Stand by You (Belonging #3) by A. M. Arthur

I loved A. M. Arthur's writing.  I really do.  It is so visceral and so real.  Every one of the stories in the Belonging Series has made me emotional.  When I was given the chance to review the newest book in the series through NetGalley, I jumped at the chance.  Check out the the cover and Goodreads blurb:

Three months after his rescue from an abusive boyfriend, twenty-two-year-old Romy Myers has landed his first legitimate job—bussing tables at his friend's new coffee shop. The job has brought him some stability after years of abuse have left him feeling damaged and broken. He's working hard on his panic and social anxiety, and those things are often tempered by the big, burly presence of Brendan Walker.

From the moment ex-football player Brendan helped rescue Romy from his ex's abuse, he's wanted to protect him. And he does, from a distance, with joking text messages, a new gym routine to toughen him up and a genuine friendship. So far it's been easy—but Brendan's feelings aren't just friendly anymore…

When an argument spirals out of control, a hot and heavy make-out session causes Romy's friendship with supposedly straight Brendan to reach a new level. The last thing Romy wants is to fall for another guy who could potentially shatter him, but Brendan also wakes up a part of him he thought had been destroyed by violence—his heart.

I enjoyed this book. I loved getting to see Romy begin to heal. He has been through so much. No one should ever have to go through what he has been through. But Romy is making it through his ordeal and his healing. Brendan is just such a sweet and strong man. I loved how he could be what Romy needed. I think that sometimes it is hard for us to find the one for us because we aren't properly paying attention. Brendan has his own demons and his own issues to over come but he and Romy help each other through. This is just such a sweet and heart warming story of love, friendship and family. I will remind you that this is an adult romance so it is not suitable for those who have issues with explicit works. Also there is some talk of Romy's previous abusive situation, including descriptions of rape so be aware if these are triggers for you.

You can click here to find Stand By You on Goodreads. A. M. Arthur can be found on her blog, Twitter, Tumblr, and on Facebook.  I gave Stand By You 4 Fairies for a lovely story of friendship, love and opening up to those who love you.