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kevinscorner's review
3.5
Drifting by J. Calamy is a short MM romance novel set in Egypt about an American artist and antiques expert Cole and the diver he meets while on vacation. What makes Drifting so different from the typical romance is that the characters are not the conventional leading men. Both are older men at 40 and 50 while Cole is fat, unashamed but still socially insecure about it. J. Calamy gives a face to these men at what is usually considered an age past their prime.
I found Drifting be sweet, if a bit too cutesy. The synopsis gives away a bit too much because you can pretty already predict where the story is going. Anyway, this is first and foremost a romance which does work if you are into the insta-love trope. With its short length, the book is quick to build sexual tension, making you want to shout, “Kiss already!” The love feels fast but authentic with just some added drama to break up the ease.
Drifting is a workable and easy to like gay romance with some unconventional leads set in an exotic locale.
*I was provided an ebook of this book as part of its book tour.
I found Drifting be sweet, if a bit too cutesy. The synopsis gives away a bit too much because you can pretty already predict where the story is going. Anyway, this is first and foremost a romance which does work if you are into the insta-love trope. With its short length, the book is quick to build sexual tension, making you want to shout, “Kiss already!” The love feels fast but authentic with just some added drama to break up the ease.
Drifting is a workable and easy to like gay romance with some unconventional leads set in an exotic locale.
*I was provided an ebook of this book as part of its book tour.
alexleo13's review
5.0
Second chance at life, blu sea and a bit of history
Hank likes to cook and his relationship with Cole is made of the best ingredients. First of all you have the Egyptian shores of the Sahara and the incredible blu sea, where our MCs spend quite some time inviting the reader to dive with them to admire and discover wonders hidden under the surface of unknown caves and remote spots away from the crowd of tourists. The descriptions of the dives are beautifully written and you’d wish to jump on the first plane and book a diving class with Hank!
Then there is Cole, the tough teddy bear, who has learned to not be overwhelmed by his insecurities but to live and embrace them, so much so that his pointed at chubby appearance is what attracted Hank to him in the first place. And Hank seeks the comfort and peace he can get by just hugging and being covered by his big boyfriend. There are a couple of references to a possible daddy kink at the beginning of their relationship but the men do not further developed this side of their attraction.
Add to the mix an archeological found and you end up with this wonderful story, that made me even cry a little when the two MCs had their major argument because of the hurt to see such a perfectly imperfect relationship risking to end after the hottest night in the Sahara (and I am not talking about the temperature..).
I received a complementary copy of this book and this is my honest and enthusiastic review.
Hank likes to cook and his relationship with Cole is made of the best ingredients. First of all you have the Egyptian shores of the Sahara and the incredible blu sea, where our MCs spend quite some time inviting the reader to dive with them to admire and discover wonders hidden under the surface of unknown caves and remote spots away from the crowd of tourists. The descriptions of the dives are beautifully written and you’d wish to jump on the first plane and book a diving class with Hank!
Then there is Cole, the tough teddy bear, who has learned to not be overwhelmed by his insecurities but to live and embrace them, so much so that his pointed at chubby appearance is what attracted Hank to him in the first place. And Hank seeks the comfort and peace he can get by just hugging and being covered by his big boyfriend. There are a couple of references to a possible daddy kink at the beginning of their relationship but the men do not further developed this side of their attraction.
Add to the mix an archeological found and you end up with this wonderful story, that made me even cry a little when the two MCs had their major argument because of the hurt to see such a perfectly imperfect relationship risking to end after the hottest night in the Sahara (and I am not talking about the temperature..).
I received a complementary copy of this book and this is my honest and enthusiastic review.
jacobthebookworm's review
4.0
3.75 Stars
Cole Hadley comes to Al'Shahin ready for the experience of a lifetime. He's gone through a rough patch, but he's ready to put it behind him and get his diving certification. Despite the pointed looks and remarks about his size, he's determined to make this an enjoyable vacation.
Hank Ashton is the grumpy divemaster at Al'Shahin. Hank has had a rough past with bad choices that have put him in the situation that he's in now. The dream that once felt within his grasp is now quickly slipping away due to the lingering debt hanging over his head. The stern older man will have to learn to reel in his brooding personality before it gets him even more trouble.
Cole's bubbly personality is the exact opposite of Hank's, but Hank can't deny his attraction right away. He convinces Cole to take private lessons with him, and the two men find out there is a spark between them. However, they both know that it can't go anywhere, with Hank's past threatening to rear its ugly head and Cole returning to Cairo in just two short weeks. Cole and Hank make the discovery of a lifetime on one of their dives, but they soon learn that they are more different than they initially thought.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this one. Grumpy/sunshine is one of my favorite tropes, so I was instantly sold when I read the book's description. The trigger warning for fatphobia concerned me as I started reading this, as this is something that I've had to deal with all my life. I really loved how Hank made sure that Cole was always comfortable with his size and even made a point to tell Cole how attractive he was.
The biggest issue I had with this book was the romance was very quick, and I felt like there had not been a lot of development in their relationship in the beginning. I would have liked to have seen more of them interact and watch them both catch feelings before anything progressed further. This is more of a personal complaint with it than an issue with the book, and someone else might enjoy this aspect of it. Overall, I really enjoyed it!
Cole Hadley comes to Al'Shahin ready for the experience of a lifetime. He's gone through a rough patch, but he's ready to put it behind him and get his diving certification. Despite the pointed looks and remarks about his size, he's determined to make this an enjoyable vacation.
Hank Ashton is the grumpy divemaster at Al'Shahin. Hank has had a rough past with bad choices that have put him in the situation that he's in now. The dream that once felt within his grasp is now quickly slipping away due to the lingering debt hanging over his head. The stern older man will have to learn to reel in his brooding personality before it gets him even more trouble.
Cole's bubbly personality is the exact opposite of Hank's, but Hank can't deny his attraction right away. He convinces Cole to take private lessons with him, and the two men find out there is a spark between them. However, they both know that it can't go anywhere, with Hank's past threatening to rear its ugly head and Cole returning to Cairo in just two short weeks. Cole and Hank make the discovery of a lifetime on one of their dives, but they soon learn that they are more different than they initially thought.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this one. Grumpy/sunshine is one of my favorite tropes, so I was instantly sold when I read the book's description. The trigger warning for fatphobia concerned me as I started reading this, as this is something that I've had to deal with all my life. I really loved how Hank made sure that Cole was always comfortable with his size and even made a point to tell Cole how attractive he was.
The biggest issue I had with this book was the romance was very quick, and I felt like there had not been a lot of development in their relationship in the beginning. I would have liked to have seen more of them interact and watch them both catch feelings before anything progressed further. This is more of a personal complaint with it than an issue with the book, and someone else might enjoy this aspect of it. Overall, I really enjoyed it!
ddanddauthor's review
4.0
I do not have it in me right now to write a big ole review due to life-stuff, but all you really need to know is YES. This book is heartwarming and real. I am so glad to see 'older' gays in love. I enjoyed the level of spice, though it is certainly more slow burn. The main reason for the 4 stars and not 5 is while I was entertained, the beginning was a bit too slow for my taste and I can't see myself reading this again immediately, but in the future definitely.
I received an arc of this book and this is my honest review.
I received an arc of this book and this is my honest review.
bookswithcesco's review
5.0
This was a really great read! I enjoyed it from start to finish.
I really loved the grumpy and sunshine vibes this had and how loveable the characters were. This has representation we really don’t see much in MM books or with queer characters in general so It earned a point for that alone.
The characters are some of the best I have met in the adult MM books I have read In the past. There is good character development and the plot is still there throughout.
My favourite thing about this story was that the conflict was done well and I enjoyed that the characters were adults about it and it got resolved quickly and they were able to just talk to each other and didn’t have a bunch of cliche misunderstandings. The spice here was great as well to boot.
I recommend this to anyone looking for a MM book with fat representation that is dealt with in a realistic light.
ARC provided by the author
I really loved the grumpy and sunshine vibes this had and how loveable the characters were. This has representation we really don’t see much in MM books or with queer characters in general so It earned a point for that alone.
The characters are some of the best I have met in the adult MM books I have read In the past. There is good character development and the plot is still there throughout.
My favourite thing about this story was that the conflict was done well and I enjoyed that the characters were adults about it and it got resolved quickly and they were able to just talk to each other and didn’t have a bunch of cliche misunderstandings. The spice here was great as well to boot.
I recommend this to anyone looking for a MM book with fat representation that is dealt with in a realistic light.
ARC provided by the author
spookieboogie's review
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Fatphobia and Body shaming
Minor: Homophobia
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