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pontiki's review
4.0
Christian is a victim of an acid burn, and it’s disfigured his face and made him a recluse. When his apartment needs a renovation, as per the housing association, they send in a guy to do the work.
Little does Christian know, it’s the same man he’s been admiring that works in the gardens. Josh is a tradesperson, and he’s curious about the man who he learns is in the apartment, but won’t come out of his room.
They talk through doors, creep closer, and begin facing their attraction. Christian is blown away by Josh’s kindness, and Josh admires Christian’s perseverance after such a trauma.
They become friends, then date, and slowly, Christian expands his world and builds a life with Josh full of love, friends and being out in the world.
I like Josh, who’s kind and understanding, and Christian’s worries are real enough. Well written book full of compassion and an unhurried relationship that develops.
Merged review:
Christian is a victim of an acid burn, and it’s disfigured his face and made him a recluse. When his apartment needs a renovation, as per the housing association, they send in a guy to do the work.
Little does Christian know, it’s the same man he’s been admiring that works in the gardens. Josh is a tradesperson, and he’s curious about the man who he learns is in the apartment, but won’t come out of his room.
They talk through doors, creep closer, and begin facing their attraction. Christian is blown away by Josh’s kindness, and Josh admires Christian’s perseverance after such a trauma.
They become friends, then date, and slowly, Christian expands his world and builds a life with Josh full of love, friends and being out in the world.
I like Josh, who’s kind and understanding, and Christian’s worries are real enough. Well written book full of compassion and an unhurried relationship that develops.
Little does Christian know, it’s the same man he’s been admiring that works in the gardens. Josh is a tradesperson, and he’s curious about the man who he learns is in the apartment, but won’t come out of his room.
They talk through doors, creep closer, and begin facing their attraction. Christian is blown away by Josh’s kindness, and Josh admires Christian’s perseverance after such a trauma.
They become friends, then date, and slowly, Christian expands his world and builds a life with Josh full of love, friends and being out in the world.
I like Josh, who’s kind and understanding, and Christian’s worries are real enough. Well written book full of compassion and an unhurried relationship that develops.
Merged review:
Christian is a victim of an acid burn, and it’s disfigured his face and made him a recluse. When his apartment needs a renovation, as per the housing association, they send in a guy to do the work.
Little does Christian know, it’s the same man he’s been admiring that works in the gardens. Josh is a tradesperson, and he’s curious about the man who he learns is in the apartment, but won’t come out of his room.
They talk through doors, creep closer, and begin facing their attraction. Christian is blown away by Josh’s kindness, and Josh admires Christian’s perseverance after such a trauma.
They become friends, then date, and slowly, Christian expands his world and builds a life with Josh full of love, friends and being out in the world.
I like Josh, who’s kind and understanding, and Christian’s worries are real enough. Well written book full of compassion and an unhurried relationship that develops.
red3horn's review
5 Hearts
Tag Team Review with SRAL!
Wow. This book blew me away and it blew me away because it was such a quiet romance. I know in this line, the books can be predictable but this really wasn’t. It was a super sweet delicious slow burn with the most respectful hurt/comfort romance… just, le sigh. Okay. Le sigh.
I loved how the book opens with Christian’s POV, our self-made recluse who likes watching the handyman/gardener of his apartment complex work in the communal garden. It’s something Christian gives himself when he needs a break and at that moment, after reading that there will be renovations made to his property and someone invading his private space. Christian doesn’t do people, though we don’t know the why immediately but having a nice long look at a handsome man doing physical labor seems to settle him and I was happy to ogle with him.
Josh Wendell is the go to man that the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation has come to adding on the new kitchen and bathroom renovations to his list of duties. Josh is fine with that as he has always loved working with is hands but when a few co-workers suggest he might see the mysterious guy in #197, apartment #1, who is rumored to never leave his place. Josh is more interested in the why of it than the way people talk and decides if he gets to work on that apartment, he’ll have a chance to find out.
Told in the dual POV’s of Christian and Josh, we get to know the men on a day to day basis as Josh does the needed renovations. On his first day, he is greeted by a thoughtful gesture of coffee/tea and a note that if he is needed, he can contact Christian at the provided number. When Josh blows a fuse in the apartment and needs to contact Christian, he gets a sense that the resident in Apartment #1 isn’t out of the house and instead, locked behind closed doors.
The first conversations between the door with Josh and Christian were so sweet. They seemed to click right away and were comfortable with one another. The offerings of food and drink between them was adorable but when Josh shows up early one day and Christian is in need of help, Josh sees the real Christian and the story get deeper. With Josh seeing Christian’s scars, we get to learn what happened to him that has made him live his life alone and hidden for the last 8 years. It was pretty heartbreaking that forgetting one thing could leave a man riddled with scars and shame about his looks. But Josh isn’t what Christian was expecting and Josh sees beyond the scars to the man beneath.
When Christian realizes that Josh, the guy he’s come to chat with on a daily basis while he works in his apartment is the same guy he’s been drooling over as his handyman, Christian lets his attraction unfold though only to himself as he thinks Josh is straight and Josh thinks Christian is straight. Thank goodness a love for Harry Potter and fan fiction lead them to a list of favorite movies so that their sexuality can be straight, or not so straight.
Goodness, but I loved this book. It’s so very much relationship centered on how the men meet, become friends through their daily chats as Josh works and then more. Josh is enamored of Christian from their first chat but when he sees him, his scars and learns how Christian has survived he knows that beauty comes from the inside out. Not that Josh doesn’t think Christian is sexy AF because he does and so want to get lost in Christian’s eyes. But as Josh gets to know Christian, he knows he needs to be patient with him and knows he has to make Christian understand it’s the man, the whole man he wants and sees beyond the scars.
Josh truly is an amazing character. He is so patient, understanding and thoughtful when it comes to Christian. His friends are great side characters as well with how much they want Josh to be happy and they can see how being around Christian is changing him because of how much he likes him. A movie night of Dune allows the men to move forward in oh so many ways.
Christian is such and strong man. I can’t imagine being where he was in life to go through what he did and make the decision to walk away from everyone and everything he knew to live life truly in the shadows. Only through the inclusion of Josh into his life who makes him want more than he thought possible does Christian ache to feel the light on his face, the smile on Josh’s and their hands entwined as they walk down a public street together.
Wow. I am rambling aren’t I? I have learned to take that as a sign that the book was good and this was really good. It was super fluffy but always with an underlying heat between Josh and Christian that aided to the delicious slow burn romance. Both men were stunning in their fondness for one another while being fierce in determination to get what they want.
Out of Shadows is an extremely sweet and fluffy slow burn romance with the best sort of hurt comfort that won over this hopeless romantic. I adored the story of Josh and Christian and can only hope the author is considering giving us the true story of Nate and Dylan because I agree with Christian, there is a little bromance brewing there.
Tag Team Review with SRAL!
Wow. This book blew me away and it blew me away because it was such a quiet romance. I know in this line, the books can be predictable but this really wasn’t. It was a super sweet delicious slow burn with the most respectful hurt/comfort romance… just, le sigh. Okay. Le sigh.
I loved how the book opens with Christian’s POV, our self-made recluse who likes watching the handyman/gardener of his apartment complex work in the communal garden. It’s something Christian gives himself when he needs a break and at that moment, after reading that there will be renovations made to his property and someone invading his private space. Christian doesn’t do people, though we don’t know the why immediately but having a nice long look at a handsome man doing physical labor seems to settle him and I was happy to ogle with him.
Josh Wendell is the go to man that the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation has come to adding on the new kitchen and bathroom renovations to his list of duties. Josh is fine with that as he has always loved working with is hands but when a few co-workers suggest he might see the mysterious guy in #197, apartment #1, who is rumored to never leave his place. Josh is more interested in the why of it than the way people talk and decides if he gets to work on that apartment, he’ll have a chance to find out.
Told in the dual POV’s of Christian and Josh, we get to know the men on a day to day basis as Josh does the needed renovations. On his first day, he is greeted by a thoughtful gesture of coffee/tea and a note that if he is needed, he can contact Christian at the provided number. When Josh blows a fuse in the apartment and needs to contact Christian, he gets a sense that the resident in Apartment #1 isn’t out of the house and instead, locked behind closed doors.
The first conversations between the door with Josh and Christian were so sweet. They seemed to click right away and were comfortable with one another. The offerings of food and drink between them was adorable but when Josh shows up early one day and Christian is in need of help, Josh sees the real Christian and the story get deeper. With Josh seeing Christian’s scars, we get to learn what happened to him that has made him live his life alone and hidden for the last 8 years. It was pretty heartbreaking that forgetting one thing could leave a man riddled with scars and shame about his looks. But Josh isn’t what Christian was expecting and Josh sees beyond the scars to the man beneath.
When Christian realizes that Josh, the guy he’s come to chat with on a daily basis while he works in his apartment is the same guy he’s been drooling over as his handyman, Christian lets his attraction unfold though only to himself as he thinks Josh is straight and Josh thinks Christian is straight. Thank goodness a love for Harry Potter and fan fiction lead them to a list of favorite movies so that their sexuality can be straight, or not so straight.
Goodness, but I loved this book. It’s so very much relationship centered on how the men meet, become friends through their daily chats as Josh works and then more. Josh is enamored of Christian from their first chat but when he sees him, his scars and learns how Christian has survived he knows that beauty comes from the inside out. Not that Josh doesn’t think Christian is sexy AF because he does and so want to get lost in Christian’s eyes. But as Josh gets to know Christian, he knows he needs to be patient with him and knows he has to make Christian understand it’s the man, the whole man he wants and sees beyond the scars.
Josh truly is an amazing character. He is so patient, understanding and thoughtful when it comes to Christian. His friends are great side characters as well with how much they want Josh to be happy and they can see how being around Christian is changing him because of how much he likes him. A movie night of Dune allows the men to move forward in oh so many ways.
Christian is such and strong man. I can’t imagine being where he was in life to go through what he did and make the decision to walk away from everyone and everything he knew to live life truly in the shadows. Only through the inclusion of Josh into his life who makes him want more than he thought possible does Christian ache to feel the light on his face, the smile on Josh’s and their hands entwined as they walk down a public street together.
Wow. I am rambling aren’t I? I have learned to take that as a sign that the book was good and this was really good. It was super fluffy but always with an underlying heat between Josh and Christian that aided to the delicious slow burn romance. Both men were stunning in their fondness for one another while being fierce in determination to get what they want.
Out of Shadows is an extremely sweet and fluffy slow burn romance with the best sort of hurt comfort that won over this hopeless romantic. I adored the story of Josh and Christian and can only hope the author is considering giving us the true story of Nate and Dylan because I agree with Christian, there is a little bromance brewing there.
idamus's review
3.0
2.5 stars.
Insanely annoying narration, Josh sounds more like a squeaky old lady than a young man.
Also, too much Harry Potter fanboying, ugh.
Insanely annoying narration, Josh sounds more like a squeaky old lady than a young man.
Also, too much Harry Potter fanboying, ugh.
booksafety's review
3.0
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.
“All I’ve ever wanted was for you to be happy. But I also want to be part of that happiness.”
This was a sweet slow burn romance. Very low angst, not a lot happening beyond two characters slowly falling in love. Which was nice, but I also definitely prefer a little more happening. I thought the mental health aspect was dealt with well and I appreciated that the MC getting better was a slow process and that he wasn’t ‘cured’ magically.
Unfortunately there’s like a million Harry Potter references in this book, and even though the book was published in 2017, it’s difficult to not be bothered by it when it’s such a large part of the characters and not just a quick mention.
3.5 ⭐️
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & content tags ⚠️
Strangers to friends to lovers
Forced proximity
Agoraphobic MC
Flip-fucking
Found family
Slow burn
Hurt/comfort
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Minor bleeding injury
Extensive facial and body scarring
Description of past severe accident and injury
Mentions of past hospitalization and medical procedures
Homophobic stepfather (off page)
Mention of stepfather drinking excessively (off page)
Alcohol consumption
Anxiety
Feelings of isolation and loneliness
Low self-esteem
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: MC kisses old classmate at the club to mess with friends. Before anything happens with other MC.
Breakup: No
POV: 3rd person, dual
Genre: Contemporary romance
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
Main characters’ age: 25 and 32
Series: Standalone
Kindle Unlimited: No
Pages: 242
Happy ending: Yes
Josh’s smile lit up his face. “I see a beautiful man.” When Christian opened his mouth to tell Josh he was seeing things, Josh shook his head. “Did no one ever tell you, beauty is in the eye of the beholder? Well, right now, I’m beholding beauty, in and out, and you don’t have a say in that.”
You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?igsh=MWZ3azhkdDc2Y2ludg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
Merged review:
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.
“All I’ve ever wanted was for you to be happy. But I also want to be part of that happiness.”
This was a sweet slow burn romance. Very low angst, not a lot happening beyond two characters slowly falling in love. Which was nice, but I also definitely prefer a little more happening. I thought the mental health aspect was dealt with well and I appreciated that the MC getting better was a slow process and that he wasn’t ‘cured’ magically.
Unfortunately there’s like a million Harry Potter references in this book, and even though the book was published in 2017, it’s difficult to not be bothered by it when it’s such a large part of the characters and not just a quick mention.
3.5 ⭐️
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & content tags ⚠️
Strangers to friends to lovers
Forced proximity
Agoraphobic MC
Flip-fucking
Found family
Slow burn
Hurt/comfort
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Minor bleeding injury
Extensive facial and body scarring
Description of past severe accident and injury
Mentions of past hospitalization and medical procedures
Homophobic stepfather (off page)
Mention of stepfather drinking excessively (off page)
Alcohol consumption
Anxiety
Feelings of isolation and loneliness
Low self-esteem
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: MC kisses old classmate at the club to mess with friends. Before anything happens with other MC.
Breakup: No
POV: 3rd person, dual
Genre: Contemporary romance
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
Main characters’ age: 25 and 32
Series: Standalone
Kindle Unlimited: No
Pages: 242
Happy ending: Yes
Josh’s smile lit up his face. “I see a beautiful man.” When Christian opened his mouth to tell Josh he was seeing things, Josh shook his head. “Did no one ever tell you, beauty is in the eye of the beholder? Well, right now, I’m beholding beauty, in and out, and you don’t have a say in that.”
You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?igsh=MWZ3azhkdDc2Y2ludg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
“All I’ve ever wanted was for you to be happy. But I also want to be part of that happiness.”
This was a sweet slow burn romance. Very low angst, not a lot happening beyond two characters slowly falling in love. Which was nice, but I also definitely prefer a little more happening. I thought the mental health aspect was dealt with well and I appreciated that the MC getting better was a slow process and that he wasn’t ‘cured’ magically.
Unfortunately there’s like a million Harry Potter references in this book, and even though the book was published in 2017, it’s difficult to not be bothered by it when it’s such a large part of the characters and not just a quick mention.
3.5 ⭐️
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & content tags ⚠️
Strangers to friends to lovers
Forced proximity
Agoraphobic MC
Flip-fucking
Found family
Slow burn
Hurt/comfort
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Minor bleeding injury
Extensive facial and body scarring
Description of past severe accident and injury
Mentions of past hospitalization and medical procedures
Homophobic stepfather (off page)
Mention of stepfather drinking excessively (off page)
Alcohol consumption
Anxiety
Feelings of isolation and loneliness
Low self-esteem
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: MC kisses old classmate at the club to mess with friends. Before anything happens with other MC.
Breakup: No
POV: 3rd person, dual
Genre: Contemporary romance
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
Main characters’ age: 25 and 32
Series: Standalone
Kindle Unlimited: No
Pages: 242
Happy ending: Yes
Josh’s smile lit up his face. “I see a beautiful man.” When Christian opened his mouth to tell Josh he was seeing things, Josh shook his head. “Did no one ever tell you, beauty is in the eye of the beholder? Well, right now, I’m beholding beauty, in and out, and you don’t have a say in that.”
You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?igsh=MWZ3azhkdDc2Y2ludg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
Merged review:
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.
“All I’ve ever wanted was for you to be happy. But I also want to be part of that happiness.”
This was a sweet slow burn romance. Very low angst, not a lot happening beyond two characters slowly falling in love. Which was nice, but I also definitely prefer a little more happening. I thought the mental health aspect was dealt with well and I appreciated that the MC getting better was a slow process and that he wasn’t ‘cured’ magically.
Unfortunately there’s like a million Harry Potter references in this book, and even though the book was published in 2017, it’s difficult to not be bothered by it when it’s such a large part of the characters and not just a quick mention.
3.5 ⭐️
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & content tags ⚠️
Strangers to friends to lovers
Forced proximity
Agoraphobic MC
Flip-fucking
Found family
Slow burn
Hurt/comfort
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Minor bleeding injury
Extensive facial and body scarring
Description of past severe accident and injury
Mentions of past hospitalization and medical procedures
Homophobic stepfather (off page)
Mention of stepfather drinking excessively (off page)
Alcohol consumption
Anxiety
Feelings of isolation and loneliness
Low self-esteem
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: MC kisses old classmate at the club to mess with friends. Before anything happens with other MC.
Breakup: No
POV: 3rd person, dual
Genre: Contemporary romance
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
Main characters’ age: 25 and 32
Series: Standalone
Kindle Unlimited: No
Pages: 242
Happy ending: Yes
Josh’s smile lit up his face. “I see a beautiful man.” When Christian opened his mouth to tell Josh he was seeing things, Josh shook his head. “Did no one ever tell you, beauty is in the eye of the beholder? Well, right now, I’m beholding beauty, in and out, and you don’t have a say in that.”
You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?igsh=MWZ3azhkdDc2Y2ludg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
geowhaley's review
4.0
My Recommendation: A fun read set in Boston that didn't drive me too nuts with the descriptions. (I almost got mad that they "drove" into Boston from Jamaica Plain, part of Boston, but then I remember we've definitely done it from Southie and we're a lot closer - ha!). The beauty and the beast trope worked well enough. I really enjoyed reading as Christian and Josh's relationship grew through Christian's slowly increasing confidence and Josh's caring and loving personality.
My Response: Does it matter why I grabbed this one? We're firmly in double digit territory and rapidly approaching dozens in this random MM romance wormhole.
Wells wrote a couple of books I thoroughly enjoyed (The Senator's Secret and My Fair Brady) and decent enough one (Under the Covers) and this was the final one on Hoopla by her, so I just grabbed it to read. When I got it, I didn't realize it was set in Boston and when I did realize that, it gave me a lot of anxiety because a book set in your locale is very hit or miss when it comes to physical locations and I'm still bitter about Quietus. UGH.
Continue reading on my book blog at geoffwhaley.com.
My Response: Does it matter why I grabbed this one? We're firmly in double digit territory and rapidly approaching dozens in this random MM romance wormhole.
Wells wrote a couple of books I thoroughly enjoyed (The Senator's Secret and My Fair Brady) and decent enough one (Under the Covers) and this was the final one on Hoopla by her, so I just grabbed it to read. When I got it, I didn't realize it was set in Boston and when I did realize that, it gave me a lot of anxiety because a book set in your locale is very hit or miss when it comes to physical locations and I'm still bitter about Quietus. UGH.
Continue reading on my book blog at geoffwhaley.com.
hippiedaizy's review
3.0
I was hoping for a little more.
Also,
Overall, it was okay.
Also,
Spoiler
Josh kinda "cured" Christian a little too fast for my liking.Overall, it was okay.
bookworm_panda's review
4.0
This was sugrary, syrupy sweet, and I just loved it. Great hurt/comfort, a slow burn, lovely characters (Josh was just the perfect man for Christian) and I liked all of Josh's friends, too! This was a very sweet story, guaranteed to leave a smile and happy sigh on your face!
ankyslibrary's review
5.0
Josh was such a sweetheart! I absolutely adored him. The way he was with Christian, damn. I loved him from the get go.
The romance itself was beautiful. I loved how they became friends first and then lovers. Will definitely reread someday.
The romance itself was beautiful. I loved how they became friends first and then lovers. Will definitely reread someday.
romanticread's review
4.0
There are a few awkward interactions early on (I think to give you a feel for the characters) but once things get going Wells does a great job of making the people relatable and realistic. It's not an easy thing, making Christian more comfortable with himself, but it's handled really well.
Josh is a little too perfect, which makes him great book boyfriend material. He's patient, kind, understanding, and charming. He knows when to push Christian but also when to back off.
Christian is hesitant to be seen by anyone because of his appearance. For years he's hidden himself away, with his only human contact by phone ... and peeping at the hot gardener outside his window. Things start changing for him when said hot gardener is assigned the task of renovating Christians apartment. He doesn't realize the two men are the same at first (because of the no face-to-face contact thing he has going on) but Josh's personality alone is enough to have Christian inching his way out of self-imposed exile. When an accident throws them together ... well, Josh has a certain charm about him :)
I think my favorite part about this book was the lack of drama. We already get enough of the feels with Christian having to deal with his issues that nothing more is really needed. Instead, Out of the Shadows is a delightfully low key story where two guys meet, get to know each other, and explore their common attraction, while helping Christian venture out into the world again.
*** I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s. ***
Josh is a little too perfect, which makes him great book boyfriend material. He's patient, kind, understanding, and charming. He knows when to push Christian but also when to back off.
Christian is hesitant to be seen by anyone because of his appearance. For years he's hidden himself away, with his only human contact by phone ... and peeping at the hot gardener outside his window. Things start changing for him when said hot gardener is assigned the task of renovating Christians apartment. He doesn't realize the two men are the same at first (because of the no face-to-face contact thing he has going on) but Josh's personality alone is enough to have Christian inching his way out of self-imposed exile. When an accident throws them together ... well, Josh has a certain charm about him :)
I think my favorite part about this book was the lack of drama. We already get enough of the feels with Christian having to deal with his issues that nothing more is really needed. Instead, Out of the Shadows is a delightfully low key story where two guys meet, get to know each other, and explore their common attraction, while helping Christian venture out into the world again.
*** I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s. ***
a_reader_obsessed's review
3.0
3 Hearts
I’m going to make this brief because there are plenty of great reviews out there already.
This for me embodied the no fuss, no muss, light on the angst romance that Dreamspun Desires excels at.
As per the blurb, Christian has been hiding from the world, afraid of ridicule and rejection. When fortuitous circumstance allows him the opportunity to get to know the handyman he’s been crushing on from afar, he never dreamed or hoped that he would ever get Josh to call his own. In turn, Josh sees beyond Christian’s physical flaws, as these two slowly get to know one another. With Josh’s easy going manner and quirky sense of humor, he draws Christian out of his self imposed isolation and discovers a person he wants in his life permanently.
This isn’t overly complicated, the relationship progression quite turmoil free. What it excels at is the slow build between these two that was simply sweet with good dashes of hurt comfort and sexy.
However, for me, the audio was a complete and utter fail. I don't know what Finn Sterling or the director or whoever produced this narration was thinking, but having him voice one of the main characters a few octaves higher than normal was absolutely baffling. So, everytime wonderful, gorgeous (inside and out) Josh spoke, he sounded like a woman (as much as a male narrator can), and it was so incongruous to what I was trying to picture in my poor brain, that it repeatedly threw me out of the story and ruined my overall enjoyment. As always, I know everything is subjective, so please sample this hard before buying. I can’t in good conscience recommend the audio and simply implore you to read the book instead.
Thank you to the author/publisher for the audio in exchange for a honest review
I’m going to make this brief because there are plenty of great reviews out there already.
This for me embodied the no fuss, no muss, light on the angst romance that Dreamspun Desires excels at.
As per the blurb, Christian has been hiding from the world, afraid of ridicule and rejection. When fortuitous circumstance allows him the opportunity to get to know the handyman he’s been crushing on from afar, he never dreamed or hoped that he would ever get Josh to call his own. In turn, Josh sees beyond Christian’s physical flaws, as these two slowly get to know one another. With Josh’s easy going manner and quirky sense of humor, he draws Christian out of his self imposed isolation and discovers a person he wants in his life permanently.
This isn’t overly complicated, the relationship progression quite turmoil free. What it excels at is the slow build between these two that was simply sweet with good dashes of hurt comfort and sexy.
However, for me, the audio was a complete and utter fail. I don't know what Finn Sterling or the director or whoever produced this narration was thinking, but having him voice one of the main characters a few octaves higher than normal was absolutely baffling. So, everytime wonderful, gorgeous (inside and out) Josh spoke, he sounded like a woman (as much as a male narrator can), and it was so incongruous to what I was trying to picture in my poor brain, that it repeatedly threw me out of the story and ruined my overall enjoyment. As always, I know everything is subjective, so please sample this hard before buying. I can’t in good conscience recommend the audio and simply implore you to read the book instead.
Thank you to the author/publisher for the audio in exchange for a honest review