The Weight We Carry by Logan Meredith

The Weight We Carry Reviews

• 
  drew ～hiatus-ish～

  2.5 stars rounded down.
  
  my god, this felt soooooo long. there were just too many little subplots and characters and relationships being set up for future sequels that this story suffered for it.
  
  the romance aspects between Brady and Josh felt pretty stagnant and repetitive for most of the story, too, and when things finally started to progress a bit, the story just ended! i definitely didn't enjoy this book, unfortunately.
• 
  Heather

  This was like THE longest book in history. It dragged through so many chapters and nothing happened between the MCs until 91%. And then it ended extremely abruptly without resolution to all the very, very many things we had to read about Josh's job and the other dude's weight loss. Talk about ending with a whimper! I seriously cannot believe I read this manifesto on neuroticism and it ended like that.
  
  So okay, this is totally not a romance novel, it is like a 1,000 page book about why people need to go to therapy. Brady has issues about his weight and he's got tons of hangups and no self-esteem and Josh has issues about his sexuality and he's got tons of hangups and anxiety about his masculinity and etc. So if you want a book about romance, this is not the book for you. It is a book about two guys who need to go to therapy to work out their issues and considering I just had gastric sleeve surgery myself, I was extremely uninterested in reading about Brady's self-hatred and Josh just didn't interest me at all. It was so many pages, this book, and I really can't believe how it ended on such a low note. What a total waste of time.
• 
  Pam

  DNF @ 9%
• 
  Amanda

  I liked this book way more than I expected too. Like other reviewers have pointed out, it isn’t very romance heavy, but it felt real to me in a way a lot of books just don’t. Brady and Josh have what appears to be an insurmountable amount of issues, and Meredith does not gloss over them or make them magically disappear with a perfect relationship. Instead, you get to actually see them work through everything they need to, have some pretty heft setbacks along the way, but ultimately learn how to cope and grow and eventually be together in a way that makes them both happy. If you’re one of those readers who likes a clear split between reality and fiction, this will most likely not be the book for you. But if you like your MCs to be real people with real problems, I’d definitely recommend this one.
• 
  Briony

  My brain has been refusing to let me read *anything* lately, and so I was surprised when I fell into this book really easily. Actually, it came about because I started reading the free first chapter of Logan Meredith's book 'The Secrets We Keep', thought 'HUH my brain is engaging with this book, sweet!!' and then I realised that it was the second book in a series (although, I'm pretty sure they can be read as standalones? Idk). ANYWAY, I decided to buy them both, and read this one first. And - it was exactly what my brain needed!
  
  I'm a big fan of the friends-to-lovers trope, and this did not disappoint. It was adorable, awkward, heartwarming, and full of obstacles that made the story feel very real. Josh and Brady are both wonderfully flawed characters, each with their own insecurities and trauma, and I loved the way they worked through their issues separately *and* together - so satisfying to read. I'm glad they didn't solve their problems overnight, because their problems sure didn't appear overnight. There were so many cute and hilarious moments too, that had me literally squeeing and giggling, which balanced out the conflict and angst well. I'm going to start reading 'The Secrets We Keep' pretty much straight away, because I'm super keen to read about the other characters in their friend group, as well as see how Josh and Brady get on with their relationship. So happy to have found this book at the perfect time for me!
• 
  The Word Nerd Reviews Blog

  The Weight We Carry is a sweet feel-good friends to lovers romance. Brady and Josh, despite their individual issues, work well together and have the type of chemistry that is a result of a deep friendship and genuine affection for each other. Although technically slow burn, there is no sexual contact until about 90%, there are plenty of romantic moments and UST.
  
  As much as I enjoyed this book, I was also equally frustrated by both Josh and Brady at different times during the story. Josh has been mentally (and at least once instance of physically/sexually) abused during his childhood/adolescence (This abuse is hurtful to see it through Josh's eyes, but there is nothing really graphic). These issues are unresolved, he has never truly faced them or sought therapy. Instead, he has developed coping mechanisms and often moves into self-disgust or self-sabotage. Although Josh’s history caused issues in his relationship with Brady, he was also pretty self-aware (at least after the fact) of what he’d done. To give him credit he tries to fix himself but watching him sometimes self-destruct was painful and frustrating.
  
  As for Brady, I can 100% understand his body issues; no question, completely understand. When there is an incident that makes Brady feel rejected, I could completely see how it could be interpreted that way. However, he takes it just one step too far. Even after ‘I love you’ has been exchanged between them, and he accepts that Josh loves his body as it is (Josh tells him repeatedly), he still won’t allow Josh to touch him around the middle, even over the clothes. He does not allow any sexual contact that involves any touch or sight of the fleshier parts of his body. Page after page of this self-recrimination and denial of Josh became a bit tedious after a while. Surely there is a point in a relationship where you have to take a leap of faith and to give him credit Brady does eventually do it, but it's quite late in the book.
  
  Having said that though, I did enjoy the book. The writing flowed well and there were many humorous moments, and the relationship between Josh and Brady was lovely. I really enjoyed the secondary characters, and I’d love to know more about Adam and Cade. It read like there may be a possibility of a further book for them. I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
  
  If you enjoy a friends-to-lovers romance that doesn't swerve away from serious matters such as body issues and mental assault, but with plenty of humour so that it is never heavy and depressing, then I'd recommend The Weight We Carry.
  
  
  
  
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• 
  Shirley

  If you’re looking for a heated friends to lovers romance, The Weight We Carry isn’t it. But, if you’re looking for a heartfelt story where two people learn that finding your HEA begins with truly loving and respecting yourself, then it’s perfect.
  
  Brady is a mess, but he realizes that he needs to make changes if he’s ever going to be happy. Josh jumps at the chance to help, especially if it means spending more time with his best friend. I adored their relationship and it wasn’t hard to fall for both of them as the story progressed. It also didn’t take long to realize that Brady wasn’t the only one who needed a self-esteem boost.
  
  The supporting characters were great and I can’t wait to get to know them even better. By the time I picked up The Weight We Carry, The Secrets We Keep was getting ready to be released. Stay tuned because I may have gotten a late start to the Love We Find series, but I don’t think it’s going to take me long to catch up 😉
  
  I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of The Weight We Carry. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
• 
  Cat (queer_book_recs)

  I read through some reviews before I started this book and the one thing that stood out to me was a general consensus that the story wasn’t focused on the romantic relationship between Brady and Josh. I have to 100% disagree. If you’re looking for a hot and heavy, typical romance, just know that’s not what you’re getting here. This is more a long term relationship that’s actually been dysfunctional the whole time and the guys are ready to challenge what’s holding them back and give their all to their romantic relationship. And I loved every bit of it. So often in romance we get the story of two people meeting and how they end up as a couple, and then not much beyond that. This book was a breath of fresh air in the sense that the story is about what happens when two people in love are past the honeymoon phase and have to work hard to make their relationship a priority and make it work. There are so many little gestures throughout the book that demonstrates their love for each other. And even once they admit their feelings, things aren’t magically fixed and require work. I especially loved how therapy is handled in the book (and how Josh meets his therapist, haha) and the fact that the guys don’t just wake up one day and suddenly all their problems have gone away. They put in the work and their HEA is truly satisfying. This is a low steam book, but when the guys do get hot and heavy, it’s spicy and full of emotional intimacy.
  
  Don’t get me wrong. I love me some fantasy perfect romance and the chance to escape reality. But I also love to switch things up and read a relatable romance from time to time and this more than delivered.
• 
  Juniper

  The title of this book definitely fits the narrative, as both Josh and Brady carry different types of weight. Brady worries about his body weight and harbors massive insecurities around his appearance. Josh carries the weight of the toxic conditioning and unreasonable expectations pushed on him by his homophobic parents. They’re best friends who’ve lived together for years, and pretty much everyone else can see that the love they share isn’t really platonic. For both of them to get there, however, means unpacking small mountains of baggage. I love friends-to-lovers as a genre, and I enjoyed the care and depth with which this book treated the process— fraught with danger and rich with potential reward— that Brady and Josh undertake in order to have the relationship they both desperately want but, for different reasons, don’t feel totally worthy of. They are both deeply interesting, complex characters, and the ways they fit together, both easily and with effort, make for rewarding reading. I liked that nothing came easy, as it made milestones even more significant. I also, I have to say, loved the ending, which is quite possibly the most realistic HEA I’ve encountered in a romance. I would love to spend more time in Brady and Josh’s world— if Bare the therapist/Dom has a book, I’ll read it in a heartbeat, and I’d love to see more of what happens between Adam and Cade. Overall, well worth a read.
  
  *I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
• 
  Xanthe

  The Weight We Carry is my first story from Logan Meredith and I enjoywled it, overall.
  For me, the main focus was on the mental and emotional health of the MC's rather than their possible move from best friends to lovers but this definitely added a lot to the intensity of what Josh and Brady go through.
  Brady has struggled with his weight throughout his life and, with the help of Josh, decides to try and do something about it, hoping that it will also help get him out of a down period that's lated for over a year. He totally understands why others wouldn't want to be with him, failing to see what his friends, and Josh especially, do when they're with him. I felt a connection with Brady's character from this and found it interesting, reading his thought processes, realisations and needs. Josh is a huge supporter for whatever Brady needs and when they start to move forward with their relationship, it's really heartwarming to read though it is a slow and bumpy road.
  Josh's problem go back a few years to something that happened in high-school that even Brady doesn't know all the details of. Josh has several coping mechanisms that keep him moving every day and it's not until he gets the chance to talk to a new friend, that he takes the chance on the possibility of Brady not saying no. My heart went out to him with the stress that he places on himself and some of the places his mind reactively goes to but he definitely learns by the end what needs to happen in order to get his HEA with Brady, the guy he's been in love with for quite a while.
  This was both an entertaining but heartbreaking read as both men struggle to reach their happy ending. Definitely worth it in the end though.
  I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
• 
  avid reader 1

  The Weight We Carry is the first I've read by this author.
  I enjoyed the author's vision for the Friends to Lovers trope.
  But, this was not an easy read for me. The subject matter, while not overly distressing (for the most part), is heavy. No pun intended.
  I found the portrayal of Brady and his issues with his weight to be believable and valid from a personal standpoint. I think that anyone who has battled their weight will find themselves nodding and agreeing with how he is written. The ups and downs of self-confidence and self-worth were hard to read, but I celebrated with each success (mental and physical) that he had and wanted to hug him tight when he "failed."
  Josh was harder to understand. The author gives his backstory in dribs and drabs, but not early enough for me to sympathize with him as much as he deserved. And Josh deserves sympathy. After finding out why he struggles so, I could only wonder that this character is as well adjusted as he is.
  The author spent more time on their issues than their romance, and, in this case, I approve.
  Their personal demons aside, they become a lovely couple. The road is rocky and littered with blind turns (lack of communication) and detours (friendly interference). About halfway through, I was ready to throw them both off a cliff for their complete and total disregard for the use of words. But it worked out in the end.
  I enjoyed the author's vision for the Friends to Lovers trope.
  I will read more from this author.
• 
  Sarita Chapdelaine

  There are so many things that I love about this story that I could not put it down but the abrupt ending totally messed me up. The amount of unanswered questions and lack of closure as well as the letdown that we never really see this beautiful couple finally living their lives together took away a lot of my enjoyment of this book. Brady and Josh are each delightful in their own way and they are exactly what the other needs if only they can get out of their own way and be honest with each other about their true feelings. Josh's understanding of how much his past is affecting his inability to move forward with Brady is inspiring and I love that a chance meeting in a bar gave him the push to get the help he needs. Brady's terrible self esteem is caused by being overweight and he is blind to the fact that others see him as beautiful inside and out. I wish that he wasn't so clueless at times and didn't allow himself to be influenced by Matt when he clearly has his own issues. I love the characters, the author's ability to understand and portray both of the MC's separate struggles, their supportive and loving group of friends, how real and flawed these characters are and their absolute joy in being together as their friendship evolves into so much more.
  
  I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book.
• 
  Mareike

  Brady and Josh are roommates since college and best friends. Brady has no self esteem due to his more heavy body, while Josh is fighting with his trauma of being outed in a malicious way from his high school girlfriend. When Brady goes on a date with Matt, Josh realizes that he is in love with Brady. Both of them are fighting their demons on their way of coming together.
  
  I really loved this book. There are not that many M/M Books that deal with MCs that have not a fit body. But this book deals with this topic in a very positive way. I am myself not a thin person and so I could really feel a connection with Brady and his trouble with his self image. But as I said, the author managed to present this topic in a way without shaming or stirring up bad memories.
  Josh has also problems with insecurities and I really felt with him as he tried to process how what happened in high school still affects him years later.
  
  I have nothing to criticize in this book. The connection to the MCs felt real and the writing style was easy to read and follow.
  
  I can only recommend to read this book.
  
  *I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review*
• 
  Tina

  The Weight We Carry by author Logan Meredith this story disappointed me. I wanted it to have more emotion and draw me in more. It has the bones of a good storyline, but the failure to deliver the emotional pull for me, well in a romance novel that is the kiss of death.
  
  Brady is 24, in a rut, and works a dead-end job. He is single and a large man.
  
  He came off as hollow to me. I wanted more of a connection to him than I got. The words are there the emotion however is not.
  
  Josh he has not had it easy in life. He rooms with Brady. Brady asks Josh to help him lose weight.
  
  Josh is generous, intelligent, hard-working but a very complicated character.
  
  Overall, this book did not work for me personally. I want to sink into a romance and fall in love. I am a die hard romantic. This book did not bring that to the table for me. I would look for more from this author because the ideas in this book are very good. Perhaps this was just a fluke that this one did not work out. I will read more and see.
  
  Three Red Stars
• 
  Kira Grace

  I’m conflicted on this one. On one hand I definitely got sucked into this story and the characters, but on the other I’m left feeling unsatisfied. The vast majority of the book centered around the main characters and their various issues but very little romance or even just good solid friendship/relationship times. This was a little “real life” for me in that it felt messy and chaotic much like real life actually is but that’s not usually what I want when I want to lose myself in a story I would consider romance. I found the characters uniquely flawed with a lot going on which was both intriguing and frustrating because I found myself stressed for 90% of the book and then the end was abrupt and a little too neat with a lot of open ended questions and little satisfaction. I don’t mind a story that takes me on a ride or even breaks me as long as it puts me back together again in the end and I get to see the pay off/aftermath or the main issues and this book just fell short for me.
• 
  Doseofromance

  I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
  This was a very sweet friends to lovers romance with great characters. Brodie and Josh have such a good understanding of each other which gives them a strong foundation for their developing relationship.
  The book also deals with some heavy themes like body image issues, anxiety, Homophobia, and past rape (I don't know if the book has a TW for the latter two, but it should.
  My only issue with the book is Matt, who Brodie briefly dates. I feel like he intentionally sabotaged Brodie's relationship with Josh just because he had a problems in the past with a jock. The justification and Brodie's immediate acceptance of that really bugged me. Brodie has known Josh for years and Josh is super supportive. Matt is literally a hookup that goes nowhere and he has no reason to be as hostile to Josh as he is. Brodie also should have shut that down a lot quicker.
• 
  Mandy

  4.5 stars
  This book quickly drew me into the world of Brady and Josh. Both men are struggling, Brady with his weight and body issues and Josh with his cruel outing and his family. The author had me sympathising with Brady and feeling devastated at what happened to Josh. The two of them fit so well together but their issues and fear of ruining a great friendship kept them from seeing how they really felt about each other. This book had great characters in Brady, Josh and all their friends plus all the feels, and I was happy, frustrated and sad with a few laughs thrown in as they finally admitted their feelings and dealt with their pasts.
  I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it as a great story and well worth the read. The only reason my rating was reduced was that the ending felt rushed and more like an HFN than a HEA.
  
  I was given an ARC of this book to read and this is my honest opinion.
• 
  Shweta

  A well-written friends-to-lovers, slowburn romance.
  
  I am a big fan of this trope and I was immediately hooked to Josh and Brady's easygoing best friends-secretly- hoping- for -something -more dynamic. It was nice to see how the author focused on both their insecurities, flaws, demons of the past and how relationships take a lot of work-even though the duo have lived together and shared everything for 6 years.
  
  The writing style is engaging and it was adorable to read how the MCs finally realise their love for each other. Though the pacing could have been better towards the latter part of the story, I kinda felt it was realistic and very lovely to read the way the MCs found their true selves alongside the love of their lives.
  
  The side characters were very well written and I do hope to read Adam-Cade, Sid and Matt's story in the future.
  
  Highly recommend to those looking for a slow burn, friends-to-lovers romance.
• 
  Raven and Chris

  Josh and Brady were amazing! As someone who has personally wrestled with self image and weight issues, I could really relate to some of Brady’s inner struggles. And Josh has some serious PTSD from trauma whether he realizes it at first or not. One of the things I absolutely loved about this book was the way both characters start looking for help for their own sake, not just for the sake of the ones they really care about. This book also highlights how much toxic bull*&!% is really in our society and permeates our lives, even when we try and keep it out. I absolutely LOVED this book and got sucked through it faster than I expected. I just couldn’t put it down as Josh and Brady’s evolving relationship unfolded on the pages. I highly recommend this one!
  
• 
  Jennifer Olivas

  Overall I enjoyed this story. You go into this thinking at first that Brady has the most issues to deal with concerning his weight and self confidence but you find out that Josh has quite a bit of trauma as well from his younger years from his family and a girl in particular. He's also really not happy with his job which just adds more stress to his life, and he has some pretty big avoidance issues. Brady also has this way of bringing Josh in and then pushing him away which is definitely not fair to Josh. They both have to learn how to address these things as they move forward from friendship to something more. I did receive a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review.
• 
  Joshua

  Leaning back to pull the tears back in...pull yourself together man. This book was so fantastic but was also a tough read for me. I have had very specific similar experiences to Josh...abuse, therapy, and a learning curve in a relationship. Fixing you sh** in a relationship is hard...no, it's exhausting. It is doable though. Josh and Brady cope with their issues in different ways and that plays out in their relationship also. It's a bit like they had a reverse trajectory from other people...or from the ideal. All of the hard work was front-loaded and they found kindness, generosity, and deeper love for each other by walking through it together. This book was a realistic slow burn romance...and I may or may not be reading it again immediately.
• 
  Arllau

  I definitely enjoyed this realistic story of friends to lovers. It deals with the real issues people experience over weight and body image and past emotional scars. The author does not gloss over these issues so the book is a longer read than many of the friends to lovers storylines. Josh and Brady have their struggles good and bad throughout the book as they learn how to cope with their issues.
  If your looking for the perfect cookie cutter romance this book might not be for you. I your looking for something that deals with real issues where you will laugh and cry and get a little angry sometimes, then this book is for you.
  I received this book as an Advanced Readers Copy.