Reviewed by Taylin
TITLE: Commitment Issues
SERIES: Silver Foxes MM Romance #1
AUTHOR: Ali Ryecart
PUBLISHER: Self-Published
LENGTH: 392 pages
RELEASE DATE: March 9, 2021
BLURB:
From fake date to friends with benefits, commitment’s not an issue
Elliot
Freddie’s way too young. I’m twice his age and old enough to be his father. He’s an adorable mix of sexy, smart, sassy, shy and sweet. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to be forced into taking him as my fake date to my oldest friend’s wedding, just because my cheating ex will be there.
Freddie
Elliot’s everything I want in a man, he’s my ultimate silver fox fantasy. But I’ve had my heart ripped out by an older guy before, and I’ve vowed it’ll never happen again. So why have I let myself be talked into posing as Elliot’s arm candy at a posh wedding?
From fake date to friends with benefits, commitment’s not part of the deal. So where does falling in love fit in?
◆◆◆Commitment Issues is a May-December MM romance. Expect to find plenty of snark, a touch of angst, friends who think they know best, slow burn sexual tension leading to high heat. And a scruffy mutt of a dog. HEA guaranteed◆◆◆
REVIEW:
Elliot is one of the best men at his best friend’s wedding. Unfortunately, the other one is his recent ex, who wasn’t his ex when the event was planned. Elliot’s role in the wedding means he can’t get out of going either. James, a friend of Elliot’s, puts Freddie in his path.
I’m going to start with the technicalities because I’m in gush mode – I absolutely loved this story.
Commitment Issues is told in the first person, present tense from Elliot and Freddie’s viewpoints. Other than that, nothing else on the grammatical front stood out. I was so engrossed in the story that I even forgot to make notes while I read.
Freddie and Elliot are both emerging from relationships where their hearts have been crushed. Neither is ready for any commitment, but the chemistry between them is palpable. Much of the story is taken up with a – they want to but won’t/will they-won’t they, scenario. Given what the two previously survived and that both Elliot and Freddie are thinking men, it is no wonder that head and heart are locked in battle, and their spoken agreement is the fallback position.
There is so much to love about this story. The setting is mainly in London, with the protagonists hailing from elsewhere in the UK. Local phrasing that I was familiar with was a pleasure to read alongside the British humor that not all nationalities get, but I was on home soil and lapped it up. I liked the up-front honesty between the men re their agreement too. Other than their true feelings, nothing was hidden. Oh, and when Freddie was Elliot’s arm candy/armory, the sarcasm was bloody brilliant.
Interactions with their friends were also excellent. Brutal honesty reined with a hefty dose of caring. Yet, underneath it all, there’s that element of insecurity and self-deprecation that was endearing.
The cast isn’t big, either, which made them memorable and, consequently, the story’s nuances easy to follow. The backgrounds of Elliot and Freddie also allowed for varied worldbuilding and scenarios.
Yes – in a nutshell, this was a crackin story to read.
RATING: 
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