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iamcupid_'s review
4.0
Mike is certainly a character I never expected to come from MV but I'm not complaining. Not at all.
itssarahc's review
5.0
I didn't know what to expect when I went into this book, but the blurb sounded good so I decided to give it a try. And I'm so incredibly glad that I did.
Divine River is the story of Jason and Mike. Mike has lived in Bear Creek his entire life, and he's spent his entire life hiding his sexuality. Then Jason moves in down the road. The two hit it off - namely because Jason is very much an extrovert who has basically decided that Mike is his new best friend and Mike is just along for the ride.
This book is ripe with emotion and packs an incredibly powerful punch despite the short length of the book. The love between Jason and Mike grows at a realistic and honest pace, and by the time they have their first kiss, it feels completely natural. I love the way that Jason encourages Mike and just lets him be himself at his own pace. I love the way that Mike feels safe enough with Jason to be himself for the first time.
This book also has a lot of exploration and contemplation of gender, especially on Mike's end. The book handled these topics incredibly respectfully and you could just feel the way that Mike felt about these topics.
This book has a lot of emotion as it tells a great story of love and acceptance. While this was my first Marian Vivancos novel, I do not think it'll be my last.
** DISCLAIMER: ARC provided by GRR for fair and honest review **
Divine River is the story of Jason and Mike. Mike has lived in Bear Creek his entire life, and he's spent his entire life hiding his sexuality. Then Jason moves in down the road. The two hit it off - namely because Jason is very much an extrovert who has basically decided that Mike is his new best friend and Mike is just along for the ride.
This book is ripe with emotion and packs an incredibly powerful punch despite the short length of the book. The love between Jason and Mike grows at a realistic and honest pace, and by the time they have their first kiss, it feels completely natural. I love the way that Jason encourages Mike and just lets him be himself at his own pace. I love the way that Mike feels safe enough with Jason to be himself for the first time.
This book also has a lot of exploration and contemplation of gender, especially on Mike's end. The book handled these topics incredibly respectfully and you could just feel the way that Mike felt about these topics.
This book has a lot of emotion as it tells a great story of love and acceptance. While this was my first Marian Vivancos novel, I do not think it'll be my last.
** DISCLAIMER: ARC provided by GRR for fair and honest review **
lyssachelle's review
5.0
****ALL THE STARS. More than 5, this deserves all the stars that I didn’t give to the other books I’ve read this year too…****
Lordy, I love Marina Vivancos. She does third-person limited POV like nobody’s business. She gives her characters a depth and a soul that doesn’t seem possible in so few pages. She also seamlessly has POC main characters in her books that are not stereotypes or there for the sake of diversity. She’s not perfect but is just so so good and an instant buy.
Divine River is no exception. It’s the story of MIke, a grumpy woodworker who is slowly won over by the friendship of Jason, his new neighbor. This novella could have been a typical grumpy/sunshine romance, Vivancos lets her characters ease into a friendship that becomes something more, something that allows Mike to be honest with himself about who he is and what he wants. It’s not high angst, but there’s a depth of feeling to these characters that is so much more than you’d expect in a novella. I literally put my hand to my chest multiple times while reading; not in a shocked way, but in a “oh, my heart…” kind of way because the whole book is just so damn TENDER.
Mike was a quiet kid who grew into an even quieter man. Right away, we know who MIke is when Vivancos writes:
(See?? 3% in, and I already want to wrap Mike up in a blanket and feed him cookies.)
Jason comes into Mike’s life and there’s a strong connection between the two, though they are opposites. It takes a little longer for them to develop feelings, and even longer for them to act on them. And then, even longer still until Mike can reveal to Jason who he truly is inside and what he wants. Yes, it’s grumpy/sunshine, but it’s just so much more than that. It’s like Jason’s light just slowly melts away the coating of toxic masculinity that Mike is covered in until his authentic self is revealed-not only to Jason, but to Mike himself.
For all of its tenderness, the steam level is pretty damn high. But even in the sex scenes, there’s a loveliness and a joy that just bleeds off the paper.
I can’t gush enough about this book, it just hits me in all the right spots and I love it so. 5 stars, just 5 enthusiastic stars.
***I recieved this as an ARC and this has been my honest reivew. Seriously, I liked this one so damn much I bought a copy so I could support the author.***
Lordy, I love Marina Vivancos. She does third-person limited POV like nobody’s business. She gives her characters a depth and a soul that doesn’t seem possible in so few pages. She also seamlessly has POC main characters in her books that are not stereotypes or there for the sake of diversity. She’s not perfect but is just so so good and an instant buy.
Divine River is no exception. It’s the story of MIke, a grumpy woodworker who is slowly won over by the friendship of Jason, his new neighbor. This novella could have been a typical grumpy/sunshine romance, Vivancos lets her characters ease into a friendship that becomes something more, something that allows Mike to be honest with himself about who he is and what he wants. It’s not high angst, but there’s a depth of feeling to these characters that is so much more than you’d expect in a novella. I literally put my hand to my chest multiple times while reading; not in a shocked way, but in a “oh, my heart…” kind of way because the whole book is just so damn TENDER.
Mike was a quiet kid who grew into an even quieter man. Right away, we know who MIke is when Vivancos writes:
He’d known exactly how to fit in. It wasn’t so hard, really. You just had to sand down everything that made you stand out until your edges were blunt and round and smooth and pleasing to the eye.
(See?? 3% in, and I already want to wrap Mike up in a blanket and feed him cookies.)
Jason comes into Mike’s life and there’s a strong connection between the two, though they are opposites. It takes a little longer for them to develop feelings, and even longer for them to act on them. And then, even longer still until Mike can reveal to Jason who he truly is inside and what he wants. Yes, it’s grumpy/sunshine, but it’s just so much more than that. It’s like Jason’s light just slowly melts away the coating of toxic masculinity that Mike is covered in until his authentic self is revealed-not only to Jason, but to Mike himself.
For all of its tenderness, the steam level is pretty damn high. But even in the sex scenes, there’s a loveliness and a joy that just bleeds off the paper.
I can’t gush enough about this book, it just hits me in all the right spots and I love it so. 5 stars, just 5 enthusiastic stars.
***I recieved this as an ARC and this has been my honest reivew. Seriously, I liked this one so damn much I bought a copy so I could support the author.***
claudiereads's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
“This is what we are, Mike, okay? This. Mud, water, grass. That’s it. Bone, and muscle, and fucking…teeth. There’s nothing to hate. We just are. Your body just is, yeah? You’re the one putting all those eyes on you. Giving all those eyes power.”
The world would be a completely different place if everyone just had a Jason.
beeziereadsromance's review
5.0
I don't know another author who consistently writes novellas that move me as often as Marina Vivancos.
Mike is an introvert who doesn't quite feel at home in his body. He lives in the town he grew up in, under the shadow of his homophobic father whom he still visits out of obligation. He's not happy but he's comfortable and safe and that's what matters most.
Then Jason moves in next door. Mike isn't ready for how his life is about to change, and honestly, neither was I. I actually got a bit choked up toward the end of the book: Mike's gradual realisation that he's known and still loved is heartbreaking and beautiful.
Devine River is a third person single POV from Mike's perspective (the epilogue is from Jason's POV) with grumpy/sunshine tropes.
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews and I have chosen to leave an honest review.
Mike is an introvert who doesn't quite feel at home in his body. He lives in the town he grew up in, under the shadow of his homophobic father whom he still visits out of obligation. He's not happy but he's comfortable and safe and that's what matters most.
Then Jason moves in next door. Mike isn't ready for how his life is about to change, and honestly, neither was I. I actually got a bit choked up toward the end of the book: Mike's gradual realisation that he's known and still loved is heartbreaking and beautiful.
Devine River is a third person single POV from Mike's perspective (the epilogue is from Jason's POV) with grumpy/sunshine tropes.
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews and I have chosen to leave an honest review.
weathersreadsgarbage's review
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
How fucking dare you make me cry my own tears?!
What a beautiful and healthy relationship with good communication. What a nice portrayal of gender identity. I’m so upset.
nina_readsbooks's review
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
maura_harper's review
4.0
Super quick short story about self acceptance.
Tags: KU, MM, small town romance
Tags: KU, MM, small town romance