You & Me: An M|M Single Dads Romance Paperback – April 5, 2022

This gets top marks from me because, quite frankly, it made me weep quite a lot by the end. I think of Tal Bauer as a writer of high-stress action stories with a romance at the center. This one is certainly not that kind of high-stress (no guns, no political intrigue); but there was plenty of anxiety that touched me where I live, as a father and a husband.At the center of the story is Luke Hale, who lives in the small river town of Last Falls, Texas. It has been a year since the death of his wife, a year that has found him increasingly estranged from his teenaged son Emmet. Details are given sparingly, but right from the start we know that the marriage was not happy, and that Luke has a very low opinion of himself.Then Luke, desperate to make some connection with his son, volunteers to be part of the most-moms support group for the local high school football program in which Emmet plays. He is welcomed and encouraged by the only other dad on the mom squad, Landon Larsen. Turns out Landon’s son Bowen is Emmet’s best friend—something his father did not know. It’s a great set-up, and is followed by a number of surprises as the plot unfolds.I have to say, it would never have dawned on me to portray Texas (even the exurbs of Dallas) as a highly gay-friendly part of our nation; especially when so much of the narrative revolves around football. Bauer makes it work, to the point that even I, a diehard Easterner who learned all I know about sports from my enthusiast husband, found myself caught up in the drama of small-town-Texas football culture. Bauer draws us into Luke’s experience as a volunteer, surrounded by Texas moms he’s never before interacted with, and (most importantly) mentored by Landon, a single dad, long divorced from his Mormon wife in Utah.Bauer has a particular fascination with men who have lived otherwise straight lives who discover something about themselves they’d never considered. This is the kind of trope that can trigger my “gay for you” twitch. In my 68 years I’ve met plenty of bisexual or gay men who left marriages and children in middle-life for another man; but I’ve never encountered one who had no inkling at all that he might ever be drawn to someone of the same sex. However, Bauer makes Luke’s own internal dialogue about this phenomenon believable and thoughtful. His personal circumstances make his situation plausible, and his evolving relationship with Landon is heartwarming and joyous, even as his relationship with his son thaws. Because Bauer is so good at hashing out complex feelings, the idea that a distracted Kinsey 1 might be surprised by love at forty is, well, compelling.Bauer’s sympathetic and admirable characters are easy to fall for, and even his most violent storylines have ultimately relied on love. And who can possibly object to that? This book made me reconsider some of my own assumptions and remind myself that it’s a big country and that we are everywhere.

I had to come here and write a review. This book was one of the greatest "finding yourself, finding love, and healing" stories I have read in, I don't even recall how long. The characters of Luke and Landon were extraordinarily sweet. The boys adored their fathers and the emotions of mixed signals and mistaken thoughts and actions between Luke and Emmett were heartbreaking, but the healing and realization of the "whys" they both explained to eachother was something most of us just don't do.So very glad this was my starter book with Tal Bauer. Read it with kindle unlimited, but already plan and purchasing the book in kindle, and paperback and if it ever comes out in audiobook format then it will be in my audio collection also.

This is now the third Tal Bauer novel I have read in like 4 days and this author just hasn’t missed yet. This was cotton candy sweet and such a beautiful, wonderful, enjoyable novel about two fathers falling in love. The angst that builds because you’re heartbroken due to the strained relationship between Emmett and Luke and then the building romance between Luke and Landon. This is such an emotional rollercoaster but also just such a lovely read.I absolutely adored every single character in this novel. Every single one. Luke and Landon are couple goals. This was hot and spicy but so unbelievably beautiful. I can’t wait to read my next Tal Bauer novel.

Have you ever truly felt lost? Or completely unseen by those who should know you best? Luke’s heartache, his pain, his loneliness, essentially his brokenness pours off the page at the beginning and as a reader you become saturated in his emotions. His pain is your pain. The best part of being lost is when you’re finally found and seen in a profound way. Enter Landon Larson. Loved loved this story!!

Nothing better than reading a story that grabs you by the heartstrings and takes you on a journey. I loved this book, it resonates with realism and optimism. Honestly I'd make an amazing movie.

This story was sweet, I thought there were lots of emotional moments with real father son issues. The only thing I didn't like was how easy it was for Luke to accept his sexuality , usually people struggle a lot more with coming to the realization that they're gay when Taya something that have never crossed their mind, but the author made their relationship smooth enough to accept that. It won't take away my five starts, I think the book was well written and the story was sweet.

I loved You & Me, but no shock there, I love the heartfelt stories Tal Bauer writes. Plus I’m a sucker for a single dad story and the way he intertwined the love story with the family dynamics was perfection.

The whole process of learning about yourself. Finding the love of your life. I cried in a couple of places. This was such a wonderful story.

I wasn't sure at first about this; middle age, single teen dad at first: i thought it could go really cheesy or over the top very quickly, but I LOVED IT!! I've read a lot of MM romance this summer, and this is easily in my top 3!Being a single mom myself (not middle age yet though...) i felt for the characters and understood some of the aching they both have. The characters are very nicely develop, we get the point accross without dragging it too much and putting too much drama/suspense into everything. I felt a lot for the main character, Luke, and i would definately have a crush on Landon as well lol Both sons are amazing too!Loved it. I was rooting for them the entire time!!

Este libro lo descargue, lo borre, lo volví a descargar y de nuevo lo eliminé sin siquiera leer el primer párrafo... después me apareció en recomendados y me dije "esto es una señal" así que lo descargué... y oh sorpresa, con tan solo leer la primer línea ya estaba más que enganchada, y las primeras paginas me hicieron llorar con tanto sentimiento...Este libro es una verdadera joya, me arrepiento TANTO de no haberlo leído antes, los personajes son sumamente hermosos, ver por todo lo que tienen que pasar, como crecen, como se encuentran a ellos mismos y salen adelante.Ojalá hubiera podido darle 10 estrellas porque se lo merece, 5 son muy pocas para esta maravilla.

A beautiful tale of love and family found. Gorgeous characterisation, and emotional depth and growth throughout. I wanted to live in their world a little longer.

I knew 17% in that this was s good book. But not in a million years I would have imagined this perfection.Luke and Landon love story, Luke and Emmet relationship, Emmet and Bowen brotherhood. PERFECTION. I wouldn’t change a single word in this masterpiece.I cried, I blushed, I loved.You & Me it’s simply a work of art.(Now it just needs a new cover)

Fluffy and light. A Lovestory where everything might be complicated besides the actual love story. I loved how the feelings where described and I loved how Luke did not feel the need to classify his sexuality. He realised and accepted that he loves Landon and that was that.I finished the book in one night and it made a very nice evening.10/10 would recommend