I think I'm developing a bit of a Hugh Reynolds shrink kink. The psychology of hoarding and the process of de-hoarding were both really inter3.5 stars
I think I'm developing a bit of a Hugh Reynolds shrink kink. The psychology of hoarding and the process of de-hoarding were both really interesting, especially since Jasper's hoard is almost entirely books. This made it much easier to relate to, even though it's an EXTREME case of hoarding. It made me feel very grateful to GR that my giant TBR pile is digital, and also....like maybe I don't have quite *enough* physical books?!?!?!? I don't know what is even happening with my brain that that's how I felt reading a book about a guy whose house has been quite literally taken over by books, but here we are!!
Rounded down because it is a bit long. There's no pacing problem, and the romance worked well for me, but I wish there had been a little more time spent on the two of them together romantically. It is quite a lot of pages devoted to various psychological insights, and I needed just a bit more payoff in the relationship department. The books that end as soon as the relationship begins are just never going to be my favorites....more
I have been avoiding this book for years because the premise -- a second-chance romance between a couple who broke up after one of them disco3.5 stars
I have been avoiding this book for years because the premise -- a second-chance romance between a couple who broke up after one of them discovered the other had been sleeping his way through Manhattan throughout their entire relationship -- should NOT work for me. Which is why I spent the bulk of the book wondering what mad word-sorcery was at play because I'll be darned if I didn't fall head over heels for that f**kboi within a handful of chapters!! How???
For one, it's brilliantly structured so you realize very quickly how these two fell into the trap of an ill-defined relationship in the very beginning with their various insecurities enabling this one dysfunction within an otherwise perfect pairing.
And two, Fletch (the cheater) is so likable it's mind-boggling. Sorcery, I tell you! He's so charming with such wildly confident swagger that you have to really know him to see the raging insecurity that lies beneath. There's never one second when you doubt his overwhelming love for Roger.Â
Gah, they are so perfect together, but they spend the whole book circling each other as newly reconnected "friends" and it's not until the very end that it gets a little frustrating. I started watching the number of pages left getting way too small for the amount I still wanted to see happen. It got there -- but barely.
Highly recommended. Please write more, Chase Taylor Hackett!...more
So I just binged this whole series, which is on KU right now, and I would give the series as a whole 4.5 stars. But this first book is defini3.5 stars
So I just binged this whole series, which is on KU right now, and I would give the series as a whole 4.5 stars. But this first book is definitely the weakest link, mostly because of Aled's frustrating mental hangup with his separation/impending divorce.
After a certain point, it becomes almost impossible to sympathize with the way he's handling it -- but that ends up being the point of the whole thing and it all comes together in the end.
This still doesn't feel quite as polished as Metzger's usual work, to the extent that I had to read many, many passages over a few times to make sure I got the gist of them, but this was mostly just a problem with this first book. (Although there were a few instances that stood out in the rest of the series as well.)
But once you get through the first book, the series is a very interesting exploration of what polyamory can mean to different people. I've been on a major non-monogamy kick lately, and I think it's because by their very nature, the relationships are non-formulaic. Non-monogamy is going to look different for everyone, and Aled and Gabriel's relationship takes a different path than anything I've read before.
This first book is still better than average, just to be clear, but I also read it knowing it was just the first of four books. I'm not sure how I would have felt about it as a standalone, but ... it's not :) It ends just as Gabriel and Aled agree to progress from sex to attempting a relationship, which is a pretty big concession for Gabriel, so there's nothing conclusive about this agreement at all. I do think each of the other books ends in a satisfying place for the relationship(s), but you probably want to plan on at least reading the first two together.
Gabriel is also a fascinating character, and I remember finishing this first book wondering why we spent so much time in the POV of the less-interesting MC. I don't feel that way about Aled anymore, but I still really don't give a shit about Aled's ex-wife!! A lot of this background is important to understand Aled's mindset further down the road, but I don't think we needed to linger on it this much. I get why Aled's lingering on it, and it's a very effective tool for showcasing Aled's awesome relationship with his best friend Suze, but it dragged this first installment down a bit. Still very worthwhile as an entry point into this series....more
I thought the paranormal plot worked well, but man was this bleak. The Crimean War is not something we learn much (if anything??) about in American scI thought the paranormal plot worked well, but man was this bleak. The Crimean War is not something we learn much (if anything??) about in American schools, so mostly I was just blown away by the amount of people dying for no other reason than horrifyingly incompetent leadership. It kind of overshadowed everything else for me, even though I really liked the slow-burn romance....more
I enjoyed this, but short stories are rarely my favorite, and this one was a very quiet slice-of-life type read, which I love in longer books but seemI enjoyed this, but short stories are rarely my favorite, and this one was a very quiet slice-of-life type read, which I love in longer books but seems to make me even more aware of the fact that it's so short.
I love characters like Grady -- complex, mature, self-aware but imperfect -- and I loved the very adult, mature relationship he was building with Edward. I think I liked pretty much everything about it except the length, although part of why I wanted more was to get a better feel for Edward (it's single POV) and to see them develop their relationship a little further. It's a lovely beginning, though.
Worth the read, especially if you're looking to get away from the typical formula reads....more
This was a quick read with the focus mostly on getting the reader fully immersed in the mindset of the MC with Asperger's, and it was very effective iThis was a quick read with the focus mostly on getting the reader fully immersed in the mindset of the MC with Asperger's, and it was very effective in that goal. Herve is independent and has a high-functioning job, but he's had to work hard to get there and to maintain the routines that allow him to succeed there.
The romance was nice, but I wish we'd gotten more from it. It was really just something else that was happening in Herve's life, and I desperately wanted more development there. Especially since it made such a nice, sweet counterbalance to the harshness both of these men face in the outside world.
Some of the scenes from Herve's childhood were absolutely heartbreaking, and the reactions Luc had to deal with were shocking to me, to the point that I'd really prefer to imagine them as unrealistic -- though I'm sure they're not. This was driven home by the differences he experienced in the end when he himself (view spoiler)[became more confident in his appearance and stopped projecting shame. (hide spoiler)] That rang very true, but it's still hard to accept that people would behave like this.
The book is set in France, written by a French author whose first language is not English, and that was pretty obvious at times. Some of the awkward phrasing just helped remind me of the setting, since other than that and the names there really wasn't anything else to distinguish it, but there were several instances it went beyond awkward into inaccurate and/or confusing. I wish that had been smoothed out a little more, but it didn't affect my rating.
**This book was provided for free by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**...more
My Celtic little heart loved this. I have no idea how I'd rate it as a romance -- though that was part was adorable -- because the solstice altar and My Celtic little heart loved this. I have no idea how I'd rate it as a romance -- though that was part was adorable -- because the solstice altar and Aunt Shanna teaching an 8-year-old about intentions stole the show for me. Told 100% from Howie's perspective, so very kid-centric....more
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