Reviewed by Becca
TITLE: Crave
SERIES: Brawlers #1
AUTHOR: J.M. Dabney
PUBLISHER: Hostile Whispers Press
LENGTH: 197 pages
RELEASE DATE: February 11, 2018 2nd edition
BLURB:
Welcome to Brawlers Bar…
A quick pit stop for a comfortable bed to sleep turned into an eight-year stay. Vincent “Crave” Butler hit the road the day after college graduation and hadn’t looked behind him since. He’d swore to never stop moving, but the night he drove into Powers, Georgia changed the course of his life. He’d hit a bar called Brawlers with its rundown exterior and pride flag beside the door, the next day he had a job. Second in command to the Head of Brawler security, Crave found the place he didn’t have to run from. No one would call Crave sane. He lived to make people as uncomfortable as possible just for his own twisted amusement. That all changed when a certain cute as fuck bartender walked in for an interview.
No one wanted Twitch Harrison around. He was small, femme and annoying on his best days, downright abhorrent on his bad ones. When college turned out to be a no-go, and the parents canceled his credit cards he’d needed a job. Walking into Brawlers, the roughest gay bar in his hometown, was like a game of pick the thing that didn’t belong—him. The two owners, Scary and Tank, hired him on and four years later he was still that thing that didn’t belong. No one made it more apparent than bouncer Crave Butler who didn’t hide the fact he barely tolerated Twitch’s presence.
Crave threatened every man who thought they’d get the pretty Twitch but would Twitch rather be in their beds than his? Only one way to find out and he hoped Twitch was ready for forever because that’s what Crave was determined to have.
REVIEW:
This one was a hard one. If you have been keeping up with the guys, you know a lot of them have some very bad pasts. Twitch and Crave are no different. I will warm you know, this deals with physical abuse, conversion therapy, cutting, attempted suicide and such because of parents. It’s another one of those books, I wish I could reach through and beat the shit out of someone and wished Bull and Psycho actually did. But for Twitch, they behaved.
Twitch gave up on ever having a boyfriend or sex life. From the time he announced he was gay, his parents had him in conversion therapy, where he was beaten, electrocuted and much more. To the point he had to cut to alleviate pressure and anxiety. But Lucky and Priest adopted him, more or less along with everyone else, and he would rest in their arms and sleep, finally getting peace for the week. The bad part is, he didn’t see how bad it was messing Crave up. Or he did but didn’t understand why. He didn’t think Crave wanted him. Crave never touched him. And always got pissed when everyone else did. He didn’t get it. And the more time wore on, the madder Crave seemed to get until he was messing everything up. To the point, he made Twitch run and Bull almost kicked him off the farm. He wanted to fix it but didn’t know how. So, he finally called and explained why he is the way he is and what his greatest fears are. He knew a bit of what Twitch was dealing with when he accidentally saw the scars. But when he finally heard the full story of Twitch’s past, kicking someone’s ass was a nice way of putting things. But because of their own fears and Crave almost accidentally hitting Twitch in a brawl on night, they both are on edge at times. And Twitch is tired of it. And Crave is trying to find a way to make sure this beautiful man knows how beautiful he really is and how Crave wants to be his forever. If only his mouth had a filter.
These series are some of the best I’ve ever read but I’m telling you, I can’t read them without tissues. Ever. The pasts of these two boys nearly did me in. I’ve told more than I should have already. You need to read to find out more about it, but be ready. It’s heartbreaking. I think what broke me even more was how much Crave wanted to be the man Twitch needed but he was so scared of himself. He never wanted to hurt Twitch in any way, shape or form. He’d run or hurt himself first. But what made me so happy, was after all Twitch had endured, Crave was the first person he felt desire enough to be with. He wanted this man, to be with him in every way. And that’s huge. A very huge deal.
The funny part about all of this, is because Twitch is tied up with Crave, Psycho is upset at not getting his regular cooked meals and pouts and Bull keeps barging in the bedroom during orgasms because Twitch screams so much and loud. I laughed so hard I nearly peed myself.
I love these books. These series. They are so amazing and I’m having so much fun with them. I love all these guys so much, it’s ridiculous.
RATING: 
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