we get a book with Sofia and Coco's story.

No chill was had in the waiting-to-read-this-closer-to-pub-date when this ARC landed on my kindle. I was done within a day. Also, forever sending apologies to my sorta buddy-readers. Again. Whoops?

"<I>I forgot you're not supposed to bring up masturbation at the dinner table on the first date.</I>"
"<b>Yeah, that's strictly second-date dinner convo.</b>"

Right off the bat, I have to say, this cover does not do Felix justice. I wasn't really a fan of it to begin with but after seeing how the character was not only described but acted? There's no match-up here whatsoever. But, having said that, at the end of the day it's about the content, not the window dressing.

<I>Felix seemed like a map folded up small and perfect that would sprawl when unfurled, and show you everything. And I.. <b>fuck</b>, I wanted to see it.</I>

This is easily my favourite series by Parrish and while RAZE didn't match my love for RIVEN, and nor did REND, each book has been emotional, lovely, heart wrenching, beautiful, tough, real, all the things. Oh and swoony and sexy af. The author devastates with the simplest of things, like a hug, and exposes very real insecurities in her characters that I think everyone can immediately connect with. No matter their size or strength, no matter their fame or success, no matter what they've overcome or shouldered, each individual is struggling or hiding or avoiding something. Just like every day humans. And it's this connection that makes these books, even set as they are around rockstars and the music industry, even only peripherally (at least since book one), so so easy to love. Just as it's impossible not to love these imminently precious characters who, in some form or another, feel they aren't worthy or deserving of love; or are just overlooked, maybe even just held back.. by outside forces or themselves. Never seen or pursued by the right person.

<I>The problem with feeling so much pleasure, so much joy, so much contentment -- with feeling <b>so much</b>, period -- after so long spent feeling very little, was that I instantly craved more of it.</I>

If you're looking for sweetness and sexiness, with a solid foundation of grit and realness, I would definitely recommend this series.

This is the third in a series of two already amazing books and RAZE does NOT disappoint one bit! I LOVED the first two and I LOVE RAZE too. Huey is the bar owner/sponsor from the first two books and in this book, he is one of the MC's. Huey (whose real name is DANE--great name!!) has been a recovering drug addict for over 10 years. His life is a routine that he is afraid to veer from for fear that he will go back to his old ways and start using again. Dane is stronger than he thinks he is though and he just needs someone or something to help him realize that he is a PERSON and he has a life to live and he can be happy in spite of his past. That someone is Felix who Dane meets when Felix sings Karaoke in his bar one night. Felix is so good that Dane tells Theo (ex-lead Riven singer) and Theo sets him up with a Riven interview because they still need to replace Theo. Felix does not want the job but his sister does. Instead Felix wants to ask Dane out and somehow manages to get over his fear and does it. They have dinner and really like each other. It is really hard for Dane to open up but slowly slowly he does and they start to spend more and more time together. The slow bond they build together is so sweet. Dane is not used to having anyone around or changing his routine and it is really hard for him to let Felix in. Felix is so lonely, on the other hand without his sister around, that he is practically begging Dane to let him hang out with him. They hit some rough patches the closer they get but it is so worth it for both of them to finally get together that I was in TEARS for them. Dane, who is so closed off and afraid, and Felix, who is so loving and sweet, were so amazingly beautiful together. I loved this book SO much! The characters, the writing, the story, everything about this book lives up to the first two in the series and then some! Can not wait for the fourth one! Thanks so much to NG for the ARC!!!