Rhys Powell and Derek Scott are divorcing. Mistakes have been made, lines have been crossed, and there’s no going back. Both men are exhausted and ready to move on.But their daughter is getting married soon. In the name of not putting a damper on her wedding, Derek and Rhys agree to keep the divorce on the down-low and show up as the happy couple everyone still believes they are.And between a … roller coaster of a road trip and the love and joy surrounding the wedding¿ Derek and Rhys just might remember why they fell for each other in the first place.Are they only kidding themselves? Or can a rekindled spark really light the way to forgiveness?
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TW/CW: cheating in the past
Stories with cheating can be very tricky. They require a lot of tact, and as I said in one of the previous reviews, while I LOVE second chance stories, I really need the character to be sorry about fucking up in the past. You know, not that they just come back and be like ‘yeah I did it in the past but it’s in the past’ and similar crap.
So, this book. I trust L.A. Witt enough to have tried the book. And I wasn’t disappointed. What was special in this book, what made it so good to read, it was the fact that the guy who cheated was honest about it and feeling guilty for fucking the relationship up.
Rhys and Derek still live together, mainly because of the fact that they can’t afford a different places yet, as well as the fact they still haven’t told their daughter that they are divorcing. Which kind of kicks them in the butt when they attend her wedding and trying to pretend everything is fine.
Of course everything comes out at the bad moment, but has anyone expected anything else?
On the road trip, as one of the guys is afraid of flying, they manage to get on the civil terms, and even fuck when they are drunk, especially because that made it easier for Derek to push away the thoughts that Rhys cheated. Derek fucked some things up too, but he ascribes it to revenge.
There’s a lot of descriptions of what the guys are thinking, which kind of made it easier for me to sympathise with Rhys. Because it is obvious how it eats up at Rhys that he did what he did. The other thing is that Rhys took full responsibility and told Derek right after it happened.
So, I thought the characters felt really real. I mean, we’re all people. And people fuck up. But they it’s the reaction afterwards. Had Rhys blamed Derek for the fact that Rhys cheated, I would have put the book down and DNF it with no bad feeling. And Rhys also doesn’t really expect Derek to forgive him, or trust him 100% again. They work up to it.
I’ve enjoyed the book a lot, and it showed a lot of human nature. I think unless you are really really 1000% sure that the cheating is an instand DNF or that it can never end in relationship being saved, the story is worth reading.
This book was about the aftermath of a husband cheating.. and I actually felt bad for the one who cheated…How’s that happen!?
It starts about 3 months or so after “it” happens and they’re still stuck in the same house together. To say things are tense and awkward is an understatement.
On top of which, now they have to road trip to their daughters wedding.
Gutted.
There’s an entire range of emotions from both guys and, gah, that was hard, especially in such a small space.
Just when you think they’re going to get it together, BAM! Emotions. All of them.
I loved that Rhys didn’t make any excuses for himself, because there were none to give. He f*cked up, plain and simple.
It was also kinda cute and makes you look at that specific situation in a new light. Usually I’m a hard limited no on the subject but this one didn’t enraged me like it usually would. I was sympathetic to both characters and i loved them and totally was cheering them on the whole way.
This book was jammed packed full of emotions. It was real and raw and perfect. Rhys cheated on Derek and now they are enduring the aftermath of such. While they are trying really hard to stay out of each other’s way, they also do not quite know how to break the news to their friends and family and especially their daughter, so they decide to keep in under wraps a bit longer. While they are trying to keep a brave face in front of others they are dying inside. Rhys is so racked with guilt over what he did and knows there is just no way to fix what he has broken. Derek, has always said that cheating is his solid line, and he would never be able to get passed such. So, this story is about how to move forward with undying love for someone after something is so broken and if it is worth it.
This book was totally worth all the tears I shed. I loved both Rhys and Derek and always love a great redemption story, which this one had in spades. Also, with Rhys’s disability and Derek’s PTSD, it just made it so much more. I absolutely love this book and devoured it. Michael Ferraiuolo does an amazing job with this story, and I believe they found the perfect narrator to bring this story to life. Would definitely recommend to anyone looking for the aforementioned type of story, and it is definitely a must read!!
Is It Over Yet? by L.A. Witt. This is Rhys Powell and Derek Scott’s story.
This was an extremely emotional read. As a reader I could feel the characters’ pains and struggles. At times I hurt for both Rhys and Derek. The cover is perfect for this book too. I couldn’t put this book down and was glad that these two found a way to forgive.
This story does a wonderful job of showing human emotions between two people who love each other but as humans mistakes are made. It was tough but rewarding watching the characters work this out. This is a read that I won’t forget.
FYI, contains mature content. This is a M/M gay romance.
This was a wonderfully written, but sometimes just so sad, book. I would think that it might be triggering for some people who’ve had a really difficult breakup, but I absolutely LOVED the book.
So many emotions. Really well written. I loved these two guys and it was hard because they’re both in so much pain.
4.5 stars
Heat Level: 3
Wow, what a real story.
This book appealed to me from the start as different to recent books I’ve read and seemed more realistic and relatable. This story is about an established couple who’ve been together for 9 years and married 7. I loved the way Ms Witt approached this concept and how she alludes to the marriage problems and explains more as the story progressed rather than laying everything out up front, we are able to follow the ups and downs and the emotions of the couple as they navigate this time in their relationship.
This story is all about Derek and Rhys and their current relationship troubles and how it is affecting each of them. I could feel for each character and in ways, was able to understand both sides of their conflict. I loved how these characters were so real to me and I loved that there’s now a wonderful story of a ‘real-world’ relationship that has weathered the storm and is able to come out stronger.
This book could easily be a real-life story and is a wonderful read to help you remember what’s important and how much it means to you. A real-world, relatable read, full of emotion and a realistic and heartfelt happy ending! Highly recommended! Thank you, L.A. Witt, for such a wonderful story!
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A good, angsty story.
I know a lot of readers don’t like cheating in their romance stories but there is no on-page cheating in this one and the offender is truly, sincerely, remorseful. I know real life couples who have managed to repair their relationship after one of them cheated. While I love reading romance for the escape from everyday life it gives me, I don’t mind reading a story that is somewhat more realistic – like this one. Besides that, the focus of this story is remorse and eventually reconciliation.
The story is told in first person POV, alternating between Rhys and Derek. While first person isn’t usually my favorite POV, L.A. Witt knows how to do this very well and I love that she alternates between the two MCs.
Derek and Rhys are divorcing but still living together for several reasons. When they learn that their daughter is getting married, they agree to act as if their relationship is still OK so as not to ruin her wedding. A road trip to get to the wedding location stirs up a lot of unresolved things and it looks like they might be able to reconcile.
I loved how romantic the story got when Derek finally understands what his going to miss after Rhys leaves. They both know it won’t be easy to start again but they are committed to getting their relationship back on track.
The epilogue that gives us a look at Rhys and Derek a year down the road was great. It let us know that the road to reconciliation and a new HEA wasn’t fast or easy – at all.
An advanced 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*** (Posting on January 18, 2019.
3.5 stars- I was immediately intrigued by the premise of Is It Over Yet? Books featuring established couples always interest me because the chemistry and the connection is already there, allowing the plot to take readers someplace deeper. Add those layers to the premise of a couple trying to end their 7 year marriage after infidelity, and I expected big emotions and a different sort of story and romance. This title definitely delivered both.
The start of the book captured my interest right away. The emotions poured from the pages as readers witness the tense exchanges between Rhys and Derek- spouses who are still living together but are separated and moving toward divorce. As this author routinely does, the writing struck me and I felt the angst to my core. Better yet, the author presented both characters in a way that despite their faults and infidelity, I could empathize with both men and wish they’d find their way out of this painful stalemate. Although I didn’t quite understand the full motivation for pretending they were still together for their daughter’s benefit, it did serve for an interesting plot point that forced the men together so they could reexamine their feelings for each other. Unfortunately, the middle of the book lagged in pace and took some of my enjoyment away. Derek’s back and forth with Rhys became repetitious and though his emotions were palpable, I felt myself growing bored with his internal debates and often frustrated with his treatment of Rhys. I either wanted them to really talk through it or start moving forward, and it took way too long for that to happen…but then again it’s not my story to tell. I did like how things resolved, that Rhys’s cheating was never excused or covered for, and I liked that the author acknowledged how much work earning back some trust took for these two. Overall, if cheating isn’t a hard limit for you and you’re in the mood for a heaping (and I do mean heaping) dose of angst, Is It Over Yet? delivers an emotional story about working your way back from the brink of divorce.
*Reviewed for Alpha Book Club*