I’m so thankful to NetGalley that I was able to get this book as a ARC, I am not a sports person and probably would have never even known about this bI’m so thankful to NetGalley that I was able to get this book as a ARC, I am not a sports person and probably would have never even known about this book otherwise but this story is so beautiful!
This is a historical fiction that is so absolutely tenderly wholesome and heartwarmingly sweet but also filled with this underlying aching pain that isn’t blatant but so present through every interaction of the characters as queer individuals who have to constantly hide themselves and for Mark, as someone who is grieving the loss of a significant other.
Both of the main characters are people I love and will fight anyone for. Eddie is an adorable puppy who actually often reminded me of Steve Rogers (Captain America) in how he behaved and went about life. He starts off as a really lonely down on his luck youngster in a new city but as the book progresses we see him grow into himself in New York and with his teammates. He is someone who does everything in his life wholeheartedly either it be playing baseball or loving Mark. He is just an overall walking green flag! And he is the perfect counterpart to Mark, who is easily going straight to top of my favorite characters of all time ever list.
Mark Bailey is an arts journalist who starts off as a lonely man whose partner, William, had died 16 months prior to the start of the book. The handling of William and Mark’s love story is done so respectfully and beautifully by Cat Sebastian. We begin by seeing this really perfect perspective of William and Mark’s relationship that slowly is shared more and more as Mark falls in love with Eddie. We learn about how much Mark and William clearly loved each other but also that they did have their problems like every other couple. As Mark’s story continues growing and shifting with Eddie’s, there’s a very respectful separation of what they have to what Mark had.
Mark’s characterization overall is just *chef’s kiss*. He is a grumpy little baby who cares so deeply inside. Whenever we are in Mark’s point of view, we can see he repeatedly claims he’s a cynic, a practical haughty man but his actions are the exact opposite! It’s quite adorable actually how much he cares for everyone around him while constantly living with the fear of being queer in the book’s time period. Mark has so much pain and sweetness in every action he does, that you as the audience are fully aware of since we get to know Mark through his own and through Eddie’s perspectives. It’s impossible to not love him and want to wrap him in a giant blanket and cuddle him.
I don’t think there’s any way I can explain how lovely this story was, everyone needs to read it! I will be getting the physical book for my own collection and marking it up much like Mark does with his beloved copy of The Haunting of Hill House ...more
DNF. Attempting to read this book was difficult… the content is probably good for other readers but as a mood reader, the tone and mood of the book diDNF. Attempting to read this book was difficult… the content is probably good for other readers but as a mood reader, the tone and mood of the book didn’t intrigue me. It’s a very dated perspective on queer literature compared to many modern queer novels. The language is crass and gritty which might appeal to certain classical book lovers but to me it just didn’t vibe....more
I am so glad I was able to get this as an ARC, had a blast reading this! It was so different from most things I’ve read in its quirky but genuine castI am so glad I was able to get this as an ARC, had a blast reading this! It was so different from most things I’ve read in its quirky but genuine cast of characters.
As a character reader, I loved both Patrick in his quieter, reserved nature and Will in his chaotic, adorable sweetness. When the two get together, their personalities mesh so well. I loved how tender and wholesome their relationship was! Every casual forehead kiss from Patrick to Will added 5 years to my life ...more
I was so excited to get a ARC for this book and I am so glad!
It is a deliciously stunning book filled with beautiful imagery of Europe. The story is aI was so excited to get a ARC for this book and I am so glad!
It is a deliciously stunning book filled with beautiful imagery of Europe. The story is about Theo, a sommelier, and Kit, a pastry chef. Theo and Kit met during their youth when Kit moved from Paris to California and slowly fell in love as they aged, only to break up while on their way to a vacation they planned together. The story truly begins when Theo decides to finally go on that vacation but by themself four years after their break up which coincidentally is also Kit’s plan.
I think this story at core gives very pretentious western european in the best way possible. The prose is gorgeous with the scenic backdrop of Europe and food but I will say unless you are super into food you won’t understand most of what Theo/Kit are speaking of without having to look it up, they are THOSE pretentious foodies. Also I’m unsure of how much of this is the reality of Europe as someone who’s never been.
I am a character reader at heart which perhaps is the saving grace for this book. I will read anything if there is a character I can root for. In this book I fell in love with Kit, Sloane (Theo’s sister), and Fabrizio, their eccentric tour guide. Kit is so annoyingly good hearted, he loves so deeply and he takes the world on his shoulders for Theo. He is absolutely a babygirl that I want to cuddle and protect. Sloane is the voice of reason that keeps her siblings in line and is probably most representative of me in the text, I can relate to her so much as a eldest child even though she is not the eldest in her family. Finally, Fabrizio is perhaps a bit stereotypical frenchmen in his mannerisms but he is a sweetheart and the comedic heart in the series, I adore every moment that he shows up.
The problem arises with Theo. The first half of the book is in Theo’s perspective, and initially their extreme insecurity is so relatable and lovable but that quickly changes as the story progresses. You soon realize Theo is overly self sabotaging for absolutely no reason, they have this nepotism baby complex that made my eyes want to roll out of my head. Somehow by the end of Theo’s perspective, I was actively disliking them. Theo was a contradiction of themself at every corner of the plot. That dislike only worsened when l got to Kit’s pov and realized what a sweetheart he is.
½ way into the book, the plot kind of reaches a stalemate. We know all the troubles Theo has, and Europe is still beautiful but the story is just repeating the same thing over and over with slight side character variations. The whole casual sex trope also doesn’t really work here because of the execution. I love a slut era but here, it’s a lot of borderline unhealthy sex for the sake of petty issues. It is not a ‘let’s sleep around because it is fun’, it is a 'let's sleep around because I want to show off to my ex while I’m suppressing my emotions’ situation. It left me feeling icky.
Overall, I did enjoy the book a lot, it's very picturesque, almost like an arthouse movie but in text. Even the romantic plot, I enjoyed to a degree. Theo and Kit just didn’t click for me. I am a sucker for happy endings and here we have it but I wish it had been a bittersweet ending. My heart was left aching and yearning for something more (and better) for Kit who is the only reason I am going so high with the rating....more
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