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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
Gah! I wish we could add .5 stars! 3.5 Stars so rounding up to 4
So, I can normally read a book in a couple of days. Even when I’m as busy as I am now…but this one took me 5 days to get through. And it’s not that I didn’t like the book, more that it was just long and a bit slow for me. There are some parts of it I loved and some parts I just skimmed because it felt so long. I do usually really like this author’s books and I like her writing, this just was weird for me…not sure if it’s this year or just me.
I think it might be best to just talk about what I like and didn’t care for instead of trying to get my feelings on paper. I’m going to list what I liked first.
I liked Sandy and Miller together. I liked their differences and how they complemented each other.
While I hated what happened with Geo I loved how Sandy and Miller reacted.
I loved seeing all the characters from previous books. Every one of them fit into this book organically and added to the depth of the story. (sidebar – if you haven’t read the other books in this series you might get confused by the characters because there are a few of them and keeping them straight could be a problem)
I appreciated that the relationship drama didn’t carry on for more than a day. If it had, I probably would have abandoned the book because it already felt really long.
The following sums up why I’m not 100% feeling this book even though I did really like a lot of it.
I honestly can’t even imagine watching chair rugby and enjoying it.
The plotline with Sandy’s father felt unfinished or abandoned.
As stated above, the story just felt too long.
I’m not sure where this series goes from here…there are a few things to wrap up I think, but there isn’t much left after that I don’t imagine.
So, I can normally read a book in a couple of days. Even when I’m as busy as I am now…but this one took me 5 days to get through. And it’s not that I didn’t like the book, more that it was just long and a bit slow for me. There are some parts of it I loved and some parts I just skimmed because it felt so long. I do usually really like this author’s books and I like her writing, this just was weird for me…not sure if it’s this year or just me.
I think it might be best to just talk about what I like and didn’t care for instead of trying to get my feelings on paper. I’m going to list what I liked first.
I liked Sandy and Miller together. I liked their differences and how they complemented each other.
While I hated what happened with Geo I loved how Sandy and Miller reacted.
I loved seeing all the characters from previous books. Every one of them fit into this book organically and added to the depth of the story. (sidebar – if you haven’t read the other books in this series you might get confused by the characters because there are a few of them and keeping them straight could be a problem)
I appreciated that the relationship drama didn’t carry on for more than a day. If it had, I probably would have abandoned the book because it already felt really long.
The following sums up why I’m not 100% feeling this book even though I did really like a lot of it.
I honestly can’t even imagine watching chair rugby and enjoying it.
The plotline with Sandy’s father felt unfinished or abandoned.
As stated above, the story just felt too long.
I’m not sure where this series goes from here…there are a few things to wrap up I think, but there isn’t much left after that I don’t imagine.
4✨
Okay so I hate this cover so much. I truly think it’s awful and that’s probably why it took me so long to read this.
BUT!
I’m so glad I did! I love Auckland Med and Sandy is just guh. So unapologetically living his best life for him and no one else and I love that. Miller was an amazing character and I loved seeing the growth he went through with Sandy at his side. I felt for Geo and the way Miller took him in and protected him was EVERYTHING! Everyone came together and it was amazing getting glimpses of the other couples again.
Plus, Cam in lacy thongs? Totally had me laughing hard! I can’t wait for the next one and we get to see his wedding to Reuben come to fruition.
Okay so I hate this cover so much. I truly think it’s awful and that’s probably why it took me so long to read this.
BUT!
I’m so glad I did! I love Auckland Med and Sandy is just guh. So unapologetically living his best life for him and no one else and I love that. Miller was an amazing character and I loved seeing the growth he went through with Sandy at his side. I felt for Geo and the way Miller took him in and protected him was EVERYTHING! Everyone came together and it was amazing getting glimpses of the other couples again.
Plus, Cam in lacy thongs? Totally had me laughing hard! I can’t wait for the next one and we get to see his wedding to Reuben come to fruition.
*trying to find good queer romances with neurodiversity and mental illness representation*
It was so promising staring a couple that has both disability and gender non confirming parties.
Unfortunately it as dull af.
Neither the novel part or the political representation part did it for me.
It was so promising staring a couple that has both disability and gender non confirming parties.
Unfortunately it as dull af.
Neither the novel part or the political representation part did it for me.
This is the fourth book in the Auckland Med series and I think they just keep getting better! I am glad a re-read Up Close and Personal just before reading this as it had Sandy fresh in my mind. While the story in each book stands alone, the characters appear in subsequent books and there are references to things that happened in prior books so it really helps your enjoyment of this book if you’ve read previous books.
The MCs in this book are Sandy, a RN and forensic pathology assistant and Miller, a hospital administrator and wheeled rugby player. These two characters grabbed me right from the beginning of their story partly because they are so different from the usual characters we come across and partly because the decidedly DO NOT have a “meet cute” nor do their subsequent meetings go smoothly. I liked the learning curve and forcing each character out of their comfort zones. (We saw some of this in book 3 as well and Hogan does it well.)
The story arc moves at a good pace as does the character development. The challenges that the characters are presented are interesting and pull out the range of emotions in the reader. I was at turns amused, annoyed, sad, hurt, in tears and infuriated. I always consider it a win when I want to throat punch someone!
Another winner for Hogan. I can’t wait for the next installment in this series.
**I voluntarily read an arc and this is my unbiased opinion.**
The MCs in this book are Sandy, a RN and forensic pathology assistant and Miller, a hospital administrator and wheeled rugby player. These two characters grabbed me right from the beginning of their story partly because they are so different from the usual characters we come across and partly because the decidedly DO NOT have a “meet cute” nor do their subsequent meetings go smoothly. I liked the learning curve and forcing each character out of their comfort zones. (We saw some of this in book 3 as well and Hogan does it well.)
The story arc moves at a good pace as does the character development. The challenges that the characters are presented are interesting and pull out the range of emotions in the reader. I was at turns amused, annoyed, sad, hurt, in tears and infuriated. I always consider it a win when I want to throat punch someone!
Another winner for Hogan. I can’t wait for the next installment in this series.
**I voluntarily read an arc and this is my unbiased opinion.**
My new favourite from Jay! All the stars and then some.
Full review tomorrow.
***
Every time I read a book from Jay Hogan I'm reminded of two things:
1 She researches thoroughly and whenever there is a disability or cultural theme in her books, they are 100% given all the necessary attention to detail needed to come across as thoroughly real.
2 Her books transport me into a world where I feel I'm watching real people through a looking glass or as part of a TV show following them through their daily lives.
Here she looks at the world of Paralympic wheelchair sports, murderball aka quad rugby in particular and, as someone who is also an ambulatory wheelchair user, although not as much as when first discharged from hospital, let me say I absolutely believed 100% in Miller's experiences.
Writing about a disabled character when you aren't one yourself, is a gamble, over complicate it and it comes across like you're just reciting your research, don't give it the attention to detail it needs, and it sounds like lip-service.
But with Miller, he was utterly real. His frustrations, his fears that his disability was getting worse and threatening to derail his professional sporting career, and his dawning awareness that he'd met someone that was going to mean he had to come out publicly. They were visceral.
And Sandy, he might just be my favourite of all Jay's characters so far. He's unapologetically out and gender fluid in his outward expression through clothing. He's had to fight hard for his equilibrium and he's been disappointed time and time again by men who've asked him to tone it down at some point in their relationship.
When they meet, it's in a flurry of misunderstanding and bruised egos, but the sparks are flying from the off. Miller is fascinated by Sandy and the pathologist's assistant finds there's more to the Paralympian than his outward arrogance.
There're plenty of guest appearances from the other pairs in this excellent Auckland Med series and I loved seeing Josh and Michael, Reuben and Cam, and Mark and Ed, this friendship group is a strong one and both Miller and Sandy turn to it for help.
I'm not going into the plot, but it's one which will take you on a rollercoaster journey through all the highs and lows of a realistic relationship which has stumbles on the journey to happiness.
Read this book if you love people who've fought hard to be themselves, if you like vulnerable disabled sportsmen who are just finding their feet in the out and proud world, hurt teenagers, family and friends who will move the Earth to help protect the ones they love, and two men who work through a myriad of challenges to find the happiness they deserve.
Another absolutely brilliant entry in this fabulous series from Jay.
#ARC received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review
Full review tomorrow.
***
Every time I read a book from Jay Hogan I'm reminded of two things:
1 She researches thoroughly and whenever there is a disability or cultural theme in her books, they are 100% given all the necessary attention to detail needed to come across as thoroughly real.
2 Her books transport me into a world where I feel I'm watching real people through a looking glass or as part of a TV show following them through their daily lives.
Here she looks at the world of Paralympic wheelchair sports, murderball aka quad rugby in particular and, as someone who is also an ambulatory wheelchair user, although not as much as when first discharged from hospital, let me say I absolutely believed 100% in Miller's experiences.
Writing about a disabled character when you aren't one yourself, is a gamble, over complicate it and it comes across like you're just reciting your research, don't give it the attention to detail it needs, and it sounds like lip-service.
But with Miller, he was utterly real. His frustrations, his fears that his disability was getting worse and threatening to derail his professional sporting career, and his dawning awareness that he'd met someone that was going to mean he had to come out publicly. They were visceral.
And Sandy, he might just be my favourite of all Jay's characters so far. He's unapologetically out and gender fluid in his outward expression through clothing. He's had to fight hard for his equilibrium and he's been disappointed time and time again by men who've asked him to tone it down at some point in their relationship.
When they meet, it's in a flurry of misunderstanding and bruised egos, but the sparks are flying from the off. Miller is fascinated by Sandy and the pathologist's assistant finds there's more to the Paralympian than his outward arrogance.
There're plenty of guest appearances from the other pairs in this excellent Auckland Med series and I loved seeing Josh and Michael, Reuben and Cam, and Mark and Ed, this friendship group is a strong one and both Miller and Sandy turn to it for help.
I'm not going into the plot, but it's one which will take you on a rollercoaster journey through all the highs and lows of a realistic relationship which has stumbles on the journey to happiness.
Read this book if you love people who've fought hard to be themselves, if you like vulnerable disabled sportsmen who are just finding their feet in the out and proud world, hurt teenagers, family and friends who will move the Earth to help protect the ones they love, and two men who work through a myriad of challenges to find the happiness they deserve.
Another absolutely brilliant entry in this fabulous series from Jay.
#ARC received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review