Review: Only Temporary by Nicole Dykes

Note: An advance reader copy (ARC) was provided by Gay Romance Reviews.

It's been a surprisingly long while since I last read something substantial from Nicole Dykes, not including shorts that are part of multi-author anthologies. I say surprising because I've actually enjoyed this author's work in the past, so this is a case of having barely any time to read all the books I want to. I mean, there are only twenty-four hours in a day, and well, sleep and all that necessary stuff. But I'm glad that I did find the time to read Dykes's latest standalone, which also feels like the first in an all-new series, and there were certainly at least three supporting characters that piqued my interest and I would not mind reading more about some time in the future.

Only Temporary is an angsty romance read that also touches upon family. Twenty-four-year-old Kellan Rhodes is a recovering addict who has only had one end goal over the past four years: to get custody of his four younger siblings, Cason (15), Raegan (13), Kieran (10), and Braylen (8). That meant getting--and staying--clean and sober, but when Kellan is informed of their mother's death via overdose, everything goes into warp speed. Aside from his best friend, Kellan finds himself an ally in their family's case worker. Soon, though, twenty-six-year-old Phillip Miller starts to feel like a friend...and then more. But will becoming involved affect the custody case?

Nicole Dykes does hurt/comfort, and she does it well. Yes, there's angst here, but there are also touches of lightheartedness as well. Kellan was a flawed main character, but throughout his struggles--with his sobriety, his fractured relationships with his brothers and sister, his balancing act of recovering addict, guardian, mechanic, best friend, and later on, boyfriend--he tried to be and do better. Hands down, he was my favorite thing about this book, followed very closely by everyone else. I do look forward to Tatum's and Cason's books, but Kellan's will be a tough act to follow because Only Temporary set the bar high for whatever will follow next. This gets 4.5 stars.

Date Read: 24 April 2025

Learn more about Nicole Dykes.

Purchase Only Temporary on Amazon.