Some people are worth coming out for, no matter the costs… Judah has hit rock bottom. He’s broke, he’s homeless, and he’s about to outwear his welcome with his friends. Plus, he’s shoved so deep into the closet he’s one step away from Narnia. His last chance is entering The Right Note TV contest in the hopes of winning. What he doesn’t count on is losing…his heart. Fellow contestant Denver … heart.
Fellow contestant Denver is sunshine personified, even if his bubbly outside hides the horror he’s survived, and he draws Judah in like a damn magnet. But Judah can’t be out, especially not on national TV. It could cost him everything.
But when trouble follows Denver, Judah has to choose: Denver…or winning. Coming out…or losing the man he loves.
Out to Win is a steamy stand-alone MM romance with a tough-acting virgin, a bubbly twink with a big heart, a dash of kink, some hot bodyguards in the background, and a sweet HEA. Please note trigger warnings for domestic abuse and sexual assault. This book was previously released as The Time of my Life. It has been reedited and has an extra epilogue.
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“Characters are so well crafted that you can feel them and i laughed, cried and rejoiced with them.” (Amazon reviewer)
“Judah and Denver! Wow! Flawed and endearing characters that suck you in from the first page.” (Amazon reviewer)
“What an incredible story!! I loved everything about this book – the characters, the premise with the show, the relationship, and especially that ending! Denver and Judah are such complex characters.” (Amazon reviewer)
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As with so many of Nora’s books, I got immersed in this book and felt like I was a part of the story. A wonderfully written story of two musical men and it’s the little details that Nora provides that bring her stories to a whole other level. Many books about musicians don’t feature the daily dedication to their art or how it’s such a huge part of who they are… but Nora doesn’t shy away from that and embeds it into the story in this book. It raises the profile of the characters and makes them so much more believable and connects them on new levels – making the story extra special and so much easier for the reader to connect.
The entire plotline is engaging and brilliantly written making for a story that grasps you from beginning to end.
Awesome Story & Listen Captivating & Heartfelt!
Out to Win
A First Time Gay MM Romance
By: Nora Phoenix
Narrated by: Charlie David
I loved everything about this book, the story is entertaining and captivated my attention right from the start and held it straight to the end. Nora Phoenix is a gifted author, I enjoy her writing style and the characters and storylines she creates. I’ve been loving her “Irresistible Omegas” and it is great to see another side of her creative mind in this book. The characters are realistic, easy to relate to and connect with. I adored the two lead characters, Denver and Judah, they meet while trying out to be contestants in “The Right Note” TV contest, which is a voice like competition. Denver is a music teacher from NJ teaching in NYC, he is a fan of the show and did his homework to learn as much as he could about the ins and outs of the competition. On the other hand, Judah, also from NY, is entering the competition as a lost ditch effort, he is estranged from his family and homeless, he is also a bit clueless when it comes to the behind the scenes of the show. The two kind of sort of hit it off but Denver being the nice guy that he is decides to help him and fill him in. Judah is under the impression that Denver is privileged and has it all. He soon realizes he is not the only one with issues. I loved how everything plays out in this book, the story is cleverly plotted with plenty of drama, angst, some twists, thrilling suspense, heartfelt and emotional moments and some hot romance. It was great to learn more about these two characters, the personal drama as well as the drama on the show. I am a huge fan of Tim and Nathan, it would be great to see more from them down the road. Nora Phoenix, thank you for another awesome story and emotional rollercoaster ride.
And for the fabulous narration, Charlie David is a talented narrator and voice artist. He brings the characters to life, gives each their own distinct voice which makes it easy to follow along and tell who is who. His portrayal of the characters is spot on, he takes each role and make it his own. He sets the perfect tone for the story, captures all of the characters emotions and projects them into his performance. He is an entertaining storyteller and a pleasure to listen to. Thank you for the awesome listen
A heart warming love story with a twist. For those that enjoy reading LGBT you will enjoy this book – great characters with strong personalities!
I loved it
Denver and Judah meet at the auditions for a singing competition. The sparks are instant but both men have inner demons to fight and secrets to bare. The connection between them is strong and proves itself through many tests and trials. I loved the characters and storyline. Definitely a recommended book.
3-3.5 stars
I really enjoyed the setting and premise of this book, it was fresh and fun. The characters were lovable and mostly well done. Though Denver felt like a completely different character in the second half. But I still loved them, and their connection was off the charts. So much tension and chemistry, just them being on page together was enough to melt your device. The pacing was great, consistent and engaging, kept you turning the pages.
I wasn’t a fan of how many instances of coincidences and perfect timing created or solved conflicts. Like the bodyguards just so happen to be the perfect ones to solve all of their problems, but oh man are they interesting. I’m really hoping we will get their book at some point.
Overall it was a good book, it just slightly missed the mark for me with the convenient conflicts and resolutions, and I was a bit disappointed by when it ended. That last chapter was magical and so sweet, but left me wanting. I would still recommend, as the rest of the book is awesome, and seriously hot with lots of filthy sex.
Nora Phoenix does an amazing job of taking really broken, flawed characters and making them so real and connect so deeply you can feel their pain, experience their journey, and fall in love with them.