Review: Hard Candy by Amy Jo Cousins (Bend or Break #7)

March 23, 2016

Note: This ARC was provided by Samhain Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Hard Candy is the seventh book in the Bend or Break series from author Amy Jo Cousins and can also be found as part of the Between a Rock and Hard Place duology that includes the sixth book. Here we have Vincent Lim, who has a reputation for being rigid and uncomfortable in certain settings and whose focus is on his schoolwork as well as trying to live up to his parents' expectations. He meets Bryan Latimer, who seems to be his complete opposite. Bryan is flamboyant and is far more comfortable in his skin than Vinnie could ever dream of. As different as they may be, Vinnie can't deny that Bryan makes him feel things that he's never experienced with anyone else. However, behind Bryan's more outgoing exterior is a young man who knows prejudice and hardship firsthand. Will these two be able to find a middle ground?

The events in Hard Candy overlap some of those in book six, Love Me Like a Rock. This makes sense since these two books are about two best friends--Austin Keating and Vinnie Lim--who also happened to be occasional bed partners. When Austin finds love with Sean Campbell, Vinnie is at a loss, believing that he and Austin would have enough time to fall into an actual committed relationship after a few years. Vinnie needs to be pushed out of his comfort zone and Bryan does exactly that, in his demanding, forthright way. Bryan made it clear what it was he required from Vinnie and the latter had to make the conscious choice of whether or not Bryan was the person he was ready to change for. While I did like Austin and Sean's story more, Vinnie and Bryan's love story was refreshingly different from the rest. Hard Candy gets four stars. ♥

-------------------------

Read my reviews for the Bend or Break series: