She’d already fallen so far she didn’t know how she’d ever surface again.
3.5 stars. Lots of great things about this one, a lot of my favourite tro
She’d already fallen so far she didn’t know how she’d ever surface again.
3.5 stars. Lots of great things about this one, a lot of my favourite tropes and devices, but it didn't really come together in the best way. This is another one of those books where it feels very solidly like a 3.5, and I don't know whether or not to round up or down; I guess I'll see what I decided on when I click post. This is an f/f age gap, opposites attract, nanny romance between a high powered TV executive and the new nanny of her five year old son.
As always, I'm a little leery about ice queen characters, because many authors don't manage to balance that tightrope of a perfectly cold and composed and ruthless woman, and instead write a character who's just a bit of a dick. At first, I found Camila to be more on the latter end of the spectrum, so I wasn't mad about the fact that she thawed pretty quickly. We actually barely see her at work. Seeing how she is with her son, and how that transfers to Emily, really endeared her to me. It's a pretty slow burn, obviously forbidden, and we see every step of wanting, of attraction, how they try to endlessly deny themselves before giving in. Emily, the optimistic artist, black-belt, future astrophysicist student (she had... a lot going on) was more open to it. I love the fact that she had a crush on Camila for years, and the fact that her crush is so immediately obvious to Camila. It was so cute, and led to some really great moments. Her connection with Jaime also really really warmed my heart.
Where this came close to losing me, and maybe did lose me a little, is in all the push-and-pull. Obviously there's nothing better than a slow burn, and I love when characters take time before they admit their feelings, to themselves and to the love interest. But there was just one too many instances of 'I'm gong to open myself up to the possibility of something with you... actually no, I change my mind!!' I know that there are books that I have enjoyed that manage to do that back-and-forth with the characters in an appealing way, but this author didn't quite strike the perfect balance. We went back and forth so many times it started to feel like the characters were at a standstill. I can enjoy that dynamic up to a point, especially in a slow burn, but the last time it happened (they kiss, and one character is then like 'no, we can't do this!!), it really was soo much. It meant that we barely go to see Emily and Camila together as a couple. That's another thing that can and has worked for me in other books, but here, it just left me feeling unsatisfied, in need of 30 more pages to round everything else out. Another thing that I liked sometimes but disliked other times was the characterisation of Jaime. Sometimes, he seemed like a perfectly normal young kid; not always articulate, and single-minded in the way young children often are. But then other times the author would give him these profound lines that helped nudge the main characters towards a realisation or something, and it was just too unbelievable. A lot of fiction writers like to do the whole 'out of the mouth of babes' thing, and it can be appropriate sometimes, but mostly it just felt like... no kid actually talks like that.
I mean, I really did like this; make no mistake. The character archetypes, the pacing, the tropes, the side characters: all favourites of mine, in a pretty well-written package. It ticks all the boxes of a good single parent romance; Emily was falling for both Camila and Jaime at the same time. I loved the tension and the frequent forced proximity, and there were a lot of precious moments. I just wish this had been structured better, especially in the latter half.
Listened to the audiobook as read by Lori Prince, and it was wonderful! Wasn't a fan of some of the voices for the side characters, but I loved her narration for the mains. I think this definitely reads like a debut, but that's a good thing, because it gives me hope that my future reads from this author will be even better....more
2.5 stars. This, alas, is moving from 'stupid, but funny and intriguing' to just... 'stupid'. And I'm annoyed, because I think with some work this cou2.5 stars. This, alas, is moving from 'stupid, but funny and intriguing' to just... 'stupid'. And I'm annoyed, because I think with some work this could be actually good. It could be an absurd, uncanny exploration of girlhood and queerness and loneliness and friendship and first loves. There are some themes that are bulletproof for me, and cannibalising the one you love is up there for me. (Not that there's any actual people-eating in this. Errr. Not really. It's weird, don't ask me.) But the book isn't concerned with anything profound, not really. Or if it is, it gets lost when the artist does pointless fanservice and panty shots, or really inappropriate nudity. I keep asking myself why this isn't set in college, because it would make a whole lot more sense with some of the things happening. (Kureha is living alone? Lulu up and travels to another country during the school year?) A lot about this book kinda pissed me off, or made me uncomfortable, and it just makes me madder in turn, because I can see a universe in which this would be totally my jam!
I'll probably finish the series at some point, just to see how it ends? Or maybe I won't, because I don't like hate-reading things, and the way about feeling about this series, it might turn out to be just that: a hate-read....more
My heart had been pounding inside my grave for years, sounding the last heartbeat, and Mio alone had heard it.
3.5 stars. This was a lovely story,
My heart had been pounding inside my grave for years, sounding the last heartbeat, and Mio alone had heard it.
3.5 stars. This was a lovely story, and a lovely romance. It was super unique in terms of the fantasy of the world, and the magic systems in it, and the different paranormal and fantastical creatures. Just the like, vibes of the setting were incredible. There was a really great Renaissance feeling to the world ,and it was just unlike anything I've ever read in fantasy before. It was so creative, and it was wonderful to read about a world that was comfortably similar to a lot of established fantasy norms, but also singularly lush and expressive and unique.
I do have a lot of critiques and most of them boil down to the world-building, and the way that it was transmitted to the reader. I spent a lot of time while reading this book a little confused or unsure of what I was reading in terms of how the magic systems worked. Not all of the concepts were explained to the reader in a way that I found easy to parse, and even when they were explained, I just found that I remained a little lost. I never like when books do a lot of info dumping, but also in this case I think the story would have benefited a lot if things were just explained a bit more? Or maybe just explained a bit better? I don't know. I really can't tell if the blame for this is at my feet, if I'm just a bit thick or I wasn't paying enough attention to the things I was being told, or if the book just didn't do a great job of explaining things. Either the information was very dense, or I myself felt really dense. I finished this book maybe an hour ago, and if you asked me to take a closed-book quiz on, idk, how immortals/moon-souls are created, the logic behind ghosts in this world, how the Verge works, or any of Mio's magic in the latter half of this book, I would be fucked.
So this could have turned out to be a very lacklustre reading experience, but two things mainly kept pushing me on to read and ultimately left me enjoying the story a lot more than you might expect from my nitpicks. The first was the writing. Peterson has a lovely style that really gelled well with the world that she created. It was intricate where it needed to be but also very simple, and just really lovely to read. I reread several lines immediately upon reading them; sometimes before I just didn't understand, but often because the writing was just gorgeous.
The second, of course, was the romance. It was completely swoon-worthy. I fell hard and fast for both of these characters. Their stories were heartrending, but the joy that they found in each other was just amazing, and lifted my spirits so much I can't even explain it. Mio is incredible, and the story of him coming to terms with his mother's abuse and really trying to break away from it got me right in the heart. And I really love the concept of Rhodry as a character. He has all of this guilt weighing him down, but still he is such a sweetheart and a force of light and humour. I really love loyalty in characters, and characters who fight for one another tooth and nail. That was both of these MCs for one another, and I loved it so much. The romance perhaps moved a liiiiiittle bit fast but it still wasn't unbelievable in any way. It fit perfectly with the setting and the vibes. It was just really moving and sweet at all times. You know a romance is good when it makes you put your Kindle down and cover your face in your hands and just scream a little bit.
And I have to say, even though I spent a lot of time confused, I devoured this. It had a slow start, and I stepped away from it at times to read other things, but once it hit its stride, I flew through this book. I finished it in two sittings today.
I think that perhaps rereading this might do me some good and it might help me parse a little bit more of the world-building. I definitely want to appreciate it more than I did. But just as a fantasy love story, this is tops. Definitely recommend it.
“I guess I’m not much of a savior. But you deserved for someone to try.”
Super interesting novella about a general who returns from a wa
“Odessa is the Queen. I am her sword.”
“Gods forbid you should be your own sword.”
Super interesting novella about a general who returns from a war and finds her country and queen (who is also her lover) very much changed, and not in the ways she wanted to expected. Great concept, and there were glimmers in the writing that reminded me of what I love best about Kai Ashante Wilson's work: afro-fantasy and dialect. I liked the world-building; I loved the characters. Out of everything else, what this novella does really well is give us a great sense of the history and deep bonds between the characters, and everything that happened to bring them to the place they're at. There's something very satisfying about a good dysfunctional relationship. But still... I needed way more detail and build-up. It was ambitious to try to tell this story in just a novella, and I don't think it worked all that well. We needed to spend way more time with these characters, and so many aspects of the story could have been better fleshed out. On a simpler note, this desperately needed better editing. Lots of typos, and this has the very annoying quirk of having different lines of dialogue from different characters in the same paragraph, so I was often confused about who was speaking. All the mistakes and the breakneck speed at which we moved through the story made this seem like a rush job.
Some great ideas here, but I didn't like this as much as I wanted to.
Merged review:
“Odessa is the Queen. I am her sword.”
“Gods forbid you should be your own sword.”
Super interesting novella about a general who returns from a war and finds her country and queen (who is also her lover) very much changed, and not in the ways she wanted to expected. Great concept, and there were glimmers in the writing that reminded me of what I love best about Kai Ashante Wilson's work: afro-fantasy and dialect. I liked the world-building; I loved the characters. Out of everything else, what this novella does really well is give us a great sense of the history and deep bonds between the characters, and everything that happened to bring them to the place they're at. There's something very satisfying about a good dysfunctional relationship. But still... I needed way more detail and build-up. It was ambitious to try to tell this story in just a novella, and I don't think it worked all that well. We needed to spend way more time with these characters, and so many aspects of the story could have been better fleshed out. On a simpler note, this desperately needed better editing. Lots of typos, and this has the very annoying quirk of having different lines of dialogue from different characters in the same paragraph, so I was often confused about who was speaking. All the mistakes and the breakneck speed at which we moved through the story made this seem like a rush job.
Some great ideas here, but I didn't like this as much as I wanted to....more
Somehow, Summer had become a compulsion, pulling on him in ways that made him feel like his blood moved to Summer’s rhythm, his body drawn to his m
Somehow, Summer had become a compulsion, pulling on him in ways that made him feel like his blood moved to Summer’s rhythm, his body drawn to his magnetism.
3.5 stars. A really solid, emotional romance! McCade continues to walk the same thin line with me as always, with prose that's extremely pretty and expressive, but sometimes a bit too flowery and long-winded. But I always come out of his books feeling like I've been treated to something special. A young man goes back to the private school he attended as a teen to be a teacher's assistant, and ends up falling all over again for the professor he had a giant crush on. Summer is painfully shy and anxious; Fox has cultivated a cold, closed-off persona. But they fit together well, bring out the best in each other. Summer gets to try to be brave, and Fox gets to disentangle himself (ever so slowly) from his grief. The romance started and progressed way quicker than I generally like, and considering Summer's extreme anxiety, he seemed to be taking things quite quickly. But that's all explained in a pretty convincing and compelling way. I loved their little arc, with the kiss exchanges that quickly became something more. And it was all told in McCade's characteristic way, with some heart-stoppingly beautiful prose that now and again became so wordy I felt like I couldn't breathe. Like I said: a thin line. But romance, while on the insta-love side, did really get to me. There's an age gap, and they're both teachers at a school, and I did enjoy how those two aspects that you'd think would cause taboo drama were comparatively small parts of their story. The drama and tension and feeling came from elsewhere. There were some really vivid scenes painted that will stick out to me for a long time.
Listened to the audiobook as read by Kirt Graves. I do enjoy his performances generally, and I liked this, but I'm not sure how good of a fit he is for this style of writing? I don't know. I mostly liked it, is the important thing. This is an author who generally always delivers, and I'm glad to have started this series! I'll continue with it soon enough.
Somehow, Summer had become a compulsion, pulling on him in ways that made him feel like his blood moved to Summer’s rhythm, his body drawn to his magnetism.
3.5 stars. A really solid, emotional romance! McCade continues to walk the same thin line with me as always, with prose that's extremely pretty and expressive, but sometimes a bit too flowery and long-winded. But I always come out of his books feeling like I've been treated to something special. A young man goes back to the private school he attended as a teen to be a teacher's assistant, and ends up falling all over again for the professor he had a giant crush on. Summer is painfully shy and anxious; Fox has cultivated a cold, closed-off persona. But they fit together well, bring out the best in each other. Summer gets to try to be brave, and Fox gets to disentangle himself (ever so slowly) from his grief. The romance started and progressed way quicker than I generally like, and considering Summer's extreme anxiety, he seemed to be taking things quite quickly. But that's all explained in a pretty convincing and compelling way. I loved their little arc, with the kiss exchanges that quickly became something more. And it was all told in McCade's characteristic way, with some heart-stoppingly beautiful prose that now and again became so wordy I felt like I couldn't breathe. Like I said: a thin line. But romance, while on the insta-love side, did really get to me. There's an age gap, and they're both teachers at a school, and I did enjoy how those two aspects that you'd think would cause taboo drama were comparatively small parts of their story. The drama and tension and feeling came from elsewhere. There were some really vivid scenes painted that will stick out to me for a long time.
Listened to the audiobook as read by Kirt Graves. I do enjoy his performances generally, and I liked this, but I'm not sure how good of a fit he is for this style of writing? I don't know. I mostly liked it, is the important thing. This is an author who generally always delivers, and I'm glad to have started this series! I'll continue with it soon enough.
She wants to shake off Grandma’s hand and tell her she’s not crying because she’s scared, she’s crying because she’s angry.
3.5 stars. Really power
She wants to shake off Grandma’s hand and tell her she’s not crying because she’s scared, she’s crying because she’s angry.
3.5 stars. Really powerful and succinct exploration of race, politics, police brutality and the penal system, through the lens of two siblings. Ella has a gift that she can't explain, one that cries out to be used in the face of all the hate and violence and bigotry that she sees in the world. Kev, born during the LA riots, gets swept up into the crime in their neighbourhood, and tells most of his side of the story from prison. But through it all, they remain connected via their love and Ella's powers, as the world around them seethes and changes. I really liked this! Sometimes it can be unsatisfying to see real world issues in fantastical books; not because I don't want to see racism discussed in sff, but because I often find not enough of the narrative is dedicated to it? Not so here. I love that we're following siblings, and the fact that this digs deep into the atrocities of the prison industrial complex (both in and out of lockup), and the book doesn't hold your hand or hold back too much. I enjoyed the vignette-y way it was told, and the style was loose and casual, but still delivered gut punches when necessary. In the end, it did suffer a bit from the novella problem. I wanted to know a lot more about Ella's years away from the family, and about her abilities in general. Some novellas are satisfying as is, but this, I feel like I could have read an epic about it.
Listened to the audiobook as read by the author; it was pretty good! For me, it can be pretty hit or miss when authors narrate their own fiction, but Onyebuchi nailed it. Really good read, hope to read more from him soon.
She wants to shake off Grandma’s hand and tell her she’s not crying because she’s scared, she’s crying because she’s angry.
3.5 stars. Really powerful and succinct exploration of race, politics, police brutality and the penal system, through the lens of two siblings. Ella has a gift that she can't explain, one that cries out to be used in the face of all the hate and violence and bigotry that she sees in the world. Kev, born during the LA riots, gets swept up into the crime in their neighbourhood, and tells most of his side of the story from prison. But through it all, they remain connected via their love and Ella's powers, as the world around them seethes and changes. I really liked this! Sometimes it can be unsatisfying to see real world issues in fantastical books; not because I don't want to see racism discussed in sff, but because I often find not enough of the narrative is dedicated to it? Not so here. I love that we're following siblings, and the fact that this digs deep into the atrocities of the prison industrial complex (both in and out of lockup), and the book doesn't hold your hand or hold back too much. I enjoyed the vignette-y way it was told, and the style was loose and casual, but still delivered gut punches when necessary. In the end, it did suffer a bit from the novella problem. I wanted to know a lot more about Ella's years away from the family, and about her abilities in general. Some novellas are satisfying as is, but this, I feel like I could have read an epic about it.
Listened to the audiobook as read by the author; it was pretty good! For me, it can be pretty hit or miss when authors narrate their own fiction, but Onyebuchi nailed it. Really good read, hope to read more from him soon.
A cog jumping in the brain, a thing going wrong. It didn’t make any sense to stare at a stranger and think, ‘Yes, oh yes.’
3.5 stars. Short stories
A cog jumping in the brain, a thing going wrong. It didn’t make any sense to stare at a stranger and think, ‘Yes, oh yes.’
3.5 stars. Short stories rarely do much for me these days, especially if it's about completely new-to-me characters. But I still really liked this, despite the shortness. A really sweet historical ace love story between a cabaret singer and a fence. There's a lot of ugliness surrounding Stan and Christiana, but they themselves are so lovely to read about. And I'm VERY glad I read this series in publishing order rather than chronological order. The Lilywhite Boys make appearances here, and I loved them soooo much, more so because I already knew them.
A cog jumping in the brain, a thing going wrong. It didn’t make any sense to stare at a stranger and think, ‘Yes, oh yes.’
3.5 stars. Short stories rarely do much for me these days, especially if it's about completely new-to-me characters. But I still really liked this, despite the shortness. A really sweet historical ace love story between a cabaret singer and a fence. There's a lot of ugliness surrounding Stan and Christiana, but they themselves are so lovely to read about. And I'm VERY glad I read this series in publishing order rather than chronological order. The Lilywhite Boys make appearances here, and I loved them soooo much, more so because I already knew them.
Crazy as it sounded, in some ways, my life was easier when I was fighting. All I could focus on was survival.
3.5 stars. Cute grumpy/sunshine roman
Crazy as it sounded, in some ways, my life was easier when I was fighting. All I could focus on was survival.
3.5 stars. Cute grumpy/sunshine romance with maybe just a biiiiit too much grump? I don't know, it's something I get really picky about. I love a grumpy character, but some writers make characters out to be complete assholes. MJ almost tipped right into that for me. MJ is the owner of a tattoo parlour, and Cassie is her new mentee, and a cancer survivor. They fall into a deal where Cassie will help out with creating new ideas to revitalise the shop, and MJ will help Cassie stop being so much of a people pleaser. I really enjoyed the setup, and sometimes when MJ would push Cassie to her limits and try to bring her out of her shell, try to get her to fight back, to stand up for herself, it was soooo satisfying. But sometimes she went completely over the line and I couldn't stand it. She didn't impress me much as a boss, her attitude got a pass way more than it should have, and the way she pushed at Cassie's boundaries was sometimes just obnoxious. And the book didn't address this as much as I wanted it to. Like, don't get me wrong. I have little interest in a book with perfect characters, who say and do all the right things form page one, never fuck up or make mistakes, or who say a bad thing and then immediately gain self awareness like 'Ah, that was unfair of me. I should apologise immediately.' That's not how people work, or how good character development works. But the thing with MJ is that she never got a really satisfying arc (imo) and didn't come to some conclusions I think she should have (imo). Some of the emotional conversations in this happened soooo quickly, and they felt fake/insincere.
But I did still like this quite a bit. It still had its charm, and I loved the setting, and the uniqueness of the characters. I described this as grumpy/sunshine which maybe isn't very accurate; Cassie starts off as a bit of a doormat. But she was such a sweet and strong woman. Even though I didn't like a lot of MJ's methods with her, it was gratifying when she'd snap, and MJ would encourage her, and praise her for it. They had so much good chemistry, and I loved the scenes where they got intimate and comfortable with each other's bodies. Cassie's cancer is a big part of the story, and while that made it serious and sombre at some times, I really liked how it was handled. (Especially when Cassie talks about the way people see her, or expect her to behave.) Definitely helped me enjoy this more.
Listened to the audiobook as read by Kate Zane and Carly Robbins, and it was pretty good. The pacing wasn't the best, and I preferred Cassie's narrator over MJ's (probably because I just liked Cassie more) but it was still a good time. I'll definitely continue the series soon.
Crazy as it sounded, in some ways, my life was easier when I was fighting. All I could focus on was survival.
3.5 stars. Cute grumpy/sunshine romance with maybe just a biiiiit too much grump? I don't know, it's something I get really picky about. I love a grumpy character, but some writers make characters out to be complete assholes. MJ almost tipped right into that for me. MJ is the owner of a tattoo parlour, and Cassie is her new mentee, and a cancer survivor. They fall into a deal where Cassie will help out with creating new ideas to revitalise the shop, and MJ will help Cassie stop being so much of a people pleaser. I really enjoyed the setup, and sometimes when MJ would push Cassie to her limits and try to bring her out of her shell, try to get her to fight back, to stand up for herself, it was soooo satisfying. But sometimes she went completely over the line and I couldn't stand it. She didn't impress me much as a boss, her attitude got a pass way more than it should have, and the way she pushed at Cassie's boundaries was sometimes just obnoxious. And the book didn't address this as much as I wanted it to. Like, don't get me wrong. I have little interest in a book with perfect characters, who say and do all the right things form page one, never fuck up or make mistakes, or who say a bad thing and then immediately gain self awareness like 'Ah, that was unfair of me. I should apologise immediately.' That's not how people work, or how good character development works. But the thing with MJ is that she never got a really satisfying arc (imo) and didn't come to some conclusions I think she should have (imo). Some of the emotional conversations in this happened soooo quickly, and they felt fake/insincere.
But I did still like this quite a bit. It still had its charm, and I loved the setting, and the uniqueness of the characters. I described this as grumpy/sunshine which maybe isn't very accurate; Cassie starts off as a bit of a doormat. But she was such a sweet and strong woman. Even though I didn't like a lot of MJ's methods with her, it was gratifying when she'd snap, and MJ would encourage her, and praise her for it. They had so much good chemistry, and I loved the scenes where they got intimate and comfortable with each other's bodies. Cassie's cancer is a big part of the story, and while that made it serious and sombre at some times, I really liked how it was handled. (Especially when Cassie talks about the way people see her, or expect her to behave.) Definitely helped me enjoy this more.
Listened to the audiobook as read by Kate Zane and Carly Robbins, and it was pretty good. The pacing wasn't the best, and I preferred Cassie's narrator over MJ's (probably because I just liked Cassie more) but it was still a good time. I'll definitely continue the series soon.
“You stole my heart, and now it beats, fragile and weeping, within your fist. I should despise you for that.”
3.5 stars. And I waffled a lot on whe
“You stole my heart, and now it beats, fragile and weeping, within your fist. I should despise you for that.”
3.5 stars. And I waffled a lot on whether or not I'd round up or down on that. I liked the writing and the setting and the themes (obsessive love: my eternal catnip), but this turned out to be a little too dark for me. And I mean, of course, I knew it was going to be dark, and it was probably just a little less dark then the author's other book The Wicked and the Willing, which I did enjoy more. But the ways in which it was dark were just... woof. A little too much for me. But it's still an interesting and enjoyable book.
This is an f/f Hades/Persephone retelling that sticks pretty close to the original myth in some ways, and deviates a bunch in others. There's some interesting world-building, great atmosphere, compelling characters. I love mythological retellings, and in one like this, I don't want all the darkness taken out. Like, I don't think a saccharine Hades would ever really work for me; that moves a little too far from the source. But Hades in this was just a liiiiittle too much of a nightmare, haha. I think I would have come around on her a bit more if there'd been just a more consent in those first encounters, a little more consideration. But then, that would have been a completely different book. I did come around on her slightly, but not much. It helps that Persephone did, but even that felt more like capitulation than anything else. I'm grateful that there was no attempt at rationalising Hades' behaviour, and there's the implication that she's going to have to work for forgiveness, but that's my biggest problem. I wanted to SEE her putting in more work for that. I wanted to see Hades grovel big time. Or at least the sexy powerful underworld queen version of grovelling. Something. Because it felt like all take and no give on her part, and while Persephone grows and matures by leaps and bounds, comes to accept her desires and figure out her place in the world, it feels like Hades barely budges by comparison. I mean, she does change! But I wanted to see more. There's unfortunately a lot of stuff about Hades and Persephone's' developing relationship that is left off-page, or just mentioned, and it's a shame because I feel like seeing some of those moments could have really improved this. Same with some of the Demeter stuff: it just needed to be seeded a little earlier.
So yeah, a complicated read for me, not something that I could ever completely love, but overall I did like it. I really enjoy the author's writing, which always has this sensual, dark, decadent feel. Listened to the audiobook as read by Eva Caine, which was pretty okay. Not sure I loved the accent, but I really liked her voice. Not a new favourite, but it did solidify my willingness to try just about anything from this author.
Content warnings: (view spoiler)[a comprehensive list is available at the author's website, but short version: rape, abusive relationship, flogging, parental abuse (childhood and current) (hide spoiler)]
Merged review:
“You stole my heart, and now it beats, fragile and weeping, within your fist. I should despise you for that.”
3.5 stars. And I waffled a lot on whether or not I'd round up or down on that. I liked the writing and the setting and the themes (obsessive love: my eternal catnip), but this turned out to be a little too dark for me. And I mean, of course, I knew it was going to be dark, and it was probably just a little less dark then the author's other book The Wicked and the Willing, which I did enjoy more. But the ways in which it was dark were just... woof. A little too much for me. But it's still an interesting and enjoyable book.
This is an f/f Hades/Persephone retelling that sticks pretty close to the original myth in some ways, and deviates a bunch in others. There's some interesting world-building, great atmosphere, compelling characters. I love mythological retellings, and in one like this, I don't want all the darkness taken out. Like, I don't think a saccharine Hades would ever really work for me; that moves a little too far from the source. But Hades in this was just a liiiiittle too much of a nightmare, haha. I think I would have come around on her a bit more if there'd been just a more consent in those first encounters, a little more consideration. But then, that would have been a completely different book. I did come around on her slightly, but not much. It helps that Persephone did, but even that felt more like capitulation than anything else. I'm grateful that there was no attempt at rationalising Hades' behaviour, and there's the implication that she's going to have to work for forgiveness, but that's my biggest problem. I wanted to SEE her putting in more work for that. I wanted to see Hades grovel big time. Or at least the sexy powerful underworld queen version of grovelling. Something. Because it felt like all take and no give on her part, and while Persephone grows and matures by leaps and bounds, comes to accept her desires and figure out her place in the world, it feels like Hades barely budges by comparison. I mean, she does change! But I wanted to see more. There's unfortunately a lot of stuff about Hades and Persephone's' developing relationship that is left off-page, or just mentioned, and it's a shame because I feel like seeing some of those moments could have really improved this. Same with some of the Demeter stuff: it just needed to be seeded a little earlier.
So yeah, a complicated read for me, not something that I could ever completely love, but overall I did like it. I really enjoy the author's writing, which always has this sensual, dark, decadent feel. Listened to the audiobook as read by Eva Caine, which was pretty okay. Not sure I loved the accent, but I really liked her voice. Not a new favourite, but it did solidify my willingness to try just about anything from this author.
Content warnings: (view spoiler)[a comprehensive list is available at the author's website, but short version: rape, abusive relationship, flogging, parental abuse (childhood and current) (hide spoiler)]...more
Something was making me follow him. Something was making me choose him, despite the horrific things he did.
On god... nothing happened in this book
Something was making me follow him. Something was making me choose him, despite the horrific things he did.
On god... nothing happened in this book. There's so little plot. 300+ pages of walking and characters talking and more walking and a bit of action and peril then back to more walking and talking. And... I kind of fucking loved it? Lol. And obviously, I'm being a bit hyperbolic about there being no plot; of course, there was some. To some degree. And I will forever be a reader who prioritises characters and character interaction over everything else, so it's not like I hate the fact that the plot was weak. But I just know that if the plot was stronger, if there had been more characters and maybe a few more obstacles and slightly stronger writing, this could have jumped at least a half star on my rating scale. So if there's any slight disappointment on my part, it's for that. But again, I have to stress, I REALLY really liked this.
We're 20 years into a dystopian future where monsters have swarmed through a tear in our world, and life is forever changed, with most of civilisation in the US moving to the military controlled coastlines, while raiders and scavengers and monsters of all sorts roam the interior. Danny is a new soldier, part of a team of cannon fodder out to capture an extremely dangerous soul eater. Danny is the only soldier of his platoon that Wyn leaves alive, and when Wyn is captured, Danny is the only person he'll consent to talk to. And their romance starts from there. It's a very... idk, closed-off, insular kind of romance, in the sense that for most of the book, they're the only two characters on the page. Sometimes that really works for me, and sometimes it really doesn't. Happily, this was a situation where I felt like it fit (mostly). They're travelling across a ravaged and much-changed America while Wyn does his gruesome work, and Danny slowly gets to know the person beneath the hood. And their characters are why this really works. Wyn is monstrous in his abilities, and the way he kills, and somewhat in the way he looks, but at the centre? He's a complete fucking sweetheart, and I loved it. Give me a growly, dangerous, stoic love interest who completely folds for their partner any day. I loved how he was described as nightmarish in so many different ways, especially in his voice and the appearance of nothingness beneath his hood, but Danny came to fall for him wholeheartedly anyway. Because he's just so sweet. I also really liked Danny, and I liked that he continued to be leery of violence and death, but that did not stop his attraction to and eventual love for Wyn. They're both really protective of one another, and I loved the scenes where Wyn went completely ballistic when trying to care for Danny, and the scenes where he completely melted for him. It was so good. And something about seeing their relationship blossom in a world that's so arid and bare... idk, it was beautiful.
Part of the reason why it feels like nothing happens (other than the fact that it was just the two of them most of the time) is the fact that every problem seems to get solved easily? Or, idk, that's not right. But it felt like no bad situation lasted for long? There are no arcs? A problem or conflict would crop up for the story or the relationship, and then it would be ironed out immediately, and then they'd move on. At least that's what it felt like to me. The only exception is the low grade miscommunication or misunderstanding about how they feel about each other, that runs parallel to the entire book, but I actually didn't mind that. It felt apt, and not overbearing, like miscommunication tends to feel in romance novels. But I really think that the book would have worked better if, idk, the military presence was more deeply felt, or if there was more of an actual PLOT with Hamish and Mallory. Those two only showed up when they were directly relevant, and even more disappointingly, some very important things with them happened off screen. I loved Edin, mostly because he's a great character and really funny and I'm really looking forward to his romance, but also, I was always so RELIEVED to have another character on-page, interacting with Wyn and Danny. This feels like a weird thing to complain about, but idk. One of my favourite romances this year has also been a close proximity where the couple barely interacts with anyone other than each other (Looking for Trouble) but that felt a lot meatier, delved into their feelings and characters in a way that made up for it, and didn't leave the book feeling so empty. In this... it landed well, but just not AS well. There were several sex scenes and they were all great, super hot, but I'd trade in a couple of them for the book to feel more well-rounded.
(view spoiler)[One thing: did we ever find out how Wyn knew Danny's name? Did I space out and miss that? There is a slight fated mates /soulmates vibe, but unless I missed something, nothing about that explained how Wyn came to know Danny's name in the beginning. I kept expecting Danny to ask him, or for it to come up at the end of the book, and be this big dramatic, romantic reveal, but it never did. Huh. (hide spoiler)]
Listened to the audiobook as read by Michael Lesley, and I really liked it! The southern accent was pretty thick, and the acting got a tiiiiiiny bit over-dramatic at times? Lots of pauses and emphasis on certain things, and I found myself laughing at inappropriate moments. Mostly the sex scenes. But it was still really good, and his Wyn voice more than made up for any little nitpicks I had. Good job making him sound scary and a little nightmarish, without getting cartoonishly deep or anything. I definitely enjoyed my time with this, though it clearly has its debut bumps. If I were rating based on the romance alone, and how I felt about the couple, this would be a favourite. But as it is, I'm really glad I gave it a try, and I'm definitely gonna read on in the series soon.
In the office, he was miles above me. In the bedroom, he was on his knees below me. And afterward, when the work day was over and the dust had sett
In the office, he was miles above me. In the bedroom, he was on his knees below me. And afterward, when the work day was over and the dust had settled, we landed on level ground.
3.5 stars. Even though I got something slightly different out of this than what I expected when I started it, I really enjoyed my time with this romance. It's a workplace romance between a rich property developer and an architectural modeler. It has such a good meet-cute, older characters, and so much excellent chemistry. It's a little more focused on the sex than I expected, because at first I didn't realise that this was an erotic romance. But in the end I loved so much about this. I loved the conversations about kink, how natural it was for them, how careful John is with Rick, even though they're both pretty experienced in the grand scheme of things. There were lots of great relationships out of outside of the romantic one, even though John and Rick were the focus. It was great to have those friendships that went a long way towards making this feel more fleshed out: John's relationship with his ex-wife, his co-workers, his boss. It's also just nice reading about characters who are 40+ finding love. This was single POV, and it's one of the few times where I wouldn't have minded if we got POVs from both main characters, but it didn't feel like anything was missing. They were just super compatible, and this was hot, and made me smile so much. Just the kind of palate cleanser I needed.
Listened to the audiobook as read by Nick J. Russo, who is so so talented. I adore all the emotion he puts into his voices, and how he makes scenes come alive. Honestly, he was my favourite thing about this book, since the writing wasn't really gripping? Not bad; just not striking. Having a great narrator made it shine! I've never disliked anything I've read from this author, and I'm glad to have another winner from her under my belt.
In the office, he was miles above me. In the bedroom, he was on his knees below me. And afterward, when the work day was over and the dust had settled, we landed on level ground.
3.5 stars. Even though I got something slightly different out of this than what I expected when I started it, I really enjoyed my time with this romance. It's a workplace romance between a rich property developer and an architectural modeler. It has such a good meet-cute, older characters, and so much excellent chemistry. It's a little more focused on the sex than I expected, because at first I didn't realise that this was an erotic romance. But in the end I loved so much about this. I loved the conversations about kink, how natural it was for them, how careful John is with Rick, even though they're both pretty experienced in the grand scheme of things. There were lots of great relationships out of outside of the romantic one, even though John and Rick were the focus. It was great to have those friendships that went a long way towards making this feel more fleshed out: John's relationship with his ex-wife, his co-workers, his boss. It's also just nice reading about characters who are 40+ finding love. This was single POV, and it's one of the few times where I wouldn't have minded if we got POVs from both main characters, but it didn't feel like anything was missing. They were just super compatible, and this was hot, and made me smile so much. Just the kind of palate cleanser I needed.
Listened to the audiobook as read by Nick J. Russo, who is so so talented. I adore all the emotion he puts into his voices, and how he makes scenes come alive. Honestly, he was my favourite thing about this book, since the writing wasn't really gripping? Not bad; just not striking. Having a great narrator made it shine! I've never disliked anything I've read from this author, and I'm glad to have another winner from her under my belt.
Like the fog he loved so much, Hawes was a creature of shadow and light, playing in the corners, at the edges, until the wispy, indefinable mist sl
Like the fog he loved so much, Hawes was a creature of shadow and light, playing in the corners, at the edges, until the wispy, indefinable mist slunk in all around and was too overpowering to see your way out of. You could fear it, fear the uncertainty, or let go and accept it. In this city, there was no escaping it. So you grew to love it, like Hawes had the fog, like Chris had the man.
3.5 stars. Like I expected, the turns that the plot took and the angst that was introduced made this a pretty fun and engaging read, more so than the first book. Now that I feel a little more rooted in the world, it's easier to connect with the characters. And I love that we're now getting Dante POV, seeing into his past and his motives, getting to know his own family a little more. It got to me more than I expected! Because of the nature of the conflict, the romance between him and Hawes was even more enjoyable. I love this kind of tension, and the enmity made their chemistry even better. I also loved the hints at the side-ships, and I'm super excited especially for Helena's romance.
Listened to the audiobook as read by Tristan James; again, not really my favourite, but I have no huge nit-picks. No one really sounds like I would expect them to, but it's still an enjoyable listen. This ended on another cliff-hanger, so I'm immediately jumping into the last book of this couple's trilogy.
Merged review:
Like the fog he loved so much, Hawes was a creature of shadow and light, playing in the corners, at the edges, until the wispy, indefinable mist slunk in all around and was too overpowering to see your way out of. You could fear it, fear the uncertainty, or let go and accept it. In this city, there was no escaping it. So you grew to love it, like Hawes had the fog, like Chris had the man.
3.5 stars. Like I expected, the turns that the plot took and the angst that was introduced made this a pretty fun and engaging read, more so than the first book. Now that I feel a little more rooted in the world, it's easier to connect with the characters. And I love that we're now getting Dante POV, seeing into his past and his motives, getting to know his own family a little more. It got to me more than I expected! Because of the nature of the conflict, the romance between him and Hawes was even more enjoyable. I love this kind of tension, and the enmity made their chemistry even better. I also loved the hints at the side-ships, and I'm super excited especially for Helena's romance.
Listened to the audiobook as read by Tristan James; again, not really my favourite, but I have no huge nit-picks. No one really sounds like I would expect them to, but it's still an enjoyable listen. This ended on another cliff-hanger, so I'm immediately jumping into the last book of this couple's trilogy....more
Even if the world was swept up in an invisible storm, I’d still find you.
3.5 stars. Lmao... what the fuck did I just read. I'm not sure, but I thi
Even if the world was swept up in an invisible storm, I’d still find you.
3.5 stars. Lmao... what the fuck did I just read. I'm not sure, but I think I mostly enjoyed it. But it was also really weird, really absurd. Intentionally so? At least some of the time. And then sometimes it was weird in a way that annoyed me or made me roll my eyes. I'm actually intrigued enough to continue the series, as bonkers as it is. There are just some questions that like... now I want answers! Kureha is a shy school girl; Ginko is the new girl that recently transferred to her school. And also shows up in Kureha's dreams. They become friends, and Kureha is convinced that Ginko is secretly a bear, but the answer is both simpler and more complicated than that. Spoilers ahead.
(view spoiler)[- The tone of this... I just couldn't put my finger on it. Sometimes I felt like it was just a straight-forward parody, or it was trying to be a nonsensical comedy. But then other times, I felt like there was a clear metaphor for queerness wrapped up in here, especially when the girls pledged to see/show their true selves. And that was really genuinely touching, especially in the first couple chapters. Especially from Kureha's POV, because she doesn't yet understand what she's feeling. - The reveal that everyone in the world is a bear who thinks that they're humans, and Kureha is the only actual human....... LMAO????? What the hell. I mean, I'm pretty sure that's going to turn out to be a delusion or hallucination that Ginko is suffering, somehow brought on by her mother? But my jaw dropped at that point, because it's just so... stupid? But somehow poignant? Lmao who came up with this. - Speaking of Ginko's mother, I mean, she's obviously terrible, but the fact that she's off in another country, (seemingly well and not sick like Ginko thinks) doesn't keep up with her daughter's life, is fucking her sister in law... I find her kind of hilarious. I might have to stan. - And okay the reveal that she ate Kureha's mother (who was also human; everyone else is a bear, remember) when they were younger? I was howling. And then she ordered Ginko to eat Kureha as well... oh wow. Consumption as an act of love is a very hard yes for me when I'm consuming speculative media, like horror (think AMC's The Terror) but I was not expecting themes like this to pop up in a silly GL manga. Like, that scene where Ginko finds out that Kureha eats bear meat, and then she tries to cannibalise Kureha in her sleep, but can't bring herself to... I didn't expect it to go so hard, but it kinda did?? - Also Ginko being obsessed with Kureha and wanting to attic-wife her... lol. This was all so absurd, but it kept circling back around to being poignant in a way. Or maybe that was just me, idk. - But a lot of the potentially profound themes were undercut by the latent grossness. There's no way that this needed to take place in high school. These are 16 year olds. There's no way we needed all those gratuitous panty shots, title pages with them in their underwear, no-nipple nudity scenes. Like, what the fuck. It made this feel like less of an entertaining shitpost, and more just... annoying and gross. - And honestly, it makes me feel like all the metaphor that I'm applying to the rest to the manga doesn't apply, and maybe it is just... really stupid. (hide spoiler)]
Nevertheless, I'll read on, because I am way too curious about what's going to come next.
Love is the same way. It is better to love than to be loved. It is better to eat than to be eaten.
But when Rebecca grinned at me, there was only one clear option: to follow Rebecca Lawson into whatever ocean the siren wanted. And I was going wil
But when Rebecca grinned at me, there was only one clear option: to follow Rebecca Lawson into whatever ocean the siren wanted. And I was going willingly.
3.5 stars. Maybe 3.75? I had a lot of ups and downs with this, but ultimately it was really cute, and I had a great time with this. This is an author I can definitely see myself coming back to! Especially since the things that I didn't like about the book had nothing to do with the writing or the style, but mostly just the plot. This is a best friend's older sister romance, brimming with chemistry and steam and banter, and I really liked it, but the sources of conflict for the couple just were not interesting to me.
Jess has had a crush on her best friend's older sister, Rebecca, for years. When Jess's date stands her up, Rebecca even ends up taking her to prom, and they have an amazing night that ends somewhat awkwardly. But now, four years later, they're back in each other's lives to help plan and organise Lily's wedding. Their chemistry keeps pulling them together, even though they both know that Lily will be really upset if anything happens between them. Like I said, the romance really shone for me. I love when relationships blossom out of a crush and then develop into something deeper. Rebecca is an absolute dreamboat, and I love how sweet and funny she is, how she teases Jess and everyone around her. Her confidence and swagger never really devolved into the kind of cockiness that I don't enjoy reading in a love interest. She was just so utterly charming, and it's easy to see why Jess fell head over heels for her. I also loved that she played sports, and I honestly would have loved it if we got to see a few more hockey scenes, with Jess going to games and supporting her. We did get some, but I liked it so much, especially with Jess swooning over her in her uniform and with her muscles showing, that I just wanted it to play a bigger part of the book. Not to mention that I wouldn't have minded if the book was just longer on the whole. But yeah, I really like them together. Jess is a little bit timid, a little bit of a pushover, but she does eventually grow and start standing up for herself a bit more. It really felt like they clicked together, and every time they were on page, they were either being really sweet or really sexy.
What I didn't really like was the entire plot with Lily. The premise is that Jess and Rebecca have to keep their relationship hidden, because Lily would have a meltdown if she knew her best friend and her older sister were hooking up. She's also really stressed and busy with wedding preparations, and she needs their help for it, but mostly, she doesn't want them getting close. I know that in any best friend sibling's romance, this is probably going to be an issue, but I hated that it was a conflict from almost the very beginning. It really seemed so silly to me, that Lily would get so upset at the thought of Rebecca paying any attention to Jess, or that there was some unspoken rule that you can't date your best friend's family members. I know it's a trope for a reason, but Lily seemed to take it so very seriously, and I couldn't. I just found it irritating and far-fetched and frankly childish. (I guess they're only 22, but still.) We're eventually given reasons for Lily's behaviour, and that whole plot did wrap up in a way that I found satisfying (especially since Lily had some growing of her own to do, which was much needed). But I won't lie, it did sap my enjoyment in a lot of parts of the book. This is also one of those plots where there is something that Rebecca and Jess should obviously just talk about, but they spend a lot of time not talking about it, and the book never really gives us a reason why. When they first meet up again, I would have thought that one of the first things that Jess would do was to ask Rebecca about the things that happened on prom night, but instead that whole thing is dragged out until almost the end of the book. Because there needed to be a reveal or whatever. It felt really manufactured, and thus kind of annoying. There was also a mini time skip at what I thought was the worst moment, because that could have been used to lengthen the book a bit, show us the strengthening romance between Jess and Rebecca.
But thankfully, the ending pulled everything together. It was really, really sweet, and like I said, some of the issues I had with the conflict were explained in credible ways. I liked the growth that Jess had with her mother, and the way that Rebecca was able to get a little closer to her family. But the relationship was most certainly my favorite thing. The wedding scene was great, and the epilogue was the cutest. They are so lovely together. Not all of the banter was really original, and not all of the humour was totally my thing, but as a whole, it was a really hot, really charming romance. I'll definitely be looking out for more from this author.
“We can’t fall in love without being a little bit brave; we’d just be shadows of ourselves, waiting for something that would never come.”
Lifeblood escapes all the time, minor haemorrhages, a little a day. Maybe that is how we age. Maybe that is how we die.
I'm glad I went into this o
Lifeblood escapes all the time, minor haemorrhages, a little a day. Maybe that is how we age. Maybe that is how we die.
I'm glad I went into this one completely blind. I just read the blurb, and while I don't think it gives too much away, it was really creepy and fun having no idea what was happening in the beginning of this weird little novella. The writing is searing and sharp, just as descriptive as it needs to be and not a jot more, but still lovely. Thompson has created an extremely memorable protagonist in Molly; brilliant, dry, efficient, a survivor. I kinda wish this book had zigged instead of zagged, and I was waiting for it to get weird in a completely different way. Also, this is totally a me thing, but when we finally got some answers, they happened to tie into themes that I, personally, am always incredibly bored by.
Still. Really terrific. My first by this author; definitely not my last.
Lifeblood escapes all the time, minor haemorrhages, a little a day. Maybe that is how we age. Maybe that is how we die.
I'm glad I went into this one completely blind. I just read the blurb, and while I don't think it gives too much away, it was really creepy and fun having no idea what was happening in the beginning of this weird little novella. The writing is searing and sharp, just as descriptive as it needs to be and not a jot more, but still lovely. Thompson has created an extremely memorable protagonist in Molly; brilliant, dry, efficient, a survivor. I kinda wish this book had zigged instead of zagged, and I was waiting for it to get weird in a completely different way. Also, this is totally a me thing, but when we finally got some answers, they happened to tie into themes that I, personally, am always incredibly bored by.
Still. Really terrific. My first by this author; definitely not my last.
Most people he met fit into neat little boxes in his mind, but Captain Jack Turner seemed determined to messily squeeze into the books and crannies
Most people he met fit into neat little boxes in his mind, but Captain Jack Turner seemed determined to messily squeeze into the books and crannies.
I really like novellas, but some stories just aren't meant to fit into 100-ish pages. This is one of them, imo. I really enjoyed this story of an army captain with PTSD falling for the ranger guiding him across the Arctic, but I really felt like it should have been... less dense? Or way longer. This has all of the major story beats of a 300-page novel, but just very condensed. I felt like I was watching a speedrun of a videogame. And the fact that it happens within two days made it even worse. Not that this is insta-love; it was at least realistic in that aspect. Things just happened super quickly, and by the time I was warming up to the characters, the book was over. But despite that, I still had a good time with this. I love a good tropey read, and this was forced proximity, cuddling for warmth, sharing a bed (sleeping bag)... all the greatest hits. There were some things about cold weather/frostbite that uhhh IDK if they were accurate, but hey, it's a romance. I'm willing to buy what you're selling. Also not sure about the First Nations rep, but it's not something I can comment on.
Listened to the audiobook as read by Joel Leslie, who is and remains one of my faves. Andrews writes really good romances, and I loved this for the survival aspect and the hurt/comfort. I just wish it was longer.
Most people he met fit into neat little boxes in his mind, but Captain Jack Turner seemed determined to messily squeeze into the books and crannies.
I really like novellas, but some stories just aren't meant to fit into 100-ish pages. This is one of them, imo. I really enjoyed this story of an army captain with PTSD falling for the ranger guiding him across the Arctic, but I really felt like it should have been... less dense? Or way longer. This has all of the major story beats of a 300-page novel, but just very condensed. I felt like I was watching a speedrun of a videogame. And the fact that it happens within two days made it even worse. Not that this is insta-love; it was at least realistic in that aspect. Things just happened super quickly, and by the time I was warming up to the characters, the book was over. But despite that, I still had a good time with this. I love a good tropey read, and this was forced proximity, cuddling for warmth, sharing a bed (sleeping bag)... all the greatest hits. There were some things about cold weather/frostbite that uhhh IDK if they were accurate, but hey, it's a romance. I'm willing to buy what you're selling. Also not sure about the First Nations rep, but it's not something I can comment on.
Listened to the audiobook as read by Joel Leslie, who is and remains one of my faves. Andrews writes really good romances, and I loved this for the survival aspect and the hurt/comfort. I just wish it was longer.
This was good! I got exactly what I expected out of it, or maybe a little less. I picked it up because I wanted to read a bit more about the folklore This was good! I got exactly what I expected out of it, or maybe a little less. I picked it up because I wanted to read a bit more about the folklore of other countries, and Japanese mythology isn't something I know a lot about. All of the stories were interesting in their own way, but the method in which they were told... eh. In the forward, the author freely admits that she translated and adapted these tales specifically with an eye towards making them more digestible for a young, western audience, and you can tell. They all feel little bit watered down, and there are several words and phrases used that feel like they were picked out of any typical European fairytale. The author/translator also says that she changed and added things as she saw fit, which makes me really curious about what these stories are like in their original form. These just felt a little stiff, a little dry.
Still, I'm glad I read it. A few of them left an impact: The Quarrel of the Monkey and the Crab, The Ogre of Rashomom, The Farmer and the Badger, and The Shinansha. A lot of stories seemed to centre around old couples that wanted a baby, or suddenly found a baby, which is never my favourite theme, but ah well. Listened to the audiobook as read by Leslie Bellair, and it was fine. This was one of those books that I didn't take especial pleasure in, but I'm glad I read it for the experience and knowledge. ...more
A really sweet and cosy Christmas romance. Ryan and Cary are co-stars on a small but popular scifi TV show, and next season, their characters will be A really sweet and cosy Christmas romance. Ryan and Cary are co-stars on a small but popular scifi TV show, and next season, their characters will be starting a romance. Ryan has been pining for Cary pretty much since they met, but he thinks Cary is straight and that he doesn't have a chance. But after breaking up with his girlfriend, Cary ends up spending the holidays with Ryan and his family in Canada. It's super cute and wholesome. I love holiday books like this, where one character's family just envelops and totally welcomes the other into their home and shares their traditions. The atmosphere was so warm and lovely. I really liked their relationship, and all the pining. It was just a teensy bit too short for my tastes, and it does show its age a bit? Andrews doesn't have this much gender essentialist stuff in her later books.
Listened to the audiobook as read by Kirt Graves, and really enjoyed it. This was a pretty simple romance, but it got the job done and had a lot of heart.
Merged review:
A really sweet and cosy Christmas romance. Ryan and Cary are co-stars on a small but popular scifi TV show, and next season, their characters will be starting a romance. Ryan has been pining for Cary pretty much since they met, but he thinks Cary is straight and that he doesn't have a chance. But after breaking up with his girlfriend, Cary ends up spending the holidays with Ryan and his family in Canada. It's super cute and wholesome. I love holiday books like this, where one character's family just envelops and totally welcomes the other into their home and shares their traditions. The atmosphere was so warm and lovely. I really liked their relationship, and all the pining. It was just a teensy bit too short for my tastes, and it does show its age a bit? Andrews doesn't have this much gender essentialist stuff in her later books.
Listened to the audiobook as read by Kirt Graves, and really enjoyed it. This was a pretty simple romance, but it got the job done and had a lot of heart....more
As much as I was drawn to chaos as an antidote to rigidity, what I really loved was calm. And he was swimming in it, pulling me into his orbit more
As much as I was drawn to chaos as an antidote to rigidity, what I really loved was calm. And he was swimming in it, pulling me into his orbit more every minute.
Gosh. A very pleasant and very welcome surprise. I kind of expected this to be a little on the no-thoughts-head-empty side, just a bit of steamy fun. I wouldn't have minded that. I've read from this author before, and I really like their writing. I like how they integrate kink into their plots, and talk about their characters' lives and desires with a fullness that feels very real and sketches very three dimensional portraits of the characters. The plot of this one is very simple; it's a neighbours to lovers romance with a lot of kink on the side, and I really was not expecting it to hit so hard emotionally. Or maybe that's not the correct word, because this was pretty light overall. But it still FELT hard-hitting, in the ways that London is forced to face problems that feel a little insurmountable to him, and how Erik ends up being the perfect person to guide him through it.
London buys a new house, pretty much only because he can afford to, and it seems to be the next most logical step as an adult in his late 20s. The fact that there's a hot guy next door makes his decision a little easier when he goes to the viewing. But after moving in, he can't seem to bring himself to actually move in. All of his boxes remain stacked up around the house and in the garage; he eats take-out all of the time; he lives out of the very few boxes that he's managed to unpack. All while harbouring a huge crush on the guy next door, and thinking about how unfulfilling his sex life has been thus far, because he hasn't been able to share certain desires with his past boyfriends. One day, Erik's mail gets accidentally delivered to him, and things start taking a turn.
(view spoiler)[I empathised and felt for London so, so much, way more than I expected to. That lethargy that gripped him, in a way that felt almost helpless. It wasn't laziness or stubbornness, but just a sort of inability to kickstart himself and move forward, without outside impetus. There are a lot of things driving his behavior, like his past as part of a military family, and the fact that he's moved more than a dozen times over the course of his life, and this might have been just one time too many. As he just dug himself deeper and deeper into the mire, ignoring things that probably could have been the easy fixes, and failing at doing things that adults are just expected to have figured out... it just was so easy to empathise with him. And Erik, happily, ends up being his perfect match. I always love a gentle giant!! He's actually probably not that much bigger than London, but he felt like it, for various reasons. He's so kind, and patient, and genuinely wants to help. And it really is the dream, to find someone who knows how to do a bunch of household and lifestyle things, like changing your sink and figuring out the smoke alarm, without having to look up a YouTube video. Someone who will kindly, happily, and sincerely help you unfuck your life. Someone who doesn't judge you, but just lends support and guidance in exactly the ways that are needed. Genuinely, that aspect of this made me so, so happy.
And god, I really loved the conversations about kink, and how it can make you feel so small when something that you really like, something that means a lot to you, is reduced to being a joke or freakish behaviour in the eyes of most members of society. It made what Erik did for London feel even more special, that he was able to give him this safe space, and talk him through all of his negative feelings about being kinky, and wanting certain things and liking certain things. I also didn't expect the home renovation aspect of this to feel so poignant and lovely. It's obviously an apt parallel for London and his fixer upper of a life, but there was also this really sweet quiet moment in the house that Erik was fixing up, where London thinks about the fact that this all once belonged to a person, and a person once lived there, and it made me kind of want to cry. I don't know, something about the way it was described, it felt lovely and melancholy all at once. This is one of those romances that takes place in a relatively short space of time, and it seems like that's something that this author is really good at. Like, the bulk of their interaction takes place over a single weekend, but I still really do feel like they forged enough connection that this is a relationship that's going to last. I don't know if I can explain just how light and hopeful this made me feel. Again, it's the aspect of having someone come into your life who is not only all too willing to help you, but likes helping you and likes giving you what you need. Truly, the dream. (hide spoiler)]
LOL I always feel a little bit silly when I start waxing poetic about a book that's 50 percent of sex and kink, but look, this was genuinely lovely. A snapshot of the start of a relationship that I just know is going to bring both people a lot of warmth and happiness. It honestly makes me want to read even more of the author's backlist, even though I know they have some books that I probably won't enjoy (mostly because they take place in high school and I'm truly not interested in adult romances that take place in high school). But who knows, maybe I might find myself giving them a try. I had a great time with this, and I'm still smiling just thinking about it.
“The world needs a little more saving and a little less noise.”
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