Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a new contemporary romance from Quinn Anderson. In honor of the Three-Day-Weekend I’m featuring some “trio”-love stories. FOURTEEN SUMMERS is a new adult romance for two young men who unexpectedly reconnect–and the twin brother who feels shut out. It’s not a menage, but there is a lot of love shared between these three guys.

About the book:
Identical twins Aiden and Max Kingsman have been a matched set their whole lives. When they were children, Aiden was happy to follow his extroverted brother’s lead, but now that they’re in college, being “my brother, Aiden” is starting to get old. He’s itching to discover who he is outside of his “twin” identity.

Oliver’s goals for the summer are simple: survive his invasive family, keep his divorced parents from killing each other, and stay in shape for rowing season. He’s thrilled when he runs into his old friends, the Kingsman twins, especially Aiden, the object of a childhood crush. Aiden is all grown-up, but some things have stayed the same: his messy curls, his stability, and how breathless he makes Oliver. Oliver’s crush comes back full force, and the feeling is mutual. Summer just got a whole lot hotter.

Fun-loving Max takes one thing seriously: his role as “big brother.” When Aiden drifts away, Max can’t understand how his own twin could choose a boy over him. Summer won’t last forever, and with friendship, family, and happily ever after on the line, they’ll have to navigate their changing relationships before it’s too late.

My Review:
Aiden and Max Kingsman are identical twins with loving and supportive parents. They have a childhood best friend, Oliver Jones, who is so close that Aiden and Max want to make him their other brother. In fact, Aiden presides over little marriages between Max and Oliver to make him their official brother–when they are, like, in kindergarten. Their deep bond is encouraged by Aiden and Max’s parents because they know that Oliver’s home life is troubled. His parents fight a lot and Oliver seeks the peace and security of the Kingsman home until his parents finally divorce and Oliver moves away for middle school.

Fast-forward ten years.

Oliver’s father has bought a little house in their old neighborhood so he could be nearer to his own extended family and to where Oliver lives. See, his dad had moved to San Diego, but, now that Oliver is an adult and entering his senior year at NYU, there’s no legal impetus to force Oliver to spend his school breaks with him. Oliver loves his dad, but his extended family is a bit…in your face. Oliver’s a shy guy, used to blending into the shadows after years of weathering his parents fighting. And, he thinks his dad’s family, especially his beefy uncles, look at him sideways now that he’s come out as gay. He’s in the grocery in his old neighborhood when he runs into Max and Aiden, and they reconnect. It’s a boon to Oliver, who is tired of his loud family and has few friends in the area. Plus, Oliver nursed a crush on Aiden…since forever.

Aiden is likewise excited to see Oliver. An introvert living in Max’s outgoing shadow, he’s never even dated a guy, though he’s had years of wondering about it. And Oliver was a big part of those imaginings. This is a quandary, because Max and Aiden often come as a matched set, and Oliver and Aiden are getting closer while Max is somewhat oblivious. Until, well, Oliver can’t take the pressure anymore and he seeks out Aiden one night on his own.

Seriously, these guys are so sweet together. Aiden is initially timid, but he feels safe with Oliver, his childhood love rediscovered. They still have a connection and the chemistry is intense. But, they are afraid to let anyone else know what is building between them in case it doesn’t go right. When Max inevitably picks up on it he feels snubbed; he wants all of Aiden’s attention and he sees Oliver as competition. Aiden needs to break out of Max’s shadow in a way that doesn’t damage their relationships if he doesn’t want to lose Oliver. Because, well, Oliver’s felt like he already ruined his parents’ marriage and he won’t be in the middle of the Kingsman twins’ battle.

I seriously liked this one. It’s tender and thoughtful, with strongly connected characters. It’s not a menage–Max is straight–but there is no denying that Max, Aiden and Oliver share a lot of love. Aiden, while being his own man, is inextricably tied to Max, and Max–well, he has to learn to back off. It’s hard for him to not be Aiden’s guide, hero and protector, but he manages to move past his own needs so Aiden can find love with Oliver. Not that Oliver doesn’t love Max, because he does–as a brother. There are some really special moments here with growing pains that gave me pause. I liked how Oliver talked with his parents, working on his relationships, as well as how he was honest about his needs with both Max and Aiden. This trio is all about love, and they work together to find the right balance for each of them. The ending is absolutely happy and might bring a tear or two.

Interested? You can find FOURTEEN SUMMERS on Goodreads, Riptide Books, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, and Kobo. I read a review copy via NetGalley.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click here to comment on the giveaway post over at Joyfully Jay in order to enter to win a $10 GC on Riptide.
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Author:
Quinn Anderson is an alumna of the University of Dublin in Ireland and has a master’s degree in psychology. She wrote her dissertation on sexuality in popular literature and continues to explore evolving themes in erotica in her professional life.

A nerd extraordinaire, she was raised on an unhealthy diet of video games, anime, pop culture, and comics from infancy. Her girlfriend swears her sense of humor is just one big Buffy reference. She stays true to her nerd roots in writing and in life, and frequently draws inspiration from her many fandoms, which include Yuri on Ice, Harry Potter, Star Wars, Buffy, and more. Growing up, while most of her friends were fighting evil by moonlight, Anderson was kamehameha-ing her way through all the shounen anime she could get her hands on. You will often find her interacting with fellow fans online and offline via conventions and Tumblr, and she is happy to talk about anything from nerd life to writing tips. She has attended conventions on three separate continents and now considers herself a career geek. She advises anyone who attends pop culture events in the UK to watch out for Weeping Angels, as they are everywhere. If you’re at an event, and you see a 6’2” redhead wandering around with a vague look on her face, that’s probably her.

Catch up with Quinn online on Facebook, twitter and Tumblr.