Rush (Games Book 4)

This book is a spin off from Nyrae Dawn's "Four Summers". After I read that book I contacted Nyrae in a message expressing my appreciation for her creation of gay characters that felt like real people instead of the cliched gay characters that often populate contemporary fiction. I have friends and family that are gay so this is something that is important to me. Alec and Brandon had an authenticity that is hard to find and I really appreciated her care in crafting them. When she let me know she was writing their story I was excited and also a little nervous.I will admit to some trepidation before picking up this book. The cover seems to hint at an emphasis on steam. I always have mixed feeling about New Adult literature because it seems that it has come to mean that the steam and physical relationship between characters take precedence over the emotional connection. This always leaves me feeling a bit let down. I can't buy into a relationship having lasting ability if it is built mostly on lust. I don't mind some steam but it is often built up so that it overwhelms the emotional aspects as well as taking away from the plot. I am very happy to report that this is not the case for "Rush". Yes, there is a lot of steam. It did not, however overwhelm or take away from the other elements. It actually complemented it.That leads me to the second concern I had before beginning. I have never read a m/m romance. I was worried that by a straight woman reading it that it would feel almost exploitative, like a guy peeping to watch two girls having sex. We know how that is many guy's fantasy so somehow I worried that it would feel like that for me to read about m/m romance. I can't say for other books that have been written but for this book I am happy to report that I didn't feel uncomfortable at all.What works so well is the emotional and soul deep connection Nyrae creates between these two young men. I believed whole heartedly in their love. The lust never overshadows that, rather acts as a complement which is so rare in NA for me. It also highlights so much of what straight people take for granted in our relationships. The worries, fears and challenges for these two pulled at my heart. It is so authentic and heartfelt. I want to give examples but I think this is something best experienced by reading the book. It will make you think. Everything felt completely authentic and genuine. Even the sex scenes didn’t feel gratuitous but added to the sense of love, discovery and growth.Another thing Nyrae excels at is writing complex characters with good traits and flaws. She gets better with each of her books at letting us see the truth, for better or worse, in her characters. They flub up, they excel. They make bad and good decisions, they make selfish or uninformed choices and other times they are very selfless and caring. Sometimes they redeem themselves, or even partially so, and sometimes they do not. You’ll find those things all very true in this book.This book is going on my list of best New Adult books of all time and is one of the best books period that I’ve read in 2014. And this is coming for someone who thinks NA is okay, can be occasionally great, but has found most New Adult to be not her favorite.

4.5 stars -- I have been looking forward to this book for what feels like FOREVER. We were first introduced to Brandon and Alec in Four Summers, and they got me right from the start. Watching them struggle with who they were in that story already had me thinking, and made me desperate to know how their story would go. And Ms. Dawn did not disappoint. This book was everything I wanted it to be and more.I've read a few m/m romances before, but a lot of my exposure has been in the more erotic genre, and so I've never really had to think about all the different little things that would affect 2 young men trying to navigate in a world that likes to think it's liberal, but is just not quite there yet. So I loved getting to tag along on their journey. It just opened my eyes to so many little things that I think I take for granted (like being able to hold my hubby's hand without worrying if people are going to glare hatefully at me).So while the base reason I loved this book is that it's a love story, and I seriously love those, I think what sets it apart is the beautiful way it dealt with all the other things that go along with a simple love story for many in the LGBT community. It was eye opening, even to someone who didn't realize their eyes weren't completely open.OK, so back to the basics: holy wow does Ms. Dawn write characters well. And not just characters, but all those tummy tingling emotions of the beginnings of love. I LOVED the few flashbacks to when they were just teenagers and first dealing with acknowledging their feelings for each other. And the chemistry in the here and now?? *fans face* Oh yeah, TOUCHDOWN!OK OK, but back to characters -- you know what I love? That neither Alec nor Brandon were stereotypes. They were exactly who they were, not what the world expects them to be. They were Alec and Brandon -- who just happened to love guys. I find that refreshing, b/c I think we get caught having certain expectations of the gay community; but that's as silly as having expectations of the straight community. Sometimes I wonder how much harder it is for people who don't fit the stereotypes to come out -- b/c people use certain traits to define "being gay", and so might be thrown for a loop when you don't have those.OK, I seriously got off topic. Again. So maybe I should wrap this up. This is a beautiful love story, with 2 flawed individuals dealing with a world that's not as it should be. I laughed. I cried (ok, bawled, that phone call to Brandon's Dad? *heart exploded*). I swooned. And I fell into a state of intense satisfaction at the end. Yup, we have a winner.

I couldn't really give much more on this story as the plot was incredibly deceiving. Maybe I'm being a little bit weird here but this story was meant to be centralized around a bound growing out of the building of trust and stability in a shattered young mans life. It was going well for a little while but then as soon as Brandon moves in with Alec all this gets washed away by the oppressive homophobic issues, which is all well and good but it that was the case in the first place, just write about a teen getting bullied because someone keeps calling him 'queer'. The treatment after the accident is all glossed over and within chapters Brandon is running and going to the gym and not even doing what his doctor tells him to. And then all of a sudden Alec inspires him? No. That wouldn't happen. This story could have been made longer and more compelling by the progression of building up the trust and gradually getting back on his feet. Not they move in together and Brandon is suddenly well again.

This one touched me. Deeply.I'm not sure why because the premise is nothing new; friends to lovers, one semi out boy and his football playing 'straight' friend; the required amount of angst thrown in.But somehow this one is different.It's sweet and heart warming and it made me feel.I felt for Alec and for Brandon and even for Logan. I liked him.I felt their pain and confusion. Their worry, their longing, their hopelessness.They are beautiful together. Special.It's the most YA book I've read in a while so the emphasis is on 'sweet' rather than 'hot' but it suited the story and while I'd have loved a bit of smut it didn't take anything away from the book for me.It gave me all the feels.

Was this my third or fourth read of this glorious book? Want a great m/m romance or to understand some of the challenges facing gay professional sports or young LGBT struggling with relationships/family/friends? Or looking for a great holiday read....Nyrae Dawn has written a novel that will not only stand the test of time but widen understanding of what it's like to love and be loved gay or straight. Highly recommended.

A coming of age story but with so much heart and emotion, there were tears! Told from both lead character's POV the reader really gets to know and love both Alex & Brandon, and go on the journey with them. One of the best m/m, and also one of the best stories I've read about coming to terms with your homosexuality and coming out. A definite keeper, you won't regret buying this book.

I am a big fan of all Nyrae's books. So was excited for this book, and i wasn't disappointed.Having met Alec and Brandon briefly met them in 'Four Summers' was intrigued to find out more.The Struggles these guys go through to find themselves and to finally accept who they are is inspiring.The fact people have to got through such a hard time just to be with the person they love and to be who they are with the worry there friends and family won't accept them, makes me really sad.I feel this is a subject that maybe not all authors would feel comfortable writing about and you can feel in this book how important this subject is to Nyrae and a massive high five for doing this subject and characters justice.