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A review by jacobthebookworm
Drifting by J. Calamy
4.0
3.75 Stars
Cole Hadley comes to Al'Shahin ready for the experience of a lifetime. He's gone through a rough patch, but he's ready to put it behind him and get his diving certification. Despite the pointed looks and remarks about his size, he's determined to make this an enjoyable vacation.
Hank Ashton is the grumpy divemaster at Al'Shahin. Hank has had a rough past with bad choices that have put him in the situation that he's in now. The dream that once felt within his grasp is now quickly slipping away due to the lingering debt hanging over his head. The stern older man will have to learn to reel in his brooding personality before it gets him even more trouble.
Cole's bubbly personality is the exact opposite of Hank's, but Hank can't deny his attraction right away. He convinces Cole to take private lessons with him, and the two men find out there is a spark between them. However, they both know that it can't go anywhere, with Hank's past threatening to rear its ugly head and Cole returning to Cairo in just two short weeks. Cole and Hank make the discovery of a lifetime on one of their dives, but they soon learn that they are more different than they initially thought.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this one. Grumpy/sunshine is one of my favorite tropes, so I was instantly sold when I read the book's description. The trigger warning for fatphobia concerned me as I started reading this, as this is something that I've had to deal with all my life. I really loved how Hank made sure that Cole was always comfortable with his size and even made a point to tell Cole how attractive he was.
The biggest issue I had with this book was the romance was very quick, and I felt like there had not been a lot of development in their relationship in the beginning. I would have liked to have seen more of them interact and watch them both catch feelings before anything progressed further. This is more of a personal complaint with it than an issue with the book, and someone else might enjoy this aspect of it. Overall, I really enjoyed it!
Cole Hadley comes to Al'Shahin ready for the experience of a lifetime. He's gone through a rough patch, but he's ready to put it behind him and get his diving certification. Despite the pointed looks and remarks about his size, he's determined to make this an enjoyable vacation.
Hank Ashton is the grumpy divemaster at Al'Shahin. Hank has had a rough past with bad choices that have put him in the situation that he's in now. The dream that once felt within his grasp is now quickly slipping away due to the lingering debt hanging over his head. The stern older man will have to learn to reel in his brooding personality before it gets him even more trouble.
Cole's bubbly personality is the exact opposite of Hank's, but Hank can't deny his attraction right away. He convinces Cole to take private lessons with him, and the two men find out there is a spark between them. However, they both know that it can't go anywhere, with Hank's past threatening to rear its ugly head and Cole returning to Cairo in just two short weeks. Cole and Hank make the discovery of a lifetime on one of their dives, but they soon learn that they are more different than they initially thought.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this one. Grumpy/sunshine is one of my favorite tropes, so I was instantly sold when I read the book's description. The trigger warning for fatphobia concerned me as I started reading this, as this is something that I've had to deal with all my life. I really loved how Hank made sure that Cole was always comfortable with his size and even made a point to tell Cole how attractive he was.
The biggest issue I had with this book was the romance was very quick, and I felt like there had not been a lot of development in their relationship in the beginning. I would have liked to have seen more of them interact and watch them both catch feelings before anything progressed further. This is more of a personal complaint with it than an issue with the book, and someone else might enjoy this aspect of it. Overall, I really enjoyed it!