This was my first Lilly Atlas novel and I’m hopeful that she’ll be writing more MM stories in the future! This book handled some tough subjects but had a lot of tender sweet moments between the two MCs. 

William (Liam) Brady is a ballet dancer who recently moved to Swan, Oklahoma to open a studio of his own in a place that holds a lot of meaning for him. He’s strong and determined and intent on creating a safe space for people in the small town to be themselves and learn to dance as well. Tate Sutton the sweetest man who is born and bred in Swan and has seen the effects of the town’s homophobia for his entire life, causing him to hide who he really is from everyone around him. But he’s drawn to Liam in a way he can’t explain, forcing him to consider what life could be like if he let people know who he is. 

These two meet randomly at a club in Tulsa and find their paths crossing time and time again in Swan. The chemistry between them never fades but with Tate not being out, they have to keep their relationship under wraps. I liked the two of them together - Liam challenged Tate to be better in so many ways and Tate supported Liam every step of the way as he opened his business. I think they were a good match and were incredibly sweet together. 

I enjoyed this book so much, but really wish there were a few more chapters to wrap things up - I wanted more of Tate and Liam figuring out how to be a public couple, Tate and Randy working things out, an update on what was happening in the interim with Liam’s dance classes…all of those things and probably more! Also I have to say that I thought Tate and Randy’s mother was an unnecessary addition to the story. Without her, very little would have changed except for one moment that could have happened some other way. 

Overall, I’d definitely recommend this book. It’s heavy at times with the small town homophobia and even the internalized homophobia, but the moments between Tate and Liam made all of the heart ache worth it to see them happy together.