A review by colleenreads40
Someone Like You by Kayla Faber

4.5

Someone Like You is a standalone romance novel by Kayla Faber. Here’s what you can expect from Phil and Ian:

🩵 MM contemporary romance

🩵 Third person dual point of view

🩵 Guaranteed happily ever after

🩵 Closed-door romance

🩵 Strangers to friends to lovers

🩵 Heartwarming and cozy

🩵 Healing

🩵 Self-acceptance

🩵 Mental illness representation

Ensure you review the content and trigger warnings to decide if this book is right for you. Note that this list of warnings may be incomplete. Please take care of yourself while reading.

Depression; suicidal thoughts; self-destructive behaviours.

When I saw the blurb for Someone Like You on Instagram, I knew I had to give Kayla Faber’s debut MM romance a read (and I definitely need to go and check out her backlist now). And it certainly didn’t disappoint! This beautiful romance was so cozy, and I adored the journey of self-acceptance and healing the characters embarked upon. 

This book is unique, and I’ve never read a romance premise quite like it before. When we meet Phil, he’s recovering from severe burnout and a heavy depression diagnosis. Along with his fiancée Abby, he’s relocated from Chicago to Glasgow to heal. Phil loves Abby so much, and he can’t quite understand why she’s stayed with him through his highs and lows. The emotion Kayla managed to pour into these pages is palpable, and I thought she did an incredible job capturing Phil and the rawness of his mental illness. A lot of books sugarcoat it or brush over it, but I think it was critical to the story. I also appreciated that love didn’t cure Phil’s depression and anxiety. Instead, the love he found along with his medication, therapy, and lifestyle changes helped him on the road to recovery. Ian was such a great character. I loved how gruff he was, but his care for Phil was evident. He’s a loner by choice, and prefers the quiet and company of his adorable cat, Kibbles (my favourite supporting character, let’s be honest). 

One of my favourite aspects of this book was the healing. The romance was so sweet and the love these two men had for each other took my breath away, but watching Phil heal was amazing. When Phil realizes that finding himself and meeting himself where he’s at is more important than trying to mold himself back into the individual he was when the burnout sank in. This is a message I’ll carry with me going forward, and I won’t forget the beautiful healing journey Phil and Ian embarked on, along with Abby’s help. The intimacy between Phil and Ian was so lovely, and I had the best time watching them slowly fall in love. 

I received an advanced review copy of this book from the author and am voluntarily leaving a review.