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Reigns Brothers #2
Level Up
Duncan “Ducky” Reigns, metalhead and hardcore gamer, has spent his life railing against the establishment. But now when he looks at himself in the mirror that’s not the person he sees. Though he and his brother have worked hard to create a successful multi-million-dollar company, he’s lost himself and his identity in the process.
Chad Reeves, successful in his own right, has achieved every goal he’s set for himself. But living up to the legacy of his uber-successful father feels like an impossible task. When the heavy burden of a lifelong secret begins to unravel, he’s forced to face the truth. He’s lacking in what matters the most and only one thing can make it right.
Sometimes a simple reboot is all it takes to realize the answers are right in front of you. A soul-searching trip to paradise changes everything for two best friends… if they are brave enough to follow their hearts and reach for the Level Up.
Level Up is a contemporary, new adult, MM Romance. A standalone story with characters moving forward from both Secret and Breakaway. If you enjoy what you read, email me your thoughts.
Chad Reeves, successful in his own right, has achieved every goal he’s set for himself. But living up to the legacy of his uber-successful father feels like an impossible task. When the heavy burden of a lifelong secret begins to unravel, he’s forced to face the truth. He’s lacking in what matters the most and only one thing can make it right.
Sometimes a simple reboot is all it takes to realize the answers are right in front of you. A soul-searching trip to paradise changes everything for two best friends… if they are brave enough to follow their hearts and reach for the Level Up.
Level Up is a contemporary, new adult, MM Romance. A standalone story with characters moving forward from both Secret and Breakaway. If you enjoy what you read, email me your thoughts.
254 pages, ebook
First published July 12, 2022
About the author
Kindle Alexander
32 books3,618 followersStay connected here:
https://linktr.ee/KindleAlexander
Friction, Book 1 in the Gravity series is coming 9/17/24. Are you ready?
Hi friends. I have something to share. 🙂
I truly appreciate your help in any way you do business. For me, having the promo company send you information directly is more efficient, but you don’t have to join the tour if that’s not your thing. My only ask is that if you read the story, post about the book as close to release as possible.
Thank you so much. <3 Details below.
Description
Beau Brooks
The guy of my dreams sweeps me off my feet and over my handlebars, quite literally. But our budding relationship takes a turn when my troubled past resurfaces, shattering any hope for a future. Now, I feel like a hollowed-out version of myself. Memories of piercing blue eyes and sweeping blond hair are all that remain to get me through a day.
I know I have to make peace with my past to move forward into my future. But am I strong enough?
Dash Richmond
I’m the tenth child of affluent older parents, confident, and privileged. But the future they see for me isn’t how I want to live my life. A chance encounter with a guy my polar opposite changes my path indefinitely, leading me to the life I’ve always wanted.
When he’s ripped away from me, I vow to wait for his return. Now I’m stuck in limbo, unwilling to give up on him.
Can the friction of life destroy what they shared or is your first true love like gravity—an unending universal law?
The Gravity Series is an unforgettable whirlwind romance chronicling the love of two men over three decades. Friction heats up the scene with passionate alpha males who navigate the often-rocky road to love. Love’s rarely easy, but when it’s true, it’s a battle worth fighting for.
Friction: 9/17/24
https://amzn.to/3S421vU
Fusion: Mid December
Force: Early March 2025
🚨 Calling ALL Bloggers ~ Bookstagrammers ~ TikTokers and more! Sign up today for
Friction (The Gravity Series) by yours truly Kindle Alexander
Sign Up ➜ https://forms.gle/V5M3P3f9k67rsFXNA
⭐️ EVENTS ⭐️
✔︎ Cover Reveal: July 30, 2024
✔︎ Teaser Blast: August 6, 2024
✔︎ Excerpt Blast: August 20, 2024
✔︎ Teaser Blast: September 3, 2024
✔︎ Release w/ Review: September 17, 2024
✔︎ Book Tour w/ Review: September 23-27, 2024
✔︎ Release Boost Blast: October 2, 2024
Thank you so much!
https://linktr.ee/KindleAlexander
Friction, Book 1 in the Gravity series is coming 9/17/24. Are you ready?
Hi friends. I have something to share. 🙂
I truly appreciate your help in any way you do business. For me, having the promo company send you information directly is more efficient, but you don’t have to join the tour if that’s not your thing. My only ask is that if you read the story, post about the book as close to release as possible.
Thank you so much. <3 Details below.
Description
Beau Brooks
The guy of my dreams sweeps me off my feet and over my handlebars, quite literally. But our budding relationship takes a turn when my troubled past resurfaces, shattering any hope for a future. Now, I feel like a hollowed-out version of myself. Memories of piercing blue eyes and sweeping blond hair are all that remain to get me through a day.
I know I have to make peace with my past to move forward into my future. But am I strong enough?
Dash Richmond
I’m the tenth child of affluent older parents, confident, and privileged. But the future they see for me isn’t how I want to live my life. A chance encounter with a guy my polar opposite changes my path indefinitely, leading me to the life I’ve always wanted.
When he’s ripped away from me, I vow to wait for his return. Now I’m stuck in limbo, unwilling to give up on him.
Can the friction of life destroy what they shared or is your first true love like gravity—an unending universal law?
The Gravity Series is an unforgettable whirlwind romance chronicling the love of two men over three decades. Friction heats up the scene with passionate alpha males who navigate the often-rocky road to love. Love’s rarely easy, but when it’s true, it’s a battle worth fighting for.
Friction: 9/17/24
https://amzn.to/3S421vU
Fusion: Mid December
Force: Early March 2025
🚨 Calling ALL Bloggers ~ Bookstagrammers ~ TikTokers and more! Sign up today for
Friction (The Gravity Series) by yours truly Kindle Alexander
Sign Up ➜ https://forms.gle/V5M3P3f9k67rsFXNA
⭐️ EVENTS ⭐️
✔︎ Cover Reveal: July 30, 2024
✔︎ Teaser Blast: August 6, 2024
✔︎ Excerpt Blast: August 20, 2024
✔︎ Teaser Blast: September 3, 2024
✔︎ Release w/ Review: September 17, 2024
✔︎ Book Tour w/ Review: September 23-27, 2024
✔︎ Release Boost Blast: October 2, 2024
Thank you so much!
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July 30, 2022
Level Up is book two in the Reigns Brothers series by Kindle Alexander.
Duncan (Ducky) Reigns is the younger brother of Dallas from book one, Breakaway. I loved seeing how happy Dallas and Greer are and how successful StreamTrainer is, the company Dallas and Ducky started together. Ducky is the computer wiz of the family. He always was a little introverted and enjoyed spending his time behind the computer screen. But when he’s asked to present an award at a huge awards ceremony, Ducky decides it’s finally time to make some changes. Greer helps and Ducky completely transforms himself. But, he might look different on the outside, but not on the inside. Inside, he is still the same old Ducky.
Chad Reeves is twenty five years old. He is Dylan Reeves son and Dylan’s husband, Tristan Wilder’s step son from the book, Secret. Chad loves his dad and is lucky enough to also have a great step dad. But he is also struggling with trying to figure himself out. He thought golf was his life but his interest is waning. He has no idea what direction he wants his life to go in now!
Chad and Ducky have been friends since they were kids. They play games online together but surprisingly, they have never met in person. They are very close friends, though, texting and talking frequently. And they are very important to each other. But both believe the other to be straight. The truth is, neither of them are! Both have crushes on each other but no one has admitted anything, not wanting to ruin their friendship.
Both of these men were struggling with their futures, both at odds with their current lives. When they do finally meet, they both feel the strange pull between them but still, keep their personal feelings quiet. What they both do immediately realize, though, is that when the other is present, all their worries seem to melt away and they finally feel peace.
This was a very slow burn book. For their own reasons, they are both private men. Neither are closeted but both kept their sexual preferences to themselves. Their lack of communication to each other, though, frustrated me a bit. Even once they finally met in person, I saw opportunities they let slip away to speak their truths. These two clearly fit together and filled in the missing pieces of each other.
I loved getting a look at both Dallas and Greer’s life and also Dylan and Tristan’s. I loved both of these couples so much. The pacing just was a little too slow in this one for me to fully fall for Ducky and Chad. I particularly felt bad for Ducky and the way he allowed his brother and Skye, their other business partner, push him down a path he didn’t want to take in their company. He needed to stand up to them.
I still did enjoy getting to know Chad and Ducky and watching them walk towards their own HEA. Their story was sweet and sexy.
“Dreams did come true.”
For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...
Duncan (Ducky) Reigns is the younger brother of Dallas from book one, Breakaway. I loved seeing how happy Dallas and Greer are and how successful StreamTrainer is, the company Dallas and Ducky started together. Ducky is the computer wiz of the family. He always was a little introverted and enjoyed spending his time behind the computer screen. But when he’s asked to present an award at a huge awards ceremony, Ducky decides it’s finally time to make some changes. Greer helps and Ducky completely transforms himself. But, he might look different on the outside, but not on the inside. Inside, he is still the same old Ducky.
Chad Reeves is twenty five years old. He is Dylan Reeves son and Dylan’s husband, Tristan Wilder’s step son from the book, Secret. Chad loves his dad and is lucky enough to also have a great step dad. But he is also struggling with trying to figure himself out. He thought golf was his life but his interest is waning. He has no idea what direction he wants his life to go in now!
Chad and Ducky have been friends since they were kids. They play games online together but surprisingly, they have never met in person. They are very close friends, though, texting and talking frequently. And they are very important to each other. But both believe the other to be straight. The truth is, neither of them are! Both have crushes on each other but no one has admitted anything, not wanting to ruin their friendship.
Both of these men were struggling with their futures, both at odds with their current lives. When they do finally meet, they both feel the strange pull between them but still, keep their personal feelings quiet. What they both do immediately realize, though, is that when the other is present, all their worries seem to melt away and they finally feel peace.
This was a very slow burn book. For their own reasons, they are both private men. Neither are closeted but both kept their sexual preferences to themselves. Their lack of communication to each other, though, frustrated me a bit. Even once they finally met in person, I saw opportunities they let slip away to speak their truths. These two clearly fit together and filled in the missing pieces of each other.
I loved getting a look at both Dallas and Greer’s life and also Dylan and Tristan’s. I loved both of these couples so much. The pacing just was a little too slow in this one for me to fully fall for Ducky and Chad. I particularly felt bad for Ducky and the way he allowed his brother and Skye, their other business partner, push him down a path he didn’t want to take in their company. He needed to stand up to them.
I still did enjoy getting to know Chad and Ducky and watching them walk towards their own HEA. Their story was sweet and sexy.
“Dreams did come true.”
For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...
July 12, 2022
I fell in love with Duncan “Ducky” Reigns in Breakaway the first book in this series and so I was excited about this book. I’ll be honest and say that I teetered about how to rate this book because while I did enjoy it, and I was happy about the pairing, and satisfied by the ending, for me this book lacked the emotional depth and the deep connection between the characters that this writing duo is famous for. Yes, Level Up is much shorter than their normal work and so I get that something would suffer but I would have preferred fewer sex scenes for more emotional depth.
Online gaming friends since childhood Ducky and Chad Reeves (son of Dylan Reeves and stepson to Tristan Wilder from Secret) have formed a bond through years of sharing gaming, plans for the future, and more recently when Chad asked his father and step-dad to help the Reigns brothers find funds to expand their growing business which is why StreamTrainer has grown bigger than they ever expected. They both value their friendship and even though they’ve lived less than an hour apart their whole lives they’ve never met in person, but that hasn’t kept both of them from thinking about the other in ways neither one thinks is possible. What I loved about these two was they really came from two different worlds; Ducky from a lower middle class family and Chad coming from a much wealthier background yet they meshed and valued their friendship so much so they never spoke of their sexuality or the fact they were attracted to one another because they feared losing their friend over becoming more. It’s easy to see that despite their backgrounds neither one is completely happy or comfortable where they are now. Chad is still trying to figure out his place in life and who he can trust because after his dad came out and he and Tristan became a big gay power couple with a lot of money friends either saw him as someone they could mooch off of or someone who could help them get an in with his dad and Tristan. With Ducky’s company growing faster than anyone ever expected, he now has more money than he ever dreamed off but he’s not happy about it. It doesn’t feel right to him, he doesn’t feel like himself anymore, and he’s struggling to find a place he belongs once again.
I was thrilled when these two finally met in person despite the crazy mix up that put Chad into a position where he felt like he had to apologize to Ducky. Most of all I loved that Ducky didn’t let the incident change his feelings for Chad and all he could think about was asking his friend to join him on in all expenses paid trip to Hawaii. At times it was painful to watch these two pine for one another especially when they were both garnering so much female attention that neither one really wanted. I was happy when it was pointed out to Chad that he couldn’t keep his eyes off Ducky and Ducky couldn’t keep his eyes off Chad that Chad finally, finally made the move to show Ducky how he felt and what he wanted. As sexy as their intimate moments were, I truly needed more conversations between them about their feelings and their fears. I feel like we saw both of them grow as they figured out what they wanted in their professional lives, but in their relationship not so much.
It is never a bad thing when two people finally figure out they are in love with their best friend and that is why I did enjoy Level Up as much as I did. That being said, it also made me long for the intense emotional upheaval and connection from books like Secret and after so many scenes with Dylan and Tristan, I think a re-read of Secret is in order.
Review copy provided for a voluntary review.
Online gaming friends since childhood Ducky and Chad Reeves (son of Dylan Reeves and stepson to Tristan Wilder from Secret) have formed a bond through years of sharing gaming, plans for the future, and more recently when Chad asked his father and step-dad to help the Reigns brothers find funds to expand their growing business which is why StreamTrainer has grown bigger than they ever expected. They both value their friendship and even though they’ve lived less than an hour apart their whole lives they’ve never met in person, but that hasn’t kept both of them from thinking about the other in ways neither one thinks is possible. What I loved about these two was they really came from two different worlds; Ducky from a lower middle class family and Chad coming from a much wealthier background yet they meshed and valued their friendship so much so they never spoke of their sexuality or the fact they were attracted to one another because they feared losing their friend over becoming more. It’s easy to see that despite their backgrounds neither one is completely happy or comfortable where they are now. Chad is still trying to figure out his place in life and who he can trust because after his dad came out and he and Tristan became a big gay power couple with a lot of money friends either saw him as someone they could mooch off of or someone who could help them get an in with his dad and Tristan. With Ducky’s company growing faster than anyone ever expected, he now has more money than he ever dreamed off but he’s not happy about it. It doesn’t feel right to him, he doesn’t feel like himself anymore, and he’s struggling to find a place he belongs once again.
I was thrilled when these two finally met in person despite the crazy mix up that put Chad into a position where he felt like he had to apologize to Ducky. Most of all I loved that Ducky didn’t let the incident change his feelings for Chad and all he could think about was asking his friend to join him on in all expenses paid trip to Hawaii. At times it was painful to watch these two pine for one another especially when they were both garnering so much female attention that neither one really wanted. I was happy when it was pointed out to Chad that he couldn’t keep his eyes off Ducky and Ducky couldn’t keep his eyes off Chad that Chad finally, finally made the move to show Ducky how he felt and what he wanted. As sexy as their intimate moments were, I truly needed more conversations between them about their feelings and their fears. I feel like we saw both of them grow as they figured out what they wanted in their professional lives, but in their relationship not so much.
It is never a bad thing when two people finally figure out they are in love with their best friend and that is why I did enjoy Level Up as much as I did. That being said, it also made me long for the intense emotional upheaval and connection from books like Secret and after so many scenes with Dylan and Tristan, I think a re-read of Secret is in order.
Review copy provided for a voluntary review.
June 26, 2022
This book is everything and more!!!! Beloved older characters make cameo appearances. Another amazing book by this awesome writing duo!
January 27, 2023
Dallas's younger brother Duncan "Ducky" Reigns is presenting a game award and Greer has been Ducky's personal trainer in trying to change his appearance.
Ducky becoming the handsome muscled Dallas-look-alike, is targeted to a major marketing add for their über successful StreamTrainer, becoming an overnight trending topic.
Chad Reeves, Dylan's son is feeling antsy and unsettled. He lost his purpose in life and only feels at ease when he talks to his years-long crush, Ducky.
When Ducky is gifted a much needed Hawaiian get-away, he invites his best bud Chad to tag along.
Two best friends, an amazing beach destination and attraction and lust is riding high.
So what can go wrong? Because everything feels just right in a certain Hawaiian condo.
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
Part of the Reigns Brothers Series and is best enjoyed when read in order:
July 2, 2022
If you read Breakaway then you met Ducky and hopefully like me fell in love with him and needed his story after Dallas and Greer. The duo has done it again and created this beautiful story that was filled with little angst and loads of romance and sexiness. I loved the slow build up to which neither knew the other was attracted to the other.
Oh and we got cameos from some of our beloved Kindle characters and it was a sweet treat. Like the connection that Chad has with Tristan as well as his dad who happens to be Dylan Reeves.
This story may not be as emotional as say maybe Always or Forever but it still has the same heart and sexiness as you’ll find in any Ms. Alexander book. It was a super fun and light book that will just put a big smile on your face.
Oh and we got cameos from some of our beloved Kindle characters and it was a sweet treat. Like the connection that Chad has with Tristan as well as his dad who happens to be Dylan Reeves.
This story may not be as emotional as say maybe Always or Forever but it still has the same heart and sexiness as you’ll find in any Ms. Alexander book. It was a super fun and light book that will just put a big smile on your face.
July 20, 2022
I always love a good friends to lovers book and this one was very well done. It was a super fun story and I really enjoyed reading it. I really liked both main characters and I enjoyed following along their journey. This book had a lot of talks about your place in life and figuring out what you want to do with your life and as someone who’s also in that phase of my life, I really appreciated it.
I just wish that this book had a little more of the romance, I just wanted more of it. But what we got was super sweet and thats why I wanted more of it.
I receivef an arc of this book and this is my honest opinion
I just wish that this book had a little more of the romance, I just wanted more of it. But what we got was super sweet and thats why I wanted more of it.
I receivef an arc of this book and this is my honest opinion
July 5, 2022
Such a great story. Ducky, the youngest sibling, is wonderful. He’s fallen into fame and fortune, but without a chance to get used to it, he is being pushed out of his comfort zone, and missing his normal life. A gamer and coder, slightly geeky, but maturing, especially out of direct reach of his hateful father and eldest brother. It’s a lot for this adorable introvert to take on.
Chad is the one bright spot. Charming and adventurous. A friend who truly likes Ducky for who he is, not for his success. He too is questioning life and his future. Struggling to figure out what’s next, which isn’t easy when your parents are wealthy and famous.
Thankfully what happens in Hawaii, doesn’t stay in Hawaii!
Together they make such a sweet and fun-loving couple, and I love how they support one another, bringing out the best in each other and easily accepting the choices the other makes.
Really loved this feel-good story. 4.5 soul searching stars.
Chad is the one bright spot. Charming and adventurous. A friend who truly likes Ducky for who he is, not for his success. He too is questioning life and his future. Struggling to figure out what’s next, which isn’t easy when your parents are wealthy and famous.
Thankfully what happens in Hawaii, doesn’t stay in Hawaii!
Together they make such a sweet and fun-loving couple, and I love how they support one another, bringing out the best in each other and easily accepting the choices the other makes.
Really loved this feel-good story. 4.5 soul searching stars.
June 30, 2022
4.25-4.5 stars
I F’LOVE that KA paired Ducky & Chad! They were so sweet and sexy together. A great ‘pick-me-up’ read.
*****
POV… third person
Standalone or series… book 2 but CAN be read as standalone
Hangover… slight
Recommend…yes
Reread… yes
I F’LOVE that KA paired Ducky & Chad! They were so sweet and sexy together. A great ‘pick-me-up’ read.
*****
POV… third person
Standalone or series… book 2 but CAN be read as standalone
Hangover… slight
Recommend…yes
Reread… yes
July 14, 2022
Level Up, book two in the Reigns Brothers series, is a second generation story for Kindle Alexander with Chad Reeves as one of the main characters. He is the son of Dylan Reeves and step son of Tristan Wilder from the book, Secrets and Chad is definitely a character you are going to love. Add in a friends to lovers theme with a slow, steamy burn to this hot steamy MM romance and I know you will be as completely hooked as I was!
Duncan Reigns, Ducky and his brother Dallas are the developers and successful owners of the SteamTrainer exercise equipment. He loves his job but is a bit awkward and is working on changing his style to reflect his level of success, but he can’t seem to be able to chill and relax until Dallas gifts him a vacation for not only him, but a friend.
He has been friends with Chad Reeves for years. They met on an online gaming site and even though they had never met in person they have maintained an easy friendship. Now, a two week trip has put them together where they both try to figure out how to deal with their attraction to one another. However, neither realizes that the other is into men, so putting their thoughts into action doesn’t happen right away, but when they finally do, watch out because they have some serious smokin chemistry!
Kindle Alexander definitely knows how to write MM romance and proves over and over again that love is love and finding your special someone is all that matters.
Duncan Reigns, Ducky and his brother Dallas are the developers and successful owners of the SteamTrainer exercise equipment. He loves his job but is a bit awkward and is working on changing his style to reflect his level of success, but he can’t seem to be able to chill and relax until Dallas gifts him a vacation for not only him, but a friend.
He has been friends with Chad Reeves for years. They met on an online gaming site and even though they had never met in person they have maintained an easy friendship. Now, a two week trip has put them together where they both try to figure out how to deal with their attraction to one another. However, neither realizes that the other is into men, so putting their thoughts into action doesn’t happen right away, but when they finally do, watch out because they have some serious smokin chemistry!
Kindle Alexander definitely knows how to write MM romance and proves over and over again that love is love and finding your special someone is all that matters.
July 10, 2022
5 Star Review of Level Up (Reigns Brothers #2) by Kindle Alexander
One thing I know when I pick up a Kindle Alexander book is that the writing will be strong and the characters will pull me in and tug at my heart. Level Up was no exception.; this book drew a variety of emotions from me. The characters have a great deal of depth and I fell hard for Duncan “Ducky” Reigns and Chad Reeves.
There are so many layers to this story and I was hooked from the first chapter to the last. Kindle Alexander write fantastic MM romance and are at the top of my list for authors in this genre.
Not only is there passion between Ducky and Chad but it is the love that takes this story to another level.
One thing I know when I pick up a Kindle Alexander book is that the writing will be strong and the characters will pull me in and tug at my heart. Level Up was no exception.; this book drew a variety of emotions from me. The characters have a great deal of depth and I fell hard for Duncan “Ducky” Reigns and Chad Reeves.
There are so many layers to this story and I was hooked from the first chapter to the last. Kindle Alexander write fantastic MM romance and are at the top of my list for authors in this genre.
Not only is there passion between Ducky and Chad but it is the love that takes this story to another level.
July 4, 2022
As I was reading the first book, Breakaway, I had a big case of unrequited Ducky love - and now it seems I am not the only one!
Remember Dylan' son from Secret, Chad? Well, this here is his story (gosh I love how KA is bringing multiple series together).
Lots of sexiness, little angst and a whole lot of love is what this dynamic duo has given us.
I enjoy a friends to more story, so Chad and Ducky's tale was right up my alley. I loved the slow burn as they realise that they both had feelings for each other.
I loved that there was no OTT drama and their relationship felt organic. They balance each other out well.
Cameo's from some of our favourites made me smile hard. Days later and I am still smiling thinking about this story.
Remember Dylan' son from Secret, Chad? Well, this here is his story (gosh I love how KA is bringing multiple series together).
Lots of sexiness, little angst and a whole lot of love is what this dynamic duo has given us.
I enjoy a friends to more story, so Chad and Ducky's tale was right up my alley. I loved the slow burn as they realise that they both had feelings for each other.
I loved that there was no OTT drama and their relationship felt organic. They balance each other out well.
Cameo's from some of our favourites made me smile hard. Days later and I am still smiling thinking about this story.
July 7, 2022
We first meet Ducky (Duncan) in Breakaway , he is one of the brothers that produce a fitness phenomenon that take the world by storm. They come from very humble beginnings and have to work extra hard to prove themselves. His brother Dallas was always the face of the product, Ducky was determined to stay private, he had no interest in the fame, especially the money, no,he just wanted to work hard and stay true to himself.
Ducky was only ever free with his gaming friends, only they saw him laugh and relax, especially Chad, their connection was strong, they had so much history...
Chad has his own stresses and triggers in his life, coming from a very successful family he feels restless, unsure of his place in the world. That's not all, questioning his sexuality and his feelings for his best friend Ducky is wearing him down, does he stay away? Can he risk exposing his true self to him? He just can't risk it all.
When Ducky finds himself unwittingly propelled into the limelight he feels exposed and fragile, so when a holiday in paradise is thrust upon him he asks Chad to join him. They both need to reboot, they both need to detox from their demons, they can help each other, that's a great idea right?
The intoxicating beauty of the island, the free flowing alcohol, the sense of freedom all starts to work it's magic. When Ducky and Chad let go of the hold on their feelings they allow the simmering attraction to blossom, they both let bodies take over from their brains, and boy do they let go ....
They had no idea of the power they held over each other, the outside world be damned.
But it's not that simple, damn social media, here comes their families...
Another well written story by these authors, it's definitely a slow burn friends to lovers, an enjoyable read.
Ducky was only ever free with his gaming friends, only they saw him laugh and relax, especially Chad, their connection was strong, they had so much history...
Chad has his own stresses and triggers in his life, coming from a very successful family he feels restless, unsure of his place in the world. That's not all, questioning his sexuality and his feelings for his best friend Ducky is wearing him down, does he stay away? Can he risk exposing his true self to him? He just can't risk it all.
When Ducky finds himself unwittingly propelled into the limelight he feels exposed and fragile, so when a holiday in paradise is thrust upon him he asks Chad to join him. They both need to reboot, they both need to detox from their demons, they can help each other, that's a great idea right?
The intoxicating beauty of the island, the free flowing alcohol, the sense of freedom all starts to work it's magic. When Ducky and Chad let go of the hold on their feelings they allow the simmering attraction to blossom, they both let bodies take over from their brains, and boy do they let go ....
They had no idea of the power they held over each other, the outside world be damned.
But it's not that simple, damn social media, here comes their families...
Another well written story by these authors, it's definitely a slow burn friends to lovers, an enjoyable read.
July 15, 2022
3.75 stars rounded up cause OMG that first kiss!
I have been waiting for Ducky's story ever since I first read about him. He seemed like such an intriguing character with his many layers--gamer, business-man, younger brother who worshipped his older brother. His story was a treat for me to read and having him fall in love with his best friend was the cherry on top.
As with Ducky, I knew who Chad was too but didn't know him well. He also was an intriguing character to get to know. But although I came to understand his struggle to find meaning with his life, he frustrated me to no end. Thankfully, the authors redeemed him in the end.
Ducky and Chad were great together...when they finally, finally spent time together. Even though I enjoyed their story, I would have loved to have more "screen" time with them together. I felt that Chad and Ducky spent too much time in their heads. Ultimately, I found that heir introspective monologues slowed the pace of the story. Instead of these prolonging the anticipation of them getting together, for me, they just dragged the story along. Fortunately, once they got together, it was A.W.E.S.O.M.E.
I did appreciate the author's efforts in allowing me to witness Chad and Ducky developing into the men they were meant to be. In the end, working through their individual issues allowed them to take a chance on each other.
As with other books by these authors, I enjoyed visiting with past characters. It was nice to catch up with Tristan and Dylan as well as with Dallas and Greer. I also enjoyed meeting new characters and what they added to the overall story. I definitely recommend reading Secret and Breakaway so that you can get a deeper understanding of the events that shaped Duckie and Chad.
All in all, a sweet yet steamy romance.
I have been waiting for Ducky's story ever since I first read about him. He seemed like such an intriguing character with his many layers--gamer, business-man, younger brother who worshipped his older brother. His story was a treat for me to read and having him fall in love with his best friend was the cherry on top.
As with Ducky, I knew who Chad was too but didn't know him well. He also was an intriguing character to get to know. But although I came to understand his struggle to find meaning with his life, he frustrated me to no end. Thankfully, the authors redeemed him in the end.
Ducky and Chad were great together...when they finally, finally spent time together. Even though I enjoyed their story, I would have loved to have more "screen" time with them together. I felt that Chad and Ducky spent too much time in their heads. Ultimately, I found that heir introspective monologues slowed the pace of the story. Instead of these prolonging the anticipation of them getting together, for me, they just dragged the story along. Fortunately, once they got together, it was A.W.E.S.O.M.E.
I did appreciate the author's efforts in allowing me to witness Chad and Ducky developing into the men they were meant to be. In the end, working through their individual issues allowed them to take a chance on each other.
As with other books by these authors, I enjoyed visiting with past characters. It was nice to catch up with Tristan and Dylan as well as with Dallas and Greer. I also enjoyed meeting new characters and what they added to the overall story. I definitely recommend reading Secret and Breakaway so that you can get a deeper understanding of the events that shaped Duckie and Chad.
All in all, a sweet yet steamy romance.
July 7, 2022
I loved Level Up!!!! This is a friends to lovers romance. Duncan Reigns aka"Ducky" has been best friends with Chad Reeves for most of his life. Chad help Ducky and Dallas with their idea of StreamTrainer’s and now Ducky is very rich and popular something he is struggling to understand and adapt. We Lear that both of them have been in love with the other for some time but they both thought they were straight. They are struggling with a few issues on their lives, Chad with his future and trying not to let down his dad and Ducky with his new look and money. Chad didn’t know about Ducky makeover and it’s a surprise for him when he sees him. Their friendship has always been mostly on line but when they finally meet Chad now’s for sure that Ducky it’s the man for him.
Ducky invited Chad to go with him to Hawaii on a vacation and they both realize that it’s going to be impossible to keep their hormones and feelings for each other’s, it’s funny how the dance around each other until finally they realize their feelings are mutual!!! These two are have a amazing chemistry and are so hot together!!!! Ducky is a sweetheart there is no one better for his that Chad! He understand him and love his quirky nature, I enjoy watching them together!!! This was an amazing book! Enjoy!
Ducky invited Chad to go with him to Hawaii on a vacation and they both realize that it’s going to be impossible to keep their hormones and feelings for each other’s, it’s funny how the dance around each other until finally they realize their feelings are mutual!!! These two are have a amazing chemistry and are so hot together!!!! Ducky is a sweetheart there is no one better for his that Chad! He understand him and love his quirky nature, I enjoy watching them together!!! This was an amazing book! Enjoy!
July 15, 2022
Ducky & Chad
We have to say we enjoyed this one, we loved the characters, they had great chemistry and both are struggling with the idea of life changes at the moment.
Loved Ducky even though the man had transformed his image, he is the same old Ducky on the inside, the man at the moment who doesn't feel comfortable in his own skin.
Ducky really is a simple down to earth kind of guy, and we loved that about him his wealth he sees as a burden, and he is really uncomfortable with it. He hates the limelight and I can see that about him, he just wants to be left alone to live his life.
Chad and he had been friends forever, and we loved that they were comfortable with one another and easiness between them and their friendship solid. There is this amazing attraction between them that make them perfect for one another.
Chad loved him, found him to be a sweetheart all around, and the man can cook! We felt there was this confidence about him that we liked, even when his life seemed at the moment to be a bit muddy right now.
Overall, found the story to be a good one, we really loved the characters, and it was easy to fall in love with both Chad and Ducky. So much chemistry between them that they can't keep their hands off one another...
We have to say we enjoyed this one, we loved the characters, they had great chemistry and both are struggling with the idea of life changes at the moment.
Loved Ducky even though the man had transformed his image, he is the same old Ducky on the inside, the man at the moment who doesn't feel comfortable in his own skin.
Ducky really is a simple down to earth kind of guy, and we loved that about him his wealth he sees as a burden, and he is really uncomfortable with it. He hates the limelight and I can see that about him, he just wants to be left alone to live his life.
Chad and he had been friends forever, and we loved that they were comfortable with one another and easiness between them and their friendship solid. There is this amazing attraction between them that make them perfect for one another.
Chad loved him, found him to be a sweetheart all around, and the man can cook! We felt there was this confidence about him that we liked, even when his life seemed at the moment to be a bit muddy right now.
Overall, found the story to be a good one, we really loved the characters, and it was easy to fall in love with both Chad and Ducky. So much chemistry between them that they can't keep their hands off one another...
July 12, 2022
Ducky’s story!!! The shy, introverted gamer is too adorable for words. Even after he gets a makeover, he’s still the same old Ducky on the inside. And it’s this Ducky who Chad has always loved. When they meet in person, their mutual feelings are ignited and it’s only so long they can stay apart. Their connection is magnetic and intensely swoon worthy; an achingly satisfactory slow burn. I just adored them! And bonus points for catching up with both Dallas and Greer, and Dylan and Tristan!
July 18, 2022
Check out our full post for LEVEL UP on Wicked Reads.
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the second book in the series, and although you could read it as a standalone, you would get more out of reading them in order. In book one, we got Ducky's older brother Dallas's story, and learned about their successful business venture.
Ducky is having a hard time with the success their invention – his programming – is having, but is happy that his brother has found love, and his colleagues are benefitting from their success. He still prefers to play online games and keeps his friends online too. That said, his new fitness regime and healthy eating has certainly improved his physique – to the point he is being suggested as a part of their company’s new marketing, much to his dismay.
Chad is a long-time bestie with Ducky – but only as an online friend – and what with all the chaos in his life, he decides it is time to meet him for real. As soon as they do, sparks fly and we just know that there is chemistry burning up these two, which we are about to get to enjoy!
I loved that the issues these two very likeable characters have are solvable when together and will provide each with an opportunity to support and heal the other. It is such a naturally symbiotic relationship built out of two people very uncertain in their skins. I really did just love it all. Thank you, Kindle Alexander, for a very worthy book for the second Reigns brother.
Shannan – ☆☆☆☆
LEVEL UP is the second installment in the Reigns Brothers series. It can be read as a standalone, but I don't recommend it. You meet Ducky in the first book, BREAKAWAY, which features Ducky's brother Dallas and Greer.
Ducky hates where StreamTrainer has put him. He's successful and rich, but it is all too much for Ducky. He asked his brother Dallas and Dallas’s husband Greer for help in a makeover. He's gained twenty pounds of muscle and a new haircut but he's happier in his t-shirts than in fitted clothing. He prefers playing his online games and talking to his best friend Chad. Chad just seems to get Ducky even though their friendship is online.
Chad Reeves is Dylan Reeves’s son and Dylan’s husband, Tristan Wilder’s step-son from the book, SECRET. (I also highly recommend reading if you haven't.) Chad has always wanted to be in the PGA until he gets there, now he doesn't know what he wants to do with his life. When Ducky does an award show, Chad can't believe the changes in him. Things are said and Chad needs to apologize, so when Ducky asks him to go to Hawaii with him, Chad can't pass up the trip and alone time with Ducky.
I loved watching Ducky and Chad's friendship develop, as well as the attraction to each other. Ducky doesn't understand how someone like Chad could be attracted to him, but Chad does everything in his power to prove to him he's the one for him. The chemistry was off the charts and the sweetness of each of these men pulls at the heartstrings!
I cannot wait for the next book in this series!
Veronica – ☆☆☆☆
At the beginning of LEVEL UP, we meet Ducky and learn he has gone through a transformation. Health eating, times spent in a gym, a new wardrobe, and a haircut, and Ducky is looking like a stud and not like the geeky gamer we met in the first Reigns Brothers book. But Ducky is still the same guy he always was, even if the outside is looking more spiffy.
Chad, Ducky’s best friend, is sporty and outgoing and has been crushing on Ducky since they were teens playing League of Legends together online. Chad’s reaction to seeing Ducky’s transformation was amusing and has some unexpected consequences.
I enjoyed hanging out with Chad and Ducky and seeing them dance around each other. It was cute to see how oblivious they each were of the other’s feelings. The men have great chemistry, but they are also great friends and being with them always felt comfortable and like we were seeing something a bit special.
I found LEVEL UP to be an easy to read, straight forward, friends-to-lovers romance. I enjoyed the low-angst romance, and I had a good time watching the changing relationship between Chad and Ducky. A solid four stars from me.
Angie – ☆☆☆☆
Ducky and Chad started as online friends. When they finally meet, sparks fly. Chad fell for Ducky before he transformed his body and even though he has physically changed, he's still the same old Ducky. His new look didn't turn him into a douche. These two together are so sweet and so swoon worthy. We also get to see characters from the first book, which was great. I really enjoyed this book. It's the second in the series and you could read it as a standalone but would enjoy more with reading the first one as well.
Reviewers received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
July 12, 2022
I love Ducky and Chad! They are so good for each other and with each other. Their story has a lot of heart and is ultimately going to be a timeless read!
It’s beautiful and angsty, steamy and romantic, twists and turns and some laughs. Our boys have a depth that is wonderful to see and all the love that a romance needs!
Five stars is not nearly enough!
It’s beautiful and angsty, steamy and romantic, twists and turns and some laughs. Our boys have a depth that is wonderful to see and all the love that a romance needs!
Five stars is not nearly enough!
July 8, 2022
This is the sequel to Breakaway. Duncan “Ducky” & Chad’s story. I love the relationships between these two characters. I love the humor and steam between them. This was another amazing story by this author.
July 10, 2022
I love Chad and Ducky. I really enjoyed that since we already know them from previous books, we got to focus on them and how they come together.
I want to say so much but I don’t want to give any of the story away as it’s so good and sweet.
My advice is to jump in and just enjoy Ducky and Chad!
I want to say so much but I don’t want to give any of the story away as it’s so good and sweet.
My advice is to jump in and just enjoy Ducky and Chad!
July 20, 2022
Friends-to-lovers; so sweet and hot!
Level Up is a mostly sweet book with the heat not showing up until about 70 percent and that was perfect for Ducky’s story. Ducky’s been thrown for a bit of a loop with the success of the fitness app/company that he and his brother created. He’s agreed to a makeover – build up his body, spiff up his clothes – but he could never have guessed the impact it would have on his life.
Chad and Ducky have been online gaming friends for years and Chad’s been crushing on him nearly all of that time. Neither of them has ever mentioned their sexuality and Chad assumed that Ducky is straight. With a little nudge from his mother, Chad finally goes to meet Ducky in person hoping that it might cure him of his inconvenient crush. Spoiler alert – it doesn’t. 😊
I thought that Level Up was a fairly low-angst story with most of the angst coming from Ducky’s feelings about his life and how extreme financial success has affected him. His brother wants him to become the face of their company and showcase his physical makeover. Shy and reserved Ducky isn’t really happy about it.
After Ducky and Chad finally admit their feelings, things really heat up and they can’t keep their hands off of each other. Level Up didn’t affect me emotionally as most other books I’ve read by Kindle Alexander but it felt right for this story about two young people finally finding their way to each other. It was a nice change to read a book that didn’t have a huge gotcha moment between the two MCs and to have things work out between them without a lot of drama.
A copy of this book was provided to me but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author.
***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***
Level Up is a mostly sweet book with the heat not showing up until about 70 percent and that was perfect for Ducky’s story. Ducky’s been thrown for a bit of a loop with the success of the fitness app/company that he and his brother created. He’s agreed to a makeover – build up his body, spiff up his clothes – but he could never have guessed the impact it would have on his life.
Chad and Ducky have been online gaming friends for years and Chad’s been crushing on him nearly all of that time. Neither of them has ever mentioned their sexuality and Chad assumed that Ducky is straight. With a little nudge from his mother, Chad finally goes to meet Ducky in person hoping that it might cure him of his inconvenient crush. Spoiler alert – it doesn’t. 😊
I thought that Level Up was a fairly low-angst story with most of the angst coming from Ducky’s feelings about his life and how extreme financial success has affected him. His brother wants him to become the face of their company and showcase his physical makeover. Shy and reserved Ducky isn’t really happy about it.
After Ducky and Chad finally admit their feelings, things really heat up and they can’t keep their hands off of each other. Level Up didn’t affect me emotionally as most other books I’ve read by Kindle Alexander but it felt right for this story about two young people finally finding their way to each other. It was a nice change to read a book that didn’t have a huge gotcha moment between the two MCs and to have things work out between them without a lot of drama.
A copy of this book was provided to me but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author.
***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***
July 3, 2022
After reading and falling in love with Ducky in Breakaway, I was SO excited to find out he was getting his own book! And who is he paired with? None other than Chad Reeves, whose father is Dylan Reeves from the fabulous book, Secret.
Ducky and Chad complemented each other so much in this story! As introverted as Ducky was, Chad was the complete opposite, with people flocking to him in droves. But what they both had in common was the struggles they felt within themselves to figure out what the future held. Neither one’s lives were in a place they thought they should be. They’ve both been wildly successful, so why are they both so unhappy with themselves?
I loved the journey to discovery both Ducky and Chad take, and how their paths led them to each other. These two have been best friends since they were 12 years old, and both were afraid to make the first move because their friendship meant more to them than anything else. I was rooting for them so hard that they would overcome the fears and insecurities holding them back and just go for it!
It was really wonderful seeing several old characters along the way. I really love Dylan and Tristan and loved seeing how supportive they were to Ducky and Chad. And Dallas and Greer were right there along the way as well to lend support to them.
This was a satisfying slow burn romance for me. It was sweet bliss to see these two finally give in to their feelings. I wish it had happened a littler earlier in the story as it sort of felt like they finally realized how they felt, and then the story was over. I wanted so much more together time with Ducky and Chad as a couple back home with their families. Overall, another great story from Kindle!
Ducky and Chad complemented each other so much in this story! As introverted as Ducky was, Chad was the complete opposite, with people flocking to him in droves. But what they both had in common was the struggles they felt within themselves to figure out what the future held. Neither one’s lives were in a place they thought they should be. They’ve both been wildly successful, so why are they both so unhappy with themselves?
I loved the journey to discovery both Ducky and Chad take, and how their paths led them to each other. These two have been best friends since they were 12 years old, and both were afraid to make the first move because their friendship meant more to them than anything else. I was rooting for them so hard that they would overcome the fears and insecurities holding them back and just go for it!
It was really wonderful seeing several old characters along the way. I really love Dylan and Tristan and loved seeing how supportive they were to Ducky and Chad. And Dallas and Greer were right there along the way as well to lend support to them.
This was a satisfying slow burn romance for me. It was sweet bliss to see these two finally give in to their feelings. I wish it had happened a littler earlier in the story as it sort of felt like they finally realized how they felt, and then the story was over. I wanted so much more together time with Ducky and Chad as a couple back home with their families. Overall, another great story from Kindle!
July 17, 2022
LOVED THIS!!!!!
Duckie is my new favorite character. Chad was a perfect best friend. Duckie and his brother Dallas grew up in fear and poverty. The brothers built a company together from nothing. Chad grew up with everything he ever wanted. The son of a media titan. Meeting on a gaming site these two young men forged a bond of friendship that will stand the test of time. Finding themselves together when their worlds seem so confusing and unsure. The friendship that brought them together will ground them, sustain them and take them in new directions they never imagined. I loved this Book. The characters dig deep into your heart and stay there. I love finishing a Book with a smile. I HIGHLY, HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK AND THIS REIGNS BROTHERS DUO!!!!!!!!!!!!
Duckie is my new favorite character. Chad was a perfect best friend. Duckie and his brother Dallas grew up in fear and poverty. The brothers built a company together from nothing. Chad grew up with everything he ever wanted. The son of a media titan. Meeting on a gaming site these two young men forged a bond of friendship that will stand the test of time. Finding themselves together when their worlds seem so confusing and unsure. The friendship that brought them together will ground them, sustain them and take them in new directions they never imagined. I loved this Book. The characters dig deep into your heart and stay there. I love finishing a Book with a smile. I HIGHLY, HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK AND THIS REIGNS BROTHERS DUO!!!!!!!!!!!!
July 24, 2022
Love Ducky and was happy he got his own story! Chad his long time best friend is a pro golfer but unsatisfied with his life. Ducky is being pulled in many directions in his life much to his discomfort. Dallas gives him tickets to Hawaii and he invites Chad to join him. Let the sparks begin! Great story! ❤️❤️
February 22, 2023
4.5 / 5: “Please don’t be a dream.”
you guys will not believe how much this series has driven me in circles; i don’t think i’ve ever had such mixed feelings for stories like dallas & ducky’s in such a long time, i mean like damn.
this book specifically, made me very uncomfortable in parts because of the behavior of many side/minor characters (even including dallas, which is just….wildly disappointing to me), but i loved ducky & chad’s povs so much, and could only have wished the story could’ve been longer to hear more from them, especially ducky.
although…the short length of this book did shape my reading experience in an interesting way so, who knows?
…..review to come? (my brain is foggy, okay??)
. . .
02/22/23: my feelings for this entire duology as a whole are pretty complicated. i had much of a stronger investment in the business aspects of the story in book one, while in the case for this story here, i enjoyed quite a bit getting to see ducky spend some time away from the hustle and bustle of living this high-demand lifestyle as his & his brother's once-small business venture boomed to incredible heights. i think the reason why i was more satisfied with this shift was because of the nature of ducky's pov in general. he was such a strongly intelligent character who knew his tech and how some aspects of the business worked, which helped a lot in strengthening his family's potential business, but he clearly had a more laidback stance when it came to money and any sort of prestige as his net worth & popularity increased at an astonishing pace. seeing how uncomfortable he was with the higher-ups trying to change his image or having to partake in these events/activities that were to boost his status made his eventual escape away with chad on this vacation feel like a huge relief.
before i move on to how much i enjoyed ducky & chad's escape so much, i have to preface it with what partially dimmed my overall experience reading this second book.
the beginning of this story really threw me off because it was a constant blur of "do this" and "do that", or "you look so much hotter, now you have to do all these shoots and get with all these brands", and it was tiring. and just as annoying as it was for ducky, it was also annoying to me, because of how other characters brushed away his clear discomfort with doing these kinds of promotions. i always hate when stuff like this happens because i can never tell for certain if maybe i'm just incredibly biased and i simply don't find it necessary to do what these characters tell ducky to do in the name of "business" or maybe i just don't share that same mindset and can't see the "vision"; but i could see how clear ducky's discomfort was at multiple points of the story and how his anxiety was triggered very strongly. i could confidently say that no matter what drove some of these characters, they really were acting like assholes and could definitely have afforded to give ducky more space.
it's one thing to have to tolerate this kind of pushy behavior from characters i wasn't overly familiar with, but the fact that it also came from those like greer, skye, and dallas of all characters, really irked me quite a lot. i can go in circles right now, i can say that these characters simply wanted to push ducky out of his comfort zone and wanted him to break out and do these new things to grow, and if it had been executed differently, maybe i could've understood why the author wrote them the way she did, but no. i didn't see much in the way of nuance when it came from that front, because to the very end, ducky acknowledges that what they had done was plain uncomfortable and just not for him. i would've really appreciated for there to have been some kind of talk between ducky & dallas as brothers because they are very close, it was one of my most favorite things about the first book, so i would've expected to get to see them have this deep conversation at least sometime near the end . . . but they don't. and it baffles the hell out of me because i just think that's one of the few downsides of this book being so short.
it's that the author didn't give much room in the way of relationship development beyond ducky & chad's friends-to-lovers dynamic, and even that happens pretty quick (but i still liked it enough to not have felt overwhelmingly dissatisfied with this book). if there was any nuance in that area, i couldn't find it; any depth i could find was from ducky's own self-discovery and learning about what boundaries he was comfortable with pushing past and what he wanted for himself. i'm not so much irritated at the fact that these characters acted the way they did with him at the start of the book; it was very annoying, but it could've been made up for later on . . . we just don't see it--that is what irritates me. because if there's no strong resolution, if there's nothing that these characters like greer and dallas apologized for, then what do you possibly make of what had transpired? what do you make of the fact that ducky actually asks himself if he & dallas are really as close as he had always thought they'd been because dallas didn't seem to understand ducky in the way that he should've? that's something that really disappoints me and i wish it hadn't been brushed under the rug the way it was.
it's so mind-boggling considering all this, because the reason why my personal rating for this story is still so high despite my clear aggravation is mostly all on ducky. ducky is an absolute sweetheart, and again, he had this journey of self-reflection that was well-done in the sense that we just got to see him grow into himself in a way that went against what others had been trying to force on him. on this vacation with his online best friend (which funnily enough, all happened thanks to dallas as he offered this trip as a nice getaway from all the hurrah of living in the business world...still can't forgive him for his dismissive behavior), we get to see ducky relax and have fun and talk with chad, someone who he's always felt so comfortable with talking over online message boards and now has that same comfort in person.
this is yet another funny thing, because again, if there's any relationship development that's explored well enough in this book, it's the relationship between ducky & chad. we get a small glimpse of their friendship in book one, which immediately peaked my interest because from the get-go it seemed pretty clear that there had to be some sort of closeness between them with the way chad spoke up for ducky and his brothers to his dads regarding their business. to get the confirmation that this book would be focusing on them excited me a lot because for one, i love ducky, and also even though i couldn't get into "secret", which was dylan & tristan's story (chad's dads), i still liked the idea of getting to see these characters return in this spin-off duology.
with how short this book was in comparison to dallas' story, i actually found it pretty well-done in terms of execution (you can kinda see why my feelings for this duology are so complicated). because really, what this whole book is about is having ducky get this reprieve from all these big demands while getting to know about his best friend, who by the way, also has an interesting depth that i was pleasantly surprised with. this surprise stems from the fact that i didn't know too much about chad since i gave up on his dads' story, so i didn't get to see what maybe had gone on regarding his character and what happens with his family after his dad came out. i got to see bits & pieces of what had transpired in his pov here, which is part of the good surprise; even more so because we're seeing the aftermath. we're seeing how he had to reckon a lot with the amount of negative attention he received and the way other kids at school got all up in his business and generally ruined any sense of peace he had all those years ago. the fact that tristan especially is so huge and largely rich in the business world brings a lot of speculation for chad in whether any career boosts he has are ever influenced by his own perseverance & talent, or just because of his step-father's supreme reputation.
i liked how being that this book was my first time really getting to know him, i ended up really liking chad's character very much and i could see he was smart and had a good eye when it came to athletes and knowing who to recruit in this potential program that he had proposed to tristan. it was really cool because in the first book, regarding sports, i got to learn a little bit about stationary biking and just what generally goes into having a lot of exercise while in this book, i got to read a little bit about golfing and surfboarding, as well as cliff diving. reading about how chad felt as if he was growing distant from partaking in golf despite how much he had pushed towards making it a big career added to the depth i saw in him because he was just generally worried that he had wasted all these years and money for something he felt he had a passion for, but instead he just ended up not feeling it anymore.
if there's one piece of relationship development that i could compliment besides ducky & chad, it was the relationship between chad and his fathers, especially with tristan. it's not so much development as it's just more the depiction of the tension that chad had with them, and not because they treated him wrong as i feel ducky's family had done, but rather chad was just worried of their disappointment and what they might think of whatever decisions he makes regarding his athletic career. seeing the way tristan clearly cared for him and loved him as his son, it was very soft and it's a part of the ending that i really cherished because it was just all so surprising. like i didn't even read dylan & tristan's story to the end and yet this little family grabbed my heart in this spin-off duology.
ducky & chad took a piece of my heart because even though their romance does feel like a bit of a whirlwind, even though i saw another reviewer argue that there wasn't a lot of emotional development in their relationship, i thought they were really sweet. i was relieved to see that out of all the other characters in this book, chad was the one who actually listened to ducky about how weird he felt with the amount of money & attention he received for something that was a spur in the moment. i could see the chemistry between them, i could see what drew them together as friends and it endeared me to find out that chad had liked ducky for much longer than even i was expecting. i just liked seeing ducky get to relax and chill with his best friend, who eventually turns into his lover, and it's all with the backdrop of this warm & sunny paradise that i think?? was in hawaii?? do not take my word for it, i kinda forgot and i can't find the energy to comb through the book to find out where they went (it was somewhere tropical, i know that for sure).
(**SPOILER....sorta***) was there even a little more discontent with the way some minor characters acted at the end of this story? yes, yes there was. and i really want to ask the author what the hell that was about with the way they executed the outing of ducky & chad's relationship because that just pissed me off. it's such a minor thing when it came to this specific character because she didn't really matter in the grand scheme of things, but she was still very annoying. and what she had done was disgusting as hell, and yet another thing that was brushed over, like damn. ducky really couldn't catch a break at any moment, could he??
either way, i still relatively enjoyed this book, i love ducky's character a lot and i appreciated getting to know chad the way i did. it's amusing to think that they really saved this book for me and their voices were very strong, so it held up the story quite well. as much as i worried over whether or not i'd ever get to writing this review, i'm glad it's here now, and i really needed to express the rollercoaster that was my emotions with this one, so voila!
content warnings:
explicit sexual content, references to homophobia/extremism, outing, descriptions of a panic/anxiety attack, and minor alcohol content
you guys will not believe how much this series has driven me in circles; i don’t think i’ve ever had such mixed feelings for stories like dallas & ducky’s in such a long time, i mean like damn.
this book specifically, made me very uncomfortable in parts because of the behavior of many side/minor characters (even including dallas, which is just….wildly disappointing to me), but i loved ducky & chad’s povs so much, and could only have wished the story could’ve been longer to hear more from them, especially ducky.
although…the short length of this book did shape my reading experience in an interesting way so, who knows?
…..review to come? (my brain is foggy, okay??)
. . .
02/22/23: my feelings for this entire duology as a whole are pretty complicated. i had much of a stronger investment in the business aspects of the story in book one, while in the case for this story here, i enjoyed quite a bit getting to see ducky spend some time away from the hustle and bustle of living this high-demand lifestyle as his & his brother's once-small business venture boomed to incredible heights. i think the reason why i was more satisfied with this shift was because of the nature of ducky's pov in general. he was such a strongly intelligent character who knew his tech and how some aspects of the business worked, which helped a lot in strengthening his family's potential business, but he clearly had a more laidback stance when it came to money and any sort of prestige as his net worth & popularity increased at an astonishing pace. seeing how uncomfortable he was with the higher-ups trying to change his image or having to partake in these events/activities that were to boost his status made his eventual escape away with chad on this vacation feel like a huge relief.
before i move on to how much i enjoyed ducky & chad's escape so much, i have to preface it with what partially dimmed my overall experience reading this second book.
the beginning of this story really threw me off because it was a constant blur of "do this" and "do that", or "you look so much hotter, now you have to do all these shoots and get with all these brands", and it was tiring. and just as annoying as it was for ducky, it was also annoying to me, because of how other characters brushed away his clear discomfort with doing these kinds of promotions. i always hate when stuff like this happens because i can never tell for certain if maybe i'm just incredibly biased and i simply don't find it necessary to do what these characters tell ducky to do in the name of "business" or maybe i just don't share that same mindset and can't see the "vision"; but i could see how clear ducky's discomfort was at multiple points of the story and how his anxiety was triggered very strongly. i could confidently say that no matter what drove some of these characters, they really were acting like assholes and could definitely have afforded to give ducky more space.
it's one thing to have to tolerate this kind of pushy behavior from characters i wasn't overly familiar with, but the fact that it also came from those like greer, skye, and dallas of all characters, really irked me quite a lot. i can go in circles right now, i can say that these characters simply wanted to push ducky out of his comfort zone and wanted him to break out and do these new things to grow, and if it had been executed differently, maybe i could've understood why the author wrote them the way she did, but no. i didn't see much in the way of nuance when it came from that front, because to the very end, ducky acknowledges that what they had done was plain uncomfortable and just not for him. i would've really appreciated for there to have been some kind of talk between ducky & dallas as brothers because they are very close, it was one of my most favorite things about the first book, so i would've expected to get to see them have this deep conversation at least sometime near the end . . . but they don't. and it baffles the hell out of me because i just think that's one of the few downsides of this book being so short.
it's that the author didn't give much room in the way of relationship development beyond ducky & chad's friends-to-lovers dynamic, and even that happens pretty quick (but i still liked it enough to not have felt overwhelmingly dissatisfied with this book). if there was any nuance in that area, i couldn't find it; any depth i could find was from ducky's own self-discovery and learning about what boundaries he was comfortable with pushing past and what he wanted for himself. i'm not so much irritated at the fact that these characters acted the way they did with him at the start of the book; it was very annoying, but it could've been made up for later on . . . we just don't see it--that is what irritates me. because if there's no strong resolution, if there's nothing that these characters like greer and dallas apologized for, then what do you possibly make of what had transpired? what do you make of the fact that ducky actually asks himself if he & dallas are really as close as he had always thought they'd been because dallas didn't seem to understand ducky in the way that he should've? that's something that really disappoints me and i wish it hadn't been brushed under the rug the way it was.
it's so mind-boggling considering all this, because the reason why my personal rating for this story is still so high despite my clear aggravation is mostly all on ducky. ducky is an absolute sweetheart, and again, he had this journey of self-reflection that was well-done in the sense that we just got to see him grow into himself in a way that went against what others had been trying to force on him. on this vacation with his online best friend (which funnily enough, all happened thanks to dallas as he offered this trip as a nice getaway from all the hurrah of living in the business world...still can't forgive him for his dismissive behavior), we get to see ducky relax and have fun and talk with chad, someone who he's always felt so comfortable with talking over online message boards and now has that same comfort in person.
this is yet another funny thing, because again, if there's any relationship development that's explored well enough in this book, it's the relationship between ducky & chad. we get a small glimpse of their friendship in book one, which immediately peaked my interest because from the get-go it seemed pretty clear that there had to be some sort of closeness between them with the way chad spoke up for ducky and his brothers to his dads regarding their business. to get the confirmation that this book would be focusing on them excited me a lot because for one, i love ducky, and also even though i couldn't get into "secret", which was dylan & tristan's story (chad's dads), i still liked the idea of getting to see these characters return in this spin-off duology.
with how short this book was in comparison to dallas' story, i actually found it pretty well-done in terms of execution (you can kinda see why my feelings for this duology are so complicated). because really, what this whole book is about is having ducky get this reprieve from all these big demands while getting to know about his best friend, who by the way, also has an interesting depth that i was pleasantly surprised with. this surprise stems from the fact that i didn't know too much about chad since i gave up on his dads' story, so i didn't get to see what maybe had gone on regarding his character and what happens with his family after his dad came out. i got to see bits & pieces of what had transpired in his pov here, which is part of the good surprise; even more so because we're seeing the aftermath. we're seeing how he had to reckon a lot with the amount of negative attention he received and the way other kids at school got all up in his business and generally ruined any sense of peace he had all those years ago. the fact that tristan especially is so huge and largely rich in the business world brings a lot of speculation for chad in whether any career boosts he has are ever influenced by his own perseverance & talent, or just because of his step-father's supreme reputation.
i liked how being that this book was my first time really getting to know him, i ended up really liking chad's character very much and i could see he was smart and had a good eye when it came to athletes and knowing who to recruit in this potential program that he had proposed to tristan. it was really cool because in the first book, regarding sports, i got to learn a little bit about stationary biking and just what generally goes into having a lot of exercise while in this book, i got to read a little bit about golfing and surfboarding, as well as cliff diving. reading about how chad felt as if he was growing distant from partaking in golf despite how much he had pushed towards making it a big career added to the depth i saw in him because he was just generally worried that he had wasted all these years and money for something he felt he had a passion for, but instead he just ended up not feeling it anymore.
if there's one piece of relationship development that i could compliment besides ducky & chad, it was the relationship between chad and his fathers, especially with tristan. it's not so much development as it's just more the depiction of the tension that chad had with them, and not because they treated him wrong as i feel ducky's family had done, but rather chad was just worried of their disappointment and what they might think of whatever decisions he makes regarding his athletic career. seeing the way tristan clearly cared for him and loved him as his son, it was very soft and it's a part of the ending that i really cherished because it was just all so surprising. like i didn't even read dylan & tristan's story to the end and yet this little family grabbed my heart in this spin-off duology.
ducky & chad took a piece of my heart because even though their romance does feel like a bit of a whirlwind, even though i saw another reviewer argue that there wasn't a lot of emotional development in their relationship, i thought they were really sweet. i was relieved to see that out of all the other characters in this book, chad was the one who actually listened to ducky about how weird he felt with the amount of money & attention he received for something that was a spur in the moment. i could see the chemistry between them, i could see what drew them together as friends and it endeared me to find out that chad had liked ducky for much longer than even i was expecting. i just liked seeing ducky get to relax and chill with his best friend, who eventually turns into his lover, and it's all with the backdrop of this warm & sunny paradise that i think?? was in hawaii?? do not take my word for it, i kinda forgot and i can't find the energy to comb through the book to find out where they went (it was somewhere tropical, i know that for sure).
(**SPOILER....sorta***) was there even a little more discontent with the way some minor characters acted at the end of this story? yes, yes there was. and i really want to ask the author what the hell that was about with the way they executed the outing of ducky & chad's relationship because that just pissed me off. it's such a minor thing when it came to this specific character because she didn't really matter in the grand scheme of things, but she was still very annoying. and what she had done was disgusting as hell, and yet another thing that was brushed over, like damn. ducky really couldn't catch a break at any moment, could he??
either way, i still relatively enjoyed this book, i love ducky's character a lot and i appreciated getting to know chad the way i did. it's amusing to think that they really saved this book for me and their voices were very strong, so it held up the story quite well. as much as i worried over whether or not i'd ever get to writing this review, i'm glad it's here now, and i really needed to express the rollercoaster that was my emotions with this one, so voila!
content warnings:
explicit sexual content, references to homophobia/extremism, outing, descriptions of a panic/anxiety attack, and minor alcohol content
July 12, 2022
Level Up is all kinds of wonderful. A bit lighter in the usual intensity Kindle Alexander gives us, this book is pure joy. We all wanted Ducky Reigns' story after meeting him in Breakaway and giving him the love interest in Chad Reeves is a match made in M/M heaven! This dynamic writing duo has combined two of their well-loved worlds and given us a genuinely endearing kind of tale and I loved every single word.
These two lifelong friends who met through gaming have a really great friendship. And it's sweet to watch as each grapples with their intense feelings for the other, thinking they will be unrequited for the sake of preserving their easy rapport. Both young men are driven yet a bit lost of late. Ducky is uncomfortable earning as much money as he now does with his successful fitness company and Chad wants to earn his way in the world without his dads' help or influence while ending his pro golfing career. Alexander very cleverly uses a well-deserved holiday in Hawaii for these besties to sort out their emotions, and hopefully forge a new path with each other by their respective sides.
What I loved most was that Chad and Ducky really liked each other. They simply got where the other was coming from and there was never any judgment or disappointment. In fact, their effortless camaraderie was a treat to watch. Adding the sexual tension between them is simply the proverbial cherry on top. And when these two finally succumb to those long-held feelings of desire for each other, watch out! As they couldn't get enough of each other once all of their want was out in the open, Chad and Ducky set my e-reader on fire with each touch, intense look, and blistering kiss.
Family is a huge part of this book as Ducky's brother Dallas and his partner Greer (from Breakaway) together with Chad's dads in Dylan and Tristan (from Secret) offer support and jump in to help whether or not needed, often exasperating our couple. Not to mention Chad's mother in a very sweet and funny scene that made me sincerely laugh out loud. But there is and always will be a forever abundance of love our couple can rely upon and it truly made this book richer in every way. Especially when everyone realized that Chad and Ducky could and would decide for themselves which path they inevitably needed to follow. It was a huge defining moment and gave our boys a chance to breathe, now knowing they would forever take those breaths together.
I can honestly say that if someone is looking to start the Kindle Alexander reading journey then there is no better place to start than with this latest gem. Level Up is full of heart and soul and will undoubtedly make you smile and sigh as the book comes to a close. The perfect story to fill an easy summer day, I happily give Level Up a big 5 stars!
These two lifelong friends who met through gaming have a really great friendship. And it's sweet to watch as each grapples with their intense feelings for the other, thinking they will be unrequited for the sake of preserving their easy rapport. Both young men are driven yet a bit lost of late. Ducky is uncomfortable earning as much money as he now does with his successful fitness company and Chad wants to earn his way in the world without his dads' help or influence while ending his pro golfing career. Alexander very cleverly uses a well-deserved holiday in Hawaii for these besties to sort out their emotions, and hopefully forge a new path with each other by their respective sides.
What I loved most was that Chad and Ducky really liked each other. They simply got where the other was coming from and there was never any judgment or disappointment. In fact, their effortless camaraderie was a treat to watch. Adding the sexual tension between them is simply the proverbial cherry on top. And when these two finally succumb to those long-held feelings of desire for each other, watch out! As they couldn't get enough of each other once all of their want was out in the open, Chad and Ducky set my e-reader on fire with each touch, intense look, and blistering kiss.
Family is a huge part of this book as Ducky's brother Dallas and his partner Greer (from Breakaway) together with Chad's dads in Dylan and Tristan (from Secret) offer support and jump in to help whether or not needed, often exasperating our couple. Not to mention Chad's mother in a very sweet and funny scene that made me sincerely laugh out loud. But there is and always will be a forever abundance of love our couple can rely upon and it truly made this book richer in every way. Especially when everyone realized that Chad and Ducky could and would decide for themselves which path they inevitably needed to follow. It was a huge defining moment and gave our boys a chance to breathe, now knowing they would forever take those breaths together.
I can honestly say that if someone is looking to start the Kindle Alexander reading journey then there is no better place to start than with this latest gem. Level Up is full of heart and soul and will undoubtedly make you smile and sigh as the book comes to a close. The perfect story to fill an easy summer day, I happily give Level Up a big 5 stars!
July 15, 2022
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is the second book in the Reigns Brothers series and it can be read as a stand alone book. However, personally, to get the full force that is Chad's dad and the one that is Ducky's brother, I recommend you read Secret and then Breakaway before this one. It will give you context to some things that are referenced here.
Gotta be honest here, cos reviewing is all about being honest. I went into this with a bit of hesitation. I was . . .disappointed I think is the best word . . in a follow up book by another Alexander and I didn't want to be let down again. However, I need not have worried.
Because this?? Bloody LOVED this!!
It's delicious and sweet and all kinds of warm and fuzzies that just blew my socks off!
Chad has lusted over his best friend for years, but never MET Ducky face to face. When Ducky ghosts Chad, he takes matters into his own hands. What follows is a wonderful tale of seeing what's right in front of you, and taking it.
Both young men are struggling with their place in their respective worlds. Neither mentioned it to the other, or they might not have struggled so much. And it takes a trip to Hawaii for them to find themselves.
There are some issues along the way, but these are not of the guys making, more the bane of our modern life that is social media and the general angst level is low, which I needed right now.
I loved that I was made to wait a long ass time for the guys to finally, FINALLY see each other in the way they did, and while that scene is smoking hawt, the smexy level is lower than other books by Alexander. Again, I loved that!
I loved that Dallas and Greer (Breakaway) and Tristan and Dylan (Secret) play a huge part here. It was great to catch up with them. Tristan has taken to his step dad role brilliantly!
I mentioned in my review for Breakaway that mum to Dallas and Ducky does something amazing, but thinking about it, she isn't mentioned here. Neither is dad. Eldest brother Donny is, though, and he's spouting his vitriol now that he's found 'religion'.
But it makes me wonder. This is the Reigns brothers series, and there are 3 brothers. So, will Donny see the error of his ways, and get a book? That would be an interesting read, for sure, given how he's acted with Dallas and Ducky coming out.
An absolutely wonderful follow up to Breakaway, and I loved it, and as such, it can only get. . . .
5 full and shiny stars.
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
July 5, 2022
~~I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads ~~
This is the second book in the series, and although you could read it as a standalone, you would get more out of reading them in order. In book 1 we get Ducky's older brother Dallas's story, and learn about their successful business venture.
Ducky is having a hard time with the success their invention - his programming is having, but is happy that his brother has found love, and his colleagues are benefitting from their success. He still prefers to play online games and keeps his friends online too. That said his new fitness regime and healthy eating has certainly improved his physique - to the point he is being suggested as a part of their companies new marketing, much to his dismay.
Chad is a long time bestie with Ducky - but only as an online friend - and what with all the chaos in his life, he decides it is time to meet him for real. As soon as they do, sparks fly and we just know that there is chemistry burning up these two which we are about to get to enjoy!
I loved that the issues these two very likeable characters have are solvable when together, and will provide each with an opportunity to support and heal the other. It is such a naturally symbiotic relationship built out of two people very uncertain in their skins. I really did just love it all. Thank you Kindle Alexander for a very worthy book for the second Reign brother.
This is the second book in the series, and although you could read it as a standalone, you would get more out of reading them in order. In book 1 we get Ducky's older brother Dallas's story, and learn about their successful business venture.
Ducky is having a hard time with the success their invention - his programming is having, but is happy that his brother has found love, and his colleagues are benefitting from their success. He still prefers to play online games and keeps his friends online too. That said his new fitness regime and healthy eating has certainly improved his physique - to the point he is being suggested as a part of their companies new marketing, much to his dismay.
Chad is a long time bestie with Ducky - but only as an online friend - and what with all the chaos in his life, he decides it is time to meet him for real. As soon as they do, sparks fly and we just know that there is chemistry burning up these two which we are about to get to enjoy!
I loved that the issues these two very likeable characters have are solvable when together, and will provide each with an opportunity to support and heal the other. It is such a naturally symbiotic relationship built out of two people very uncertain in their skins. I really did just love it all. Thank you Kindle Alexander for a very worthy book for the second Reign brother.
July 10, 2022
Level Up is the second book in the Reigns Brothers series by Kindle Alexander. If you read Secret then you have met Chad as Dylan’s son, and if you read Breakaway then you know Ducky as Dallas’s brother. Now, it’s their time to find love.
Chad and Ducky have been friends for years even though they have never met in person. Chad is a golfer and Ducky is techy but they are both gamers and that is where they started their friendship. They are best of friends but when Chad sees Ducky on an award show he doesn’t recognize him. Ducky ‘s transformation was a total shock to the system. He had a crush on the man for years but this other side has made him want to tell Ducky his truth. Not because of Ducky’s new look but because he needs his best friend right now more than ever. And it turns out, Ducky needed him too.
Two weeks in paradise. Time to reflect on careers, friendships, and love. Chad and Ducky are both going through changes and feeling a void in their lives. This was the time to figure out what that void was and fill it. Was the answer in front of them the whole time?
These two!! So yummy! Hey are from two different worlds but met in the gaming world and it’s where it all started. I knew I was going to love these two but it was more than I expected. I hope to see all these characters again someday.
Quotes:
“Every girl here’s been hitting on Ducky all night and all he does is stare at you.”
“I love your eyes,” Chad confessed, further seducing Ducky with his pretty words. “When I close mine, I see yours.”
“I’m gonna kiss that smirk off your face,” Chad threatened as if that were a real punishment.
“My ass is smirking too,” Ducky teased challengingly.
Chad and Ducky have been friends for years even though they have never met in person. Chad is a golfer and Ducky is techy but they are both gamers and that is where they started their friendship. They are best of friends but when Chad sees Ducky on an award show he doesn’t recognize him. Ducky ‘s transformation was a total shock to the system. He had a crush on the man for years but this other side has made him want to tell Ducky his truth. Not because of Ducky’s new look but because he needs his best friend right now more than ever. And it turns out, Ducky needed him too.
Two weeks in paradise. Time to reflect on careers, friendships, and love. Chad and Ducky are both going through changes and feeling a void in their lives. This was the time to figure out what that void was and fill it. Was the answer in front of them the whole time?
These two!! So yummy! Hey are from two different worlds but met in the gaming world and it’s where it all started. I knew I was going to love these two but it was more than I expected. I hope to see all these characters again someday.
Quotes:
“Every girl here’s been hitting on Ducky all night and all he does is stare at you.”
“I love your eyes,” Chad confessed, further seducing Ducky with his pretty words. “When I close mine, I see yours.”
“I’m gonna kiss that smirk off your face,” Chad threatened as if that were a real punishment.
“My ass is smirking too,” Ducky teased challengingly.
July 12, 2022
Oh My Goodness!!!! Level Up was such a quick read, but maybe that’s because I loved it so much. It’s hard to believe that this was my first Kindle Alexander book!
And even though I haven’t read Secret or Breakaway (which I will be going back to read), I didn’t feel like I was missing any major plot points. And even from the small bits of time I got with the returning characters, I already need more!
Duncan “Ducky” Reigns is so ducking sweet!!! After the success of his company, StreamTrainer, that he started with his brother, he decided to have an entire makeover, but doesn’t look like himself anymore. He’s a hardcore gamer and the behind the scenes guy for the company, but with his fit body, short haircut, and new clothes, he’s not sure how much of the real him is left.
Enter Chad Reeves. He’s been a golfer for most of his life and while that WAS his passion, it’s just not any more. They’ve known eachother since they were kids, but somehow haven’t met in person. All of their interactions have been through online gaming, phone calls, text, and email.
When they finally do meet, they each think the other is incredibly beautiful (Chad thinking that Ducky was just as beautiful before, which we love to hear!), but think the other is straight, so have to get to know the real person without gaming and phones in between them.
This was definitely a slow burn, but sometimes it’s the build up I need! Because when they finally do get eachother’s pants off….. BAM! It’s like magic! Hot sexy spicy (and well endowed) magic!! 🤣
And even though I haven’t read Secret or Breakaway (which I will be going back to read), I didn’t feel like I was missing any major plot points. And even from the small bits of time I got with the returning characters, I already need more!
Duncan “Ducky” Reigns is so ducking sweet!!! After the success of his company, StreamTrainer, that he started with his brother, he decided to have an entire makeover, but doesn’t look like himself anymore. He’s a hardcore gamer and the behind the scenes guy for the company, but with his fit body, short haircut, and new clothes, he’s not sure how much of the real him is left.
Enter Chad Reeves. He’s been a golfer for most of his life and while that WAS his passion, it’s just not any more. They’ve known eachother since they were kids, but somehow haven’t met in person. All of their interactions have been through online gaming, phone calls, text, and email.
When they finally do meet, they each think the other is incredibly beautiful (Chad thinking that Ducky was just as beautiful before, which we love to hear!), but think the other is straight, so have to get to know the real person without gaming and phones in between them.
This was definitely a slow burn, but sometimes it’s the build up I need! Because when they finally do get eachother’s pants off….. BAM! It’s like magic! Hot sexy spicy (and well endowed) magic!! 🤣
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