The Spires series are some of my favorite books of all time so it's great to see them refreshed and re-released into the world. I'm not a big fan of the illustrated new covers, they make the books blend in with the millions of other rom-com novels out there and don't quite fit the tone, in my humble opinion. Otherwise I loved revisiting these characters and their sexy, emotional story. It's fascinating reading Hall's annotations and how his influences made their way into the story, and how he looks back on it now. I was also expecting some bonus content in the form of an extra chapter or epilogue so that was a bit disappointing not to find them here but otherwise this was a lovely read and I'm hopeful this series will receive as much mainstream attention as Hall's newer novels.

This is a netgalley arc for the re-release and you know what
I am obsessed with alexis hall, i always was and always will this was as good this time as ut was the first time. Toby and Laurie... My goodness. 4.5 stars!!!!

Toby and Laurie get a refresh in this rerelease of For Real. The Spires universe is notable for its great characterisation and introspective takes on romance. This is quite a kinky book, but the expectations that come with being a kinky book are thrown on their head by the mere fact that the dominant in the relationship is so young and inexperienced and ends up needing a lot of emotional support from the older, more experienced sub. Outside of the scenes Laurie very much feels like the dominant personality in the relationship, holding the power that comes with age and life experience, while Toby struggles to come to terms with loss and understanding himself. It's a beautiful love story.. but you'll never see lemon meringue pie the same way again.

Well... I do think it would be a good idea for the blurb to mention that this is erotica. Not the sort of thing I'd generally read, but I requested it because I loved Boyfriend Material so much. It's... different to that! The romance is lovely, intensely emotional without ever becoming cringy. What I think Alexis Hall does best is realistic mental health rep, and this feels a bit flat without that added dimension, but the characters are well-rounded and engaging.

Oh my gosh I don't have the words to capture how much I love this book!! I've read For Real six times in the last two years because this book has surprising depths to unpack. This was the book that cemented me as an Alexis Hall stan. I am NOT an age gap lover but he managed to make me fall in love with a book that has one of my least favorite tropes. The power dynamic could so easily have felt unbalanced because of the age gap but instead Alexis Hall makes it clear that they both have the power to affect the other. The delicate way he subverts expectations of what a sub/dom have to look like or what masculinity and power mean is so clever and keeps me coming back to this story. Fictional doms are often written as flimsy cardboard cutouts that readers can project their fantasies on but Alexis Hall gives Toby the space to be a complex character with doubts and fears and desires of his own. I adored how both Toby and Laurie were given the room to engage in kink in the way that made sense for who they were (rather than falling into stereotypes or doing things just because that's a common way others do it). For Real is a fantastically steamy, kinky book but at its core there is so much heart and humor grounding the book in who the characters are so that every time there's a sex scene it's driving the story forward (while also being fabulously hot!) Alexis Hall leans into the rawness and vulnerability of being real with someone else and that makes the book incredibly emotional. This is a niche book for sure, but it's specificity is what made it my perfect book. If you love steamy romances that are grounded in emotion then this could be your perfect book as well!

4.5 stars

Alexis Hall writes flawed characters do well. These characters are complicated and sometimes unlikeable. They’re not perfect; sometimes they’re mean and irrational but they are always so human and so relatable. Hall handles these characters and their situations with so much care and you can’t help but root for them and want the best for them.
Toby and Laurie are both dealing with a lot in their lives. Laurie is struggling to get over an ex and learning to trust and let people into his life. Toby is young and still trying to figure out who he is. When they first meet they have an instant connection and can’t seem to stay away from each other despite their many obstacles.

I loved watching the journey these characters went on both with each other and individually. They both grew so much and worked hard for the ending they deserved.
The author also handled a lot of sensitive topics with care and sensitivity which was really enjoyable to read.

Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca for the ARC!!

This is fantastic! The characters feel very real and I love the growth they brought about in each other. How much I ended up loving them together really surprised me. This is one of my favorites by Alexis Hall and one of the best in the "Spires" series. It's super spicy and made me cry a little too!

I read this originally in 2017 after hearing it repeatedly recommended. And it's still a great book on the re-read.

This is a story about two men who know who they are individually, learning how to be who they are together. Laurence is 37, an emergency doctor, and a submissive. Toby is 19, a cook at a cafe, and a dominant. Like magnets, they pull together. Laurence tries to push them apart, but the force is too strong. There's not a lot of external plot. If you've read other books in The Spires series, you'll recognize characters here and there, but this truly stands alone.

This is a BDSM erotic romance. The sex, the intimacy, moves the relationship and the characters forward. And there is a lot of it. If you're familiar with Alexis Hall for his nearly chaste Boyfriend Material, this might be a shock to the system. But it's great. It's hot, it's emotional, and it makes you wonder how it's all going to work out. But it does, and that's the magic of romance.

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

This one is by far AJH’s most kinky book and is pretty graphic, which some folks may not like, depending on what you’re comfortable with. There is a lot of graphic BDSM sex, which is not something I’m into personally, but definitely liked reading about and getting a better understanding of the dynamics of a dom/sub relationship. I also really liked that it wasn’t the typical sort of dom/sub relationship (at least based on other books I’ve read, as well as stuff I’ve read specifically about this book), in that Toby, the dom, is a short, scrawny 19yo who is still figuring himself out, and Laurie, the sub, is a bigger, 37yo with a serious professional job who seems to have himself figured out.
I usually don’t like the idea of age different relationships, but the way this one is written, it seems like it’s barely a thing. Not that it’s not mentioned and discussed a bunch throughout the book, and not that it doesn’t play any kind of role in the book, it’s just that Toby and Laurie are so compatible that for me, as the reader, it’s not really noticeable?

And lastly, I don’t know why, but the lemon meringue pie scene has become completely stuck in my head. No matter what else I read, that regularly comes to mind. I’m certainly not complaining, but I’m not sure that I’ll ever be able to even look at, let alone eat, a lemon meringue pie the same way again. 🥵 #teamLMP

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this digital ARC. This is my honest review.

I originally read For Real a few years ago, when I was reading the Spires series, after I had found Boyfriend Material and was hooked on Hall's writing. For Real was the first erotic romance I had read and the first that included the BDSM scene. I wasn't sure what to expect but I was immediacy pulled into the story and the characters. Laurie is a somewhat jaded physician who has been part of the BDSM scene but who is still reeling from a relationship break up years in the past. Toby is a 19 year old who is entering the scene for the first time. They meet at a club and have an immediate, electric connection. The dual POV was wonderful for getting into the character's heads and also seeing the same situations from both sides.

This book is beautifully written, with tender and evocative turns of phrase and has such a delicate and empathetic portrayal of grief and loss, as well as the aftermath of a relationship that has shattered. I loved the literary references and how the narrative slowly teased out who Laurie and Toby were in and of themselves and who they were becoming as they grew closer together.

The character arcs are intense and show such depth of feeling. The way both characters progress towards their HEA, the stumbles along the way, the progressive emotional intimacy that follows the physical intimacy, and the vulnerability both experience and the respect for that vulnerability and trust they both give each other.

It is beautifully written and paced. It turns stereotypes on their heads and subverts expectations for the scene and the genre. It's funny and poignant, and emotionally intense. The sex scenes are plenty and so important in the arc of both characters. Such a satisfying progression of a relationship and path towards a HEA.

Overview: Laurie is a 37-year old emergency trauma doctor who is struggling to get over a 12 year relationship that ended 6 years ago. When he meets 19-year old Toby one night at a sex club, Laurie immediately (and unexpectedly) feels a strong connection, but doesn’t want to take advantage of someone so young. Despite his youth, Toby knows exactly what his preferences are - and he does not shy away from pursuing his connection with Laurie.

Thoughts: This is my first Alexis Hall book! I initially struggled with reading this book, because I prefer more plot-driven stories and this felt like more of a mood/aesthetic-driven book. I also had trouble relating to the characters and all the kink. But I am SO glad that I decided to continue with the book, because of how tender and lovely the relationship between Toby and Laurie ended up being. It’s rare to read a book where the couple actually recognizes and addresses their communication issues. I especially loved how open Toby was about his feelings throughout, in spite of his own inexperience with relationships. On a side note, I actually prefer the older cover of this book over the new cover (which is so generic), but the ARC re-release version I received did have a cool section at the end with author annotations that readers will appreciate.

Take home message: “For Real” is an extremely spicy, dual POV, age gap, MM romance that features the BDSM kink, where the dom is much younger and less experienced than the sub (think spoiled prince vibes). However, it would be a huge mistake to boil this book down to these tropes. At its core, this is a thoughtful and beautifully written story about two lost souls who find unconditional love.

Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is the 5th time I've read For Real and God this book is just so good. I don’t really have the words to describe how much I love it, but I cry at the ending every time I read it. Such gorgeous writing about love and grief, youth and aging, and the sexual and emotional intimacy in a D/s relationship. The new content added for the rerelease version includes author annotations and I read each one when I came across a star and it elevated the story so much. I loved learning about all the literary references and what Hall intended with the age gap, kink and power dynamics between Toby & Laurie. It is a special love story for the ages. A true masterpiece. 🖤

Thanks to NetGalley & Sourcebooks for the ARC.

My second time reading this third entry in the Spires series due to the new Sourcebooks edition with author annotations, and it only gets better. The characterization of Laurie and Toby is superb, and I eagerly await getting the new print edition upon publication for the bonus story, Aftermath. Alexis Hall never disappoints.

I got to 12% of this book and I really can't read any more of this. I've seen no character development so far, only loads of smut and the age gap is making me uncomfortable (one of the MCs is 19 and the other is much, much older). I'm DNFing, I don't recommend reading if you don't like loads of smut or massive age gaps. I don't mind either of these if in moderation, but here it's basically the whole plot so nope.

I can't express enough how I loved this book, or rather, the whole Spires series. I honestly think this series is Alexis Hall's masterpiece. When I learned about the new editions, I was overjoyed and so far they did not disappoint.

Although my personal favorite is Waiting for the Flood, For Real is by far the most popular of the Spires series and for good reasons. It is a careful, thoughtful book that touches a lot of themes that resonate with raw emotions - loss, fear, trust, and above all, love. Sprinkled with a generous dose of kink and proverbial Hall's tongue-in-the-cheek approach, you get a wonderful read that will educate you, move you and make you understand things that you never thought you'll desperately need to understand. At the same time, it challenges the stereotypes so often seen in kinky romances, and presents you with a very young and very, very green dom, paired with a much older, experienced, bitter and kinda burnout sub. What unravels is pure poetry of a love fest only Hall can deliver.

And of course, this edition comes with author's annotations and bonus content, which is, as usual, superb. I especially appreciate the annotations, as they provide such a remarkable insight into the writing process and thoughts and ideas that Hall wanted to convey by his book. Explanations of specific cultural references (that are very much appreciated by a non-UK reader, such as me), elaborations on specific writer's choices, literary references (my heart of a literary scholar sings in academic), you get all that.

Personally, For Real did not dethrone Waiting for the Flood in my poor queer heart, but it definitely will remain one of my most favourite books by Hall.

Very sexy and emotional queer romance. Great to see Hall's booms getting a tradpublish deal and reach a wider audience.

This is one of my favorite books ever written, so I'm very grateful for this review copy. I love everything about this story, from the characters (especially Toby!! I love him so much) to the plot and the writing style. The two mains have such a precious love story. I always feel like there's some magic touch to the Spires series, and even more so with this book.

I would give this an infinite amount of stars if I could. Absolutely loved it.


(I was only a little disappointed that the bonus material wasn't part of the arc, but I guess I'll just have to wait until my physical copy arrives in June.)

This was a great third entry in this series, it worked with the romance element that I was looking for. I was engaged with the overall feel of the characters and how their romance worked with the story. Alexis Hall has a great writing style and I enjoyed how good this was.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

For Real was the first book by Alexis Hall I ever read. I didn't even know who he was at first or that he was the author of Boyfriend Material (a book I had seen in bookstores and knew was quite popular, but hadn't gotten around to reading or paying all that much attention to). At the time, I'd been searching for books with a good representation of BDSM as there are, unfortunately, many that are not. I liked it then and I like it now.

Laurie is exasperated, a bit cranky sometimes, and not your stereotypical sub. There's even a line in the beginning of the book while he's trying to get into a new club where the bouncer comments that she can't believe he's a sub. He's also a bit tired with the whole Scene.
Toby is a baby Dom in more ways than one--nineteen, new to the Scene, and inexperienced in every sense of the word. But there's something about him that is real and authentic so raw that Laurie finds himself instantly drawn to him.

There are so many things I enjoy about this book. It has realistic BDSM portrayal--someone who is new to the Scene vs someone who has been around the block for a couple decades. How Laurie sometimes downplays things a little while Toby things much too black and white (the safeword conversation toward the beginning and the "I knew subdrop was a thing" scene immediately spring to mind).

I love the way it shows Toby growing as a person and a Dom. He's so unsure of himself and everything in the beginning but as the book goes on, he becomes more and more confident. In the annotations, Hall mentions how Toby was a hard sell as a Dom, but I think that's because so many people are used to reading about characters who have been Doms for years. We all start somewhere, and I think Hall does a good job of portraying the way someone will begin to unfurl once they've fully embraced that part of themselves. I appreciate the softness of Toby and that Hall leans into that softness and even discusses Domdrop, which is never discussed as much as subdrop, even though it's just as valid.

Hall writes with his usual beautiful prose, delving deep into the lives and minds of both characters. The way he gorgeously describes Laurie's thoughts during submission and Toby's thoughts during dominating really resonated me.

I also really appreciated how it touched base on what I believe to be the nightmare of any Dom: what happens if you accidentally hurt your sub in a way you didn't mean to? How would you handle that?

This new version includes bonus material, including several author annotations which are a lot of fun to read through.

I would highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys some good kinky romance but also even if that's not generally your cup of tea (as long as you aren't fully opposed to it), I would recommend it--especially if you're an Alexis Hall fan. Because this book cover more than just kink--it's about love and loss and moving on and growing up. I think you'll enjoy it.

For context, this review is based on an ARC of the rerelease of For Real. It included the author annotations, but not the new story, Aftermath.

I'm revisiting For Real three years after I first read it. This was my first erotic romance, and while I've read more widely in that genre since, it has definitely stood the test of time. For Real is so visceral, so sad, and so fiercely loving of its main characters that it's impossible not to find it utterly compelling. It beautifully balances scorching sex scenes with an exploration of the interior lives of two very different men. The age gap between Laurie and Toby still makes me a little uncomfortable, but the latter's intellect and self-awareness, in addition to his role as the dom in their relationship, helps balance the scales a bit.

The author annotations were a mixed bag, and it was a hassle to swap back and forth between them and the text in the ebook, but I did read some of them. The thing I found most interesting was the author's admission that they chose 37 as Laurie's age because "it was the oldest I thought I could get away with in terms of both the age gap and what I/romance readers could conceive of as attractive." That's pretty illuminating. I don't feel like Laurie quite reads as 37, but more as someone somewhere between 19 and 37 perceives a 37-year-old might think and act. That said, my memories of 19 are hazy enough that I can't really judge how realistic Toby's thoughts are, so I sympathize.