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Swimming Against the Tide Kindle Edition

by Ryan Taylor (Author), Joshua Harwood (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 408 ratings
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Zach

I wanted what I thought was the ideal college experience—an excellent school and a great fraternity. Since I was a legacy, it was Zeta from the get-go. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it. In fact, I had so much fun I didn’t pay enough attention to one very important thing—the culture. The very conservative, closed-minded culture. The culture that welcomed no one who wasn’t a carbon copy of everyone else. The culture where a gay man has only one option: live in the closet and survive on occasional anonymous hookups.

I made it work until I saw a gorgeous guy jump into the bushes one night after a party. I went after him, and my life was never the same.

Connor

After my best friend ditched me at a frat party, I had nothing to do but drink away the time and wait for my own Prince Frat Bro to rescue me. Yeah, right. I was pretty sure I was the only gay guy there, and I finally gave up and left. Then, the night took an interesting turn on my walk home.

I guess you can’t find love when you beat around the bushes.

Swimming Against the Tide is a romance between two very different young men: a closeted frat bro sophomore and an out-and-proud freshman. Neither can resist the connection made at the most awkward, incredibly sweet, and impossible-to-forget meet-cute ever. How can they get what they want without being swept away by the tide?

This gay college romance features themes of Greek life, a secret relationship, undeniable chemistry, and steamy moments full of delightfully dirty talk. There are also tough decisions, coming out, and an HEA that will pull at your heartstrings every time you read it.
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  1. Print length
    118 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publication date
    May 11, 2023
  5. File size
    3629 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  9. See all details
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From the Publisher

Main character and book cover

"He'd burst into my life like sunshine, and I couldn't go on living in my dark closet."

Two young men who meet under the most unexpected circumstances form an unbreakable bond. Swimming Against the Tide is a gay college romance about young love and coming out. Difficult choices lead to a happy-ever-after ending that will pull on your heartstrings every time you read it.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0C29QPK51
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Wainscott Press (May 11, 2023)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 11, 2023
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3629 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 118 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 408 ratings

About the authors

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  1. Joshua Harwood

    Joshua Harwood

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    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Joshua Harwood and his husband and co-author, Ryan Taylor, write gay romance with heat and heart. With twelve books and seven audiobooks to their credit, they have earned high praise for their exciting, sweet, steamy, and (mostly) low-angst stories. The BETHESDA BARRACUDAS HOCKEY series is a hit with readers and listeners, and their most recent series, MOHEGAN U HOCKEY, has been even more popular. The books are emotional reads, sweet and steamy with a little more angst.

    Ryan and Josh began writing to celebrate their own romance and are passionate about telling authentic stories about other gay men who fall wildly in love and find their own “happily ever afters.” You can find their website at https://www.ryanandjoshth.com/. Find links to all their social media at https://linktr.ee/ryan.josh.

    See more on the author's page
  2. Ryan Taylor

    Ryan Taylor

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    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Ryan Taylor met his husband and co-author, Joshua Harwood, in law school. They live in a suburb of Washington, DC, and share their home with a big, cuddly German shepherd. Ryan and Josh love to travel. In addition, Ryan also enjoys swimming, and Josh likes to putter in the garden whenever he can. They began writing to celebrate the romance they were so lucky to find with each other, and the sharing soon developed into a passion for telling stories about love between out and proud men. Many of their books are also available in audio format. You can find their website at https://www.ryanandjoshth.com/.

    See more on the author's page
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Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
408 global ratings
Coming Out of the Dark
5 Stars
Coming Out of the Dark
“How do you manage then, without any of your brothers suspecting?” “I don’t really know, to be honest. The guys call me Zeta’s Mystery Man. They think I play a lot of women and never get serious.” I shrugged. “I believe many people see what they want to see to avoid thinking about things they don’t want to consider.”Swimming Against the Tide, by Ryan Taylor and Joshua Harwood, envelopes us in Zach’s emotional experience of finding courage and compassion and the strength to swim against the tide of his bigoted frat brothers.Connor is the catalyst of Zach’s upheaval, in that he finds a heart to beat along side his, someone to hold it gently and allow it to truly beat for the first time.This is a coming out in college story that provides all the emotional upheaval of being new to ideas and standing up for yourself.
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Top reviews from the United States

Joseph Estevez
5.0 out of 5 stars A Beautifully Written Story
Reviewed in the United States on May 14, 2023
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I loved this book! I could have read this in one sitting if not for care taking duties here at home. Ryan Taylor and Joshua Harwood know how to suck you in to the story lines, and create characters you wish you knew personally. This book was sweet, funny, and so emotional. There were scenes of love, vulnerability, turmoil, uncertainty, and everything in between. While Connor is comfortable in his own skin and knows what he wants, Zach deals with the inner struggle of wanting to come out and be his true self, rather than staying in the closet to appease the masses. The title of this book describes Zach’s predicament perfectly. The strength it took for him to finally stand up for himself was so inspiring. If you’re looking for a beautiful love story, this book is a must read!
3 people found this helpful
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Kitt
4.0 out of 5 stars Short and sweet with some angst
Reviewed in the United States on May 12, 2023
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These authors have gotten a lot better since their first book! The pacing in this was great and it was a really sweet coming of age romance. The secondary coming out plot was angsty and unfortunately felt realistic, but it had a very satisfying conclusion.

The writing is a little simplistic, not a lot of descriptive prose and the dialogue sometimes felt too scripted to be realistic, but it was a nice, quick easy read.

I will say, as someone who went to college for art, they could have used some research into that. There was a lot in the descriptions of his work and studio space that was not accurate, and it screamed ignorance of the artistic process in general, but that's a pretty specific nitpick that probably won't be an issue for anyone but another artist.

Can't wait to read the sequel with these two sweeties and hopefully see where they are in a few years!
One person found this helpful
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OldLadyStauffer
5.0 out of 5 stars Like a Great Big Hug at the End of a Long Day
Reviewed in the United States on May 16, 2023
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This books is like a great big hug at the end of a long day; coming home after being on the road for months; sitting down after being on your feet all day; crawling into bed after you've washed the sheets. It's comforting, hopeful, engaging, heartwarming, and it just leaves you with a grin on your face long before you even finish it. It's a book that is the epitome of a comfort read and it's one that will stay with you long after you finish it.

Reading through the reviews, no matter what people ranked it, the majority agree on one thing. We all love and adore Connor and Zach. They are well written and so very easy to like and become attached to. My heart hurt for both of them throughout the book but it also rejoiced for them. I was all too happy to root for them because they both deserve good things in their lives, to be happy, and to have someone see them for who they are.

This story was the perfect length for an easy afternoon of reading. Sometimes you just want a book that's not quite as long as others but longer than some novellas. This hits that perfect spot. That said, I must agree with everyone. I want more! I love these guys so much and I will take whatever it is the authors hinted at after the epilogue ended. I can't wait to see what they have in store. I just hope it's not a long wait. I might get whiny! Haha.

You know a book is good and its authors, talented, if it finds you fully engaged, attached, and wanting more. Great stories are always over before we are ready, and this one is no different.

I felt like they handled the issues brought up in the story with care, respect, and sensitivity. Being own voices, I have no doubt it's not hard to draw from experiences - whether by them or people they know. It's hard to read, let alone think about just how many times this really does occur - or worse! I also feel that even though they tackled some bigger issues, this book has a lot of lighter moments to counter those and still feel this very much is a low angst romance. I don't think you have to have a ton of angst to address bigger issues. Sure, they usually go hand and hand, but I don't think it has to. I appreciate that these authors keep it happy, resolved without dragging it out, and stay away from the dreaded misunderstanding that can be resolved by a simple conversation. These characters were able to talk to each other, even if they took some time to make sure they were making the right choices. I think that is smart when it comes to ones that have a major impact on your life. It's wonderful to see it in stories. I adore stories with elements of personal growth and I definitely got that in Zach's journey from being closeted to coming out.

No matter what kind of books you enjoy reading, I think this is one you should add to your reading list. I really think you'll like it if you give it a chance. Zach and Connor are amazing. I couldn't have asked for a better version of this story. I mean....I wouldn't say no if it were longer... ha ha.
2 people found this helpful
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GMH
3.0 out of 5 stars wish it were better
Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2024
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Unfortunately an important theme wasn’t done especially well. ‘Characters were not especially well developed and the style was more perfunctory than creative. I’m glad it was written but I wish it were better.
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Stacey
4.0 out of 5 stars Heartfelt MM Romance
Reviewed in the United States on May 11, 2023
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A great short college MM romance. Connor is an out freshman with hopes of inspiring future generations through teaching. Zach is a closeted sophomore art major that feels trapped in his life. Their meeting will spark a new friendship that leads to more and a realization that life should be lived openly and honestly. I loved that their relationship helped Zach realize what is truly important in life and how being your true self will help you find inner peace and the people that will always stand by you. I hope to see them in future books.
One person found this helpful
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Sandpiper
5.0 out of 5 stars A sweet college romance
Reviewed in the United States on May 11, 2023
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Coming out is a huge decision especially when it’s complicated by concerns about how friends and family will react. Zach is a frat legacy who feels pressured by his father to join Greek life for the connections it may bring him in the future. What his father doesn’t know is Zach is gay and the homophobic atmosphere in the fraternity house is keeping him deep in the closet. A sweet, funny and very awkward meet/cute with Connor has Zach wondering if he can finally find the courage to pursue this guy he is desperately attracted to and stand up to the fraternity brothers who are making him miserable. This college age romance is very well written with nicely developed characters that kept me engaged to the very end. The chemistry between Connor and Zach is super hot. Bump this up to the top of your reading list. These two will melt your Kindle!
One person found this helpful
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Krisha Bledsoe
5.0 out of 5 stars Fall in love with Zach and Connor
Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2024
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Zach and Connor took my heart from the beginning. Zach being closeted because of the life he thought he had to choose. Connor the already out and proud gay man. These two cross paths one night in the most unexpected way. After that they were truly inseparable.
I loved this story and gave it the 5 stars because the writers are true, the struggles the characters have to go thru . The title truly fits the book. Now you have to read
Christmas for Keeps to read the rest of Zach and Connor. Because these two were just getting started with their future.
Happy Reading.
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Top reviews from other countries

Karin Baumann
5.0 out of 5 stars Hot Hot Hot.
Reviewed in Germany on June 10, 2023
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One of the best romance novels in a long time! Loved it!
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Reading to stay awake!
5.0 out of 5 stars Another gem from Harwood and Taylor
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 11, 2023
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I love everything Joshua and Ryan write and this book is as good as all the other books. If you are already a fan then you'll be in R&J heaven from beginning.

It has all the usual essence but without the ice hockey.

I totally recommend this book to fans and non-fans alike

Well done boys, a total winner xx
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P D
5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended!!!
Reviewed in Australia on May 11, 2023
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This tells the story of Zach, a young man feeling trapped in a closeted world where he keeps his sexuality a secret while fearing his truth becoming known to his fraternity. Having to pretend to be 'a brother' in a homophobic setting is getting to be torture. But when he meets Connor, someone who he wants to be with, who ticks all of his boxes as far as a boyfriend should be, he feels the walls caving in.
Zach's inner torment was so sensitively written so that found myself dreading his times with his frat boys and their comments. Connor's understanding and support was beautiful to witness.
Taylor and Harwood excel when it comes to making us feel the inner torments of their characters and can then make us rejoice in their happiness.
Another winner and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ from me❤️
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Kindle Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Different but so good
Reviewed in Canada on May 13, 2023
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I've only read the hockey romances from these authors so trying something new by them was a chance to see them outside this. I am aware they have other non hockey books but haven't read them yet

This book even though deals with some heavy interactions also has some nice light moments. It was well written and kept me from wanting to put it down.
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Pat Johnson
5.0 out of 5 stars Wanting to live your truth!
Reviewed in Australia on May 11, 2023
Verified Purchase
Swimming Against The Tide drew me in from the very beginning.
A wonderfully written college romance where Connor meets Zach most unconventionally!
As the story unfolds you get to see into their lives which for Zach isn’t what it seems.
Unfortunately for Zach, he can’t divulge his secret that has his stomach in knots, only with Connor can he be truthful.
Connor, hugely confident in his skin is a lifesaver to Zach.
Impeccable writing had me thoroughly invested in this wonderfully emotional story, an easy 5 stars from me.
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Pat Johnson
5.0 out of 5 stars Wanting to live your truth!
Reviewed in Australia on May 11, 2023
Swimming Against The Tide drew me in from the very beginning.
A wonderfully written college romance where Connor meets Zach most unconventionally!
As the story unfolds you get to see into their lives which for Zach isn’t what it seems.
Unfortunately for Zach, he can’t divulge his secret that has his stomach in knots, only with Connor can he be truthful.
Connor, hugely confident in his skin is a lifesaver to Zach.
Impeccable writing had me thoroughly invested in this wonderfully emotional story, an easy 5 stars from me.
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