A review by jamieb_19
Show Me Wonders by Riley Nash

4.0

“Feel me. Pretend we’re back there, nothing in the world but us.” His forehead rests against mine as his voice drops even more, until I can barely make out the words. “I was waiting there for you this whole time.”

Oliver Shaw and Jackson Moreno first meet as the only two survivors of a terrifying tunnel collapse. The two men form an unlikely bond as they are trapped together in the pitch black for days while they await a rescue that may or may not come. They are men whose paths would probably never have crossed otherwise but when they have to rely upon each other if they have any hope of survival, they form a connection that only they would understand. When rescue finally comes, they are ripped from each other’s lives as quickly as they entered and Oliver is left with nothing but questions about the man he’s come to love. Their paths don’t cross again until one fateful day six years later when Jackson shows up looking for a job at the bank where Oliver works. Time and circumstance have changed a lot for both men over the years but the one thing that’s stayed the same is the connection they formed back in that tunnel. But Jackson still has secrets that threaten to rip him away from Oliver again. Sometimes, though, people are simply destined to be together and will find each other again and again until they can finally have forever.

This book immediately sucked me in as our quiet, nerdy Oliver finds himself trapped in the dark on a train after the tunnel they were traveling through collapses. It’s not long before the only other survivor, gruff and grumpy Jackson finds him and the two have to rely on each other to try and survive until they are rescued. I thought this part was really well written. The fear and hopelessness of the situation were so well executed. These men were very different but they certainly bonded over their shared trauma, all without ever laying eyes on each other due to their pitch-black surroundings. It’s hinted early on that Jackson has had a rough life but having to look out for Oliver brings out his protective nature and you get to see that despite whatever he’s mixed up in outside the tunnel, he’s a good person at his core. Poor Oliver was, understandably, a wreck down there but managed to draw on his parenting experiences to remain calm in certain situations when Jackson needed him most. It’s heartbreaking when they are torn apart immediately upon being rescued and the chapter that covers the time jump was so sad.

Seeing the aftermath of the accident on Oliver’s mental health was also heartbreaking. He was doing his best but really struggling when we pick up six years later. Then Jackson reenters his life and they quickly find the solace in each other’s presence that they felt all those years ago. I don’t want to give any spoilers but there was one thing about their reunion that seemed a little unlikely. But aside from that, I loved seeing them come together again. They balanced each other well, Oliver softened Jackson’s edges and Jackson helped Oliver rediscover the strength that he had within him. The romance between them was really sweet. This part of the story was also stressful, though, because Jackson gets himself mixed up in stuff that leaves you waiting for the other shoe to drop.

There were a few other minor things that I thought were unnecessary or not exactly realistic but overall I thought this was a lovely, heartwarming romance. It was my first time reading a book from this author and I’ll definitely be seeking out more. In particular, I’ll be going back to read Gray and Jonah’s book because I really liked them as secondary characters here and was excited to see they had their own book!