Strong Enough is a standalone, contemporary romance novel featuring forbidden romance (kind of), coming out, and self-awakening themes. The book was wonderful and I could hardly put it down.
Maxim moves to America from Russia to chase his dream of becoming a screenwriter, but within the first hours of landing in the U.S., his pre-arranged ride doesn’t show up and his personal bag is stolen. With his phone dead, wallet gone, and no friends or family nearby to help out, Maxim is in a dire situation. But luck is on his side, and Maxim is helped out by Ellen, and her gorgeous brother, Derek. From the moment Derek and Maxim meet, the connection between them is undeniable. Derek wants to be straight and live the “American Dream” of a wife and kids, but he can’t fight against the attraction and desire he has for Max. Together, both men will have to make tough choices and decide what they are willing to sacrifice in order to be together.
I love the romance and relationship between the two main characters. Even though this book was heavy on the self-imposed angst, it was tempered by the beautiful love story and a wonderful happy ending. Both characters had to grow and develop before they finally could find happy-ever-after. Also, the sex scenes were super hot and delicious.
The audiobook was a dual narration that I found enjoyable. I liked the character voices that were chosen and found it easy to listen to and follow the story. The actual voice performances were great, but there was a tiny issue with audio production that happened once. Overall, I found the audiobook enjoyable and recommend it.