Reviewed by Cindy
TITLE: You’re My Home
AUTHOR: Katie Moore
PUBLISHER: Winter Fairytale Publishing LLC
LENGTH: 460 Pages
RELEASE DATE: July 6, 2021
BLURB:
A love story you can live in…
Zach
Brady is my overprotective best friend, and I love him like this. He’s so much bigger than me and makes me feel safe. We are opposites in so many ways, but when I’m cuddled up against him and he reads to me, all those differences fade away. Brady promises to be friends forever, but what will he say when he finds out my secret? Will I lose my best friend and the boy I love more than life itself?
Brady
Zach is so tiny and tenderhearted. All I want to do is protect him from the world. He’s my sweet bookworm and never wants to hurt anyone. I love my best friend, but how do I give him all of me when I don’t understand myself yet? If nothing else, I can shower him with all the acceptance and love he deserves.
Zach and Brady come from completely different social and religious backgrounds, but they don’t let that weaken their friendship. Both teens have to go through a journey of self-discovery, including all the heartaches and joys that come with growing up. As they get older, will they find themselves and how they fit together?
You’re my Home is a sweet and emotional coming of age story. It’s a slow-burn, hurt/comfort, teen best friends to adult lovers romance. There will be tears, laughter, new friends, and steamy lovemaking as Zach and Brady learn the meaning of true acceptance of oneself and others.
**Trigger warnings: domestic violence, trauma, PTSD, and religious homophobia.
REVIEW:
Zack and Brady come together when they are very young, like 12 years old. They basically grow up together and that’s part of what makes this a sweet story.
Zack was emotionally and physically abused his whole life and his connection with Brady is the only thing that saved him, literally and figuratively. The connection with them is strong right from the very beginning.
I loved how Brady’s family was so open and welcoming to Zack. It was something he desperately needed. How wonderful they are is also a very effective foil to the horrible way Zack’s own parents treated him and it made the abuse he suffered all that more stark.
However, I did have a few issues. After a while, it started to feel sort of creepy. I would have enjoyed this story so much more if Zack had figured out how to stand on his own two feet more sturdily instead of just relying on Brady for everything. It gave me a few “Stockholm Syndrome” vibes that kind of dulled my enjoyment of the story. The connection between Zack and Brady can be seen as “soulmates” but it could also be seen as the worst kind of co-dependancy and while some people might see that as romantic, I just did not.
I think it would have been a much better story if both guys would have spent time actually learning how to be independant and self sufficient instead of just limping long sadly when they are apart. Brady’s journey of self-discovery seemed a little off to me, like the author was trying too hard to make it seem dramatic, but mostly he just comes off as kind of deliberately obtuse.
However, I am a sucker for a happy ending and this story has it in spades. It took a while but they finally get things figured out and we are left with a “riding off into the sunset” feeling.
I will say, I would have liked Kelly and Connor (Zack and Brady’s best friends) to have had their own story, but I did enjoy watching them tease each other a lot.
All in all, it’s not a bad story. I can see why the author thought it was a good idea and people who like things a little more sappy will probably love it. I did find myself not being able to put it down until I was done, so I did get me very involved. I would read a story by this author again.
RATING: 
BUY LINK: