Rainy Days and Pajamas: Review & Giveaway: Come What May by A.M. Arthur

Title: Come What May

Author: A.M. Arthur

Series: All Saints #1

Version Reviewed: ARC, eBook

Website: www.amarthur.blogspot.com.au/

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis:

Jonas needs Tate. He just doesn't know it yet.
Or at least, he doesn't want to admit it. Because there is no way Jonas Ashcroft is gay. He's a straight, carefree frat boy player, just like any good son of a conservative state senator. If only his struggle to convince everyone—especially himself—didn't leave him so miserable. No matter how many girls or bottles he drowns himself in, Jonas can neither escape nor accept who he is.
Enter Tate. He's smart, confident, and instantly sees right through Jonas's surly exterior. Sure, he's done things in life he's not proud of, but he knows who he is and what he wants. And what he wants is Jonas. As their easy friendship intensifies into something more, Tate introduces Jonas to a life he's never known. One filled with acceptance and sex and a love that terrifies and excites them both.
But some inner demons refuse to be shaken off so easily. When Jonas's old life barges in, he faces a shattering choice, one that could destroy everything he and Tate have fought so hard for. Sometimes love just isn't enough—and sometimes it's exactly what you need.

Review:

I haven't been accepting review requests or taking on review copies for tours and stuff unless they're written by authors that I know and love, simply because I already have a huge TBR pile of review books and ARCs that I need to get through. Seriously, it's bad. But when I saw the cover of this book come through my email from Kismet and read the synopsis, I knew I had to give it a try. I love LGBTQIA books but I don't read many. It's just my opinion, but quite often the ones that do come through are poorly written and the characters jump straight to bed, do the dirty, maybe one conflict and they're done. I'm not really a fan of that. When I read books with couples of the same sex (or any type of characters, really) I want the delicious bedrooms scenes to be heightened by the build up. I want to feel something other than just turned on.

I'm happy to say that Come What May did not disappoint. I admit that I did think the story, relation-ship wise, went a little fast. At times it felt like Jonas moved a little too quickly into the lifestyle he'd apparently always fought against. At the beginning of the story, we really got no hint that Jonas was gay and I assumed that he was unaware of it at well. The way he internalized with himself as well as the way he interacted with Tate. Very quickly however, he was admitting to Tate that he had always known, to some degree, that he was gay and that he had pretty much spent his life repressing it. I do feel like that was a little odd at times. He kind of went from end of the spectrum to the other in a super short amount of time.

I also love that this story dealt with some serious issues. I know quite a few people that either question their sexuality or identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, etc. and I fucking HATE that a teenager, child, or even adult has to fear being thrown away by the people that should love them and support them the most because of who they are. I hate it so much. That is a kind of pain and suffering that someone is not able to understand fully unless they experience for themselves. Some of us end up never letting the people closest to us know who we fully are because we're afraid. And that sucks. No one should have to feel this way. I love that the Jonas and Tates story tackled that fully, from the shelter that Tate runs for homeless teens to the battle Jonas has to fight with his own father and mother. It was real and definitely important to the story.

Overall, I think this was a beautiful love story. The character were absolutely amazing and I fell in love with them. I'm curious as to what the author has in store for them in the rest of the All Saints series.

Rating: 4 Stars.

Excerpt

[Tate] bypassed the washer and dryer and sorting table, then knocked of Jonas’s door. Gave it to the count of five before turning the knob. Jonas was stretched out on a messy sofa bed, earbuds in and eyes shut. The same thing he did most nights, only this time he was hiding in his room instead of lingering on the back porch.

Tate closed the door, then leaned against it. Crossed his arms. Being alone in a room with the object of his interest maybe wasn’t the best plan, but it wasn’t as if Tate was going to pounce on the guy. He’d probably get punched in the face. Jonas wasn’t ripped but he wasn’t a slouch, either.

Not that Tate couldn’t defend himself. He’d learned how fast when he’d made the choice to hustle so his sisters and Mom could eat.

He gave Jonas a few minutes to notice him, until boredom set in. Done with the subtle approach, Tate marched over and bounced down onto the foot of the bed.

Jonas yelped as he jack-knifed into a sitting position, eyes flying open. His surprise shifted into a dark glare. “Jesus Christ, Tate, really?”

“Why are you avoiding me?”

“I didn’t feel like sitting outside. Doesn’t mean I’m avoiding you.”

“Nice deflection. We’re adults, Jonas. We can talk about what happened in the apartment.”

“Nothing happened in the apartment.”

“No?”

“No.”

Jonas’s glare was on full-force, but behind it was the hunger that Tate had glimpsed upstairs. It gave Tate hope that he hadn’t read Jonas wrong.

“Doris and Raymond know I’m gay,” Tate said.

“And?”

“And it wouldn’t be a big deal to them that you are too, and don’t tell me you’re not.”

Jonas crossed his arms. “What’s the point? You don’t listen to me anyway.”

“Talk to me,” Tate said. “People say I’m a good listener. Especially Addyson. When she gets going, I can’t get a word in edge-wise.”

Jonas’s lips twitched, then flattened. “I can’t be gay.”

“Why not? Dude, it’s not exactly a choice. It’s who you are.”

“Maybe, maybe not. But even if I was, it doesn’t mean I have to act on the impulse. Plenty of gay men stay in the closet, marry women, and have families.”

And are completely miserable their entire lives.

“Plenty of gay men leave the closet, marry men, and have families. Marriage is for all of us now, or didn’t you get the memo?”

Jonas drew his knees to his chest, as if needing his legs to shield himself.

Tate shifted a little closer. “Are you scared of what your parents will think?”

Bingo. Jonas dropped his forehead onto his knees, but not before Tate caught the flash of pain in his eyes.

“They won’t accept it, will they?” Tate asked.

Jonas shook his head. Tate’s heart broke for him.

Giveaway

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