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Without You by Marley Valentine
5.0
emotional lighthearted reflective sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated
π‘Ύπ’Šπ’•π’‰π’π’–π’• 𝒀𝒐𝒖 π’ƒπ’š π‘΄π’‚π’“π’π’†π’š π‘½π’‚π’π’†π’π’•π’Šπ’π’† 


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         5/5 

This was such a great story. I was hooked from the prologue all the way to the end. 

Deacon’s younger brother Rhett just passed away, and before he leave to go back home after the funeral, his mom asks him to deliver some stuff to Julian, Rhett’s lifetime best friend, and boyfriend. What Deacon did expect to find was a heartbroken Julian, but what he didn’t expect was to feel so much pain seeing him that way. Deacon comforts Julian, and a tenuous friendship. 

Deacon lives 12 hours away from his family in Seattle, but he agrees to come back home for the one year anniversary of Rhett’s death. Julian and Deacon are forced into each other’s proximity during the events around the anniversary, and they begin to become friends and find solace in each other’s presence. 

While Deacon is home, he can’t help but find himself drawn to Julian. He wants to spend all his time near him, and finds excuses to touch him. Slowly Deacon and Julian find their relationship shifting, and both aren’t sure what to do about it because of Rhett, and they must decide what to do. 

Includes
  • forbidden romance 
  • Brother’s best friend/boyfriend 
  • Enemies to lovers 
  • Forced proximity 
  • Love after loss 
  • Spicy 
  • Found family 
  • Possessiveness 
  • HEA