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Book Review – Tied Together by Z.B. Heller

09/29/2015

Tied Together

Tied Together by Z.B. Heller

M/M Romantic Comedy Standalone

To start off the review, I must qualify this with the fact that I am not normally an m/m fan. Nor have I read the Moxie books by ZB Heller beyond a short story. But the promos were so cute, and I just love Zolie, so I wanted to get out of my comfort zone and go for it.

QUOTE MARKSugar, spice and all things nice. If you have a schlong, you belong. If you have a cooch, you can scoot along.”

I thought Tied Together by ZB Heller would be an over the top laugh-fest, more silly than serious. And while there are some light-hearted, laugh out loud moments, this was a true, sentimental, angsty romance. And I loved every second of it.

The book was told in basically three sections spanning many years. We start by meeting Ryan. Ryan is in high school, very well adjusted, gay, and accepted by his family. He is popular, confident, and just a great, outgoing guy.

Brandon was the opposite. He lived in a trailer park with abusive, homophobe parents, and could never, ever let on that he liked boys. He just spent his time studying, and often being bullied. Until one day Ryan stuck up for him against the bullies, and they became best friends.

Brandon loved Ryan, but his fear of coming out was so strong he never admitted he was gay, so Ryan just wished for it.

QUOTE MARKTo a night of friendship,” I said, clinking Brandon’s glass. What I really wanted to say was, “Here is a liquid potion that will automatically turn you gay so I can get well acquainted with your butthole.”

These guys were so close, and even with the funny and silly, they gave me all the feels. Ryan was funny, and Brandon was sad. Together they made a very interesting story, with a couple you know are meant to be together if they could both just get over their own drama, even after many, many years.

When they finally get together, I was ready to have a party.

Tiedquote

But of course, it isn’t that easy
..

Likes:

  • Funny, laugh-out-loud lines.
  • That it was a much deeper story than I expected.
  • Not so much sex that I was freaked by it.
  • A true second chance, even third chance romance.
  • Just enough angst
OK, a lot of angst.
  • I loved both characters.
  • I enjoyed Moxie in the small dose I had.
  • Lots of banter, my favorite thing.
  • Well done male POV.
  • Brought tears to my eyes a few times.

Dislikes:

  • Desperately needed another round or two of editing, but not so much that it detracted from the story.
  • There were a few scenes that felt a bit repetitive.
  • Brandon’s changes seemed very dramatic, and I would have liked a little more back story on them.

Not sure:

  • Steve Buscemi and Brad Pitt were Ryan’s “angel and devil” on his shoulders. While it made for some funny moments, I found it hard to get it with the names, but it was better once I realized who Steve was (so look him up here)

Rating: 4.5 Stars, 3 Heat

stars_4half

Flame_THREE copy

The Down and Dirty:

I was pleasantly surprised at how much I really loved Tied Together. It started off with a bang and was funny off the bat, but it mellowed into an angsty, emotional love story spanning 14 years. ZB Heller’s writing style flowed well, and the humor blended well into the book without going over the top. I fell in love with and rooted for the characters, but found that the editing errors detracted from the great story. Still, I look forward to reading more m/m from Zolie, because she does it so well!

Print

Purchase Tied Together by Z.B. Heller

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anas_attic_giveaway_barTied Together

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Related posts:

  • By Any Other Name by Lauren Kate | Book ReviewBy Any Other Name by Lauren Kate | Book Review
  • Seatmate Love Lines 3 by Cara BastoneSeatmate by Cara Bastone | Audiobook Review
  • Flirting With Fifty by Jane Porter | Book ReviewFlirting With Fifty by Jane Porter | Book Review
  • The Reunion by Meghan Quinn | Audiobook ReviewThe Reunion by Meghan Quinn | Audiobook Review
  • Much Ado About You by Samantha Young | Audiobook ReviewMuch Ado About You by Samantha Young | Audiobook Review
«
»

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Comments

  1. Cheryl Nasca says

    09/29/2015 at 11:00 pm

    Thank you for the awesome giveaway!

    Reply
  2. Boots says

    09/29/2015 at 11:06 pm

    Read the book and liked it !!

    Reply
  3. Nancy VanSpunky says

    09/29/2015 at 11:15 pm

    I love Zolie! She’s a hoot and so are her books!

    Reply
  4. Laina G says

    09/30/2015 at 12:42 am

    This is on my TBR

    Reply
  5. Heather Keller says

    09/30/2015 at 5:54 am

    Such a great book. So proud of ZB!! Great review Ann’s Attic!!!!

    Reply
  6. Heather D says

    09/30/2015 at 6:47 am

    I read a lot of m/m books, but I hadn’t run across this one yet. I just bought it and I’m looking forward to reading it. Thank you for the great review and the giveaway!

    Reply
  7. Karen G. says

    09/30/2015 at 8:04 am

    Thanks for the post. I love when a book can make me laugh, and Steve Buscemi is one of my favorite actors too! I will have to check this out. =D

    Reply
  8. Denise says

    09/30/2015 at 10:15 am

    I too loved this one
    And I M so happy to see you enjoying a Great m/m love story

    Reply
  9. Stacie Elliott says

    09/30/2015 at 10:26 am

    LOVE Zolie’s books!! I look forward to reading about Ryan and Brandon’s story. LOVE your blog Ana!! Thanks for the chance to win!!

    Reply
  10. kp says

    09/30/2015 at 10:29 am

    on my wish list!

    Reply
  11. Elaine Coates says

    09/30/2015 at 11:23 am

    I love Zolie’s writing! I love when I can read a book and laugh but then it touches your heart as well.

    Reply
  12. Pam says

    09/30/2015 at 2:51 pm

    Love ZB! Can’t wait to read this one!

    Reply
  13. Jenn says

    09/30/2015 at 5:23 pm

    Thanks

    Reply
  14. Jennifer Taylor says

    10/01/2015 at 7:00 am

    Thank you for this giveaway.

    Reply
  15. Loraine Oliver says

    10/01/2015 at 6:27 pm

    Thanks for chance for the giveaway, loved this book!

    Reply
    • Loraine Oliver says

      10/04/2015 at 11:47 am

      Thanka for chance to win this awesome prize!

      Reply
  16. Jenny Rapp says

    10/01/2015 at 8:04 pm

    Thanks for the chance!

    Reply
  17. Leslie Justice says

    10/02/2015 at 7:46 am

    I’m not usually a m/m reader, but your review has made me wanna check it out. 😀 Thank you!

    Reply
  18. Clarisa Barahona says

    10/02/2015 at 7:51 am

    Love the sound of this book! I haven’t read many m/m books, but I have many in my TBR list, now including Tied Together ? thanks so much for the giveaway as well! ❀

    Reply
  19. Ashley Jasper says

    10/05/2015 at 10:23 am

    Fun review. Way to have to look up Steve (he totally works as a devil on the shoulder). Thanks for the chance.

    Reply
  20. Nancy Jones says

    10/05/2015 at 4:08 pm

    Thanks for the awesome giveaway.

    Reply
  21. Lisa says

    10/05/2015 at 9:11 pm

    Thanks for the awesome giveaway this book looks fabulous !!!!

    Reply
  22. Diana Doan says

    10/06/2015 at 1:41 am

    Thank you for the awesome giveaway!

    Reply
  23. CassieRose says

    10/06/2015 at 10:52 pm

    Thank you for the wonderful giveaway and the wonderful review

    Reply

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Ana’s Attic Book and Audiobook Blog was established in 2012.

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“Note to self: When you’re lucky enough to sit “Note to self: When you’re lucky enough to sit next to a very attractive woman on a long bus ride, maybe don’t bring up your mother so much, and probably don’t give an extremely detailed overview of why you’re a bad date.”

The first two books in this series by @carabastone were at the top of my 2021 Favorite list. Seatmate will be on the list for 2022. This made-for-audio book is best experienced with headphones. I really felt like I was eavesdropping on a real conversation, and it just made Seatmate by Cara Bastone another 5 star favorite.

🎧Listen: https://amzn.to/3PzGOXY (included in #audibleplus )
đŸ’»My review: https://anasattic.com/seatmate-by-cara-bastone/
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#audiobookreview #carabastone #audiblebooks #audibleoriginal #madeforaudio #5stars #audibleromance #audible #zacharywebber #audiobooks #amandaronconi
Much Ado About You by Samantha Young is a booklove Much Ado About You by Samantha Young is a booklover’s fantasy romance. It was light, a little cheesy and predictable, but I still enjoyed listening to every word. Samantha did a fabulous job of transporting us to this little English town and falling for the townspeople and the bookstore. If you’re looking for a light and easy read that will keep you smiling, I think this would be a good one.
—
đŸ’»My review: https://anasattic.com/much-ado-about-you-samantha-young/
📚Read it: https://amzn.to/3MFIayp
🎧Listen: https://amzn.to/3G9KlYP
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“You may think you’re dark,” I told him. “ “You may think you’re dark,” I told him. “And I’m finding you are. Dark like this.” I indicated the room with a sweep of my flute. “Edged in gossamer and crystal. Lit with fire. A beautiful cocoon where I feel safe, truly safe, for the first time in my life.”

Though it took me a long time to finally try, The Fantasyland Series by Kristen Ashley is one of my all-time favorite series. So I can’t tell you how excited I was to hear that Kit wrote another book in the series! I think Gossamer in the Darkness by @kristenashleybooks is enough to pull in the last holdouts who think they don’t want to read fantasy.

đŸ’»My review: https://anasattic.com/gossamer-in-the-darkness/
📚Read it: https://amzn.to/3LREzx2
🎧Listen: https://amzn.to/3FivudP

—
#bookreview #kristenashley #romancereads #fantasyromance #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #romancenovels #1001darknights #favoriteauthor #booklover #romancenovels  #bookish #favoritebooks #booksilove
Meghan Quinn has always been a top 5 author for me Meghan Quinn has always been a top 5 author for me. But The Reunion was about 3 siblings fighting with each other while finding love. There were SIX narrators. I enjoyed the stories but the switching was a bit too much for me. 
See My Review: https://anasattic.com/the-reunion-by-meghan-quinn/
-
Prequel: THE ONE NIGHT:
📚Read it: https://amzn.to/3KfJN4e
🎧Listen: https://amzn.to/3KkD1u1
-
THE REUNION:
📚Read it: https://amzn.to/35AoMmf
🎧Listen: https://amzn.to/3IQ29bL
—
#kindleunlimited #favoriteauthor #romanticcomedy #romancereads  #audiobookreview #bookreview #audible #audiobook #bookcoverlove
When I was 37, my 7 year old begged me daily for a When I was 37, my 7 year old begged me daily for a little brother (or sister). We obliged, but because of my age and I had lupus, the pregnancy was high-risk. At 17 weeks I had an amniocentesis. 2 weeks later we got the devastating news that our baby, the sibling my son was begging for, had some major genetic abnormalities, plus heart problems. If she survived the birth she would need multiple surgeries & would likely never leave the hospital. 

We made the most devastating decision to end the pregnancy. The baby we made FOR my son would just crush him. It would take me away from him. He would watch her suffer and be in pain. And how would we pay for it all?

Four months after, I became pregnant again with my wonderful son who is now 16.  Despite 8 years difference, he and his brother are best friends. They have both had a great life with a mom who was fully present for both of them.

I thank Roe v Wade every day that I was able to make that CHOICE. It was the most devastating, horrible decision we ever had to make. But it was the RIGHT CHOICE, both for that baby & my family. Plus, my son wouldn’t be here today if I hadn’t made that CHOICE. These decisions are NEVER easy. They are deeply personal and usually horrific. 

Until the government can pay to keep all these babies fed, clothed and homed. Until they can pay for medical bills and the parents to leave work, until they can provide for the needs of the babies women are forced to have, they need to stay out of our bodies. I’m scared for the future of all of our rights.

@pocketsized_pageturner will donate $1 to @brigidalliance (provides travel assistance to those seeking abortions), $1 to @wrrapreprojustice (volunteer organization rasing money to help low income individuals access abortions and emergency contraceptives), and $`1 to @nationalabortionfederation (helping those in the US and Canada gain access to abortions through financial and travel assistance with a multilingual hotline) for every pink stack posted by May 31 with the #stackforreproductiverights. ⁣‹⁣‹#bookstack #bookstacks #pinkstack #bookstackforacause #pinkbooks #bookstackchallenge #prochoice
I love reading about older couples! Flirting with I love reading about older couples! Flirting with Fifty by Jane Porter could have been a little more exciting, but I still enjoyed the read, and can recommend this to any women looking for older couples in their romances.

đŸ’»My ARC review: https://anasattic.com/flirting-with-fifty/
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“It’s called hot flashes, Dean. Don’t judge “It’s called hot flashes, Dean. Don’t judge me.” 
“Oh, I’ll give you hot flashes.”

Nobody else but Tara Sivec can make me literally laugh out loud and bawl my eyes out at the same time. I look for books with older couples, so I’ve read a good number of them, but this portrayal actually felt the most real of any to me.
With This Flirt by @authortarasivec is my first 5++ star book of 2022!

Kindle: https://amzn.to/389abiH
My Review: https://anasattic.com/with-this-fling-tara-sivec/

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When the author of your all-time favorite series r When the author of your all-time favorite series releases the first book from the male POV, you run to read it and hope it doesn’t ruin it for you. I’m happy to say @jfrostauthor just made me love Cat and Bones more. 

If you are a fan of Cat and Bones, or you just want to start a new series, I 100% recommend The Other Half of the Grave by Jeaniene Frost.

đŸ’»My review: https://anasattic.com/the-other-half-of-the-grave/
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The last day of @passion.con made me sad! I wish w The last day of @passion.con made me sad! I wish we had another day, but we got to see seals!  I can’t wait for next year. 
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Saturday night fun at @passion.con - they did our Saturday night fun at @passion.con - they did our hair and makeup and we had a fabulous night! @toscamusk, the whole @passionflix team plus all the actors and authors were amazing! I can’t wait to come back next year. 
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Some photos from Saturday at @passion.con we had a Some photos from Saturday at @passion.con we had a blast doing a scavenger hunt, had a fabulous breakfast and lunch, plus author and actor panels, and we got our hair and makeup done for the evening festivities. #passioncon #passionflix @passionflix @kristenproby @thereallaurelinpaige @authoremmachase @oliviaapplegate @jodi_ellen_malpas @melagreenh
Live at the @passion.con @passionflix lead actor p Live at the @passion.con @passionflix lead actor panel.

#passionflix #bookstomovies #romancenovels #romancemovies #romancelandia #girlsweekend
Day One of @passion.con was AMAZING!!! @passionfli Day One of @passion.con was AMAZING!!! @passionflix is really making this all inclusive weekend so special! Some of these photos include @chrislmckenna from The Will, @toscamusk @mayemusk @melagreenh and @ashleydulaney from Seduction and Snacks, @kbromberg the cast of Driven, and my custom PJs for the pajama party đŸ€Ș
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It was SO GREAT going back to Kristen Ashley’s F It was SO GREAT going back to Kristen Ashley’s Fantasyland world again! I tried to read as slow as possible because I just didn’t want to leave. Though the whole Fantasyland series is best read in order, Gossamer in the Darkness easily stands alone. You don’t have to like fantasy or regency to love this, you just have to love romance. I am so happy to have this as a new addition to one of my favorite series, and now I may have to go and listen to the entire series again.

đŸ’»My review: https://anasattic.com/gossamer-in-the-darkness/
📚Read it: https://amzn.to/3LREzx2
🎧Listen: https://amzn.to/3FivudP

—
@kristenashleybooks 
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“Sometimes, things need to break to be put toget “Sometimes, things need to break to be put together right.”

@catherinecowlesauthor has a way of blending steamy romance, angst, suspense, family, found family, friendship, kids, and a whodunnit into something completely unique and special. Falling Embers may be my favorite yet.

—>Check out my review: https://anasattic.com/falling-embers/
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