Pippin & Nacho contains trauma from crappy foster homes and gay conversion therapy. Can everything go wrong and it doesn't matter as long as you have your person by your side? Best friends, soulmates, only one you could ever love - that's what Nate and Sam have together.
From the blurb:
He was my very survival. Without him, I was nothing.
Pippin (Sampson)
I’m broken, hiding my pain behind fake smiles and pretend joy. Inside, I’m a mental mess between being tossed into conversion therapy and foster care as a kid. I struggle to focus and suffer anxiety, panic attacks, and nightmares. My passions for skateboarding and bartending make me happy enough. But only Nate, my former foster brother and best friend, calms me and keeps me going forward. I’m not sure what I would do without him. Even worse, I secretly love him. Loving him could mean losing him.
Nacho (Nate)
I’d been in and out of foster care for as long as I could remember. My last home was with Sam. We quickly became friends, and I instantly went into protective mode. After Sam got hurt by our foster father, I took Sam out of there and watched over him for two years while living on the streets. When you spend a lifetime not being wanted by anyone, you crave being needed, and Sam needs me. But I secretly love him. I’ve told my friends I don’t want to ruin my friendship with Sam. The truth is if we don’t work out, I won’t be there to take care of him. Sam’s needs are more important than my feelings.
MM Urban, Found Family, New Adult, Best Friends to Lovers, Secret Love, Pining, Skateboarder Romance
CW: Conversion therapy and abuse, suicidal ideations, panic attacks, anxiety, PTSD, iatrophobia (intense fear of doctors), abandonment, co-dependency, mental health rep.
Autumn's Review:
First off, this book is better off to be read in order with the series, but it's not needed to get the full story.
I was drawn to this book because of the trigger warnings, and they didn't disappoint. This book is filled with tons of drama around trauma and abuse.
I love Pippin (aka Sam). His abuse is so deep, I don't think anyone can truly heal from that.
My star review (not posted for this blog) is lower because of the overuse of repeating certain details. I've had a great editor that pointed out that flaw in my own writing, so now i notice it more often in others. Repeating things, like how Sam had adhd, wasn't needed. Show rather than tell is the way to go.
SNiK's Review:
Second in series (Alpha’s Rejects), but can be read as a standalone. Best friends to lovers. Hurt/comfort. Found family. Mental health representation. Dual POV. Heed content warnings.
Nate and Sam have been best friends for years, living together, surviving together, staying together. Foster care, abandonment, abuse, past trauma, homelessness, these boys have experienced it all, loving each other and falling in love with each other. This story completely focuses on Nate and Sam, and every page with them holding each other and communicating and supporting each other was so well written, emotional and romantic.
The fact that everything external revolves around their relationship made this book feel like a true romance, with tons of feelings, supportive friends, internal crises and doubts, but there is not a moment where there is a risk these two men would part. I would read books like this every day where the main characters are fully committed to each other, cannot imagine being separated, and love through everything, accepting their special person may not be perfect but may be just perfect for them.
Miki J.'s review:
This has to be one of the toughest books to read ..... both MC's are so young and to have lived what they lived ...and are stilling living through ...... my heart just broke. The author has written a very angst novel that covers a wide range of issues/themes .... but it wasn't depressingly sad. Yes, it give a raw, gritty and blunt portrayal of these young mens lives but there are also some sweet and tender moments. And they have a great support from friends/found family (probably waaaay too much if you ask Stone !!! bahahahahaha). But the one thing I loved most, it's a story of hope. That's what kept them going. So I really really do hope you read this book ! I will ad that I haven't read first in series (great oversight which I'll address very quickly!!) but you could read this one as standalone.
Pippin & Nacho is currently available as an e-book and paperback and can be read as part of your Kindle Unlimited Subscription
Comments
Post a Comment