Rating: 4.5
Steam: 3
PoV: dual, 1st person
Series: Lost Boys #4
Genre: contemporary romance, MM
Tropes / tags: age gap, size difference, love after loss
“Thank you for letting me sit with you,” I said, my voice barely audible. Major’s arm tightened around me ever so slightly.
“You never have to cry alone, Ren.”
The Steady was a beautiful and emotional wrap up to a great series!
I knew that this story would hit hard, and there were times I was sobbing while reading, but it was also full of heart warming, hopeful and romantic moments. I loved Ren and Major together, and rooted hard for them from the first chapter. Major was a total caretaker, and the hurt / comfort and support between these two was beautifully written.
Ren and Mr. Paige had a long history together and I loved the letters that Mr. Paige had left behind, even if Ren didn’t always agree with what was said in them. There were scenes where I laughed through my tears, especially during the conversations Ren had with Mr. Paige’s urn. The feelings of familiarity and love during those conversation was intense, and it was almost tangible how much Ren missed his husband and best friend.
Ren and Major’s story had a few ups and downs, but Major was always steady in his support and comfort of Ren, even if his own feelings ended up being hurt. He understood Ren’s grief and I loved how he made sure to include Mr. Paige in his own ways, and never expected Ren to completely ‘move on’. There were a lot of sweet and romantic moments between them, and the little notes Major wrote on the jam jars he left for Ren was adorable.
The Steady was a heartfelt ending to this series, and definitely an emotional roller coaster. I think that Kelly Fox did a fantastic job with Ren’s grief though, and it was written in a way that felt both nuanced and realistic. I’ve really enjoyed spending time in the small town of Seguin with Mr. Paige’s Lost Boys, and I’ve loved seeing these characters reconnect with each other and finding their partners. It’s been a great series that I very much recommend if you want small town romances with strong found family vibes and lots of feels!
“I don’t think that a prerequisite for opening your heart again is ‘getting over’ the love of your life,” I reiterated. “I think everything just gets bigger and adjusts for it. You can and will love Robert as much as you always have.” This next bit was the scary part. “You don’t have to stop loving him to love me.”
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