Garron Park

“Why? Why risk it all for me?”

“Because.”

“Because?”

“Because…you’re mine or some shit.” 

Maddox Kane and Devon Sawyer are two young adults who were dealt a truly shitty hand in life, with little hope of ever escaping it. They live hard lives, and the only people they trust unconditionally are their older brothers, Nate and Xavi—who just so happen to be best friends, despite Maddox and Devon absolutely hating each other. Everything changes the night Devon shows up at Maddox’s trailer in terrible shape, desperately needing his brother. Maddox can’t stand him, but when he realizes Devon has no one else, he can’t bring himself to leave Devon like that. One act of reluctant kindness shifts everything, completely altering their dynamic and the way they see each other 😏😏

Garron Park was one of those books I saw everywhere whenever I searched for MM recommendations, yet I never quite worked up the courage to read it. Not because I thought it would be bad, but because the overwhelming praise made me cautious 🤔🤔 I’ve learned from experience that books with a lot of hype don’t always live up to my expectations, and sadly, Garron Park was one of those for me 😥😥

That said, there were things I genuinely liked. I loved how all the characters were actively trying not to become their parents. They grew up surrounded by toxicity and hardship, yet they chose to support each other instead of using their past as an excuse to lose their way 😎😎 Nate and Xavi being close friends despite their brothers’ rivalry was incredibly cute. Their constant teasing of Maddox and Devon made me laugh, and honestly, I’d love to read their story 🥰🥰

“My heart wanted to hurt him. My head wanted to hate him. My body just straight-up wanted him.”

As for Maddox and Devon, I enjoyed them as a pairing. They’re complete opposites, but they balance each other well. Maddox’s calmness soothes Devon’s insecurities, while Devon’s chaos brings a kind of stability Maddox didn’t realize he was missing. Their chemistry was solid, their banter sharp and entertaining, and I liked that their rivalry stayed on the motocross track even after they got together 😍😍

This is also where my issues with the book begin. From the start, we’re told both main characters are 25 years old, but their behavior never reflected that. The way they acted and the reasons behind their fights made them feel more like teenagers than adults. One moment they were cute and flirty, and the next they were at each other’s throats over something trivial. If you’re going to tell me they’re 25, I expect a certain level of emotional maturity 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

This is a very specific preference of mine, but I don’t enjoy reading couples who fight and argue this much. If that’s something you love, that’s totally fine—but it definitely isn’t for me 👎👎 I prefer characters who try to solve their problems through communication rather than physically hurting each other. For me, violence should only be a last resort, used when everything else has failed.

I listened to the audiobook, and I highly recommend it if you’re interested in this book. Both narrators did an incredible job bringing the characters to life and honestly elevated the experience for me a lot 💯💯 Overall, Garron Park was an okay read. Not bad, not amazing—but with enough potential that I’m curious to see where the story goes next. See you in the next book’s review 🙋‍♀️🙋‍♀️