Rod Nelson is used to being someone’s good time, and that’s fine with him. Spending his days at his adult toy store, Rods-N-Ends, he never knows who he’ll meet. The second Landon Harrison walks in, he has Rod’s full attention. It seems as if Landon wants him too, so why won’t the man jump in the sack with him already?Landon never thought he’d return home to the town where memories lurk around … around every corner. He has to admit, Rod makes the adjustment a lot easier. He keeps Landon laughing. Despite the fierce attraction between them, he’s not willing to risk his newfound friendship to get laid.
Neither man wants something serious, but the more they’re together, the harder it is to keep their hands to themselves, until eventually they stop trying.
But flings between friends are never simple, and as they attempt to shift gears, diving into their first relationship, they’re slammed with setbacks. If they want to truly move forward, before they hit the open road together, they’re going to have to let go of a past that could make them crash and burn.
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Audiobook Review:
Overall – 5
Performance – 5
Story – 5
Lots of feels in this story.
I very much enjoyed listening to this audiobook. Sean Crisden is one of my favorite audiobook performers and he did a great job with this one.
While Shifting Gears is the second book in the Crossroads series, I think it easily stands alone. It’s been about five years since I read the first book so it was hard for me to remember it but that didn’t diminish my enjoyment of this story at all.
Rod and Landon both have major issues with things that happened with the parents in their lives. Landon’s father abandoned him and his sister. Rod’s father was horrible to him when Rod came out. These similar circumstances gave them something in common. The thing that separates them is their personalities and attitudes towards life.
Rod is always joking around and making passes at Landon. Landon isn’t interested in Rod that way but he would like to be friends. Landon ran away from his mother and sister but he’s recently moved back home to be with his mother and attend his sister’s wedding.
They eventually begin a friends-with-benefits arrangement that turns into more. Rod learns something that he promised to keep from Landon and he’s afraid that when Landon finds out it will be the end of their relationship.
I loved Rod and the witty and snarky way he treated Landon. Landon didn’t really understand it but it eventually wore him down and they became friends. This story had a lot of ups and downs and some major scenes that hit me hard and made my eyes leak (that’s means I liked it LOL).
I loved the epilogue but I also have to mention that I’m glad I also have a copy of the ebook. There’s a bonus scene in it that wasn’t a part of the audiobook and that scene is hot!
We met Rod in book one Crossroads where he was an employee at an adult store where Nick and Bryce met him. Now he owns his own adult store and has noticed a certain customer coming in quite often, maybe too much? Rod decides to talk to Landon this time and learns that he is back in town and is looking for a job. Just so happens Rod knows the perfect guy for Landon to talk and with some flirty banter they become friends. Small problem, Landon won’t let himself be more than friends with Rod while Rod just wants a bit of a side action with their friendship.
Both guys are damaged in their own way and while that usually pulls me right in it didn’t this time. I felt like Rod was a bit all over the place with is feelings like one minute he was in and then he was not. Landon on the other hand did not want anything from Rod but friendship and it seems that rather quickly he went from nothing to full on love. I really wanted to love this story but between both of their daddy issues it was too much and what really got me was that Landon HATES his dad for what he did to him but he is so quick to walk away and forgive at the same time. Yes, there is a HEA just not that believable to me.
I know we will get more Rod and Landon in book three of the Crossroads series. I hope that after their HEA they will be different and not so…UGH…
I am so addicted to Riley Hart’s books. I started devouring them since I read her first one. Her characters are fantastic and both them and their stories are sooo well written… and I love that her side characters are melded in from other books of the series… makes it homier and more like family amongst friends. This time in book 2 of the series) we have Rod (a side character from book 1) and Landon. Rod was then an employee of an Adult Store and Landon is just a guy who came into the store now owned by Rod. ) They have instant chemistry… but neither are looking for more than a hook up… that is until now…that has always been their modus operandi. Both are damaged from their childhood, but in different ways, but each resulting from their fathers. Rod has been conditioned to believe is is nothing and no one could ever love him. Landon just doesn’t believe true love and HEA exist ever since his dad walked out when he was a kid, leaving his mother devastated. Landon wants Rod, but believes they are better off as friends, while Rod wants nothing more than friends with benefits, while Landon doesn’t believe can work. Landon wants Rod, but would rather keep him as a friend so he doesn’t lose him. Rod keeps pushing and Landon fights it and their friendship and attraction continue to grow. Feelings are growing. Landon just doesn’t know what to make of it and Rod is wanting more… till they cave, then Rod is the more skeptical one, still believing he is worthy of no more than occasion hook ups. Watching their relationship grow just melted my heart. Having Bryce and Nick from book one as side characters makes it even better. They became great friends to Rod after their first encounter and Landon just happens to be a motorcycle mechanic, who Rod helps land a job at Bryce’s shop. Of course, there is always something to throw a wrench in the works ( Landon’s father reappears after all these years) and we see feelings hurt on both sides. Lucky for us, love wins out. Another great read.
Rod Nelson knows how to have a good time, and he knows how to help other people have a good time, whether it’s recommending the perfect product in his adult toy store, making the perfect joke, or being the perfect one-night stand. Landon is not having a good time. He’s moved back home for his sister’s wedding, but no matter where he lives, he can’t outrun his own bitterness. Both men are stuck in ruts of their own making. It takes meeting and falling in love with each other for them to take a chance to ditch old habits and start opening themselves up to new possibilities.
This was a sweet book that was the perfect follow up to Crossroads. I loved that Nick and Bryce still played a big role as supporting characters. There’s a lot more angst in this book then Crossroads, and much more emotional baggage that needs to be sorted, but just like Crossroads, the love story between Rod and Landon was so sweet and lovely that I couldn’t put it down. Plus the sex scenes were so steamy and delicious.
I loved this book. CROSSROADS (Crossroads #1) was so amazing that I was hesitant to continue with the series, but SHIFTING GEARS is a more-than-worthy follow up, introducing Landon and Rod (who made a cameo appearance in CROSSROADS). Bryce and Nick appear as supporting cast, and the story here does not disappoint at all. When you turn the last page, all you will want to do is rev up and shift into 3rd. Highly recommended.
I’ve read this book multiple times. Love the MCs, especially Rod.
This was a great book. I loved the characters and how they had to look beyond the past to learn to trust. Rod is a hoot and Landon is a sweetheart! The ‘Extra’ add on fit them perfectly!
I listened to the audiobook. This is a re read for me. It’s book 2 of this mm contemporary series. Rod owns a sex shop and Landon is a motorcycle mechanic. They both have problems but come together and learn from each other.
Rod’s Story!
Rod and Landon get four and a half stars for their happily ever after. Both men struggled with father acceptance growing up so they were able to lean on each other after opening themselves up to one another. Their love was not easy, neither truly trusted that the other would fully love them and not leave them. But once the lines were open, their love bloomed beautifully.
Riley proves again that her worlds are ever enthralling! Good book!
Audible Review:
Overall 4.5*
Performance 4*
Story 5*
” Sweet friends-to-lovers story.”
I really love how the titles of the books in this series come into play. Sometimes a book’s title is just that, a title, and it doesn’t necessarily ever work itself into the story line. Other times it can be so obvious and even feel a little forced. But I think Riley did a great job of working the titles into the feelings of these storylines, particularly this one.
Neither Rod nor Landon is looking for much more than a casual good time, and maybe a friendship. But the more time these two opposites spent together the more apparent it became that something was simmering below the surface. I really enjoyed how their relationship progressed- how it moved from friends, to friends-with-benefits to something deeper, until they both finally realized where they were supposed to be.
It was all so new for both of them though, it definitely wasn’t all unicorns and rainbows.
I really felt sad at times for Rod, who used humor to cover up his insecurities and feelings of inadequacies when it came to believing he was worthy of love. It broke my heart. But I loved how Landon called him on it when needed. Landon is terrific. He had his own issues but was so strong and caring.
This was a really sweet, funny, and at times emotional read. I loved that we got to catch up with Nick and Bryce, too. They’re like the anchors of this series!
Sean’s narration has been great. He’s done an awesome job of differentiating all the characters, giving them their “own” voices
4.5 Stars
I was pleasantly surprised by Rod, the extremely funny adult store clerk that you meet in Crossroads. He had me laughing so much, but there was so much more to his character that funny sex innuendos and hilarious comebacks. Landon was so hard not to love. Both these men had painful pasts and it kept them from giving themselves to anyone completely. They never let love in or let people get too close to them. When Landon walked into Rod’s adult store, he found a friend he hadn’t realized he needed. Rod is hard not to like and the attraction between him and Landon is simmering.
What I loved most about this book is how Landon sees through all of Rods walls and is intent on breaking them down. He knows that Rod uses sex and jokes to hide his emotions. But it doesn’t stop him from falling for him. Something Landon never thought possible since all his relationships had just been about sex and nothing more, but Rod creeps his way into his life and he’s intent on him staying there.
I loved both Rod and Landon. The pain of their pasts is like chains holding them back. In their love for each other they help one another fight those demons. What’s what I loved the most about this book. Plus i got more of Nick and Bryce as well, which I absolutely loved. I can’t get enough of this series.