REVIEWED by Jen B.
TITLE: Holding On
SERIES: The Den Boys
AUTHOR: A.T. Brennan
PUBLISHER: A.T. Brennan
LENGTH: 200 Pages
RELEASE DATE: July 8, 2019
BLURB:
“Keeping my bisexuality a secret hasn’t been easy, but after years of hiding who I am, the thought of coming out terrifies me.” – Noah
Being the shy, introverted twin hasn’t always been easy. I don’t make friends easily, or deal with crowds well. I’d come to terms with being alone, until Jesse was hired on at The Den.
I wanted him. He was the most beautiful person I’d ever seen, but as the token “straight” guy at the bar, there was no way that could happen without me having to disclose the fact that I was bisexual.
The more I get to know Jesse, the more I realize that I can’t keep living a lie. I want to be with Jesse, but in order to do that I not only had to come out, but also tell him that I’d never been in a relationship, and I was still a virgin.
“I was tired of running, but it had been my life for so long I wasn’t sure how to stop.” – Jesse
For years all I wanted was a normal life, but even after being banished from the polygamist cult I’d grown up in, it wasn’t meant to be.
Since escaping an abusive situation I’d been on the run, desperately trying to stay ahead of my past. Then I found myself working at a bar and suddenly things didn’t seem so bad. I loved the little family my coworkers had created. And then there was Noah.
There was something about him that drew me in, and it wasn’t his rock-hard body or intense brown eyes. He was sweet and kind, and very shy. He made me feel safe, and that was dangerous when this was supposed to be a temporary stop before I moved on.
REVIEW:
Another sweet story in this series about the Den family. While the rest of the stories are all worth reading, you could easily start here and not be lost. This one involves the shy bartender, Noah, closeted bisexual who everyone assumes is the token straight guy, and Jesse, the shining new hire who catches Noah’s eye. Noah is struggling with his own insecurities and anxiety issues, as well as not having been upfront about his sexuality with his brother and others. But, it is Jesse who has the world on his shoulders.
Jesse has a load of baggage from his previous life. He grew up one of 17 kids in a polygamic cult, and to say it was creepy would be an understatement. He doesn’t give too much detail, but you get enough to form a pretty clear picture. Then, after being banished at 16, he falls prey to a counsellor. After suffering a lot of abuse, things didn’t end well, and Jesse goes on the run. Luckily for him, he ends up at the Den.
This was really sweet in that these two found each other, were exactly what they each needed, and supported each other to get to the point where things were going good for them. Jesse helped Noah experience and explore his sexuality something which he had not done in the past with either sex, and helped his confidence grow as a result. Noah was there for Jesse, never judging for any of his past or present and even accepting the differences in him (i.e. makeup, clothing, etc.).
As with the previous books, this one had similar feels and the same genuine theme of the Den family looking out for and taking care of those lucky enough to become a part of it. I’ve enjoyed meeting each of these characters and look forward to more. Noah got a little closer to coworker, Tristan, after confiding in him about his troubles. It seems that Tristan has a big story to tell, and I am probably most excited to see that play out.
RATING:
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