Review: Level Hands by Amy Jo Cousins (Bend or Break #4)


A scholarship to prestigious Carlisle College is something that Rafael Castro has worked hard at for the last two years. It'll give him the opportunity at a higher level of quality of education while also bringing him in much closer proximity to the boy who captured his heart two years ago--Denny Winslow. But the closer he gets to Carlisle, the more anxious he feels. He doesn't want to mess things up, especially since his four older sisters have gone above and beyond to help him get this far. He doesn't want to disappoint anyone and he wants to prove to everyone--especially those in the rowing team he's soon to be a part of--that he's worthy to be there and not because of his connection to Denny or Denny's influential family. His being gay could also be used against him, so he's left himself no choice but to not get too close to Denny.

When he received word that Rafi Castro was not only going to be studying in the same college but was also going to be part of the rowing team, Denny Winslow couldn't wait to finally see the young man who kissed him and made him want much more two years ago in Chicago. Denny knows Rafi will feel out of his element in the beginning and he's prepared to help in whatever way possible to make Rafi reach his comfort level sooner rather than later. But things are tense and awkward between them from the beginning, making Denny wonder if their feelings for each other have changed that much in a span of a couple of years. And even though Rafi distance and indifference hurt him, Denny's willing to wait him out. After all, he's already waited to years to be with him. But will Rafi ever be able to make it worth the wait?

If you're as much of a fan of the Bend or Break series as I am, you'll be familiar with Denny Winslow and Rafi Castro, who were both introduced in the previous novel, The Girl Next Door. In Level Hands, the fourth installment in Amy Jo Cousins's addictive series, we catch up with them two years after they first met and spent time together. Previously, Denny had to return to his parents while Rafi stayed in Chicago. Denny went on to college in Carlisle, the same college previous main characters in the series went to, and now, two years later, Rafi has a similar opportunity, all thanks to a rowing scholarship. But as excited as Rafi is to be with Denny, he's dealing with a lot of insecurities and hang-ups that spell trouble for the two young men. Theirs is a story of true love, patience, and the willingness to fight for something worthwhile.

I admit it. I was frustrated beyond belief with Rafi, because while I get where he was coming from, he wasted way too much time trying to prove himself to everyone else who he thought mattered but never really did. Those who did matter already accepted him for exactly who he was and he lost sight of that, thus leading to my wanting to smack him upside the head a few times. I seriously wanted to give Denny one hug after another with each hurtful thing that Rafi did, whether intentionally or not. The guy had the patience of Job and if he were a real person, I would have been tempted to tell him to just walk away because he deserved better. But the heart wants what it wants and there is a great deal of tension--sexual and otherwise--between the two so it makes for one heck of an entertaining and emotionally intense read.

Aside from Rafi and Denny's love story, I couldn't help but be curious about their friends and teammates, Austin (whose last name I don't remember being mentioned) and Vincent Lim. Thanks to a Twitter exchange with Amy Jo Cousins, I don't have to wonder if these two will get together and/or have their own time in the spotlight and so this Bend or Break fangirl has something to look forward to next year. And being the fangirl that I am, I was happy to note that the original foursome I fell in love with are also in this fourth book. Heck, even if they're just there for a few mentions and pages, I'm a very happy camper. While the books can be read as standalones, I'm going to seriously recommend that you read the books in order because then you get the complete reading experience. It will be worth it. Level Hands receives 4.5 stars. ♥

Date Read: 22 November 2015

Learn more about Amy Jo Cousins.

Purchase Level Hands on Samhain PublishingAmazon | B&N | Kobo.

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