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xanthe87's review
5.0
Well........ Talk about a story that packs a punch. Annabella is not afraid to hit where it hurts in this emotional tale. There are definitely some some lows that readers experience right alongside the characters but we also get to see the light come back into their lives and the possibility of new love.
I don't want to give anything away but this is an absolute must read with a handy tip to have some tissues handy for those sad tears but the happy ones too.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
I don't want to give anything away but this is an absolute must read with a handy tip to have some tissues handy for those sad tears but the happy ones too.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
aligroen's review
5.0
This was a wonderful story. Brody feels broken when he loses his best friend and partner, it takes a lot of work and knowing that Paul’s family still accepts him for him to get through. Cooper is doing everything he can to help out his family and Brody is right there with him for most of it.
Much of this book was these two grieving and coming to terms with their feelings. Now, from what I can tell Paul was one of the most accepting men alive and his wife is the same way. This greatly reduced the amount of angst about acceptance of their relationship but there is always the fear that for some reason someone wouldn’t accept them.
I really liked both of these guys, Cooper steps up and even moving back across the country to help out his mom. Brody’s biggest fear is losing the only real family he has ever know but, he gains so much more with Cooper’s love. I hurt for Cooper that he felt he has to hide his sexuality from everyone, his family and friends for so long, but was glad that Brody gave him the courage to talk with his mom though we never see if he really tried to connect with his friend’s from high school again.
I received an ARC of this book and am giving an honest review.
Much of this book was these two grieving and coming to terms with their feelings. Now, from what I can tell Paul was one of the most accepting men alive and his wife is the same way. This greatly reduced the amount of angst about acceptance of their relationship but there is always the fear that for some reason someone wouldn’t accept them.
I really liked both of these guys, Cooper steps up and even moving back across the country to help out his mom. Brody’s biggest fear is losing the only real family he has ever know but, he gains so much more with Cooper’s love. I hurt for Cooper that he felt he has to hide his sexuality from everyone, his family and friends for so long, but was glad that Brody gave him the courage to talk with his mom though we never see if he really tried to connect with his friend’s from high school again.
I received an ARC of this book and am giving an honest review.
knrt_17's review
emotional
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
5.0
Oh this was good! MM romance with an ugly cry at the start. This book really gets you in the feels. Main characters are Brody and Cooper. Told from duel POV and with an age gap. Brody is a police officer and Cooper just finishing college. A massive journey for everyone including the secondary characters.
Content Warnings
Contains death
broomesbooks's review
4.0
Picking Up the Pieces by Annabella Michaels is a story of loss. It is a story about finding hope in the face of losing one of the most important people in your life and finding love in a place you may least expect it.
Brody Murphy watched his partner Paul Donovan get shot in a botched robbery attempt. Not only was Paul his partner at work, but he had become part of Brody’s family. Brody is wracked with guilt. He doesn’t have a family, no children or spouse. Why was he the one who made it out alive?
Cooper Donovan, Paul’s son, returns home to help his mother take care of his little sisters and to make sure they’re going to make it through this as a family. Cooper’s thoughts weigh on him. He never had the chance to come out to his parents and he would never have that chance with his father. Brody evokes feelings in him he didn’t think he should have. He was much older, his father’s best friend and one hundred percent off limits. Or so he thinks.
This is a story that pulls at the heart. There were moments that my heart broke for both these men. Cooper is picking up so much responsibility, while attending school, and trying to keep it all together. Brody becomes a support, someone he relates to and can speak of his secrets with. The attraction between them is established quickly and it runs deep. It’s not only an age-gap romance, there’s depth to it that makes it feel realistic. Brody and Cooper are equals that compliment and keep each other balanced.
I do feel like there was something missing here though. I feel like there weren’t enough scenes between Brody and Cooper. I loved the date scene, and Brody making sure Cooper knew that he felt like Cooper was someone worth being treated special. That he deserved dates and to be won over. It wasn’t just sex between the two of them, it was more. I think everyone deserves that and I love to see it written out in books.
Brody Murphy watched his partner Paul Donovan get shot in a botched robbery attempt. Not only was Paul his partner at work, but he had become part of Brody’s family. Brody is wracked with guilt. He doesn’t have a family, no children or spouse. Why was he the one who made it out alive?
Cooper Donovan, Paul’s son, returns home to help his mother take care of his little sisters and to make sure they’re going to make it through this as a family. Cooper’s thoughts weigh on him. He never had the chance to come out to his parents and he would never have that chance with his father. Brody evokes feelings in him he didn’t think he should have. He was much older, his father’s best friend and one hundred percent off limits. Or so he thinks.
This is a story that pulls at the heart. There were moments that my heart broke for both these men. Cooper is picking up so much responsibility, while attending school, and trying to keep it all together. Brody becomes a support, someone he relates to and can speak of his secrets with. The attraction between them is established quickly and it runs deep. It’s not only an age-gap romance, there’s depth to it that makes it feel realistic. Brody and Cooper are equals that compliment and keep each other balanced.
I do feel like there was something missing here though. I feel like there weren’t enough scenes between Brody and Cooper. I loved the date scene, and Brody making sure Cooper knew that he felt like Cooper was someone worth being treated special. That he deserved dates and to be won over. It wasn’t just sex between the two of them, it was more. I think everyone deserves that and I love to see it written out in books.
shelbanuadh's review
2.0
Calling this a romance novel doesn't really feel accurate.
The story focuses moreso on Paul's death and Brody & Cooper grieving his lose than on any romance. In fact, Brody and Cooper don't really even interact until about the 50% mark. And even once that ball starts rolling, there is still just as much, if not more, focus on the loss of Paul.
I agree with other reviewers that there was more telling than showing. And oddly, a lot of the showing happened in flashbacks, flashbacks that didn't make sense to me as they were often of events that happened sometime in the previous 24 hours. Why not just show us those scenes as part of the current narrative, as opposed to slipping them in as as a couple pages of flashbacks.
The only parts of this book that invovled any kind of emotion where the parts around Paul. Brody and Cooper just kind happened out of nowhere.
Having Cooper & Brody have one intimate conversation, and then telling us they've been spending sooooo much time together for the past month in a paragraph, while literally writing half a chapter about Brody adjusting to a new partner and going to Paul's favourite restaurant makes zero sense.
Cooper and Brody's interactions with each other total less than 10. The funeral. The drunken party pick up. (Then we are told they have been hanging out soon much the past month). Then they go on a run. Then they have dinner with Cooper's family, followed by a zoo date with the girls the next day which leads to them finally hooking up (Once more we are told how much they've fallen for each other over the past few months). Then they hang out for Cooper's party. Then they have sex once more before the epilogue. Cooper's mom says she felt out-of-the-loop, but I think the readers could easily say the same when these guys go from Brody seeing Paul as a brother, to boning his dead BFF's son.
I skimmed over most of the scenes between Brody & Cooper, which wasn't actually that much of the book.
1 star romance, bumped up to 2 for the feels I got from Paul's death.
The story focuses moreso on Paul's death and Brody & Cooper grieving his lose than on any romance. In fact, Brody and Cooper don't really even interact until about the 50% mark. And even once that ball starts rolling, there is still just as much, if not more, focus on the loss of Paul.
I agree with other reviewers that there was more telling than showing. And oddly, a lot of the showing happened in flashbacks, flashbacks that didn't make sense to me as they were often of events that happened sometime in the previous 24 hours. Why not just show us those scenes as part of the current narrative, as opposed to slipping them in as as a couple pages of flashbacks.
The only parts of this book that invovled any kind of emotion where the parts around Paul. Brody and Cooper just kind happened out of nowhere.
Having Cooper & Brody have one intimate conversation, and then telling us they've been spending sooooo much time together for the past month in a paragraph, while literally writing half a chapter about Brody adjusting to a new partner and going to Paul's favourite restaurant makes zero sense.
Cooper and Brody's interactions with each other total less than 10. The funeral. The drunken party pick up. (Then we are told they have been hanging out soon much the past month). Then they go on a run. Then they have dinner with Cooper's family, followed by a zoo date with the girls the next day which leads to them finally hooking up (Once more we are told how much they've fallen for each other over the past few months). Then they hang out for Cooper's party. Then they have sex once more before the epilogue. Cooper's mom says she felt out-of-the-loop, but I think the readers could easily say the same when these guys go from Brody seeing Paul as a brother, to boning his dead BFF's son.
I skimmed over most of the scenes between Brody & Cooper, which wasn't actually that much of the book.
1 star romance, bumped up to 2 for the feels I got from Paul's death.
cadiva's review
4.0
Loved this bittersweet but ultimately happy ever after romance
This is one of my favourite books from Annabella, it strikes a perfect note between the bittersweet loss of a best friend, father and husband and the new love which stems from that loss.
I will freely admit to tearing up during the early parts of the book, my own personal connections with the police family are many and varied and I felt the loss of Paul deeply.
Brody and Cooper were a great pair, the age gap never seeming to be an obstacle at all and I got the long, slow burn exploration of their friendship and love.
Great bunch of secondary characters, a strong sense of place and a gorgeous epilogue made it a winner.
This is one of my favourite books from Annabella, it strikes a perfect note between the bittersweet loss of a best friend, father and husband and the new love which stems from that loss.
I will freely admit to tearing up during the early parts of the book, my own personal connections with the police family are many and varied and I felt the loss of Paul deeply.
Brody and Cooper were a great pair, the age gap never seeming to be an obstacle at all and I got the long, slow burn exploration of their friendship and love.
Great bunch of secondary characters, a strong sense of place and a gorgeous epilogue made it a winner.
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