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A review by eesh25
Oz by Lily Morton
5.0
Finally getting around to writing a proper review.
I love this book; it's one of my favourites. It's definitely my favourite by Lily Morton. And Oz is one of the best characters I've ever read about. This book is funny and heartwarming and just beautiful.
The protagonists are Oz and Silas. If you've read Risk Taker, then you might know Silas as Henry's brother and the Earl of Ashworth. Oz interviews to be his estate's manager. Oz is bored, jobless, and he told his mum that he had an interview so she wouldn't worry. He has no expectation of being hired. He even tanks the interview on purpose. Fortunately for him, the interviewer finds him entertaining, and he gets the job. That's where he meets Silas.
It's an... interesting first meeting. Silas is not the stuffy, old man Oz expected to find, and the two of them have indisputable chemistry from their first interaction, even as Oz mistakes Silas for a shepherd and shoves him in a closet.
But Oz doesn't want to date his boss (again), and Silas has a history of choosing horrible partners. The estate also needs all the help it can get. So they decide to keep things platonic. But they like each other too much, as people, for a friendship not to develop. And that's my favourite thing about this book. They do so many unselfishly kind things for one another. And they're just... perfect together.
There are also some great side characters, really good humour, and Oz. Yeah, Oz totally steals the show. He's bold, confident, snarky, and he values goodness. He sees that Silas is a good person and wants to help him in any way he can. Also, every word that comes out of Oz's mouth is pure gold. Especially when he's ripping people to shreds with his sharp tongue. Something Silas happily encourages, by the way.
And that's a large part of what this book is about. There no angst or drama. This is simply a story about two people truly caring about one another. They show kindness and acceptance. They treat the other person like they deserve to be treated. Take this line from the book, from Oz's perspective, for example:
If further proof even necessary?
I absolutely adore this book. Because of Oz, the romance, how entertaining it is, and because it feels unlike anything I've ever read. It's a beautiful story and I'm having the hardest time finding the words to express how and why I love it. So I'm just going to leave you with a tiny excerpt from Oz's interview, and tell you that you should definitely give the book a read.
I love this book; it's one of my favourites. It's definitely my favourite by Lily Morton. And Oz is one of the best characters I've ever read about. This book is funny and heartwarming and just beautiful.
The protagonists are Oz and Silas. If you've read Risk Taker, then you might know Silas as Henry's brother and the Earl of Ashworth. Oz interviews to be his estate's manager. Oz is bored, jobless, and he told his mum that he had an interview so she wouldn't worry. He has no expectation of being hired. He even tanks the interview on purpose. Fortunately for him, the interviewer finds him entertaining, and he gets the job. That's where he meets Silas.
It's an... interesting first meeting. Silas is not the stuffy, old man Oz expected to find, and the two of them have indisputable chemistry from their first interaction, even as Oz mistakes Silas for a shepherd and shoves him in a closet.
But Oz doesn't want to date his boss (again), and Silas has a history of choosing horrible partners. The estate also needs all the help it can get. So they decide to keep things platonic. But they like each other too much, as people, for a friendship not to develop. And that's my favourite thing about this book. They do so many unselfishly kind things for one another. And they're just... perfect together.
There are also some great side characters, really good humour, and Oz. Yeah, Oz totally steals the show. He's bold, confident, snarky, and he values goodness. He sees that Silas is a good person and wants to help him in any way he can. Also, every word that comes out of Oz's mouth is pure gold. Especially when he's ripping people to shreds with his sharp tongue. Something Silas happily encourages, by the way.
And that's a large part of what this book is about. There no angst or drama. This is simply a story about two people truly caring about one another. They show kindness and acceptance. They treat the other person like they deserve to be treated. Take this line from the book, from Oz's perspective, for example:
I realise that this job just got a lot more difficult because at the top of my plan of action I really want to write: Make Silas smile and stop being so tired and worried.
If further proof even necessary?
I absolutely adore this book. Because of Oz, the romance, how entertaining it is, and because it feels unlike anything I've ever read. It's a beautiful story and I'm having the hardest time finding the words to express how and why I love it. So I'm just going to leave you with a tiny excerpt from Oz's interview, and tell you that you should definitely give the book a read.
“The position that you’re interviewing for is that of the house manager of Ashworth House. Can you tell me what you think this entails?”
I shrug and smile winsomely. “I imagine it’s a bit like being a tour manager, only with less drugs and hookers.”