Hello my lovely followers,
long time no read, huh? Before I go back to business a small note. 😀
I hope you haven’t forgotten me at all *nervous laughter* and be excited as I am to be in the blogger-sphere. 😀 With this post I hope it’s the start of many more posts to come. For those who have waited so long for something on my blog I owe you an apology. I’m sincerly sorry it took so long for me to be back. Real life was a conclutination of lots of things; family things were demanding my attention. Anyway, I don’t want to ramble.
I’m happy I am back. And without further ado scroll down for an excerpt of Better Be Sure by Andy Gallo and Anyta Sunday, a re-release of their collaboration series Harrison Campus where a bet is totally messing up with Jack’s life.
You’re into college romances where one character is (still) in the closet this book is yours. 🙂
Read also further for my review and all the other necessary book details.
Happy reading.
RELEASE BLITZ
Title: Better Be Sure
Series: Harrison Campus # 1
Author: Andy Gallo, Anyta Sunday
Genre: M/M Romance, Contemportary, College Romance
Release Date: June 1, 2020 (re-release)
Publisher: Self-published
Length : 242 pages/ 60.000 words
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PURCHASE LINKS
Blurb
Orphan Jackson Murphy just staked his legacy on a bet.
Holy shit, his impulsive ass is in trouble.
Bring a guy to the fraternity formal? Pfft. Easy. Won’t be him getting kicked out of the house.
So what if his luck with guys on campus has been shitty? Ed Knowles is Jack’s winning ticket.
Tall, handsome, hardworking—and he doesn’t go to Harrison. One serendipitous meeting, and sparks—and coffee cups—are flying.
But with every stolen look, every secret kiss, every clandestine touch Ed becomes more than just an answer to a bet.
And these cloak-and-dagger meetings that set Jack on fire? They mask one tiny, enormous obstacle: Ed’s not out.
What does Jack do now?
Hold on to his legacy… or his heart?
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“Better Be Sure” is a sweet, slow burn M/M romance with a heart-pounding HEA. This New Adult, college, opposite sides of the tracks novel can be read as a standalone and in any order.
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A note from Andy Gallo and Anyta Sunday:
We want readers to enjoy a good, new adult romance with two MCs who help each other overcome what’s holding them back from finding love.
Excerpt
Before the kid could pass, someone bumped him hard enough to knock him off balance. Unprepared for the contact, he watched his much needed caffeine and sugar splatter over the floor.
“Oh fuck, sorry.”
Jack twisted around, a fire in his eye that cooled off instantly. Tall Hot Guy quickly shoved his phone in his pocket, looking totally cute as he gawked wide-eyed at the mess he’d caused. The flush of red to his cheeks had Jack staring. “It’s all right.”
“Oh man, I’m so sorry.” Casting about for a place to put his bag, Tall Hot Guy settled on the counter and started snapping up napkins by the handful. He bent over to spread them on the tiles, and the waistband of his dark blue boxers peeked above his jeans. Jack’s gaze lingered a moment.
Better Be Sure by Andy Gallo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
*~~*ARC kindly provided by the author to me in exchange for an honest review *~~*
I liked this college slow burn romance novel and enjoyed it. While the bet was part of the driving point of the book and something I totally could understand adding as the “spice” of the story I think some of the aspects could have been a bit less dramatic but given this is a college romance and the protagonists are under 21, not (legal) adults (in the US) it’s only natural they (still) behave a bit childish. 😀
The bet Jack is trying to win is something that looks first a bit shallow, like it’s something you do it because you’re a competitive nature – that’s true for Jack but underneath it, there’s much more depth. The death of his parents is giving him the drive to stay in the house, the fraternity is something he helds very high and is something important – if not the important thing – until he meets Ed.
I liked how the romance evolved slowly. He meets Ed in a very cute “I bumped into you” situation; their mututal pining is palpable from the first page and while there’s practically insta-lust on Jack’s side (we don’t hear much about Ed first; although written in 3rd person) the emotions and feelings become something more decent and solid.
While you get the bet is important for Jack, not willing to leave not just his father’s “legacy” and held him in his memories – not just with thoughts but actions, you see he also deeply caring for his friends and his “brother” Marcus – both guys sharing a room and are as much as brothers as they can be without being blood-related and not because of the fraternity. Marcus’ parents are the legal guardians of Jack after the tragic death of his parents.
Ed is a pretty charming character, he wooes Jack with small but romantic gestures that makes you swoon. It’s thoughtful but shows also a tender side of him. I really liked that we got through his interactions with Jack but also his family that he is an earnest, deeply caring but reluctant guy. He’s in the closet for reasons and Jack tries his best not to pressure him – much to his frustration when it comes to the bet.
Like Jack and his friends I couldn’t stand Harry, he’s a textbook example of a douchebag and his blows are low that you really start to dislike him dearly.
Next to Jack’s evolving romance with Ed we have two other romantic subplots going on which are equally sweet and you totally start to rooting for these guys. It’s nice to read books where the group of friends is a tight-knit team and acts like a small family. Therefore I’d definitely one of the book tropes can be checked as found family too. 😀
The book had very good parts, some were a bit over the top for me, making it more conflict ladden than it needed to be but was – in the end – a good driving point of the story. The displays of Jack’s panic attacks were understandable due to his loss but I want to be sure to mention it as a content warning because I know some aren’t comfortable with it. So, before you start reading the book, check if you’re ok with handling reading about the death of side characters and the panic attacks as a result.
The book gets 4 out of 5 stars from me. A nice, slow burn college romance title from two authors that had a good chemistry because I never noticed this was not written by one but two people.
Author bio – Andy Gallo
Andy Gallo prefers mountains over the beach, coffee over tea, and regardless if you shake it or stir it, he isn’t drinking a martini. He remembers his “good old days” as filled with mullets, disco music, too-short shorts, and too-high socks. Thanks to good shredders and a lack of social media, there is no proof he ever descended into any of those evils.
Andy does not write about personal experiences and no living or deceased ex-boyfriends appear on the pages of his stories. He might subconsciously infuse his characters with some of their less noble qualities, but that is entirely coincidental even if their names are the same. And while Andy leaves the hard sci-fi/fantasy for his alter ego, Andrew, in his mind a touch of the supernatural never derailed a good relationship.
Married and living his own happy every after, Andy helps others find their happy endings in the pages of his stories. He and his husband of more than twenty years spend their days raising their daughter and rubbing elbows with other parents. Embracing his status as the gay dad, Andy sometimes has to remind others that one does want a hint of color even when chasing after their child.
Author links / get in contact
Website
Facebook Page
Author bio – Anyta Sunday
HEART-STOPPING SLOW BURN
A bit about me: I’m a big, BIG fan of slow-burn romances. I love to read and write stories with characters who slowly fall in love.
Some of my favorite tropes to read and write are: Enemies to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, Clueless Guys, Bisexual, Pansexual, Demisexual, Oblivious MCs, Everyone (Else) Can See It, Slow Burn, Love Has No Boundaries.
I write a variety of stories, Contemporary MM Romances with a good dollop of angst, Contemporary lighthearted MM Romances, and even a splash of fantasy.
My books have been translated into German, Italian, French, and Thai.
Author links / get in contact
Website
Email / Newsletter
Facebook Page
Twitter
Instragram
BookBub
GIVEAWAY
To celebrate the release of Better Be Sure (Harrison Campus #1), the authors are giving away 3 e-copies of Better Be Sure and 3 e-copies of a winner’s choice of any Anyta Sunday book. Must be 18 to enter and win, open internationally.
Your chance to win *click*
Please note: the giveaway is not sponsored, administered or endorsed by Mikku-chan / A World full of Words.
Release blitz and blogtour hosted by/through A Novel Take PR.
Mikku-chan 