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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: The Painted Phoenix by Sarah Kay Moll (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Power Inversion by Sara Codair (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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BLOG TOUR: Surviving the Merge by C.P.Harris (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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RELEASE BLITZ: Surviving the Merge by C.P.Harris (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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AUDIO REVIEW: Falling for My Roommate by Garrett Leigh
Falling for My Roommmate – Garrett Leigh
Falling for his roommate gives ex footballer Micah the second chance he deserves, and what could be better than loving your best friend?
Micah
I’m a broke ex-football player with a bum leg and PTSD. Last summer, I had two choices: the streets, or find a cheap room to rent in the city. I chose the second option, which landed me with a brand-new problem, cos I hadn’t banked on my roommate becoming my best friend. Or that before long I’d find myself head over heels in love with him. Trouble is, even if Sam likes me back, I ain’t fit to be no one’s boyfriend. I don’t know how. All I do is wade through every precious moment and hope that he doesn’t regret the day he ever met me.Sam
I’m a gay book nerd with no business falling in love with hunky athletes. Micah is the dictionary definition of beautiful, inside and out, he just doesn’t know it. And he definitely doesn’t know I’m ridiculously in love with him. The embarrassing kind of love.He’s all I can think about.
But it’s not as simple as loving someone who doesn’t love me back. Micah is damaged goods—at least, that’s how he’d put it. The world has chewed him up and spat him out, and he thinks he deserved it. That he’s still the battered mess he was a year ago.
I want to shake him, and shout in his face that he’s not. To force the truth on him and make him believe in himself the way I do. But I can’t save Micah. One day, perhaps he’ll realise that he already saved himself.
Trust Garrett Leigh to create a raw, emotionally gripping story out of the simple premise of falling in love with a roommate.
Micah and Sam are roommates and best friends. After mutually pining for each other and some sassing from nosy friends, they finally had the courage to confess their feelings and kiss.
You think it would end happily there.
After the kiss came miscommunications and insecurities. If these are your pet peeves, they could get pretty annoying.
Sam is Micah’s own personal ray of sunshine. I liked how they played off each other and how domestic they are. They’re practically like an old married couple with their household routines down pat. I enjoyed their banters. My favorite part were the trips to the library and cuddling in the corners.
But this is not just about romance. It’s so much more.
Most of the Garrett Leigh’s books I’ve read featured characters with mental illness and how this affects their lives and relationships.
My heart went out to Micah. He made poor choices in the past and now had to live with the consequences. He has PTSD, depression and a bum leg. He might have sunk back to his gloomy moods but I appreciated that he knew when to ask for help. All he wanted was to live a normal life with Sam.
Sam, himself, was not perfect. He was quick to make negative assumptions that hurt Micah. Their relationship basically revolves around Micah and his issues and I loved how he really tried to be there for Micah 101% of the time.
I also appreciated how the story underscored the importance of proper and consistent mental health care. It painted an accurate picture of what happens when we stop taking meds, even if not on purpose. And as expected with this author, she handled the issue with much respect and sensitivity.
The story also talked about the aftermath of a public outing by a footballer. Sad to say that the media treated gay footballers horribly. Tabloid columns splashed lurid headlines. Paparazzi preyed on their every move. No wonder Micah is going mad just thinking about how it could affect him and Sam. Especially on the heels of another public outing that had gone down disastrously.
Narrator Dan Calley did a great job bringing this book to life. The spot-on voice acting coupled with a variety of authentic accents made the conversations sound very natural.
Falling for My Roommate ran through a variety emotions that strongly resonated with me. The characters are flawed yet they made me root hard for them. There’s a lot of angst, some humor, some sweeter moments. The ending was full of hope and promise. All in all, it is a beautiful book that’s a pleasure to read/listen to.
P.S.
Thank you to Signal Boost Promotions and Audible UK for giving me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Review of Garrett Leigh books here.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: A Million Years
Artist: Human Drama
Album: The World Inside -
COVER REVEAL: Surviving the Merge by C.P.Harris (Giveaway)
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AUDIO REVIEW: Kiss Me Again by Garrett Leigh
Kiss Me Again – Garrett Leigh
Tree surgeon Aidan Drummond is content with his own company. He works alone, and lives alone, and it doesn’t occur to him to want anything else until a life-changing accident lands him in hospital. Then a glimpse of the beautiful boy in the opposite bed changes everything.
Ludo Giordano is trapped on the ward with a bunch of old men. His mind plays tricks on him, keeping him awake. Then late one night, a new face brings a welcome distraction. Their unlikely friendship is addictive. And, like most things in Ludo’s life, temporary.
Back in the real world, Aidan’s monochrome existence is no longer enough. He craves the colour Ludo brought him, and when a chance meeting brings them back together, before long, they’re inseparable again.
But bliss comes with complications. Aidan is on the road to recovery, but Ludo has been unwell his entire life, and that’s not going to change. Aidan can kiss him as much as he likes, but if he can’t help Ludo when he needs him most, they don’t stand a chance.
Garrett Leigh is not a new to me author. I’ve seen her around and I’ve featured her books here on the New Release Blitz. Kiss Me Again is my first official book from her. I’m so happy I finally took the plunge!
This is a story of two people who made each other’s life just a little bit more extraordinary. Ludo and Aidan were both complex characters fighting their own battles. I loved how they lend each other their strengths. They were drawn towards each other the first time they met in the hospital. They were never the same since.
The author was able to bring the two men to life in a way that completely captivated me. I loved how their connection was established and how it blossomed into something selfless and unconditional. I was rooting for Ludo and Aidan all the way and not just their romance.
The story takes the reader through a gamut of emotions. There were the beautifully written hospital scenes where I was so sure things were going to go well only for it all to disappear. There was the painful separation and the fateful reunion that seemed almost unreal. That’s only the first parts.
This is a highly emotional book without any unnecessary drama. We spent a lot of time in Ludo’s and Aiden’s head. There were a lot of angst, doubts and pain but there was never a moment when it became melodramatic. Every emotion was played just right. I greatly appreciated that there were no petty misunderstandings used as a plot device.
I was also super impress with how Ludo’s mental condition, bipolar disorder, was portrayed in the story. It’s a struggle that hits close to home. I know that one’s experience with the condition is different from another’s but all in all, Leigh was able to write about it with accuracy and respect. I especially liked how the story emphasized that Ludo is so much more than his bipolar disorder.
Narrator Dan Calley is a new to me narrator. At first I was confused with his voices for Ludo and Aiden because they sounded very similar so I didn’t know who was talking. Later on, I grew used to his style, plus the story was really outstanding, that I didn’t mind the similarity too much. More importantly, he hit the right notes when it comes to the emotions of the characters. I also enjoyed the accents.
Kiss Me Again definitely sets the bar high to my Garrett Leigh experience. If this is how good her books are, I really, really need to get my hands on more.
Recommended if you like intense, angsty stories about grumpy tree surgeons with big hearts and battled-scarred survivors with beautiful souls.
P.S.
Thank you to Signal Boost Promotions and Audible UK for giving a me copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
Rating:
4.5 Stars – perfection is only half a step awaySoundtrack: All The Trees of the Field Will Clap Their Hands
Artist: Sufjan Stevens
Album: Seven Swans -
NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Jeff, Karma, and Me by Jere’ M. Fishback (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Life Minus Me by Sara Codair (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Boiling Over by Thea McAlistair (Excerpt & Giveaway)