charmon 's review for:

Without You by Marley Valentine

5.0

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All the stars for this breathtaking book. I cannot count how many times I have seen this book recommended, and it definitely held up to the hype. It was beautifully haunting and so real and raw. I felt every emotion and indecision and just war that was going on through this entire book. Now, this may not work for some, as it is a dead brother's boyfriend getting together with the other brother, but at no time does it ever feel that way. It just feels like two broken people finding their other half, so they could be whole and grow together. Also, I believe another saving grace is we never see on page how Julian and Rhett were together, so there was no contending with the other. You just saw how Julian and Deacon maneuvered their way through new friendship and confusing feelings, and then how they just fell so deeply for each other. I cried throughout the whole book, but it was still uplifting and never felt too heavy. Tim Paige and Teddy Hamilton killed this narration. I was bawling reading the one and only letter we got of Rhett, but I am happy to have only gotten one, and I love the one we got. Now, going to go read this extended epilogue!