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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
This was my first solo book by Ella Frank. I'll admit, in the beginning it took me a bit to get into the first person/third person narrative of the story. But once I made it through the first chapter, I was hooked. The way the characters were described and written made them come right off the page and it felt like they were real people. You could feel the angst between them. It was interesting to see the story flashback to events in the past and how that is woven through the story. I was surprised how my emotions ranged from reading this story and was very pleased by the ending. Can't wait to read Devil's Kiss.
[b:Finley|28822025|Finley (Sunset Cove, #1)|Ella Frank|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1455805547s/28822025.jpg|49040062] by [a:Ella Frank|6451816|Ella Frank|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1458548729p2/6451816.jpg]
Meh.
Meh.
2.5 stars rounded to 2
Maybe it's a case of "it's me not the book" but I never really managed to get in the story.
I could not connect to either of the two main characters.
I found Brantley really sweet, and I guess I could understand and somewhat relate to him... but he didn't talk much (whether to Daniel or to us readers). The parts that were written from his POV kept rehashing the same things mainly on how much Daniel had changed and how just a look at him would immediately arouse him ...
Daniel ... well Daniel was a mystery to me. So full of contradictions and strange behaviors although he was described as a brilliant, arrogant and self-assured attorney.
1- he keeps repeating that he has a plan with his heart out of the equation
2- that despite his immediate reaction to Brantley he wants to spend two full weeks at his place ... and then everything will be over ...
Well while I could sort of understand that this was his initial plan, it sounded totally silly for such a supposedly brilliant mind to pretend it was still his plan after a few days of him and Brantley together.
So all in all, the writing was good, their interactions were cute, but it felt like we were being served the usual ingredients to make a great story (from "so-called hate" to attachment to "so-called angst", the two OTT friends, and the understanding mother) but with no recipe to blend all of them together and absolutely no pace to the book (hence the rounding down)...
In short, nothing to keep me awake at night reading.
Maybe it's a case of "it's me not the book" but I never really managed to get in the story.
I could not connect to either of the two main characters.
I found Brantley really sweet, and I guess I could understand and somewhat relate to him... but he didn't talk much (whether to Daniel or to us readers). The parts that were written from his POV kept rehashing the same things mainly on how much Daniel had changed and how just a look at him would immediately arouse him ...
Daniel ... well Daniel was a mystery to me. So full of contradictions and strange behaviors although he was described as a brilliant, arrogant and self-assured attorney.
Spoiler
OK I get it that he hated that Brantley decided that Daniel's life was better off without him in it, but then he receives the shortest possible note, feels compelled to take his first vacation and head back, and yet we are supposed to understand him when1- he keeps repeating that he has a plan with his heart out of the equation
2- that despite his immediate reaction to Brantley he wants to spend two full weeks at his place ... and then everything will be over ...
Well while I could sort of understand that this was his initial plan, it sounded totally silly for such a supposedly brilliant mind to pretend it was still his plan after a few days of him and Brantley together.
So all in all, the writing was good, their interactions were cute, but it felt like we were being served the usual ingredients to make a great story (from "so-called hate" to attachment to "so-called angst", the two OTT friends, and the understanding mother) but with no recipe to blend all of them together and absolutely no pace to the book (hence the rounding down)...
In short, nothing to keep me awake at night reading.
I finished it last night. 5 stars - obviously - because any author that can make me feel the story this strongly deserves nothing less. I'm still mad at Brantley. I'll review a little later.
Review (3/28/16):
Pure, unadulterated, gay romance. No female cooties to be found anywhere in this book. No family drama, no societal backlash, no personal angst or confusion, nothing at all except two beautiful men in love with each other.
The trope is student/teacher, age difference, second chance romance. The delivery is heart melting Ella Frank. Noooo idea how she can pull the emotions out of me the way she does with her writing. But, I assure you, I was a mess while reading this one.
We have Daniel Finley, bright college student:
and we have his law professor Brantley Hayes:
why not right?
Ella Frank takes us on a journey. Shows us doing the right thing (is it the right thing?) breaks hearts, changes lives (for the better?) So much pain. am I starting to sound incoherent again?
I was so emotional during the entire read. I was furious with Brantley for what he'd done. Maybe it was the right thing. Maybe it wasn't. I just don't believe it was his decision to make. oh no, I may start ranting again I'm leaving it here because it took me days to calm down enough to write this review. Because this...this is what matters most (imho)
Review (3/28/16):
Pure, unadulterated, gay romance. No female cooties to be found anywhere in this book. No family drama, no societal backlash, no personal angst or confusion, nothing at all except two beautiful men in love with each other.
The trope is student/teacher, age difference, second chance romance. The delivery is heart melting Ella Frank. Noooo idea how she can pull the emotions out of me the way she does with her writing. But, I assure you, I was a mess while reading this one.
We have Daniel Finley, bright college student:
and we have his law professor Brantley Hayes:
why not right?
Ella Frank takes us on a journey. Shows us doing the right thing (is it the right thing?) breaks hearts, changes lives (for the better?) So much pain. am I starting to sound incoherent again?
I was so emotional during the entire read. I was furious with Brantley for what he'd done. Maybe it was the right thing. Maybe it wasn't. I just don't believe it was his decision to make. oh no, I may start ranting again I'm leaving it here because it took me days to calm down enough to write this review. Because this...this is what matters most (imho)
3.5 stars
This was close to 4 stars for me, but the ending had too much ‘reunion vibes’ with other characters than focusing on the mains & it took away from the emotions of the scenes for me. It was a great read however, but it could have done with a dash more angst, I feel a lot of the ‘problems’ didn’t really end up being problems (age, student teacher), the only one ended up being his job really, even the anger/second chance stuff felt like it was over really quickly. I think some more pages to flesh things out more, and the end stuff wasn’t super necessary but I guess it adds back to the world that’s been created (it’s not that it wasn’t nice to see, it just didn’t move the story along in any way)
This was close to 4 stars for me, but the ending had too much ‘reunion vibes’ with other characters than focusing on the mains & it took away from the emotions of the scenes for me. It was a great read however, but it could have done with a dash more angst, I feel a lot of the ‘problems’ didn’t really end up being problems (age, student teacher), the only one ended up being his job really, even the anger/second chance stuff felt like it was over really quickly. I think some more pages to flesh things out more, and the end stuff wasn’t super necessary but I guess it adds back to the world that’s been created (it’s not that it wasn’t nice to see, it just didn’t move the story along in any way)
3.5 stars
I devoured Ella Frank’s Temptation series, so when I heard she was coming out with a new m/m series I was excited to jump on the Sunset Cove series train. Finley is the first book and it revolves around Daniel Finley, a lawyer who briefly appeared in the Temptation series. It’s not necessary to read the other series to enjoy this book though.
Daniel—or Finn as he likes to be called by friends—receives a note from his ex-boyfriend/love of his life, Brantley Hayes. It’s been radio silence between the two of them since Finn left his Florida beachfront hometown and moved to Chicago seven years ago. The note asks Finn to return to home, so he decides to take a vacation and confront the man who broke his heart.
It’s immediately apparent to Brantley how much Finn has changed from the laid back surfer he once knew. Ella Frank does an excellent job illustrating the differences between the old Finn and the confident, aggressive big city attorney he has become. Finn’s anger is palpable, and I loved the tension and chemistry between him and Brantley.
While I enjoyed the story, the plot is fairly thin and when we finally discover the reason for the breakup, it’s anticlimactic. Finn’s reaction also seems extreme. In addition, the pacing is a bit slow and the frequent mid-chapter flashbacks interrupt the story in a distracting way. I may fault the execution, but the author’s quality of writing is superb. I’m not a beach gal, yet she convincingly conveys the joys of life in a beach town and now I want to move to Sunset Cove.
Finn and Brantley couldn’t be more appealing. Ella Frank expertly delves into the hearts of these complex characters. Their friends are wonderfully entertaining as well. I’m really looking forward to reading Derek and Jordan’s story.
Finley is a satisfying book on the whole. It’s very sensual but less erotic than the Temptation series, so if you’re looking for a way to ease into the m/m genre I definitely recommend this.
I devoured Ella Frank’s Temptation series, so when I heard she was coming out with a new m/m series I was excited to jump on the Sunset Cove series train. Finley is the first book and it revolves around Daniel Finley, a lawyer who briefly appeared in the Temptation series. It’s not necessary to read the other series to enjoy this book though.
Daniel—or Finn as he likes to be called by friends—receives a note from his ex-boyfriend/love of his life, Brantley Hayes. It’s been radio silence between the two of them since Finn left his Florida beachfront hometown and moved to Chicago seven years ago. The note asks Finn to return to home, so he decides to take a vacation and confront the man who broke his heart.
It’s immediately apparent to Brantley how much Finn has changed from the laid back surfer he once knew. Ella Frank does an excellent job illustrating the differences between the old Finn and the confident, aggressive big city attorney he has become. Finn’s anger is palpable, and I loved the tension and chemistry between him and Brantley.
While I enjoyed the story, the plot is fairly thin and when we finally discover the reason for the breakup, it’s anticlimactic. Finn’s reaction also seems extreme.
Spoiler
Brantley “forced” Finn to go to Chicago for law school. I didn’t feel the breakup warranted Finn not visiting family and friends for seven years.Finn and Brantley couldn’t be more appealing. Ella Frank expertly delves into the hearts of these complex characters. Their friends are wonderfully entertaining as well. I’m really looking forward to reading Derek and Jordan’s story.
Finley is a satisfying book on the whole. It’s very sensual but less erotic than the Temptation series, so if you’re looking for a way to ease into the m/m genre I definitely recommend this.
Second chances story with flash back to the first time they fell in love. The focus is on both characters learning to allow the other their own agency and learning about who they are not who they were which is a unique aspect of the second chances trope.
Definitely not Ella's best book, but nonetheless still enjoyable.