Gone for You by Riley Hart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Oliver Hayes wears his heart on his sleeve, and his friends never let him forget it. Every Friday night spent at Wild Side, their favorite West Hollywood bar, Oliver’s lack of hookups becomes the hot topic. It’s not that he doesn’t want a good time. He just wants it to mean something, which is a lofty goal when he’s still pining after his childhood crush, Matt, who left ten years ago to start a new life in New York City.
Matt Daniels has always felt most at home seated at a piano. He might not have entirely fit in with his family and friends, but he was always able to find himself in music. Or at least he did before he gave up his dream a lifetime ago. Now, he has a successful modeling career and should be enjoying every second of it. Yet nothing feels right, and Matt fears he’s losing himself.
Just when Oliver decides to get over Matt for good, Matt waltzes back into LA. As Matt struggles to understand what he’s missing in his seemingly perfect life, he falls right back into leaning on Oliver for support. Things aren’t what they used to be between them, though. They tumble into bed together, and it’s hard not to continue ending up there. For the first time in years, Matt’s inspired to compose again, reigniting a spark he thought long extinguished.
But as always, Oliver can’t keep his heart in check, and soon Matt realizes he’s gone for Oliver too. The biggest question is, can he fully give himself to someone if he still hasn’t figured out how to love himself?
With Gone for you Riley Hart wrote the first full novel in the series. Although Dare You To can be seen as the first novel in the series the main character for the rest of the series are here displayed, and it is Dare’s bar, the Wild Side, where the boys meet every friday.
I really liked the boys from the start but had to admit that sometimes Oliver and Matt gave me a headache. Not that I didn’t like them but a lot of unneccesary drama was between them – and just because both kept their mouthes shut.
The book starts with a flashback and several scenes from the past which revealed a lot of back history of the character and give a great insight. Still you have to keep attention otherwise you miss things.
You see that Oliver and Matt shared a past and know each other for more than ten years, have a solid friendship which is in danger when both guys are separated from each other.
For a long time the feelings Oliver have for Matt are more than friendship but he doesn’t have a chance with him. Matt, who is confident he has a friend forever in Oliver doesn’t realise how much it costs for Oliver to hide his feelings.
A lot of trouble as I say is going on between the two guys, and although Matt is dear friends with Miles and Chance he shares his secrets only with Oliver, relying on him most.
Matt is in parts broken and has a lot of weight carrying on his shoulders, he is troubled and Oliver is helping as much as he can.
I really liked that Riley created believable character in the first book of her new series, with lovable and not so lovable traits, which made them palpable, honest and real. Sometimes though they were hard to catch but it shows how well Riley is able to write any kind of character development. The character really grow and learn from past mistakes.
For this book I give also 5 out of 5 stars.
A good start of the series, nice character, connection to the book before and having the potential to let the boys appear in other books too.
Mikku-chan 
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