Pretty Wild (Boys in Makeup #3) [Skyler & Clark] by Christina Lee & Riley Hart

If there is a theme in this series I'd say it's how FREAKING ADORABLE all these couples are. This one was a DELICOUS slow burn best friends to lovers which is my absolute favorite trope. I read it in one sitting not wanting to put it down (also why I timed it on the weekend ;)). Skyler and Clark might seem to be polar opposites but I don't think they are and if they are they totally and absolutely complete each other. 

Skyler and Clark first met when they were 12 years old at gymnastics. Though they come from VERY different backgrounds they hit it off from the start. They might have not realized it at the time but they were each other's first crush. When Clark's parents saw the class brought somethings they weren't so pleased with they pull him out of the class and that's the last they see of one another until a very familiar face pops up on Skyler's Instagram. 

Pretty Sweet (Boys in Makeup #2) [Seth & Jake] by Christina Lee & Riley Hart

When I say this book was ADORABLE I mean it. It was the sweetest thing ever. Truth being told, I'm having a hard time lately committing to a whole length novel yet once I started this one I couldn't put it down and I was reminded how happy I get when I immerse myself in a beautiful heartfelt book. Jake and Seth's story was vulnerable and tender. they were both exploring parts of themselves they haven't before and that's without mentioning the sexual part that was rather new to both of them. 

We've met Seth in the previous installment. He is Jesse's best friend. They used to live together in Seth's apartment before Jesse found his own HEA with Dane (If you haven't read "Pretty Perfect" it's simply a MUST). Jake has lived a rather sheltered life. He comes from a wealthy family but a cold one. It used to be different when his father was alive, but after his death his mother became WAY too controlling, trying to build a perfect life for her only son, not seeing for a second it's never what he wanted for himself. He didn't know how to stand up to her, how to pursue his real interests which is a big part of the reason he has left home to study (what she wants - and he dislikes), in the university his father went to, and more importantly far from home. 

Pretty Perfect (Boys in Makeup #1) [Jesse & Dane] by Christina Lee & Riley Hart

I gotta say, Christina and Riley are pretty perfect together ;) LOVED this book. I could not and would not put this book down. Jesse and Dane were FIRE together or even when they were just looking at each other across the room. It's not that they "didn't mix like oil and water" they were simply explosive!

Jesse and Dane work together at a bar-club. Jesse being a dancer and Dane a bartender. They don't always work in the same part of the club but one disagreement made the owner realize there is something about these two and so he made them share two dances on Friday night and the response of the audience was to be expected - they LOVED the simmering fire. That means one happy owner and though Jesse and Dane weren't THAT happy dancing together the tips were kinda worth it..

Science & Jockstraps (Ace's Wild #1) [Liam & Isaiah] by Christina Lee & Riley Hart

This novella was HOT ~fanning myself~. Though there's quite a lot of sexy-times in this one I gotta say I still feel like the romance part, the buildup of the relationship - friends to lovers - was done BEAUTIFULLY. Not that I expected any less from Christina and Riley and as usual I wasn't disappointed. I got EXACTLY what I bargained for.

Liam and Isaiah have been roommates and somewhat "secret friends" for the past year. They enjoy spending time together even if on the outside they couldn't be more different - The science-y Liam and Isaiah the jock. But they somehow do fit. Only problem is, outside of their dorm they don't mesh. It feels wrong, to both of them. The gap is simply too much.

When Isaiah find out (by mistake) a kinky side to Liam he realizes he can't let him experiment if he's not going to have someone SAFE to do it with and so he offers himself. Liam is stunned but as Isaiah confessed to being bi and REALLY being into it (and Liam) - Liam accepts (a dream come true if he cam be honest..).

Shifting Gears (Crossroads #2) [Rod & Landon] by Riley Hart

Truthfully I can't explain it. I just didn't connect to either MC. I came out blank considering what my problem IS really. But I don't know. Both Rod and Landon are likable though neither is perfect (a good sign), each has his own sad story though there is still more to be revealed and especially to one another where I stopped (~32% in). I just didn't really care. I found myself struggling to read and mostly struggling to GET BACK to reading. I think I haven't read for more than a week just not feeling like it AT ALL. That's quite strange for me, if it happens usually it's BETWEEN books not while reading one.

We've met Rod Nelson before, he worked at a sex shop Nick and Bryce visited. They had a friendly conversation but turns out they somehow became friends (as we met both Nick and Bryce in this one). Landon Harrison is not really new in town, he grew up here, but he didn't see himself returning. But his sister getting married is reason enough.. Through Rod, whom he meets at Rod's new sex shop, he gets a job as a mechanic in Bryce's place and soon they strike a friendship neither is TRULY okay with. They both want to have sex with one another, but Landon puts all the breaks, he would rather have the friendship and mixing it up with sex, no mater how much he is attracted to Rod (and vice versa), seem like a bad idea in his book..

Crossroads (Crossroads #1) [Nick & Bryce] by Riley Hart

This book was simply beautiful. Nick and Bryce's journey into finding each other and building a loving relationship was a JOY to read. While they had a lot of bumps in the road I loved how mature they both are. They were frustrated and at times angry, mostly at the world and for things not going the way they wished, but never on each other. That was the certain thing - Wanting to be in each other's arms no matter what.

Nick Fuller is trying to build a new life. He loves working in his restaurant, he spent enough years becoming a chef and making his business successful, but his wife had other interests which is how he finds himself sans said wife renting a new place and looking for better future, even if his life is mostly him going to work, returning late and going to sleep.

Forever Moore (Forbidden Love #2) [Ansil & Orien] by Riley Hart & Christina Lee

OUTSTANDING! Christina and Riley DEFINITELY did it again! I LOVED Ansil and Orien in this retelling of "Snow White". It's a fantasy world, but unlike the original story, there is no magic - yet all the elements are there, entwined in a beautiful heart felt story of two men who couldn't be more suited for one another. Meeting each other, spending time together, Ansil and Orien both change for the better. They learn more about themselves than they knew before and with all the complications they manage to plan a future together so different than they would have imagined for themselves.

Lord Ansil Eirwin is 20 years old, in less than a year he will be proclaimed the Duke of Ravenswood. His life up until now have been quite sheltered. His mother have been the regent for the past few years even since his father died and so he was mostly free to pursue his interests. Ansil's mother didn't stay single, she married Reginald Moore hoping to bring more balance into their lives. Yet Reginald isn't who she thought and he has his own plans..

Of Sunlight and Stardust by Christina Lee & Riley Hart

Heart warming and heart breaking all together. With every sweet moment we have of Tanner and Cole we have a heart breaking moment between Tom and Charlie entwined together. Though they never met these two couples share so much together. I loved this book SO MUCH. I read most of it in one sitting with a constant clench in my stomach. I thought I knew how Tom and Charlie's story ended but in a way I totally didn't. Thank you Christina and Riley for this beautiful book 💝

If I got you all confused let's start with the present before we delve into the past..

Tanner Rowe's life was shattered a year ago when he lost his beloved wife Emma. Reluctantly he does at least a part of what she asked him and buys this house with a burned down barn. She never stepped foot in the house (or the barn) but while on vocation when they kept seeing it all she wanted to do was claim it as their own. Now that she is gone and he is a shadow of the man he was by her side he finally does her bidding and buys it. But renovating it isn't something he is up to. He mostly stays at the house by his own. Not interacting with anyone around him. When he meets Cole he sees a kindred spirit though he doesn't even know how and why. He finds himself offering him a place to stay in turn of fixing the barn.

Ever After (Forbidden Love #1) [Merrick & Cassius] by Riley Hart & Christina Lee

I LOVED this one, thought it broke my heart to pieces too many times to count. This love story was SO beautiful and endearing and yet there was so much sorrow with two men who are destined to remain apart not only because of their difference in station but mostly because the combination of that with them being gay. 

The feel of the story was simply incredible. I labeled this one "Contemporary" but it's not. It's a Fairy-Tale without the "magic" part or rather it's a timeless romance novel. There are things that might be considered "modern" but maybe not so much, there are things that are "missing" from modern times but they didn't feel necessary or even relevant. It really gave the whole story a special vibe that made it about the story, the couple, and not specifically of a time and place, which also made it more relate-able. It's not JUST a fairy tale, it's a story that happens and happened before and possible would keep on happening (until we evolve past labels and positions, hopefully..).

Living Out Loud by Christina Lee & Nyrae Dawn

Beautiful and heart breaking at the same time, but also SEXY as hell! I loved both Ben and Xavier. They had a difficult childhood that made them into who they are today, but while Xavier is mostly content with his life, Ben has a lot of exploring to do - in the sexual sense, but also personally, learning to not only accept who he is, but to look for the things he loves and enjoys in the new life he is building himself now that he is free from his past' shackles.

Though this book is not a part of the "Free Fall" series, it's still connected. First because we've met Ben in the last installment "Paint the Stars" (he and Ezra were a couple in college), but also because there are mentions of other characters from the series. 
It can be read as a stand alone no worries. 

Paint the Stars (Free Fall #3) [Ezra & Dae] by Christina Lee & Nyrae Dawn

Ezra and Dae story was truly unique, we already knew it has to be from the previous installments. Ezra is an introvert, who and how can anyone break into his inner shell? That's where Dae comes in. It was really sweet seeing them become friends and slowly morph into a couple almost without both realizing they are actually "there", in love and together. Unlike SO many romance stories it was simply refreshing seeing the friendship buildup BEFORE the steam begins. 

Chase the Sun (Free Fall #2) [Jaime & Conner] by Christina Lee & Nyrae Dawn

This was a sweet "coming of age" novel. I liked  both Jaime and Conner, they sound different when we first get to know them, but as the plot unfolds, it's easy to see they are perfect for one another, and the past they shared together only make it more clear why being together is the only thing that could make sense mostly to Conner but also to Jaime. 

Jaime and Conner grew up together in a small town, their knew each other from small age since Conner used to stay a lot at his uncle's house which is the one next to Jaime's family. Conner is a care-free kind of guy who likes to enjoy life to the fullest, it's the way he was raised by his hippie parents. Jaime on the other hand, is a family oriented guy, an introvert. He works for his father's garage, lives at home with his parents, helping out his mother who has MS. He doesn't go out much and when he does it's usually to a bar with his best friend or a gay bar in the next town to hook up. In the small town he lives in, being gay isn't something he can really flaunt. 

Touch the Sky (Free Fall #1) [Gabriel & Lucas] by Christina Lee & Nyrae Dawn

Beautiful. So so beautiful. Heart breaking and yet heart warming all together. Sweet and yet harsh. I couldn't have asked for more for Gabriel and Lucas than each other and yet it wasn't JUST about finding their way to one another's arms it was MUCH more. 

I've missed Christina's NA novels. I LOVED all of her book in the "Between Breaths" series so getting this one was a total and absolute TREAT! Also getting to know Nyrae from this book was great. I don't know how this book written, if it was alternating Gabriel / Lucas's POVs for each author or they wrote it all together, anyhow it was superb! I didn't feel it was written by two different people it was so fluent. Only problem is now I have to check more books by Nyrae and there is not enough time! (not in a day, ant not in a freaking year!) for my endless TBR list. 

Gabriel and Lucas met 5 years ago through a message board on the net, they soon became best friends or rather the only true honest and close friend they had. While they come from very different backgrounds they find a lot of common grounds, and not only because they are totally alone in the world (even if they do technically have a family). Gabriel comes from a rather wealthy family and yet it's totally dysfunctional, his mother is depressed and his father uses his fists to show his disappointment from his only son. Lucas on the other hand, doesn't always have food on the table but he does have his mother whom he loves dearly and who loves him back, she just loves her liqueur more.. Gabriel and Lucas promise each other to finally meet in person in West Hollywood when they finish school and accomplish their dreams together, yet something happens and the connection between the two is severed. 

COVER REVEAL - Touch the Sky (Free Fall #1) by Christina Lee & Nyrae Dawn

I've been a fan of Christina Lee's New Adult novels for a while now. I absolutely ADORED her series "Between Breaths" so getting a new NA by her is really exciting news! Also since it's a collaboration with another author - Nyrae Dawn - I haven't read yet is also great news.

<3 <3   SOOOO EXCITED!   <3 <3

Touch the Sky by Christina and Nyrae will be out on the 28th of March (a month away!).
There are still no pre-order links (I'll add those when they are available), right now, be sure to add the book on GoodReads.

Let's begin with the beautiful cover
LOVE the messy hair :)

Touch the Sky (Free Fall #1) - BLURB: