I liked it, I'm very comfortable with huge casts; In Rebel we have a myriad of characters from this series or from other -through sprinkled hints here and there-, but I admit that an abundance of characters it may not be to everyone's taste.

I felt the lack of more visceral emotions; the story lacked a truly catharsis; surely that was the intention of the bridge scene but it didn't seem enough. In addition, I would have liked to know a little more about Ray's life prior to the fire as well as his life and his relationship with his mother before and after the appearance of Randy, a lovable character, BTW.

The tight control over their emotions that each brother has, cry out for an absolutely liberating moment in each one's stories, where the feelings are so raw that its hatching to be like the cleanliness of the Augean stables, a crucial and emotional moment that adds -to each of them with their hard backgrounds- a vision of the future as a possibility and not as a sentence.

There are details that I know will be revealed through the books; Rhys's series although divided into books and short stories, are enjoyed more at the end, when elements that seem scarce in each story, make sense and round off the whole picture when you consider the books together. Not for nothing one of my rereads during the past couple of months was Sinners, which I liked even more than when I read it for the first time. I expect the same with this series.

415 Ink has in common with Sinners the approach to family as a choice -there are ties of blood (like the Morgans) or not- and how that choice is not an instant but a work in continuous progression.

We can already guess more or less who will be the men for Mace and Ivo, I personally have a slight assumption about Bear's and it is an absolute mystery what awaits Luke. I can't wait to read each of those stories! ( )

I won an ARC of this via a Twitter drawing, received the file three days ago, and dived right in. IT'S SO GOOD. I am a sucker for found family, loyalty, lost boys, the weight of mistakes and mis-steps, and second chances, and Rebel delivers beautifully, packed in Ford's brand of texture and color - infused prose.

For those who are Sinner's Gin fans, there are references all the way through, and that... was more poignant than I was prepared for. There are other references, too, adding if you know, not detracting if you don't. Beautifully done.

For the first time ever, I'll buy the book when it comes out, too. I want the polished version when I read it again. :)

Re-read finished the end of March 2018: I loved it even more. Now I am VERY ready for the next book! ( )

3.45 stars
While not quite what I thought it would be, this was an OK read. Gus and Rey have a rocky relationship and Gus has some real issues to work through before he's really ready to be anyone's boyfriend. Throw in an unexpected 3 year old and extended family, and world is a complicated, messy, place, as the world always is. Though the characters are well rounded and interesting, I found I was pushing myself to finish this book and not really enjoying it like I have her Kai Gracen books.

My one big complaint, which is what brought the stars down a bit is the last two-three paragraphs of the book which came out of nowhere and have no business being there at the end, especially since Ms. Ford did not even hint that something was going one between these other two characters through the rest of the book. It actually left a sour taste in my mouth and I was really annoyed as it was one of the most clumsy attempts to hint at the next book in the series I've ever encountered. ( )

Rebel by Rhys Ford is a heartfelt second chance at love romance. This first installment in the 415 Ink series is full of heartbreak and angst, yet these deep emotions enhance the overall story.

August "Gus" Scott is finally forced to stop running from the man who broke his heart, Rey Montenegro, after he receives stunning news: he has a young son from a one night stand. Wanting to give his son Chris what he never had, a father, Gus rejoins the family of his heart but in doing so, he must also figure out a way to move forward from the tragedy in his past. Rey is an integral part of his history and he will continue to be part of his future since he is Gus's soul brother Mason "Mace' Crawford's best friend and roommate. Gus is not exactly introspective since he would rather ignore his problems than face them but will he finally break free from this unhealthy pattern to ensure he will fully be a part of Chris's life? Will Gus be willing to let Rey back into his life? Can they overcome the issues that lead to their break up?

There is no other way to describe Gus than "broken". His childhood was incredibly dysfunctional with the people who should have been his advocates writing him off as irredeemable. Luckily, his cousin/father figure Barrett "Bear" Jackson fought to provide him with a stable home, but the damage had already been done by the time they were finally reunited. Gus holds all of his pain inside and he has never come to terms with the incredible damage wrought by his horrible excuse of a mother.

The 415 Ink family's introduction to Rey was rather dramatic but life took a much better turn for Rey not long after their first meeting. He has a great relationship with his mom and stepdad but when things went wrong between him and Gus three years earlier, he decided to end their passionate yet troubled relationship. Since communication was not their strong suit, Rey's resentment toward Gus finally spilled over into a painful breakup that neither man has truly recovered from yet.

While there is a romantic element to the storyline, the main focus of the novel is Gus and his personal journey of healing. He has a strong support system with the family he has made for himself, but Gus still has difficulty verbalizing the things that are troubling him. Despite the close ties he shares with the brothers of his heart (which includes his actual brother, Ivo), Gus does not actually begin to heal until he finally opens up to Rey about the traumatic events from his childhood that continue to skew how he views himself. Gus's willingness to share his secrets reveals a heartrending vulnerability that he does not show to many people. In the aftermath of his revelations, he and Rey tentatively resume their sizzling hot romance.

Rebel is an engaging and deeply affecting romance with a fantastic cast of primary and secondary characters. The first few chapters are a bit confusing as characters are introduced and a little of their history is divulged. Gus is an enigmatic yet immensely appealing character whose backstory is parceled out in drips and drabs over the course of the novel. Rey is definitely the more stable of the two but he also comes with a bit of emotional baggage. One of Rhys Ford's strengths as an author is her ability to infuse plenty of angst into her novels without making it feel contrived or unnatural. The drama is perfectly balanced by humor and the richly developed characters add depth and substance to the developing storyline. A brief glimpse of which characters will be starring in the installment of the 415 Ink series will leave readers impatiently awaiting its release.
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