Coming Together (Hearts for Hire #3) by Raquel Riley

A match made in the stars! Riley and Reid were born to be together…

From the blurb:

Growing up together, they shared everything. But now, Reid is ready to keep Riley for himself.

Riley Morgan

I'm in love with Reid Morgan–my roommate, my childhood best friend, my life.

I've wasted years wishing he felt the same. I risk losing him if I reveal my true feelings. But I can’t stop my heart from loving him. After everything we’ve been through, don’t we deserve happiness together?

Reid Morgan

For six years, I’ve pined for a man that only sees me as his responsibility.

After I was brutally attacked, Riley believes I’m too fragile to handle a romantic relationship. We share everything but our bodies. But that isn’t enough for me anymore.

Could Riley ever see me as a boyfriend to love?

Coming Together is the third book in the Hearts For Hire series. This demisexual gay escort romance features hurt/comfort, childhood friends to lovers, found family, mutual pining, first times, and a romantic getaway that leads to the happiest ever after.

Tatted_book_freak's Review:

The most anticipated story of this series thus far and did Raquel deliver an emotional rollercoaster! From childhood trauma to empowering journeys, the growth witnessed within these pages were beautifully powerful!  And, those Alphaholes!! 🤬

“𝙉𝙤 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙢𝙚 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙮𝙤𝙪. 𝙒𝙚’𝙧𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧.”

Riley and Reid have such an intense connection, they were a team, a 𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯.  They would have been lost without the other.

 𝙍𝙚𝙞𝙙 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙡𝙪𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙙 𝙩𝙤𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙢𝙮 𝙗𝙧𝙤𝙠𝙚𝙣 𝙥𝙞𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙪𝙢𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙖 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙚𝙡𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙩𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙢 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙪𝙥𝙤𝙣 𝙪𝙨. And they were a match made for the greater good of this world! Their protectiveness over the other was so sweet and not extreme, working perfectly for their lives. 

𝙄𝙩 𝙡𝙚𝙛𝙩 𝙢𝙚 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙙, 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣.

In true Raquel fashion, she tortures her readers with anticipation. Though this story was about so much more, but let’s be honest, we’ve been patiently waiting for these two to finally seal the deal!  The buildup was fierce, brutal, and filled with so much passionate desire I was egging them to hurry up by the time the actual scene came 🤣. But, it was explosive! 💥🤯

“𝕀’𝕞 𝕨𝕖𝕚𝕣𝕕𝕝𝕪 𝕥𝕦𝕣𝕟𝕖𝕕 𝕠𝕟 𝕓𝕪 𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕨𝕒𝕣𝕕𝕣𝕠𝕓𝕖 𝕔𝕙𝕠𝕚𝕔𝕖, 𝕓𝕦𝕥 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕗𝕦𝕤𝕖𝕕. 𝕀 𝕜𝕟𝕠𝕨 𝕦𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕣𝕟𝕖𝕒𝕥𝕙 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕨𝕚𝕘 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕡𝕣𝕖𝕥𝕥𝕪 𝕕𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕤 𝕝𝕚𝕖𝕤 𝕒 𝕕𝕚𝕣𝕥𝕪 𝕝𝕚𝕥𝕥𝕝𝕖 𝕝𝕖𝕡𝕣𝕖𝕔𝕙𝕒𝕦𝕟.”

Oh how I cannot wait to read Murph and Hudson’s story!! Their constant bickering continues with this one, though not as much but just as intense! Their chemistry is bound to be a compatible explosion of frustration and power! And I’m here for it all!! 

Rating: 5 Stars

KjnRose's Review:

Coming Together was a great addition to the series.  

You could tell from the introduction of these two that there was more to them than just best friends. I was so excited to read it and it was worth it.  

Once you start the book, you can't put it down.  This book is also an emotional rollercoaster. There is so much going on between them and then the things that happen just make them even closer.

Rating: 5 Stars

Janet's Review:

Coming Together was sooo freakin good!! I have been impatiently waiting for this book! We finally got Reid and Riley’s story along with some background. 

They are best friends that do everything together. They were raised in foster care living as brothers but secretly in love with each other. Riley has always been Reid’s protector. Reid just wants Riley to see him as a man and love interest. 

I loved it when they finally admitted their feelings for each other, finally!!! 

Its seriously swoon worthy and sweet, sooo freakin good!! Overall, an excellent read that is well written with fantastic pacing. It hooked me and didn’t let go, very engaging! Highly recommend. 

Rating: 5 Stars

Angel's Review:

Coming Together by Raquel Riley was well worth the wait. I've been eagerly waiting for Reid and Riley's story and now it's finally here! 

I was so interested in these two characters ever since I read Hopeless For You.  I needed them to finally talk about their feelings for each other, and they finally did! 

I felt so bad for Reid, all of the trauma and abuse he went through. I also felt bad for Riley as well because he was always so hard on himself, if something happened to Reid he blamed himself. He didn't want to acknowledge his feelings for his best friend cause he didn't want to ruin their friendship. 

I enjoyed how this story came together, certain parts I felt didn't necessarily need to be there, but overall the story was good. Raquel knows how to write characters you can't help but cheer for. Now I have to wait for Murphy's story... 

I also want to add if you have trouble with sexual assault, rape and abuse being mentioned than proceed with caution while reading this. 

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Nicole's Review:

It was heartbreaking to finally hear about Reid’s childhood abuse. I was so happy to see his character growth with his therapy and self defense class! I also really liked his realization that he has the passion for social work. 

Riley is his normal caveman self, but that’s why we love him. I was pleasantly surprised he was so supportive of Reid growing on his own too. 

There is a lot of sap, and not nearly as much smexy time in this book, but what was there is still hot! I will say there was a lot of angst, with the main hurdle being their own internal reservations and self doubt. 

Once they came together everything felt very easy, as they had already been platonic partners for so long. 

I’m very much looking forward to Hudson and Murphy’s story next!

Rating: 4 Stars

Heather's Review:

I knew that Reid and Riley's story came from pain and trauma, but until I read Coming Together I didn't realize just how much pain and trauma Reid especially, had endured...

This book was both a heart break and a triumph as we see two sweet souls finally come together after tiptoeing around the idea of a relationship in the first two books in the Hearts for Hire series.  Coming Together is definitely best read as part of the series so you can see the angst and longing that has permeated the series, but even if reading standalone, be prepared for some tissues...

Coming Together is a story that we need to read but it has a very different vibe from the first two books in the series.  If discussions of past sexual abuse are a trigger for you, you may want to skip this one, knowing that Reid and Riley do get their sweet and wonderful HEA.

Rating 4.5 stars

Coming Together is currently available as an e-book and paperback and can be read as part of your Kindle Unlimited Subscription