Sandra @ My Fiction Nook

Ordinary romance, but with extraordinary characters, who saved it from being forgettable. Adored both Jay and Peter who were well developed and who had me rooting for them all the way through the joy, the angst and the heartbreak. Thankfully, I knew from the prologue that there would be a HEA. This book is about their journey getting there. 

But it's also about a few things that hit home.

Like not judging a book by its cover. Though I tend to not judge an actual book by its cover, I do know that a person's outward appearance or actions upon a first meeting often influences how that person is perceived. I do this. We all do this, to a degree. It's human nature. It's a survival instinct. Every person we meet is immediately and automatically assessed for the level of threat this person poses. 

But it goes beyond that initial threat assessment. My mood at the time also will influence how I perceive that new potential friend or foe, and that's another part of human nature. Is this person interrupting something I'm doing? Say, you're sitting at an airport waiting for your flight, reading a book, paying no mind to anyone else bc you're in the middle of this super important plot-changing scene. Until that woman sitting next to you leans into your space and says something. If it's a question, like, "Is that a romance book?" I might glance up, and reply. Or I might grunt, or narrow my eyes. I'm sending non-verbal clues as to the interruption being welcome or not. Or, let's say this same woman sees the title of the book and says "OMG, I loved that book!". I'm now much more inclined to begin a conversation.

My point, and I do have one, is that Peter in this book doesn't seem to get the non-verbal clues that Jay is sending out. Or vice versa. Their initial meeting goes so bad, that Jay is convinced Peter is a first class homophobic asshole. And he has sufficient self-awareness to also know that the attraction he feels for Peter might also be causing much trouble for them.

Peter on the other hand has a hard time saying what he really means, and his fear of commitment, of being left and being hurt, prevents him from seeing what Jay could mean to him. I actually felt a bit sorry for him. Poor guy didn't realize how he came across to Jay, and his fears stopped him from verbalizing what he was truly looking for.

It's angsty but not without point. It's sweet and engaging, but not to the point of diabetic coma. And it's super sexy with holy hot boysecks, Batman, that had me fanning my face.

These characters were extraordinary in their realism. I would have liked to have gotten a bit more insight into Peter, which was prevented by this book's POV and writing style. Jay's inner monologues got a little tiresome on occasion, and I wanted to grab him by the neck and shake him into using his senses. Thankfully, that part was taken care of by Jay's friend Aaron who finally, finally, sits him down and lays out the cold hard truth. 

You saw this gorgeous man you thought was unobtainable, you made assumptions at every turn, and never in your favor. You assumed he was straight and taken. You assumed he was an asshole, until he did something to make you reconsider. Maybe Katie's right. Maybe where Peter's concerned you are playing it safe because you're assuming he's going to reject you. Maybe you need to take a chance.

 

Thanks, man! Exactly!

I really liked the writing style. Even though this book is full of the cliches and tropes we've all come to know in the romance novels we so adore, Lane Hayes has an engaging style that endeared all her characters to me, with a bit of humor, fun banter, and organic dialogue. 

Very well done, new to me author. Gimme me another one. 

** I received a free ARC from the publisher. A positive review was not promised in return. **