For Mason Matheson, being first-born into a large, prosperous family meant the responsibility to compete to be first in many ways. When Kyle Greene, a childhood friend of Mason and his family, decides its time to broaden his horizons and experiment with men, Mason is determined to be Kyle’s “first.” Mason began the week shoehorned into a minivan with his four adult brothers and one sister on the … minivan with his four adult brothers and one sister on the way to Kyle’s mountain ski lodge for a vacation week. Matheson and Greene, the company founded by the elder generation of two close families, enjoyed a windfall of business, and Mason’s father, John, decided that it was time to gather around, bring the two families together for the first time in years, and celebrate. For a whole week. Away from work. Away from the city. With brothers and sisters. Mason dreaded the upcoming seven days. Then he saw Kyle again for the first time since high school.
Former Olympic slalom skier Kyle is hurting from the three-pronged lousy luck of a blown-out knee ending his competitive skiing career, the death of his mother, and the disintegration of his marriage. All that he had left was his family, disapproving father Bentley and loving sister Lily, and his recently purchased ski resort, The Hideaway. He saw the arrival of the Matheson clan as an opportunity to get back on his feet and surround himself with a crowd of people who cared.
Mason represented one more opportunity. Kyle’s curiosity about men lingered in the back of his mind since high school, and he knew that it played a role in his divorce. As part of a promise to his mother before she died, he was determined to explore his dreams, even the long-hidden ones. Hard-driving, hard-working gay Mason could help with that.
It doesn’t take long for the week to turn complicated. There is a hidden pregnancy, a new ski injury, and bitterness from Kyle’s father to contend with. At the center of it all, two men are falling in love. For Mason, that would be a first.
First is a 57,000-word gay romance with friends-to-lovers, first-time themes and steamy scenes. It is the first book in the series The Mathesons and can be read as a standalone story. There are no cliffhangers, and it includes a guaranteed happy ending.
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I loved Kyle and Mason’s story. I thought their story was so sweet. Friends from childhood and finding so much more than just friendship after they grew up. Their family is great and add lots of colour and guaranteed more stories in this Mathesons series. I do love a setting in snow, that is ever so much nicer than the snow I experience every winter. I thought it was hot, sexy, fast-paced and fun. I definitely recommend this book and I can’t wait to see which brother gets the next story.
I loved this story and all the members of the Greene and Matheson clans. I really enjoyed reading a story with family dynamics where everyone loves everyone else, and, even though there may be some drama and disagreements along the way, in the end that love prevails. This is a wonderful, feel good, and pretty low angst story, and I am eager for more in the series.
I received a complimentary ARC from the author, and this is my honest, voluntary review.
This was a great start to a new series by Declan. The writing style is easy to read and keeps you turning pages. Mason, at first, is a jerk. It took a bit for him to redeem himself for me. Kyle is a great guy, but he’s trying to find who he really is. Kyle may be the one looking to find himself but he ends up guiding Mason to the wonderful man he truly is inside. The entire cast of character is great. They add depth and richness without overwhelming Mason and Kyle’s story.
I enjoyed reading First. The story is a steamy romance of friends to lover, and first-time themes.
This is the first book in a series about a family, the Matheson.
Mason, workaholic, finds himself taking a family ski trip at Kyle’s top flight ski resort.
Mason and Kyle Greene, were high school buddies/friends. After high school each went his own way. Kyle went on to have a successful Olympic skiing career and married and divorced a woman.
Until this vacation, Mason thought Kyle was straight. In high school he started to wonder if he gay but never acted on it. Kyle, now retIred and divorce, decided to explore his sexuality.
Right from beginning of the story the two quickly discover that they are attracted to each other. We met each of their family members and read little bit of each of them.
Mason and Kyle face a number of problems-Kyle’s father would prefer if Kyle were straight, father bitter and disproving of Kyle’s career and life choices, Mason’s strong feelings of watching over his family, their siblings secret, and both living different parts of California. They do find their HEA.
I wish we had more information who each sibling is – careers, likes/dislikes.
Guy is a big part of this story. Yet we know only little of him – his description, career, and adopted. I would have enjoy reading the story how he met Matheson and was adopted by the family. We read lot of Lilly’s feelings and insight about the sibling secret. However, we get only brief blurs of Guy’s feelings and insights.
I felt their “problems” were too quick and easily resolved – seemed almost not realistic. Kyle had no inner conflict of adjusting to his being gay when for years he live straight man’s life. Even resolving the problem of each living different parts of California, was resolved quickly neat and tidy by someone else. The men didn’t make the effort to resolve the long distance problem.
I would have liked more more foreshadowing of who the next book would be about
Overall I loved the stories and look forward to reading each of their stories finding his sole mates. HEA
First can be read as a standalone story.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.
This book was so sweet! Friends to lovers and first time gay are two of my favorite tropes so this book hooked me from the beginning. Throw in a little family drama to keep it interesting and boom there ya go! I recommend this book if you’re into true love, cabins, mountains and snow.
Once again, Declan has created an amazing world with characters that I can, so easily, fall in love with!
Mason started out in the story seemingly on top of the world, but in reality, he his his insecurities behind the belief that he had to be the exemplar at everything he did because he was the eldest. He led a successful career, but an empty personal life. Kyle had just gotten divorced and was unsure about exploring his new freedom as a gay man.
Both men found the strength to live in each other and I loved both the Matheson and Greene families coming together. I even loved watching the struggles of the Greene’s as they’ve had to deal with the impact of losing Tilda, and how they didn’t give up on Bentley.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.