Book: Stick Around by E.M. Lindsey
Reviewed by Maggie Hayes
Rating: 4.5/5
ARC REVIEW
Stick Around by @emlindseyauthor
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½ (4.5/5)
This is a true enemies-to-lovers story. Jonah and Alexio have a VERY bumpy road to love, filled with assumptions, ignorance, and plenty of hate sex. Neither wants to want the other, but the chemistry between them is overwhelming. The intensity of their dislike makes their eventual love feel that much more earned.
Jonah has been a favorite of mine since his introduction in the first Punk as Puck book. I loved peeling back his layers here and learning more about his relationships with his parents and brothers. He carries deep-seated trauma from the way their mother “advocated” for their blindness and from their father’s neglect. He also has complicated feelings about caring for his ailing father, whose mental faculties are rapidly deteriorating. My heart broke for him as he tried to navigate it all.
I wasn’t completely sold on Alexio at the beginning, but I should have known better. Yes, he’s extremely ignorant about both the PPHL and Jonah’s family dynamic, and he makes a lot of assumptions — but that’s what makes him human. It takes a stern talking-to (and plenty of Jonah’s sass), but he educates himself and becomes a true ally on both fronts. The support he provides Jonah as he cares for his father is invaluable.
I’m excited to see where the next book in this spin-off series goes. The Punk as Puck series remains my favorite of all the E.M. Lindsey books I’ve read, and I love getting more of that world.
Thank you to @ theauthor.agency for the ARC!
For fans of:
🏒 Hockey Romance | 💥 Enemies to Lovers | 🔥 Enemies with Benefits | ⏳ Age Gap | 🏳️🌈 MM Romance | 🏒 Hockey Bro Banter | ♿ Disability Rep | 😮💨 Praise Kink
StickAround #EMLindsey #PunkAsPuck #LegendsAndFury #HockeyRomance #MMHockeyRomance #SportsRomance #EnemiesToLovers #EnemiesWithBenefits #AgeGapRomance #DisabilityRep #PraiseKink #BookstagramReads #ARCReview