Alexis Hall has just fully destroyed me. The entire Spires series is sweet and emotional and raw, but this one seriously takes the cake. I had been told by a friend it was super spicy and so good and she was right! I had a moment of wondering, how is he going to pull this off? Then it turned into an absolutely beautiful story. I know I will never be able to look at lemon meringue the same way again!

The first 20% of this book was so hot and fun. I was absolutely eating it up and was a huge fan of this age gap x dom/sub relationship.

However, after the first 20%, it began to feel like the story wasn't moving AT ALL. There was nothing really different in their relationship/dynamic/lives from the beginning of the story when they met. The internal monologues were entirely too long and it didn't contribute anything to the story. This book should've been cut down significantly. I really wanted to love this book, but unfortunately it was not something I enjoyed.

Holy!! This was good!! No better than good, it was unreal. Honestly there is so much to love about this book and its characters: Laurie and Toby. Each one of them have so many different layers and issues that they are working through. But damn is the heat level in this book off the chart. It's spicy! But also extremely well-written and deals with the BDSM elements exceptionally!!

Gosh though this book has some many juicy tropes: age gap, miscommunication, idiots in love to name a few.

I loved this book and I know that I will be rereading again!

I was captivated from the start by this emotionally charged romance from Alexis Hall. Laurence Dalziel, who is nearing forty and feeling disillusioned by past relationships, meets Toby Finch, a young and vibrant individual who rekindles his passion for life. Despite Toby's uncertainty about his future, he is sure about his feelings for Laurie. The story beautifully portrays their intense connection and Laurie's struggle to open his heart fully, as he fears their relationship may be too fragile to withstand. Hall's writing is exceptional, blending deep emotions with intimate and passionate moments. This book is part of the SPIRES series and stands out for its authentic portrayal of love, vulnerability, and the unforeseen paths that relationships can take. It's a must-read for fans of heartfelt LGBTQIA+ romance.

This book was an automatic press on the request button on Netgalley and it totally delivered.

While indeed I did immediatilly request it when I saw it on Netgalley, I had forgotten quite about it when it rolled into my inbox. This made it so that when I started reading this book, I went in quite blind. And honestly in a way I do like that. It gives me a book without spoilers that still can go in any direction.

This book was a very emotional book. Both men had deep struggles within their relationship from the start. Laurie has a long history that brings him a lot of pain that keeps coming back during the book. Slowly the book uncovers what happened in his past when he shares it with Toby and I felt so strongly for him. But at the same time the way he was closed off towards Toby wasn't fair and caused both Toby and me a lot of pain.
This means they fight from time to time and these were emotional and big. When reading I felt like I was right there, crying with them. It was expertly written and it hit me right in the feels. But then at the same time the moments of joy were so intense too that I greatly enjoyed. These moments of joy were a great contrast to all their pain which made the book even more intense.

Then of course we need to talk about the kinky aspect in this book. As a simple guy who is also into that kind of stuff I loved this book. The submission of Laurie was absolutely beautiful and sweet. It absolutely made me swoon for him. At the same time the way Toby doms is just absolutely amazing. He's a natural, without it being unrealistic and thus still has struggles too. But the way his rush of domming is written felt just so good to read as someone who also sometimes doms and it made me instantly connect with him. Next to the fact it was also absolutely hot.

Concluding this book is a must read for kinky mlm lovers that love deep relationships with equally deep struggles.

To say I was shocked by the amount of sex in this is an understatement, so just know that going in. The book got hella sex. That being said I think that Hall is still able to deliver on the emotional value that the Spires series has been known to have. Deep emotional connections, and different struggles and issues that the characters face in this novel are just sandwiched between kinky sex. All in all I had a great time, and look forward to the reprinting of this series.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Pub date: June 11, 2024

I requested this one based on prior Alexis Hall reads and had no idea what I was getting into. What starts as a spicy open door, age gap, M/M, BDSM romance transitions into a charmingly sweet and sexy journey navigating their relationship, kinks, and different life stages. This was originally released nearly a decade ago and is getting a flashy new contemporary romance cover facelift today!

The writing is annoyingly superb—there were times I wanted to take a break but couldn’t bring myself to stop reading. There’s a certain kind of frantic pace that makes you feel like you can’t pause because you might miss something!

For Real as originally published was one of the first romances I read; along with K.J. Charles's Think of England, it set a high bar. I've re-read it half a dozen times since and listened to the audiobook, and as the tags on this review should make clear, age has not withered nor custom staled it. This is still an ineffably moving story of a lonely, self-isolated, heartbroken person brought back into the world of connection and feeling by an openhearted and unpretending love.

The BDSM here isn't a McGuffin -- for both Laurie and Toby, the exchange of power and trust is central to their sexual and emotional selves -- but it's also beside the point in one respect: love always entails surrender, vulnerability, the willingness to give care and to accept it. (And, if you're lucky, a superb lemon meringue pie.) So I hope non-kinky readers won't avoid it even if the sex scenes aren't their cup of tea. (Does tea go with lemon meringue pie?)

This edition includes Hall's commentary on what they were thinking as they wrote certain passages. Death of the author, and all, but I enjoyed getting inside that head and (moving on to other body parts) often wanted to fist-bump.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC.

No author makes me reach for the highlighter like AJH. Funny quotes. Emotional quotes. Intensely painful quotes. Quotes that feel like they were written for me personally . Their writing is always, unfailing a joy, so much so that I have to work myself up to opening each book as I get it - I know once I've read it I'll be changed, or feel known, or have learned something new about myself, and sometimes that means I need to wait a bit before diving in. If this sounds hyperbolic it's because this author makes me that way. I want to babble and gush about just how darned good the writing is, the characters are, and the books make me feel. They ride a journey from intensity to absurdity via humour and lust and joy and pain and everything in between. They evoke a part of British society I'm not even convinced really exists whilst at the same time leave me suspecting that - having myself lived in both London and Oxford - I really do actually know half the characters in real life. If you’ve read their other books you’ll know they don’t shy away from steam but For Real is a deep dive into explicit, consensual, deeply erotic kink that's feels beautifully authentically portrayed. In the new edition the author's bonus footnotes are the icing on an already outstanding cake (or should that be the ultimate meringue topping on a flawless lemon pie?), with their deep dives into literary and poetic references, and dry observations on their own writing ("Ah romance. The genre where part of your job is thinking deeply and sincerely how to describe the taste of someone’s a*seh*le.") and things like Great British Menu and how re-reading your own work makes you realise how much age really does change your perspective and how 37 really, REALLY is not 'old'.

I want to stop crying but I keep thinking about the book I just finished and God! it is so Beautiful. Toby and Laurie are everything a love story should be.
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This is that type of book where each word is a small treasure and opens your heart delicately while you can't stop reading.I thought Glitterland was going to forever be my favorite but it turns out that it has been dethroned by this beautiful book.
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That type of love that is raw and strips the other with its truths. And how it treats BSDM, the scene, and the feelings of the characters, turning it into this beautiful love story, steamy sexy and at the same time so raw and palpable, makes me understand that there are people writing BSDM in romance so totally wrong.
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Laurie is tired of the scene and the people in it who are always the same but when his friends insist that it is time to get over his ex and meet someone new, Laurie decides to go to Pervocracy, one of the most exclusive clubs in London, and try.
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He was about to leave when his eyes find something new, or rather someone new.
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The sexy young man who just entered looks sexier and younger as he gets closer and when he tries to warn him that he should be careful with the place he just entered, he surprises him by putting him in his place and saying something that makes him kneel before him
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There is an age difference that Laurie can't help but think about, but they are also so opposite and so perfect together that as the pages turn, it is impossible not to fall for them.
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and I have fallen for the story, the chemistry, the dynamics and everything about these perfect and beautiful characters, even from the raw parts. it's just beautiful and one of my new forever favorites
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Thanks to Alexis Hall and SourceBooks Casablanca for give a copy of this beautiful book in exchange for my honest and voluntary opinion

3.5 stars

For Real by Alexis Hall is definitely the most unique BDSM MM romance I have read and it is because of the rom com side. Toby and Laurie's reverse age gap MM romance was wickedly sexy..spicier than I expected this to be. They both have imperfect and very real personality. Their dynamics was built up slowly and its so interesting that Toby, the 19 year old witty sassy boy..is the dominant here. Laurie was very hesitant and afraid to open up his heart and his vulnerability almost pushed Toby away but they found the HEA. Laurie might be older and have a prestigious job as a doctor but he has many emotional scars. And he was very hesitant about the age gap. It's grumpy sunshine trope and Toby made me laugh and fall for him easier than Laurie. It was a cute romance with well balanced heavy moments.

Having said that.. I can conclude that Alexis Hall's books are not for me. This is my second book by the author and I admit I cannot enjoy the author's writing style at all. May be because English isn't my first language and the British mannerism is so high and convoluted here? It takes so much time, energy and concentration and going back and forth between the paragraphs to understand what's going on and it takes away the joy from me.

Thanks for the review copy to Netgalley and Sourcebooks casablanca

I’m at a bit of a crossroads with this one. It wasn’t at all what I expected and I also don’t know if I am or was emotionally equipped for the story at the time of reading. It felt very much like a very hectic rollercoaster of sex, love, and very painful emotions of loss in all its forms. At the bare bones of it, Laurie and Toby are good characters, complex while also a tad confusing. They’re both very broken people and I enjoyed that it didn’t paint their relationship as a fix for all or even implied that it would last forever.

I think my disconnect was in just how fierce some of the scenes between them were. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to root for them half the time and if them being in a relationship was even the right thing for either of them. It’s being lost to the point that they might just be better off alone. Maybe if I was in a different headspace, I could have appreciated the nuance of it more, so I might have to revisit this at another time.

"My heart is so zing, I can't even.""

This is basically what happens to your own heart while reading this exquisite book. 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 emotional intimacy in a D/s relationship. It is a love story for the ages made even better with this rerelease. I will always call it a masterpiece. 🖤

I adore the entire Spires series and this one is the steamiest and kinkiest book, so get ready to fan yourself! The love story is so swoony you fall in love with Toby & Laurie and you’re really rooting for them. I like that the angst is about their big age difference and that it's not just about the actual number, but about where you are in life and how you can have such a strong connection and chemistry in some ways, but then be so far apart in others. It examines the insecurities of youth and the weariness of aging with the most thoughtfully written paragraphs and literary references that I kept stopping to Google. Of course there is grief and how grief is the other side of love, something Hall writes about in almost all his books that really speaks to me.

The writing, though, is by far my favorite part. It sweeps you along and is funny and sexy and just so compelling and he writes interior thoughts so well. The talking and communication between Toby + Laurie is so real and deeply moving. You can relate to both of them so much and the back-and-forth POV chapters really creates this perfect understanding and emotional depth.

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 recommend doing the same.) I loved learning about all the literary references and what Hall intended with the age gap and power dynamics between Toby & Laurie. Also, Hall's annotated horror over using a taxi in the story–"OMG. A taxi. A taxi on account."–is hilarious. Reader, I laughed.

– Thanks to NetGalley & Sourcebooks for the ARC –

3.5

I have seen so many people rave about this book, and I can see where they're coming from with their praise but something about it fell flat for me. As always, Alexis Hall creates believable and memorable characters, and he leans into the contemporary/finding yourself narrative with the romance as an almost secondary plot. I appreciate this because it's clear that the characters aren't relying on love to save them and it makes it more believable that the relationship will last beyond the end of the book.

In this case, I'm going to go with it's just this specific trope set that didn't really work for me. I love that Hall is playing with the idea of what is "normal" in age gap and BDSM narratives. We have a 19 year old dom and a 37 year old sub who are both struggling in their personal lives. Toby has left college and is working at a cafe trying to figure out what he wants out of his future, and Laurie is feeling washed up and still struggling with the end of his long-term relationship from a few years ago. It was sweet and emotional, but I think I struggled with believing in the long-term viability of a nearly 20 year age gap.

While the story mains largely unchanged, little touches make revisiting this story worthwhile.

The key element of the book is the flip of expectations. There is a 19 year old Dom who is confident and self-conscious and narrates with no filter, and a jaded disgruntled submissive trauma doctor who is old (37! ha!) and ties himself in knots. The flip of the age, socio-economic status, and power dynamic expectations are some of the things Hall does best.

One of the fun additions to the re-release of the Spires series are the author annotations, that give a bit of a peek behind the curtain and more context for the story, the poetry the jokes, and commiserations. While there are some references that are a bit dated in the book, they feel like fond reminiscences, like tea and a chat with and old friend who you haven't seen in years.

The published version will have an additional short story that wasn't included in the ARC, but will be exciting to read.

I haven't read any of the author's books, but have had lots on my list for a while now.

I enjoyed this one. Age gap isn't always my thing, but this one worked for me. This was a spicy read, but it was well balanced and I enjoyed the characters and their dynamic as well! The BDSM was well done too :) I'll definitely read more of this authors work!

I’m a simple gal: Alexis Hall has a book coming out (or in this case, being re-released), so of course I do everything I can to get my hands on it!

I went into this book knowing next to nothing about it, and soon realised that this was a lot spicier* than I expected. But does Alexis Hall write just for the spice? Of course not! Because it’s all about character dynamics, and relationship dynamics (of every kind), and how they influence each other, and how the different expectations put on us based on our place in society affect those things. Through the lens of this raunchy romance, he brilliantly explores what happens if we break down the boxes we put ourselves and others in. He challenges our expectations of these characters time and time again, in a way that I think would make any reader look at their own romantic life differently.

Every time I write a review of one of Hall’s books I feel like I repeat myself, but it’s always true. The main characters were brilliantly flawed, well-rounded, and equal parts lovable and frustrating. I was rooting for them but there were also times I wanted to take them by the shoulders and give them a good talking to. They feel so real and present, and by the end of the first chapter I was fully invested.

As with the other re-releases in this series, there is bonus material including author annotations at the back of the book. I especially enjoyed the annotations; they don’t intrude on the text at all, but they gave a really nice insight into the writing process, and sometimes gave me a chuckle too!

Needless to say, this is another winner from Alexis Hall, and I’m excited to read the final book in the series when it gets its re-release!

I received a free copy from the publisher for an honest review.

*I really don’t like that this has become a popular bookish term but in this context it is very useful shorthand!

For Real is extraordinarily special to me. It was not my first Alexis Hall book, but this intimate, emotional story is the book that tipped me into ‘must-read-everything-written-by-AJH-territory.’

Laurie (37), an experienced and jaded sub meets Toby (19), an inexperienced dom. Laurie is completely over the kink scene, and hasn’t moved on from his last relationship, and has all his emotional guards up. Toby Finch is fiercely confident that he is a dom and that he wants Laurie but is also a bit lost and questioning how to get what he wants. They miscommunicate, fuck things up, but find ways to be extremely vulnerable and open with each other. It is such a beautifully emotional story and I’ve read it so many times. Each time I discover something new that cracks me open afresh. The book has heavy kink that never feels gratuitous, each moment an opportunity for Laurie and Toby to explore and share their desires and develop their relationship.

Each of the Spires re-releases includes bonus material including author annotations which are wonderful insights into the creation of the book. Did Toby’s reference send me down a Walter Benjamin deep dive, yes it did. Plus a bonus short story In Vino with the super messy and awful Jasper Leigh. SO GOOD.

ARC courtesy of NetGalley, thank you!

Thank you NetGalley, SourceBook Casa and Alexis Hall for the eARC.
This was my first novel by Alexis Hall and boy it did not disappoint. The writing of the characters was phenomenal and so relatable.
It took me a few days to read this novel because the writing forced me to take my time, which I appreciated. It made me focus on the intricate writing and focus on the feelings that were brought up.
I really enjoyed this novel and can’t wait to read more by Alexis Hall.

This has spice on top of spice all through out while also having great characters Laurie and Toby who an age gap couple but not a couple. Toby, the younger one, fell hard for Laurie and made it very clear from the start. Laurie was so worried about what others would think that he didn’t allow himself to just be happy. This follows them trying to navigate through this period in both their lives all while still having great spicy time.