Stupid Dirty (Possum Hollow Book 1)

I’ll start writing my review by saying: What an emotional rollercoaster!!! Storyline is amazing, pace is perfection, character development? Chefs kiss. There are so many layers in this story, both Cade and Silas are broken boys, their pasts, their social and living environments shaping their personalities and causing their grey areas. They are just two kids, they’re only 22 but you’ll realize that after all they’ve lived their souls are so much more than 22. There are very interesting side characters, they all play an important role in the rich story. The way author writes is so real, you can almost touch, breath and smell Possum Hollow town. And the cherry at the top? This is author’s debut novel, and OMG Erin Russell nailed it!! I absolutely recommend it, it was a rollercoaster of well portrayed situations, real life situations, real fears from 22 yo YA learning to love each other but most importantly leaning to love themselves.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25 Soft, messy, emotional, and hot as hell. 🥵 Cade cracks me up, and Silas… I just want to hug him forever! 🥹 They start as enemies but quickly become friends, and that friendship is honestly one of the best parts of the story. Cade’s chatty, funny energy perfectly balances Silas’s quiet, grumpy vibe, they just fit together in the most beautiful way. Their love feels so genuine and full of heart. The mental health representation is written so beautifully. It’s not just talked about, you feel it right alongside the characters, which makes the emotional moments hit even harder. If you love messy, tender, and spicy romance with all the feels, this one’s for you. 🔥💛 ✨What to expect Sport Romance Motocross Enemies → Friends → Lovers Small Town Double Queer Awakening Hurt/Comfort Broken boy Mental Health rep. Grumpy/Sunshine Virgin MC Found Family

I didn’t go into this book with like a great idea of how FANTASTIC it would be but it’s been a pleasant surprise. Easily in my top 3 of MM romance novels. The reason this book is so great is because of a few key elements that blend together. Mainly the author is really quite amazing at depicting the blossoming friendship, tension, and romantic feelings between the two MCs in a way that does not feel rushed or simply based on sexual attraction. The two MCs have equally despondent childhoods and trauma and the author does an amazing job at expressing the trauma and emotions each of them feel while also tying that into their struggles with the each other through the book. This book has single handedly had the best imagery and descriptions of what it feels like to truly battle with your mental health so much so that it was almost a little triggering but in a good way. And the bond that Silas and Cade have is beautiful. I loved it. Not rushed, not solely focused on the sexual aspects of their relationship, and totally and completely RAW. 10 out of 10

I didn’t know what to expect with this book as this is Russell’s debut novel. The MCs were interesting and from the beginning had an intriguing way of how they were drawn to one another and sorting out their growing feelings. I really enjoyed the two MCs and found myself more and more intrigued by their backstories and how their past traumas made them who they were on page. Cade, despite everything in his life was so happy and carefree whenever it was possible. And Silas had so many demons but came alive when he was with Cade. It was really fun to read about them discovering their feelings for one another and how they both felt so deeply for one another but struggled to put it into words. There were definitely some frustrating moments of them having horrible communication and it was a bit annoying to read about them constantly thinking one thing and acting like another. I wish I knew going into this book that it would be a HFN with a future book continuing their story. I was getting really annoyed to be at 95% and still be unsure where the story was going. The story was fun and sometimes tough to read but in the end Cade and Silas got me hooked enough that I definitely will return for the finish of their story and the next couple in this series! Tropes: Rivals to Friends to Lovers, Sexual Awakening, Dual POV, Hurt/Comfort Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5 Spice: 🌶️🌶️ 2/5 Relationship: MM

This book took me a LONG time to finish, but I wholeheartedly believe it was my mood, not the book. I truly enjoyed it, I just was having a HARD time trying to read and stay focused! We meet Silas and Cade, two poor guys, just trying to make ends meet and take care of their own. Silas has a long history of abuse and manipulation behind him from/by his dad, and that in itself was heart wrenching to read! Cade has been playing the adult in his household for years—he has an awful dad, who is only in the picture when he needs money, and his mom is managing her childhood trauma in all the wrong ways, leaving him and his sisters to fend for themselves. The stories behind these two boys are a major part of the story—it’s a major part of who they are, and what they’re trying to overcome! This is a dual bi-awakening, and these two navigating their feelings for one another was messy, intense, and just really fun to read! They are opposites to their core, but I absolutely loved how Cade worked HARD to get Silas out of his shell, and get him to be more present in the world around him. ALSO, the way in which he FOUGHT FOR SILAS!!! Cade is an enigma; he’s goofy and rarely serious, but when it comes down to it he cares deeply and fights hard for those he loves. There’s just something so damn hot about a guy begging their man to seek out help for their mental health issues!! Don’t sleep on this book—it took me a while to read, but I think that was a me thing! I’ve been in a funk but I…