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A review by herri1je
Time to Shine by Rachel Reid
5.0
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Rachel Reid for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
To preface, I am not a romance reader. The exception to this is Rachel Reid! I love her character development, the pace of her novels, and the style of her writing. This book was so different than her other books; it was a slower pace and a more cozy story. The would be a perfect book to cuddle up with on a snowy evening before Christmas. It's really a warm "gingerbread" book, equally sweet and spicy!
However, none of these things were my favorite things about this book. This book describes the loss of a family member and the reverberations that grief casts on a family long after the initial loss. I lost my mother this year and her description felt like someone reached into my heart and pulled my exact feelings out. It was palliative for me to read this and not feel alone.
The other thing I really enjoyed was the diversity displayed in this book. As a gay person, I like to read stories with queer characters. However, things tend to be redundant and showcase a traditional range of sexuality. I liked that this book showed a more diverse and real range of sexual expression. Consent and boundaries were clear and nothing was presented as a work up to an ultimate goal of penetrative intimacy. It was refreshing that everything was real and healthy while showing the spectrum of gay relationships. This is a pattern that was also demonstrated in her book Tough Guy, which I also loved.
Finally, although I received an ebook, I did purchase a physical copy because I liked it so much. I was happy to see it published in trade paperback rather than mass market paperback. I like a nice substantive book!
To preface, I am not a romance reader. The exception to this is Rachel Reid! I love her character development, the pace of her novels, and the style of her writing. This book was so different than her other books; it was a slower pace and a more cozy story. The would be a perfect book to cuddle up with on a snowy evening before Christmas. It's really a warm "gingerbread" book, equally sweet and spicy!
However, none of these things were my favorite things about this book. This book describes the loss of a family member and the reverberations that grief casts on a family long after the initial loss. I lost my mother this year and her description felt like someone reached into my heart and pulled my exact feelings out. It was palliative for me to read this and not feel alone.
The other thing I really enjoyed was the diversity displayed in this book. As a gay person, I like to read stories with queer characters. However, things tend to be redundant and showcase a traditional range of sexuality. I liked that this book showed a more diverse and real range of sexual expression. Consent and boundaries were clear and nothing was presented as a work up to an ultimate goal of penetrative intimacy. It was refreshing that everything was real and healthy while showing the spectrum of gay relationships. This is a pattern that was also demonstrated in her book Tough Guy, which I also loved.
Finally, although I received an ebook, I did purchase a physical copy because I liked it so much. I was happy to see it published in trade paperback rather than mass market paperback. I like a nice substantive book!