Scan barcode
A review by booksafety
Trusting Tanner by Nicky James
4.0
Book safety, tropes and tags down below.
Man, Nicky sure knows how to write real, gritty stories. This book deals heavily with domestic abuse, and how hard it is to get out of those situations. I really appreciated that it wasn’t glorified in any way, and it wasn’t reduced to some cheap ‘climax’ with a huge violent showdown at the end. This story was heavily focused on Tanner and Zander trying to build a friendship while Zander was stuck in his prison.
“He closed the door behind him, and I stood there staring at its wooden surface. The whole world looked like a happier place beyond that door, and I was nothing more than a trapped animal stuck behind it.”
Fear can make us do things that may seem irrational to those around us, and at the same time feel like the only option you have. It definitely tugged on the heartstrings to see Tanner try to navigate their friendship when he didn’t understand why Zander stayed. I loved how he never gave up on Zander, even when he was being pushed away. It’s not easy being a supportive, yet passive in these kinds of situations. Throw in the crush he’s hiding, and things get even more difficult.
There were a couple of scenes where their chemistry was so tangible and sweet that it made me grin silly-wide (storm night and ghost stories).
This was a really slow burn, but it couldn’t have been any other way, in my opinion. It made me smile and cry, and my heart was pounding at times. Nicky James is very talented, no doubt about that.
Book safety
Cheating: No
OM drama: Yes, the whole premise of the book kind of lends itself to it. There is never any cheating. Zander and Tanner are only friends until quite late in the book.
Third-act breakup: Kind of, but between Zander and his abusive boyfriend.
POV: 1st person, dual
Strict top/bottom or vers: Strict roles
TW/CW: domestic abuse, emotional and physical abuse, explicit sexual content, Tanner tries to hook up with someone at one point but nothing more than a kiss happens (Z and T aren’t together yet)
Tropes & tags
Domestic abuse, friends to lovers, very slow burn, tattoo artist, gaming, world of Warcraft, nerd/nerd, pre-k teacher
Man, Nicky sure knows how to write real, gritty stories. This book deals heavily with domestic abuse, and how hard it is to get out of those situations. I really appreciated that it wasn’t glorified in any way, and it wasn’t reduced to some cheap ‘climax’ with a huge violent showdown at the end. This story was heavily focused on Tanner and Zander trying to build a friendship while Zander was stuck in his prison.
“He closed the door behind him, and I stood there staring at its wooden surface. The whole world looked like a happier place beyond that door, and I was nothing more than a trapped animal stuck behind it.”
Fear can make us do things that may seem irrational to those around us, and at the same time feel like the only option you have. It definitely tugged on the heartstrings to see Tanner try to navigate their friendship when he didn’t understand why Zander stayed. I loved how he never gave up on Zander, even when he was being pushed away. It’s not easy being a supportive, yet passive in these kinds of situations. Throw in the crush he’s hiding, and things get even more difficult.
There were a couple of scenes where their chemistry was so tangible and sweet that it made me grin silly-wide (storm night and ghost stories).
This was a really slow burn, but it couldn’t have been any other way, in my opinion. It made me smile and cry, and my heart was pounding at times. Nicky James is very talented, no doubt about that.
Book safety
Spoiler
Cheating: No
OM drama: Yes, the whole premise of the book kind of lends itself to it. There is never any cheating. Zander and Tanner are only friends until quite late in the book.
Third-act breakup: Kind of, but between Zander and his abusive boyfriend.
POV: 1st person, dual
Strict top/bottom or vers: Strict roles
TW/CW: domestic abuse, emotional and physical abuse, explicit sexual content, Tanner tries to hook up with someone at one point but nothing more than a kiss happens (Z and T aren’t together yet)
Tropes & tags
Spoiler
Domestic abuse, friends to lovers, very slow burn, tattoo artist, gaming, world of Warcraft, nerd/nerd, pre-k teacher