Release Day Review ~ There Has To Be A Reason by Kate McMurray

Release Day Review ~ There Has To Be A Reason by Kate McMurray

Title: There Has to Be a Reason

Author: Kate McMurray

Release Date: January 9, 2017

Category: Contemporary

Pages: 206

Dreamspinner   Goodreads

Dave is enjoying his junior year at a big New England university, even if none of his relationships have been especially satisfying. He plans to hang around with his best friend Joe and focus on his studies until he graduates, and then he’ll figure out the rest.
Meeting Noel changes his plans.

Noel is strikingly beautiful and unlike anyone Dave knows. Something about Noel draws Dave to him—an attraction Dave doesn’t feel ready to label. And even if he was, why would Noel be interested in Dave? And what about Joe? He hates Noel and everything he represents, and he might hate Dave if he finds out about Dave’s secret desires. So Dave will have to keep those feelings hidden—along with his relationship with Noel.

But Noel has fought too hard for his identity to be Dave’s dirty secret. Will Dave tell the truth and risk the life he’s always known… or live a lie and risk losing the love of his life?

First half of the book: 5 Stars! 

Second half of the book: 3 Stars!

I've said before that I was having difficulty rating a book or writing a review, so I feel ridiculous saying it once again. However, when it comes to THTBAR I am once again finding myself struggling with adequately articulating my thoughts on paper. I genuinely loved the first half of this story, the characters as well as the storyline. I felt for the predicament Dave found himself in. He's young enough at 20 years old, that it seemed realistic. Then as I got further into the second half I found myself growing increasingly frustrated, mad and disheartened.

Possible Spoiler: (This section of the review contains a spoiler, please mark the whole blank area with your mouse, or click copy/paste if you're on a phone to read it... Proceed at your own risk. 😉)

I have a really hard time liking characters that are in the closet and refuse to come out even when there seems to be absolutely no reason they shouldn't. Dave was, in my opinion, being a coward and he loved to turn everything around on people so it seemed as if they were doing him wrong. His roommate and best friend, his family and his school. It drove me insane after a while. 

Noel and Dave have great chemistry and are good together but I honestly felt like Dave need to do a lot more growing up before he'd be ready for Noel. Noel had put himself out there for the whole world to see and I feel like Dave was trying to push him back into the closet because he didn't want to take the chance.

Overall, I'm giving the book 4 Stars. 5 for the writing and 3 for the way the story played out in the second half. Some people may think I'm being ridiculous to feel the way I do, it makes for good angsty drama after all. So give it a try, you may just love it!

*Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by Dreamspinner Press for my reading pleasure in hopes of an unbiased opinion, a review was not a requirement.*