Sugar Season, from Spencer Spears

(Alternative title: OH MY STARS, THIS BOOK WAS TOO PERFECT FOR MY LITTLE PANDA HEART!)

Hello, romance fans! We’re about to start a really sweet review [haha, I’m so funny] for Sugared Season, from Spencer Spears! I have received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for an honest review – again, thanks so much, Spencer! – and the moment is here! Btw, before we start, Happy Book Birthday to Sugar Season ❤ ❤

Graham lost his husband Joey five years ago and never quite recovered from the experience. He knew he should be grateful for having at least a handful of years next to the man of his life, but the memories had been too much for Graham. How was he supposed to move on when he didn’t have the courage to take his ring off? When he had to drive to Joey’s parents once a year for a depressing and heart shattering ritual?

More importantly: why won’t people allow Graham to suffer alone? The only man he wants is Joey – no one else will do.

Ryan lost his elder perfect brother five years ago and never quite recovered from the experience. After a lifetime of resentment towards Joey, wishing every day for the guy to vanish within air and put an end to their mother’s comparisons, Ryan suddenly saw his wishes coming true in an awful and heart breaking way. Despite knowing that he hadn’t caused the war Joey had been fighting in when he died, Ryan feels responsible for his death. To help matters, Ryan just lost all his money to a con man in New York and was forced to move back in with his parents, enduring twice more the comparisons from his mother.

All Ryan wants is some perspective in life and a minute without listening to any kind of critic to his looks or his choices.

Graham and Ryan worlds’ collide when both men decide to stray from their regular modus operandi and make out in the parking lot of a highway bar. It wasn’t supposed to mean anything… Until they discover just how related they are.

Me after finishing this book:

Just remembering that those were my impressions and opinion as a reader 🙂

Sugar Season was a perfect sugared [haha] gay romance. The characters are well developed and complex, the plot is awesome with some twists to keep the reader in the edge, the cover is so HOT, the harmony between comedy and drama was just right… Seriously, there is no way in hell I’m giving this book less than five stars!

The narrative was first person style – I KNOW, FIVE STARS TO A FIRST PERSON NARRATED BOOK! Do you see how wonderful it is? Haha! – with exchanging points of view between Graham and Ryan. I did like both men on command of the story and I’m amazed to see how I wouldn’t even need the labels on the beginning of each chapter to know whose head I was in. Seriously, Spears did a fantastic job and I can’t wait to read his other books that I have on my e-reader!!

Sorry, darling, I wasn’t speaking about you this time!

The plot was quite elaborated for a romance and the themes were quite heavy, if you ask me, haha! Which you kind of indirectly did, if you’re reading this review? Hmm, I’ll have to analyze this better later… There was a mystery behind all the romance – nothing too complex, as it isn’t the main thing on the book, but not that silly either – and the whole social taboo was enough to serve us with the rest. We had dramatic and funny moments wrapped up on family issues, on grieving and hot steamy sex, haha!

The characters, as I spoiled, are great. ALL OF THEM. It’s amazing how Spears builds his characters inside his readers’ heads without an effort, revealing small things here and there that only added into the mix instead of handling us a metaphorical file for them in the beginning of the book and never saying anything else about them later. Also, I liked how this book bordered instalove, but, at the same, it firmly wasn’t instalove – not for my standards, anyway?

Also, I have to talk about the feelings in this book. Every emotion is so true, so pure and so raw that I caught myself tearing up a bit in several scenes – especially the ones involving Graham’s feelings for Joey – and actively talking to Ryan when he was being too much of a dumb head, haha! Oh, but my favorite from all times is Adam. He is SO ME.

Nope, not talking about you either, dear. Go back to The Voice 🙂

Oh, and did I mentioned that this book is full of sex? Because it is. And what surprised me the most was all the emotion involved in every act between Graham and Ryan. From a simple kiss to playing on the bedroom – or in a broom closet #truestory – it was all perfect and without a single drop of vulgarity. Spears treats sex as a part of us and OMG, it is so right!

The fact that I’m crazy about gay couples is just a small detail

AAAAND can we just take a moment to appreciate this woooonderful cover? ❤ ❤ Thank you.

The beauty of life is that you don’t have to believe me when I say the book is #goals for gay romance. Yup, it’s exactly what you’re thinking: QUOTING TIME!

“Stop distracting me from my pity party, there’s more story to tell.” – Ryan

~*~

“I am going to monetize the shit out of your heartache.” – Adam

~*~

“I’m probably going to feel really dumb in a few seconds, but I had enough tequila that telling you seemed like a good idea.” – Ryan

~*~

“A year ago, I’m not sure I remembered what you looked like. Now, I don’t think I’ll ever forget.” – Graham

~*~

“If I said it with words, there would be questions. If I said it with words, it would get more complicated than I knew how to handle.” – Graham

Killer dialogues:

Graham: I’m, uh – Flattered, I guess. But look, I’m not really looking for anything, I just came in here to-

Ryan: Sit in silence and sexily nurse a beer while you brood over your troubles?

Graham: I wouldn’t have put it that way.

~*~

Ryan: Someday, you’re going to have to get a life of your own, you know.

Adam: Can’t make me.

~*~

If you’re into gay romance, mystery, sugared romances, drama and wonderfully written books, Sugar Season must be your next read ❤

~*~

That’s it! Thanks so much for reading my review and thanks to Spencer Spears once again for sending me a copy of the book ❤ ❤ I’m already a fan, haha!

What was the last sugared romance you guys have read? I’m counting any sub gender of sugared romance in here, haha!

With love,