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Graceless #1
Graceless
One young man with a secret that can damage a political career and his family’s reputation.
One superstar on the rise with a secret that can destroy the other man’s life.
Their fates shouldn’t have collided�
Except one of them takes matters into his own hands.
College student Dylan Watson has spent the past three years mourning the mysterious death of his beloved sister and hating her bandmate–he's convinced Iodine’s lead singer Kai Delisa had something to do with Ava’s "accident." When her old band unexpectedly signs a massive record deal with a major label, Dylan decides to do what he should have done years ago–find out exactly what happened that tragic night.
For an up-and-coming rock star, Kai isn't an easy man to track down. There's precious little info about him online, and what's there is more confusing than enlightening. But when Dylan’s and Kai's paths finally cross, the meeting triggers a chain of events that unravels Dylan’s life and shatters the cherished image of his sister.
What’s worse? Kai threatens the one secret Dylan has tried to hide since high he likes men. And despite years of hating Kai, their time together makes two things crystal clear. Dylan's attracted to him, and that attraction is mutual.
Torn between the dark past he can’t shake off and the uncertain future he might be able to have if he dares to give in to the allure of the intense chemistry he has with Kai, Dylan is now facing some hard choices.
Graceless is a high-angst, slow-burn MM romance that explores the following depression, mental illness, suicide, and abuse.
_________
Graceless is the first installment of the duet. Dylan and Kai’s story concludes in Faithful.
One superstar on the rise with a secret that can destroy the other man’s life.
Their fates shouldn’t have collided�
Except one of them takes matters into his own hands.
College student Dylan Watson has spent the past three years mourning the mysterious death of his beloved sister and hating her bandmate–he's convinced Iodine’s lead singer Kai Delisa had something to do with Ava’s "accident." When her old band unexpectedly signs a massive record deal with a major label, Dylan decides to do what he should have done years ago–find out exactly what happened that tragic night.
For an up-and-coming rock star, Kai isn't an easy man to track down. There's precious little info about him online, and what's there is more confusing than enlightening. But when Dylan’s and Kai's paths finally cross, the meeting triggers a chain of events that unravels Dylan’s life and shatters the cherished image of his sister.
What’s worse? Kai threatens the one secret Dylan has tried to hide since high he likes men. And despite years of hating Kai, their time together makes two things crystal clear. Dylan's attracted to him, and that attraction is mutual.
Torn between the dark past he can’t shake off and the uncertain future he might be able to have if he dares to give in to the allure of the intense chemistry he has with Kai, Dylan is now facing some hard choices.
Graceless is a high-angst, slow-burn MM romance that explores the following depression, mental illness, suicide, and abuse.
_________
Graceless is the first installment of the duet. Dylan and Kai’s story concludes in Faithful.
362 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 30, 2022
205 people are currently reading
798 people want to read
About the author
N.N. Britt
18books702followersN.N. Britt is a Los Angeles-based music journalist and photographer. Her photos have graced T-shirts, billboards, and CD covers. She pens realistic, thought-provoking novels about today's world of art and music and the flawed people who live in it. When she's not writing or drinking coffee, she's probably reading or attending a heavy metal show.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
June 30, 2022
Available Now!!
You can feed me a big ol' spoon of true enemies-to-lovers any-damn-day and I 👏🏾 will👏🏾 eat👏🏾 that 👏🏾ish 👏🏾up! This one served and it served pipping hot!
Fair warning, this is book 1 of a duet. So yes, there is a cliffhanger (nothing too major imo). Clearly I am a masochist, and now wish I had both books to binge. Even worse, I'm a sad masochist...booo
How are you supposed to hate someone who looks like your worst nightmare crossbred with your wettest dream?
When I started reading, I honestly didn't know what I was getting myself into lmao yes, I read the blurb 😂. I didn't expect how much it would consume and engross me. At first it was slow, almost excruciatingly. But there was something about the atmosphere of the story that begged my rapt attention, and I'm glad I stayed. Then it picked up and for the life of me, I couldn't put it down 😩
He has lashes and limbs and hair for days and everything about him screams trouble and I can’t look away.
Graceless is told solely from Dylan's POV and opens at a critical time in his life where to me, it felt like openly watching a person drown and not having the means to pull them to safety. Still reeling from the death of sister (three years prior), something about him felt...unsettled, and rightly so. I meann growing up wealthy but in a shitty home can do that to a person. There was so much about his identity that felt askew and disorganized; and it reflected even in his thoughts and reactions. The beginning of the book is full of inner monologues seeped in sadness and pain and I just wanted to hug the damn boy gahh 😭
I’m a splintered singularity floating aimlessly through the stream of seemingly unrelated events that make up my existence
Whether in an attempt to find closure or simply to channel his rage, he finds a new obsession in the events surrounding his sister's death almost to the point of becoming unhinged. His obsession leads him to stalking Kai....Kai, who is shrouded in so much mystery that even after reading this first 'episode' I have not the darndest clue who he really is 🥴🥴 All I know is that he's wicked smart, witty, never straightforward with his answers, and definitely has a dark past. Oh! And he drives a Dodge Grand Caravan which is so not on brand with his broodiness but like I respect it. And while they were naturally enemies, Kai and Dylan to each other were also like moths to a flame. Try as they may, they couldn't stay away from each other. I loved them together, I loved their banter, their subtle touches, their aggressive kisses 🥵
I know I want to ruin him in every way possible, in every way you can ruin another person.
This was a true enemies-to-lovers in the sense that there is such animosity between them, that even when the reader thinks the ice may be thinning, a cold draft suddenly blows through them again. It was perfection to me. And while it didn't feel angsty, it definitely had a somber texture to the words and the prose. OHMYGAWD THE PROSE. THIS. AUTHOR. CAN. FREAKING. WRITE. 😩 This was so beautifully pieced together, laced with metaphors, and all-that-good-stuff-that-i-just-cant-find-the-words-for but are well reflected in my pages and pages of highlights and bookmarks!!
I will do anything to read book 2 right this second 😭😭 I want moreeee Kai and Dylan please 🙏🏾
You can feed me a big ol' spoon of true enemies-to-lovers any-damn-day and I 👏🏾 will👏🏾 eat👏🏾 that 👏🏾ish 👏🏾up! This one served and it served pipping hot!
Fair warning, this is book 1 of a duet. So yes, there is a cliffhanger (nothing too major imo). Clearly I am a masochist, and now wish I had both books to binge. Even worse, I'm a sad masochist...booo
How are you supposed to hate someone who looks like your worst nightmare crossbred with your wettest dream?
When I started reading, I honestly didn't know what I was getting myself into lmao yes, I read the blurb 😂. I didn't expect how much it would consume and engross me. At first it was slow, almost excruciatingly. But there was something about the atmosphere of the story that begged my rapt attention, and I'm glad I stayed. Then it picked up and for the life of me, I couldn't put it down 😩
He has lashes and limbs and hair for days and everything about him screams trouble and I can’t look away.
Graceless is told solely from Dylan's POV and opens at a critical time in his life where to me, it felt like openly watching a person drown and not having the means to pull them to safety. Still reeling from the death of sister (three years prior), something about him felt...unsettled, and rightly so. I meann growing up wealthy but in a shitty home can do that to a person. There was so much about his identity that felt askew and disorganized; and it reflected even in his thoughts and reactions. The beginning of the book is full of inner monologues seeped in sadness and pain and I just wanted to hug the damn boy gahh 😭
I’m a splintered singularity floating aimlessly through the stream of seemingly unrelated events that make up my existence
Whether in an attempt to find closure or simply to channel his rage, he finds a new obsession in the events surrounding his sister's death almost to the point of becoming unhinged. His obsession leads him to stalking Kai....Kai, who is shrouded in so much mystery that even after reading this first 'episode' I have not the darndest clue who he really is 🥴🥴 All I know is that he's wicked smart, witty, never straightforward with his answers, and definitely has a dark past. Oh! And he drives a Dodge Grand Caravan which is so not on brand with his broodiness but like I respect it. And while they were naturally enemies, Kai and Dylan to each other were also like moths to a flame. Try as they may, they couldn't stay away from each other. I loved them together, I loved their banter, their subtle touches, their aggressive kisses 🥵
I know I want to ruin him in every way possible, in every way you can ruin another person.
This was a true enemies-to-lovers in the sense that there is such animosity between them, that even when the reader thinks the ice may be thinning, a cold draft suddenly blows through them again. It was perfection to me. And while it didn't feel angsty, it definitely had a somber texture to the words and the prose. OHMYGAWD THE PROSE. THIS. AUTHOR. CAN. FREAKING. WRITE. 😩 This was so beautifully pieced together, laced with metaphors, and all-that-good-stuff-that-i-just-cant-find-the-words-for but are well reflected in my pages and pages of highlights and bookmarks!!
I will do anything to read book 2 right this second 😭😭 I want moreeee Kai and Dylan please 🙏🏾
December 30, 2022
4.5 stars.
Swoon /5 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
Angst /5 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺
Steam /5 ♨️♨️♨️♨️
Plot /5 🧐🧐🧐🧐🧐
LOLs /5 🤭
I love being surprised by new authors for me! And this book was�.. well, A LOT. In a “hurts so good� kinda way.
Angst first. The angst is off the Richter, and pretty much through the whole book. Right from the start. This book won’t be for everyone because it is a hard slog through the angst. The kind of heart-aching, chest-crushing, tear-inducing sadness. Dylan is the gay son of a conservative, religious-in-name-only senator, forced into the closet by his tyrannical father. His life is one sh*tshow after another. After a family tragedy, Dylan comes across Kai, the lead singer in the band his sister used to be a part of. And Dylan HATES him. In an obsessive and destructive way. Until he realises his obsession has turned from hate to desire.
Swoon: Once Dylan gets to know more about the darkly enigmatic Kai, the sexual tension between these two is so SOOOO bloody *fan-yourself* swoony. Deliciously, luxuriously swoony.
Steam: It takes a long time for the boys to do much more than kiss, but even that is written in such a way that the anticipation is ultra s3xy. Turn the air con up, because it’s getting HOT in here!
Plot: Unpredictable, written so very well to tease you with hints that keep you devouring it. One of those books that it hurts to read, but you still can’t put it down. And a warning - this is Part 1 of a duology & it ends on a cliffhanger, so you might want to wait until Part 2 is available..
LOLs: Yeah, there’s none of that to see here.
Despite all the angst, I bloody loved this, and am eagerly jumping into Part 2 now.
I gratefully received an advance copy from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest feedback. Check out my reviews and MM content on Instagram, Facebook, and Bookbub, all under the same name!
Swoon /5 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
Angst /5 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺
Steam /5 ♨️♨️♨️♨️
Plot /5 🧐🧐🧐🧐🧐
LOLs /5 🤭
I love being surprised by new authors for me! And this book was�.. well, A LOT. In a “hurts so good� kinda way.
Angst first. The angst is off the Richter, and pretty much through the whole book. Right from the start. This book won’t be for everyone because it is a hard slog through the angst. The kind of heart-aching, chest-crushing, tear-inducing sadness. Dylan is the gay son of a conservative, religious-in-name-only senator, forced into the closet by his tyrannical father. His life is one sh*tshow after another. After a family tragedy, Dylan comes across Kai, the lead singer in the band his sister used to be a part of. And Dylan HATES him. In an obsessive and destructive way. Until he realises his obsession has turned from hate to desire.
Swoon: Once Dylan gets to know more about the darkly enigmatic Kai, the sexual tension between these two is so SOOOO bloody *fan-yourself* swoony. Deliciously, luxuriously swoony.
Steam: It takes a long time for the boys to do much more than kiss, but even that is written in such a way that the anticipation is ultra s3xy. Turn the air con up, because it’s getting HOT in here!
Plot: Unpredictable, written so very well to tease you with hints that keep you devouring it. One of those books that it hurts to read, but you still can’t put it down. And a warning - this is Part 1 of a duology & it ends on a cliffhanger, so you might want to wait until Part 2 is available..
LOLs: Yeah, there’s none of that to see here.
Despite all the angst, I bloody loved this, and am eagerly jumping into Part 2 now.
I gratefully received an advance copy from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest feedback. Check out my reviews and MM content on Instagram, Facebook, and Bookbub, all under the same name!
June 15, 2022
Just, woooow. Love. A must for my fellow music nerds. Deftones references FTW!
Don’t even try to rush this story because it’s meant to be savored.
Crazy need book 2 now!
One more thing, Kai Delisa = everything 😍
I’m directing you to ұǰ’s most perfect and thorough review that says everything.
Go read it! (the review and the book, both 5 stars)
Mental note: 90%-95%
Don’t even try to rush this story because it’s meant to be savored.
Crazy need book 2 now!
One more thing, Kai Delisa = everything 😍
I’m directing you to ұǰ’s most perfect and thorough review that says everything.
Go read it! (the review and the book, both 5 stars)
Mental note: 90%-95%
July 3, 2022
I really hate GR sometimes � for recommending me books that look so good at first glance, from the interesting blurb to the raving reviews, but in reality are, for lack of a better word, a MESS.
Reading this book was a painful experience. I actually hate myself a little right now, because I wasted one (1) of my rare days off reading this!! I wanted to dnf since reaching 20% or so, but I was also curious how the supposed ‘enemies-to-lovers� romance would progress, since I thought one of the MCs had potential, so I read on, and on� By then I was over the halfway mark, so I decided to just bite the bullet and finish it.
The writing style was ok � stylistically and grammatically, even if it was pretty OTT sometimes � and that’s the only reason I’m not giving it ONE star instead. I did finish it, after all. Everything else, though� 💀
The narration was very chaotic. I did NOT like Dylan’s POV at all, and the way he kept going off on tangents, dredging up some random events from his past disoriented me. Actually, I did not like Dylan, period. He was just unpleasant, with serious anger management issues. The ‘enemies-to-lovers� tag was a joke, too,
The romance was supposed to be a slow-burn, but the way I saw it, it was insta-lust The MCs spent a lot of time apart, but when they were together, the things were moving at a pretty fast clip � is that the definition of ‘slow-burn� these days? 🤔
Kai was alright. I’d like to get his backstory, but alas, that won’t happen, as I won’t be continuing this series.
Reading this book was a painful experience. I actually hate myself a little right now, because I wasted one (1) of my rare days off reading this!! I wanted to dnf since reaching 20% or so, but I was also curious how the supposed ‘enemies-to-lovers� romance would progress, since I thought one of the MCs had potential, so I read on, and on� By then I was over the halfway mark, so I decided to just bite the bullet and finish it.
The writing style was ok � stylistically and grammatically, even if it was pretty OTT sometimes � and that’s the only reason I’m not giving it ONE star instead. I did finish it, after all. Everything else, though� 💀
The narration was very chaotic. I did NOT like Dylan’s POV at all, and the way he kept going off on tangents, dredging up some random events from his past disoriented me. Actually, I did not like Dylan, period. He was just unpleasant, with serious anger management issues. The ‘enemies-to-lovers� tag was a joke, too,
The romance was supposed to be a slow-burn, but the way I saw it, it was insta-lust The MCs spent a lot of time apart, but when they were together, the things were moving at a pretty fast clip � is that the definition of ‘slow-burn� these days? 🤔
Kai was alright. I’d like to get his backstory, but alas, that won’t happen, as I won’t be continuing this series.
July 2, 2022
"It's like something you know is bad. You know it poisons you more and more each time you take another hit, but you just can't stop. You can't stop because it's a part of you now. You're it and it is you. A symbiosis."
You know when you just pick up a book because someone you trust (thanks again Gloria!) recommended it and within the first paragraph you just know that it's going to be one of your favourite books? Well yeah, meet by .
This is the first book in a duet, so be warned, it does finish on a mild cliffhanger and you're going to need book 2 (out on 14 July) without delay.
On a very basic level, this is a rock star romance, a true enemies-to-lovers, slow burn, high angst, dark romance. But it's so much more than that. It is beautifully written, just stunningly so. is a new to me author so I had no expectations. But seriously, this was next level.
is written from just one POV, one of our MCs, Dylan Watson. Dylan is still trying to deal with his sister's death a few years previously and holds her bandmate Kai Delisa responsible for it.
"If god and the devil had a child, that child would look like Kai Delisa. Both vulnerable and sinful."
Their band, Iodine, has just hit the big time and lead singer Kai is the next rock god. He's an enigma, shrouded in mystery and Dylan is determined to unravel all the secrets. But in doing that, he may well just unravel a few secrets of his own....
5 unputdownable stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐�
You know when you just pick up a book because someone you trust (thanks again Gloria!) recommended it and within the first paragraph you just know that it's going to be one of your favourite books? Well yeah, meet by .
This is the first book in a duet, so be warned, it does finish on a mild cliffhanger and you're going to need book 2 (out on 14 July) without delay.
On a very basic level, this is a rock star romance, a true enemies-to-lovers, slow burn, high angst, dark romance. But it's so much more than that. It is beautifully written, just stunningly so. is a new to me author so I had no expectations. But seriously, this was next level.
is written from just one POV, one of our MCs, Dylan Watson. Dylan is still trying to deal with his sister's death a few years previously and holds her bandmate Kai Delisa responsible for it.
"If god and the devil had a child, that child would look like Kai Delisa. Both vulnerable and sinful."
Their band, Iodine, has just hit the big time and lead singer Kai is the next rock god. He's an enigma, shrouded in mystery and Dylan is determined to unravel all the secrets. But in doing that, he may well just unravel a few secrets of his own....
5 unputdownable stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐�
July 11, 2022
Update 7/10/22 - After finishing the second book, I am going to do something I've never done before and bump my original rating for this one from 4 stars to 5. I get it now. I understand completely.
I don't know how to review this book because I can't put my finger on exactly what I liked about it, I just know that I really, really liked it. There was something about the slow pace coupled with the conversational way it was written that got its hooks in me almost immediately. I didn't want to put it down. And now I am full on pining for the next book.
Usually my enjoyment of a book is wrapped up in my feelings towards the characters, but I didn't like Dylan very much. His anger issues, stalking tendencies, demanding nature and persistent disregard for his best friend didn't endear him to me. I felt bad for him in a lot of ways, especially in regards to his sister and his horrible dad, and I respected that he wanted to live his life differently from what was expected of him, but I struggled to sympathize with him at times. And Kai...I felt like I could've liked him, but I didn't get the chance to know him since the entire book was in Dylan's POV. Sometimes a single POV works for me because I want the other character to remain mysterious, but I lost count of how many times I wanted to scream "let me in Kai's head!" while reading this. I hope he'll have some, if not all, of the chapters in the next book because I desperately need his thoughts and perspective.
This story definitely embraced the enemies-to-lovers vibe. I love it when an author gets this trope right and this one did, IMO. The feelings of hate were slightly one sided and mixed up with large doses of lust and obsession, but their origin felt authentic and believable. And I liked the journey those feelings took Dylan on, even though it led to a lot of bad decisions.
I'm glad the next book comes out soon because I have questions that need answers and I'm itching to see how the rest of the story plays out. I'm so curious about Kai and all of the new developments that cropped up at the end of this book. I also hope for some closure with Hayden. I can't help but wonder if that boy is okay. Where some duets irritate me because they come across as a money grab, this one feels necessary and I can't wait to get my grabby hands on .
Oh, one thing that has been bothering me - in the foreword the author mentions Dylan having a neurodevelopmental disorder, but I don't recall it ever being addressed in the book. Did I miss something? He came across as neurotypical to me so I'm a little confused.
I don't know how to review this book because I can't put my finger on exactly what I liked about it, I just know that I really, really liked it. There was something about the slow pace coupled with the conversational way it was written that got its hooks in me almost immediately. I didn't want to put it down. And now I am full on pining for the next book.
Usually my enjoyment of a book is wrapped up in my feelings towards the characters, but I didn't like Dylan very much. His anger issues, stalking tendencies, demanding nature and persistent disregard for his best friend didn't endear him to me. I felt bad for him in a lot of ways, especially in regards to his sister and his horrible dad, and I respected that he wanted to live his life differently from what was expected of him, but I struggled to sympathize with him at times. And Kai...I felt like I could've liked him, but I didn't get the chance to know him since the entire book was in Dylan's POV. Sometimes a single POV works for me because I want the other character to remain mysterious, but I lost count of how many times I wanted to scream "let me in Kai's head!" while reading this. I hope he'll have some, if not all, of the chapters in the next book because I desperately need his thoughts and perspective.
This story definitely embraced the enemies-to-lovers vibe. I love it when an author gets this trope right and this one did, IMO. The feelings of hate were slightly one sided and mixed up with large doses of lust and obsession, but their origin felt authentic and believable. And I liked the journey those feelings took Dylan on, even though it led to a lot of bad decisions.
I'm glad the next book comes out soon because I have questions that need answers and I'm itching to see how the rest of the story plays out. I'm so curious about Kai and all of the new developments that cropped up at the end of this book. I also hope for some closure with Hayden. I can't help but wonder if that boy is okay. Where some duets irritate me because they come across as a money grab, this one feels necessary and I can't wait to get my grabby hands on .
Oh, one thing that has been bothering me - in the foreword the author mentions Dylan having a neurodevelopmental disorder, but I don't recall it ever being addressed in the book. Did I miss something? He came across as neurotypical to me so I'm a little confused.
July 15, 2022
This book could have def been better and does not match the expectations I had from the blurb.
I struggled a bit because it seems to be too chaotic
I struggled a bit because it seems to be too chaotic
November 18, 2022
WOAH I did not expect this story to be like this at all. It was so different than a normal rockstar romance, it was so much more than that.
Dylan’s sister, Ava, passed away three years ago. Her death was labelled an “accident� and Kai, who is the lead singer of Ava’s band was there when she died. Now three years later the band signs with a very famous record label. Dylan sees this as the perfect opportunity to find out what happened that night. Kai, he is very mysterious, like one of the most mysterious characters I’ve read about. Even in the way he talks, he never directly answers what you ask, and more so speaks in riddles. I can’t wait to begin book 2 so I can see more of him.
It was very hard for me to picture how these two were going to come together. Dylan had some serious hatred towards Kai. Dylan despises Kai because he thinks Kai has something to do with his sister's death. But as you read on, you can tell a lot of his hatred came from how attracted he was to Kai, and because Kai is so mysterious, Dylan hated how he didn’t know more about him. Dylan really wants to unravel everything about Kai and Kai's not easily unravelled. However, when they did come together, it was fireworks. The tension and chemistry were on point. Poor Dylan, my heart broke for him. I really want to punch his dad in the face. This book hits you with a lot of feels, to me it’s much more than a romance book. It really makes you root for these characters as individuals and also as a couple.
I’m in love with slow burn, so this book was perfect for me. I do wish they had a little bit more interactions, they didn’t have an actual full conversation until about 50% in the book. I knew going into this book, it was a duet, so there is some unanswered questions and I’m excited to see how Kai and Dylan development more. We didn’t get too much from Kai in this one. Which I don’t mind because it really adds to the slow burn and it just makes me that more excited to read book 2.
So if you like�
✨enemies to lovers �
✨slow burn �
✨dark and mysterious�
✨rockstar romance �
✨angst and melancholy vibes �
✨also beautiful writing because damn, it made me want to cry (in a good way) �
You will enjoy this book!
Do check TWs when going into this please!
Dylan’s sister, Ava, passed away three years ago. Her death was labelled an “accident� and Kai, who is the lead singer of Ava’s band was there when she died. Now three years later the band signs with a very famous record label. Dylan sees this as the perfect opportunity to find out what happened that night. Kai, he is very mysterious, like one of the most mysterious characters I’ve read about. Even in the way he talks, he never directly answers what you ask, and more so speaks in riddles. I can’t wait to begin book 2 so I can see more of him.
It was very hard for me to picture how these two were going to come together. Dylan had some serious hatred towards Kai. Dylan despises Kai because he thinks Kai has something to do with his sister's death. But as you read on, you can tell a lot of his hatred came from how attracted he was to Kai, and because Kai is so mysterious, Dylan hated how he didn’t know more about him. Dylan really wants to unravel everything about Kai and Kai's not easily unravelled. However, when they did come together, it was fireworks. The tension and chemistry were on point. Poor Dylan, my heart broke for him. I really want to punch his dad in the face. This book hits you with a lot of feels, to me it’s much more than a romance book. It really makes you root for these characters as individuals and also as a couple.
I’m in love with slow burn, so this book was perfect for me. I do wish they had a little bit more interactions, they didn’t have an actual full conversation until about 50% in the book. I knew going into this book, it was a duet, so there is some unanswered questions and I’m excited to see how Kai and Dylan development more. We didn’t get too much from Kai in this one. Which I don’t mind because it really adds to the slow burn and it just makes me that more excited to read book 2.
So if you like�
✨enemies to lovers �
✨slow burn �
✨dark and mysterious�
✨rockstar romance �
✨angst and melancholy vibes �
✨also beautiful writing because damn, it made me want to cry (in a good way) �
You will enjoy this book!
Do check TWs when going into this please!
June 29, 2022
“How are you supposed to hate someone who looks like your worst nightmare crossbred with your wettest dream?�
This is the first book in a duet. I was promised angst, enemies to lovers and writing that sucks you in - and this really delivered!
The first part of the book is quite slow and feels very heavy and desolate. This story is told through Dylan’s POV and this boy is struggling. He is still grief-stricken from his sister’s death a few years before, and full of questions as to what really happened that night. He is unsure of his direction in life and has been living in a state of stasis since his sister’s death. On top of that, he is the gay son of a conservative senator who is actively oppressing him - he is to stay firmly in the closet.
He quickly becomes savagely obsessed with Kai, a former bandmate of Dylan’s sister. He believes Kai has the answers he is looking for. The thing is - he absolutely HATES Kai. I appreciated that the “enemies� vibe was strong here - Dylan is almost desperate in his hatred.
Eventually the hate turns to desire and then something softer. The chemistry between these two was absolutely fantastic and done so well 🔥🔥🔥
“I don’t believe there is a single inch left on his face that I don’t intimately know because I’ve studied this particular face so hard and so long that at this point it’s the only one I see when I shut my eyes.�
“I laugh in ernest. Next to me, Kai laughs too and I turn my head to look at him because for whatever reason I want to see his face when he’s amused. He does the same and we stare at each other for some time without speaking.�
I actually also loved the rockstar element here (even though this isn’t usually my thing).
This one ends on a bit of a cliffhanger - nothing too bad! But I can’t wait to dive into the second book and see where Kai & Dylan’s story ends.
This is the first book in a duet. I was promised angst, enemies to lovers and writing that sucks you in - and this really delivered!
The first part of the book is quite slow and feels very heavy and desolate. This story is told through Dylan’s POV and this boy is struggling. He is still grief-stricken from his sister’s death a few years before, and full of questions as to what really happened that night. He is unsure of his direction in life and has been living in a state of stasis since his sister’s death. On top of that, he is the gay son of a conservative senator who is actively oppressing him - he is to stay firmly in the closet.
He quickly becomes savagely obsessed with Kai, a former bandmate of Dylan’s sister. He believes Kai has the answers he is looking for. The thing is - he absolutely HATES Kai. I appreciated that the “enemies� vibe was strong here - Dylan is almost desperate in his hatred.
Eventually the hate turns to desire and then something softer. The chemistry between these two was absolutely fantastic and done so well 🔥🔥🔥
“I don’t believe there is a single inch left on his face that I don’t intimately know because I’ve studied this particular face so hard and so long that at this point it’s the only one I see when I shut my eyes.�
“I laugh in ernest. Next to me, Kai laughs too and I turn my head to look at him because for whatever reason I want to see his face when he’s amused. He does the same and we stare at each other for some time without speaking.�
I actually also loved the rockstar element here (even though this isn’t usually my thing).
This one ends on a bit of a cliffhanger - nothing too bad! But I can’t wait to dive into the second book and see where Kai & Dylan’s story ends.
July 6, 2022
I really enjoyed the premise of this book but sadly it just was missing something for me. It was so hard for me to truly get into this book so while I appreciate all of the lovely characteristics it had, it just was harder for me to get into the bopk.
I received an arc of this book and this is my honest opinion
I received an arc of this book and this is my honest opinion
July 8, 2022
Slow burn is fine but the introduction of characters took forever that I lost all interest when I reached forty percent.
July 15, 2022
marvelousdelightfulfabulouslovelywonderfulmagnificentbeautifulgorgeous
BUT: breathing was a really hard thing through half of the book. The mind of Dylan is a dark gritty abyss.
Looking at photos of other people, finger hovering above the image, tentative, almost ready to double tap, to let the poster know, Hey, I’m alive, but then the hesitation settles into resolve. Somehow, it’s easier to stay semi-dead.
I suck in a lungful of air through clenched teeth and attempt to find my Zen.
My Zen refuses to be found.
My Zen probably hates being in my head.
I don’t blame it.
I hate being in my head too.
So Dylan knows that he is wrong in the head. I loved, that he gives a fuck mostly. He is getting better, but only a bit. And this is perfect for the plot to be authentic.
Kai is a twisted philosophical gothic rock star. Slightly annoying. Since this is a duet, I hope there is more to his story in the second book. Because, I’m not happy with this ending, no, not a bit. I was only like 👀 😳 😳 👀 and decided to read something fluffy and funny.
BUT: breathing was a really hard thing through half of the book. The mind of Dylan is a dark gritty abyss.
Looking at photos of other people, finger hovering above the image, tentative, almost ready to double tap, to let the poster know, Hey, I’m alive, but then the hesitation settles into resolve. Somehow, it’s easier to stay semi-dead.
I suck in a lungful of air through clenched teeth and attempt to find my Zen.
My Zen refuses to be found.
My Zen probably hates being in my head.
I don’t blame it.
I hate being in my head too.
So Dylan knows that he is wrong in the head. I loved, that he gives a fuck mostly. He is getting better, but only a bit. And this is perfect for the plot to be authentic.
Kai is a twisted philosophical gothic rock star. Slightly annoying. Since this is a duet, I hope there is more to his story in the second book. Because, I’m not happy with this ending, no, not a bit. I was only like 👀 😳 😳 👀 and decided to read something fluffy and funny.
January 1, 2023
Oh, I loved this and absolutely cannot wait to dive into the second installment and conclusion to Dylan and Kai's love story.
This truly was an enemies-to-lovers romance as, several years after the seemingly accidental (or maybe suicidal, who knows) death of his older sister, Ava, Dylan hates Kai, who was the lead singer of the band Ava was in.
He was apparently with Ava the night she died, on a bridge, and he fell (or jumped?) in the water too, but he survived, where Ava didn't.
Dylan has never really gotten answers on what exactly happened that night, and so it's let his hate fester over time.
Thing is, before Ava died, Dylan had a big crush on Kai. He never really spoke to him, but he saw him once or so and he became enamored.
But once his sister died, and Kai was there and apparently didn't do anything to save her, Dylan has hated him with a burning passion.
There is still a part of him obsessed with Kai in that way, but it has a darker edge now, and the hate consumes Dylan so much that he berates himself for focusing on Kai's hands or eyes or lips when he looks him up on Instagram.
But to Dylan, Kai still seemingly caused her death - as she had drugs in her system that night, too - and Kai was drunk, and why did he live when Ava didn't?
And when it becomes known that Ava and Kai's band - with two of the original members still there, but also two new ones - and one who has replaced Ava as the bassist - has been picked up by a pretty big record company two and a half years after her death, Dylan becomes obsessed with finding Kai talking to him.
Asking him all the questions he hasn't gotten to before, to get answers for what exactly happened that night Ava died.
So a few months after he learns about the band, Iodine, hitting it big, when they're in Seattle at a venue performing, Dylan goes there, and after the show finds Kai with the band and others in the back of the building in the alley and all he gets out is something along the lines of "how does it feel being alive when she isn't?" and Kai is all "what do you expect me to say?"
And to that, Dylan just runs away. He wasn't ready, it was all too much.
And so, several months after that, he's thinks he's more prepared, and even gets backstage passes.
But he's not so prepared, and he and Kai get into it, and he ends up punch Kai and breaking his nose - and that gets filmed and put on the internet.
Not good, because Dylan has a politician for a father. A pretty shitty father all around, who pretends he's a loving father and family man for the cameras. As a majority of politicians, especially republicans, tend to do.
Now, his dad is a republican, but a senator for Washington State, which...just isn't realistic. But as it's fiction, I did my best to let that fact go lol.
But anyway, his dad is a republican with outdated values and he is definitely a bigoted homophobe. He found out about Dylan being gay when he found him with his childhood friend in bed, and it's the only time in his life he'd been physical with Dylan, punching him a few times and pulling his hair, and then threatening to kill Dylan if he ever was with a guy again.
Safe to say, Dylan's been sufficiently cowed by the man. Which, completely understandable, especially when Dylan was only 17 at the time.
So when everything happens with Kai with the video, his father wants him to do anything he can to make it go away, because of course what Dylan did is not good for his image.
Kai doesn't press charges, but he doesn't want a settlement and for Dylan to take anger management classes.
He even gets a (temporary) restraining order put on Dylan when Dylan messages him on instagram after the whole incident.
So, after all that, almost a year goes by before they talk again, because Kai sends Dylan Ava's old bass guitar, and also there are poems or lyrics in the guitar case as well that are pretty deep, and dark, and Dylan can't tell if they're Ava's or not.
This opens up the start of change between these two. Things are still not good, and there is still animosity, but Kai agree to talk to Dylan, and once they go, things change irrevocably between the two. Especially when the night leads to a kiss between the two.
As sexual things start to happen between the two over the next few months - Kai is away at gigs a lot, or touring, so there are only a few times here or there he's in Seattle for a few days - things start to slowly change between these two.
Dylan, by the end of this, doesn't hate Kai at all, even if he still doesn't 100% have the answers he needs about Ava.
But now that the hate and animosity has left, the falling in love can begin, yes? ;) It kind of already did near the very end of this, but they're just at the very start of it, I think.
But at the end of this, there's a wrench thrown between these two as Dylan is still in the closet, and something happened with Kai that's going to take a lot of his mental time and energy over however many months coming up, and Kai asks to put their...thing, whatever it may be, on pause.
Ah, I'm so excited to dive into the next one. I just couldn't put this book down, only when I to did I do that.
I really liked Dylan and Kai's chemistry, it was so good. We didn't get to full on sex in this, but we did get some good kissing, as well as blowjobs and they were so good ;).
Definitely, this book is worth a read. Two MASSIVE thumbs up from me!
I gotta go run to read the next book in this duet pronto! 🏃🏼♀�
This truly was an enemies-to-lovers romance as, several years after the seemingly accidental (or maybe suicidal, who knows) death of his older sister, Ava, Dylan hates Kai, who was the lead singer of the band Ava was in.
He was apparently with Ava the night she died, on a bridge, and he fell (or jumped?) in the water too, but he survived, where Ava didn't.
Dylan has never really gotten answers on what exactly happened that night, and so it's let his hate fester over time.
Thing is, before Ava died, Dylan had a big crush on Kai. He never really spoke to him, but he saw him once or so and he became enamored.
But once his sister died, and Kai was there and apparently didn't do anything to save her, Dylan has hated him with a burning passion.
There is still a part of him obsessed with Kai in that way, but it has a darker edge now, and the hate consumes Dylan so much that he berates himself for focusing on Kai's hands or eyes or lips when he looks him up on Instagram.
But to Dylan, Kai still seemingly caused her death - as she had drugs in her system that night, too - and Kai was drunk, and why did he live when Ava didn't?
And when it becomes known that Ava and Kai's band - with two of the original members still there, but also two new ones - and one who has replaced Ava as the bassist - has been picked up by a pretty big record company two and a half years after her death, Dylan becomes obsessed with finding Kai talking to him.
Asking him all the questions he hasn't gotten to before, to get answers for what exactly happened that night Ava died.
So a few months after he learns about the band, Iodine, hitting it big, when they're in Seattle at a venue performing, Dylan goes there, and after the show finds Kai with the band and others in the back of the building in the alley and all he gets out is something along the lines of "how does it feel being alive when she isn't?" and Kai is all "what do you expect me to say?"
And to that, Dylan just runs away. He wasn't ready, it was all too much.
And so, several months after that, he's thinks he's more prepared, and even gets backstage passes.
But he's not so prepared, and he and Kai get into it, and he ends up punch Kai and breaking his nose - and that gets filmed and put on the internet.
Not good, because Dylan has a politician for a father. A pretty shitty father all around, who pretends he's a loving father and family man for the cameras. As a majority of politicians, especially republicans, tend to do.
Now, his dad is a republican, but a senator for Washington State, which...just isn't realistic. But as it's fiction, I did my best to let that fact go lol.
But anyway, his dad is a republican with outdated values and he is definitely a bigoted homophobe. He found out about Dylan being gay when he found him with his childhood friend in bed, and it's the only time in his life he'd been physical with Dylan, punching him a few times and pulling his hair, and then threatening to kill Dylan if he ever was with a guy again.
Safe to say, Dylan's been sufficiently cowed by the man. Which, completely understandable, especially when Dylan was only 17 at the time.
So when everything happens with Kai with the video, his father wants him to do anything he can to make it go away, because of course what Dylan did is not good for his image.
Kai doesn't press charges, but he doesn't want a settlement and for Dylan to take anger management classes.
He even gets a (temporary) restraining order put on Dylan when Dylan messages him on instagram after the whole incident.
So, after all that, almost a year goes by before they talk again, because Kai sends Dylan Ava's old bass guitar, and also there are poems or lyrics in the guitar case as well that are pretty deep, and dark, and Dylan can't tell if they're Ava's or not.
This opens up the start of change between these two. Things are still not good, and there is still animosity, but Kai agree to talk to Dylan, and once they go, things change irrevocably between the two. Especially when the night leads to a kiss between the two.
As sexual things start to happen between the two over the next few months - Kai is away at gigs a lot, or touring, so there are only a few times here or there he's in Seattle for a few days - things start to slowly change between these two.
Dylan, by the end of this, doesn't hate Kai at all, even if he still doesn't 100% have the answers he needs about Ava.
But now that the hate and animosity has left, the falling in love can begin, yes? ;) It kind of already did near the very end of this, but they're just at the very start of it, I think.
But at the end of this, there's a wrench thrown between these two as Dylan is still in the closet, and something happened with Kai that's going to take a lot of his mental time and energy over however many months coming up, and Kai asks to put their...thing, whatever it may be, on pause.
Ah, I'm so excited to dive into the next one. I just couldn't put this book down, only when I to did I do that.
I really liked Dylan and Kai's chemistry, it was so good. We didn't get to full on sex in this, but we did get some good kissing, as well as blowjobs and they were so good ;).
Definitely, this book is worth a read. Two MASSIVE thumbs up from me!
I gotta go run to read the next book in this duet pronto! 🏃🏼♀�
June 23, 2022
A brand new duet by NN Britt begins right here and now with book 1, Graceless. This author brings her signature angst to every story she writes and I am beyond thrilled when a new one drops into my Kindle. She's exploring something she hasn't done before- a MM romance with a special rockstar twist. NN Britt has pulled me so deep into these complicated character's world, that I read this book in record time, within a day of starting it. Graceless is just that amazing and definitely difficult to put down.
Graceless is seen entirely through the eyes of one of the main characters, Dylan Watson, which was a surprise. This intriguing guy had my heart flipping all over the place throughout this book and his story was so compelling. The Watson family may be living the life of wealth and privilege, but only under the soul crushing control of their ultra conservative politician patriarch.Much is expected of his wife and their children- Dylan and his free spirited older sister, Ava. It doesn't matter what future they envision for themselves, decisions are made FOR them based on what fits into the image their father wants them to portray. Stifling is such a mild word for what they have to endure while living under his thumb. Gavin Watson screamed EVIL VILLIAN to me, for good reason.
Flashbacks of Ava gave me a snapshot of the bond between Dylan and his sister and the events leading up to her tragic death, just as the life she defied her father for was starting to take off. After she was gone, anxiety, fear, grief and anger laced every moment in Dylan's life, no matter who, what, why or when. He could barely function in social situations, was flunking his classes and had only one friend he could count on. I sensed he was hiding something really big beyond all that and I wasn't wrong.
Kai Delisa, the brooding and darklymysterious lead singer of Iodine, his deceased sister's former band, was where Dylan's burning anger was directed. This guy he was stalking had information he needed to know everything about- the truth about Ava's death and if he can conjure up the nerve, he was going to get it. Confronting and despising Kai became Dylan's secret mission, obession and later on, his salvation.
Wow, as the story continued it became perfectly clear to me - the Watsons were one F'ed up family. The things Dylan's father did were inexcusable, mean, heartless and abusive- I hoped he would get what was coming to him someday. His poor mother, crushed by her loss, was out of her head most days and I felt the pain of her grief. Who would want to live in this upscale hellhole?
As Dylan tries to navigate all the conflicted feelings inside of him- a few things becomes evident- his hate/ love attraction to the sexy lead singer might be his biggest downfall and maybe the bad guy isn't what he thought at all. Dylan is so afraid to be who he is meant to- an out of the closet gay man in an extremely conservative family- probably not the best idea. Will Dylan chose happiness and freedom or stay in the shadows where it's safe?
“Is this still a secret?�
“It’s a secret for as long you want it to be a secret, Dylan.�
The phrase 'rollercoaster ride' is often used to describe the emotional, unpredictable events in a story, but it explains just a fragment of what happens in Graceless. Angsty, suspenseful and steamy as some secrets build while others stay behind closed doors. Where will Dylan and Kai's story go from here? Only time will tell. There may be more to discoverbetween the represessed and the rockstar, but no worries- Faithful, the duet's exciting conclusion will not be far behind.
I was given an early copy of this book to read and honestly review.
Graceless is seen entirely through the eyes of one of the main characters, Dylan Watson, which was a surprise. This intriguing guy had my heart flipping all over the place throughout this book and his story was so compelling. The Watson family may be living the life of wealth and privilege, but only under the soul crushing control of their ultra conservative politician patriarch.Much is expected of his wife and their children- Dylan and his free spirited older sister, Ava. It doesn't matter what future they envision for themselves, decisions are made FOR them based on what fits into the image their father wants them to portray. Stifling is such a mild word for what they have to endure while living under his thumb. Gavin Watson screamed EVIL VILLIAN to me, for good reason.
Flashbacks of Ava gave me a snapshot of the bond between Dylan and his sister and the events leading up to her tragic death, just as the life she defied her father for was starting to take off. After she was gone, anxiety, fear, grief and anger laced every moment in Dylan's life, no matter who, what, why or when. He could barely function in social situations, was flunking his classes and had only one friend he could count on. I sensed he was hiding something really big beyond all that and I wasn't wrong.
Kai Delisa, the brooding and darklymysterious lead singer of Iodine, his deceased sister's former band, was where Dylan's burning anger was directed. This guy he was stalking had information he needed to know everything about- the truth about Ava's death and if he can conjure up the nerve, he was going to get it. Confronting and despising Kai became Dylan's secret mission, obession and later on, his salvation.
Wow, as the story continued it became perfectly clear to me - the Watsons were one F'ed up family. The things Dylan's father did were inexcusable, mean, heartless and abusive- I hoped he would get what was coming to him someday. His poor mother, crushed by her loss, was out of her head most days and I felt the pain of her grief. Who would want to live in this upscale hellhole?
As Dylan tries to navigate all the conflicted feelings inside of him- a few things becomes evident- his hate/ love attraction to the sexy lead singer might be his biggest downfall and maybe the bad guy isn't what he thought at all. Dylan is so afraid to be who he is meant to- an out of the closet gay man in an extremely conservative family- probably not the best idea. Will Dylan chose happiness and freedom or stay in the shadows where it's safe?
“Is this still a secret?�
“It’s a secret for as long you want it to be a secret, Dylan.�
The phrase 'rollercoaster ride' is often used to describe the emotional, unpredictable events in a story, but it explains just a fragment of what happens in Graceless. Angsty, suspenseful and steamy as some secrets build while others stay behind closed doors. Where will Dylan and Kai's story go from here? Only time will tell. There may be more to discoverbetween the represessed and the rockstar, but no worries- Faithful, the duet's exciting conclusion will not be far behind.
I was given an early copy of this book to read and honestly review.
July 7, 2022
A review.
4.5 stars
New book and new-to-me author alert. Graceless is the newest release from author N.N. Britt and it hit all the right spots for me. The characters have a dark edge to them and are well developed and with Dylan’s first person POV, it was easy to get lost in the pages of this story.
Dylan is angry and depressed and he feels that Kai Delisa is at the root of his problems. The first time he saw Kai, his sister was still alive and he was captivated. It’s now a few years later and Dylan’s interest in Kai has become an obsession. Dylan is so fixated on the fact that the band is becoming successful, and that Kai is still alive when Ava isn’t, and Dylan stalks the band on social media.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety .
4.5 stars
New book and new-to-me author alert. Graceless is the newest release from author N.N. Britt and it hit all the right spots for me. The characters have a dark edge to them and are well developed and with Dylan’s first person POV, it was easy to get lost in the pages of this story.
Dylan is angry and depressed and he feels that Kai Delisa is at the root of his problems. The first time he saw Kai, his sister was still alive and he was captivated. It’s now a few years later and Dylan’s interest in Kai has become an obsession. Dylan is so fixated on the fact that the band is becoming successful, and that Kai is still alive when Ava isn’t, and Dylan stalks the band on social media.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety .
September 4, 2022
"He's like a goddamned splinter under my skin."
Star Rating 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐�
POV Dylan's POV
HEA Cliffhanger
Spice Rating 4/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
"I don't know what it is about you, college boy, but you're the worst idea I ever had."
Overall Opinion
This book hurt, in such a good way! It raged full of angst and hatred, but also sadness and doubt. This was my first book by this author, and I cannot praise the work enough! It was moody and steamy and dark, and I couldn't get enough, I had to rush and get the second book because I needed more of Kai and Dylan! Kai, oh beautiful moody Kai, I love you even though you break my heart with holding Dylan at arms length and speaking in riddles. And Dylan, you sweet obsessive boy, I hate your father so much, and just want you to be happy. This book does end on a mild cliffhanger so I recommend reading the second one straight after, and I promise it will all make sense in the end! I will definitely be rereading this, and all I can say is this book has my heart and soul in its very tight grip!
Read if you like:
❣️ M/M Romance
❣️ Enemies-To-Lovers
❣️ High Angst
❣️ Stalking
❣️ Slow Burn
❣️ Dark Love Story
Star Rating 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐�
POV Dylan's POV
HEA Cliffhanger
Spice Rating 4/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
"I don't know what it is about you, college boy, but you're the worst idea I ever had."
Overall Opinion
This book hurt, in such a good way! It raged full of angst and hatred, but also sadness and doubt. This was my first book by this author, and I cannot praise the work enough! It was moody and steamy and dark, and I couldn't get enough, I had to rush and get the second book because I needed more of Kai and Dylan! Kai, oh beautiful moody Kai, I love you even though you break my heart with holding Dylan at arms length and speaking in riddles. And Dylan, you sweet obsessive boy, I hate your father so much, and just want you to be happy. This book does end on a mild cliffhanger so I recommend reading the second one straight after, and I promise it will all make sense in the end! I will definitely be rereading this, and all I can say is this book has my heart and soul in its very tight grip!
Read if you like:
❣️ M/M Romance
❣️ Enemies-To-Lovers
❣️ High Angst
❣️ Stalking
❣️ Slow Burn
❣️ Dark Love Story
June 15, 2022
What a stunning masterpiece! I started reading this book in the evening and luckily I got provided with the second book of this Duet because I badly wanted to know how it ends and so I finished binge-reading it at 3 am. The little sleep is worth it!
Fair warning at the beginning: It is a duet and the second book will get released I think two weeks after the first one. So if you are not good with cliffhangers, like me, wait for the second book to release ;)
And be mindful of the trigger warnings in the book! It deals heavily with suicide, abuse, depression, and mental illness.
Dylan Watson is depressed. His sister died 3 years before the book starts and he has a really hard time dealing with it. His father is a right-wing senator and his mother mentally checked out after the death of his sister.
Dylan is gay. He has a hard time admitting it, growing up in a homophobic environment, but he knows it. His father also knows it, because he caught him one time. After this, his father provided a male prostitute to satisfy his "unnatural urges" so the public will not know about it.
Dylan is also really struggling with the death of his sister. She was part of a band and the lead singer of the band was present when she died. So Dylan is blaming Kai for the death of his sister. When the band is signed to a major label and is on the rise, Dylan sees his chance to face Kai and demand answers.
I really loved these two books. I will not write a separate review for the second book in this duet, as I really don't want to spoil anything.
I loved Dylan. In the beginning, he was getting on my nerves a little bit because he was OBSESSED with Kai and his sister's death. But more into the book, you get to know him a lot more and you saw more depths of his character. It was amazing to see how the author managed to realistically introduce a character in a book. In a book, you normally know more about the character, as they have more internal dialogues or something like that. But here I really felt like I was a spectator of the story and got to know Dylan in real life, with each layer of a person revealed with more time.
I loved his chemistry with Kai. I loved their love/hate relationship. I loved all the obstacles they had to face.
Simply put: I can't think of a thing that I didn't like about this story or the characters or the writing.
It was my first time reading something from this author, but now I hope that the author has written a lot of books because the storytelling ability amazed me.
So put it into your reading lists and happy reading! This duet is a new all-time favorite!
*I received this book as an ARC. I chose to leave an honest review.*
Fair warning at the beginning: It is a duet and the second book will get released I think two weeks after the first one. So if you are not good with cliffhangers, like me, wait for the second book to release ;)
And be mindful of the trigger warnings in the book! It deals heavily with suicide, abuse, depression, and mental illness.
Dylan Watson is depressed. His sister died 3 years before the book starts and he has a really hard time dealing with it. His father is a right-wing senator and his mother mentally checked out after the death of his sister.
Dylan is gay. He has a hard time admitting it, growing up in a homophobic environment, but he knows it. His father also knows it, because he caught him one time. After this, his father provided a male prostitute to satisfy his "unnatural urges" so the public will not know about it.
Dylan is also really struggling with the death of his sister. She was part of a band and the lead singer of the band was present when she died. So Dylan is blaming Kai for the death of his sister. When the band is signed to a major label and is on the rise, Dylan sees his chance to face Kai and demand answers.
I really loved these two books. I will not write a separate review for the second book in this duet, as I really don't want to spoil anything.
I loved Dylan. In the beginning, he was getting on my nerves a little bit because he was OBSESSED with Kai and his sister's death. But more into the book, you get to know him a lot more and you saw more depths of his character. It was amazing to see how the author managed to realistically introduce a character in a book. In a book, you normally know more about the character, as they have more internal dialogues or something like that. But here I really felt like I was a spectator of the story and got to know Dylan in real life, with each layer of a person revealed with more time.
I loved his chemistry with Kai. I loved their love/hate relationship. I loved all the obstacles they had to face.
Simply put: I can't think of a thing that I didn't like about this story or the characters or the writing.
It was my first time reading something from this author, but now I hope that the author has written a lot of books because the storytelling ability amazed me.
So put it into your reading lists and happy reading! This duet is a new all-time favorite!
*I received this book as an ARC. I chose to leave an honest review.*
June 26, 2022
Graceless is part one of the Graceless Duet and it’s full of angst, heightened emotions, self-discovery and mystery and I couldn’t read it fast enough!
Dylan Watson is still reeling from his sister’s death years ago, looking for answers and floundering in his own life while trying to process his emotions. His father is a conservative politician and insisted that Dylan hide parts of himself to keep up the illusion of the perfect Watson family, causing Dylan to feel stuck, confused and alienated. He’s still trying to figure out how to move forward with his life and livelihood and he’s determined to find out what happened to Ava, even if it ends up ruining it all.
Kai Delisa is a gothic rockstar who’s making headlines for his music and his secretive nature. He is such an enigma with his stage persona, his real-life persona and his dark lyrics and deep thoughts. Even most of the people closest to him don’t really know the real him but he’s confident in who he is and has such an interesting personality. Kai has a lot of demons that he’s dealing with that haunt him every day, one of those being the death of his bandmate Ava.
The chemistry between Dylan and Kai was totally unexpected, but they kept being drawn to each other even though it was a bad idea to be seen together. What started out as mutual dislike turned into an obsession for Dylan and an indulgence for Kai. They’re definitely enemies at the beginning and things move kind of slowly but Kai knows things about Ava that Dylan needs to know, resulting in them spending more time together than they ever expected. Kai blows Dylan’s mind when it comes to his sister and these two quickly become entangled in each other’s lives in unexpected ways but they have such a unique connection that they can’t stay away.
I would have loved to read some of the moments from Kai’s POV, so it was a little disappointing that we only hear from Dylan. Kai is such an interesting character and I think his perspective would have been amazing. But Dylan’s POV ended up breaking my heart over and over, especially with the cliffhanger at the end - his whole world was turned upside down in so many ways thanks to Kai.
This story is dark, haunting and emotional and I’m really excited to dive into to see where things will go for Dylan and Kai from here.
Dylan Watson is still reeling from his sister’s death years ago, looking for answers and floundering in his own life while trying to process his emotions. His father is a conservative politician and insisted that Dylan hide parts of himself to keep up the illusion of the perfect Watson family, causing Dylan to feel stuck, confused and alienated. He’s still trying to figure out how to move forward with his life and livelihood and he’s determined to find out what happened to Ava, even if it ends up ruining it all.
Kai Delisa is a gothic rockstar who’s making headlines for his music and his secretive nature. He is such an enigma with his stage persona, his real-life persona and his dark lyrics and deep thoughts. Even most of the people closest to him don’t really know the real him but he’s confident in who he is and has such an interesting personality. Kai has a lot of demons that he’s dealing with that haunt him every day, one of those being the death of his bandmate Ava.
The chemistry between Dylan and Kai was totally unexpected, but they kept being drawn to each other even though it was a bad idea to be seen together. What started out as mutual dislike turned into an obsession for Dylan and an indulgence for Kai. They’re definitely enemies at the beginning and things move kind of slowly but Kai knows things about Ava that Dylan needs to know, resulting in them spending more time together than they ever expected. Kai blows Dylan’s mind when it comes to his sister and these two quickly become entangled in each other’s lives in unexpected ways but they have such a unique connection that they can’t stay away.
I would have loved to read some of the moments from Kai’s POV, so it was a little disappointing that we only hear from Dylan. Kai is such an interesting character and I think his perspective would have been amazing. But Dylan’s POV ended up breaking my heart over and over, especially with the cliffhanger at the end - his whole world was turned upside down in so many ways thanks to Kai.
This story is dark, haunting and emotional and I’m really excited to dive into to see where things will go for Dylan and Kai from here.
January 22, 2024
This is a bit hard for me to rate. It kind of felt like a very long introduction to a relationship that haven’t started yet. I can truly appreciate the slow burn, you don’t get to like a guy you accuse of killing your sister in a flash but what I felt missing was intimacy.
Kai was a mystery, speaking in riddles and very closed up, till now I don’t really know why he was willing to get into this kind of a relationship and truly it didn’t really feel like much of a relationship (yet, hopefully) nevertheless, he was feeling very real and different from other "Rock Star" characters I had read before, he felt uniq, out of the ordinary person which is what I would have expected from a guy who is actually a Rockstar material.
I liked Dylan, felt his pain but this obsession with Kai kind of felt like it was a bit to do with the fact he was attracted to him. Will continue since I am hoping for more.
Kai was a mystery, speaking in riddles and very closed up, till now I don’t really know why he was willing to get into this kind of a relationship and truly it didn’t really feel like much of a relationship (yet, hopefully) nevertheless, he was feeling very real and different from other "Rock Star" characters I had read before, he felt uniq, out of the ordinary person which is what I would have expected from a guy who is actually a Rockstar material.
I liked Dylan, felt his pain but this obsession with Kai kind of felt like it was a bit to do with the fact he was attracted to him. Will continue since I am hoping for more.
June 23, 2022
Enemies to Lovers
Wow!! Where to start…well Dylan lost his sister Ava three years ago and has been in a tailspin ever since she had left home. Now that she is gone Dylan is stalking the person that was with her when she died. He needs answers. Dylan comes from a wealthy family with a very conservative politician father and a mother who mentally checked out when his sister died. His father rules with an iron fist which doesn’t bode well for in-the-closet Dylan. As you can expect Dylan is mentally dealing with so much that he doesn’t know what’s up or down anymore. All he knows is that he needs answers.
Kai is the lead singer of Iodine and was a bandmate of Ava’s. Dylan has been stalking Kai and now is finally getting his chance to confront him. Things don’t always go as you think and the connection between Kai and Dylan take a very drastic turn. Poor Dylan is so torn between his lifestyle and the rulings of his father.
I have loved this author’s work and the way she wrote this story made it a book that I couldn’t put down. This is a duet and I cannot wait for more of Dylan and Kai. I highly recommend this book.
Wow!! Where to start…well Dylan lost his sister Ava three years ago and has been in a tailspin ever since she had left home. Now that she is gone Dylan is stalking the person that was with her when she died. He needs answers. Dylan comes from a wealthy family with a very conservative politician father and a mother who mentally checked out when his sister died. His father rules with an iron fist which doesn’t bode well for in-the-closet Dylan. As you can expect Dylan is mentally dealing with so much that he doesn’t know what’s up or down anymore. All he knows is that he needs answers.
Kai is the lead singer of Iodine and was a bandmate of Ava’s. Dylan has been stalking Kai and now is finally getting his chance to confront him. Things don’t always go as you think and the connection between Kai and Dylan take a very drastic turn. Poor Dylan is so torn between his lifestyle and the rulings of his father.
I have loved this author’s work and the way she wrote this story made it a book that I couldn’t put down. This is a duet and I cannot wait for more of Dylan and Kai. I highly recommend this book.
June 25, 2022
Deep, Slow Burn MM Romance
I don’t know where to start my review. . . . I am blown away . . . .This is Dylan’s story about his life and ultimately how he falls for Kai. At first, I couldn’t get a read of the story and wasn’t sure where things were going. Now that I finished the book, all the pieces have fallen into place like that of a masterly crafted piece of art. I felt as thought I was in Dylan’s head. Experiencing what he was experiencing - the highs . . . the lows . . . and everything in between. The relationship between him and Kai is a very slow burn - I typically get frustrated with this type of read however, it was so well done that it has left me craving more, so much more!!!! The end . . . well thank goodness there is more because it left me feeling gutted.
This is my first time reading this author. I am now putting other books from NN Britt on my TBR.
I don’t know where to start my review. . . . I am blown away . . . .This is Dylan’s story about his life and ultimately how he falls for Kai. At first, I couldn’t get a read of the story and wasn’t sure where things were going. Now that I finished the book, all the pieces have fallen into place like that of a masterly crafted piece of art. I felt as thought I was in Dylan’s head. Experiencing what he was experiencing - the highs . . . the lows . . . and everything in between. The relationship between him and Kai is a very slow burn - I typically get frustrated with this type of read however, it was so well done that it has left me craving more, so much more!!!! The end . . . well thank goodness there is more because it left me feeling gutted.
This is my first time reading this author. I am now putting other books from NN Britt on my TBR.
September 26, 2022
This was good, though I struggled with certain aspects of it.
For one, this very much felt like Dylan’s story, not Kai and Dylan’s story.
Which is fine, but based on the summary I was expecting an angsty romance, but ultimately felt like Dylan and Kai barely interacted.
Also, I kinda dislike Kai, which is never easy for me when I’m reading a book. Disliking the guy the MC is meant to be with is a bit tough.
Kai is just…annoying. Incredibly cryptic but not in a mysterious, bad boy way but in a frustrating “just fucking say what you actually mean� way.
I don’t like him, plain and simple. When he toyed with Dylan and jumped off the same bridge his sister died at, that was an asshole move. Dylan was clearly panicked and afraid for Kai’s life…BECAUSE THAT’S THE BRIDHE WHERE HIS SISTER DIED SO NATURALLY HE WOULD FIND IT TRIGGERING.
Idk, he just screams insensitive and pretentious.
Will read the second book but will likely skim.
For one, this very much felt like Dylan’s story, not Kai and Dylan’s story.
Which is fine, but based on the summary I was expecting an angsty romance, but ultimately felt like Dylan and Kai barely interacted.
Also, I kinda dislike Kai, which is never easy for me when I’m reading a book. Disliking the guy the MC is meant to be with is a bit tough.
Kai is just…annoying. Incredibly cryptic but not in a mysterious, bad boy way but in a frustrating “just fucking say what you actually mean� way.
I don’t like him, plain and simple. When he toyed with Dylan and jumped off the same bridge his sister died at, that was an asshole move. Dylan was clearly panicked and afraid for Kai’s life…BECAUSE THAT’S THE BRIDHE WHERE HIS SISTER DIED SO NATURALLY HE WOULD FIND IT TRIGGERING.
Idk, he just screams insensitive and pretentious.
Will read the second book but will likely skim.
July 2, 2022
The first book in a new angsty Enemies to lovers duet.
Dylan hates the lead singer of rock band Iodine. He blames Kai for his sister Ava's death. His father is a bigot that doesn't accept that his son is gay, so he keeps it a secret. He wants to find out the reason his sister was on the bridge the night she died, and Kai is the only one that survived that night.
This was an angsty read that left me wanting more. I need to know more about Kai and all his secrets.
☑️ New-to-me-author
🌈 M/M
☑️ Slow-burn
✅️ Past & Present
☑️ Triggers
🔥ٱ
Sexual Tension: ☄️☄️☄️☄️
Angst /5:😳😳😳😳😳
Story: ⭐⭐⭐️⭐️⭐️
Heat factor:🌶🌶🌶🌶
Enjoyment: 5/5
Series: 1st book in duet
Cliffhanger: Yes
Single POV
🆓� on KU
Dylan & Kai's story concludes in Faithless!!! Available July 14th!!!!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book
Dylan hates the lead singer of rock band Iodine. He blames Kai for his sister Ava's death. His father is a bigot that doesn't accept that his son is gay, so he keeps it a secret. He wants to find out the reason his sister was on the bridge the night she died, and Kai is the only one that survived that night.
This was an angsty read that left me wanting more. I need to know more about Kai and all his secrets.
☑️ New-to-me-author
🌈 M/M
☑️ Slow-burn
✅️ Past & Present
☑️ Triggers
🔥ٱ
Sexual Tension: ☄️☄️☄️☄️
Angst /5:😳😳😳😳😳
Story: ⭐⭐⭐️⭐️⭐️
Heat factor:🌶🌶🌶🌶
Enjoyment: 5/5
Series: 1st book in duet
Cliffhanger: Yes
Single POV
🆓� on KU
Dylan & Kai's story concludes in Faithless!!! Available July 14th!!!!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book
Read
June 28, 2022🌈 Howdy dear readers! 🌈
It's just a little less than two days left until Graceless hits your e-readers and I'm both nervous and excited for you to start reading about Dylan and Kai's journey.
Book One is up on Amazon and available for pre-order �
It will also be enrolled into Kindle Unlimited and you'll be able to borrow it come Thursday midnight.
A huge thank you to all my early readers for kind reviews. It means the world to me.
And a huge thank you to everyone who added Graceless to their TBR.
Have a wonderful rest of the week, and Happy Pride Month. 🌈
It's just a little less than two days left until Graceless hits your e-readers and I'm both nervous and excited for you to start reading about Dylan and Kai's journey.
Book One is up on Amazon and available for pre-order �
It will also be enrolled into Kindle Unlimited and you'll be able to borrow it come Thursday midnight.
A huge thank you to all my early readers for kind reviews. It means the world to me.
And a huge thank you to everyone who added Graceless to their TBR.
Have a wonderful rest of the week, and Happy Pride Month. 🌈
July 2, 2022
This was ok. I found it very readable, but it dragged in bits I am not so sure about the sex scenes. However, I did read it quickly and was quite engrossed. 3.5-4.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 1, 2022
This is my first book by this author and it for sure won’t be my last! I was completely in awe of how amazing this book was and how beautifully it was written. I was completely sucked in from the first chapter. I devoured this book in 1 sitting. I could not put it down. It is very high-angst and there is a cliffhanger at the end because with is a duet but seriously this book was amazing and if you haven’t read it yet I highly recommend you pick it up. I don’t want to give anything away so I will just say this is an amazing enemies to lovers read! Kai and Dylan have this super intense chemistry that Dylan wants nothing to do with but he just can keep fighting it. He had a purpose in seeking Kai out but he can’t fight the attraction there. I can’t wait to dive right on in to the second book!
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.
POV: 1st Person Single POV (Dylan)
Standalone or series: Book 1 in the Graceless Duet
Would I recommend it: 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ highly recommend!! 🤩
Would I read it again: Most definitely!
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.
POV: 1st Person Single POV (Dylan)
Standalone or series: Book 1 in the Graceless Duet
Would I recommend it: 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ highly recommend!! 🤩
Would I read it again: Most definitely!
October 24, 2022
LOVE LOVE LOVE AHHHHHH!!!!!!
Def one of the favs now idc
Dylan really ruined me this book, I felt so bad for him you could tell his lost he left not knowing anything just grieving. He was so angry and filled with so many emotions that he doesn’t know what to do with them.
Kai yup just fell in love, he was so mysterious like damn but you could tell there was so much than what meets the surface and that’s what really kept me interested. You could tell he was kind of insecure and that really made me sad. I can’t wait to find out what the “secret�
Dylan & Kai were so beautiful to me, the way they bonded, the reason they bonded was just so deep I just couldn’t. Dylan is such a lover boy you can tell 😭😭 and Kai just wants to be loved so it all works out 🥰 hopefully�. There’s just to many things I loved about this book I can’t put it into word. Fuck Gavin and glasses tho🖕🏾.
Def one of the favs now idc
Dylan really ruined me this book, I felt so bad for him you could tell his lost he left not knowing anything just grieving. He was so angry and filled with so many emotions that he doesn’t know what to do with them.
Kai yup just fell in love, he was so mysterious like damn but you could tell there was so much than what meets the surface and that’s what really kept me interested. You could tell he was kind of insecure and that really made me sad. I can’t wait to find out what the “secret�
Dylan & Kai were so beautiful to me, the way they bonded, the reason they bonded was just so deep I just couldn’t. Dylan is such a lover boy you can tell 😭😭 and Kai just wants to be loved so it all works out 🥰 hopefully�. There’s just to many things I loved about this book I can’t put it into word. Fuck Gavin and glasses tho🖕🏾.
August 10, 2022
Dylan is a college student that has spent years tormented by the death of his sister. He blames her former band mate and singer of Iodine, Kai for her accidental death. He is determined to hunt down Kai and find out exactly what happened that terrible night. Kai is mysterious and there isn't much about him online. The two meet and sparks fly between them. Dylan has been hiding the fact that he's attracted to men. Kai knows exactly what happened that night. It could end up breaking Dylan emotionally and physically in his life and his family careers. A slow burn m/m romance.
I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am leaving a review.
I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am leaving a review.
July 1, 2022
Beautiful, stunning, beguiling
I am truly lost for words. Sometimes a book grabs you by the throat and then squeezes your heart to breaking point. This book did that and then did it over and over again.
My words cannot do justice to the sensitive and haunting writing of N.N. Britt. The sentences flowed seamlessly, shredding Dylan's skin, his nerves, his very being across the pages. This is a book to savour in all its unravelling of a tormented and tortured soul. I can only tell you to read it, to cry, and smile, and hope, then long for Faithful after that ending.
I am truly lost for words. Sometimes a book grabs you by the throat and then squeezes your heart to breaking point. This book did that and then did it over and over again.
My words cannot do justice to the sensitive and haunting writing of N.N. Britt. The sentences flowed seamlessly, shredding Dylan's skin, his nerves, his very being across the pages. This is a book to savour in all its unravelling of a tormented and tortured soul. I can only tell you to read it, to cry, and smile, and hope, then long for Faithful after that ending.
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