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A review by cozycritiques
Checking Out by Jay Leigh
emotional
medium-paced
5.0
"His warmth, his soft breathing, and the solidity of him in my arms were more intoxicating than any combination of drugs and alcohol I’d ever consumed, and I wanted to ride this high for as long as possible.”
- Checking Out
Thank you, Jay Leigh, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Tropes: Forced Proximity, Opposites Attract, Workplace
Representation: LGBTQ (Gay), Mental Health, Dyslexia
Spice Scale: 🌶🌶🌶🌶
CW: Childhood trauma, neglect, grief, addiction, death of a parent, homophobia, injury, depression, and anxiety
Although different in tone from her debut, Checking Out is just as captivating and takes you on a journey of loss, recovery, and hope despite difficult circumstances.
As a highly empathetic person, this story definitely put me through the emotional ringer. The characters have their demons, like childhood trauma and neglect, grief, addiction, and depression and anxiety. However, Leigh handles it beautifully in a refreshing and comforting way. Too often in romance, larger issues seem to be either magically fixed by a romantic relationship or ignored once the characters get their happily ever after. And though, yes, Shiloh and Trey get their HEA, it is not at the expense of their healing. It is because of it. It is because they take the time to confront their demons head-on and heal that they can move forward together in a healthy, loving, and truly inspiring.
Unsurprisingly, given how much I adored the entire Rainbow Brigade in Whisper into the Night, I fell in love with the entire cast of characters in Checking Out. Shiloh was an absolute sweetheart, and I loved his relationship with his fiercely protective twin, Mason. Trey was a perfect mix of compelling and swoony (I am such a sucker for a dark-haired, French-speaking hero).
Checking Out is a truly beautifully complex story that stuck with me for days after staying up way too late reading it. I can’t wait to see what comes next from this universe and from Jay’s writing.
- Checking Out
Thank you, Jay Leigh, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Tropes: Forced Proximity, Opposites Attract, Workplace
Representation: LGBTQ (Gay), Mental Health, Dyslexia
Spice Scale: 🌶🌶🌶🌶
CW: Childhood trauma, neglect, grief, addiction, death of a parent, homophobia, injury, depression, and anxiety
Although different in tone from her debut, Checking Out is just as captivating and takes you on a journey of loss, recovery, and hope despite difficult circumstances.
As a highly empathetic person, this story definitely put me through the emotional ringer. The characters have their demons, like childhood trauma and neglect, grief, addiction, and depression and anxiety. However, Leigh handles it beautifully in a refreshing and comforting way. Too often in romance, larger issues seem to be either magically fixed by a romantic relationship or ignored once the characters get their happily ever after. And though, yes, Shiloh and Trey get their HEA, it is not at the expense of their healing. It is because of it. It is because they take the time to confront their demons head-on and heal that they can move forward together in a healthy, loving, and truly inspiring.
Unsurprisingly, given how much I adored the entire Rainbow Brigade in Whisper into the Night, I fell in love with the entire cast of characters in Checking Out. Shiloh was an absolute sweetheart, and I loved his relationship with his fiercely protective twin, Mason. Trey was a perfect mix of compelling and swoony (I am such a sucker for a dark-haired, French-speaking hero).
Checking Out is a truly beautifully complex story that stuck with me for days after staying up way too late reading it. I can’t wait to see what comes next from this universe and from Jay’s writing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Injury/Injury detail
Childhood trauma, neglect, grief, addiction, death of a parent, homophobia, injury, depression, and anxiety