[ARC Review] All the Stars by Duckie Mack

Release date: 9/19/21
Format: eARC
eARC provided by: Duckie Mack via Gay Romance Reviews

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Rider and Cameron have been best friends forever. But there is one secret Rider has been keeping from Cam, one he knows might ruin their friendship. Rider, who has been out since he was a teenager, is in love with his straight best friend. So to save himself the heartache, Rider has casual flings with any guy who’ll have him. But then Cam breaks up with his girlfriend, and feelings become jumbled, and suddenly Rider knows he’s not the only one who’s been hiding his feelings for his best friend. Sweet, with just a bit of steam, All the Stars is a cute, friends-to-lovers story featuring a bisexual awakening.

All the Stars was such a cute story. This one is perfect for anyone looking for a M/M romance without a lot of drama or conflict. Both Rider and Cameron very much had their own issues to get through; Rider needed to move on from his past in order to be truly with Cam, and Cam had a lot of self-discovery to do in terms of his feelings and acceptance of his newfound bisexuality. However, most of the conflict came from within with very little physical conflict for either of the two guys. So if you’re looking for a M/M romance with a tough, alpha Dom, this story might not be for you. The story was definitely sweet. I loved how Mack handled Cam’s bisexual awakening, with small hints planted throughout the story until Cam came to his own realization. I also thought Mack handled the fragility of their friendship once Rider and Cam confessed their feelings for each other; everything easily fell into place for them, but their friendship - and the possibility of destroying it if their relationship falls apart - was never far from their minds. Mack handled this delicate situation well, while seemingly staying true to both Rider and Cam’s characters. While I would have loved to see some more external conflict to punch up the overall story a bit, All the Stars was cute and quaint, and I can’t wait to see who features next in Mack’s Love Bank Romance series.