Ryan Wesley and Jamie Canning’s story continues in Us. At the end of Him, Wes and Jamie’s friendship turned into so much more. Now they are together as a couple.

Wes is having a great year as a rookie in the NHL and Jamie is along for the ride, coaching a young adult/youth league in Toronto so they can be together. They’re together, but things are still hidden. Because of how well Wes’s year is going, coming out and having a huge media thing isn’t what he wants. So for now, it’s staying quiet. And that’s not easy on Jamie.

There was a little bit of drama and conflict in this book, but I never once doubted the love that my boys had for each other. I love the two of them and their relationship. I love the emotion, the steam, and the way they are friends first. 

Elle Kennedy and Sarina Bowen really shine when writing together. Their styles compliment one another. I’ve adored both books in this series. And the audio. OMG I said it in my Him review, but it stands to be repeated- the audio for these books is INCREDIBLE! The narrator for Wes (Jacob Morgan) is everything! I love his narration for Wes. It’s just so great! This series is one you don’t want to miss out on! I’m so happy I made the time to listen.

I really, really liked "Him" but "Us" didn't quite live up to its predecessor.

I appreciated that the authors showed a relationship with real struggles that didn't revolve around cheating. That was a nice change of pace. But, at the same time, I didn't really see any growth between the characters.

I wish that Jamie & Wes had decided to work on their relationship, and that we had seen the difficulty and focus that takes, rather than the authors resorting to the kind of wonky relationship fix (?) they ended up choosing instead.

Also, just as a rule, my eyes tend to roll out of my head when struggling couples opt for marriage before really putting time and energy into making sure their relationship is healthy. I wish that had been fleshed out.

All of this being said, the book was well written and the characters were both so likeable.

I guess, overall, this felt like the authors got a little lazy.

Us is a sequel to Him, one of my favorite reads last year, which focused on two long-time friends discovering that there is much more than friendship in their future. I adored that story due to the development of the two main characters and how powerful their romance was depicted. It also didn't hurt that there was a sports theme which is definitely my catnip.

So, when I learned that there would be a sequel, I was excited and a little hesitant. I wanted to spend more time with Wes and Jamie, but I was worried about whether it could live up to the wonderful Him. While Us didn't grab me as tightly as its prequel, I still found it to be entertaining and emotional. The authors do a great job of helping readers remember why we fell in love with Wes and Jamie in the first place and showed that getting that happy ending takes work.

Us focuses on Wes and Jamie's lives in Toronto after college. Wes is in his rookie year as a professional hockey player while Jamie is a youth hockey coach. Due to Wes's position as a newbie to the league, it was decided that they would keep their relationship a secret from the public for just one year. Unfortunately, complications arise during this time that force them both to re-evaluate their situation and whether their romance can withstand it.

I really liked the way that the story focused evenly on Wes and Jamie's problems. Wes is dealing with having a public persona that doesn't completely match his true self though he would like it to. He hates keeping Jamie a secret, can't wait to tell people the truth, but is also worried about how people will react. This situation is not helped when one of his teammates moves into the same building and decides that he will be Wes and Jamie's constant companion. On the other side, Jamie is dealing with the fact that his new coaching position isn't the dream he thought it would be. His team is struggling and he begins to wonder if he is the reason. It also doesn't help that one of his colleagues has a tendency to spout off hateful, homophobic remarks at the drop of a hat.

Even though Wes's issues are the more public, I felt like the authors made sure not to lessen the impact of Jamie's situation. These are two strong-willed people who are trying to figure out how to make a life together while still retaining their independence. Their relationship goes through major tests in this story and they both feel guilty about it. There are communication issues and, while that usually annoys me in romance, I understood the purpose here. Each of them is going through stuff and they don't want to make that a big deal so they just go through life trying to pretend everything is okay.

I don't want to say much more about Us to avoid spoilers, but I do want to emphasize how much I enjoyed reading it. The characterization of Wes and Jamie was consistent with how they were depicted in the prequel and I felt like I learned even more about them. I admired how much they care for one another and there are many scenes that showcase that even amid all the chaos. I really hope Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy will continue writing in this world because I would love for more about these guys as well as Wes's annoying, but well-meaning teammate Blake.