Just Friends (A Never Just Friends Novel, Book 1) by Saxon James
BLURB
Roo
Five years ago, I walked away from Sunbury, Oregon, and left my best friend behind. The move was supposed to get my life on track. I even had a list.
Life-changing epilepsy surgery. Check.
See the world. Check.
Get over my straight best friend … Not exactly.
No matter where I go or who I meet, I can’t let Tanner go.
I’m back to tell him how I feel. To get the closure I need once and for all.
Only now I’m here and falling for him all over again, it’s getting harder to say the words.
Because once I have my closure, I’ll be gone.
And this time it will be for good.
Tanner
When my best friend, Roo, left for Australia, it was the worst day of my life.
I thought we’d have each other always.
But Roo needed the surgery so I let him go, thinking he’d come straight back.
Five years is a long time.
Now he’s here, all I want is to hold on tight.
I need to show him what he means to me.
The problem is, I’m not exactly sure what that is.
My draw to him has always been confusing and different—everyone in town says so. But I struggle to understand it.
All I know is I won’t survive him leaving again.
And I’ll do anything to make him stay.
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REVIEW
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Royce Williams aka Roo (as fondly called by Tanner) is totally codependent and crushing on his straight best friend.
He also suffers from seizures due to his epilepsy. So when life gives him a chance to start over, with life altering surgery, a chance to travel the globe and get away from unreciprocated feelings from his best friend, he takes it.
I keep wanting to forget. Because I love you. I’m in love with you. And I have been since we first met.
It's been five years since Roo left him to get epilepsy surgery and never returned.
Now he's back and inciting all sorts of warm and fuzzy feelings in Tanner.
He doesn't know what these feelings are, but he knows he will do everything in his power to make him stay this time.
I know I love Roo. I know I want to make him happy.
But at what point do those feelings cross a line?
This was such an adorable friends to lovers, opposites attract romance.
Roo and Tanner made my heart so full and I literally can't get enough of them.
If you are looking for a light, sweet romance with low angst and some steamy self discovery paired with all the feels don't hesitate to pick this one up!
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Tanner’s voice dips low when he speaks. “I was a bit in awe of you growing up.”
“Me?” There is no way I heard that right.
“Yeah, you. You didn’t give a shit what anyone thought, and you went through more than most people did.”
“Oh no, I definitely cared.”
“Okay, but you never let it get to you.”
“You know it did. Seizing out at school, feeling sick, the staring—”
“I know.” His soft voice derails the fit I was working up to, and I take a deep breath.
“There was a lot I hated about myself.”
Tanner’s eyebrows bunch up, and he runs one large hand over my head, then snatches it away like he’s second-guessing himself. “There was a lot you hated, but you never hated yourself. You flipped off anyone who gave you shit, and did what you wanted.”
The fact that he sees it that way … My head drops forward as I start laughing. “That’s because I had you. Because I knew that no matter what, shit between us would never change, and if anyone really upset me, you’d kick their ass.”
“Again, that only happened once. I hated fighting.”
“And yet you still beat Toby Michels into the ground when he poured water in my lap and called me a baby.”
Even now, seven years later, Tanner’s jaw gets tighter. “Asshole.”
“See? You always had my back.”
“I always will. It just … pissed me off. I’d see how exhausted and checked out you were before and after a seizure. Those things took a lot out of you. It wasn’t fair that dumbasses thought they could give you shit about it too.”
And lying here, studying my best friend, agreeing to share his bed, going over old memories … it makes me feel lighter than I have in a long time. But I can’t enjoy it. Because of the big gay elephant in the room.
I lick my dry lips as I try to form the words in my head. As I try to convince myself that I need to tell him. Because holding myself back, when he’s making every effort to reconnect, isn’t just uncomfortable for me, it’s unfair to him.
And this closeness—not only the physical part—is starting to mess with my head. I swear his stare dips to my mouth, which makes me do the same. I trace his lips with my gaze, wishing it were my tongue instead. All I want is to press closer, to feel his warmth, to taste his breath.
Suddenly, the thick blanket feels too restrictive.
Enter the Giveaway:
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About Saxon:
Saxon James is an author from Australia who's obsessed with writing queer characters. She has a range of books from YA to adult and they all have one thing in common: swoony, sweet love.
When not writing, Saxon exists on a diet of coffee and chocolate while putting her KU subscription to the test.
Connect with Saxon:
Facebook page: here
Facebook group: here
Bookbub: here
Amazon: here
Goodreads: here
Instagram: here
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