Stupid Dirty by Erin Russell

 

Debut author Erin Russell brings us the first book in the Possum Hollow series, Stupid Dirty. Silas returns to his hometown of Possum Hollow but he's never fit in, until he has a run in with Cade and now he has someone that makes him feel happy. Cade is always running on fumes, but befriending Silas is easy and fun, and maybe their closeness means more than they ever expected.

From the blurb:

CADE

I always thought of Silas Rush as my biggest rival on the track and a stuck-up loner off it. But he and his fancy pro career left our crappy hometown in the dust before high school even finished, and then I didn’t think of him much at all.  

I was too busy trying to keep my little sisters from turning into addicts like our mom, and myself from turning into a rage-junkie like our dad. All while keeping food on the table.

Now he’s back, reminding me of all the things I don’t have, just like he always did.

Except now we’re both adults. And when I… y’know… talk to the guy for once, it looks like my teenage self might have been too distracted to see all the things that Silas didn’t have as well.

After catching him at his lowest possible moment, my heart goes out to the guy I used to hate. All my anger turns to guilt, and instead of a rival, I somehow end up with a socially-awkward new best friend that’s just as screwed-up as I am.

Which I can handle. I can admit when I’m wrong. As long as things between us don’t get any more complicated or confusing, I can handle it.

SILAS

I have a very camera-ready smile. Dad always told me if I wanted to make my pro motocross career stick, I needed to get over all the awkwardness and anxiety that ruined high school for me and learn to act like a real boy for the public.

Never mind that I didn’t want to be a pro rider, or smile for the camera, or live life with Dad on the road and never know what it’s like to have a real friend or - gasp - relationship. Years and years of motocross training, publicity training, and all-the-rest-of-it training; I still don’t have a life and one stupid mistake has left my precious career in the toilet.

The last person I expect to pull me out of this hole is Cade Waters. I’m pretty sure everyone hated me in high school, but Cade was front and center. Which sucked, because with everyone else, he was sunshine personified. I was always the only person who sparked that anger in him, and I never even knew how I did it.

So, when Cade not only swoops in to help me in my darkest moment, but decides to abandon our childhood rivalry and adopt me as his newest bestie/pity project, I’m not sure how to take it.

What I do know is that after a lifetime of having nothing I really wanted, all it takes is one glimpse of Cade’s life to get me hooked. He’s a mess, sure, just like I am. But all that sunshine… I want to grab onto it with both hands and never let go. No matter how confusing that feeling may be.

Stupid Dirty is a high-heat, high-angst M/M romance about dirt bikes, childhood trauma and figuring out how to love someone the best way you can. It contains explicit sexual content as well as potentially triggering themes regarding mental health, and is not suitable for readers under 18. Please see the content warning at the beginning of the book (included in the sample) for more details.


SNik's Review:

First in series (Possum Hollow). Hurt/comfort. High angst. Adversaries to friends to lovers. Dual POV. Heed content warnings. 

Cade struggles every day to keep his life together, helping raise his sisters, holding down a job and trying to win prize money dirt bike racing; he does not need the arrival of golden boy Silas back in town to compete with. However, Cade ends up befriending Silas, who is a little broken and they begin a friendship that builds into something they both cherish and need. Cade is like an over enthusiastic positive golden retriever and Silas is in awe and happy to bask in Cade’s attention. Imperfect survivors, they both have rough home situations, but are able to create a relationship that fits their hopes and dreams with each other. There were aspects of this story that are high angst but I was glad it did not get too dark, and that there was no magic wand to get rid of their (outside the relationship) problems. A really good debut novel, I can’t wait for more from Possum Hollow.


Kjnrose's Review: 

This is the first book in a new series and a debut book from a new author, and what a start it is. I loved this book and could not put it down. This book has mental health issues, a virgin MC, addiction issues, and some violence. It's about Silas and Cade who are enemies who become friends then lovers.


Elizabeth's Review:

Before you proceed with this book be sure to check the TW as some of the topics could be triggering. In this book you will watch the two MMC navigate life and their traumas. This is full of heat and angst


Stupid Dirty is available in e-book and paperback versions and can be read as part of your Kindle Unlimited subscription..


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