A Hundred Thousand Words by Nyrae Dawn

I actually beta-read this book in September, but just got around to posting my review.  This one comes out soon (Oct 27) and I highly recommend it!!!  Great for those looking for diverse books, as it’s a gay, interracial NA romance!

Synopsis:
Tobias Jackson grew up in Coburn, a town where the gay population equaled exactly one: him. Add that to the fact that his dream guy was his best friend’s jerky older brother Levi Baxter, and it made hooking up virtually impossible.

Now home from college for winter break, Toby is a different person. He left Coburn for San Francisco, where he wasn’t the lone gay guy and the only black kid in town. And yeah, he took advantage of what the city had to offer.

Apparently Toby isn’t the only one who’s changed. Levi’s not acting like the self-centered guy with all the answers that Toby remembers from growing up. Oh and Levi’s realized he’s bisexual, which makes things a lot more interesting…

Heading back to college, Toby doesn’t expect to meet up with Levi again, despite him being in med school not far away. A surprise visit from Levi blows that assumption out of the water. As they spend more time together Toby sees Levi as more than just the fantasy. He’s complicated, unsure…he’s real. But if Toby can’t get out of the past and find the words he keeps locked inside himself, he’ll lose his chance at Levi for good.

Find it on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26835819-a-hundred-thousand-words
Pre-order it on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1MNBlbF

My Review:
4.5 stars — I was lucky enough to beta read this book, feel free to be jealous.

You know who writes amazing M/M romance in any age group? Ms. Nyrae Dawn.

This book was about two characters struggling with very different demons, but who somehow find solace in each other. I really felt for Toby, and could totally understand how he became the man that he did. But at the same time it was so great to watch him grow with Levi by his side. And while I didn’t have outside pressure to achieve perfection, I could still understand what Levi was going through trying to figure out who he wanted to be. The thing I found refreshing in all of this is that these were very real struggles — ones that many people will be able to relate to in some part.

And then there’s the chemistry between Toby and Levi — off the charts. Seriously, I don’t even know what to say other than Ms. Dawn writes amazing steam scenes.

But in the end I always come back to the authenticity of the characters. It makes or breaks a book for me, and Toby and Levi were truly the real thing. Even the secondary characters (especially Mike) added substance to the story.

This book is the essence of great NA for me. A story about characters struggling to come to terms with who they are and what they want out of life. Mix that with a beautiful romance, and you have a Lenore winner.