Reviewed by Cindy
TITLE: Castles in the Air
AUTHOR: Felice Stevens
PUBLISHER: Good Man Press
LENGTH: 292 Pages
RELEASE DATE: August 26th, 2024
BLURB:
One heartbroken, lonely man
Another man struggling to find his life again
Ryan Matson dreams of a new life, one with a future where drugs aren’t in control. But lying to himself isn’t helping him achieve that goal. Neither is pretending he’s sober, especially not with Logan Silver, his one-night stand and longtime crush. When Ryan’s world implodes and all his hopes for a fresh start vanish, he heads down a familiar, self-destructive path, doing what he does best: running and hiding. Only this time, he’s got Logan Silver searching for him.
And Logan won’t stop until he finds him.
Logan Silver is the man who has everything and yet nothing at all. After losing his brother to drugs years ago, Logan is heartbroken, unable to regain his footing or open himself to others. Except to Ryan, the only one to break through the pain that haunts him each day. He is driven by a need to protect Ryan, to give him all he can—a home, a chance at a fresh start…everything, no strings attached. Then Ryan disappears, taking Logan’s trust with him. And when he returns, insisting on keeping his distance, Logan feels like he’s been used. And nobody uses Logan.
Logan and Ryan are unable to deny their attraction, but this time has to be different: no more lying to themselves and each other. Logan must let go of his heartbreak and fear to support Ryan as he discovers his own way. Because Ryan doesn’t need a savior. He needs to own his truth, believe in himself, and accept that he deserves to be happy. Only then can the two have a future together—one built on a foundation of love and trust—that won’t vanish like clouds in thin air.
From Lambda Literary Award winning author Felice Stevens comes an emotional, thrilling new MM romance full of heartbreak, hope and ultimately love. It’s filled with angst, true friendship, and swoony, steamy moments. And of course an epic happily ever after.
Be advised there is on-page discussion of substance abuse and mental health issues.
REVIEW:
Logan and Ryan met when Ryan was almost at his rock bottom. But even then, there was something about him that Logan couldn’t forget about.
This is a story about two men who stand on opposite sides of alcohol addiction. Ryan is a user who lost everything to alcohol and drugs. Logan is a man who lost someone he loved to the same disease. And he wants to make sure that he doesn’t lose Ryan.
This wasn’t an easy read but I’m glad that I found this story. Watching these two men slowly find their way back to each other was nothing short of beautiful. Seeing Ryan work so hard to get control of his life was very inspiring.
Both men have some good friends in this story, although some of them came across as a little selfish to me. I understand wanting what’s best for someone you love but you should also trust those people to make the best choices for themselves.
There were some truly heartbreaking moments in this story but addiction is a heartbreaking affliction. If you are triggered by alcohol or drug use, it is only talked about it happening off page so I hope that you will give this book a chance.
Logan’s journey to understanding addiction and how to deal with it in the people he cares about is truly enlightening. I’ve been in his shoes, trying to figure out how to help someone I love break free of the demons that keep pulling them under. I think the hardest part is learning that you can’t fix this situation for anyone. They have to be willing to do the work themselves and if they won’t, nothing you can say or do will change their minds. It’s one of the most devastating truths of life.
Their happily-ever-after is something that is so hard won and it left me cheering. The author did a great job of creating endearing characters that are easy to root for. I think this is a first story for me from this author but it won’t be the last!
RATING: 
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