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Four Ever
Surrounded by a group of devoted four-footed and two-winged family members, Zak and Killian have built what should have been a dream life in their countryside farmhouse. But a cruel twist of fate and the re-emergence of old demons has frayed the edges of the men’s seven-year relationship until just one wrong move could end up severing their bond for good.
Seemingly content to walk on eggshells around one another, things come to a head when ER nurse Zak brings his work home with him… literally.
After being forced to leave their posh Southern California lives, homeless stepbrothers Liam and Noah are slowly losing themselves to the streets they can’t seem to escape. When twenty-one-year-old Liam is beaten up while protecting his younger “brother,” the pair find themselves being welcomed into a home where being a stray is considered a good thing. But Liam and nineteen-year-old Noah have learned the hard way that nothing is given for free and there’s no such thing as the kindness of strangers. Survival means only counting on and trusting in each other.
Will Zak and Killian’s offer of a no-strings-attached place to heal end up being more than any of the four men bargained for? Especially when feelings between Liam and Noah begin to crawl to the surface and the truth of what Zak and Killian’s relationship has turned into becomes harder to deny?
And what happens when lines begin to blur and needs start to change? Will Zak, Killian, Liam, and Noah end up going their separate ways?
Or will they learn that love doesn’t always come in twos?
*This is a novel about a foursome relationship, not just a story of two separate couples in physical relationships with one another. Thus, there is no “cheating” in this story. This is a standalone novel.
Trigger Warning: The trigger warnings in this book may be considered "spoilerish" so they can be found by using the "Look Inside" feature or by downloading the sample and going to the section entitled "Trigger Warning."
Seemingly content to walk on eggshells around one another, things come to a head when ER nurse Zak brings his work home with him… literally.
After being forced to leave their posh Southern California lives, homeless stepbrothers Liam and Noah are slowly losing themselves to the streets they can’t seem to escape. When twenty-one-year-old Liam is beaten up while protecting his younger “brother,” the pair find themselves being welcomed into a home where being a stray is considered a good thing. But Liam and nineteen-year-old Noah have learned the hard way that nothing is given for free and there’s no such thing as the kindness of strangers. Survival means only counting on and trusting in each other.
Will Zak and Killian’s offer of a no-strings-attached place to heal end up being more than any of the four men bargained for? Especially when feelings between Liam and Noah begin to crawl to the surface and the truth of what Zak and Killian’s relationship has turned into becomes harder to deny?
And what happens when lines begin to blur and needs start to change? Will Zak, Killian, Liam, and Noah end up going their separate ways?
Or will they learn that love doesn’t always come in twos?
*This is a novel about a foursome relationship, not just a story of two separate couples in physical relationships with one another. Thus, there is no “cheating” in this story. This is a standalone novel.
Trigger Warning: The trigger warnings in this book may be considered "spoilerish" so they can be found by using the "Look Inside" feature or by downloading the sample and going to the section entitled "Trigger Warning."
334 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 16, 2019
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March 2, 2020
Sweet baby Jesus, this was one highly-entertaining read!
I know, I know, you read the blurb and think hot, dirty porn, but that would be the furthest thing from the truth here.
As I'd expected, yes, there was some mild attraction, though not even immediately. But once the genuine caring for the two wayward boys got page time, the extremely slow-burn attraction did follow.
But that's the thing, it was nothing more than a mild attraction, kept very much in check by the relatively dire circumstances of Liam being badly beaten and Noah suffering from panic attacks from a past horrific event.
So no, This. Was. NOT. Whores. On. Ice.
I swear.
You had ex-cop Killian and nurse Zak, a couple in their early 30's and together for 7 years, with their relationship in ruin due to the fallout after a tragic event at work, but the deep love never faltered for either man.
You also had 19 y.o. Noah and 21 y.o. Liam, step-brothers and homeless for the last 6 months, after Liam took steps to save the guy he loved, only to be seriously injured while protecting Noah.
Just like with the strays that Zak and Killian were in the habit of taking in, it became apparent pretty quickly that, once Noah and Liam were safely under the older couple's roof, it was very likely that they'd never want to or be asked to leave. I loved that so hard.
Then as soon as a mini-horse named Nana and an injured toucan named Waldo started helping a mute Noah begin his process of healing, dudes and lady-dudes, I was DONE FOR emotionally.
Do not pass go, do not collect $200, take my goddamn money! Take it, take it, take it!!!
I was truly blown away by the level of feels that the author evoked here, without resorting to even a single ounce of fuckery or unneeded plot acrobatics, which I have to say, doesn't happen to this seasoned (*cough-semi-jaded-cough*) reader very often these days.
And in regards to steam, as I'd said, this story never felt dirty or exploitative, not for a single minute. However, once all four of the MC's got on the same page, with feelings firmly involved...
HOLY HELL. This story had some of the steamiest steam to have ever been steamed.
Even though I'd seen Sloane Kennedy's books floating around the Goodreads ether for several years now, somehow, this was my first book by her, but will most definitely not be my last.
All 5 stars and this book will probably make my "Top 10 of 2019" list.
And if it doesn't make the list? I'll have been one lucky asshole to have found 10 other books this year that were at least as good.
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January 29, 2019
Look at all those tags! This book has it all:
🔸relationship angst for not one but two couples;
🔸committed (but emotionally estranged) couple (Zak and Killian);
🔸sexual discovery/virgin MC (Noah);
🔸age gap (Zak and Killian are a few years older than Liam and Noah, and more established);
🔸intense hurt, comfort, healing (all four MCs, as well as the secondary animal characters, are damaged in some way);
🔸past abuse/trauma;
🔸kink (mild, but the book features a foursome after all);
🔸slow burn but also plenty of steam in the second half;
🔸strong HFN/HEA.
I didn't think a book featuring a foursome would work for me. I still can't see a relationship like this working in real life (god knows relationships are hard enough with just TWO people). But Sloan Kennedy has a way of mixing tender and dirty. In the end, I fell hard for all four men and thought they were perfect for each other.
I also LOVED the menagerie of animal strays Zak and Killian took in. I have four dogs, so I can relate. Waldo the toucan was adorable!
This story has its share of angst (because, hello, Sloane Kennedy), but I didn't mind. The plot is very much relationship focused, and there's more hope than tragedy.
My only frustration was that the men seriously lacked basic communication skills (which had nothing to do with Noah's selective mutism). Zak and Killian especially were like two stone walls until the younger guys came along and tore them down.
Absolutely recommended.
🔸relationship angst for not one but two couples;
🔸committed (but emotionally estranged) couple (Zak and Killian);
🔸sexual discovery/virgin MC (Noah);
🔸age gap (Zak and Killian are a few years older than Liam and Noah, and more established);
🔸intense hurt, comfort, healing (all four MCs, as well as the secondary animal characters, are damaged in some way);
🔸past abuse/trauma;
🔸kink (mild, but the book features a foursome after all);
🔸slow burn but also plenty of steam in the second half;
🔸strong HFN/HEA.
I didn't think a book featuring a foursome would work for me. I still can't see a relationship like this working in real life (god knows relationships are hard enough with just TWO people). But Sloan Kennedy has a way of mixing tender and dirty. In the end, I fell hard for all four men and thought they were perfect for each other.
I also LOVED the menagerie of animal strays Zak and Killian took in. I have four dogs, so I can relate. Waldo the toucan was adorable!
This story has its share of angst (because, hello, Sloane Kennedy), but I didn't mind. The plot is very much relationship focused, and there's more hope than tragedy.
My only frustration was that the men seriously lacked basic communication skills (which had nothing to do with Noah's selective mutism). Zak and Killian especially were like two stone walls until the younger guys came along and tore them down.
Absolutely recommended.
January 16, 2019
Ever since I found out that Sloane Kennedy was writing an MMMM story, I have been on pins and needles to read it. I haven't always been a MMM fan, but Sloane's books changed this in a big way and I was sure she was gonna rock this foursome as well. I was right (<- not surprising), at least that's how I feel about it !!!
Zak, a former marine medic who is now working as a nurse, and Killian, a former cop, have been together for 7 years... Most of those years have been wonderful, but they have been hanging by a thread for the last one. Traumatic events happened, decisions were made and talking never really happened. Communication is key people !!!
So they have been trying to move forward...with lots of fake smiles and lots of avoidance. Thankfully they get plenty of love and comfort from all the abused animals they shelter because they can't seem to find that comfort in each other anymore.
Things are about to change though when Zak brings home a stray of the non-animal kind :P
Liam has been on trying to take care of and protect his stepbrother Noah, ever since they had to run away from the only home they had. Being on the streets is rough and dangerous, and fighting to protect Noah, lands Liam in the hospital...and in the hands of Zak.
While Zak and Killian offer both of them a safe haven to heal and to rest, feelings start to stir ... Not just between Liam and Noah, but a flame is being rekindled between Zak and Killian as well.... Now, what will they do when some very HOT interactions, has all four of them falling...
I was being loved from every possible angle and I'd never felt more relieved in my life.
I absolutely loved this one. It was so HOT but also so very sweet. I loved how these four men started healing and comforting each other. They all had their own demons they were fighting...
I also feel that even though this is an MMMM book and the smexy scenes were awesome, it's a bit more subdued when it comes to the steam-factor. I really liked it that way (yeah I know weird right). It made it so much more than just sex between 4 guys. No worries though...there is plenty of goodness :P
"Hold on a little longer...want to get my tongue in that sweet ass of yours."
I love Sloane Kennedy's MM, MMM and now I also fell in love with her MMMM. Let's hope there will be plenty more books to come.
Now I can't end this review without giving some extra credit where it is due. Waldo...my little dude...you were absolutely awesome !!!
I never once felt that someone was being left out in this relationship. Once they started all being together, there was no jealousy and no sex without all of them present...Just some misunderstandings and I will say it again...communication is key !!
When love doesn't always come in twos...
I highly recommend this one ;)
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May 22, 2019
1.75
Whew chileeee I got some thoughts......
First, I was all in for a MMMM because the more the merrier and why the hell not, but what made this book such a damn bore is the MORE.
Second, these dudes got way too much going on. It would have worked better if a couple was out getting their freak on at a club and ran into another couple for a bit of fun and boom 💥 feelings start to happen. There is way too much emotional baggage on these men for it not to feel like “multiple dicks heal the world”.
Third, not a damn thing happens. 50% of the book is them not saying anything but feeling so much, 30% is crying and reassurances, and 20% is fucking. BORING!
Fourth, sex shouldn’t have a been a thing for the younger couple, and most of the fucking feelings from the older couple was inappropriate and shouldn’t have even been a thing. I’m gonna look at you suspect if you think you wanna fuck a sick person 🥴 (by sick I mean a person with the flu and another who has gotten the shit beat out of him, and how it was mentioned both dudes looked sickly from lack of nutrition).
Last but not least, the South Africa bit. I stopped reading at 90% because that explanation of why Noah was the way he is pissed me off. I see South Africa and the word barbaric and I ain’t about that life, not even the piss poor explanation about genital mutilation made it ok. I feel this way coming out of the RWA blatant discrimination against writers of colour and characters of colour. Reading an email from a reader who wrote that she didn’t think black people fell in love, that she didn’t know we loved our children and basically have been viewing us as animals. I’m not here for using a predominately Black Country to further your narrative of how a character suffered...MISS ME WITH THAT BULLSHIT!
Overall, these are my feelings for this book 🤷🏽♀️ It was a whole mess honey. There is a time and a place for men who have suffered, and four dudes to fuck was not the time nor place.
Whew chileeee I got some thoughts......
First, I was all in for a MMMM because the more the merrier and why the hell not, but what made this book such a damn bore is the MORE.
Second, these dudes got way too much going on. It would have worked better if a couple was out getting their freak on at a club and ran into another couple for a bit of fun and boom 💥 feelings start to happen. There is way too much emotional baggage on these men for it not to feel like “multiple dicks heal the world”.
Third, not a damn thing happens. 50% of the book is them not saying anything but feeling so much, 30% is crying and reassurances, and 20% is fucking. BORING!
Fourth, sex shouldn’t have a been a thing for the younger couple, and most of the fucking feelings from the older couple was inappropriate and shouldn’t have even been a thing. I’m gonna look at you suspect if you think you wanna fuck a sick person 🥴 (by sick I mean a person with the flu and another who has gotten the shit beat out of him, and how it was mentioned both dudes looked sickly from lack of nutrition).
Last but not least, the South Africa bit. I stopped reading at 90% because that explanation of why Noah was the way he is pissed me off. I see South Africa and the word barbaric and I ain’t about that life, not even the piss poor explanation about genital mutilation made it ok. I feel this way coming out of the RWA blatant discrimination against writers of colour and characters of colour. Reading an email from a reader who wrote that she didn’t think black people fell in love, that she didn’t know we loved our children and basically have been viewing us as animals. I’m not here for using a predominately Black Country to further your narrative of how a character suffered...MISS ME WITH THAT BULLSHIT!
Overall, these are my feelings for this book 🤷🏽♀️ It was a whole mess honey. There is a time and a place for men who have suffered, and four dudes to fuck was not the time nor place.
February 15, 2020
Re-read: 15.02.2020
Is it wrong for me to wish that Zak and Killian were a couple without Liam and Noah? Like that instead Liam and Noah "joining" their relationship, that they rather became their foster/adopted kids? It sounds so wrong but... it's just how I feel this time around. Maybe I no longer was in the mood? I was in the mood until 60% into the book. That might be that I took a break after those %'s and when I started it again, I was kinda over it? So I started to skim when I was at about... 80% or something. I just wasn't interested anymore. So yeah, I probably shouldn't have re-read this one...
New rating: 2.5 stars
First read review:
ER nurse, Zak (early thirties) and Killian (early thirties) has been together for good 7 years, old demons from the past has their relationship hanging by a thread. Their lives suddenly gets upside down when Zak literally brings his work home. Enter homeless stepbrothers Liam Savage (21) and Noah Bristol (19) who Zak mets when Liam is committed to the ER after taking a beating while protecting Noah. Noah who doesn't talk, and is dependent on Liam. Liam who does everything to protect Noah and doesn't trust that anything doesn't come with a price. Certainly not a safe place, a roof over their heads that Zak and Killian is offering. Then there's also that spark they all feel towards each other, but that can't be...right?
Overall, the book wasn't bad, but my expectation wasn't really all that high to begin with so there as little chance of getting disappointed. There was little happy times, but there was a whole lot of angst in the book. Four stories wrapping into one. I think this was my first book with four men. I had wondered how that would work, fitting all of the into a love story, into a healthy relationship. But somehow it worked. However, it's really annoying that the main problem in the whole book is simply communication. Or the lack of it. Seriously, there was absolutely no communication whatsoever. It got really frustrating. And as you know me, I always get a favorite, and if you've read this book - and know me - then you shouldn't be surprised that Killian is indeed my absolute favorite in the book. Also, I should probably mention that that book would've been just as interest - if not more - if there had only been Killian and Zak in it. Liam and Noah just added to the story, at least that's what I felt.
Parts & POV:
→ Part I (3%)
♥ Killian & Zak
→ Part II (18%)
✮ Liam & Noah
→ Part III (33%)
♥ Killian & Zak
→ Part IV (43%)
✮ Liam & Noah
→ Part V (49%)
♥ Killian & Zak
→ Part VI (56%)
♥✮ Killian, Zak, Liam & Noah
Quites From Book:
Other Characters:
→ Delia, Killian's sponsor. He's been sober for a year.
→ Bonnie, the young nurse working with Zak.
→ Spencer Savage, Liam's father
→ Marjorie, Noah's aunt and becomes Liam's stepmother.
→ Dr. Clark, Killian and Noah's psychologist.
→ Gerald Darby,
The Animals (Mentioned):
→ THE BIRDS (3): Blueberry, the gray parrot, Skittles the colorful macaw. Both girls. The brightly colored parrot had suffered significant neurological damage at the hands of her previous owner and while it was a miracle she could even fly, if she didn’t have Blueberry around to use as a guide, her ability to hit her target was fifty-fifty at best. Waldo, the medium-sized black and white toucan bird. He has a mutilated beak and crippled wings. He’d gotten particularly attached to Killian: he was the only one who was able to actually touch him, despite the fact that Zak was the one who’d played a part in his rescue more than a year ago. It was the reason Waldo now lived with them rather than the rescue group that’d coordinated getting the bird away from his abuser.
→ THE DOGS (5): Bentley, black lab Killian had come into the relationship with seven years earlier.
→ THE CATS (4): Dash, a black and white cat.
→ THE OTHERS: Nana, the mini-horse. Boris, the very overweight and foul-smelling pig.
Quick basic facts:
Genre: - (Adult) Contemerary Romance (M/M/M/M).
Series: - Standalone.
Love triangle? -
Cheating? -
HEA? -
Favorite character? - Killian.
Would I read more by this author/or of series? - Some of them.
Would I recommend this book/series? -Sure, if you like angst.
Will I read this again in the future? - No.
Rating - 3 stars.
Is it wrong for me to wish that Zak and Killian were a couple without Liam and Noah? Like that instead Liam and Noah "joining" their relationship, that they rather became their foster/adopted kids? It sounds so wrong but... it's just how I feel this time around. Maybe I no longer was in the mood? I was in the mood until 60% into the book. That might be that I took a break after those %'s and when I started it again, I was kinda over it? So I started to skim when I was at about... 80% or something. I just wasn't interested anymore. So yeah, I probably shouldn't have re-read this one...
New rating: 2.5 stars
⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱*Angst & Lack Of Communication*⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱
First read review:
ER nurse, Zak (early thirties) and Killian (early thirties) has been together for good 7 years, old demons from the past has their relationship hanging by a thread. Their lives suddenly gets upside down when Zak literally brings his work home. Enter homeless stepbrothers Liam Savage (21) and Noah Bristol (19) who Zak mets when Liam is committed to the ER after taking a beating while protecting Noah. Noah who doesn't talk, and is dependent on Liam. Liam who does everything to protect Noah and doesn't trust that anything doesn't come with a price. Certainly not a safe place, a roof over their heads that Zak and Killian is offering. Then there's also that spark they all feel towards each other, but that can't be...right?
It was on the tip of my tongue to remind Zak that no one loved him more than I did, but I kept silent. They were words I wouldn’t have hesitated to speak eighteen months ago.
But a lot had changed since then.
Sometimes I wondered if maybe too much had changed.
Maybe I’d changed things too much.
My heart pounded frantically in my chest as I watched Zak nervously pet Dash. The need to walk up to him and take the cat from his arms so I could claim Zak’s touch for myself was strong, but I managed to stay where I was. But I couldn’t stop my eyes from roaming over Zak’s body.
He was actually a hair taller than me, but not as heavily built. We were often mistaken for brothers since we were both in our early thirties, had dirty blond hair, some scruff on our faces, and various piercings. But whereas my tattoos went all the way up and down my arms and part of my chest and back, Zak only had a few on his upper arms. And while my eyes were a boring shade of brown, Zak’s were a startling, crisp gray that had flecks of gold and green in them. His eyes were windows to his soul, even when he didn’t want them to be.
Like now.
There’d been a time earlier in our relationship that those eyes had only been filled with lightness, but that’d changed.
I’d changed that for him.
Overall, the book wasn't bad, but my expectation wasn't really all that high to begin with so there as little chance of getting disappointed. There was little happy times, but there was a whole lot of angst in the book. Four stories wrapping into one. I think this was my first book with four men. I had wondered how that would work, fitting all of the into a love story, into a healthy relationship. But somehow it worked. However, it's really annoying that the main problem in the whole book is simply communication. Or the lack of it. Seriously, there was absolutely no communication whatsoever. It got really frustrating. And as you know me, I always get a favorite, and if you've read this book - and know me - then you shouldn't be surprised that Killian is indeed my absolute favorite in the book. Also, I should probably mention that that book would've been just as interest - if not more - if there had only been Killian and Zak in it. Liam and Noah just added to the story, at least that's what I felt.
Parts & POV:
→ Part I (3%)
♥ Killian & Zak
→ Part II (18%)
✮ Liam & Noah
→ Part III (33%)
♥ Killian & Zak
→ Part IV (43%)
✮ Liam & Noah
→ Part V (49%)
♥ Killian & Zak
→ Part VI (56%)
♥✮ Killian, Zak, Liam & Noah
Quites From Book:
Other Characters:
→ Delia, Killian's sponsor. He's been sober for a year.
→ Bonnie, the young nurse working with Zak.
→ Spencer Savage, Liam's father
→ Marjorie, Noah's aunt and becomes Liam's stepmother.
→ Dr. Clark, Killian and Noah's psychologist.
→ Gerald Darby,
Zak had a habit of bringing home animals from the small rescue group he volunteered for – the ones that were most in need of a little extra TLC. He always called them fosters, but only on the rarest of occasions did they leave our house after that.
They had a way of becoming family from the moment they walked or were carried over the threshold.
In the past, Zak and I had had a lot of fun pretending to let him “convince me” to accept another four-legged or two-winged creature into our lives, but we’d both known it had been just another excuse to touch one another, to be with each other. Zak had always known I’d give him anything and everything to make him happy… I’d told him as much the first time I’d admitted that I was so deeply in love with him that it scared the ever-loving shit out of me. But things had changed there too.
The Animals (Mentioned):
→ THE BIRDS (3): Blueberry, the gray parrot, Skittles the colorful macaw. Both girls. The brightly colored parrot had suffered significant neurological damage at the hands of her previous owner and while it was a miracle she could even fly, if she didn’t have Blueberry around to use as a guide, her ability to hit her target was fifty-fifty at best. Waldo, the medium-sized black and white toucan bird. He has a mutilated beak and crippled wings. He’d gotten particularly attached to Killian: he was the only one who was able to actually touch him, despite the fact that Zak was the one who’d played a part in his rescue more than a year ago. It was the reason Waldo now lived with them rather than the rescue group that’d coordinated getting the bird away from his abuser.
→ THE DOGS (5): Bentley, black lab Killian had come into the relationship with seven years earlier.
→ THE CATS (4): Dash, a black and white cat.
→ THE OTHERS: Nana, the mini-horse. Boris, the very overweight and foul-smelling pig.
“No,” I murmured. “So you were a cop when you met Zak.”
“Yep. He was in nursing school. He’d just finished his second deployment. He’d been a combat medic in his unit—”
“Wait, Zak was in the military?” I asked.
“Marines,” Killian confirmed.
“Fuck,” I muttered to myself as I remembered how I’d attacked Zak in the hospital room. “I just assumed that because he was a nurse—”
“Yeah,” Killian said with a grin. “A lot of people do that – underestimate him. Whatever you did to him, you’re lucky he didn’t break something.”
I felt my cheeks heat as I thought about the things I’d said to Zak in that hospital room.
“Anyway, he loved the military, but the war was hard on him. He was always meant to save lives, not take them.”
Quick basic facts:
Genre: - (Adult) Contemerary Romance (M/M/M/M).
Series: - Standalone.
Love triangle? -
Cheating? -
HEA? -
Favorite character? - Killian.
Would I read more by this author/or of series? - Some of them.
Would I recommend this book/series? -Sure, if you like angst.
Will I read this again in the future? - No.
Rating - 3 stars.
January 23, 2019
I'm away to hide in a corner after publishing this review, being one of the few that didn't like this much. Four Ever really didn't work for me which is a shame because when Sloan Kennedy publishes a book I drop everything to read it.
My biggest problem was that the whole M/M/M/M hoopla felt forced. See, when a couple's relationship is already in difficulty the last thing they should be doing is adding another couple into the angst-pot, especially when they don't TALK to each other. The lack of communication drove me bat shit crazy and it made the angst feel manufactured, it certainly didn't give me the feels like the author intended it should, and I found myself skimming at times.
I felt like I was thrown in at the middle of the story because for more than half the book I had no clue what the hell was going on with Zak and Killian. Yeah, there were teeny tiny hints but not enough to stop me from being irritated by not bloody knowing! I get drip feeding to build the suspense and angst - I love angst - but this wasn't that, it was annoying.
For me, this was a book of two halves and should have stayed that way - Zak and Killian working on their committed albeit shaky relationship, and then Noah and Liam finding their feet in their own very new relationship because as a foursome they did. not. work.
Less cheese and more character development might have made their M/M/M/M relationship more believable.
2.5ish stars
My biggest problem was that the whole M/M/M/M hoopla felt forced. See, when a couple's relationship is already in difficulty the last thing they should be doing is adding another couple into the angst-pot, especially when they don't TALK to each other. The lack of communication drove me bat shit crazy and it made the angst feel manufactured, it certainly didn't give me the feels like the author intended it should, and I found myself skimming at times.
I felt like I was thrown in at the middle of the story because for more than half the book I had no clue what the hell was going on with Zak and Killian. Yeah, there were teeny tiny hints but not enough to stop me from being irritated by not bloody knowing! I get drip feeding to build the suspense and angst - I love angst - but this wasn't that, it was annoying.
For me, this was a book of two halves and should have stayed that way - Zak and Killian working on their committed albeit shaky relationship, and then Noah and Liam finding their feet in their own very new relationship because as a foursome they did. not. work.
Less cheese and more character development might have made their M/M/M/M relationship more believable.
2.5ish stars
Shelved as 'abandoned'
January 23, 2019Oh boy, this pulls my worst trigger:
A wrecked relationship that will (presumably) be saved by two additional guys.
Not even the promise of interesting sex scenes could get me to continue with it.
AND these guys live with a ton of animals from toucans to ponies and LOTS of other pets... in the house. That's not romantic, that's a mess, LOL.
I'll have to pass this one.
A wrecked relationship that will (presumably) be saved by two additional guys.
Not even the promise of interesting sex scenes could get me to continue with it.
AND these guys live with a ton of animals from toucans to ponies and LOTS of other pets... in the house. That's not romantic, that's a mess, LOL.
I'll have to pass this one.
September 4, 2024
In summary:
2 men who have been together for 7 years, solve their 18 month ongoing relationship issues... by getting inside 2 other men. seems legit 🤷🏻
In quick oversight:
Zak is a nurse, who collects stray animals who have been abandoned or abused.
Killian was a cop who got shot, so Zak 'made him' quit.
This is the complication in the relationship which felt manufactured af because it could have been solved with some open communications, but instead they chose to let their relationship disintegrate because of the guilt... 🙄🙄🙄
Zak collects a new stray who ends up being a whole ass human. (who has selective mutism? not sure if that's the right term, but he's mute due to trauma??)
(also, side note: not sure why/how a patient in a hospital was allowed to just go home and live with the nurse. BUT LET'S NOT QUESTION THE REASONS)
Killian makes eye contact with the stray human, gets a boner, has many internal guilt monologues, because his boners are supposed to be for Zak's eyes only.
Zak makes eye with the stray human's "brother" (who's not his brother) who is in the hospital, also gets some kind of heart-physical boner... and then... has many internal guilt monologues, because his boners are supposed to be for Kilian's eyes only.
🙄🙄🙄
Then they all start fucking because... ✨eyeball vibes have been happening✨ with no prior 'oh should we fuck these two dudes?' convo between our main couple, and then the puzzle pieces all fall into place, and now they are all fucking one another?
✨MENTAL HEALTH/RELATIONSHIP PROBLEMS JUST GO POOF BECAUSE HEALED✨
THE SEX WAS HOT AF, I CAN'T DENY THAT. lots of touching, and kissing, and easy to keep track of who was where/what positions hahahah.
BUT THERE WAS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH CRYING. SO MUCH EMOTIONAL BAGGAGE. THAT IT WAS EXHAUSTING. AND LIKE, THE CRYING MY DUDES, THERE IS SO MUCH CRYING.
The 4 men are all 'broken' and it goes SOOOOOOOO hard on the 'broken man' vibes that it was so OTT.
Taking traumastised barely legal humans back to your house, to then fuck them after a few days feels like a line was crossed for me, I struggled finding real reasons behind their connection, and realistically, the crying.... it was a lot....
WALDO THE ABUSED TOUCAN WAS THE REAL MVP OF THIS BOOK.
I think I give 3 stars for the sex/entertainment value/writing is investing enough even if it's so OTT I was eye rolling.
I'm not an emotional gal. Emotional books feel lowkey kinda stupid to me. It's a me problem. I'm sorry if you loved this book.
I HAD TO COME BACK AND EDIT TO SAY I FUCKING HATE THE ENDEARMENT OF "SWEETHEART" 🤢🤢🤢 I HATE IT, I HATE IT, i hate it, I HATE ITTTTTTTT. 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
I hate it even more in this book, because they're saying endearments to other men they just met, who they haven't communicated what they are to eachother (as in are we together, just fucking, poly/sharing, ect) & the fact there is NO jealousy........ not even one smidge........... ✨AS IF ✨
2 men who have been together for 7 years, solve their 18 month ongoing relationship issues... by getting inside 2 other men. seems legit 🤷🏻
In quick oversight:
Zak is a nurse, who collects stray animals who have been abandoned or abused.
Killian was a cop who got shot, so Zak 'made him' quit.
This is the complication in the relationship which felt manufactured af because it could have been solved with some open communications, but instead they chose to let their relationship disintegrate because of the guilt... 🙄🙄🙄
Zak collects a new stray who ends up being a whole ass human. (who has selective mutism? not sure if that's the right term, but he's mute due to trauma??)
(also, side note: not sure why/how a patient in a hospital was allowed to just go home and live with the nurse. BUT LET'S NOT QUESTION THE REASONS)
Killian makes eye contact with the stray human, gets a boner, has many internal guilt monologues, because his boners are supposed to be for Zak's eyes only.
Zak makes eye with the stray human's "brother" (who's not his brother) who is in the hospital, also gets some kind of heart-physical boner... and then... has many internal guilt monologues, because his boners are supposed to be for Kilian's eyes only.
🙄🙄🙄
Then they all start fucking because... ✨eyeball vibes have been happening✨ with no prior 'oh should we fuck these two dudes?' convo between our main couple, and then the puzzle pieces all fall into place, and now they are all fucking one another?
✨MENTAL HEALTH/RELATIONSHIP PROBLEMS JUST GO POOF BECAUSE HEALED✨
THE SEX WAS HOT AF, I CAN'T DENY THAT. lots of touching, and kissing, and easy to keep track of who was where/what positions hahahah.
BUT THERE WAS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH CRYING. SO MUCH EMOTIONAL BAGGAGE. THAT IT WAS EXHAUSTING. AND LIKE, THE CRYING MY DUDES, THERE IS SO MUCH CRYING.
The 4 men are all 'broken' and it goes SOOOOOOOO hard on the 'broken man' vibes that it was so OTT.
Taking traumastised barely legal humans back to your house, to then fuck them after a few days feels like a line was crossed for me, I struggled finding real reasons behind their connection, and realistically, the crying.... it was a lot....
WALDO THE ABUSED TOUCAN WAS THE REAL MVP OF THIS BOOK.
I think I give 3 stars for the sex/entertainment value/writing is investing enough even if it's so OTT I was eye rolling.
I'm not an emotional gal. Emotional books feel lowkey kinda stupid to me. It's a me problem. I'm sorry if you loved this book.
I HAD TO COME BACK AND EDIT TO SAY I FUCKING HATE THE ENDEARMENT OF "SWEETHEART" 🤢🤢🤢 I HATE IT, I HATE IT, i hate it, I HATE ITTTTTTTT. 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
I hate it even more in this book, because they're saying endearments to other men they just met, who they haven't communicated what they are to eachother (as in are we together, just fucking, poly/sharing, ect) & the fact there is NO jealousy........ not even one smidge........... ✨AS IF ✨
April 4, 2019
I just can't with this nonsense. I don't understand how this author's books are so popular. I feel like you all are punking me. This. Was. Absolutely. Terrible.
There's drama. They cry. They cry some more. There's some trauma porn (cuz this author LOVES her trauma porn). More crying. More trauma porn. More crying. More trauma porn. (I'm sure there was more but my eyes were rolled too far back in my head to read the rest.)
Complete & utter nonsense.
There's drama. They cry. They cry some more. There's some trauma porn (cuz this author LOVES her trauma porn). More crying. More trauma porn. More crying. More trauma porn. (I'm sure there was more but my eyes were rolled too far back in my head to read the rest.)
Complete & utter nonsense.
January 21, 2019
It's been awhile since I've read a Sloane Kennedy book. And I'm not sure I've ever read a book that involved a relationship with four people.
I have to say, I quite enjoyed this one.
The beginning annoyed me a bit with all of the internal monologue between Zak and Killian about what happened between them. They both internalized a lot of guilt but it took forever to finally figure out what that was all about.
Once that was all out in the open and Noah and Liam started to heal and they all four grew closer, I enjoyed it a lot more.
I have to say, I quite enjoyed this one.
The beginning annoyed me a bit with all of the internal monologue between Zak and Killian about what happened between them. They both internalized a lot of guilt but it took forever to finally figure out what that was all about.
Once that was all out in the open and Noah and Liam started to heal and they all four grew closer, I enjoyed it a lot more.
January 21, 2019
4.25 stars
Sloane Kennedy does MMMM!
Zak and Killian have been together for 7 years and are still very much in love. But the last 18 months have been hard for them, since Zak asked Killian to give up his job as a cop, because Killian got shot and Zak couldn't deal with amost losing him. Now Zak feels guilty for taking away Killian’s dream, and Killian doesn’t quite know how to handle it all. So they simply stopped talking to each other.
Zak has been known to take home all kinds of rescue animals, but when he brings home a mute 19 year old boy, Killian doesn’t know how to react.
Zak tells Killian two young men were brought in the ER where Zak works, with one of them severely beaten. The two seemed desperate to stay together, but with one of them in the hospital, the younger one didn’t have anyone looking out for him. That’s why Zak took him home.
The young man won’t tell (write) them his name or what happened. But Zak finally gets the other boy to talk. The mute boy’s name is Noah, and he and Liam are stepbrothers. Liam is very protective of Noah, and even though he isn’t ready to leave the hospital yet, he checks himself out and has Zak take him to Noah.
Zak and Killian want to take care of Liam and Noah, since it’s obvious the two were living on the streets, but Liam has such anger in him, that he tells them to stay away from them.
When Noah gets the flu, and with Liam not completely healed yet, they have no choice but to stay with Zak and Killian for a while…
This had (almost) everything I wanted in a Sloane Kennedy book. Four very interesting MCs who all have some issues, lots and lots of hurt/comfort, some very sweet and tender moments between all MCs, and some great sexy times.
I do have to say that sometimes I wanted just a little more between these guys. I can’t really explain what I mean, other than I’ve read other MMM Sloane Kennedy books where the MCs felt more equal. Here I sometimes felt as if we truly had two couples trying to make a foursome.
This is not a porn fest by any chance, and I loved how tender and sweet the sex scenes were. Not to say they weren’t hot, because they were! But this was about love, not about sex.
I hope Sloane Kennedy writes more MMM or MMMM, because I want more.
Sloane Kennedy does MMMM!
Zak and Killian have been together for 7 years and are still very much in love. But the last 18 months have been hard for them, since Zak asked Killian to give up his job as a cop, because Killian got shot and Zak couldn't deal with amost losing him. Now Zak feels guilty for taking away Killian’s dream, and Killian doesn’t quite know how to handle it all. So they simply stopped talking to each other.
Zak has been known to take home all kinds of rescue animals, but when he brings home a mute 19 year old boy, Killian doesn’t know how to react.
Zak tells Killian two young men were brought in the ER where Zak works, with one of them severely beaten. The two seemed desperate to stay together, but with one of them in the hospital, the younger one didn’t have anyone looking out for him. That’s why Zak took him home.
The young man won’t tell (write) them his name or what happened. But Zak finally gets the other boy to talk. The mute boy’s name is Noah, and he and Liam are stepbrothers. Liam is very protective of Noah, and even though he isn’t ready to leave the hospital yet, he checks himself out and has Zak take him to Noah.
Zak and Killian want to take care of Liam and Noah, since it’s obvious the two were living on the streets, but Liam has such anger in him, that he tells them to stay away from them.
When Noah gets the flu, and with Liam not completely healed yet, they have no choice but to stay with Zak and Killian for a while…
This had (almost) everything I wanted in a Sloane Kennedy book. Four very interesting MCs who all have some issues, lots and lots of hurt/comfort, some very sweet and tender moments between all MCs, and some great sexy times.
I do have to say that sometimes I wanted just a little more between these guys. I can’t really explain what I mean, other than I’ve read other MMM Sloane Kennedy books where the MCs felt more equal. Here I sometimes felt as if we truly had two couples trying to make a foursome.
This is not a porn fest by any chance, and I loved how tender and sweet the sex scenes were. Not to say they weren’t hot, because they were! But this was about love, not about sex.
I hope Sloane Kennedy writes more MMM or MMMM, because I want more.
January 25, 2019
Estoy en la minoría de las minorías con este libro...
Estoy mirando el ordenador pensando qué decir y no tengo palabras xD. O mejor, sí tengo palabras, pero no quiero ser ofensiva, aunque en este caso creedme que me cuesta.
Ya de por sí una relación de cuatro personas me resulta difícil, las probabilidades de que cuatro personas se enamoren entre ellas son, cuanto menos, pequeñas. Pero vale, pasamos eso de largo, cuatro personas se enamoran. ¿De verdad pretende la autora que yo me crea que sucede como pasa en este libro? Una pareja establecida, con problemas de comunicación, que se aman y reaman, acogen en casa a dos chicos jóvenes, que se aman y reaman, pero en secreto, ya sabéis, problemas de comunicación también. Y a partir de aquí, surge el amor, así, porque sí, en cuestión de días, sienten algo especial desde el principio, pero no saben qué, algo especial, esa cosita en el estómago, ese bla bla (¿veis? desde el minuto uno se pasa una entornando los ojos) Todo este procesamiento de enamoramiento tan monito y presioso y creíble, sobre todo creíble, el amor fluye, pero ellos ahí todo tan natural, eh?, poco análisis ni na, muy realista. Pues bien, como decía, este enamoramiento va ir acompañado con muchos animalitos que parecen salidos de una peli de Disney, conflictos internacionales a tope de clichés, abusos, intentos de violación, disparos, buahhhhhhhhh, ¿algo más? Por favor... Además, estas personas son muy lloricas, hay llanto cada tres páginas aproximadamente.
Que no, vamos, tontería suprema. Y si estáis aquí por el sexo, pues tampoco es pa tanto.
Lo mejor que puedo decir del libro es que no me he aburrido, pero claro, imposible alternando el entornar los ojos y el descojone total xD.
Si no tienes KU, no te gastes el dinero.
Estoy mirando el ordenador pensando qué decir y no tengo palabras xD. O mejor, sí tengo palabras, pero no quiero ser ofensiva, aunque en este caso creedme que me cuesta.
Ya de por sí una relación de cuatro personas me resulta difícil, las probabilidades de que cuatro personas se enamoren entre ellas son, cuanto menos, pequeñas. Pero vale, pasamos eso de largo, cuatro personas se enamoran. ¿De verdad pretende la autora que yo me crea que sucede como pasa en este libro? Una pareja establecida, con problemas de comunicación, que se aman y reaman, acogen en casa a dos chicos jóvenes, que se aman y reaman, pero en secreto, ya sabéis, problemas de comunicación también. Y a partir de aquí, surge el amor, así, porque sí, en cuestión de días, sienten algo especial desde el principio, pero no saben qué, algo especial, esa cosita en el estómago, ese bla bla (¿veis? desde el minuto uno se pasa una entornando los ojos) Todo este procesamiento de enamoramiento tan monito y presioso y creíble, sobre todo creíble, el amor fluye, pero ellos ahí todo tan natural, eh?, poco análisis ni na, muy realista. Pues bien, como decía, este enamoramiento va ir acompañado con muchos animalitos que parecen salidos de una peli de Disney, conflictos internacionales a tope de clichés, abusos, intentos de violación, disparos, buahhhhhhhhh, ¿algo más? Por favor... Además, estas personas son muy lloricas, hay llanto cada tres páginas aproximadamente.
Que no, vamos, tontería suprema. Y si estáis aquí por el sexo, pues tampoco es pa tanto.
Lo mejor que puedo decir del libro es que no me he aburrido, pero claro, imposible alternando el entornar los ojos y el descojone total xD.
Si no tienes KU, no te gastes el dinero.
January 19, 2019
I enjoyed this book very much. It had the right amount of angst, humor and steam. It happened so that the only other characters that played any major role in the story besides the four MCs were of four-legged or winged variety, and it made me focus on each and every man even more, see and hear them better, understand what's between them.
There are four men. Each has a story to tell, his own demons to fight but each has a heart of gold and so much love to give. Amidst of trying to piece themselves together they have to figure out if there is future that includes all of them. I liked them. Zak was the healer, Liam was the nurturer, Killian was the protector and Noah was the heart. It was the heart that suffered the most. While Killian, Zak and Liam were able to find peace and comfort Noah had a tougher path to follow.
This story deals with severe PTSD, alcohol addiction, homophobia, bullying, domestic human and animal abuse, and I thought that Ms Kennedy did right by them - she wrote the book in such a way that made me feel what the men were feeling - their angst, their sorrow and their happiness. I loved all the animals, Waldo especially - little brave toucan protector. Even though Waldo was only a bird he managed to be a friend and comfort all men in their time of need.
This was a very well-written emotional story of healing and finding love, and I loved it. I highly recommend it!
There are four men. Each has a story to tell, his own demons to fight but each has a heart of gold and so much love to give. Amidst of trying to piece themselves together they have to figure out if there is future that includes all of them. I liked them. Zak was the healer, Liam was the nurturer, Killian was the protector and Noah was the heart. It was the heart that suffered the most. While Killian, Zak and Liam were able to find peace and comfort Noah had a tougher path to follow.
This story deals with severe PTSD, alcohol addiction, homophobia, bullying, domestic human and animal abuse, and I thought that Ms Kennedy did right by them - she wrote the book in such a way that made me feel what the men were feeling - their angst, their sorrow and their happiness. I loved all the animals, Waldo especially - little brave toucan protector. Even though Waldo was only a bird he managed to be a friend and comfort all men in their time of need.
This was a very well-written emotional story of healing and finding love, and I loved it. I highly recommend it!
Shelved as 'didnt-finish'
January 29, 2019Rating: 32/5 Gushing Waterfalls made of Tears
I'm done, I can't do it. It may have been a "a small sniffling sound that woke [Zak] up" at 61% but it was precisely that small sniffling sound that made my cup (of tears) floweth over. It was that small sniffling that made me throw in the towel. A towel that will surely be soaked in an inordinate amount of masculine tears.
I didn't even read the next sentence to find out whether it was one of the 3 other men roaming in variously emotionally unstable states or one of the many similarly damaged rescue animals.
I had thought: Stories about 2 emo, angsty, men with baggage are like catnip to me, so a story about 4 emo, angsty men with baggage would be double as good, right?
No, I was wrong. I was so wrong. What we got was every possible angsty-damaged-broken-stunted-man trope possible rolled into one unlikely foursome. I'm gonna list them in a minute. But first - I love a good cathartic cry as much as anyone, in books as in real life (sometimes the feelings just have to get out, ya know?) BUT the crying, sniffling, holding back tears on almost every page is not riveting drama. It is not alluring. It isn't sexy. It isn't profound. Like, I totally get how two 30-somethings would be all up for spicing up their rocky marriage with a barely legal, jailbait two-some. But I'm not sure how selective mutism and compulsive crying with added flu is hot in any way? I'd be more like, do we need to get some professional help here? Also, with all the random animals in that house - several birds, dogs and mini horse - all I could think about was the smell, which would be really a bit mangy, I'd guess. I mean, I had a friend once who had like 5 tiny dogs and his house smelled like 5 huge stinky dogs lived there. So I don't know. And don't horses just go wherever and whenever they need to? Like that guest room would be full of Little Sebastian horse droppings.
Alright - so for those of you interested in every emo angsty m/m cliché found in the first half of this book, here goes - for all the rest of you, turn away now.
Ok that's all I got... there's probably more in the 2nd half of the book...
I'm done, I can't do it. It may have been a "a small sniffling sound that woke [Zak] up" at 61% but it was precisely that small sniffling sound that made my cup (of tears) floweth over. It was that small sniffling that made me throw in the towel. A towel that will surely be soaked in an inordinate amount of masculine tears.
I didn't even read the next sentence to find out whether it was one of the 3 other men roaming in variously emotionally unstable states or one of the many similarly damaged rescue animals.
I had thought: Stories about 2 emo, angsty, men with baggage are like catnip to me, so a story about 4 emo, angsty men with baggage would be double as good, right?
No, I was wrong. I was so wrong. What we got was every possible angsty-damaged-broken-stunted-man trope possible rolled into one unlikely foursome. I'm gonna list them in a minute. But first - I love a good cathartic cry as much as anyone, in books as in real life (sometimes the feelings just have to get out, ya know?) BUT the crying, sniffling, holding back tears on almost every page is not riveting drama. It is not alluring. It isn't sexy. It isn't profound. Like, I totally get how two 30-somethings would be all up for spicing up their rocky marriage with a barely legal, jailbait two-some. But I'm not sure how selective mutism and compulsive crying with added flu is hot in any way? I'd be more like, do we need to get some professional help here? Also, with all the random animals in that house - several birds, dogs and mini horse - all I could think about was the smell, which would be really a bit mangy, I'd guess. I mean, I had a friend once who had like 5 tiny dogs and his house smelled like 5 huge stinky dogs lived there. So I don't know. And don't horses just go wherever and whenever they need to? Like that guest room would be full of Little Sebastian horse droppings.
Alright - so for those of you interested in every emo angsty m/m cliché found in the first half of this book, here goes - for all the rest of you, turn away now.
Ok that's all I got... there's probably more in the 2nd half of the book...
January 23, 2019
Seeing as I'm a fan of the author, I was kinda thinking about just pretending that I didn't read this one. It simply didn't pull the rug from under my feet in a good way.
I did read the whole thing and I'm kinda upset with myself for not swooning over it as I was really looking forward to a great one. It just might be me but it just might not be either.
The whole non-communication thing fell flat for me when I realised the "reason" for all the drama. "I'm not good enough No I'm not good enough" doesn't work for me with two grown-up men who actually LOVE each other and have been in a relationship for more than 6 months.
I feel like I don't know Noah cause 95% of the story he was crying? Yes I know, I'm a heartless wench he went through terrible trauma and I don't know why I'm not FEELING it. I tried to cut him some slack for that and the fact that he's like still very very young.
Liam was sweet with his protect Noah thing. There were times where I could really like Zac and Killian as well, but the childish nonsense made me just want to slap them both really really hard. And I agree with some of the reviews that adding two more people to a crumbling relationship where you don't talk just doesn't add up.
I just feel miserable for not loving it but I didn't.
Oh, and can someone please give me a heads up on where in South Africa this predator filled bush is so I can avoid it. Seeing as I'm from SA and all that. I clearly don't know my own country do I...
I was under the impression the "predators" are all in cooped up in the Zoo, wildlife farms and the Kruger National Park. Food for thought I guess.
So guess this is my fate
Don't worry dears. I won't blame you. ;-)
And PS. I really DID love the animals. That was a really nice touch
January 25, 2019
A new release from Sloane Kennedy. What’s new ? Not part of a series and it’s MMMM (yes, MMMM, but it’s Sloane Kennedy : she knows her business when it comes to multiplying partners !!).
Zac and Killian, in a committed relationship for several years, are almost at the end of the rope : love isn’t always enough. Something has to change, and it comes by the way of Noah and Liam, two stepbrothers on the road who are offered shelter under Zac and Killian’s roof until they can recover from some injuries and the flu.
This will steer a lot of feelings, a lot of memories and a lot of courage to face the truth and fight for love…especially as the number 2 is replaced by the number 4 in this relationship.
I usually greatly enjoy reading Sloane Kennedy, but this one didn’t hit the mark for me. Not due to the foursome (well done, even though it sometimes looked like more as a 2+2), but because a lot felt “too much” for me :
• It’s a continuous case of “no talks” : between Zach and Killian about their chasm, between Liam and Noah about their feelings, about Noah’s past and loss of virginity while entering a foursome, between Zach, Killian, Liam and Noah, about the burgeoning feelings leading to this unusual relationship. And with me : only being told for a long portion of the story that the MCs unravelled their issues but not knowing what it was drove me nuts.
• Crying, sobbing and tears galore.
• Finally : from menage to menagerie, there are only 3 letters, readily added…get your head out of the gutter though, bed sharing with a pony and exotic birds is made in all honor !!
I still read it all, because Sloane Kennedy has a knack for mixing hotness and emotions and drawing characters you root for. But it didn’t grab me as it usually does with other books from SK.
Zac and Killian, in a committed relationship for several years, are almost at the end of the rope : love isn’t always enough. Something has to change, and it comes by the way of Noah and Liam, two stepbrothers on the road who are offered shelter under Zac and Killian’s roof until they can recover from some injuries and the flu.
This will steer a lot of feelings, a lot of memories and a lot of courage to face the truth and fight for love…especially as the number 2 is replaced by the number 4 in this relationship.
I usually greatly enjoy reading Sloane Kennedy, but this one didn’t hit the mark for me. Not due to the foursome (well done, even though it sometimes looked like more as a 2+2), but because a lot felt “too much” for me :
• It’s a continuous case of “no talks” : between Zach and Killian about their chasm, between Liam and Noah about their feelings, about Noah’s past and loss of virginity while entering a foursome, between Zach, Killian, Liam and Noah, about the burgeoning feelings leading to this unusual relationship. And with me : only being told for a long portion of the story that the MCs unravelled their issues but not knowing what it was drove me nuts.
• Crying, sobbing and tears galore.
• Finally : from menage to menagerie, there are only 3 letters, readily added…get your head out of the gutter though, bed sharing with a pony and exotic birds is made in all honor !!
I still read it all, because Sloane Kennedy has a knack for mixing hotness and emotions and drawing characters you root for. But it didn’t grab me as it usually does with other books from SK.
January 22, 2019
I absolutely loved this book ❤️ stayed up WAY too late reading it, couldn’t put it down. This story was about the grief, pain and vulnerability of all four men who lived in their heads. So much they wanted to say, but repressed their words in fear of losing more than they already had. Through fate and a chance, they began to find themselves and reconnect- first with their significant other, and then collectively. I loved it, loved the angst, the tempo, the love and joy. One of my favorite reads.
March 12, 2019
Another excellent exploration of love from Sloane
I don't think there's anyone who gets these types of romance as well as Sloane Kennedy does.
She seems to have an innate ability to take the reader right into the heart of a relationship, whether it be two, three or - as it is here - four men connecting in a powerful, emotionally driven way.
She's also great at introducing trauma without it ever feeling like it's there as a plot point only. In this one she also tackles selective mutism in a sympathetic and, to me at least, absolutely believable way.
I loved how the connection between Killian and Zak never broke, even as they tortured themselves with internalised guilt that they were causing the other one pain.
I loved how that connection simply expanded to take in Noah and Liam and, once they were there, it adjusted to loving four people because they each brought out something else in the others.
Do I believe Killian and Zak would have made it without Noah and Liam, absolutely yes. And I think those young men would have struggled along together no matter what the cost.
Thankfully, they never had to find out because as a four they were just stronger and better together.
The mixed menagerie of animals just made the whole story even more sweet.
I don't think there's anyone who gets these types of romance as well as Sloane Kennedy does.
She seems to have an innate ability to take the reader right into the heart of a relationship, whether it be two, three or - as it is here - four men connecting in a powerful, emotionally driven way.
She's also great at introducing trauma without it ever feeling like it's there as a plot point only. In this one she also tackles selective mutism in a sympathetic and, to me at least, absolutely believable way.
I loved how the connection between Killian and Zak never broke, even as they tortured themselves with internalised guilt that they were causing the other one pain.
I loved how that connection simply expanded to take in Noah and Liam and, once they were there, it adjusted to loving four people because they each brought out something else in the others.
Do I believe Killian and Zak would have made it without Noah and Liam, absolutely yes. And I think those young men would have struggled along together no matter what the cost.
Thankfully, they never had to find out because as a four they were just stronger and better together.
The mixed menagerie of animals just made the whole story even more sweet.
May 14, 2020
Re-read!! Switch for FIVE stars because WOW. LOVE this more than the first reading.
First thing first: HOT.
This four guys together...Duhhh
( PS: I know these guys are firefighters...but it works on my mind haha )
The first couple: Zak and and Killian : one is an ex-SWAT, the other an ex-marine converted into a nurse. 7 years together. Madly in love with each other, BUT after a difficult operation in the field he just shut up on himself. Suffering in silence until the day he made a mistake that almost cost him his life. In rewind Zak pushed him to make a radical decision after that. Since all of that these two are full of regrets but they just don't communicate. Frustrating+++ The number of times I wanted to slap them each in turn. That lost time.
The second couple: Liam and Noah are two young boys who met after there parents came together. These two love each other. They fled home after a terrific event. They are homeless.
Noah "can't" talk, he stopped after an accident at young age. Liam is a little older, he takes care of them. Unfortunately they find themselves both trapped by some nasty people. Liam is badly hurt. He is brought to the E.R in a very bad shape.
Zak who is the nurse, is the only one who manage to calm and reassure Noah. He made an offer to Noah: come home with him to rest and recover while Liam is in hospital. Noah agrees.
When Liam wakes up, he manages to convince Zak to bring him back to Noah. From there, everything starts.
Between these four guys, begins a dance. They dance around each other.
Zak and Killian can't find a way to tell each other what they felt. But strangely each one of them on his side manages to share it with Liam or Noah, which brings them closer and closer day after day. I love the way they got together. It was so hot and beautiful.
In this kind of story, I'm always afraid of finding that someone is too much. This was almost perfect. Everyone brings something more. I enjoyed living this adventure with them.
PS: I totally have a soft spot for Zak, the hot nurse with he big heart.
Love Sloane Kennedy.
First thing first: HOT.
This four guys together...Duhhh
( PS: I know these guys are firefighters...but it works on my mind haha )
The first couple: Zak and and Killian : one is an ex-SWAT, the other an ex-marine converted into a nurse. 7 years together. Madly in love with each other, BUT after a difficult operation in the field he just shut up on himself. Suffering in silence until the day he made a mistake that almost cost him his life. In rewind Zak pushed him to make a radical decision after that. Since all of that these two are full of regrets but they just don't communicate. Frustrating+++ The number of times I wanted to slap them each in turn. That lost time.
The second couple: Liam and Noah are two young boys who met after there parents came together. These two love each other. They fled home after a terrific event. They are homeless.
Noah "can't" talk, he stopped after an accident at young age. Liam is a little older, he takes care of them. Unfortunately they find themselves both trapped by some nasty people. Liam is badly hurt. He is brought to the E.R in a very bad shape.
Zak who is the nurse, is the only one who manage to calm and reassure Noah. He made an offer to Noah: come home with him to rest and recover while Liam is in hospital. Noah agrees.
When Liam wakes up, he manages to convince Zak to bring him back to Noah. From there, everything starts.
Between these four guys, begins a dance. They dance around each other.
Zak and Killian can't find a way to tell each other what they felt. But strangely each one of them on his side manages to share it with Liam or Noah, which brings them closer and closer day after day. I love the way they got together. It was so hot and beautiful.
In this kind of story, I'm always afraid of finding that someone is too much. This was almost perfect. Everyone brings something more. I enjoyed living this adventure with them.
PS: I totally have a soft spot for Zak, the hot nurse with he big heart.
Love Sloane Kennedy.
April 7, 2019
This one dragged. I’m also a bit of the constant martyrdom in this author’s work. It’s iverdone at this point. It doesn’t add angst, it just adds to the unnecessary extra pain the characters suffer because they didn’t communicate or they hid stuff from the person they adored.
September 8, 2019
3.75 stars!! 😁💕 Liked it.. and I know I'm being a little generous here with the stars. If I hadn't read the disappointing reviews from my GR friends, I wouldn't have had the patience to finish this book... because the first half is super slow 🙄and highly frustrating 😬😡!!!! I like animals 🦆🐤🐴🐱.. but there were too many!! 😳😬 And, the whole "not-talking to one another" got very old very fast..😢. Eventually when we do find out the mystery behind the rift between Killian and Zak, it is so inconsequential that I felt let down..🙄😠 And even when they did talk and clear the air of misunderstanding between them; the "not-talking" shifted from in-between them to in-between the couples (Liam and Noah) which lasted almost till the end 😳!!!
Nevertheless, the book had it's good and enjoyable parts which eventually outweighed the frustrating and OTT parts. 😍 The second half does get better, especially when the couples start talking and start steaming 🔥up the bedroom with their hot 🔥action 🔥😉😍. Needless to say, there is a lot of angst too, mostly on Noah's side. But they all journey together to find love and move on from their turbulent pasts. That journey and the beautiful HEA is emotionally very satisfying. Therefore despite the many issues with the book, I can still say that I enjoyed it. 😍👍I went in with few expectations and ended up enjoying it. If I had checked this out a few months ago, never having read the reviews I would have DNFed it for sure.. 🙄, but knowing what I was getting into, helped me be patient to wait out for the good parts. 😉😍 👍👍
Nevertheless, the book had it's good and enjoyable parts which eventually outweighed the frustrating and OTT parts. 😍 The second half does get better, especially when the couples start talking and start steaming 🔥up the bedroom with their hot 🔥action 🔥😉😍. Needless to say, there is a lot of angst too, mostly on Noah's side. But they all journey together to find love and move on from their turbulent pasts. That journey and the beautiful HEA is emotionally very satisfying. Therefore despite the many issues with the book, I can still say that I enjoyed it. 😍👍I went in with few expectations and ended up enjoying it. If I had checked this out a few months ago, never having read the reviews I would have DNFed it for sure.. 🙄, but knowing what I was getting into, helped me be patient to wait out for the good parts. 😉😍 👍👍
January 28, 2019
I discovered Sloane Kennedy last year and fell in love with her men I went on a reading binge reading twenty-seven of her books and loving them all, I was excited to start Four Ever.
Going into Four Ever I was enjoying it, I liked all four men and all the cute animals especially Waldo but when I hit around 50%, I GOT INTO TROUBLE.
The more I read the more frustrated I got especially with Killian and Zack and their lack of communication, they both kept thinking about what had happened to tear them apart, I expected a massive event not what happened which could happen to anyone, I felt let down.
The lack of communication was understandable between Liam and Noah because of Noah’s condition, this is the main reason I continued reading so I could discover what happened to him as a child, I had my suspicions and I was correct, and I wanted to know what happened to him now.
I also got fed up of all the CRYING, seriously someone was crying in every other chapter, I started skimming even skimmed the sex just to get to the end, nothing major happens four men together in a house hiding from each other, that what it felt like to me anyway.
I am sad that I feel this way about Four Ever unfortunately this was not for me and this is only my opinion.
Going into Four Ever I was enjoying it, I liked all four men and all the cute animals especially Waldo but when I hit around 50%, I GOT INTO TROUBLE.
The more I read the more frustrated I got especially with Killian and Zack and their lack of communication, they both kept thinking about what had happened to tear them apart, I expected a massive event not what happened which could happen to anyone, I felt let down.
The lack of communication was understandable between Liam and Noah because of Noah’s condition, this is the main reason I continued reading so I could discover what happened to him as a child, I had my suspicions and I was correct, and I wanted to know what happened to him now.
I also got fed up of all the CRYING, seriously someone was crying in every other chapter, I started skimming even skimmed the sex just to get to the end, nothing major happens four men together in a house hiding from each other, that what it felt like to me anyway.
I am sad that I feel this way about Four Ever unfortunately this was not for me and this is only my opinion.
February 1, 2019
4.5 stars.
Before reading this, I hadn't read a book in about 2 weeks and it was slowly killing me. Maybe I needed to try something different and I'm glad I did. I've always been a fan of Sloane Kennedy but I've never read a M/M/M/M book before. Which made me hesitant.
But I really liked it.
Hallelujah!
Four Ever was sweet, heartbreaking, hot and everything you'd expect from the author. I adored the characters and loved the animals even more. I'm such a sucker for them.
The only thing I wish was that we got more background knowledge on the characters and I wanted to see more of a progression between the 4. It was the only thing keeping me from giving this 5 stars.
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Before reading this, I hadn't read a book in about 2 weeks and it was slowly killing me. Maybe I needed to try something different and I'm glad I did. I've always been a fan of Sloane Kennedy but I've never read a M/M/M/M book before. Which made me hesitant.
But I really liked it.
Hallelujah!
Four Ever was sweet, heartbreaking, hot and everything you'd expect from the author. I adored the characters and loved the animals even more. I'm such a sucker for them.
The only thing I wish was that we got more background knowledge on the characters and I wanted to see more of a progression between the 4. It was the only thing keeping me from giving this 5 stars.
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January 25, 2019
Halfway through this book, I went back to read my reviews of other books I've read by this author, and I was reminded why I haven't read any new ones in a while. While I do love this author's characters, I just can't do the corny hokiness. I said in a prior review that, at around 80%, the books always descend into manufactured dramatics for no daggone reason to the point that I need to start skimming; I didn't even make it that far in this one. Is there some reason grown men can't just use their daggone words?? For goodness sake, SPEAK!! The situation with the original couple was already strange, partly because we were given all these cryptic non explanations for their problems, so we had no clue what was going on. Once it was all explained I was able to, possibly, understand, but the self flagellation got old real quick. The constant need for every single character to blame himself for every single thing was exhausting. Why, at 95%, are characters still not able to read situations?? Why don't either of the two couples realize that the other couple is ok with the fact that they're falling in love? Why don't either of the men in the original couple think the other one would know that they're falling in love with the new couple and be ok with it, especially after they sat and talked about it and it was explained that it didn't mean they loved each other any less?? Why repeat the same lack of communication that dogged the first couple, with the new, younger, less experienced couple? Have any of you been awake and present for the last 300 pages?? Skim skim skim. Just a whole bunch of daggone crying for no reason. SPEAK!!
Apart from the 'misunderstanding' trope which I hate, this foursome just did not work for me. It felt creepy. I don't know if it was the age difference (usually NOT a problem for me) or the fact that the two couples didn't seem to come together naturally. I liked the individual couples, and felt they were perfect for each other. I empathized with each couple's struggle. Four of them together...not so much. The need to overly explain everyhing and make everything so sappy starting at around 70%...skim skim skim.
There were some good parts, including the awesomeness of the four legged [and two legged (birds)] family members but, in the end, sigh. Just no. I may just have to finally come to terms with the fact that this author isn't for me. 2 stars.
Apart from the 'misunderstanding' trope which I hate, this foursome just did not work for me. It felt creepy. I don't know if it was the age difference (usually NOT a problem for me) or the fact that the two couples didn't seem to come together naturally. I liked the individual couples, and felt they were perfect for each other. I empathized with each couple's struggle. Four of them together...not so much. The need to overly explain everyhing and make everything so sappy starting at around 70%...skim skim skim.
There were some good parts, including the awesomeness of the four legged [and two legged (birds)] family members but, in the end, sigh. Just no. I may just have to finally come to terms with the fact that this author isn't for me. 2 stars.
January 21, 2019
I really enjoyed this one. The writing was on point, the storytelling was tight, the plot made enough sense and the main characters were believably damaged. Since I love m/m/m+ relationship romances, I have read a lot of them so .... Importantly, the sex scenes were vivid and I didn't need to attempt countless rereadings of paragraphs to try and understand the dynamics of who, what, where of each scene which is....remarkably good writing, really. I think I like the SK that has moved away from the violence of the Protectors/Barretti Security series' and continues more in the Pelican Bay vein the best right now.
Did the m/m/m/m relationship make sense? Not really. Do I think they all belonged together by the end of the book. Yes. But getting there seemed a bit too easy.
I think Liam gets the most out of the relationship since he no longer bears the onus of keeping Noah safe all by himself and by default Noah gets more people to help him. For Killian and Zac, in the midst of their own relationship issues when Liam and Noah are introduced into their orbit, finding themselves attracted to these kids seemed completely plausible, however, considering their relationship and communication issues, adjusting to that so easily made me roll my eyes a few times. I think you can do m/m/m/m and still feel some jealousy and question the connection when settling in before accepting sometimes things just...are the way they are, especially when they don't make rational sense.
Did the m/m/m/m relationship make sense? Not really. Do I think they all belonged together by the end of the book. Yes. But getting there seemed a bit too easy.
I think Liam gets the most out of the relationship since he no longer bears the onus of keeping Noah safe all by himself and by default Noah gets more people to help him. For Killian and Zac, in the midst of their own relationship issues when Liam and Noah are introduced into their orbit, finding themselves attracted to these kids seemed completely plausible, however, considering their relationship and communication issues, adjusting to that so easily made me roll my eyes a few times. I think you can do m/m/m/m and still feel some jealousy and question the connection when settling in before accepting sometimes things just...are the way they are, especially when they don't make rational sense.
January 7, 2022
I love how they don't immediately jump into a relationship.
Four guys with each of them having problems of their own. Killian is a recovering alcoholic, Zak has problems with abandonment, Liam has conflicted feelings for his step-brother and Noah has selective mutism as a result of a traumatic event.
It is lovely to see them come together and work through their issues. I have to admit, this book has one of my least favourite tropes - and that is miscommunication. It just enrages me when someone says one thing and another person interprets it as something completely different. Maybe because I tend to be blunt.
I love that Zak and Noah have a bunch of rescue animals and I absolutely adore Nana and Waldo especially!
Four guys with each of them having problems of their own. Killian is a recovering alcoholic, Zak has problems with abandonment, Liam has conflicted feelings for his step-brother and Noah has selective mutism as a result of a traumatic event.
It is lovely to see them come together and work through their issues. I have to admit, this book has one of my least favourite tropes - and that is miscommunication. It just enrages me when someone says one thing and another person interprets it as something completely different. Maybe because I tend to be blunt.
I love that Zak and Noah have a bunch of rescue animals and I absolutely adore Nana and Waldo especially!
September 2, 2023
4.5 ⭐️I was really into this story! It was an intense emotional journey to happiness between four men. It evoked so much pain and sadness, but also so much passion and love. This book gave me emotionally sexy vibes, and I loved it! I loved all the animals/pets too, they were so cute and funny. Michael Dean did a fantastic job with his narration and portraying the characters, which really brought them to life. This was my first book by this author, but it won't be my last.
February 19, 2020
I really loved this book. I was in from the very beginning. It is very rare that I finish a book that isn't an audiobook in one day but whenever I had any time to spare, I was picking this up. I know maybe one difference between me and other reviewers is that I really like polyamorous romance books, as long as they're well written so I wasn't nervous about this being a MMMM story. I was nervous because I had just read a different Sloane Kennedy book and I didn't love it. This one was so much better for me, I was honestly blown away.
I adored the characters in this book. I loved how the relationships developed, first between the two couples and then with all four of them. Yes there were times where the plot relied a bit on lack of communication, which usually I really don't like, but I thought it played well in this story and it resolved really well. I thought the characters had great, distinctive personalities, and you could see exactly why they would mesh together. Each party in the relationship was just so caring towards everyone else and I loved how the relationship really helped them each grow as people, which is really what I want out of a good romance.
This is really just such a good book and it makes me excited to read more of Sloane Kennedy's books in the future!
I adored the characters in this book. I loved how the relationships developed, first between the two couples and then with all four of them. Yes there were times where the plot relied a bit on lack of communication, which usually I really don't like, but I thought it played well in this story and it resolved really well. I thought the characters had great, distinctive personalities, and you could see exactly why they would mesh together. Each party in the relationship was just so caring towards everyone else and I loved how the relationship really helped them each grow as people, which is really what I want out of a good romance.
This is really just such a good book and it makes me excited to read more of Sloane Kennedy's books in the future!
January 20, 2019
Thank you Marco for putting this on your reading list.
The moment I saw it, I just knew this would be the perfect book for me,
and no surprise, it was!!
I love menage stories and I read a few good ones lately, but very rarely a story about 4 men falling in love. All four of them were so intriguing, interesting and loveable, it`s hard to pick a favorite, so I can absolutely understand that they had the same problem and just chose everyone ;-)
Liam and Noah are stepbrothers and when they land on the street, Liam looks after his younger "brother" Noah.
They are very much in love with each other but never acted on it.
Zak and Killian are an established couple but some rough times have them guess, not their own, but the other one's feelings. As usual with couples, they talk about everything else instead of addressing their fears and worries.
Zak is a nurse and he has a history of bringing strays home to their farmhouse, be it dogs, cats, birds (Waldo the Toucan was the 5th main character and as loveable as the guys), or at the beginning of this story Noah, while Liam after being hurt and injured on the street, needed treatment in the hospital Zak works.
The attraction between the guys is instant but no one dares to address it or act on it and once Liam returns from the hospital it gets more complicated.
Add to that the fact, that Noah cannot speak since an incident in his past left him mute, which makes the situation even more difficult.
How those four find a way to each other, fall in love, overcome their fears and help Noah heal is incredibly sweet, sad, heartwarming and nerve-wracking.
There was drama and angst but it never got too much and I really loved every page of this book.
Absolutely a favorite and my first 5 star read in 2019!!
The moment I saw it, I just knew this would be the perfect book for me,
and no surprise, it was!!
I love menage stories and I read a few good ones lately, but very rarely a story about 4 men falling in love. All four of them were so intriguing, interesting and loveable, it`s hard to pick a favorite, so I can absolutely understand that they had the same problem and just chose everyone ;-)
Liam and Noah are stepbrothers and when they land on the street, Liam looks after his younger "brother" Noah.
They are very much in love with each other but never acted on it.
Zak and Killian are an established couple but some rough times have them guess, not their own, but the other one's feelings. As usual with couples, they talk about everything else instead of addressing their fears and worries.
Zak is a nurse and he has a history of bringing strays home to their farmhouse, be it dogs, cats, birds (Waldo the Toucan was the 5th main character and as loveable as the guys), or at the beginning of this story Noah, while Liam after being hurt and injured on the street, needed treatment in the hospital Zak works.
The attraction between the guys is instant but no one dares to address it or act on it and once Liam returns from the hospital it gets more complicated.
Add to that the fact, that Noah cannot speak since an incident in his past left him mute, which makes the situation even more difficult.
How those four find a way to each other, fall in love, overcome their fears and help Noah heal is incredibly sweet, sad, heartwarming and nerve-wracking.
There was drama and angst but it never got too much and I really loved every page of this book.
Absolutely a favorite and my first 5 star read in 2019!!
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