Rating: 4
Steam: 3
PoV: dual, 3rd person
Series: Contested Possession
Genre: contemporary romance, MM
Main tropes: teammates, first time, sexual discovery
So, I couldn’t resist a story with this in its description: “This Is My Church carves a path through gangbangs, benders and a whole lot of praying to find out what it means to be truly loved.” And ohhhh my, did it deliver!
Lacy and Thad’s story was raw and emotional, and I loved seeing their relationship development as they went from teammates, to friends, to more. They were opposites attract to the extreme – Lacy being wild and pretty care free, partying and using substances, while Thad was heavily religious, living by the expectations placed on him by his family and faith. They were two characters that shouldn’t work, and there were moments when anything lasting between them felt pretty impossible, but they got their HEA in the end.
Both characters were flawed, and it was what gave their story a lot of rawness and feels – they both made mistakes and paid for them. There was a lot of character growth and development for both of them, and it made for an angsty read. I struggled with some of the things Thad did and how he handled some of the situations, but it was also easy to see how lost and confused he was feeling.
This Is My Church was an interesting read, and while I thought it would be a bit more low angst and spicier than it was, I found myself pleasantly surprised with what I got instead. Sasha Avice had me emotionally invested in the story from early on, and it was difficult not to root for Lacy and Thad despite their ups and downs. It was a story that tugged at the corners of my comfort zone, but it was definitely worth the read – the relationship and character developments were fantastic and I loved the tension, emotions and angst!
“Ya know, for a church boy,” Lacy tugged on his hair. Thad looked up. “You’re about the filthiest dude I ever met.”
Thad blushed, but he leaned up and whispered his reply against Lacy’s lips. “I am, but just for you.”
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