Cherish (Skins #3.6) [Harry & Joe] by Garrett Leigh

This was a sweet and endearing novella of my favorite couple in the series - Harry and Joe. Now happily married for 10 years they are contemplating the next step. It's something they both want yet unable to articulate to themselves or each other. 

I was a bit frustrated with both of them for not being able to communicate with each other. At least at first. Maybe I was being a bit harsh. Harry sort of dropped a "hot potato" into Joe's lap, accusing him of not being able to see himself, his worth and because of that not being able or ready to take the next step in their relationship but in a way Harry wasn't ready too. He was accusing Joe of something he himself was struggling with. It took both time apart to think, consider and re-consider what they have and what they COULD have before an honest conversation could be made.

The Sex Coach (Skins) by Garrett Leigh

Such a beautiful and heart felt story. I think the name kinda gives the wrong impression though Cole DOES offer to be Toby's "Sex Coach" but he was only joking, well, sort of. For me the story was mostly about finding love and feeling you deserve it. Toby and Cole both had their insecurities but when they looked at one another they saw a person worth getting to know, someone to care for and appreciate. Someone they wished, yet didn't believe, they could have. 

Toby has worked on Whisper Farm for the past 10 years. It's his home now even if everyone treats him as a kid he isn't anymore. He lives a simple life and it suits him yet he does feel a bit overwhelmed by the (gay) couples around him. Wishing he could have what they have but too scared and unsure to look for someone on his own. Which has left him a virgin at 24.

Cole Maguire is a "City Boy" but when the mother of his child decides to move to her parents' town he accepts a job as a Pilates instructor on Whisper Farm through his friend Harry (whom he used to work with in London), allowing them to have shared custody on their baby girl Ella. Cole is struggling. His insecurities in himself, at being a parent, leaves him with insomnia and anxiety. When he sees strong and capable Toby he is intrigued but he isn't exactly the talkative guy, well, both of them aren't and as Toby is attracted to Cole he feels even more unsure about how to even BE around Cole.

Crossroads (Skins #4) [Angelo & Dylan] by Garrett Leigh

This short novella is a closure to the series, though it contains the POVs of Angelo and Dylan all three couples are enjoying the holidays together at Joe's (and Harry's) Farm. The feeling is more settled, certainly for Joe and Harry but also with Rhys and Jevon. Angelo and Dylan needs to find a way to make their relationship work. Staying at the farm doing physiotherapy with Harry and in general living there makes a HUGE difference on his health and so he needs to find a way to talk to Dylan and explain it to him, hoping Dylan can make a future with him somewhere near the farm..

Dylan already realized Angelo's future is entwined with his and this is NOT something that is going to change, even if he sees the great influence the farm has on Angelo's health and it's underline meaning. So it's up to him to find a way to make a life there. With a bit of help from the guys he does find a way which suits him well and will enable them to chose their own path together.

Believe (Skins #3) [Rhys & Jevon] by Garrett Leigh

~sigh~ I'm SO disappointed. This was nothing like I expected. Naturally, ANY of Garrett's books are a must read, and though I expect a heart breaking story, I want to feel the promise of a HEA laced in between but here I was just depressed the whole while I was reading it. The alternating POVs helped, but still, Rhys was too "broken" and Jevon was doing his best, but he wasn't so sure himself if this thing between them is even possible.

Rhys Foster used to spend his days in an anonymous sex club, it used to be his THING. Sex, generally, was his thing but he is sick of it. Going to a pub to drink his sorrows he meets Jevon Campbell and somehow finds himself inviting him over to his apartment. Jevon is nothing like Rhys expected, while he is gay, it's somehow new to him. He has dated and slept with women, realized he isn't really into them but wasn't brave enough to take the leap into dating men and here comes Rhys, openly bisexual and VERY into exploring anything and everything related to sex. Put the two of them together, and Jevon is finally able to experience what he was missing, and Rhys sleeps for the first time with a guy who can actually mean something to him.

Whisper (Skins #2) [Harry & Joe] by Garrett Leigh

This was such a heartfelt story! I really enjoyed it :) It was tender and yet it was also raw in a way. I loved the scenery of the farm, I could understand how it healed both Joe and Harry just being there. I've volunteered for years in a therapeutic farm, I have so many great memories and even the memory of the peacefulness. Harry truly found THE place to sit and write his book.... everything else that happened NEEDED to happen for sure, but the setting was simply beautiful for it, even though there was a lot of "gloom" in the farm, or rather it's current state. But I'm getting ahead of myself..

Harry Foster's life, at least from his Instagram account, looks perfect. He is a successful physiotherapist, he is fully booked and he is even offered to write a book about his knowledge. But he can't seem to find the time or the right mood to actually BE writing, which is why he is offered to take the summer off and MAKE the time to write. His brother finds him a room for rent in a small town in a farm which rescues horses. The pictures looks perfect and so he finds himself living in "Whisper Farm" looking for the person he corresponded with - Emma Carter, only to find first her mother and later her grumpy big brother - Joe who runs the place.

Dream (Skins #1) [Dylan & Angelo] by Garrett Leigh

This book was NOT an easy read. Like most of Garrett's books, it's the kind to break your heart to too many pieces before it is reassembled back together. Yet there is always a sort of hope because we KNOW Garrett will bring us a HEA even if it will takes us a while to get there.

The story is told from both the MCs POV which was perfect in this one. We needed to understand them both and I gotta say it wasn't easy. We've technically met Dylan Hart before in Garrett's only MF novel "What Matters" (written as Gracie Leigh). His relationship with his best friend Sam turns to be more than he can handle now that he realizes he can never get more than a threesome with him and his girlfriend Eddie. Thing is, Eddie and Sam are soulmates and he feels like an intruder, nothing more. Not knowing how to deal he shuts both of them off and goes to a kinky sex club to blow some steam.